Saar Indian Cuisine & Bar
Indian restaurant · Midtown West ·
Modern Indian cuisine with British, Persian, & Jewish influences
Modern Indian cuisine with British, Persian, & Jewish influences
"I noted that Saar Indian Bistro is from chefs Hemant Mathur and Surbhi Sahni." - Carla Vianna
"Opened by longtime NYC fine-dining trailblazer Hemant Mathur in collaboration with his wife, chef Surbhi Sahni, this 57-seat Midtown restaurant at 241 West 51st St. centers Indian fare while explicitly drawing on British, Persian, and Jewish influences. The menu scatters unexpected touches across courses: cauliflower latkes spiced with green chile and ginger and served with a cranberry chutney; a truffle risotto with morels, wild mushroom, garlic, and pea shoots; and Mathur’s tandoori lamb chops (a dish that previously drew critical accolades). Sahni oversees a tight dessert program—her unniyappam, a fried banana fritter, comes with black pepper caramel and guava-mango-curry dipping sauces—and has said the goal is to show how food has evolved in India over the past 100 years, serving dishes as they are prepared and eaten at home today. The 2,400-square-foot space is meant to channel a modern French bistro with bright colors reminiscent of vintage India, and the restaurant also provides lunch, dining, catering, and theater specials to the New York City area." - Serena Dai
"Serving up modern Indian fare, the restaurant opens tonight in Midtown Manhattan. Saar, which translates to 'essence of something' in Hindi, is styled in pinks and blues after Mathur’s hometown, which is also known as 'the pink city.' The menu emphasizes the ever-changing and multi-cultural aspects of India, featuring Parsi and Jewish Indian sub-culture cuisine with starters like cauliflower latkes and Kashmiri gucchi (morel mushroom) truffle risotto. Entrées include stir-fried Cochin black pepper chicken with coconut chutney; Kashmiri kabargah, consisting of milk-poached crispy New Zealand lamb ribs with onion, red pepper and radish relish; and cilantro-tamarind glazed tandoori tiger shrimp with rice and lentil porridge and lemon chutney. The dessert list features kaju kulfi, an Indian cashew ice cream with Tagmo chile chocolate, and unniyappam in the form of sourdough banana fritters with black pepper caramel. Saar opens tonight for dinner from 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., but will unveil a lunch and high tea menu in the coming weeks and brunch in the summer." - Marguerite Imbert
"Saar Indian Bistro, conceptualized by chef Hemant Mathur and Surbi Sahn, is a modern Indian bistro styled in pinks and blues. The 64-seat venue features a menu emphasizing India's multi-cultural aspects, with dishes like cauliflower latkes, Cochin black pepper chicken, and cilantro-tamarind glazed tandoori tiger shrimp. Saar opens tonight for dinner and plans to unveil a lunch, high tea, and brunch menu in the coming weeks." - Marguerite Imbert
"Indian restaurant with British, Persian, and Jewish influences on the menu." - Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya
