Bronwyn G.
Yelp
Sauma menu designed to tickle your tastebuds and we got to try almost everything thanks to our large group - the best way to have Indian! Highlights of the street food/smaller dishes section of the menu were the oysters which were chai-smoked with shallot dressing, the onion bhaji, and those lamb ribs twice cooked with sweet tamarind, chilli, mint and coriander which just melted in your mouth. Other dishes of note included the raita, tandoori chicken and the beef samosa with earthy beetroot ketchup. The only thing that didn't quite hit the mark for me was the octopus salad - with a little too much puffed rice it tasted more cereal than seafood.
For the main dishes, we tried butter chicken - because that is what everyone does when the eat Indian in a western country right? This was a favourite for some, I enjoyed it but didn't think it was as good as Aunty G's chicken curry with cardamon, chilli paste, caramelised onion and tomato. The duck curry with coriander seeds, dry chilli and fennel, spicy Rajasthani sauce and potato was a hit with most, rich tender duck falling of the bone into an even richer sauce. I didn't try the shark bay prawn curry with fenugreek seeds eggplant, tamarind, dry chilli and spicy cumin but it seemed to go down a treat, while the general consensus on the cone bay barra fish curry with shallots, ginger, green chilli, curry leaves, beans and coconut milk was that the fish was a little bit overpowering. My favourite by far was the mountain style goat curry cooked on bone (so tender!) with ginger, turmeric, chilli tomato and beetroot. The naan bread was pretty out of this world as well.
Sauma was some of the best Indian I have had since departing the sub-continent a year and half ago. Admittedly not as cheap as you might get down the road at old Shanghai you certainly get what you pay for - the high quality ingredients are prepared with care and the flavour combinations certainly wont leave you wanting. Worth a visit any day of the week, and make sure to check out the cocktail list!