Ready to take your tastebuds on a tantalising culinary journey? The newish kid on the block is Awara Restaurant and it’s such a goodie! Fans of former Bukhara will delight in Awara’s Asian grills and modern Indian cuisine, where the saying “variety is the spice of life” springs to mind.
The space is chic, modern and stylish with dark wood tables and chairs imported from India and glass-fronted views of the kitchen, where talented Chefs create mouth-watering dishes for your dining pleasure.
I am not that familiar with Indian cuisine and was keen to try something different. Well, I’m really happy that my curiosity won because this dining experience was SENSATIONAL! Your tastebuds will thank you and you’ll still be thinking about it weeks later; trust me on this one.
Johan and his team treated us to a sumptuous smorgasbord, a fantastic fusion of delicious flavours, textures and unique presentations. These are some of the dishes that we had the pleasure of indulging in.
Tempting Tapas
Pani Puri – Crisp Puri stuffed with chickpeas and potatoes, served with tamarind and mint cumin water. Beautifully presented and an absolute taste sensation, especially the pistachio-flavoured Pani Puri.
Prawn Palak Papdl Chat – this dish was easy on the eyes and a delight to eat. With crispy spinach, flour crisps, chickpeas, mint, tamarind and yoghurt dressing built like a tower, any kid or adult averse to eating veggies would have a hard time trying to resist this delicious creation!
Tapas Grills
Black Bean Fish – perfectly cooked fish topped with black beans. Need I say more?
Spicy Chicken Wings with a spicy tandoori marinade – finger-licking goodness!
Korean Chilli Chicken with gochujang chilli marinaded boneless chicken legs. This was a top dish for me! It came in a sizzling pan with a side of lettuce – the idea is to top the lettuce leaf with chicken and eat it with your hands, similar to eating a taco. So scrumptious!
A taste of the Chicken Cheese Kebab is unlike anything I’ve ever had before – stuffed with mild creamy cheese, it’s a melt-in-your-mouth flavour bomb!
A Taste of India
For mains, I had the Butter Chicken Curry, a sublime chicken tikka curry with creamy tomato and cashew nut. Bev opted for Lal Maas, an aromatic lamb curry with roasted red chillies and yoghurt. She likes her curries on the spicy side and boy, was this one on the hot side! Served with a side of garlic butter nan and basmati rice, this was one unforgettable dining experience!
Joshua, our attentive waiter, insisted that we end off on a sweet note. The highlight was the creamiest, dreamiest mango ice cream which was a wonderful way to end our meal. If like me, you aren’t keen on super spicy food, you’re at the right place as the Chefs know exactly how to balance spices to create aromatic, flavourful dishes that please your palate, igniting all your senses.
We didn’t look too closely at the wine list and cocktail menu, but there is a wide selection to choose from. Joshua suggested Kleine Zalze Shiraz for me and Thelema Sauvignon Blanc for Bev as both wines paired well with the dishes we ate.
Perfect for date nights or with a group of friends or family, Awara Restaurant comes highly recommended. Make sure to book in advance as this foodie hotspot is popular.
Thank you, Johan, Joshua and the rest of the Awara team for a truly memorable evening. I look forward to returning for more incredible Indian and Asian cuisine.
Living It Up CT rating – 9/10
Address and contact information: 33 Church Street, Cape Town City Centre +27 21 424 0000
Trading hours:
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday – 11 am to 11 pm
Sunday, Monday and Tuesday – 11 am to 10 pm
Website: https://bukhara.com/awara/
Disclaimer: I was invited by Scout PR to review Awara Restaurant. All images and views are my own unless stated otherwise. Featured image courtesy of Awara Restaurant.
