This festive menu is a yummy ode to India’s moods — vibrant, nostalgic and irresistibly bold

There’s something about the festive season that makes everything feel just a tiny bit extra — brighter lights, louder laughter, bolder flavours. And at Salt Indian Restaurant’s festive pop-up, that feeling translates beautifully into food. This Diwali menu doesn’t only celebrate this season, but it turns it into a full-blown flavour fiesta. Think traditional recipes with contemporary elements, cocktails that flirt with nostalgia and desserts that deserve their own firecrackers.

Salt Indian Restaurant celebrates comfort, creativity and festive glimmers

As we reached their beautifully decorated outlet, we kicked things off with the Pappu potli bomb — golden, crispy little potlis (bags) stuffed with spiced potatoes, corn, broccoli, cheese and cashews. They arrived with mint and tamarind chutneys, perfectly balancing indulgence with zing. But the real star of the table? The Gun powder calamari. Squid rings dusted in fiery Andhra-style spice, fried just right and served with onion rings and pudina chutney. Every bite was bold, crunchy and unapologetically addictive. The Chicken cafreal croquettes came next — a Goan green masala twist filled with molten cheese and pine nuts along with peri peri fries and surprisingly, Kokum chutney. The chutney’s sweet-tart hit cut through all that richness, making it stand out.

Festivities without a drink in hand? Unthinkable. The Smoky Utsav cocktail brought a deep, woodsy kick, while the Chai Patakha tasted like Diwali in a glass — smoky, spiced and comfortingly familiar to our desi, chai loving tastebuds. From the mocktail lineup, the Paan-e-Shaam was pure festive fun. The drink had flaked coconut on the rim, betel leaf and ginger ale dancing together for a drink that felt nostalgic yet somehow new.

For mains, we dove into the Paneer pasanda curry — a creamy, cashew based affair that paired perfectly with butter naan. The Martabaan ka gosht, slow cooked in a clay pot, was tender, fiery and soaked in rustic red spices — best enjoyed with a flaky laccha paratha. Around us, other tables were tucking into the Mutton mandi biryani and Kashmiri dum aloo, all part of the festive indulgence parade.

Dessert came with its own drumroll. The Nolen gur bhapa doi, a Bengali style baked curd pudding, offered that dreamy balance of creamy and caramelised, topped with a brûléed crust and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. And of course, the Baileys kulfi — desi favourite meets Irish charm — ended the meal on the sweetest note possible.

₹2,400 for two. Available till October 26. At Hitec City

— Written by Isha Parvatiyar

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