This Vile-Parle delivery kitchen is serving a fusion of pan-Asian and South Indian dishes

Avocado tacos

When the world shuttered last year, Vile Parle-based Mihir Sheth started spending more time in the kitchen, putting his seven years of experience in the F&B industry to use. Little did he and his wife Paran, then know that in between YouTube-ing recipes for dinner, they would end up whipping up a fun, vegetarian dining concept called Sambar & Soy.

Rasam ramen

The home delivery kitchen puts together one-of-a-kind menus that, in their words, range from rasam to ramen, and everything in between. No, we don't mean schezwan dosa. Every weekend, they offer alternating menus of south Indian and pan-Asian fare. The innovative offerings are inspired by, but not strictly limited to the two culinary traditions. For instance, think dan dan noodles, Sichuan poached wontons and Malabar crisps. But also imagine, rasam ramen bowl, Kerala kappa tapioca sliders, chilli cheese paniyarams, and more. As someone who has managed three brands for a leading hospitality organisation, including an Asian QSR and a modern Udipi-themed concept, Sheth shares, "I wanted to offer an element of familiarity in the menu, while introducing something unique, yet comforting."

DIY uttapam tacos with sweet potato gassi

And comforting it is, as we found out when we dug into their smartly packaged meals on a hot summer evening. We liked that the duo had sprinkled in a few additional DIY elements, as opposed to just eating out of a box - it helps the guests get more involved, Paran points out. A cute note shared instructions for heating, and pointers on assembling the DIY dishes. We started off with the cool and crispy dynamite avocado tacos (R400) that make for perfect sides with a round of drinks. The idea to pack the hard shell tacos and the filling separately ensured they remained crispy, a technique they thankfully applied to all the DIY dishes. It was fun to put together the DIY uttapam tacos with sweet potato gassi (R450) and the dal vada pita pockets (R450), which brought back memories of chaat parties. The coconut-y gassi, a genius gunpowder sour cream, along with fluffy uttapams made for a hit combo, while a smooth podi tahini elevated the slightly dry dal vada pita pockets.

Dal vada pita pockets, with salad, chilli jam and podi tahini

Full marks for the sesame peanut sauce and chilli oil that made the dan dan noodles (R450) an umami-hit; save some sauce to slather on bread later. Those looking for a healthy bite can indulge in the soy edamame rice (R400), but ranking high on the comfort factor would be the rasam ramen (R450). Heat up the spicy rasam, and swish it into a bowl of noodles, crispy veggies and flavour-bomb vadas. Sweltering heat, damp monsoons or just a low day, it's the perfect pick-me-up for all seasons. Paran tells us that they're planning to set up a monthly menu soon and will also accept catering orders. Give it a shot, we'd say.

Mihir and Paran Sheth

Log on to @sambarandsoy on Instagram
Call 9820668494