The only authentic Tibetan restaurant in Mumbai, Sernyaa puts the focus on this healthy but mysterious cuisine that even hardcore foodies are virgins to
The only authentic Tibetan restaurant in Mumbai, Sernyaa puts the focus on this healthy but mysterious cuisine that even hardcore foodies are virgins to
Tibetan cuisine draws a blank among most except those who've been to Himachal Pradesh or Tibet.
That is why Kamall Karma Lama, the 56 year-old Tibetan proprietor-chef of budget restaurant Sernyaa, added, "Tibetan Chinese Kitchen" under the brand name, despite a limited Chinese menu.
"People come in expecting conventional Indian Chinese khaana, and I introduce them to Tibetan," he says. He makes the dishes "thoda" spicy/peppery to suit the Indian palate.
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'Most of the dishes can also be prepared Jain' announces the menu. Just some of the reasons why this little standalone eatery has stood its ground where others experimented with the cuisine and shut shop.u00a0
After over two decades as film production controller (he ran away from home in his 20s to become a Bollywood director), Lama and his wife Ratna began a Momo service from home. Their growing popularity culminated in the launch of Sernyaa in 2003.
A couple of years ago, he hired genuinely genial Chinese 81-year-old Jhonson Chen as manager.
Their joint hosting has made Sernyaa well-liked despite its simple interiors. Six tables, a laughing Buddha, a picture of Dalai Lama and the kitchen upstairs sum up the decor.
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The varied large-portioned fare at Sernyaa dispels the notion that food from Lama's land is spare, bland and largely vegetarian.
Chicken, lamb, beef and seafood dishes crowd the menu. Lhasa Gyadhuk (veg or chicken noodles prepared in a sizzling platter) at Rs 95-Rs 100, Guema Chasa (special sausages) for Rs 125 and Danzien De (rice cooked in a clay pot topped with mushroom, exotic veggies and chicken) at Rs 135.
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Despite its proximity to India and China, Tibet has borrowed little from the two nations' cooking styles. It's not culinary artistry that Tibetan cuisine thrives on, but stripping dishes down so that food tastes as close to its original and natural ingredient.
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Health freaks will love that it's rarely fried, sautu00e9ed or overcooked. Steaming is usually the way to cook; no added MSG (ajinomoto).
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Momos and Thupka are integral, and the USP of Sernyaa. The Steamed Chicken Momo (Rs 65) was the most authentic we've had in the city.
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You'd think that the eatery's success has dulled Lama's cinematic ambitions. But "the doors of Bollywood are always open. There's still hope," he counters in the true spirit of a Hindi film lover.
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At: 185 Adarsh Nagar, near Jain Hall, diagonally opposite Lotus Petrol Pump, Oshiwara Link Road, Andheri (W). Call: 65741005/ 66784645. From 11.30 am to midnight.u00a0
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