Ren Min x Gravy Present Svaadisht!
As an avid craft beer fan, imagine my excitement when I found out about the craft beer collaboration between local craft beer producer Ren Min and Gravy Restaurant & Bar to create Svaadisht!, an epic culinary collision between local craft beer and North Indian cuisine.
A relaxing atmosphere filled the restaurant as the small crowd is simply glad to be able to gather to appreciate a night of delicious food and drinks in the midst of growing weariness over the strict social restrictions.
Before the main event, each guest was served a gin shooter to help cleanse the palate and awaken our senses.
First pairing of the night is Avocado Papdi Chaat with 6.9% Kiss Kiss Mango Smoothie IPA. The dish features a combination of sweet yogurt, tamarind, and mint. Beetroot is used to give it an earthy feel while the rice flakes and crackers provide the much needed crunch to the entire dish. The dish is an interesting twist and taste more like Mexican Guacamole, allowing the sweet and spicy flavors to complement the fruity smooth IPA.
Second pairing features Spicy Fish Fry with 4.5% Crowdsurfing Hazy Session IPA. The fruity aromatic IPA is full bodied and satisfying, while the chili-battered fried dory helps to provide that extra kick for this dynamic duo.
Third pairing comprises of Lasooni Chicken Tikka with 6.8% Cloud Chasing New England IPA. The boneless grilled chicken is marinated in a rich ginger-garlic sauce and grilled with a bit of char to the meat, helping to add a layer of smokiness to the citrusy aromas of the IPA.
Last pairing of the night is a dessert combo featuring Jalebi & Peanut Butter Rabri with 5.6% Family Ties Chocolate Porter. The Indian-style pretzel contains sweet condensed milk infused with peanut butter, striking a great balance with the roasty, vanilla chocolate notes in the Porter.
Now for the big question: Was the craft beer pairing with Northern Indian cuisine a match made in heaven? Or was it much ado about nothing?
Overall, it was a case of glass half full for me as I felt that the food pairing worked to a certain extent with a lot of thought put into identifying the right flavor profiles to match each dish and beer. Staff members from Ren Min and Gravy Restaurant & Bar were warm and approachable, and took the time to carefully introduce each pairing and explain their thought process that goes into the combinations. It is a community that they are building and for that, they definitely deserve full marks for the night.
With Ren Min planning an expansion of local operations with exciting collaborations and events lined up, I can only say that I am a fan converted and I will be counting down the days to the next meetup. In the meanwhile, let’s raise a glass and cheers to more happy days to come!