Food News – Abhi’s Turns 25

Chef Kumar Mahadevan uses beautiful mandarin skin and fruit in his Salmon Kothmiri Tikki. The bold, acidic sauce also employs spicy tamarind but somehow leaves a hole big enough to taste the gently cooked (sous-vide) fish. It’s but one masterpiece presented at a series of 25th Anniversary Dinners held last month at Abhi’s in North Strathfield. While this is a little outside my usual stomping ground, Abhi’s is worth mentioning, not least of which because in the ensuing quarter century since opening the doors, it has fed around 1,014,000 customers. I’d also place it in Sydney’s top four Indian restaurants. Kumar’s scallop and kingfish bhel is a good indication why. While I often think less is more with raw kingfish, this ceviche-style dish plays upon a traditional bhel-puri of puffed rice, wheat crisps, chilli, onion and vadagam (rice crackers). It employs considerable spicing yet manages to leave a slot so you get to appreciate the delicate fish. Even Kumar’s simple vegetarian dhal, Keerai Pappu, is amazing, so if you haven’t dined, don’t wait another twenty-five years to check this tastefully updated Indian restaurant out!
www.abhisindian.com.au