Address: 5 C, Main Market
Near Club Road
Punjabi Bagh
New Delhi
(The nearest Metro Station to Punjabi Bagh is the Shivaji Park Metro Station, which is at a distance of 1 km)
Timings: 8 am to 11 pm
Cuisine: South Indian, Mughlai and Chinese
Cost: Rs.500 (approx) for two people
Payment methods: Cash, credit cards and debit cards
I NEVER go to a pure vegetarian restaurant and Sagar Ratna is the only exception I make. Sagar Ratna is synonymous with high quality, tasty, clean and hygienic South Indian vegetarian food. I am still trying to figure out why they’ve incorporated Chinese and Mughlai cuisine into their menu. It just doesn’t fit.
The first thing I order at Sagar Ratna is a tall glass of spicy and tangy rasam along with papad, to get my appetite going. The papad that is served with the rasam is the South Indian version, also known as papadam. The papadam is deep fried, giving it a nice crunch which goes well with the spicy rasam. Those who can’t tolerate very spicy food may want to stay away from the rasam as it is extremely fiery. A 10 on 10 for the rasam and papad.
After the rasam comes a plate of simple and unpretentious idlis along with unlimited sambar, coconut chutney and spicy tomato chutney. The idlis are light and fluffy and taste even better when dunked into the piping hot sambar. I usually order some gunpowder (a medley of roasted spices mixed in ghee) on the side, which adds that extra zing to the idlis. A 9 on 10 for the idlis.
Coming to dosas, my favourite at Sagar Ratna remains the Rava Plain Dosa which is made of Rava/Sooji (semolina) and is light and crispy. You may also want to try the Rava Masala Dosa, which comes with a filling of spiced potatoes. The only thing I don’t like about the Rava Masala Dosa is that the potato filling causes the dosa to become soggy and lose its crunch. A 9 on 10 for the Rava Plain Dosa. Another dosa which I particularly enjoy at Sagar Ratna is the Mysore Plain Dosa, which is a crispy dosa with a thin layer of spices on the inside. The best thing about this dosa is that the layer of spices is not overpowering. A 10 on 10 for the Mysore Plain Dosa.
Will I go back to Sagar Ratna? Certainly, especially on a Sunday morning for a breakfast of idlis and their signature filter coffee.
