Love dosas and idlis? Another South Indian restaurant opens in Mumbai, this time in Malad

Its been a busy year for foodies in Mumbai because countless restaurants have opened in the city till now If one looks closer this year has also particularly seen the boom of South Indian restaurants across the city not only in South Mumbai and Thane but also in BandraAs more restaurants open further north South Indian restaurant Santosham has opened its newest outlet in Malad adding to the list of South Indian eateries that have opened this yearThe list includes the likes of Rameshwaram Cafe in Churchgates Eros building in March followed by the likes of Karnataka Tiffin Rooms second outlet in Bandra BLR Room in Thane and even Bennes third outlet in GirgaonOpening in MaladServing Satvik a templestyle South Indian vegetarian restaurant rooted in the philosophy of prasadam the new 60seater restaurant marks its first presence in Mumbairsquos western suburbs and its fourth outlet in the city after already being present in Marine Drive Powai and ThaneInterestingly they bring south Indian food to a suburb that is popularly known to be dominated by the Gujarati community but being a vegetarian restaurant fits right into the mould while focusing on homestyle cooking to a new neighbourhood shaped by the family recipes and ritualsThe opening comes at a time when many Mumbaikars traditionally travelled to the Bandra more recently if not Matunga which has always had a special place for South Indian cuisine along with South MumbaiWho are the foundersFounded by motherson duo Bhagyalakshmi Gohokar and Chittaranjan Gohokar the restaurant aims to bring together a family culinary legacy and a contemporary restaurant visionBhagyalakshmi a selftaught culinary expert who grew up around her fatherrsquos Shanti Bhavan in Nagpur now oversees more than 200 heirloom recipes as cofounder and head chef while Chittaranjan with over 20 years of experience in construction and manufacturing leads the brandrsquos strategy and expansion as founder and CEOThe menu boasts of an unlimited Satvik BananaLeaf Sadhya a generous traditional meal served on a banana leaf Since it is rooted in templestyle cooking many dishes are prepared without onion or garlic it celebrates the rituals of serving refilling and sharing that make the Sadhya a meal of togethernessThe a la carte menu includes homestyle dosa made from naturally fermented batter and served with tiffin sambar soft idlis and ven pongal finished with ghee pepper cumin and fragrant tempering reflecting the simplicity and care of the Santosham kitchenPodis pickles chutneys and batters are prepared inhouse with freshly ground spices and careful tempering forming an important part of the cookingSome dishes are particularly personal to the Gohokar family Parippu Pradhaman made with roasted lentils jaggery and coconut milk recalls Bhagyalakshmi watching her mother prepare it for festivals and family occasions KaruveppilaiPodi meanwhile carries a childhood memory for Chittaranjan inspired by the curry leaves that grew in the backyard of the family homeElements for the interior decorDesigned by Minnie Bhatt Design the Malad restaurant translates Santoshamrsquos South Indian roots into a warm contemporary setting The 60seater space has been designed as an inviting neighbourhood restaurant bringing together the familiarity of the restaurants culinary traditions with a more contemporary dining environmentView this post on InstagramA post shared by Santosham South Indian Restaurant santoshamfoods