MURGH SAKOONWALA WITH PESTO NAAN
(l to r) Chicken Sakoonwala, Pesto Naan, and Aloo Peas Kulcha (Vansh A. Gupta | Siliconeer)
What makes your mouth water? For many, it could be a slice of pizza or a tasty sandwich. But some enjoy the taste of authentic Indian cuisine. Sakoon in Fremont, Calif., would definitely be something for them. Sakoon opened its Fremont location earlier this year after the success of their Mountain View joint.
This upscale restaurant has a lot to offer. From sizzling eats off the tandoor to delicious North Indian – North West Frontier favorites in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. There are cocktails and small bites for the casual eaters. The menu has choices to satisfy every palate, write Siliconeer foodies Vansh A. Gupta and Rohan Kumar.
[three_first]
Sakoon Restaurant
39195 Farwell Drive, Fremont, CA 94538
Reservations: (510) 744-9500
www.sakoonrestaurant.com
Cuisine: North Indian & West Frontier
Cost: $$$. (Dishes are under $30 each)
[/three_first][three_second]
Rating: ✯✯✯✯½
✯✯✯✯✯ | Extraordinary
✯✯✯✯ | Superior
✯✯✯ | Good
✯✯ | Mediocre
✯ | Poor
[/three_second][three_third]
Points
Ambience: ✯✯✯✯✯
Service: ✯✯✯✯✯
Taste: ✯✯✯✯✯
Price: ✯✯✯
SCORE: 90%
[/three_third]
First Impressions:
The restaurant is upscale with an elegant ambience. The soft music and lighting adds to the mood. This restaurant is more formal compared to its older sibling in Mountain View, Calif.
Service:
Our waiter, Prabin, was very knowledgeable and courteous. The food arrived promptly and looked delectable. As they say, you get what you pay for … in this case both were in abundance.
Drinks (Piña Colada & Millionaire Sour)
We started the night with a couple of drinks, non-alcoholic, of course! The Piña Colada was great, keeping the balance between pineapples and coconuts. The fancy glass really added to the beauty of the drink. The other drink, Millionaire Sour, lived up to its name, sour, but worth a million dollars, by adding a sweet and gingery taste to it. The cherry and soda were nice additions. Both drinks were $5, which we felt was a bit on the expensive side.
Veg Appetizer (Katori Chaat)
The Katori Chaat was spicy, chatpata, and had a sweet balance to it. We loved the crunchy feel. It was visually appealing as well. We would recommend this for chaat lovers. One order should be enough to serve three.
Non-veg Appetizer (Murgh Reshmi Kebab)
The Murgh Reshmi Kebab came out sizzling. Neither too spicy, nor too bland, it tasted great, both with and without the chutneys. It was well cooked and quite juicy.
The Breads (Aloo Peas Kulcha and Pesto Naan)
The Pesto Naan being served at an Indian restaurant was new for us. Pesto adds an interesting and flavorful twist to the naan. Tastes especially great with curries. The Aloo Peas Kulcha was loaded with a zesty potato-peas filling. Our search for the perfect naan and kulcha involved three parameters, flavor, crispiness, and fluffiness. In this case, we have to admit, we were surprised. A+ there, Sakoon!
Veg Entrée (Paneer Peshawari)
The Paneer Peshawari looked like an innocent dish, naïve but surprisingly spicy (as requested). It came in a stylish bowl and had the perfect balance of paneer and gravy. We didn’t have to fish for the paneer, it was just there, in abundance! To add to the color and flavor, some bell peppers and onions were found in company but not in excess. Splendid!
Non-veg Entrée (Murgh Sakoonwala)
Murgh Sakoonwala is Sakoon’s signature chicken preparation. Just right spices, very little veggies and lots of chicken! We couldn’t help dig in just as it arrived. Smells as delicious as it looks. The fact that there is very little veggies, should appeal to a lot of kids who are usually not that fond of crunching on those veggies.
Dessert (Zafarani Badam Pista & Sakoon Crème Brulée)
And now, our personal favorite, dessert! We ordered Zafarani Badam Pista and Sakoon Crème Brulée. While the first one was served with a dollop of whipped cream topped with chocolate sauce and sugar coated saunf (fennel seeds), the Crème Brulée was warm and crispy on the top and cool and soft inside. A dashing blob of whipped cream drizzled with chocolate and sprinkled with sweet saunf also accompanied it. Our recommendation, save some space and definitely go for it!
The Verdict
Overall, Sakoon proved to be quite an experience. It is pricey, upscale restaurant, and the environment had a fancy and formal feel. The service was exemplary and ambience was chic. The appetizers and main course were up to the mark, and could serve three to four people easily.
If there is an occasion to remember and you want to celebrate it in style, with good food, Sakoon is the place.
The Authors:
[two_first]
Vansh A. Gupta is an intern with Siliconeer. He is an avid foodie and likes to explore world cuisine. He lives in Fremont, Calif.
[/two_first][two_second]
Rohan Kumar is an intern with Siliconeer. He is an avid foodie and loves to try out new places to eat. He lives in Fremont, Calif.
[/two_second]
