Mumbai, India
The Beginning
2016
All good stories start with conflict.
Two friends, both foodies, had a debate one day - one said “successful restaurants make interesting things” and the other said “successful restaurants do things to perfection”.
Who was right?
Berkeley, CA
The Venture
2023
“Thayir Sadam” in Berkeley, is the restaurant that was born out of this debate. The two friends took a dish they both loved from their childhood, and put their perspectives to work. Perfection in the preparation of the dish comes from home-grown techniques that are passed down through generations. The toppings add a unique twist to the dish - seasonal selections that vary the flavor profiles of the original dish and make it appeal to a wide variety of palates.
Turns out, they were both right!
Berkeley, CA
A New Challenge
2024
Rani and Shilov, the co-founders, put together this restaurant using their most cherished memories of growing up in South India as reference - selecting every individual element that went into the restaurant from the logo, (for e.g., the curry leaf which Rani just had to have in the logo), to the design and colors of the restaurant. The décor had to be warm and inviting. The hand-picked accessories were selected for their roots in South Indian culture. The “Kolams” that you see when you enter are the ones that Rani’s mother drew in her house growing up every day. The coconut shells that you see on the walls represent the Indian state that Shilov is from – Kerala. The jewelry on the decor is traditionally worn by Bharathanatyam dancers – a dance form that Rani grew up practicing.
The menu is topped off with South Indian filter coffee, masala tea and sambharam – all 3 drinks a prominent feature of the South Indian states. When you walk into the restaurant, it’s not just the food that’s comforting.
Their version of an “Indian Restaurant” is home.
