A relatively new and unusual Indian restaurant on the Sunshine Coast has attracted a growing number of repeat customers, exceeding even the owners’ expectations.
Tadka Street at Sippy Downs specialises in vegetarian dishes, stepping away from tried-and-true favourites like rogan josh, chicken tikka masala and lamb vindaloo.
The eatery was created by brothers Roopjinder (Nick) and Charanjeet (CJ) Singh and the team behind Tandoori Flames, which operates restaurants at Coolum Beach and Cooroy.
“Tadka Street gives us the opportunity to introduce people to another side of Indian food,” CJ said.
“When we looked at the Indian food available on the Sunshine Coast, we felt there was a whole side of Indian cuisine that wasn’t really being represented.
“Dishes such as dahi bhalla, papdi chaat, chhole bhature and South Indian dosas are extremely popular in India.
“We wanted Tadka Street to introduce those flavours in their authentic form rather than changing them completely for the Australian market.
“We spent close to two years developing and refining recipes, including consulting with experienced chefs in India, before we were happy with the menu.”
There are dozens of Indian food outlets in the region but the Sippy Downs venue could be the only one of its kind.
“As far as we’re aware, Tadka Street is currently one of the very few dedicated vegetarian Indian restaurants on the Sunshine Coast,” CJ said.
“There are several in Brisbane but it’s still quite an unusual concept here on the Coast.”
He said the restaurant, located at the Fairfax Village Shopping Centre, has been well received by customers. It has a Google review of 4.9 stars, with almost all of the 120 reviewers giving it a 5-star rating.
“The response has exceeded our expectations,” he said.
“What has been particularly encouraging is the number of repeat customers.
“What’s exciting for us is watching someone on the Sunshine Coast try one for the first time.
“There is more to Indian food than butter chicken.
“Many are trying dishes such as dahi bhalla, chhole bhature and masala dosa for the first time, and we’ve been surprised by how much they’ve loved them.
“A number of those customers are now coming back regularly, which has given us confidence that these authentic Indian flavours can appeal well beyond the Indian community.”
CJ described Indian vegetarian food as “incredibly diverse”.
“It’s not simply vegetables replacing meat. Many of the dishes have developed over generations as vegetarian dishes in their own right.
“We use ingredients such as cauliflower, mushrooms, pumpkin, potatoes, chickpeas, kidney beans and several varieties of lentils, as well as paneer, which is a fresh Indian cottage cheese.
“Then there are the ingredients that create the flavour: ginger, garlic, green chilli, coriander, mint and a huge range of spices.
He described some of the restaurant’s most popular dishes.
“Masala dosa is a thin, crisp South Indian rice-and-lentil crepe filled with spiced potatoes and served with sambar and chutneys.”
“Chhole bhature is a classic North Indian dish of spiced chickpea curry served with large, fluffy fried breads.
“Dahi bhalla combines soft lentil dumplings with chilled yoghurt, chutneys and spices, while papdi chaat combines crisp wafers, potato, yoghurt and sweet, tangy and spicy chutneys: it’s an explosion of different textures and flavours.
“Butter Paneer has also become a favourite with customers who enjoy the familiar creamy flavours of Butter Chicken but want to try something vegetarian.”
He said Sippy Downs was the perfect place for the restaurant,
“It has a young, diverse and growing community, with the university nearby as well as families and professionals living in the area.
“Tadka Street allowed us to create something more casual and accessible, somewhere you can come for a dosa, chaat, chai or a quick meal as easily as you can sit down for a full Indian dinner.”
CJ said the venue may have some meat dishes in the future, but the vegetable dishes were in focus.
“We want anyone curious about Indian food to feel equally comfortable walking through the door. We’re now looking at introducing a small selection of the most popular Tandoori Flames dishes alongside the Tadka Street menu.”
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