Awara Restaurant: Indian + Modern Asian Flavours on Church Street

Somewhat of a hidden treasure, Bukhara was the spot for the best North Indian cuisine in Cape Town for over 25 years. But, the time came, as it sometimes does, to breathe new life into a space and, emerging phoenix-like from the fire(-cooking), Awara was born.

Filling that naan-shaped hole in our hearts, Awara is a reimagining of Bukhara – everything you loved about it in the old days with the addition of a modern-Asian twist, in the form of tapas, cocktails and street-food snacks.

And the new name? It’s from the hugely successful 1950s Bollywood movie, Awara, which was directed by the owner, Dr Sabi Sabharwal’s, father.

A new look

Perched above the bustle of Church Street, Awara awaits at the top of a flight of stairs. Once you step through the understated entrance into the dimly lit restaurant, you’ll feel like you’ve entered an exclusive club.

Decorated in sleek and moody tones of dark green, black and gold with marble floor, the once huge open-plan space is divided up into more intimate lounge and dining areas by decorative walls of greenery..

On fire!

The action in the glass-walled kitchens is mesmerising: a dramatic flare of flame in the curry section, glowing embers of the fire grill in the tapas section, and a bustle of activity in the tandoori kitchen, each section expertly presided over by chefs Vikas Paul, Jagdish Chand, and Narad Muni, respectively. With the same expertise and quality we always loved about Bukhara, the main curry section of the menu includes many of the old favourites, from murg lababdar (chicken tikka in tomato and onion gravy) to nihari gosht (slow-roasted lamb curry with fennel and ginger) with all the varied rice dishes, bhajis and naan breads you could wish for.

Street food, tapas + cocktails

An extensive street-food snack and tapas section expresses modern-Asian flavours (a multi-cuisine format rather than fusion) in a delightful fire-inspired procession. Everything comes as it’s ready. We kicked off with pani puri for pops of palate-waking flavour; prawn palak papdi chat – crispy chickpea-battered fried spinach leaves, which we used like nachos to scoop up finger-licking prawn popcorn, tomato and chickpeas with tamarind; a fiercely sizzling grill pan of Korean chilli chicken to eat in lettuce wraps; graceful teriyaki octopus with wasabi mayo dressing; and substantial malai broccoli dipped in chickpea flour and cooked tandoori-style.

An enticing cocktail menu, with creations such as Kerala Dreams (spiced rum, tamarind, ginger and lime) and Masala Old Fashioned (whisky, bitters and garam masala) is a fitting accompaniment to the tapas menu, brimming with colour and spice.

And there’s a new dessert in town: Awara’s caramel cheesecake flan is smooth, rich and decadently creamy, inspired by a dessert that the owners fell in love with in Brazil.

Get there early for cocktails and tapas and grab a perch outside on the wraparound balcony: level with the leafy trees of pedestrian Church Street, it’s a breath of fresh air in the innercity.

View the menu

Opening times Monday – Thursday, 11am – 10pm
Friday + Saturday, 11am – 11pm
Sunday, 11am – 9pm
Contact 021 424 0000, [email protected]
Where to find it 33 Church Street, Cape Town
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