FOOD & DRINK
I n T he Ki t c he n | By Ann O’Neill
Kabobs and Many Curries
Before Sanjiv Dhar was the restaurateur behind Providence’s longest-running Indian restaurant, Kabob and Curry, his earliest culinary influence may have been serving as sous chef to his grandfather in Calcutta, India, where he grew up. Dhar left home to study Culinary and Hotel Management at the Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management in Salzburg, Austria, where he found time to learn German and French. He met his wife and partner Vandana, who studied hotel and catering management in Mumbai, while they both worked at the 5-star Le Méridien New Delhi. Eventually, Dhar made his way to Johnson & Wales for master’s level study and after graduation did a stint at Marriott Marquis in Times Square. While at the Marriott, Dhar was offered a working partnership at what was then a flagging Kabob and Curry. “Since I had always wanted to own my own business, I took up the challenge,” Dhar recounts.
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In the early days, Dhar and his team stuck to a few key principles: serve meals on time, remember everyone’s name, and make them feel at home. The menu has evolved to feature popular street foods, but Dhar remembers that “Thayer Street turned out to be a fantastic location because the students and faculty from so many nearby colleges were always willing to try something different.” In turn, Kabob and Curry has always supported everything that helps Thayer Street build its brand, like the Thayer Street Arts Festival. “Any business has to support its surrounding community because you cannot grow unless the entire community prospers.” Despite so much variety already offered by Dhar’s restaurants – which now also include Rasoi in Pawtucket, Rasa in East Greenwich, and most recently, Chaska in Cranston – he assures diners there are still new dishes to explore. “I enjoy cooking Kashmiri cuisine because
I grew up eating that at home. It’s totally different from what everyone is used to.” Known for being more meat centric than the cuisines of other regions of India, Kashmiri dishes are rich in flavor but milder in spice. Dry spices serve as the building blocks of sauces, rather than onion or coconut, and a unique warmth is achieved by using an abundance of “hot” spices like cinnamon, cardamom, clove, and ginger. Even those who have frequented Dhar’s restaurants for many years can look forward to ever evolving menus. “I hope I can one day introduce Rhode Islanders to this region of India.” When asked what he loves most about the food of his home, Dhar is very clear. “The beauty of Indian cuisine is in its diverse spices,” he says. “The tempering of a dish is very scientific, and every region is passionate about its style. A simple curry dish may change because someone decided to add one less or one extra spice, but the results are still
Photos courtesy of Sanjiv Dhar
Chef and restaurateur Sanjiv Dhar dishes on his journey to bring Indian flavors to Providence
