Kondattam owner Sudha Thangavel, and her husband and chef Saravanan Senniappan, are no strangers to Calgary’s food scene — Senniappan is the owner and executive chef behind Calgary’s Big Fish & Open Range restaurants. With one foot in the restaurant world already, Thangavel dreamt of owning her own restaurant that highlighted her love of Indian cuisine.
The couple, who are originally from India, held onto that dream for a while, and after Senniappan hosted a wine dinner last year at Big Fish & Open Range with Indian winemaker Sula (the winery’s first foray into the Western Canada market), they realized they would be able to pull off their vision for a contemporary restaurant that celebrates India’s food and drinks. And so, Kondattam was born.
Kondattam means “celebration” in Tamil, and the restaurant is exactly that — a celebration of India’s vibrance. The menu feels like an authentic road trip across the country — the restaurant cuts no corners in showcasing all the flavours. Almost everything has been sourced and imported directly from India, from the spices to the decor.
For example, Kondattam sources its cardamom from Kerala. “If the cardamom you buy is from South Africa, it’s not gonna have the same flavour,” says Senniappan.
“[The menu] covers from north to south, and you’ll find very traditional, flavourful popular foods. The Calcutta [Man Chow] is from the east, the Edappally [Beef Ularthiyathhu] comes from the south. So it’s almost everywhere from India,” says Thangavel.
A particular standout is Kondattam’s signature curry, a masterful blend of 16 spices from the southern Tamil Nadu region, creating an incredibly rich and complex flavour. Other menu items include idli, dosa, biryani, tandoori salmon and more.
For beverages, there’s a little bit of everything. Kondattam has a menu of cocktails created with India flavours, like the Faithful Ginger made with turmeric-infused gin and St-Germain elderflower liqueur. There’s also a mix of local craft and Indian beers, Indian spirits and a wine list that includes some of the Sula wines that helped inspire it all.
With a menu this large and varied, coming with friends is a must if you want to try even a fraction of the flavours of Kondattam (which you absolutely do).
1006 1 St. S.E., 403-453-0078, kondattam.ca