A grasshopper has taken over The Wild Garden Cafe at Amethyst. Do not imagine a giant green insect lounging on the black and white checkered, foliage-fringed verandah. In this case, Grasshopper is a Bengaluru-based restaurant organising a popup at the cafe to celebrate its 20th year. .
Known for its multi-course, pre-set menu, Grasshopper will replicate its popular five-course innovative menu — which features modern European cuisine — over five days in Chennai, starting March 17.
The celebrations started with a pop-up at the The Lodhi in Delhi in December, before arriving at this coastal city. “We have been associated with Amethyst for long ; showcasing our label Hidden Harmony here for 20 years,” says Sonali Sattar, who owns Grasshopper. “Since the cafe is so gorgeous. we thought why not take our food and fashion there,” she adds. The collection on display features natural sustainable fabrics such as khadi, linen and chanderi in pale green, pale aqua, yellow and grey. There are dresses, tunics and tops. “We don’t use buttons and zips in our garments,” she adds.
The pop-up is by reservation only. “Since Grasshopper works on a small scale, we are doing dinner for 20 and lunch for 12 people. We discuss the likes, dislikes and allergies of our guests over phone before hand,” adds Sonali.
The menu features dishes put together using fresh seasonal ingredients and local produce. Since Chennai has access to fresh fish, there will be a fish ceviche. Strawberries are in season so expect a balsamic strawberry salad. And gnocchi, that they make in-house, is topped with smoked butter and crisp garlic. Sonali does not want to divulge the entire menu as she likes to keep an element of surprise. Other than the food, they will also be recreating certain elements that are synonymous with Grasshopper in Bengaluru, as the idea is to let the diners get a feel of what the restaurant does at its original location in Bannerghata. “We are bringing our table linen, wooden crockery and candles. Our restaurant also has a lot of flowers and outdoor dining, both we find in abundance in Amethyst,” she laughs.
Grasshopper initially started in the 1980s as a weekend restaurant. It was founded by Sonali’s father, who had a keen interest in food. “We used to live in Italy, and my father spent a lot of time with chefs. When we moved back to India, he wanted to start a restaurant,” says Sonali. Other than the a la carte menu, he also had a menu menu called ‘Surrender to the Chef’. This was a seven-course meal that he introduced and most people opted for it. After he passed on, Sonali took on the mantle and the tradition still continues.
The meal is priced at ₹ 3,000 per head. For details, WhatsApp: 9845452646
