Popular modern Indian restaurant, Cassia, in Fort Lane has sustained extensive flood damage for the second time in nine months, and while the original premises are temporarily closed, owners Sid and Chand Sahrawat are redeploying team members to a pop-up site to honour existing forward bookings – and any new ones.
The flooding from Friday’s unprecedented weather event resulted in 140 diners having their dinner plans disrupted with an orderly evacuation at approximately 6:00pm when the prep kitchen flooring gave way and flooded the restaurant’s kitchen and dining rooms.
The Sahrawats own and operate three Auckland restaurants, Cassia in Fort Lane, Sid at The French Café in Symonds Street and KOL in Ponsonby. Cassia is the only one of the three restaurants to sustain damage with the other two eateries operating business as usual.
While the Fort Lane site is now awaiting insurance assessors, chef Sid and the team are opening up the private dining room, The French Kitchen at Sid at The French Café, in Symonds Street to host Cassia customers, an initiative repurposed after the 2022 flood.
The French Kitchen will be temporarily renamed The Cassia Kitchen, on offer, a five-course Cassia Journey Through India tasting menu with snacks for $95 per person (menu below).
Opening for dinner service from Wednesday 8 February, guests will be seated and served a ‘shared feast’ at communal tables of up to 10. Bookings are available now for dates from 8 February through to Saturday 4 March. Additional dates will be added each Monday, with guests able to book up to a month in advance. Cassia gift vouchers will be accepted at the pop up.
Chef Sid, who was at the restaurant on Friday evening says he had the worst sense of déjà vu after experiencing the same flooding event in March 2022, resulting in five-week closure of the restaurant.
“We couldn’t believe it was happening again, the team acted quickly to let customers know what was happening and everyone was very understanding.
“Chand and I and the team are just devastated, we’re lucky to be able to move Cassia to The French Kitchen at Sid at French Café as a temporary solution and I just want to thank everyone for the dozens of messages of help we’ve had since Friday.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all families and businesses affected by the flooding and a special thanks to all of our customers who were gracious, and all left with minimal fuss”.
The Cassia Kitchen at Sid at The French Café is open from Wednesday 8 February to Saturday 4 March with bookings now open. Additional dates will be added each Monday, with guests able to book up to a month in advance at a time. There is one sitting only, 6.30pm, Wednesday to Saturday. Bookings are essential. Dietary requirements can be catered for on request, please advise at time of booking. Bookings and full terms and conditions via cassiarestaurant.co.nz.
The Cassia Kitchen: Journey Menu (Sample menu). $95pp
Pani Puri
Goat’s cheese fritters with charcoal emulsion
Cassia’s signature lamb chops
Roasted carrot, vindaloo cream
Roasted cauliflower, makhani sauce and ginger
Tandoori chicken, lababdar sauce
Something sweet
