Cassia

Covid hurled enough challenges at Auckland’s hospitality sector; add two devastating floods nine months apart and it’s quite the cocktail of adversity. But husband-and-wife restaurateurs Sid and Chand Sahrawat (Sid at the French Cafe, Kol) have endured all of this and come out on top, with their acclaimed restaurant Cassia finding a new home at Skycity in May 2023.

When they opened Cassia on Fort Lane in 2014, it took modern Indian dining in New Zealand to an entirely new level – a reputation that endures.

Find the new Cassia at the entrance to the Grand by Skycity. The two-level restaurant is a balance of comfort and elegance; turquoise banquettes stand out against a subdued scheme of dark grey, warm wooden tones and golden-hued lighting, perfect for cosying up with some hearty, spice-laden Indian dishes.

Chef Sid creates menus that refocus the food he and Chand grew up with in India through a New Zealand lens – traditional Indian flavours and techniques using predominantly New Zealand produce and ingredients. Try the tandoori taco, inspired by nostalgia for kati rolls. It’s light and clean, a contrast to some of Cassia’s richer dishes such as the beef short rib with vindaloo.

Complete the culinary experience with a dessert of chocolate, coffee and miso, which involves some satisfying breaking action with your spoon. The smooth chocolate shell gives way to a decadent interior that takes on and showcases various forms, much like the restaurant itself.