Kolam

A Local Favorite For The Age-Old Traditions Of Indian Cuisine

For nearly ten years, Kolam has been waking up Newtown’s population to the authentic cuisine of India, with selective dishes from various parts of India making up the menu at the 65-seat restaurant located at 316 South Main Street. Named for the age-old tradition in south India of drawing intricate patterns on the ground using finely ground rice flour, the restaurant’s décor includes several framed fabric Kolam designs.

Kolam has become a local favorite, said Senthil Rajamani, who along with Jose Pullopilly owns Kolam. Once thought of as an exotic cuisine, people have become familiar enough with it that they now consider it a regular option when eating out, he said. Kolam has garnered a following well outside of Newtown, too, said Mr Rajamani, with customers coming from Monroe, Westport, Southbury, Waterbury, and even Hartford.

Indian-themed menus for corporations, club and organization, and private group events are popular, and Kolam is pleased to offer both on-site and off-site catering, with full service available.

Seven days of the week, Kolam diners can choose from regional Indian foods, including south Indian recipes not usually found on the menus of most Indian restaurants. Those offerings might include chicken cooked with spices in a coconut curry sauce, known as Chennai kozhi curry; aatu kari, a lamb curry with shallots, ginger, and curry leaves; or avial, root vegetables, bananas, eggplant, and squash in a yogurt coconut sauce. Common seasonings in southern food include curry leaves, coconut, and mustard seeds, followed by red chilies, turmeric, and fenugreek seeds.

A complex number of ingredients make southern Indian cuisine stand out from other regions, including eight to ten types of lentils and grains, basmati rice and saffron, chicken, seafood, and lamb. Flavors are more gently infused into the food than in northern India recipes.

Spices used in the northern states are milder than those used in the south, which are very strong and flavorful, but not necessarily hot. There is also a distinct cooking method for each region, explained Mr Rajamani. He also described Indian cuisine as more of an art than a science, with many ancient preparation methods still in use. He describes some of the dishes served at Kolam as “grandma’s recipes,” having been learned from the families of the restaurant kitchen’s team.

Kolam is attentive to the health-conscious diner, omitting heavy creams from sauces, without omitting the flavor. “We like to let the true elements of the vegetables show through,” Mr Rajamani said, and Indian cuisine uses a lot of vegetables.

Because of the hotter climate, southern dishes tend to be lighter and without much, if any, fat. When oil is called for, Kolam prefers to use a small amount of canola oil, and the majority of the menu items are simmered in the fragrant sauces. “Very little here, beyond a few of the appetizers, is deep-fried,” pointed out Mr Rajamani.

Kolam staff is happy to guide diners, both new to and more experienced with Indian cuisine, in making selections.

When experiencing Indian cuisine for the first time, chicken tandoori is popular, with a flavor similar to that of barbeque, and tandoori salmon is being discovered and relished by regular customers. Before being cooked in a traditional clay pot, the meat or seafood of a tandoori dish is marinated for two to three hours in a spiced homemade yogurt. The result is tender meat, rich with subtle flavoring. Other recommendations are chameli chops — New Zealand lamb chops scented with nutmeg and ajwain, a Kashmiri delicacy — and panchrang kebab, a medley of chicken, lamb, shrimp, and vegetables.

Those who favor vegetarian dishes will find a wide array of entrees, plus kolam dal, lentils of the day. Malai kofta is vegetable and cheese dumplings served in a mild cashew and almond sauce.

Among the dozen appetizers are Kolam Moti Saag, a pearl of cheese wrapped with spinach on a honey-glazed fennel-flavored tomato chutney; masala dosa, a paper thin rice crepe, stuffed with spiced potatoes and peas, and served with coconut chutney and sambar (south Indian stew); or Gobi Lasuni, an appetizer from the Himalayan rim, of mini cauliflower florets tossed with tomatoes, garlic, and green herbs.

Although there is no specific children’s menu at Kolam, there are several child-friendly items, such as the cheese naan (naan bread stuffed with cheese and herbs), poori (a puffed unleavened whole wheat bread), rice dishes, and any of the kebab dishes being especially popular.

Food at Kolam is cooked to order and the ingredients or spice level can be adjusted to meet diners’ preferences. The full menu can be seen at KolamRestaurant.com.

Delivery service to the Newtown area from Kolam is available through Vroom Services, and all menu selections are available for takeout. A choice of four quick lunch boxes to go — rice, vegetable, and entrée, either vegetarian, lamb, chicken, or tandoori — is also available.

For those who wish to try a selection of foods, Kolam offers a weekday buffet for $10.95, and an expanded buffet on weekends for $13.95. The restaurant also offers catering services for parties and corporate functions.

Kolam, 316 Main Street South (Route 25), 203-426-7143, serves lunch, Monday through Friday, 11:30 to 2:30, dinner 5 to 10; brunch buffet is offered Saturday and Sunday, noon to 3 pm; Saturday dinner, 5 to 10, Sunday dinner, 4:30 to 9:30 pm. Follow Kolam Restaurant on Facebook. For more information and special coupons, visit www.KolamRestaurant.com.