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Indian food is like a colourful story of flavours, weaving tradition and taste in every bite. Be it the warmth of Rajma Chawal, the aromatic spices of biryani, or the tangy kick of chaat – each dish carries a piece of India’s culinary legacy. More recently, I’ve seen a shift wherein, people are looking for the classic flavours but also want a twist, thus giving rise to progressive Indian food.
In this blog post, I’m going to share my honest review of Tevar Progressive Kitchen in Hyderabad. I was here last month along with my friends. This after they had seen a lot of videos on Instagram about the place.
What’s Progressive Indian Food Anyways?
Progressive Indian Food is like a remix of traditional Indian dishes, blending the classic with the contemporary. Born from a desire to breathe new life into familiar flavours, this culinary movement emerged as chefs sought to infuse innovation into India’s rich gastronomic heritage.
Think of it as a culinary bridge between the comforting tastes we grew up with and the exciting possibilities of today’s food scene. From deconstructed chaat to experimental biryanis, these are some takes by chefs when it comes to progressive Indian food. One of my go-to places for such food is Once Upon A Time at Hotel Greenkpark.
And Tevar in Hyderabad is a restaurant that is focused on serving progressive Indian food. But is it any good? Read on.
Tevar Progressive Kitchen – My Experience
Back in the day, Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hill were the happening areas when it came to new restaurants and cafes coming up. Of late, this has moved to Hi-Tec City/Madhapur, specifically to Sattva Knowledge City. The same place with Kembara, Monastery, CreamCenter, BurmaBurma, Subko, Raasta, and Third Wave to name a few. Tevar opened in the same complex last year and ever since, it has caught everyone’s attention.
Luxe Ambience
Tevar restaurant boasts a chic and modern ambience, adorned with hues of maroon and gold that seamlessly blend to create a sophisticated setting. The venue offers multiple seating options, including high chairs and closed areas for larger groups, providing a versatile dining experience. On one side, a large bar caters to those seeking delightful beverages, while on the other, a live stage adds an extra layer of entertainment.
However, our first visit encountered a hiccup when we were automatically assigned a high table against our preference. Despite requesting a change, we were informed that no other tables were available, leading us to settle in the less-than-ideal outdoor area. It seems a simple seating confirmation via Zomato could have avoided this initial setback. I was hoping the following experience to be better.
Progressive Indian Food At Tevar
Like every other place, Tevar also had a QR code-based menu and luckily the network was fine to access it. Since there were only three of us, all of us vegetarian, we ordered Aloo Tuk Tuk, Kataifi Paneer Lifafa for starters along with Saag Lehsuni Burrata, Dal Makhni, Khameeri Roti, Garlic Naan, Missi Roti and Tandoori Roti. We also had Tevar Pani Poori and a few drinks, one of which was based on a Raw Mango/Aam-Panna based drink.
Tevar Pani Poori was originally served with Vodka, but we had the regular one. The person came with a card to our table and served us there. Just that 6 average tasting Pani Pooris cost us Rs 600++ And when the person asked if we wanted more, I know you know our answer.
Aloo Tuk Tuk was crunchy potato shots deep fried, served with a few dips. And I’ll be frank here, it tasted exactly like the Mc Cain frozen potato chilly shots. Again for Rs 500, this was not worth it at all. Kataifi Paneer Lifafa was a different offering that I was trying for the first time. Full marks for the progressiveness of the dish, however, the gravy that was served with it could have been a little less, plus it tasted like Pav Bhaji.
Coming to mains, the Saag Lehsuni Burrata was pretty nicely done. I first time had this dish at Lord Of The Drinks and was blown away by it. So, everyone I meet who hasn’t tried this, I try to convince them to have this. Dal Makhni was nice but had a slightly bitter aftertaste to it. Jeera Rice isn’t on the menu, but they were happy to serve us one.
The drinks were again very average and we didn’t order any dessert.
Pricey Palate At Tevar
Overall, I like the concept of progressive food, but the prices at Tevar are exorbitantly high for the quality and quantity of food served. The prices are at par with restaurants at star hotels like Kangan, Food Exchange, Ohm etc. and when I pay that much, I expect good service too which is where I feel it felt short.
If you ask me to pay Rs 2000 for a person and also want me to come at 7:30 and leave at 9:30 because that’s a “slot” and also sit where you want me to, I’m sorry, I cannot do that.
I’ve heard average reviews but the place got attention on Instagram with all the reels. I hope this is a one-off experience for me. But at that price point and experience, I don’t know if I’ll go back. The only reason I might go back would be for the live Sufi music on select days, but that would be a very costly affair.
That’s about my review of Tevar Progressive Kitchen in Hyderabad. If you’ve been there, let me know your thoughts in the comments below, tweet to me at @Atulmaharaj, DM @Atulmaharaj on Instagram or Get In Touch.
