Indian and Asian fusion restaurant breaks the mould

A restaurant in a hip Hobart suburb has survived a rocky opening during the COVID-19 lockdown and now it’s looking to bring its “completely different” dishes to open minded locals. SEE THE MENU + BOOKING DETAILS >>

• Mona to partly reopen for six week ‘experiment’
• Popular restaurant’s ‘hard decision’ to close doors
• VOTE NOW: Could Tasmania have a wild deer meat market?
• Call to release reports into suburb’s future

A RESTAURANT survived a rocky start opening during coronavirus lockdown to bring “completely different” dishes to open minded locals.

Hospitality Association award-winning chef Karan Vinayak has moved on after ten years working as a chef in Launceston to start afresh in Hobart.

The newness of his Indian and Asian fusion venture Sacred Bites meant Mr Vinayak was ineligible for JobKeeper and other government grants when he pushed back the opening date from March to May.

“Everything backfired on us, there were times where I was thinking ‘what have I done?’,” he said.

Chef from Sacred Bites restaurant in New Town, Deepak Koirala with some of the restaurants Indian dishes. Picture: Zak Simmonds

“But lucky enough I got a slow start so we could perfect the processes, build the team and get stronger.”

Mr Vinayak said he hoped to amaze customers and challenge peoples’ perceptions of Indian and Asian cuisine.

“It’s unfortunate when it comes to Indian food, customers remember the names of dishes from other places and without even looking at the menu they just ask for the dish,” he said.

“Samosas are in every restaurant, but im not selling them.”

Mr Vinayak said there were no rules, with hopes to refresh his menu every six to 12 months and introduce the New Town locals to new dishes like chicken tikka tacos, Burmese eggplant and tofu curry and the creatively named OMG Goa, Chop Chop lamb and O-boy beef.

The chef said he has created a unique modern ambience with reggae and jazz funk, a vibrant mural and open kitchen to allow him to see customers enjoy his food.

For bookings and the full menu head to Sacred Bites’ website.