Have a look at various reviews from the media and our customers. Feel free to leave your own comments…

Reviews:

Egon Ronay’s Jameson Guide 1997 Ireland -  Oriental Restaurant of the Year

An unusual cellar setting for an Indian restaurant – it is located in the basement of a house once inhabited by Bram Stoker (creator of Dracula) and still contains the old black range once used in his kitchen. But this is no ordinary Tandoori joint, more a superior and quite sophisticated restaurant serving authentic Indian dishes, some of which are quite hot and spicy.

Not so the Aloo Papri Chaat, a mixture of crisp bread, chick peas and spicy potatoes, topped with yoghurt and Tamarind Chutney, nor the Kebabs, though the Prawn Puri in a hot sweet and sour sauce might burn the roof of your mouth! However both the Chicken Chettinad, cooked in pepper sauce with green herbs and the Chicken Vindaloo, a traditional hot Goan curry will certainly tickle the taste buds, as will the black peppered Lamb Curry from Madras. Gentler are the Rogan Josh and Prawn Balti and some of the vegetable dishes, the Makhanwala (cooked with mild spices in a creamy sauce) and Tarka Dal (lentils with cumin seeds). There are, of course, several Tandoori and Biriyani dishes, the usual rice side orders and assorted breads and for those unable to make a choice, some suggested choosing a set meal.

Service is very efficient, and all in all this is a welcome addition to the Dublin scene – and a worthy winner of our Oriental Restaurant of the Year award. Owners Mr. Sunil Kumar and Mrs. Meera Kumar also have 2 other restaurants, at 2 Dublin Bridge, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath and Lloyds Lane, Athlone, Co. Westmeath.

In Review – Quentin Fottrell

What do you think Saagar Restaurant would do if you arrived half an hour late for lunch with your sister and seven-month-old bouncing baby girl in toe?

What would happen if your sisters marsupial pouch – carrying the bouncing baby girl – knocks over a plate at the next table, sending it crashing to the floor? If that wasn’t enough , what if the baby girl, though adorable, gets antsy because she doesn’t like the idea of everyone else eating the rich, multi- coloured feast laid out on the table? (and who would blame her?!)

Sunil Kumar , who runs Saagar with his wife Meera, smiled agreeably at every turn and magnanimously provided a container of hot water to heat the baby’s bottle. But little could have disturbed the tranquility of this vaulted dining rooms with its soft Indian music and exposed gold brickwork- presided over by an altar of Lord Ganesh, the elephant headed god of wisdom and success. Saagar in Dublin has well known sister restaurants in Athlone and Mullingar , but could easily go unnoticed. It occupies a basement beneath the Luas works on Harcourt street or Shanahans on St. Stephens Green, but this makes its discovery the more worthwhile. (We were also given a jug of water as soon as we were seated, a courtesy often forgotten by other restaurants.)

My sister – now an Italian mama of  Lake Cuomo, Italy chose the lunch menu, which was great value. For starters, we had Noorani Kebab, a spicy potato, pea and herb mix wrapped up to look like a dark green pickle, and Chicken Pakora , flavoured with fennel seeds and deep fried in spicy batter. Both were mouth watering. For mains, we ordered Methi Mali Matter, peas in a creamy almond sauce to accompany our Lamb Pasanda and Chicken Tikka. We needn’t have bothered with the vegetable dish, as all main courses automatically came with side vegetables, Pilau Rice and Naan bread. We chose a half-bottle of Chateau Les Ganfards, a deliciously robust, full bodied fruity number. Curiously Saagar was quiet, even for a Tuesday afternoon. But there’s no accounting for trends. And, now that it will be on the Luas line, even out of towners have no excuse.

BILL

Chicken Pakora 6.50

Noorani Kebab 5.50

Chicken Tikka Garam Massala 8.50

Lamb Psanda 8.95

Methi Malai Matter 7.95

Half bottle Chateau les Ganfards 9.50

Coffee 1.90

Tea 1.90

Total 50.70

Tuesday August 14th, 2001

SPICE AND RICE ADD UP TO A GOOD MEAL, Irish Independent, Alan Stanford

It’s interesting. The ways by which you can discover, or re-discover places. I was travelling into town on the bus. From its upper windows, while slowly crawling its way along Harcourt Street, I beheld Saagar Indian Restaurant. Saagar, I thought, I have found you again.

Sharon and I met after our various daily occupations for a pre dinner libation in the Stephens Green Hotel. It’s actually quite a nice spot for a drink, and we then strolled up to dinner. Saagar is a lovely basement room. Even as you enter, the Orient hits you on the nose. The aroma of spice burns gently and, without any fuss or naff décor, you are wafted into the East.

The room is filled with elegant chairs, small tables dripping with crisp white linen and very attentive waiters, one of whom ushered us with great courtesy to our tables and brought menus and Poppadoms with dips.

Starters were very broad in variety and were priced from 3.00 to 4.95. Meat dishes which mostly consisted of variants of lamb, chicken and prawn, were from 9.30 to 13.00. There were vegetable dishes from 4.30 to 5.50 and Biriyanis from 9.95 to 12.95. Rice in various forms came from 1.30 to 2.95. Set dinners for one are priced at 18.00 and 21.00 and for two at 39.95 and are very good value at those prices. Saagar is also open for lunch.

The waiter returned with water and without the aid of a notepad, committed our order to memory. Sharon selected Aloo Papri Chaat as her starter. This consisted of crispy bread, chickpeas and potato with yoghurt and tamarind chutney. She decided to follow this with a Chicken Saag, which is essentially cubes of chicken cooked in spinach. For my starter, I chose Murg Mumtaz, which is strips of chicken flavoured with fennel and deep fried in a spicy batter.

To follow, I ordered the Goan Prawn Curry, a mild curry of prawns with tamarind and coconut. As an accompaniment, we chose Pilau Rice and some Peshawri Naan which is naan stuffed with almonds, raisins and coconut.

From a fairly unexciting wine list, we opted for the spicy tang of  Chateau Mussar 1994, the remarkable wine of the Lebanon, which seems to suit well with spiced food.

“The service was superb, the ambience excellent, the food was good and the prices were reasonable”.

We were eating fairly early and the room was un-crowded and very comfortable. Our starters arrived on a brightly designed plates, the kind of plates that look like dubious modern art. It’s not a complaint but I do like food to stand out on a plate rather than disappear into it as if camouflaged. While there was nothing actually wrong with it, Sharon didn’t particulary enjoy her Aloo Papri Chaat. The dish had a good blend of flavours and there was plenty of it but it was not for her. My Murg Mumtaz proved to be fingers of chicken which were well flavoured with fennel and cooked soft rather then crisp in a light batter. After what struck me as a perfectly timed gap, our main courses arrived. The Saag was good. The Goan prawn curry proved to be very good indeed, if a little heavy on the coconut. The portions as with the starters proved to be the most generous. Indeed, I was scooping prawns out of my copper pot for ages and Sharon failed to finish hers. The Peshawri Naan proved to be an interesting choice. The sweetness caused by the raisins balanced remarkably well against the spices. The wine worked very well and all the Indian restaurants should consider it for their lists. The ever attentive waiters continued to scan the room waiting for an opportunity to be of service.

As usual after a spiced meal, we declined the notion for dessert and left it at that. If was a satisfying meal. The service was superb, the ambience excellent, the food was good and the prices were reasonable enough. I would love to try it for lunch some time. Our meal, excluding service cost 67.60(which in euro 85.83) of which food cost 35.60.

BRIDGESTONE  GUIDE – 100 BEST RESTAURANTS  & PLACES TO STAY IN IRELAND

Sunil and Meera Kumar have run the celebrated Indian Restaurant, Little India, in Mullingar since 1992, and Saagar has benefited enormously from their experience.

It  is a sleek , pristine operation housed in the basement on Harcourt Street and the attention to detail is dazzling, crisp blue white linen, gleaming glasses, sparkling cutlery and the deft assurance of the manager quickly swaddle you into the restaurant cheery charm.

The menu is extensive – more than a dozen starters ,  a multiplicity of main courses numerous breads and rice creations- and it aims to explore the regional cooking of India, as well as offering novel creations of the chefs such as Murgh Dumphukt, a mild chicken dish with a coconut and almond base which is sweet nutty and delicious.

Actually choosing what you want to eat is agonizing but you can be confident in the expertise which is a hallmark of the kitchen, their excellent Tandoori Chicken is succulent and tender, and their spicy hot Columbo Fish Curry with southern Indian seasoning sends the mouth into orbit.

The wine list is good, and whilst some may find the presence of fine wines on the list of an Indian restaurant rather  strange, the temperature of most of the dishes in the Saagar makes them suitable partners for a good bottle. I got the impression that the wine like ourselves was in good hands. Prices for such fine service and food are enjoyably modest.

Comments:

“We have been here twice because this was the most delicious food during our four weeks tour through England and Ireland. Many thanks to the Saagar staff for the nice time here.”

- Hudicon & Claudia, Salzburg, Austria.

“From one end of Europe to the other, we have never come across such good Indian food. We will gladly travel 100 miles just to come and eat here again. Many Thanks!”

- Tony Foran & Co.

“Excellent Indian Food…”

- S. Dreuix

“Food excellent. Staff and service very good.”

M. Donnell

“Indian food “par excellance”. Such a fine blend of spices and flavours is extremely hard to come by. Highly Recommended.”

- Stephen & Jeanette

“Eastern culinary masterpieces every time.”

- Chucky

” Saagar, the God of Food.”

- John Donohue

“We have enjoyed your excellent food 3 times so far and will come again.”

- Fergus and Sheila Mulcahy

“Thar barr”

- Po Spealan

“We have eaten Indian food for the past 10 years all over England and Dublin. Yours is the best we have tasted. We will return!!!”

- C. Chapman & Andy Taylor

“They say that Rusholme in Manchester is The Curry Capital of Britain. Yours is definitely the Curry Capital of Ireland and easily competes with the best that  Rusholme can offer.”

- Jenny Gett, Manchester, England.

“Every time we have eaten we have enjoyed very much the food and the service of the owners. I’m looking forward to eating here again.”

- Darle Alinliothan

“Food is magic. Staff is courteous and efficient. Thank you.”

- Matt Hedieven

“After 1 week I would like to stay but I have to go. Im taking it with me. There can be no better accommodation.”

J. R. Traynor

“Nicest we’ve had in a long time of eating Indian Food.”

- B. B. & Cam Lally

“2nd time back within 24 hours – speaks for itself! 1st time to eat Indian Food – What a way to start!

- Bernie Martin, Enniskillen.

“The food at Saagar is very delicious. I have found that it is as delicious as the food served in India. The Tandoori Chicken is of the best quality and taste. I never dreamt that I would get such good Indian food in Ireland.”

- S. C. Sharma, Delhi, India.

“Hi
I just wanted to send an email regarding a meal that I had in your Dublin restaurant on Tuesday 3rd April 2012.
I got this through a groupon deal and was apprehensive about what type of food/service we would receive as I am not too familiar with Indian cuisine. I have to say it was one of the best meals that myself and my friend have had in so long! Absolutely beautiful and brilliant service to top it off. Well worth the trip into town and we will definitely be back.
Thank you so much”

- Gillian Lawlor