Weekend food plan: Festive specials and a pastry pop-up

Navratri feast
The restaurant chain, Dana Choga, with multiple outlets in Delhi and Gurugram launched a Navratri thali that will run from today till October 11. It will be a platter filled with singhare (water chestnut flour) poori, aloo paneer cutlets, paneer tamatari, jeera aloo, pineapple raita and kesari coconut laddoo. It is priced at ₹425 per person.

Festive special
Bengaluru’s SodaBottleOpenerWala welcomes the festive season with a Navratri thali. In keeping with the rules of fasting that some diners observe during this period, the food items are devoid of onion and garlic. The thali features sabudana vada, paneer kuttu (buckwheat) pakora along with aloo bhaji and kuttu ki poori  and swang ke chawal (barnyard millet rice). End on a sweet note with sabudana kheer. It will be available till October 12, and is priced at ₹275 (plus taxes) per person.

Also read: An easy ‘sundal’ recipe for Navratri

An indulgent affair
It is the season of fasting, and restaurants have gone all out with vrat-friendly food. Although it’s ironic, there’s no holding back on festive indulgence. Punjab Grill has a thali with khoya paneer makhana, anari shahi jeera aloo, khatta meetha kaddu served with samak rice. It ends with a creamy serving of dudh halwa and kesari rasmalai for dessert. The thali is available through Navratri across multiple outlets in all major cities, including Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kanpur, Pune and Ahmedabad. The price per person is ₹999 plus taxes.

A Goa bar in Mumbai
Grumps is one of Goa’s most buzzy new bars known for Asian food with a twist and craft cocktails named after popular songs. This weekend, they will host a pop-up at O’Pedro in Mumbai. It will be the second edition of O’Pedro’s pop-up series, Pedro’s Pals. Grumps' bold and creative take on food and drinks will reflect in dishes such as Avo wonton tostada and crispy corn cake as well as drinks (inspired by songs) such as Stand By Me, Killing Me Softly and Mo Money Mo Problems.

A bakery takeover
Good things happen when two bakeries collaborate. Mysuru-based Sapa will be in Mumbai’s Maska for a weekend takeover filled with inventive pastries, tarts and éclairs. Sapa is run by German baker Dina Weber and her menu features items inspired by her German roots. There’s a sausage pretzel roll with German bratwurst with creamy brie, bacon onion jam and mustard. The Peach Oma Torte is a homage to Weber’s grandmother with hazelnut sponge, peaches, orange blossom buttercream, peach curd and marzipan. Few items reflect th playful collaboration between Weber and Maska’s founder Heena Punwani. Don’t miss the rhubarb buckwheat tart, Earl Grey milk chocolate éclair and nougat cookies. The takeover will run from October 4 to 5. One can drop by at Maska bakery in Mahim or place orders for takeaways Friday onwards.

Also read: This festive style guide’s all about the art of draping