The Kerala Onam Sadhya at antiSOCIAL, Lower Parel, Mumbai

There are meals you eat, and then there are meals you experience. A Kerala Onam Sadhya is definitely the latter.

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When antiSOCIAL, Lower Parel approached us in June and asked if we would bring one of our supper club dining experiences to their venue, the timing couldn't have been more perfect. We had been looking for the right space for our annual Kerala Onam Sadhya sit-down experience, and somehow, it all fell into place.

And what a day it turned out to be.

What makes serving a Sadhya so special?

For the person hosting it, a Sadhya is a labour of love.

There are 15-plus dishes to prepare, each with its own process, ingredients and little nuances. And then comes the most rewarding part: waiting for the diners to taste everything together and watching their expressions as one dish follows another.

For the diner, there is an entirely different kind of anticipation.

They patiently wait as the banana leaf slowly fills up. They ask questions about dishes they may have never tasted before. They are curious about the ingredients, fascinated by the variety of vegetables and often surprised by how something so simple can have such incredible depth of flavour.

And then there is that unmistakable combination of coconut oil, curry leaves, chillies, coconut and spices that makes Kerala food so distinctive.

A Sadhya isn't just a meal. It is a celebration of food, tradition and togetherness.

My Onam journey began in 2008

My introduction to Onam happened in 2008, when my sister married a Malayali from Calicut.

We had, of course, experienced a Sadhya at the wedding. But what stayed with me was everything beyond the meal.

Onam was a festival. Relatives came home. Gifts were exchanged. Families gathered. There was laughter, food and that wonderful sense of togetherness that comes when everyone makes an effort to be under one roof.

Since then, every year, we have celebrated Onam with family and witnessed that joy first-hand.

I have watched caterers arrive the previous evening and begin preparing the elaborate Sadhya from scratch. Banana chips are fried. Curries simmer. Vegetables are chopped. Payasams are patiently cooked.

From the humble Upperi and Sharkara Varatti to Kottu Curry, Avial, Sambar and Payasam, every dish has a place and a purpose.

That stayed with me.

From my home kitchen to Mumbai

In 2021, I started offering Kerala Onam Sadhya as a home-delivered meal in Mumbai.

The idea was simple: I wanted more people to experience the incredible variety of Kerala cuisine and discover that South Indian food was so much more than idli and sambar.

I wanted people to taste a different kind of sambar. To discover Avial, Pulisherry, Kottu Curry, Pachadis, Injipuli and Payasam. To understand how an elaborate vegetarian feast could be built around vegetables, lentils, coconut, spices and rice and still feel indulgent.

During the pandemic, the home-delivery model worked beautifully.

But once the world opened up again, something changed.

People started saying, "Come on, let's go out and eat!"

They didn't just want the food. They wanted the experience.

And that is how the annual search for the perfect venue began.

And then came antiSOCIAL

This year, that search brought us to antiSOCIAL, Lower Parel, Mumbai.

The venue had the energy we were looking for. It felt young, vibrant and informal, but still gave us the space to create a proper sit-down Sadhya experience.

This year also brought two wonderful collaborations.

Sonchi, a supper club aggregator platform, helped us bring the experience to diners and make bookings easier.

And Gramiyaa came on board with their cold-pressed coconut oil — an ingredient that was particularly close to my heart for this meal.

Because if there is one ingredient that brings so much of Kerala to the plate, it is coconut oil.

It carries the aroma of the food. It brings out the flavour of curry leaves and chillies. And when you cook an entire Sadhya in good-quality coconut oil, you can taste the difference.

16th August 2026 — One unforgettable Sadhya

And then came the day.

16th August 2026.

The kitchen was buzzing. The team was ready. The banana leaves were laid out. The décor brought the Onam spirit into antiSOCIAL. The playlist set the mood.

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And then the diners started arriving.

What transpired over the course of that afternoon was surreal and delightful.

The antiSOCIAL kitchen team, service team, décor, music, friends, family and everyone who walked through those doors became part of one big celebration.

We may not have filled every seat, but that didn't stop us from giving every person who came the best experience we possibly could.

And honestly, that is what mattered.

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People danced while seated, waiting to be served.

They went back for multiple helpings.

They ate, chatted, laughed and discovered dishes they had never tasted before.

And eventually, with very full tummies, they stretched back in their chairs and started thinking about booking that Uber home for the much-needed afternoon nap!

Those smiles made us happy.

That was the reason we did it.

And every bit of the work was worth it.

16 vegetarian dishes, one banana leaf and generations of recipes

At the heart of this Sadhya were 16 vegetarian dishes, cooked in coconut oil and served traditionally on a banana leaf.

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But for me, the menu means much more than a list of dishes.

These are recipes and flavours I have learnt from Amma, Acchan and my brother-in-law's family. They are flavours that have been cooked, shared and enjoyed at home for years.

And now, I get to share them with the people of Mumbai.

That is something I am incredibly proud of.

Because every time I serve a Sadhya, I am not just serving food.

I am sharing a little piece of Kerala.

A little piece of my family.

A little piece of the Onam celebrations I have been lucky enough to experience since 2008.

And hopefully, creating a few new memories for everyone sitting around that banana leaf.

Until the next Sadhya...

The Kerala Onam Sadhya at antiSOCIAL, Lower Parel was everything we hoped it would be — food, music, laughter, curiosity, second helpings, happy diners and very full stomachs.

Most importantly, it reminded us why we continue to do this.

Food tastes better when it is shared. Festivals feel better when celebrated together. And a Sadhya is at its best when there are people around the banana leaf, eating, talking and enjoying it together.

Until next Onam, keep eating, keep exploring regional Indian food and keep making space at your table for something you've never tasted before.