Nestled amid the pine forests near the village of Darwa in the Solan district of Himachal Pradesh, NAAR is Chef Prateek Sadhu’s latest culinary venture. This 16-seater restaurant, perched at the edge of a cliff, offers an extraordinary destination dining experience that promises to be worth every mile traveled. With six menus across six seasons, each tailored to the distinct flavors of the Himalayas, NAAR invites guests into a world of gastronomic delight and breathtaking views.
A Journey to Remember
Autumn has woven its magic into the hills, drying out the last of the waterfalls and turning the trees a stunning green-gold. Here, at the edge of a cliff, sits NAAR, marking the return of one of India’s most celebrated chefs in a truly unexpected location. To understand Sadhu’s new venture, one must embark on a journey. NAAR is about two and a half hours from Chandigarh and 45 minutes from Kasauli, requiring a plan, a flight, and a scenic drive.
The Essence of NAAR
As guests arrive, they are welcomed into the first of the two ‘mountain huts’ that comprise NAAR, where cocktails and canapés are served. This initial space introduces guests to Sadhu’s concept of Himalayan dining. A dinner plate-sized moon rises on cue, illuminating the terrace with a view that extends across the valley to Shimla. The main restaurant building and its adjacent dishwashing space are nearby, forming a cluster of wood and slate structures reminiscent of mountain homes.
Inside, the final touches are being added. Beautifully embroidered Kashmiri shawls drape over low couches, and moody photographs of a single morel, a trout, and a pine cone are ready to print. Taking inspiration from its name (NAAR means fire in Kashmiri), the signage gleams bright in the dark, and the name is emblazoned into the grating of the wood-fired angithis, promising a dramatic glow on a cold winter’s night.
A Culinary Journey Through the Seasons
The meal at NAAR is part theatre, part education, and part culinary journey through the Himalayas, from the north to the east. NAAR boasts six different logos to represent the six distinct menus that follow the seasons—spring, summer, monsoon, autumn, pre-winter, and winter. Each dish is framed by a stunning view, enhancing the dining experience.
Prateek Sadhu’s ambitions as a chef, restaurateur, and culinary innovator are encapsulated in this intimate setting. NAAR’s 16-seater restaurant in the mountains is a first-of-its-kind in India, offering a menu firmly rooted in the Himalayan region.
From Baramulla to NAAR
Sadhu’s journey to NAAR began many years ago when his family left their home in Baramulla in 1990, joining a mass exodus of Pandits from the Kashmir Valley. For refugees like the Sadhus, Kashmiri food and language became a matter of cultural preservation and nostalgia. This connection to his roots inspired Sadhu’s culinary philosophy, which he developed further during his time at Masque, an ingredient-driven restaurant in Mumbai.
In March 2022, at the peak of his success, Sadhu left everything behind and set off for the Himalayas to seek inspiration. During a pop-up in Ladakh, he met Deepak Gupta, founder of Amaya, and soon after, NAAR was born. What was once an old cow shed became a research center and pantry, transforming into a laboratory and larder of hill produce, sauces, pickles, ferments, and charcuterie.
The Making of NAAR
NAAR’s creation is a testament to serendipity and Sadhu’s vision. The prototype villa that was Sadhu’s home became the site of the new restaurant. Louvred windows from the bedroom found new life as restaurant doors, and the old kitchen counter became a pass for the new restaurant. The shared love for the aesthetics of mountain life made Sadhu and Gupta align once again, furthering each other’s philosophies and businesses.
A Labour of Love
Everything at NAAR is a labor of love and a leap of faith, from the light fixtures to the playlist, staff uniforms, and the menu. Sadhu and his team are creating, recreating, and designing a new chapter of their story every day. The food at NAAR is a culmination of Sadhu’s many trips across the Himalayas, reflecting his journey back home.
The meal unfolds as a three-hour experience, celebrating local produce and the rich colors of the season. The first part of the meal, cocktails and canapés, is served in the salon. The journey continues with dishes like a Himachali snack called iklu, a cured trout sandwich, and a chinar-shaped buckwheat biscuit with a smoked sausage and eggplant filling.
For mains, guests enjoy pork with a selection of chutneys and lamb neck smoked with juniper leaves, served with mushq budij rice from Kashmir. A seabuckthorn granita with timroo cream cleanses the palate before the final course, Pine Pine Pine—a pine nut ice cream drizzled with pine oil and fermented pine syrup, accompanied by a lemon pastry shaped like a pine cone.
A Future in the Hills
As patrons leave NAAR, they carry not just boxes of chocolates, but an appreciation for the artistry, ethics, and passion embedded in each creation. The experience resonates far beyond the last bite, leaving memories that linger and a desire to revisit this realm of chocolate craftsmanship and culture.
Prateek Sadhu surveys the land, the blue hills in the distance, and the little homes where lights come on one by one. “I was born in the hills. I love being here,” he says. “This is where I want to cook. This is where I want to rest.”