Welcome to Sun & Sand Lounge
At Sun & Sand Lounge, we pride ourselves on our unique and authentic Indian style and flavours. Each season, we proudly introduce new and contemporary Kenyan-infused dishes with a rich array of fresh and spicy ingredients, as well as our top classic favourites loved by all.
Taking you on a journey behind the scenes of our restaurant, we’re keen to give you a glimpse of life in the kitchen at Sun & Sand Lounge and share our culinary secrets that go into preparing our exquisite dishes.
Whilst it’s true that cooking great food comes from the heart and soul, having a solid, professional kitchen environment really helps to make the magic happen and set the dishes apart. Let’s take a look at exactly what you can find in a professional kitchen and the results it has on the food served.
- Professional kitchens utilise high-end appliances and equipment to be used by professional chefs. Each piece of equipment is designed for speed and efficiency.
- Just like our team at Sun & Sand Lounge, professional chefs rarely use a recipe book having learned the art of cooking. Years of experience has taught our chefs to use their senses to determine how much of each ingredient needs to be used in their dishes.
- Delicious food appeals to more of your senses than just smell and taste, which is why all of our dishes are beautifully presented.
In addition to those qualities, Sun & Sand Lounge’s brand-new kitchen has countless details that set our restaurant apart as the perfect blend of authentic and contemporary Indian cuisine. Let’s delve into some of these factors.
Powerful Wok Cooker
A staple pan found in a professional kitchen is the wok, a chef’s favourite that allows them to get creative with delectable recipes. Here at Sun & Sand Lounge, we use wok cookers for various reasons:
- Wok cookers are significantly hotter than conventional gas or electric ranges. The added heat helps to level the food up to temperature far quicker than standard stoves.
- Crafted in stainless steel, wok cookers prevent grease and stains from building up thanks to a cooling feature in which water continuously flows across the cooker top and down the splashback. Easy and efficient to keep clean, it helps to produce fresh and safe food.
- With no corners for the food to burn, the rounded shape of a wok makes it ideal for cooking delicious curries.
Head Chef Ramesh says:
“Our Chinese wok cookers have been specifically designed for maximum efficiency of operation and ease of cleaning. All units are made to the very highest of standards from the best quality stainless steel, designed to assist in maintaining high levels of hygiene.
Wok burners are far more powerful than regular burners with a constant flow of cold water across the cooker top to keep the surface cool. The water helps keep the area clean by carrying away food splashes and preventing burnt-on deposits. Plus, the cooling effect of the water helps to maintain a comfortable working environment for staff.”
Amazing Benefits of Cooking with a Haandi
Wok cookers are not alone in their helpfulness. The traditional haandi has a long history of creating delicious cuisine that boasts a unique taste and aroma. The large, deep, wide-mouthed cooking vessel helps prepare the base for various curries ahead of time. Often seen as the hallmark of a professional kitchen, the pot is set over a low stock burner to allow ease of adding new ingredients or giving a quick stir. At Sun & Sand, Head Chef Ramesh controls the haandi to maintain the in-house demands for our delicious dishes.
The Fryer – Manned by Chef Kumar
Fried foods are incredibly popular in Indian cuisine. These are just some of the famous dishes:
- Crispy bhajia, vegetables coated in batter and spices and fried (includes the popular onion bhajis)
- Chili wings
- Mogo chips, a fried root vegetable similar to potato
- Chili garlic mushrooms
With so many delicious options, it is important to consider health and safety when it comes to frying. The efficient fryers at Sun & Sand Lounge use 50% less oil than traditional fryers, which allows staff to change the oil more frequently, an action that is vital for cleanliness and safety. With Chef Kumar in charge of the fryer station, you can taste your way through our diverse menu by trying some of our top fried food choices.
The Tandoor – Manned by Chef Rhambai
A tandoor is a cylindrical oven usually made out of clay or metal that dates back to the 15th century. Older tandoors use wood fires to heat the oven and maintain high temperatures, but modern tandoors maximise efficiency by using gas and electricity. This allows a consistent temperature and makes the cooking process safer and quicker.
Several popular dishes on our menu are crafted by Chef Rhambi in the tandoor, including the Chicken Tikka, the Chicken Shashlik, the Mixed Grill option, and all the naans and parathas.
See More from Sun & Sand Lounge
As you can see, there is more than meets the eye when it comes to producing delicious and authentic Indian cuisine. From traditional and historic cooking techniques like the haandi and the tandoor to new innovative twists like efficient fryers and wok cookers, our restaurant utilises every possible technique and appliance to prepare amazing food for you to enjoy.
If such insight into the process interests you, good news! By following the Sun & Sand Lounge on Instagram and Facebook, you can see photos from behind the scenes and learn even more about our passion for delivering delicious and authentic food.
