For over three years, three friends have been throwing a series of pop-up dinners spotlighting contemporary Indian foods under the name Indian Standard Time. What started as a passion project for Sarmishta — who grew up all over India, the pop-up has become a nearly bi-monthly event for a diverse mix of Berlin’s foodies to enjoy a delicious meal together. With help from hungry friends (hey, they get dinner too!), Sarmishta and Karthik (originally from Chennai) take care of the food — staying true to traditional recipes with a few creative twists here and there — while Thomas handles the generous wealth of drinks from unique beers to ice cold mango puree with cumin. We attended their Via Bollywood themed pop-up at Entretempo Kitchen Gallery in March 2017 and, even with warnings of “scharf” being whispered all around us, enjoyed every single bite and sip until we could – quite literally – eat no more. From crisp fried Bengali kachoris with a trio of dipping sauces to chilly vanilla kulfi topped with colorful gems of tutti frutti — all dishes were inspired by films from Bollywood’s yesteryears, with scenes being played throughout the night. Their next pop-up takes place this Saturday, themed with the season as an Indo-Holiday Feast with a cozy German twist. Check out the menu on their Facebook page, and shoot them a direct message for tickets. There aren’t many spots left, so scoop them up while you still can. (Text: Devan Grimsrud / Photos: Next City Berlin, Emanuale Liberalato)
The Hidden by Daniel’s Eatery, Heinrich-Roller-Str.8, 10405 Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg; map
Indian Standard Time’s Indo-Holiday Feast, 2.12.17 from 19h; direct message on Facebook for tickets
