Mining Stories, The Culinary Way!

May 1, 2017

Mineority by Chef Sabyasachi Gorai is his personal tribute to the life of miners and the mining community living in deserted corners of different regions in India and world over. The restaurant, which is a little over five months old, has surely created a buzz in the city because of its concept, food and much more. Chef Saby as he is known fondly is from the mining community as his father worked in it. During his childhood, he spent time around various parts of India discovering a new, darker side to life and of course food. Using 100 different ingredients throughout, Chef Saby has curated a simple yet tantalising menu.

Here are a few things that you shouldn’t miss out on when you go there:

Wacky Cocktails

Every cocktail on the menu has a mining story behind it. My Yellow Canary is a turmeric and fennel-infused drink that pays tribute to the canary birds that were used by miners to judge the levels of methane gas present in the mine. Three Penicillium Shots is a spicy concoction of green chilli, ginger and honey that remembers how miners were treated for Tetanus with Penicillium. There is a special treat for beer lovers as Handia Madi is a traditionally made frothy beer made from fermented rice with a dash of honey, lime and coconut cream.

Artsy Décor

The décor in this gastro pub is a constant reminder of mining life. The intriguing charcoal sketches of miners eating is realistically depicted as well as a design of Van Devi, the Goddess that miners pray to is etched through books. Canary birds are present in every element in the restaurant on the walls, hanging from the ceiling and imprinted on the plates. The artwork on the windows depicts life next to a mine through different scenarios including the floor colour which is made to look like the rusty red iron ore.

Traditional food

Using the simple flavours of ingredients sourced from Chef Saby’s farm in Shillong, the food served here is unique and certainly, leaves a lasting impression. All the food here is cooked in mustard oil, giving each dish a distinct taste. The Mining Club Cutlet is a healthy mix of beetroot, nuts and peas that are topped with mustard sauce. Laloo Aloo Samosa is made from buckwheat and stuffed with potatoes and served with ghugni, a spicy mixture of chickpeas. The specialty in the mains is definitely Litti Chokha, the traditional dumplings hailing from Bihar, stuffed with lentils. For the meat lovers, Chingri Malai Curry which is prawns cooked in coconut milk served with sticky rice and Guwahati Gateway Pork that is fried pork in Himalayan garlic and spices will make you wholly satisfied.

Sweet Delights

For those with a sweet tooth, the desserts here will not disappoint. In fact, Mineority is one place that serves unique treats that aren’t available anywhere else in the city. The must have here is the Latin American dessert Tres Leches Cake, a sinful three layered milk cake that oozes with milk and custard cream. For the cheesecake lovers, the Jurassic cheesecake made with an Indian twist. It includes gujia flakes topped with a cake made from chenna. This is also the oldest known cheesecake form in Orissa.