Sizzler and the secret sauce: Make ’em unique

It can be safely said that the love for sizzlers is unequivocal. There are several stories about their origin, too: while some believe they originated in California, USA, others credit Japan for their invention. Many others propose that it travelled to Mumbai through Firoz Irani, an Irani businessman who ate Japanese teppanyaki done North American-style at a California restaurant and loved the drama of the sizzling hot platter. He started a restaurant called The Sizzler in the 1960s in Mumbai, laying the foundation for the birth of the dish in India.

Diversifying the sizz-love

Eaten piping hot, these smoky bites are uniquely comforting, which is why chefs around the country are putting interesting spins to them. Take, for instance, United Coffee House, which offers Japanese and Singaporean-inspired versions that come alive with nonya sauce and rice or hakka noodles.

Unique fusions that have sizzlers at their core are also quite a rage. Take, for instance, burger sizzlers. Wow! Momo has many momo dishes in their sizzler momo menu. Howdy, a cafe in the Capital’s Kamla Nagar serves pipping hot burgers with fries and side sauces as part of their sizzler platter. “I experienced burger sizzlers in Dubai and loved them. We adopted it and started serving them recently. Youngsters love it and it’s gaining a lot of eyeballs,” says Naman Jain, founder, Howdy.

“The demand for unique sizzlers has surged and so we’ve introduced new varieties in our menu. Our Mix Seafood Sizzler brings together a delightful array of flavours from the ocean: grilled prawns, tender grilled sole, and crispy fried calamari. Another is the American Mix Grill Sizzler that pays homage to American flavours with succulent lamb chops, juicy chicken breast and robust chicken sausages. All of these blend perfectly grilled proteins, thoughtfully selected sides and sauces,” says Manik Kapoor, director, Gola Sizzlers.

No more a guilty pleasure

Across cultures, sizzlers evoke a sense of comfort and cosiness — but not always without their share of calories. Talking about their healthy variations, Varun Tuli, MD, The Yum Yum Tree Group, says, “Our quinoa sizzler bowls are super healthy and gluten-free. Our chef has curated them keeping various aspects in mind.” Likewise, the Gola Sizzlers menu, too, offers variations featuring crispy tofu in a spicy Korean-style sauce and meeting the kick of basil sauce.

Mostly known to feature meat, the sizzler has also undergone vegetarian twists. “We added a touch of truffle magic and dug up an old African recipe for this sizzler,” says Gaurav Dabrai, founder of the Jaipur-based restaurant Praia, about their Sobo Sizzler that features avocado, edamame and truffle mushrooms.