17/09/2026
THE TANDOOR, A CAFE SYDNEY CLASSIC.
Since the beginning, the tandoor has been quietly burning at the heart of Cafe Sydney.
There is something deeply evocative about cooking this way. The warmth of the oven and fragrance of spices carried through the kitchen. The first hint of smoke and char, layered with Indian spice - creating food that is as aromatic as it is memorable.
For more than eighteen years, Lal Mani Kharel has been the specialist behind our tandoor. A highly experienced Indian chef, Lal Mani has devoted almost two decades to his craft at Cafe Sydney. His knowledge of tandoor cooking, understanding of Indian spices and instinct for working with the intense heat of the oven has made him an integral part of the kitchen and its history.
Our current rendition of the Tandoori Roasted New Zealand Salmon brings together spinach bhaji, tamarind sauce and pickled cucumber, while our much-loved naan continues to make its way from the oven to the table.
Recent additions include the appetiser of Tandoori Quail, cauliflower yoghurt, pickled onion, Kashmiri chilli brown butter, and a guests favourite the Tandoori Prawns, naan and mint yoghurt, available in The Lounge and Cocktail Bar.
These are dishes built around warmth, spice, smoke and char. More importantly, they are flavour filled and memorable.
Twenty seven years on, the fire is still burning.
