Sambar

2009-04-01T15:52:00.000-07:00

We have moved to http://ashasambar.wordpress.com/! Just click to visit our new blog!

2009-03-31T10:53:00.000-07:00

Last Sambar of the semester!

It's the last Sambar of the semester. Take note that Sambar will be on a THURSDAY this time and NOT WEDNESDAY. Here are the details of the event:

Date: April 9th, 2009
Time: 6 PM - 8 PM
Venue: Red Herring Restaurant, South East corner of Mathews and Oregon)

Menu

Plain Dosas - $4.00

- Crisp crepes made from fermented batter of rice and lentil flour, served with coconut chutney and Sambar (a spicy lentil and vegetable soup). For any South Indian, the world isn't an illusion, it’s simply made of dosas!

Masala Dosa- $6.00

- Crepe stuffed with seasoned potatoes and onions.

Papdi-Chat - $3.00

- A melange of flour crisps, boiled potatoes and onions topped with tangy chutney and chilled yogurt.

Bhel Puri- $3.00

- A melange of rice crispies, chopped tomatoes, onions, potatoes and tangy chaat masala.

Pav Bhaji – $ 4.00

- Nothing exemplifies street food like Pav Bhaji! It's a spicy potato/tomato sauce to be eaten with lavishly buttered buns.

Thaali - $ 7.00

- A combo meal with a mixed vegetable curry, sambar, chole and paapad.

Mixed Vegetable Curry – A medley of fresh vegetables curried in a rich sauce.

Chole – Spicy chick peas cooked in a signature north Indian style.

Paapad – A crunchy thin wafer, served as an accompaniment.

Puliodharai – $ 4.00

- Tamarind flavoured rice. It comes from south India but its unique tangy taste is a hit in all of India. It is served with paapad and raita.

Mango Milkshake - $2.00

- Our all-time best selling drink!

Gaajar ka Halwa - $2.00

- A deliciously rich carrot dessert loaded with nuts and served warm.

All proceeds go toward the education of underprivileged children in India. Spread the word, tell your friends. Help us, once again, to make Sambar a success!

Join our Facebook event! - http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=65726464325#/event.php?eid=65726464325

We need your help! If you can cook Indian food and spare a little time and effort for this cause, we would love to hear from you! Or if you would like to volunteer for Sambar in any another way (publicity, coordinating, being a cashier), please feel free to contact us. It's only a few times each semester and you get to hang out with the cool people that run Asha - UC. ;)

Feel free to contact us for questions, comments or feedback about Sambar.

Contact:

Ankur at ankurjain85@gmail.com
Navaneethan at navaneethan.santhanam@gmail.com

2009-03-03T17:10:00.000-08:00

Sambar is on March 11th!

The next Sambar will be on March 11th at the Red Herring (South East corner of Mathews and Oregon) from 6 PM to 8 PM. As usual all proceeds go toward the education of underpriviledged children in India.

Thanks to all those that came to Sambar on February 25th and supported the cause of Asha. We have taken your feedback into account and we are committed to improving your experience at Sambar. As per your requests, we have included pani puri in our menu. We also kept gaajar ka halwa and mango milkshake, your favourite items from last Sambar. We look forward to your continued support at all the future Sambar events.

Menu for March 11th

Papdi-Chat - $3.00

- A melange of flour crisps, boiled potatoes and onions topped with tangy chutney and chilled yoghurt.

Bhel Puri- $3.00

- Rice crispies, onions and tomatoes with tamarind sauce

and chaatmasala.

Pani Puri- $3.00

-Shells of wheat flour filled with a spicy mix of potatoes and tamarind water.

Plain Dosas - $4.00

- Crisp crepes made from fermented batter of rice and lentil flour. Served with coconut chutney and Sambar (a spicy lentil and vegetable soup). For any South Indian, the world isn't an illusion, its simply

made of dosas!

Masala Dosa- $6.00

- Crepe stuffed with seasoned potatoes and onions.

Idlis - $ 4.00

- Steamed rice cakes, soft and fluffy!Served with chutney and Sambar.

Veg. Biryani -$4.00

- Basmati rice pilaf with sauteed vegetables, cloves and herbs. Served with raita, a flavored yogurt condiment.

Thaali - $ 7.00

- A combo meal with avial, fried potatoes, rice, Sambar and papad
.

Avial - A specialty of Kerala, an elaborate curry with vegetables and coconut.

Fried potatoes - Spicy potatoes, fried to a crisp in South Indian style.

Mango Milkshake- $2.00

- Our all-time best selling drink!

Gaajar ka Halwa- $3.00

- A deliciously rich carrot dessert, loaded with nuts and served warm.

For questions, comments or feedback on the previous Sambar, email Ankur at ankurjain85@gmail.com or Navaneethan at navaneethan.santhanam@gmail.com.

We need your help! So if you would like to volunteer for Sambar please don't hesitate to shoot us an email.

2009-02-11T21:51:00.000-08:00

Aaand...we're back!

Asha's very popular, south Indian restaurant, Sambar, is back for the spring! The first Sambar will be on the the 25th of February at the Red Herring (south east corner of Mathews and Oregon) from 6 PM to 8 PM. So get ready for some mouth watering south Indian delicacies and support a great cause in the process, because all proceeds go toward the education of underprivileged children in India.

Papdi-Chat - $3.00

- A melange of flour crisps, boiled potatoes and onions topped with tangy chutney and chilled yoghurt.

Bhel Puri- $3.00

Rice crispies, onions and tomatoes with tamarind sauce and chaat masala.

Plain Dosas - $4.00

- Crisp crepes made from fermented batter of rice and lentil flour. Served with coconut chutney and Sambar (a spicy lentil and vegetable soup). For any South Indian, the world isn't an illusion, its simply made of Dosas!

Masala Dosa- $6.00

- Crepe stuffed with seasoned potatoes and onions.

Bisibelabath - $4.00

- It takes rice with sambar to a whole new level with spices and essences to give it a unique character (Served with papad).

Thaali- $7.00

- A combo meal with vegetable sabzi, rajma masala, rice, sambar, papad

Vegetable Sabzi: Assortment of fresh vegetables tossed in mild gravy.

Rajma Masala: Spicy kidney beans cooked in a rich tomato-onion sauce.

Mango Milkshake- $2.00

- Our all-time best selling drink!

Gaajar ka Halwa- $3.00

-A deliciously rich carrot dessert, loaded with nuts and served warm.

Gulab Jamun - $2.00

-Deep fried balls of dough made with flour and milk curds which are then steeped is sugar syrup, a very popular Indian dessert.

Sambar in the Spring (The venue for all the dates is the same, Red Herring (south east corner of Mathews and Oregon))

Wednesday, February 25th - 6 PM to 8 PM

Wednesday, March 11th

Thursday, April 9th

2008-11-10T08:01:00.000-08:00

Grand re-opening of Sambar this semester on Novemeber 19th 2008! So mark your calendars and prime your taste buds for some great south Indian food at the Red Herring, courtesy Asha- UC.
Remember that all proceeds from these dinners help the education of underprivileged children in India.

WHEN: Wednesday, NOVEMBER 19th
TIME: 6.00PM- 8.30PM
WHERE: Red Herring (At the corner of Mathews and Oregon)

Pani Puri - $3.00

- Crisp puffs stuffed with spicy mix of chickpeas and potatoes, served in tamarind water.

Papdi-Chat - $3.00

- A melange of flour crisps, boiled potatoes and onions topped with tangy chutney and chilled yoghurt.

Masala papad - $1.00

- Lentil wafers topped with chopped onions, tomatoes, cilantro and cumin seeds.

Plain Dosas - $3.00

- Crisp crepes made from fermented batter of rice and lentil flour. Served with coconut chutney and Sambar (a spicy lentil and vegetable soup). For any South Indian, the world isn't an illusion, its simply made of Dosas!

Masala Dosa- $5.00

- Crepe stuffed with seasoned potatoes and onions.

Thaali- $6.00

- A combo meal with Veg. Korma, Chhole, Raita, and Basmati rice/Roti

Veg. Korma: Assortment of fresh vegetables cooked in mild sauce

Chhole: Spicy chickpeas tossed in fresh tomatoes and onions.

Veg. Biryani - $4.00

- Basmati rice pilaf with sauteed vegetables, cloves and herbs. Served with raita, a flavored yoghurt condiment.

Payasam - $2.00

- Rich vermicelli pudding with cashews, almonds and raisins.

Mango Kulfi- $2.00

- Our hottest selling dessert: traditional Indian ice-cream in mango flavor.

Cutting Chai - $1.00

- Authentic Darjeeling tea, spiced with fresh ginger, cinnamon and cardamom...Only a half is enough.

Opinions count and yours is truly important to us. Please leave a note behind for us. We would love to hear from you. Please do leave your comments or email them to Rajesh Kumar (sushi_pk at yahoo dot com) or Kaushik (kaushikr at gmail dot com). If you would like to volunteer in any way, WE NEED YOU! :-)

2008-03-21T08:36:00.000-07:00

Mark your calendars and prime your taste buds for some great south Indian food at the Red Herring, courtesy Asha- UC. Remember that all proceeds from these dinners help the education of underprivileged children in India.

WHEN: MARCH 25th, 2008
TIME: 6.30PM- 8.30PM
WHERE: Red Herring (At the corner of Mathews and Oregon)

Plain Dosas - $3.00

- a crepe with a rice and lentil base that is served with Sambar (a soup made with lentils, vegetables and spices). For any South Indian, the world isn't an illusion, its simply made of Dosas!

Masala Dosa- $5.00

-a dosa with a stuffing of a spicy potato and onion mix.

Venn Pongal - $ 3.00

- A rice dish studded with pepper and cumin, that makes for an enviable couple with the sambar.

Bisibelabath - $4.00

- It takes rice with sambar to a whole new level with spices and essences to give it a unique character (served with paapad)

Curd Rice - $2.00

- Nostalgia grows with fermentation- a south indian favourite of yoghurt with rice

Choose a combo of Bisibelabath and Curd rice for $5.00 only!!

Payasam - $2.00

- Vermicelli in sweetened milk

Mango Drink - $1.00

Opinions count and yours is truly important to us. Please leave a note behind for us. We would love to hear from you. Please do leave your comments or email them to Rajesh Kumar (sushi_pk at yahoo dot com) or Kaushik (kaushikr at gmail dot com). If you would like to volunteer in any way, WE NEED YOU! :-)

2008-02-27T21:43:00.000-08:00

WHEN: MARCH 4th, 2008
TIME: 6.30PM- 8.30PM
WHERE: Red Herring (At the corner of Mathews and Oregon)

Pani Puri- $3.00

-Shells of wheat flour filled with a spicy mix of potatoes and tamarind water.

Plain Dosas - $3.00

- a crepe with a rice and lentil base that is served with Sambar (a soup made with lentils, vegetables and spices). For any South Indian, the world isn't an illusion, its simply made of Dosas!

Masala Dosa- $5.00

-a dosa with a stuffing of a spicy potato and onion mix.

Venn Pongal - $ 3.00

- A rice dish studded with pepper and cumin, that makes for an enviable couple with the sambar.

Puliyogare (a.k.a Tamarind Rice) - $3.00

-a tangy twisty rice dish in a tamarind sauce sauteed with peanuts and mustard seeds

Curd Rice - $2.00

- Nostalgia grows with fermentation- a south indian favourite of yoghurt with rice

Mango Drink - $1.00

Opinions count and yours is truly important to us. Please leave a note behind for us. We would love to hear from you. Please do leave your comments or email them to Rajesh Kumar (sushi_pk at yahoo dot com) or Kaushik (kaushikr at gmail dot com). If you would like to volunteer in any way, WE NEED YOU! :-)

2008-02-14T20:34:00.000-08:00

WHEN: FEBRUARY 19th, 2008
TIME: 6.30PM- 8.30PM
WHERE: Red Herring (At the corner of Mathews and Oregon)

Pesarattu - $4.00

- a more mellow version of crepes that inherits a verdant aura from lush green lentils

Adai - $4.00

- with the powers of all lentils and rice combined this has all the makings of a nutritious crepe

Pani Puri - $3.00

-Shells of wheat flour filled with a spicy mix of potatoes and tamarind water.

Bisibelabath - $4.00

- It takes rice with sambar to a whole new level with spices and essences to give it a unique character

Curd Rice - $2.00

- Nostalgia grows with fermentation- a south indian favourite of yoghurt with rice

Choose a combo of Bisibelabath and Curd rice for $5.00 only!!

Payasam - $2.00

- Vermicelli in sweetened milk

Mango Drink - $1.00

2008-01-27T07:05:00.000-08:00

Sambar re- opens for the Spring semester on February 5th 2008. So mark your calendars and prime your taste buds for some great south Indian food at the Red Herring, courtesy Asha- UC.
Remember that all proceeds from these dinners help the education of underprivileged children in India.

WHEN: FEBRUARY 5th, 2008
TIME: 6.30PM- 8.30PM
WHERE: Red Herring (At the corner of Mathews and Oregon)

Plain Dosas - $3.00

- a crepe with a rice and lentil base that is served with Sambar (a soup made with lentils, vegetables and spices). For any South Indian, the world isn't an illusion, its simply made of Dosas!

Masala Dosa- $5.00

-a dosa with a stuffing of a spicy potato and onion mix.

Pesarattu- $4.00

- a more mellow version of crepes that inherits a verdant aura from lush green lentils

Coconut rice- $3.00

- Our top selling rice dish made with white rice, coconut and seasoning.

Thaali- $5.00

- the thread that ties together white rice, with zucchini kootu, Potato fry and sambar

*Zucchini kootu

- Zucchini plattered onto a lentil base with the distinct aroma of cumin seeds and coconut

Mango Kulfi- $2.00

- Our hottest selling dessert, an Indian version of ice cream in mango flavour

Opinions count and yours is truly important to us. Please leave a note behind for us. We would love to hear from you. Please do leave your comments or email them to Rajesh Kumar (sushi_pk at yahoo dot com) or Kaushik (kaushikr at gmail dot com). If you would like to volunteer in any way, WE NEED YOU! :-)

2007-11-10T11:10:00.000-08:00

WHEN: Nov 13th, 2007
TIME: 6.30PM- 8.30PM
WHERE: Red Herring (At the corner of Mathews and Oregon)

Plain Dosas - $3.00

- a crepe with a rice and lentil base that is served with Sambar (a soup made with lentils, vegetables and spices). For any South Indian, the world isn't an illusion, its simply made of Dosas!

Masala Dosa- $5.00

-a dosa with a stuffing of a spicy potato and onion mix.

Bhel Puri- $3.00

Rice crispies, onions and tomatoes with tamarind sauce and chaat masala.

Puliyogare (a.k.a Tamarind Rice) - $3.00

a tangy twisty rice dish in a tamarind sauce sauteed with peanuts and mustard seeds

Thaali - $5.00

- the thread that ties together white rice, with channa masala and aloo gobi.

Pista Kulfi- $2.00

- an Indian version of ice cream with pistachio for flavour

Opinions count and yours is truly important to us. Please leave a note behind for us. We would love to hear from you. Please do leave your comments or email them to Rajesh Kumar (sushi_pk at yahoo dot com) or Kaushik (kaushikr at gmail dot com). If you would like to volunteer in any way, WE NEED YOU! :-)

2007-11-01T11:47:00.000-07:00

WHEN: Nov 6th, 2007
TIME: 6.30PM- 8.30PM
WHERE: Red Herring (At the corner of Mathews and Oregon)

Plain Dosas - $3.00

- a crepe with a rice and lentil base that is served with Sambar (a soup made with lentils, vegetables and spices). For any South Indian, the world isn't an illusion, its simply made of Dosas!

Masala Dosa- $5.00

-a dosa with a stuffing of a spicy potato and onion mix.

Pani Puri- $3.00

-Shells of wheat flour filled with a spicy mix of potatoes and tamarind water.

Hyderabadi Pulao- $4.00

- A rice dish with mixed vegetables and an exquisite blend of spices for taste and fragrance.
(served with raitha)

Thaali - $5.00

- the thread that ties together white rice, with Gujarati dal, mixed vegetable subzi and sambar

All proceeds raised fund education programs for underprivileged children in India. Would you like to volunteer? What do you think of Sambar? Please leave your comments behind or email Kaushik (kaushikr at gmail dot com) or Rajesh (sushi_pk at yahoo dot com)

2007-10-17T20:56:00.000-07:00

WHEN: October 23rd, 2007
TIME: 6.30PM- 8.30PM
WHERE: Red Herring (At the corner of Mathews and Oregon)

Adai (pronounced aa- day) - $4.00

- with the powers of all lentils and rice combined this has all the makings of a nutritious crepe

Pesarattu (pronounced pess- aa- rat- oo) - $4.00

- a more mellow version of crepes that inherits a verdant aura from lush green lentils

Pani Puri- $3.00

-Shells of wheat flour filled with a spicy mix of potatoes and tamarind water.

Vegetable Biriyani - $4.00

- a hot, savoury rice dish with a mix of delicately cooked vegetables and exquisite spices.

Thaali - $5.00

- the thread that ties together white rice, with channa masala, aloo fry and sambar

Paalpayasam (pronounced paal- pai- sam) - $2.00

- prominently referred to as the king of sweets. This one is a 'I must have' dish! This is a dessert made with rice and milk.

All proceeds raised fund education programs for underprivileged children in India. Would you like to volunteer? What do you think of Sambar? Please leave your comments behind or email Kaushik (kaushikr at gmail dot com) or Rajesh (sushi_pk at yahoo dot com)

2007-10-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the disappointment, but there will be no Samabar this week. Please keep your eyes peeled for the next on on Oct 23rd, 2007. For further details about the schedule, please take a look at this link.

Thanks a million for all the support!

2007-09-22T09:13:00.000-07:00

WHEN: September 25, 2007
TIME: 6.30PM- 8.30PM
WHERE: Red Herring (At the corner of Mathews and Oregon)

Plain Dosas - $3.00

- a crepe with a rice and lentil base that is served with Sambar (a soup made with lentils, vegetables and spices). For any South Indian, the world isn't an illusion, its simply made of Dosas!

Masala Dosa- $5.00

-a dosa with a stuffing of a spicy potato and onion mix.

Pani Puri- $3.00

-Shells of wheat flour filled with a spicy mix of potatoes and tamarind water.

Coconut rice- $3.00-

a rice dish with coconut, peanuts and other spices

Thaali - $5.00

- the thread that ties together white rice, with dal, subzi and sambar

Gulab Jamun- $2.00

- a popular Indian sweet dish comprised of fried milk balls in a sweet syrup flavoured with cardamom seeds and rosewater or saffron (source: wikipedia)

All proceeds raised fund education programs for underprivileged children in India. Would you like to volunteer? What do you think of Sambar? Please leave your comments behind or email Kaushik (kaushikr at gmail dot com) or Rajesh (sushi_pk at yahoo dot com)

2007-09-04T21:37:00.000-07:00

Get the drumroll going as Sambar takes for the the first time for Fall 2007.

OUR OPENING NIGHT IS: SEPTEMBER, 11th
TIMINGS: 6.30PM- 8.30 PM
VENUE: The same old place- Red Herring (at the corner of Mathews and Oregon)

For information on the schedule for this semester, please click the following link

Mirchi Bajji- $2.00

fried green chillis - hot stuff, every way you think of it!

Bhel Puri- $3.00

Rice crispies, onions and tomatoes with tamarind sauce and chaat masala.

Plain Dosas - $3.00

- a crepe with a rice and lentil base that is served with Sambar (a soup made with lentils, vegetables and spices). For any South Indian, the world isn't an illusion, its simply made of Dosas!

Masala Dosa- $5.00

-a dosa with a stuffing of a spicy potato and onion mix.

Puliyogare (a.k.a Tamarind Rice) - $3.00

a tangy twisty rice dish in a tamarind sauce sauteed with peanuts and mustard seeds

Thaali - $5.00

- the thread that ties together white rice, with beans curry, sambar, egg plant kootu

Semiya payasam- $ 2.00

Sweetened vermicelli in milk, sauteed with raisins and cashewnuts

All proceeds raised fund education programs for underprivileged children in India. Would you like to volunteer? What do you think of Sambar? Please leave your comments behind or email Kaushik (kaushikr at gmail dot com) or Rajesh (sushi_pk at yahoo dot com)

2007-09-02T00:05:00.000-07:00

The beginning is only a corner away....

An emphatic welcome to a wonderful semester ahead!

If those taste buds are feeling weary already, not to worry. At Sambar, we offer the perfect remedy to craving appetites.

Sambar starts off this semester on September 11th, 2007. For logistical reasons, we won't be able to have Sambar at the turn of every Tuesday but instead
will be doing this on a fortnightly basis.

Just to give you the heads up on what lies ahead for this semester:

Sambar is open on:

Sept 11th,2007

Sept 25th, 2007

Oct 23rd, 2007

Nov 6th, 2007

Nov 13th, 2007

Also do keep your eyes peeled for Asha UC's once- a- semester foray - Sharad Saavan (which will have a longer menu to choose from)

Would you like to volunteer for us? You are one email away from doing so! Send an email to Kaushik (kaushikr at gmail dot com) or Rajesh Kumar (sushi_pk at yahoo dot com)

2007-07-04T09:25:00.002-07:00

coconutCelebrate the American holiday experience with a little bit of Indian food to spice up the week.
Sambar is once again whimsically open for the summer on July 10th.

Pani Puri- $3.00

-Shells of wheat flour filled with a spicy mix of potatoes and tamarind water.

Plain Dosas - $3.00

- a crepe with a rice and lentil base that is served with Sambar (a soup made with lentils, vegetables and spices). For any South Indian, the world isn't an illusion, its simply made of Dosas!

Masala Dosa- $5.00

-a dosa with a stuffing of a spicy potato and onion mix.

Vegetable pulao- $4.00

- a melee of vegetables cooked with basmati rice

Channa masala

- garbanzo beans with onions and tomatoes in the background, spices to enrich the experience

Coconut rice- $3.00

- a rice dish with coconut

Pista Kulfi- $2.00

- an Indian version of ice cream with pistachio for flavour

We would love to hear from you on how we are doing. Please do leave your comments or email them to Rajesh Kumar (sushi_pk at yahoo dot com) or Kaushik (kaushikr at gmail dot com).
If you would like to volunteer in any way, WE NEED YOU! :-)

2007-06-23T22:48:00.000-07:00

For all those who will miss Sambar, keep the yearning and the craving intact. We will be back on July 10th! For those who are more used to the concept of countdowns, thats 16 days away!

2007-06-14T11:02:00.000-07:00

Following the resounding welcome it received last week, Chaat room continues this week. Come by to savour the mouth-watering delicacies. Chaat is a traditional roadside cuisine that had its origins in the fast-paced streets of Mumbai.

Our menu for June 19th, 2007:

Pani Puri- $3.00

Shells of wheat flour filled with a spicy mix of potatoes and tamarind water.

Plain Dosas - $3.00

- a crepe with a rice and lentil base that is served with Sambar (a soup made with lentils, vegetables and spices). For any South Indian, the world isn't an illusion, its simply made of Dosas!

Masala Dosa- $5.00

- a dosa with a stuffing of a spicy potato and onion mix.

Upma - $3.00

- a light snack made from wheat semolina and assorted vegetables.

Tomato Rice - $3.00

- Tomato and rice blended together with a rich selection of Indian spices.

Vegetable Biriyani - $4.00

- a hot, savoury rice dish with a mix of delicately cooked vegetables and exquisite condiments. So tempting, it'll make you forget your waistline, atleast for a little while

Paal payasam - $2.00

- an Indian rice pudding that's the star attraction at every occasion.

Do leave behind any comments and suggestions that you have. If you would like to volunteer do let us know at the venue or via email : Rajesh (sushi_pk at yahoo dot com) or Kaushik (kaushikr at gmail dot com).

2007-06-11T18:21:00.000-07:00

To allow everyone to enjoy in various other ways (rather than just Sambar), we will have Sambar every other week in Summer. Consequently, there will be NO Sambar this Tuesday :( Sorry for inconvenience, but hope to see everyone on 19th. Enjoy summer!

2007-05-31T11:52:00.000-07:00

No more cold mornings, no more of the one ton winter jackets. Celebrate the coming of summer at Sambar! Your favourite South Indian restaurant in Urbana Champaign opens for the summer on June 5th.

Just for our opening night in Summer, welcome to Sambar’s very own - Chaat room! Chaat is a special mouth watering cuisine that traditionally inhabits the roadsides in India.

Pani Puri- $3.00

Shells of wheat flour filled with a spicy mix of potatoes and tamarind water.

Pav Bhaji- $4.00

Toasted bread served with a zesty masala of potatoes, onions and capsicum with special spices that give this dish a unique character like none other!

Plain Dosas - $3.00

- a crepe with a rice and lentil base that is served with Sambar (a soup made with lentils, vegetables and spices). For any South Indian, the world isn't an illusion, its simply made of Dosas!

Masala Dosa- $5.00

- a dosa with a stuffing of a spicy potato and onion mix.

Puliyogare (a.k.a Tamarind Rice) - $3.00

a tangy twisty rice dish in a tamarind sauce sauteed with peanuts and mustard seeds

Curd rice- $2.00

This dish just about sets the temperature for the summer at 69.

Mango kulfi- $2.00

An Indian version of ice cream with mangoes.

Do leave behind any comments and suggestions that you have. If you would like to volunteer do let us know at the venue or via email : Rajesh (sushi_pk at yahoo dot com) or Kaushik (kaushikr at gmail dot com).

2007-04-18T21:35:00.000-07:00

The last of Sambar for the spring semester is on April 24th. Thanks a million for all the support and we hope you do come for our semester finale as well!

Plain Dosas - $3.00

- a crepe with a rice and lentil base that is served with Sambar (a soup made with lentils, vegetables and spices). For any South Indian, the world isn't an illusion, its simply made of Dosas!

Masala Dosa- $5.00

- a dosa with a stuffing of a spicy potato and onion mix.

Bisibela bath- $3.00

- a rice dish mixed with lentils and vegetables, curry and spices added for taste and aroma

Vadai (pronounced vaa- day) - $3.00

a crispy, crunchy dish made from rice and lentils that makes for a fabulour appetizer with our trademark sambar (lentil soup)

Homemade yoghurt- $1.00

- Nostalgia grows with fermentation

Avial

- a melee of vegetables, that inherits a rich taste and flavour from a blend of coconut and buttermilk

Potato fry

- Any description for this dish is overkill. :-)

Mango kulfi- $2.00

An Indian version of ice cream with mangoes

Please email any comments, suggestions and questions to Rajesh Kumar (sushi_pk at yahoo dot com) or Kaushik (kaushikr at gmail dot com).

2007-04-10T22:59:00.000-07:00

The end of Sambar for the Spring semester is closing in. Come by, come again and thanks a zillion for supporting us!

14th April happens to be Tamil New Year day. Considering Sambar's tradition of being a South-Indian restaurant, we would like to do something special about this. So, light up those nostalgic senses of yours and come over to Sambar for some great South-Indian food on April 17th.

Adai- $4.00
-- with the powers of all lentils and rice combined this has all the makings of a nutritious crepe

Sambar
- Lentil soup for the soul

Vadai (pronounced vaa- day) - $3.00
- a crispy, crunchy dish made from rice and lentils that makes for a fabulour appetizer with our trademark sambar (lentil soup)

Venn Pongal - $ 3.00
- A rice dish studded with pepper and cumin, that makes for an enviable couple with the vadai.

Sweet Pongal- $3.00
- A blend of jaggery and rice sauteed raisins and cashews.

Mor kozhambu ( the phonetics are very strange)
- A gravy made with buttermilk and coconut, white pumpkin for company

Kothavaranga curry
- french cluter beans

Homemade yoghurt- $1.00
- Nostalgia grows with fermentation

Thaali- $5.00
- The thread that ties together white rice, Sambar, kothavaranga curry and yoghurt

For questions, comments, suggestions and opportunities to volunteer email Rajesh (sushi_pk at yahoo dot com) or Kaushik (kaushikr at gmail dot com).

2007-04-06T12:08:00.000-07:00

Our menu for April 10th, 2007:

Tomato chilli uthappam (x 2) - $5.00

- a part of the diverse family of South Indian crepes with a tangy touch of tomatoes
- Vegan

Onion chilli uthappam (x 2) - $5.00

- with a topping of onions and green chillis
- Vegan

(served with sambar and chutney)

Methi Pulao - $3.00

- spinach, rice and spices, mixed it entices
- Vegan

Tindora curry - $2.00

- Tindora (ivy gourd) takes center stage with onions as accompanying artist to create a delightful south Indian symphony
-Vegan

Homemade yoghurt - $1.00

- Nostalgia grows with fermentation
- Non-vegan

Shahi tukda - $2.00

- more on the lines of a blend between the east and the west. A dessert made of bread that draws its delectable taste from flavoured milk.
-Non-vegan

Thaali - $5.00

- the thread that ties together white rice, with tindora curry, sambar and yoghurt
- Vegan (exclude yoghurt)

Please email any comments, suggestions and questions to Rajesh Kumar (sushi_pk at yahoo dot com) or Kaushik (kaushikr at gmail dot com).

2007-03-30T16:16:00.000-07:00

Springtime a la carte at your favourite South Indian restaurant in Urbana Champaign

Menu for April 3rd, 2007

Pesarattu (x 2) - $ 5.00

- a more mellow version of crepes that inherits a verdant aura from lush green lentils

Rava dosa (x 2) - $4.00

- dosas made from coarsely ground rice grain with onions and green chillies.

(Dosas served with Sambar and a choice of chutney - Ginger chutney or Coconut chutney)

Vegetable biriyani- $3.00

Vegentables and spices, mixed it entices.

Valor bean curry- $2.00

Beans with character spiced up with onions and tomatoes that makes for an ideal combination with rice and sambar

Samiya payasam- $2.00

A sweet dessert made with vermicelli sauteed with raisins and cashews

Homemade yoghurt- $1.00

- Nostalgia grows with fermentation

Thaali- $5.00

- The thread that ties together white rice, Sambar, valor bean curry and yoghurt

For questions, comments, suggestions and opportunities to volunteer email Rajesh (sushi_pk at yahoo dot com) or Kaushik (kaushikr at gmail dot com)

2007-03-22T13:55:00.000-07:00

Your favourite Sambar now comes in a different shade and the colour we have chosen for the occasion is green! After all, with the coming of Spring, the choice couldn't have been more appropriate!

So,welcome to the ECO FRIENDLY version of your favourite South indian restaurant in Urbana- Champaign.

And the menu for this week is....

Dosas (x 2) - $ 3.00
- Crepes a la south Indian style. Served with our trademark Sambar (a side dish made with lentils and other vegetables) and chutney (a relatively dry paste usually made with coconut)

Masala Dosas (x 2) - $ 5.00
- Just add a spicy mix of potatoes and onions to the plain dosa and voila!

Idlis (x 2) - $3.00
- a steamed rice dish that makes for a great combination with Sambar and chutney.

Puliyogare (a.k.a Tamarind Rice) - $3.00
- an tangy twisty rice dish sauteed with peanuts and mustard seeds

Bhindi Masala - $ 2.00
- Okra takes center stage with onions and tomatoes as accompanying artists

Mango Kulfi - $ 2.00
- an Indian version of ice cream with a dash of mangoes. Yumm is the word!

Homemade yoghurt -$ 1.00
- Nostalgia grows with fermentation.

Thaali - $5.00
- the thread that ties together white rice with bhindi masala, yoghurt and sambar

Do let us know if you have any comments or suggestions. If you would like to volunteer email: Rajesh (sushi_pk at yahoo.com) or Kaushik (kaushikr at gmail.com)

2007-03-13T09:27:00.000-07:00

Sambar will be on a short vacation for the next two weeks enjoying the recent change in weather.

Thanks to everyone for their support and help with volunteering and hope to see you all after spring break!

2007-02-28T19:17:00.000-08:00

This is our last week before the spring break so make your presence felt at Sambar! Thank you all for your support.

And our menu for MARCH 6th is:

Adai (pronounced aa- day) - $4.00
- with the powers of all lentils and rice combined this has all the makings of a nutritious crepe

Pesarattu (pronounced pess- aa- rat- oo) - $5.00
- a more mellow version of crepes that inherits a verdant aura from lush green lentils

Tomato rice - $3.00
- Tomato and rice blended together with a rich selection of Indian spices.

Potato curry
- a mildly fried potato dish with a panache that comes from its many spices

Chowchow kootu
- Chayote squash plattered onto a lentil base with the distinct aroma of cumin seeds and coconut

Sambar
- a soup made of lentils and mixed vegetables with a variety of spices, the kind of dish that makes me think, "would Sambar taste as wonderful if it were called by any other name?"

Homemade yogurt - $1.00
- Nostalgia grows with fermentation

Chickpea salad - $1.00
- a mix of beans sauteed with garnished with coconut and mustard seeds

Pappad
- Indian nachos

Paruppu payasam - $2.00
- a unique dessert that puts the multi- talented lentil to good use.

Thaali - $6.00
- the thread that ties together white rice, sambar, chowchow kootu, potato curry, chickpea salad, yogurt and pappad.

2007-02-23T06:48:00.000-08:00

Sambar - its all about bringing South India to Champaign!

Plain Dosas - $3.00
- a crepe with a rice and lentil base that is served with Sambar (a soup made with lentils, vegetables and spices). For any South Indian, the world isn't an illusion, its simply made of Dosas!

Masala Dosa- $5.00
- a dosa with a stuffing of a spicy potato and onion mix.

Tomato Palak Dal- $2.00
- A spinach dish that would make Popeye envious

Brinjal Curry- $2.00
- A curry dish with eggplants, the kind of dish that makes an eggplant proud it was born an eggplant.

Rasam- $1.00
- a tangy soup with tomatoes and lentils. Though you wont get our secret recipe, here is a nice article that talks about Rasam (link)

Chickpea salad (a.k.a Sundal)- $1.00
- A mix of lentils and peanuts sauteed with coconut. Best consumed along the shores of the Marina beach in Chennai but Champaign will have to do for the moment.

Lemon Rice- $3.00
- the kind of dish for which any description would be overkill! It's unpretentious.

Coconut Halwa- $3.00
- coconut and Kerala brings up 615,000 hits on google. Trust me, they value this dish very much.

Thaali's will be available so you dont have to feel that you left out any of the above dishes!

Do email us, leave comments and support us! We would love to hear your views on how we are doing.

2007-02-15T21:46:00.000-08:00

Put your taste buds on top gear as this weeks menu comes up!

Plain Dosa (x 2) - $3.00

Crepes a la south Indian style. Served with our trademark Sambar (a side dish made with lentils and other vegetables) and chutney (a relatively dry paste usually made with coconut)

Masala Dosa (x 2)- $4.00

Just add a spicy mix of potatoes and onions to the plain dosa and voila!

Vangi baath (pronounced vaan-gi baa-th) - $3.00

Amidst Bangalore's hi speed IT industry is a rice dish made with eggplant and other spices. Trademark Karnataka!

Chickpea salad (a.k.a Sundal) - $1.00

A mix of chickpea and peanuts sauteed with mustard seeds and garnished with coconut

Carrot Halwa - $2.00

A desert made with carrots.

Mango Drink- $1.00

Need I say more???

Homemade yoghurt- $1.00

Nostalgia grows with fermentation

And our very popular Thaali (which is an entree that has multiple dishes) - $6.00

White Rice, Sambar, Methi dal (lentils with spinach) , chickpea salad, valor bean curry, homemade yoghurt, pappad

Please let us know what's on your mind. You can leave a comment with requests for the menu or suggestions.

2007-02-13T19:34:00.000-08:00

A Sam Bar Success!

Despite the weather conditions many people came to Sam Bar and enjoyed some South Indian food! Thanks for everyone who cam. Here are a couple photos:

We started Sam Bar early today so that customers could come while there was light. You can see with what difficulty we brought the food as well!

Brian was our first customer of the night!

And here you see our intrepid cooks making dosas for the night!

Thanks for all you who braved the horrendous weather to make it to Sam Bar! See you next week!

2007-02-13T11:41:00.000-08:00

Through Rain, or snow, or blizzard,
Sam Bar is OPEN!

Sam Bar will start today at 4pm! And everyone gets extra dosas with your order!

2007-02-13T10:52:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: WE WILL HAVE SAMBAR TODAY.

WE WILL START AT 4.00 PM and keep going for as long as we can.

Please call everybody you can and do turn up!

Any questions? Call Venu @ 908- 938- 7648

2007-02-13T09:33:00.000-08:00

The weather is bad. We still are hoping to keep Sambar up and running. However we are also exploring other alternatives as well. Please check back on this website for further updates. If you have any questions please contact: Venu @ 908-938-7648

2007-02-09T12:04:00.000-08:00

Asha for Education, Urbana -Champaign presents
Sam Bar 2007.

And finally the menu for our opening night is........

When: Feb 13th, 2007 - Tuesday- 6PM- 9PM
Where: Red Herring (corner of Matthews and Oregon)

Plain Dosa (link to what is a Dosa?) (X 2 )- $3.00

a South Indian version of crepes made with rice and lentils.
A few coconut trees in the background and some music from the region you wouldn't know where you were!

Masala Dosa (X 2 )- $4.00
- This version of the crepe has a stuffing of a spicy potato and onion mix

Pesarattu (pronounced Pess- arr- att- oo) (X 2 )- $4.00
- a crepe made with green lentils

Kallappam (pronounced Cull- upp- am) (X 2 )- $3.00
- Crepes with lentils and coconut

Mirchi Bajji (X 2 )- $2.00
- fried green chllies. Nothing more. nothing less.

Puliyogare (pronounced poo- li- yo- gar-e) a.k.a Tamarind rice - $2.00
- a flavoured rice dish with a tangy sauce topped with peanuts

Paalpayasam (pronounced paal- pai- sam) - $2.00
- prominently referred to as the king of sweets. This one is a 'I must have' dish! This is a dessert made with rice and milk.

Chickpea salad (a.k.a sundal) - $1.00
- a salad made with peanuts and garbanzo beans garnished with coconut

Homemade yogurt -$ 1.00
- No south Indian meal ever ends without homemade yogurt!

Mango drink - $1.00
- if the rest of the food makes you tired, this might help!

(Combos A,B,C, D are also available)

Do let us know what you think! You can leave comments and we will get back to you with any concerns you have. If you have any suggestions for improvements or dishes that you would like to suggest just drop us a line.

2007-02-07T20:38:00.000-08:00

Asha Sam Bar had its preview show before our opening for the Spring semester on Feb 13th. Asha Sam Bar was really happy with the opportunity to reach out to a wider audience at the Asian American Cultural Center.

It was a really great event and for those who missed out the menu was:

Mango Halwa
- A dessert made with mangoes

Indian falafel
- a traditional south indian fried dish made with lentils and other spices

Chickpea salad
- not your regular salad by any means! It has to have that South Indian essence!

Aloo Paratha
- An Indian version of pancakes stuffed with a spicy potato mix

For all those who feel sad, despair not. Feb 13th ain't too far away!

2007-02-05T19:22:00.000-08:00

Sam Bar is back this Spring and we really look forward to your continued support for the cause of ASHA- UC.
This semester, we start off on the 13th of February and of course we have everyone's favourite Dosas.

Please watch this space for menu updates.

If you would like to volunteer with any aspect of Sam Bar, please let us know when you swing by for one of our dinners. Volunteering could never have been a better experience!

2006-11-10T09:35:00.000-08:00

LAST SAM BAR OF THE SEMESTER!!!
ON CHILDREN'S DAY

SOUTH-INDIAN FOOD
FEATURING DOSAS
CHECK OUT THE MENU BELOW

Where: Red Herring (Corner of

Oregon and Matthews)

When: 6pm – 8:30pm

Tuesday November 14^th, 2006

Why: To help children in India!

2006-11-10T09:30:00.000-08:00

Dosas (Crepes) $3

Pessarattu (Dosa made out of green gram)

Rava Dosa (Dosa made out of fine wheatlets and rice)

Goduma Dosa (A healthy dosa made out of whole wheat flour)

Plain Dosa ( Dosa made out of rice and lentils)

Masala Dosa (A plain dosa stuffed with a spicy potato curry) -- $4

Uthappam (A thick dosa, garnsihed with onions and chilli)

Dhahi Vada $3
(A patty made out of lentils and marinated in a spicy yogurt mixture)

Rice Dishes $3

Tamrind Rice

Coconut Rice

Sweets $2

Mango Halwa

Rava Laddu

Drinks $1

Mango Drink

Panakam

Bottled Water

Combination I $7 ($8 when substitued with Masala Dosa)

1Dosa

1 Rice

1 Dhahi Vada

1 Sweet

1 Drink

Combination II $7 ($8 for 2 Masala Dosas)

1 Masala Dosa

1 Dosa

1 Dhahi Vada

1 Sweet

1 Drink

2006-11-06T10:32:00.000-08:00

FIRST 50 CUSTOMERS ON 7th get 1$ DISCOUNT COUPON towards DOSAS which we will be serving on 14th. Yaayyyy!!

2006-11-05T23:49:00.000-08:00

Menu for November 7th, 2006

Appetizers

v Wheat Dosas (Goduma Dosa) $3

with Capsicum chutney/Peanut chutney

Main Course

v Thali: $5

Valor Beans Curry.

White pumpkin kootu, Buttermilk Curry.

Sambar – Mixed Vegetable soup.

Served with Pickle and Rice.

v Vaangi Bath - Eggplant Rice $3

Dessert

v Ravva Laddu $1

v Besan Laddu $1

Drinks

Mango Drink $1

2006-11-02T16:58:00.000-08:00

"the best Sam Bar ever!"

This is one of the comment we received from our customers on 31st. Every item on the menu was given 5-star rating :)

"Don't change the cook"

We value our cooks and hope they continue to serve CU community with mouth-watering South-Indian delicacies.

"The food tastes great"
"Keep it up!"

The love and support of our customers have kept us going and successfully manage a pioneering effort for Asha's cause.

The overall feedback was:

1. Service: 4.9/5
2. Food Quality: 4.8/5
3. Overall Experience: 5/5

Once again, thank you for your support and we promise our best effort to serve you the best in South-Indian.

2006-10-29T20:19:00.000-08:00

Menu for October 31th, 2006

Appetizers

v 1 Uttappam with Coconut/Peanut Chutney $3

v Idli with Sambar and Coconut/Peanut Chutney $2

Main Course

v Thali: $5

Beans Curry with Peas and Coconut.

Mokozhambu, Buttermilk Curry with various vegetables.

Sambar – Mixed Vegetable soup.

Served with Pappad and Rice.

v Tomato Bath – Rice and Tomatoes with spices $3

Dessert

v Mango Kulfi $2

Mango Ice-Cream

Drinks

Mango Drink $1

2006-10-25T16:58:00.000-07:00

Feedback from 24th October:

1. Service 4.63/5
2. Food quality 4.36/5
3. Overall Experience 4.36/5

64% customers said they would like to visit Sam Bar atleast twice a month, while 36% said they would come every week. Nobody said they would never come again :)

Please keep supporting the only South Indian cuisine in our community, and Asha's cause.

2006-10-24T13:07:00.000-07:00

Information about Sam Bar

Where: Red Herring restaurant. On the corner of Mathews and Oregon, enter through the Oregon side, and go down the stairs.
When: 6:30 - 8:30 pm, EVERY TUESDAY

2006-10-20T09:31:00.000-07:00

Menu for October 24th, 2006

Appetizers

v Bondas with Coconut/Peanut Chutney $2

v Mirchi Bajji with Coconut/Peanut Chutney $2

Main Course

v Thali: $5

Thurai and Channa Curry (Eggplant with Lentils)

Dal - Lentils

Rasam – Indian Soup with Tomatoes.

Served with Pappad and Rice.

v Coconut Rice $3

Dessert

v Samiya Payasam $2

Vermicelli Pudding.

Drinks

Mango Drink $1

2006-10-14T11:01:00.000-07:00

Padmasri Sudha Raghunathan is coming to Sam Bar on Tuesday October 17th!!! She is a very famous Carnatic (South Indian Classical Music) singer. For more details check out: http://www.sudharagunathan.com

2006-10-11T07:22:00.000-07:00

Menu for October 17th, 2006

Main Course

v Plain/Masala Dosa $3/$4

South Indian crepes. comes with Coconut/Peanut Chutney and Sambar.

Masala Dosa comes with Aloo (potato) Curry.

v Tamarind Rice $3

Rice with Tamarind, Peanuts, Cashews, and various spices.

Dessert

v Sweet Pongal $3

Made from Jaggery, Rice and Lentils.

Drinks

v Mango Drink $1

2006-10-05T12:31:00.000-07:00

After the huge overwhelming crowd on the Opening day, we changed our strategy and organization. Last week (Oct 3rd) was AWESOME! The wait (after ordering) was less than 2 mins on average! Woohoo!

2006-10-05T12:24:00.000-07:00

Menu for October 10th, 2006

Appetizers

v 2 Idles - Rice Cakes $2

Served with Sambar -Vegetable Soup and Coconut Chutney

Main Course

v Thali: $5

Beans curry – Fried Beans

Cabbage Kootu, - Cabbage with Lentils

Sambar – Vegetable Soup

Served with Pappad and Rice.

v Tamarind Rice $3

Rice with Tamarind, Peanuts, Cashews, and various spices.

Dessert

v Mango Halwa $2

Drinks

v Maaza $1

mango drink

2006-10-05T11:49:00.000-07:00

2006-10-03T10:38:00.000-07:00

Asha wants YOU

For Sam Bar.

Join via the nearest recruiting center ashasambar@gmail.com

Thank you all for turning up to show your support for Asha last Tuesday. We as volunteers at Sam Bar were absolutely thrilled to see such an overwhelming crowd on day one! This gives us a huge boost to do better next time.

As many of you know, Asha is a non-profit world-wide organization that raises funds for education in India for underprivileged children. We need your help in managing our new fundraiser, Sam Bar.

So, if you are interested in volunteering, here is how you can help:

Cooks:

-You can decide what and when you want to cook.
-In general we want people to commit to cooking on a biweekly basis, between 4:30pm – 8:00pm.
-We might or might not need you there the whole time, depending on the dish.
-Remember, you are not alone! And we’ll help you make your dish superb.

Cashier/Servers:

-You can help in taking orders, we will tell you how.
-Or, you can coordinate between the cashier and the cooks to put together orders and serve them.
-Or, you can be the hostess who introduces Asha and its motivations to all the curious people waiting in line.
-In general, this requires a commitment between 6:00pm – 8:30pm.

Cleaning:

-If you can’t come earlier than 8:30pm, and would like to contribute, then we really need cleaners!
-We are only looking for volunteers in half hour slots.
-So, if you can spare a half hour once in a while to help us with cleaning, we will really appreciate it!

So, come and be part of an experience like none other. Meet people who think and are passionate about the same things as you are. In the larger scheme of things it is taking one step closer to giving every child a chance to education.

2006-09-30T16:03:00.000-07:00

Menu for October 3rd, 2006

Appetizers

v Vada + Sambar $2

vVada + Yogurt $2

Main Course

v Thali: $5

Aloo (potato) curry, Avial (vegetables medley) Sambar (soup) and rice.

Served with pappad

v Pongal $3

Rice and Lentils with spices.

Dessert

v Ice – Cream $2

Drinks

v Frooti $1

mango drink

2006-09-27T00:07:00.000-07:00

Lots of effort => all the money that will help in educating children in India! :)

2006-09-27T00:02:00.000-07:00

Sam Bar apologizes to everyone who had a long wait on Tuesday to get their food! We hope that the food was worth your wait! :) However, we WILL be much more efficient from next time.

If you have suggestions for us, please feel free to email: ashasambar@gmail.com

Thank you!

2006-09-21T20:53:00.000-07:00

Grand Opening

Sam Bar

South Indian Cuisine

Asha for Education at U of I is starting a new fundraising event to satisfy everyone’s craving for South Indian food! Plus, all the profits support education projects in India.

Place: Red Herring Restaurant, corner of Mathews and Oregon.

Time: 6:30 – 8:30 pm.

Date: Every Tuesday! We open on Tuesday, September 26^th, 2006.

Menu for September 26, 2006

Appetizers

v Mirchi Bajji $1

chilies fried in dough, served with Tamarind and mint/corriander sauce

Main Course

v Rava Dosa (2 servings) $4

South Indian crêpes made from rice and lentils.

v Thali: $5

Eggplant or okra curry, tomato dal (lentils), sambar (soup) and rice.

Served with pappad

v Curd Rice $1

Yogurt and rice with spices and herbs.

Dessert

v Pista Kulfi $2

Ice cream

Drinks

v Maaza $1

mango shake

v Masala Chai $1

tea with milk and spices

2006-09-20T22:39:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Asha UIUC's Sam Bar!!!!!

Brief History:
Once upon a time (First week of the fall 2006 semester) in a land far far away (Illini Grove)...

A few of us at Asha UIUC had the idea that we should have a restaurant where we serve South Indian Food (because everyone LOVES South Indian Food and there is no restaurant in the Champaign-Urbana area that serves it!), and have volunteers that run it and donate the profits to Asha.

... This idea evolved into Sam Bar!

The name Sam Bar is influenced by the delicious South Indian mixed vegetable soup known as Sambar. The clever inventor of this name is a Physics PhD student who cooked it up in her lab.

What is Asha you ask....

Asha is a non-profit world-wide organization that raises money for education in India for underprivileged children. Here is Asha's Website.