Coming Soon: Sid and Chand Sahrawat Are Bringing Cocktails and Tandoor to a Ponsonby Villa
Words by Rosie Herdman · Published on 12 Aug 2022
The villa at the corner of Hepburn Street and Ponsonby Road has been home to several venues in the last decade – Rocco and Moochowchow arguably the most well-remembered (and well-regarded). Now, celebrated Auckland restaurateurs Sid and Chand Sahrawat (Cassia , Sid at The French Cafe) have confirmed they’ll be settling back into Ponsonby and into the site after selling fine diner Sidart last year.
Kol will open in October. At this stage, the concept centres on a casual cocktail offering and “tandoor-inspired snacks” cooked over charcoal – hence the venue's name (pronounced “coal”).
“I’ve always loved that location and I really admired what Moochowchow was doing in there back in the day,” Sid tells Broadsheet. “I remember having some delicious dinners and it was a great vibe in there.”
He and Chand love the suburb because “it’s such a great hub for dining and drinking – and very interactive in terms of whatever concept you do there. We’re very excited to be coming back to Ponsonby.”
“I want it to be a place where you can go for a quick drink or snack, or a proper dinner,” says Sid. “I just really enjoy that style of dining – that style of cooking as well.”
Asked how he thinks the local hospitality industry is faring in general, Sid says he thinks things are on the up after a tumultuous couple of years. “Things are definitely on the mend for sure. Staffing is a challenge but it’s about rolling with the punches. We’ve seen an influx of overseas diners coming back to the city as well.”
Kol is slated to open its doors in late October at 23 Ponsonby Road.
