Here’s our pick of fine-dining restaurants that not only serve the most authentic Indian cuisine but also make savouring a meal a memorable experience with their tasteful décor and elegance
There is something intoxicating about its aroma, radical about its ingredients, eclectic about its presentation and something tangy about its flavor. But what makes Indian food so appealing is its careful use of spices in the way flavors rub up against each other. And although Indian cuisine tends to mix ingredients, the flavours don’t overlap.
How many times have you tasted authentic Indian cuisine from one part of India that does not have a unique flavor? The answer: not too often.
Spices are uniquely important because in any single dish, each one brings a unique flavor. These spices that are used in Indian recipes are uniquely placed to shape the flavoursharing pattern with rest of the ingredients. The takeaway is that they help form the pillars of what tastes so good to so many people and is cherished globally.
Indian cuisine has always conjured up an image of exotic flavours in our minds. A dazzling array of fresh vegetables and fruits with the right mix of spices makes for mouth-watering dishes. Indian food is different from what is offered in the rest of the world not only in taste, but also in cooking methods. It reflects a perfect blend of various cultures and ages. Just like Indian culture, food in India has also been influenced by various civilisations, which have contributed their share in its overall development and the present form.
We have taken on the heavy challenge of listing down the few good specialty restaurants that represent the true cultural spirit of India and make it a celebration for all senses.
JAMAVAR, The Leela Palace
Deriving its name from the 16th century fine art of embroidery of Kashmir shawls, Jamavar, the signature fine-dining Indian restaurant across The Leela Palace Bangalore, The Leela Goa, The Leela Palace New Delhi, and The Leela Mumbai, is known for its authentic tastes of India in an evocative setting. A luxurious restaurant with exemplary service, to give you the perfect finedining experience. A combination of north and south Indian cuisine, the intensely flavourful food has the freshest ingredients and the most exceptional spices that add to its richness.
The restaurant’s décor is a throwback to the times of royalty and the crystal chandeliers overhead cast a subdued glow to lend a traditional touch. The fine-dining innovations in the menu of this luxury restaurant include options such as Palak-e-Husn, Salmon ali shaan, Lobster Neeruli, Ennai kathrika and Tandoori Nalli. Savour the most authentic Indian culinary experiences in the best of environments. Definitely a royal treat, this!
VARQ, The Taj Mahal Hote
Varq is a harmonious blend of traditional and contemporary sophistication. Visually spectacular in every way. Here one can reinvent Indian food with unusual creations and pairings. The menu is a rich accumulation of Indian recipes evolved to the next level. Varq retains the Indian traditional way of cooking while using exotic ingredients such as sea bass, sand crab, black cod, morels and Iranian berries. The dessert station is a visual treat that teases diners throughout their meals. Vertical jalebis with three different flavours, green apple kheer or chocolate-coated Indian ice cream with baileys rabdi provide the finale to a grand meal. Varq offers separate dessert and tea menus or thoughtful pairings of both with teas that have been handpicked and blended exclusively for the restaurant.
The presentations of exquisite culinary inventions are served amongst work by celebrated artist Anjolie Ela Menon. This work has been carefully restored and sits comfortably in its new space. In addition, modern artworks compliment the restaurant in the form of oil paintings, carvings, antiques and modern sculptures.
BUKHARA, ITC Maurya
The romance of the rugged North-west Frontier comes alive at this authentic, award-winning restaurant, making it a landmark dining destination in New Delhi. A key feature on the itinerary of practically every visitor to New Delhi, Bukhara recreates the charm of the traditional clay oven or tandoor with its delicious menu of succulent tandoor-cooked kebabs, vegetables and breads. Once a rustic cuisine, it was enjoyed in the harsh rugged terrain of the North-West Frontier, bringing comfort and succour to diners, with its warm, robust flavours. The world-renowned Dal Bukhara, a combination of whole black lentils (urad dal), tomatoes, ginger and garlic, is cooked and simmered over slow coal fires of the tandoor for 18 hours at a stretch. Another unique feature of the cuisine is the use of prime cuts of meat, marinated with the choicest of spices and skilfully cooked on high heat, while retaining their tender moistness. A beacon of culinary excellence across the globe and the undisputed pride of India, Bukhara has won innumerable accolades over the years, making it the only globally recognised Indian restaurant and the preferred dining destination of gourmets, presidents and heads of state for over 35 years.
DUM PUKHT, ITC Maurya
Celebrated as one of the world’s “best classic restaurants”, Dum Pukht recreates in exquisite detail a setting that befits its magnificent origins. The authentic flavours from the royal kitchens of the Awadhi nawabs transport you to an era when food was not just a meal, but an elaborate feast. Dum Pukht serves not just a cuisine, but an experience that goes beyond the mere satisfaction of appetite, to the realm of sensuality and history: an evocative presentation of aromas, flavours and textures that pays tribute to an appreciation of the fine aspects of life to become a grand experience. Having the distinction of being Asia’s first recipient of the Golden Fork Award, Dum Pukht brings to you the grand cuisine of India in an ambience that is truly regal.