(This article first appeared online on 9th August 2023 in Mint Lounge, India https://lifestyle.livemint.com/food/discover/dhaka-food-trail-bangladesh-111691551231166.html)
Showing posts with label KHICHDI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label KHICHDI. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 9, 2023
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Deliciously ‘desi-baroque’
Dishing
out some innovative, modern Indian fare in a decidedly kitsch setting, this new
Shivaji Park restaurant is an interesting addition to the city’s culinary
landscape!
By Raul Dias
Michael Jackson in the full Mughal-e-Azam-esque garb of Shahzada Salim is staring down at us.
Overhead, a ring of brass bells threatens to start pealing every time a gust of
wind surges in as the main door opens. The wall behind us is encrusted with
huge pearls and other assorted coloured glass stones. Then suddenly the singer seated
at the small stage next to us breaks into a fusion version of the Raag Malhar
that seems appropriate, as the rain is pouring buckets outside.
And no, in case you were wondering, we aren’t alluding to some sort of substance-induced trip we recently went on. In fact, we weren’t even drinking anything more potent than table water at that point. We were simply there for a lunch visit to check out the brand new Tanatan restaurant that recently replaced the very popular China Bistro in the Shivaji Park neighbourhood of Dadar.
Desi-baroque. That’s the best way to describe this rather over-the-top restaurant with its embellished walls and intricately carved, backlit jaali screens. All this combined with a menu that’s replete with an array of modern Indian dishes and a few fusion ones thrown in.
Take for example the very innovative and delicious vegetarian khow suey samosa (Rs 320) that came to the table sitting in six shot glasses filled with a tangy coconut milk- and galangal-based sauce. The wackily named tarbooz without booze (Rs 255)—a fragrant watermelon and star anise mocktail—had a nice tart lemony finish to it and was the perfect foil to our robustly spiced mains.
With its crisp, wafer-like accompanying bread giving it a great textural element, the Mangalorean kori roti bowl (Rs 574) was generously portioned with juicy chicken bits enrobed in a bright orange chilli-coconut gravy. Reminding us of a well-made haleem and prefect for a rainy day, the cooker wali gosht khichdi (Rs 570) was the ultimate comfort food dish. Each gooey mouthful of spicy lentils and rice enhanced with the umami taste of tender chunks of mutton that also gave the preparation some meaty heft.
However, we weren’t entirely convinced of the freshness of the dal Bukhara (Rs 340) that though edible, tasted a bit off with none of the expected smoky, buttery goodness to it. Even the quinoa rosemary kulcha (Rs 110) that we used to mop up the dal was a big disappointment with its burnt taste overshadowing any hint of delicate rosemary.
That aberration aside, we’d happily go back to Tanatan for seconds…and maybe even thirds!
AT: Tanatan, Vidya Bhavan, Opposite Sena Bhavan,
Shivaji Park, Dadar West.And no, in case you were wondering, we aren’t alluding to some sort of substance-induced trip we recently went on. In fact, we weren’t even drinking anything more potent than table water at that point. We were simply there for a lunch visit to check out the brand new Tanatan restaurant that recently replaced the very popular China Bistro in the Shivaji Park neighbourhood of Dadar.
Desi-baroque. That’s the best way to describe this rather over-the-top restaurant with its embellished walls and intricately carved, backlit jaali screens. All this combined with a menu that’s replete with an array of modern Indian dishes and a few fusion ones thrown in.
Take for example the very innovative and delicious vegetarian khow suey samosa (Rs 320) that came to the table sitting in six shot glasses filled with a tangy coconut milk- and galangal-based sauce. The wackily named tarbooz without booze (Rs 255)—a fragrant watermelon and star anise mocktail—had a nice tart lemony finish to it and was the perfect foil to our robustly spiced mains.
With its crisp, wafer-like accompanying bread giving it a great textural element, the Mangalorean kori roti bowl (Rs 574) was generously portioned with juicy chicken bits enrobed in a bright orange chilli-coconut gravy. Reminding us of a well-made haleem and prefect for a rainy day, the cooker wali gosht khichdi (Rs 570) was the ultimate comfort food dish. Each gooey mouthful of spicy lentils and rice enhanced with the umami taste of tender chunks of mutton that also gave the preparation some meaty heft.
However, we weren’t entirely convinced of the freshness of the dal Bukhara (Rs 340) that though edible, tasted a bit off with none of the expected smoky, buttery goodness to it. Even the quinoa rosemary kulcha (Rs 110) that we used to mop up the dal was a big disappointment with its burnt taste overshadowing any hint of delicate rosemary.
That aberration aside, we’d happily go back to Tanatan for seconds…and maybe even thirds!
TIME: 12 pm to 1.30 am
CALL: 68493253
(An edited version of this review appeared in the 12th September 2019 issue of the Mid-Day newspaper, India on page 22 https://www.mid-day.com/articles/deliciously-desi/21715192)
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