Indus Express, Vivanta By Taj Dwarka – Bringing alive the historic flavors

January 3, 2016
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With winter in full force, it is
time to devour some scrumptious Indian meal to satiate the palate.January 2016 opens up with a spectacular
review of the recently opened Indus Express at the Vivanta by Taj Dwarka.  The Indus Express sets itself apart from
other premier-league Indian restaurants in the city with its glamorous vibe,
theatrical open kitchen and a menu that eschews orthodox curries in favor of
small plates and grills.

The entrance rejoices in brilliant
hues of the Indian spices like turmeric and red chilies that are alluring in
aroma and appearance. The essence of Indus express is to take the guest on an
odyssey through pre-independence Punjab relishing the cuisine of food from 5 states
namely Pothovar, Rawalpindi, Amritsar, Khyber and Lahore.
The stimulating journey across the
5 rivers Jhelum, Sutlej, Beas, Ravi and Chenab give diners a chance to
experience the rich diversity in flavors of the Indian and Pakistan cuisine. Indus
Express celebrates the distinct identity of these unique & varied cultures,
all of who immensely value their tradition. The menu reflects the best of all
worlds, drawing inspiration from the distinguished culinary history of their
respective regions while creating an urban dining experience.
The restaurant has a decent
seating capacity of 70 people and a spectacular view through their big bay
windows.  Once when you are seated in the luxury restaurant, you’ll
definitely become familiar with the “C” spices – coriander, cardamom, cumin,
cloves, cayenne, chili powder  besides ginger,
fennel, saffron and more.
I was awe struck by the magnificent
designing that looked similar to the large havelis in Pakistan. Our servers
placed three different condiments to relish with our meal – papads, pickles and
fresh coriander chutney. The chef dished out some totally remarkable
masterpieces specially crafted for us to avoid the ordeal of searching the
perfect dish. We were indeed grateful.
We were served a potli samosa – a divine interpreation of samosa cooked to perefection and served with mint chutney.
He later served us some lip
smacking tikkas. The first one was Nadru ke Kebab – a lotus stem patty Stuffed
with Kashmiri prunes. The softness was incredible. We then tried the Malai wale
Hare Phool (Broccoli marinated with mild spices cooked in tandoor) which has
the flavor of the broccoli retained and accentuated with spices and herbs. The Laal
mirch da Paneer Tikka was the most softest paneer tikka I have ever tasted.
The Gujranwala ki chaap, was one
thing my husband simply devoured. The tender lamb chops are marinated with curd
& spices, cooked on dum which give the perfect aroma and the flavor. The Kebab-e-bannu
which was served next is a classic preparation from Bannu district that has succulent
morsels of chicken marinated with egg, vinegar and spices cooked in tandoor.
The tikkas were heavenly but to relish
the main course, we preferred to walk around and see the masterchefs perform
their artwork. The glass kitchen reflects the ordeal and ardent dedication of
the chefs who take precision in cooking the dishes before guests. The large
burner and cooking range are buzy in preparing Indian delicacies that were soon
to be placed before us.
I was mesmerized to see a large
table for ten people with a live counter to prepare the mutton in front of the
guests. This live cooking is an absolute delight as it pleases the senses of
the guests while introducing them to the art of fine cooking at the same time.
A counter at the far end of the restaurant
has a section of live tadkas that comprise of freshly grounded spices slowly
cooked in ghee and mixed with lentils which are served hot on the table.The aroma was making me hungry and we soon moved back to our table.
We were served the Baigan Mizaj –
The roasted aubergine mash was gently cooked with aromatic spices and finished
with fresh mint. We loved the aroma and devoured the dish. Dal Meat, served in
the main course was a combination of prime lamb chops and split urad lentil. If
there is a deadly combination of lentils and mutton, it is this dish which is
simply cooked to perfection.
The Laal Mirch Tadka Palak was a totally different
take on spinach which is gently tempered with whole red chilies and garlic and
finished with butter – a work of art. The Farmers Lentil curry is a fine
selection of five lentils from North West frontier tempered in a martbaan which
tasted delicious.The flat pieces of naans, cooked
quickly at very high heat, with the charring and puffing look beautiful in appearance and taste delicious, .
We loved the main course and were
floored even further when the chef presented before us a platter of three different
desserts. The Kashmiri Anjeer ice cream, home churned ice cream made with
Kashmiri figs was irresistible while the gajrela, had the perfect sweetness
that I was looking for. It was the phirni that stole my heart with the richness
of milk and saffron that tempted me to dig in the flavor.
Indus Express boasts of signature
delicacies like Kebab e Bannu, Rawalpindi Chole, Balti Dal meat, Dum Murgh
Lahori, Raan e Khyber, Afghani Kabuli Palaw amongst others. The fine dining
Indian restaurant located at the lobby level will be open for guests for dinner
between 7 pm to 11 pm.
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