Feast on a royal gastronomical fare

Food lovers will have a chance to enjoy some of India’s finest cuisine at the Lalit Ashok this week. The Baluchi restaurant is hosting a week-long ‘Royal Gastronomical Face Off’, with dishes inspired by India’s history.

The grand spread includes Nawabi thali from Awadh and Nizami food from Hyderabad, which has been put together by Chef Pinaki Swarnakar.

With what Chef Pinaki calls a selection of the best, he hopes people will come to enjoy more than just biryani. “Everyone likes that, it will be a blockbuster,” he says. “Our food is unique and very traditional, and something that Bengalureans may have not tasted.”

The thali features Awadhi and Nizami-inspired dishes to satiate both vegetarians and meat eaters. Some of the selections on offer include ‘Paneer Kofta’, ‘Dal Sultani’, ‘Mutton dum biryani’, ‘Murgh chop masala’ and ‘Handi Tarkari’. Pinaki explains that the secret to making the dishes include a lot of spices, protein, and fresh vegetables from the hotel garden. He hopes it will give people from the southern part of the country a taste of something different. “We are introducing people to a different world, which is authentic. They will understand this food and its flavour,” he adds.

The Royal Gastronomical Face Off is on at Baluchi till October 19. It includes lunch and dinner. The starting thali is priced at Rs 1,400.