Want to dine like royalty? These are the places to visit

Three luxurious culinary experiences that offer glimpses of ancient stories, myths and fables

Enjoy a Nizami meal under the starry skies while the chef regales you with anecdotes about the royal khansamas. Or, opt for a tryst with Akbar’s navratnas in a culinary interpretation of their wit and valour. Or else, embark on a gastronomic quest to uncover the secret recipes of the royal households of India. Each of these three luxurious culinary experiences offers contemporary renditions of ancient stories, myths and fables on a bespoke, handcrafted platter, writes Avantika Bhuyan.

The Maharaja Table 

Luxurious beige-gold sheer drapes separate the Maharaja Table from the rest of Jamavar, the signature Indian restaurant at The Leela Palace, New Delhi. The trademark brown-and-gold motifs run through this exclusive dining space meant for a group of eight. It is here that chef Vinod Saini brings out secret recipes from the royal kitchens of India, which are served on a table inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The idea is to create a heady sensorial experience, akin to the royal feasts of yore, complete with custom-made show plates, bespoke silver cutlery and crockery. The meal starts with an amuse bouche of a bhelpuri crisp set with coco butter and accompanied with thandai. This contrast of flavours gets the palate set for delicacies to come. 

Vinod Saini

Up next is the creamy makai and tomato shorba — a combination that I haven’t tried before. The tandoori lamb chops, which are a part of the kebab platter, are melt-in-the-mouth good, but the highlight is the soft flaky salmon with basil that is followed by a delicate and fragrant sandalwood and kokum sorbet. 

Using techniques such as roasting, flambé and food compressing, Saini seeks to offer a voyage through the heritage of south and north Indian cuisines. “For instance, the Raan-e- Mastaan is a succulent kid lamb shank cooked for 12 hours over low heat on charcoal with compound of home pounded tandoori spices and later flambé with rum,” he says. The pièce de résistance of this royal repast is the lobster nerulli, which is a family recipe of Leela Nair, wife of the hotel’s founder-chairman Captain CP Krishnan Nair. In this dish, the lobster tails are simmered in mildly spiced onions and tomato masala, to which are added fresh coconut milk, coriander and curry leaves. “That’s the way Captain Nair liked it,” says Saini.

Price: The Maharaja Table is priced at Rs 10,000 per person. Reservation requires a 24-hour notice. It is available in Jamavar across Leela Hotels in India, but with different culinary themes

The Navratna experience

This culinary adventure at The Oberoi Gurgaon’s award-winning restaurant, Amaranta, is an ode to the league of extraordinary gentlemen — the navratnas, or the nine gems, of Akbar’s court. The nine-course meal comprises dishes that highlight the quality of each navratna. For instance, the lyrical lines of Faizi’s Rubâ•î were said to be an experience for all the senses. The corresponding dish seeks to do just that with its crispy, salty, sweet and tangy flavours. It features a thin dal makhani roti topped with cold hung yoghurt, dry tempered peas and tomato makhani.

The rustic warrior lifestyle of Raja Man Singh is brought out through natti guddi pulusu, or country-style fried chicken braised in curry and the ragi sangati, which is tender coconut water-steamed ragi dumplings braised in curry. The Birbal ki khichdi, drawn from the famous fable, also makes an appearance. It is cooked, two courses earlier, at the table itself.

Tejas Sovani

Chef Tejas Sovani, who helms Amaranta, and his team of six regional cuisine specialists, use techniques such as dehydration, sous-vide and fermentation to bring the recipes alive. “The inspiration is drawn from the havelis of Lucknow, the gams of Saurashtra, rarified classics of the Jain Paryushan and the deras of Punjab,” says Sovani.  

Price: Rs 5,900 plus taxes. Reservation is required

A Nizami repast

 

Who would have thought that biryani could lead to an enchanting royal experience, complete with horse-drawn carriages and a shower of rose and jasmine attar. At the Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad, after the guests have been introduced to the palace’s legacy, starts the culinary experience on the Gol Bungalow terrace. “Most items in the meal are long- lost recipes that used to be made by the Nizam’s chefs,” says Arnab Gupta, food and beverage director at the palace. “For instance, patthar ka gosht used to be made in the wilderness when the Nizam went hunting.” Now part of the shikaar ka khaana menu, it is prepared live on a hot stone. The chefs offer interesting anecdotes about the history of Hyderabad, the culinary influences of the Mughal flavours and the sharp, robust Andhra ones. The highlight is the kacchi gosht ki biryani. The guests not only learn the technique but also take back the traditional recipes along with the secret ingredients.  

Price: on request