Modern makeovers of Indian food is a near-constant buzz in the restaurant industry. Now, increasingly, the focus is shifting towards authentic flavours without flourishes and gimmicks. The refrain is to get to the real deal as two recent launches in Delhi attest to. Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), India’s largest hospitality company, announced the launch of its new Indian-concept restaurant brand, Loya. Having debuted at Taj Palace, Delhi, Loya captures the culinary essence of north India. The menu revives lost culinary traditions of cherished and long-preserved authentic recipes, made with heirloom ingredients.The spotlight is on the inherent uniqueness and time-honoured cooking techniques of dungaar, the art of smoking and slow-cooking; baghar, tempering spices in hot oil; and sigdi, cooking over an open fire; and the practice of pounding masalas with a sil-batta, pestle and mortar.
Another entrant is Oudh 1590, Kolkata’s noted “period dining” Awadhi cuisine restaurant, which opened in Noida recently. Spread over an area of 4,500sqft, this 64-cover restaurant has roped in raqabdars (royal chefs) from Lucknow who are trained to maintain the dum pukht (slow oven cooking). Bawarchis (chefs) working extensively at the Tunde Wali Galli in Lucknow have also chipped in to toss out delectable royal delicacies like galawati kebab, kakori kebab, nalli nehari, keema kaleji or brain masala, rann biryani, murgh qalmi kebab, Awadhi sugandhi mahi, murgh Irani, lasuni palak and the works. Started by Shiladitya and Debaditya Chaudhuri, Oudh 1590, like Loya, will soon expand to other cities.