Jai hind! Here it is. Food (vegetarian only) from 29 states of India. All in one new Kemps corner restaurant! Ambitious? Oh! Yes! Popular? Oh! Yes! It was packed when we lunched there.
DECOR
Thankfully, no ethnic, over-cute decor here. A simple long white room, perhaps too simple, but pleasing. Splashes of colour, with brightly coloured chairs paired with simple wooden tables, glass lamps and more.
FOOD
Start with the four states in the starter platter. Unusual and yum Mizoram, pulse vegetable lal hara chaat with a tangy sweet dressing). Okayish Dilli Tokri Chaat and Potato Chops with Sanmeholi Chutney from Assam. On the same platter is the crunchy Rajasthani Pyaaz Kachori.
Ask for the multi textured Indori Puri Palak with Murabba and Khichiya Churi. The Kanpuri paneer Tikka yakhni Pulav was tasty and moist. Ditto for the Telengana Kabuli Biryani. Flavoursome Sindhi Seyal Bhaji worth trying too.
All the desserts delighted, be it the unique Mawa (not maida) jalebi, the superb Kesar Malai Ke Laddoo (a cross between sandesh and a malai peda and jaggery). Kesar Pista Phirni had just the perfect balance of sweetness and creaminess.
MINUS POINTS
Confusing choice. And some of the dishes are not authentic and disappoint. Be it the Appam with Vegetable Stew or the Rajma chawal, Lacklustre Inayat-e-Kashmir with Sheermal. Stodgy Benne Dosa / Loni Dosa, Ditto for the Bengali Bhappa Aloo. No alcohol.
MY POINT
Hang on to your spoons, fasten your seatbelts as the engineer-turned-entrepreneur Nishek Jain’s passion-fueled restaurant takes you on a dizzying tour of Indian vegetarian food. Arguments about authenticity could go on forever, but vegetarians have never had so much choice. Or such attention to detail, (onions for pyaz ki kachori are brought in from Rajasthan). Tamil Sappad, Mahaprasada from Jaganatha Temple in Puri and more will be served (check dates). Just for all this 29 deserves a 29 gun salute.
Critic reviews are anonymous and all bills are paid by them.
↧