Being born and brought up in Delhi, winters generally meant layers of clothing along with a warm bowl of gajar ka halwa to survive the nose-diving temperatures. However, moving away from home often takes away such opportunities and one really can’t the help but wallow in an overwhelming wave of nostalgia.
That said, when you are living in the cultural capital of the country, there is a solution for every wistful memory, one way or the other. For all those craving the hearty winter delicacies of Punjabi cuisine, the city has an answer in the form of the Punjabi food festival organised by The GT Route that concludes today.
The restaurant is based on its namesake — the Grand Trunk Road —, which has been an integral part of Indian history. Like the GT Road passed through the cities of Kabul, Peshawar, Punjab, Oudh and Kolkata, the restaurant takes its customers along this journey through the cuisines of these five cities. Basing this winter food festival around the delicacies from Punjab, the restaurant has come up with “Punjabi Zaika” to celebrate the vibrant cuisine and provide a different experience to city dwellers this winter.
Located in Jameson Inn Shiraz, the festival will be offering a variety of 12 dishes, namely appetisers like Palak Makai ki Tikki, Paneer Amritsari, Tandoori Kukkad, Machchi de Tikke, main course including the likes of Zimikand ke Kofte, Butter Chicken, Rara Gosht, Dal Makhani, Amritsari Chole Kulche, the all-time favourite combo of Sarson da Saag and Makai di Roti and finally the classic Kesari Phirni and winter speciality Gajar Halwa as desserts.
Starting the lunch with Chaach was a brilliant idea, as it not only quenched the thirst but also served as a great palate cleanser. Tandoori Kukkad and Paneer Amritsari are definitely the winners in the starter category; succulent chicken with a subtle charred tinge provides a treat to the taste buds, the paneer is crunchy yet soft but the mint chutney served along with the starters is a big letdown. The fresh salad on the side brings a refreshing touch to the entire dish. The Makai ki Tikki fails to impress though, and tastes a bit bland and falls apart as a dish — it almost feels like the patty has been made in a hurry and not cooked well.
Sadly, the only main course available for tasting was the Chole Kulche, though the winter special Sarson da Saag didn’t look very promising. The chole were packed with spices but didn’t really make an impression whereas the kulche were a definite delight. Perfectly soft, yet light, they certainly added magic to the platter.
Ending the tasting with Kesari Phirni was a good idea, though the curiosity to taste the enticing Gajar Halwa remained unfulfilled. The phirni retained its classic status, giving a light and not overly sweet conclusion to the dining experience.
Explaining the idea behind “Punjabi Zaika”, executive Chef Rupam Banik said, “We have selected the most popular Punjabi dishes for our patrons, to celebrate the onset of winter with these rich delicacies”. The dishes will be served during both lunch and dinner hours and Banik hopes that people enjoy their efforts in an attempt to bring Punjab a tad bit closer to the eastern side.
Address: The GT Route, Jameson Inn Shiraz, 56 Park Street,
Kolkata – 700017
Pocket pinch: Rs 700 plus for two
Timings: Noon to 4 pm and 7.30 to 11 pm