PROGRESSIVE INDIAN CUISINE AROUND THE WORLD
London
Benares
Address: 12a Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square, Mayfair; tel: +44 (020) 7629 8886
Mumbai
Bombay Canteen Address: Process House, Kamala Mills, Lower Parel; tel: +91 (022) 3015 1126
Delhi
Farzi Cafe
Address: Cyber Hub, DLF Cyber City, Gurgaon; tel: +91 (0124) 492 2273
Dubai
D’fusion
Address: Grandeur Hotel, Barsha 1, Dubai tel: +971 (04) 341 8777 ingredients. In order to modernise the food, the restauranteurs have indulged in the finest international products to enhance their dishes. The tomatoes used in Masala Library’s butter-chicken are imported from Italy. Gaggan manages to merge a French foie grass with an Indian onion chutney and cold raspberry foie gras powder for an appetiser.
While these restaurants have successfully positioned themselves as progressive Indian, Indian Accent at the Manor hotel in New Delhi calls itself modern contemporary. The restaurant, rated as the best in India by TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Rewards, specialises in inventive Indian cuisine that follows a similar format but with a touch of fusion.
“Indian food needed a make-over as it was stuck in the rut of chicken tikka masala and naan bread”, says Manish Mehrotra, who was moved
when students in an Italian culinary school thought he was there to teach them the aforementioned dishes only. “We are known for a dish that was invented in the UK (referring to chicken tikka masala), why don’t people know about dosas of South India or Kashmiri food?” His approach differs as he does not use molecular science in his food. “Molecular methods can’t be applied to create hot dishes, and my target-audience prefers their food steaming,” he explains. If you’re looking for Pork Ribs in Delhi, Indian Accent might be surprisingly the right place for it. However, its Canadian Pork Ribs are served with an Indian sweetened pickle, instead of barbecue sauce.
But don’t let the sound of Pork Ribs fool you, Indian Accent’s Khandvi Ravioli, the Italian avatar of the Gujarati speciality is prepared without onion or garlic. Certain Indian cultures don’t encourage the usage of these roots, and the restaurant has been sensitive to these values. Masala Library as well has a host of vegetarian dishes like Crispy Bhindi and Papad ki Sabji (Okra and Papadum dish) and Chaat 2020 that’s a rendition of Mumbai’s popular streetfood.
These conceptual eateries have altered the perception of Indian food in the country. “Going out to eat at an Indian restaurant was never considered cool enough. Indians preferred Italian or Chinese. We’ve attempted to change that approach. Indian food can now be considered hip,” says Kalra.
The image overhaul is not merely the result of experimental flavours, though. The restauranteurs also understand the importance of presentation while crafting their menus. Gaggan serves a Fiery spiced sea-bass with curry leaf powder and basmati rice on a platter with a charred fish fossil, that resembles a sea-bed. “Savouring a meal is the work of all our five senses. We eat with our eyes first and presentation is as important as the taste of the dish itself.” says Gaggan. You may be taken aback when tea is served to you mid-meal at Masala Library, only to realise that the beverage isn’t what it appears to be. Wild Mushroom Soup is presented in a perfectly glossy stainless-steel tea-set in which dried shiitake mushrooms are disguised as tea-leaves. Truffle oil is converted into powder through molecular science (by using maltodextrin, a starch-like substance) and is presented as powdered sugar.
Along with impeccable presentation, Manish Mehrotra incorporates the concept of nostalgia into his food. The Elaichi Banana Sticky Cake is a heart-warming dessert that’s mildly spiced with cardamon and saffron and presented with a certain Phantom sweet cigarette, a candy that can take any Indian back to the ‘90s. The restaurant’s Besan Ladoo Tart is another example — the pastry is a rendition of the traditional gram flour sticky dessert, that’s synonymous with a classic Indian childhood.
An inventive format, conceptual Indian cuisine questions conventions while respecting traditions to offer an exciting dining experience. The food of India has received global acclamation thanks to these iconic concepts whilst giving culinary enthusiasts around the world a chance to taste the country’s flavours in a new avatar. These experiments are examples of how the marriage of creativity and passion can lead to not only path-breaking products but also successful businesses.