After a month of fasting during Ramzan, it’s time for reward and pampering with a lavish feast. The moon has been sighted and it’s Eid, which for me has always been about wearing new clothes and stuffing myself with master delicacies prepared by my mother. Being a true Rampuri at heart, what could have been better than to get an invite from a restaurant which serves some authentic Rampuri cuisine and is named Rampur Kitchen after the city of nawabs? Located on the first floor of India Mall, Community Center New Friends Colony, Rampur Kitchen is a nice restaurant with simple décor that gives you a homely feel.
The famed Rampuri seekh kababs tempt you from the open kitchen. A brainchild of two Pathan brothers from Rampur, Usaid and Umaid Khan, the restaurant offers delicacies like Taar korma and Rampuri Kakori, whose flavours are quite authentic. I started my royal treat with the Rampuri Kakori kabab which was made to perfection and one of the most succulent Kakoris I have tasted in recent times. The best part about the Kakori was its texture and aroma of Rampuri spices. It was followed by a Chapli kabab which rekindled my memories of Kacche Keeme ki Tikya which my grandmother used to cook on a flat tawa every year on Eid. The kabab was flavourful but needed to be a bit more flat to be named a Chapli.
The Mutton Burra, a delicacy that needs some art to prepare, was bang on. Alongside the kababs, Usaid introduced me to the Pocket Naan. And what a delight it was! Stuffed with a layer of cheese and chicken chunks, the naan was tasty and quite wholesome.
Surprisingly, Rampur Kitchen also offers some really tasty vegetarian dishes. The Aatish-e-Aloo and Multani Mushroom were worth a try. Moving on to the main course I ordered the Taar Qorma, Nahari and Biryani — three dishes on which a Rampuri can spend his whole life. Taar Qorma was perfect and conjured scenes of a walima (wedding feast) in Rampur. Though it was the first time I tasted a lamb version as it’s supposed to be made only using beef, it was still yummy. The nahari was well seasoned and aptly spiced. But it was the biryani which needed some improvement. But who cares? Rampur Kitchen’s Kakori and Taar Qorma were good enough to make a Rampuri like me proud of Rampuri cuisine.
Meal for two: Rs.700
