Dipped in oodles of ghee and butter,Amritsari cuisine never fails to delight. Hotel Grand Bay presents flavours of Amritsar at its restaurant The Welcomecafe Oceanic.
At the end of a particularly hot and sultry day as I step into the hotel’s café, a glassful of chilled makhani lassi welcomes me. Be warned, this traditional Amritsari cuisine is not for weight-watchers as I realise the moment I take a sip. The other options include pudina sherbet and wood apple sherbet .
The hotel’s executive chef Sridhar Kare and his team have curated a buffet menu that comes straight from the kitchens of Amritsar.
The flavourful gosht adraki shorba , clear soup served with chunks of meat, is just right to work up my appetite. On the chef’s recommendation, I try the kasturi murgh tikka .
The well marinated meat is tender. It has a hint of kasturi methi , with a bit of pineapple juice lending it a slightly tangy taste.
One of the main specialities of the feast was the maa ki dal with a layer of butter on top.
Made with lentils, red kidney beans, cream and butter, this dish is rich and has a flavourful taste.The creamy dal is best relished with stuffed kulche and paratha from the live counters. Next to come in the main course is the rahra gosht , thick, rich gravy made of mutton and keema and pairs well with butter naan.
The deep fried macchhi Amritsari isn’t for people who prefer the fish without the maida coating.
To cater to the local palate, the chef has introduced a special biryani called bhatti murg biryani. “Punjab is not known for biryanis. But I have tried to bring about some improvisation with a biryani using tandoori chicken,” says Kare.
For dessert, I taste the mango rabri, which was a sure winner for its mild sweetness and small pieces of juicy mangoes.
The moong dalhalwa , phirni, garjar ka halwa and stuffed Kesari pista gulab jamun jostle for brownie points too.
