Punjab Grill has always carried itself with a certain swagger, a swagger that comes from knowing exactly what it is: a restaurant that takes Punjabi food seriously, tracing its lineage through the royal, undivided kitchens of the frontier. The newest chapter of that story unfolds on the first floor of Phoenix Marketcity, where the restaurant has quietly returned after shifting up from its previous ground floor home. The new space is noticeably more polished, with a contemporary, upscale layout.
We settled in and started with the Palak patta chaat, because honestly, how do you say no to batter-fried spinach leaves dressed up like that? A tumble of onion, tomato, and edamame sits on top of light, crispy fried spinach, brought together with mint and tamarind chutneys, generous clouds of yoghurt foam, and finished with corn chips and beetroot crisps. It was bright, punchy, and a very good sign of things to come.
Next came the Tandoori bharwan aloo: potatoes stuffed with cottage cheese, nuts, and raisins, cooked in the tandoor until just crisp on the outside and completely soft within. It is rich and filling, best shared so you can pace yourself through the rest of the meal, especially with a menu full of exciting dishes like the Achaari paneer tikka and Punjab grill chicken.
The Raunaqeen seekhan chicken arrived all cream and cheese and confidence. A classic seekh, just a tad bit spicy, indulgent in the way only a chicken seekh tossed in cream and cheese can be. Then came the Black garlic prawns, arriving with a touch of smoky theatrics. Buttery, rich, and deeply flavourful, the fermented black garlic and its butter bring a bold depth to the dish.
But the Salmon tikka was the dish of the evening. Large cuts of Norwegian salmon, marinated in dill, fennel, and honey, then finished in the tandoor. Whatever you picture when you hear salmon tikka, this is that and then some. It was perfectly grilled and flaky, beautifully flavoured, and one of those rare things that fully lives up to what it sounds like on a menu.
The butter chicken deserves its own moment. It’s a dish everyone has everywhere, and yet this one stands apart. Soft chicken tikka in a makhni gravy that is smooth and buttery and genuinely silky, you might want to order every bread on the menu just to have something to drag through it. The garlic naan, butter chicken kulcha, and laccha paratha all showed up and did exactly what was asked of them, with a comforting Dal alongside, rounding out the spread.
To close: the Gulab jamun, served warm as a trio, each piece hiding a different filling inside, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and pistachio. Fragrant syrup, little surprises at the centre. A proper ending.
Meal for two: Rs 2,200. From 11 am to 11 pm. At Punjab Grill, Velacherry.
Email: shivani@newindianexpress.com
X: @ShivaniIllakiya
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