The New Punjab Club is a restaurant which recreates authentic flavours of Punjab. Currently they have an ongoing Amritsari food festival that aims to bring the robust and rich flavours of the famous city of Amritsar to Chennai. Hosted by a team of talented chefs lead by brand chef Rajat Gurung, each creation follows the traditional recipe completely, to retain its taste and authenticity. Having had substantial experience with North Indian food, we decided to check out this space.
We started with the Karari chowk ki tikki chole. Made of a deep fried round potato patty, known as aloo tikki in the North, this had a sauce of tamarind and mint, with some juliennes of ginger and carrots – a nice, crunchy bite that is like heaven for potato lovers. A beetroot sauce, some chole and you have a combination that not only tantalised your taste buds but gave it that sweet and sour flavour that is reminiscent of good comfort food. We wanted something to drink with the food, so we ordered the special Kesar pista lassi, topped with a peda crumble. Now lassis are known to be particularly thick in Punjab, and this one did not disappoint with the peda adding a hint of a chewable dessert. Sprinkled with rose leaves on top, this one satiated the desire for a creamy drink to accompany the food.
The Beera bhatti murg came next. Tender, succulent chicken roasted well and char-grilled to perfection – just the way it should be done in the bhatti (an Indian oven). The chicken was definitely juicy and tasted quite good, especially with the char-grilled part. A nice scrunch to the otherwise soft chicken. How can we eat Amritsari food and not have fish? Enter the Makhan fish tikka, a soft succulent cube of non-bony fish in a batter of gram flour and carom seeds cooked soft and with a generous dash of butter on top. This was another melt-in-your mouth dish that we simply wanted more of, but then there was a lot more to try.
If you haven’t had Amritsari Kulcha then you have not tasted Amritsari food. Crisp, leavened wholegrain wheat flour bread made with potato stuffing and served with chole is the centerpiece of this cuisine and it did not disappoint here either. The kulcha was crisp and the chole had a nice spicy tang to it – total comfort food!
Spinach is an important part of Amritsari food and Sarson da saag is a famous dish, especially relevant in winters. Made with mustard greens, spinach, and bathua (chenopodium), thickened with maize flour (makki ka atta) and served with white butter and makki ki roti. This quintessential winter special was full of flavour and the sharp taste went well with the maize bread, a staple of Punjab during cold winters.
The famous Rarha mutton was up next. It is unique for featuring a double dose of mutton—using both mutton curry pieces (bone-in) and mutton keema (mince) cooked together in a thick, spicy gravy. This can be had with naan or any variety of parantha and if you are a non-vegetarian lover, then this is a slice of heaven plated in a pleasing portion with breads to enjoy. We had it with the mirchi parantha and this was a fabulous combination. The mutton was falling off the bone and the spice quotient was just right – it did not overwhelm the taste of the meat even though this is a rich gravy.
Dessert was next. Karha Prasad as it is known, has originated from the famous big ‘Karhas’ (iron woks) of the Golden Temple, where a wheat halwa is cooked from simple ingredients. Often accompanied to the singing of hymns, this is an amazing tradition. At The New Punjab Club, we got similar vibes of a tasty treat that has divine origins.
The Amritsar food festival at The New Punjab Club is a treat for those who love rich food and want toi experience authentic North Indian cuisine. It’s on only till the 25th so get there quickly and enjoy the fabulous offerings from one of India’s holiest cities.
Meal for two: ₹1,750++
Till January 25th, 2026. 12pm – 11pm
At The New Punjab Club, Annanagar East.
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