Newly opened restaurant Chambal focuses on the cuisines of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Here's what to expect...

The Chambal river, a tributary of the Yamuna, flows through Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. It is the cuisine of the regions that the river touches that forms the menu of the newly opened restaurant Chambal, the sister property of the popular Coast To Coast, a Bengaluru institution known for its Mangalorean fare. The decor is minimal and functional, designed for elaborate lunches where the food does all the talking.

When we stopped by for lunch, we were first served a ceramic pot of Tamatar Mirch Shorba. A take on the quintessential tomato soup, it was loaded with spices and topped off with a smoked green chilli. While this one cleared up our sinuses, the Beetroot Kachumber Salad which was served next was a lot more soothing on our palate. A mix of grated coconut, diced beetroot, roasted peanuts and fresh herbs, this was quite delicious and refreshing. The Malai Broccoli Tikka (broccoli in a creamy mustard-flavoured masala and cooked in a clay oven) and Dacoit’s Money Bags (wonton potlis filled with minced prawns) are two starters that are worth a try. However, our favourite was the Chicken Hara Mirch Masala, chicken cooked in a masala made from cashew nuts and green chillies. Nutty, piquant and creamy all at once, this was quite an interesting dish.

From the curries, our pick is the Wazwan Yakhni Gosht, the popular Kashmiri mutton delicacy in which the meat is cooked in a yoghurt and fennel sauce. We paired this with a selection of breads. The flavours were subtle and light and the mutton was perfectly cooked. Of the breads, our favourite was the Chilli Cheese naan, its heavy cheese filling mellowing out the notes of the minced chillies it came topped with. 

We completed our meal with a dessert of Rabdi Gulab Jamun — gulab jamun with a sprinkling of deep-fried boondi and soaked in sweet and thick rabdi.  

North Indian food is not hard to come by in Bengaluru. However, Chambal sets itself apart by focusing on cuisines that are yet to be thoroughly explored. 

Rs.800++  for two. At Church Street

Email: rashmirajagopal@newindianexpress.com; Twitter: @rushmeee