The Royal Kitchens of Falaknuma transported us to Hyderabad with its rich cuisine as we sat through an exclusive lunch at The Taj City Centre Newtown. The famed restaurant from Taj Hyderabad is hosting a special pop-up, Adaa , in Kolkata and introducing authentic cuisine in Bengal.
Telugu Ramulu, demi chef de partie, from Taj Falaknuma mentions, “We have come to Taj City Centre Kolkata to introduce people of Bengal to the cuisine of Hyderabad. There we use a lot of whole garam masala, star anise, cashews, and nuts. In food, we have brought the Gosht Biryani and many options for vegetarians.”
First up was a refreshing glass of chaas. This buttermilk was very welcome after beating the heat of the city for days. It was followed by a cup of Gosht Ki Marang, a tender mutton soup. The spices added a zing while the mutton chunks were a delight to dig into.
An assorted starter platter came in next. The Bharwan Paneer Tikka was paneer stuffed within paneer chunks and Mihigan Shikampuri or the vegetable cutlets were perfect for vegetarians. The mildly spicy coriander paste-laden Murg Shikampuri and Pathar Ke Gosht, spicy sliced mutton, stole the show. Both the chicken and the mutton were tender, juicy, and moist.
A breathtaking Hyderabadi thali came for the main course. Three types of rotis including the almond-sprinkled Akbari Kulcha, Warqui Paratha, and Sirmal could be paired with a delectable array of sides. While the Akbari Kulcha was definitely the best of them all, the Warqui Paratha was quite similar to Bengali porota and Sirmal was thicker in size and resembled a pancake.
We started off with the Alu Anar Dana with curry patta and pomegranate seeds. The pomegranate however lent a very mild taste to the dish. Given its strong flavour it could have added that sweet punch to the potatoes. The Hyderabadi Khatti dal made with tomatoes and tamarind was sour and different from the usual savoury dal the Bengali palate is used to. The Burani Raita was a sweet yogurt mix. The Mirch Kasalam with whole spice gravy and the chilli with its seeds taken out made for a unique spicy combination and yet did not burn the throat.
Dum Ka Murg was a tender piece of chicken cooked in cashew, ginger, and caramelised onion. This combination lent it a sweet and nutty flavour. The Hari Mirch Ka Gosht was a tender mutton bone in mild green chilli gravy. The traditional mutton Halim with caramelised onion and cashew was as smooth as a paste with shredded mutton pieces. However, the star of the thali was the Hyderabadi Dum Mutton Biryani with long rice nodes, slow-cooked with tender mutton pieces.
For desserts, it was Double Ka Meetha, a soft and sweet bread pudding, Jauzi Halwa made with dalia and almond which made us bite right into it guilt-free; and Qubani Ka Meetha, a sweet blend of dried apricots with icing on top.
The platter definitely reflected ingredients like green chilli, whole spices, cashew, and caramelised onions which gave the dishes their distinct flavours. But what remained the star of the process was despite using spices, the food was not spicy. It is a true gateway to the cuisine of Hyderabad and should be tried till the pop-up is available in Kolkata.
Dates: July 7 – 17, 2023
Venue: Taj City Centre Newtown
Time: 12:30 – 3 pm (Lunch) / 7:30 – 11 pm (Dinner)
Price for one: Rs 1800 +
Pics: Pritam Sarkar