Explore the taste of North West frontier at this newly revamped Chennai restaurant

Food is a universal experience, sans boundaries. So, when we turned up at the newly revamped Beyond Indus at Taj ClubHouse in Royapettah, we had the unique opportunity to take a trip across the border as we indulged in the feisty flavours of Rawalpindi, Multan, and Sindh, along with Punjab. At first glance, the 48-seat restaurant was a vibrant explosion of colours, with a touch of opulence. We chose seats beneath one of the giant chandeliers, which, we were told, had been preserved from the restaurant’s previous avatar.

It was now time for our culinary odyssey to the North West Frontier. We kickstarted our elaborate lunch with the refreshing Aam panna, a perfect thirst quencher. Next came the warm and comforting Dal kuzbara shorba, a flavourful lentil soup spiced to perfection, setting the tone for the meal ahead. A lemon wedge wrapped in a potli caught our eye, and a squeeze of it into the soup added a fresh zing to the hearty bowl.

We dived into some exotic starters as the Karachi soya chaap made its grand entry. The soy chunks had a chewy texture reminiscent of meat, and when paired with a side of chilli pickle, the spices truly enhanced the flavour. Then came the Murgh Mughlai seekh kebab, succulent minced chicken marinated with aromatic spices, skewered, and grilled to perfection, and the melt-in-the-mouth Multani murgh tikka, a delicious dish from the Multan region.

A palate cleanser in the form of a frozen mango sorbet with a hint of green chilli soon arrived, refreshing our senses.

The main course was a grand parade of irresistible dishes, each bursting with flavour. Among the vegetarian fare, we quite liked the Dal Indus, a velvety lentil dish, which, along with Chur chur paratha, turned out to be a match made in heaven. The flaky paratha, with a gentle hint of spice, was the ideal companion for the dish, especially on a chilly day. Next among the flatbreads was the Dry fruits Kashmiri naan, which was stuffed with dried fruits, and we must say, this was truly a king among flatbreads with its richness. We tried this along with Paneer khurchan (a mouth-watering semi-dry paneer dish) and Bhuna murgh balti (chicken curry fried with just the right amount of spices).

The showstopper of the meal was the Nalli nihari ghost, a slow-cooked stew of shank meat and marrow bones, infused with aromatic spices and herbs. The meat was so tender it effortlessly fell off the bones. Finally, the Sindhi murgh dum parda biriyani made its showstopper entrance, covered in dough, just as its name promised. Though we were already quite full, life is too short to skip biriyani, and we had a spoonful, and boy, was it a flavour explosion.

The meal ended with a sweet finale of Anjeer badam halwa and kulfi, where each bite was a journey into rich, indulgent sweetness.

Meal for one: Lunch: `2,000 ++ (12.30 pm to 3 pm).

Dinner: INR 2,100++ (7 pm to 11 pm)

Email: sangeetha.p@newindianexpress.com

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