In Persian, it means an emperor’s private dining chamber, one used on rare occasions when the royal was not breaking bread with ministers and favourites. And Kainoosh, which is consultant, TV chef and restaurateur Marut Sikka’s latest venture, does manage to convey an air of exclusivity. This inspite of being located in a mall and serving stylised portions of Indian food to a primarily Indian clientele (as of now).
But first, the look: Is it the touch of Sikka’s fashion designer wife that we see reflected in the ambience? A mural by the otherwise reticent designer Rajesh Pratap Singh, known more for his bandhgalas than restaurant interiors, occupies pride of place. The roof shows off dull gold foil, something of a nouveau fad. It is perhaps an attempt to accent the ethnic in this otherwise contemporary space. Striking stone jaalis, hung out like curtains, form an understated backdrop to this “modern Indian restaurant”, putting one in mind of The Aman New Delhi, also a space that’s both chic and contemporary and “Indian” at once.
Sikka, however, is not one to fritter away his energies on what will ultimately keep the customers coming — good food — which is his raison d'etre. Like the cook book he has authored Indian Flavours (Roli Books) and much of his cooking, the dishes are bursting with diverse flavours — often unexpected. So, don’t go looking for merely the perfect mahi (fish) tikka with an Amritsari marinade. At Kainoosh, tandoori pomfret may come dressed up in Bengali kashundi, Punjabi ajwain or a third portion in Goan balchao. A produce of the western waters laced with flavourings from the east, north and south. Here is united India — on a platter!
The premise is simple. Almost like a tapas meal, you are encouraged to order as many small portions of appetisers as you can tuck into. Each portion comes in the form of a “trio” — of prawn, fish, lamb or paneer — and comprises three pieces. Each of these is imbued with a different flavour. Not easy for the kitchen staff to execute, one would surmise. We succeeded in going through almost the entire menu (there were three of us), helped along by some innovative cocktails — from a gulukand or pomegranate laced one (too sweet) to the bubblegum martini (refreshing).
If you insist on a main course, there is a bespoke thali where you can customise your meal (choose six vegetarian or non-vegetarian options). Sikka’s trademark has always been his extensive use of diverse spices and the curries come infused with cardamom, coriander, mace, saffron et al. The service is gleaming silver. Yet, after the high of the 'appetisers', the thali is somewhat of a dip. If you are in a hurry, settle for one. But it’s really the 'Indian tapas’ that make the finest cut.
Must try
The roti-wrapped roasted chicken with apricot chilli masala, actually comes covered in a crispy taftan-like bread and is an interesting take on the way a tandoori raan (whole leg of lamb) may be famously done elsewhere (Bukhara at the ITC Maurya in Delhi). Lamb spare ribs stewed in milk are a take on the Kashmiri tabak maaz (the only instance in Indian cuisine where spare ribs are used) but are much more tender and flavourful (they are chargrilled and infused with a green chilli masala!). But being a closet vegetarian, what I will come back for are the jumbo morels, stuffed with roasted almonds and pomegranate. That was the dish of the day for me.
WHERE:
Kainoosh
DLF Promenade, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi
Tel: 9560715544/33
Meal for two, without alcohol and taxes (approx):
Rs 2,400
[Anoothi Vishal is a Delhi-based freelance writer]
