Nowhere perhaps is the love of rich, hearty and desi ghee-laden food more pronounced than in the holy city of Amritsar. And you could say the food is the second-biggest attraction here, after the Golden Temple. Interestingly, Taj Santacruz brought a delectable series of delicacies from the most revered city, the Amritsari fare at Tiqri. From piping hot kulchas to lip-smacking chole, it has it all…I put that to test and here’s what I thought about it.
Inside the ravishing Tiqri that has Rajasthani art form which involves making mosaics from broken bits of glasses, as many as 140 artists were flown in to build the piece, which is shaped like a “tree of life”. During the day, the silver and pale golden work seem impressive mainly for its size — it is 60 feet high and 40 feet wide. I highly recommend an evening trip to see the installation illuminated by 150 lights, which mimic the effect of sundown and moonrise.
To start off our meal, I sank my teeth through the addictive Aloo Tikki Chole-hot, packed with flavors, topped with spot-on chutneys, truly lip-smacking. This is followed by the scrumptious Bhatti ka murga medley of marinated chicken, roasted spice mix, finished over charcoal. Another fun snack was the Moong Dal Pakodi- done just right. The Kafir Nimbu Soda was perfect to help me wash it all down and I couldn’t help but repeat it through my meal.
For mains, I relished the Sarson ka saag- beautifully tempered with mustard leaves, spices, and white butter. The Dal Makhni was creamy perfection. So was the Rara Gosht-a combination of minced lamb and lamb chunks in a mouth-watering gravy. For dessert, the Gajar halwa, Amritsari Kulfi falooda, and Chiraungi Makhane ki kheer were all blockbuster desserts in their own rights. Master-culinarian Chef Nitin Mathur and his team not just promise authentic flavors true to the culinary capital of Punjab and regale your palate with swoon-worthy goodness at the ravishing Tiqri.
Note: The critic was invited by the hotel but all the opinions expressed herewith are her own
Where: Taj Santacruz, Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport,
T1, Off, Western Express Hwy, Navpada, Vile Parle East,
Santacruz East, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400099
Phone: 022-62115211
