Delhi, India
So, after the rigours of dedicated tourism and with itching photo fingers to soothe, we decided to take advantage of the 5-star facilities of the Taj Mahal hotel. A quick visit to the gym to establish whether we, in our food-deprived state, could face doing any exercise swiftly turned to the negative when we noticed that next to the gym was a luxurious spa. An instant decision saw us jump straight into the candlelit jacuzzi, work up a sweat in the sauna, steam it all out in the hammam and then freeze in an ice-cold rain shower.
Suitably refreshed we dressed for dinner and booked ourselves into one of the four restaurants the hotel provides. We chose Varq, a 'fine-dining Indian restaurant from Chef Herman Oberoi', according to the delightful welcome letter we had received upon arrival. Think Heston Blumenthal meets Madhur Jaffrey and you’d be halfway there; exquisite presentation married to pungent yet subtle spices were the order of the day.
For any foodies our menu consisted of:
Amuse Bouche
A delicate spoonful of yoghurt laced with a mango coulis
Starter
William: Seafood Rassa – a rich coconut soup with Cochin prawns, green-lip mussels and scallops
Coman: Khurmani Ke Kebabs – apricot infused potato cakes served on a mango chutney yoghurt with stewed apricot sauce
Palatte Cleanser
Lemon sorbet in a bed of dry ice
Main
William: Murgh Sirka Pyaz – chicken tandoori, with pickled onions in a spicy tomato gravy
Coman: Gucchi Aur Khumb – a trio of stuffed morel, Portobello and button mushrooms
Served with Tadka Dal (yellow lentils), Lal Moth Ki Maharani (red lentils), tomato and mozzarella kulcha bread, pudina paratha (mint & wholewheat bread), basmati rice.
Dessert
Condensed milk lollipops with a rose water dressing
Amuse Bouche – a Varq special
Bitter leaf, wrapped around rose petals and cardamom, with edible silver. 'Varq' means silver.
It truly was a meal fit for kings – intoxicating flavours to make your mouth water. Sadly our eyes did the same when the bill came. We’ll be reduced to eating from street stalls as of tomorrow…
