4/5 Sagar S. 6 months ago on Google โข 12 reviews
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The
Butter
Chicken
has
acquired
somewhat
cult
status
as
a
dish
since
it's
origin
at
the
hands
of
Kundan
Lal
Gujral,
the
founder
of
Moti
Mahal
restaurant.
The
Moti
Mahal
restaurant
had
a
humble
beginning
in
1920
at
Peshwer
in
undivided
India,
when
Gujral
took
over
a
small
eatery
called
"Mukhey
Da
Dhaba,"
run
by
an
elderly
gentleman
named
Mokha
Singh,
and
rechristened
it
Moti
Mahal.
After
the
partition,
KL
Gujral
moved
to
Delhi,
and
Moti
Mahal
opened
its
doors
at
Dariyagunj
in
Delhi.
Little
did
he
know
then
that
the
butter
chicken,
added
to
the
menu
around
1950,
would
gradually
attain
some
sort
of
iconic
badge.
Some
sources
say
that
the
butter
chicken
was
invented
by
Gujral
to
make
the
tandoori
chickens
palatable
by
dipping
them
in
a
gravy
made
of
tomatoes,
butter,
cream,
and
some
herbs
when
they
used
to
dry
out.
Incidentally,
their
website
claims
that
the
tandoori
chicken
was
also
invented
by
KL
Gujral
in
1920.
Moti
Mahal
shot
to
fame
to
the
level
that
they
managed
to
draw
an
impressive
array
of
dignitaries
that
included
Shah
of
Iran,
US
President
Richard
Nixon,
US
First
Lady
Jackeline
Kennedy,
King
of
Nepal,
Soviet
Leader
Nikolai
Bulganin,
and
PM
of
Pakistan
Zulfikar
Bhutto,
among
many
others.
Though
I
grew
up
hearing
praises
about
butter
chicken,
I
never
had
a
chance
to
savor
the
hallowed
dish
from
Moti
Mahal.
So
today,
when
I
stepped
in
for
the
first
time
at
the
sprawling
6th
floor
outlet
of
Moti
Mahal
Delux
restaurant
at
Park
Street,
the
butter
chicken
was
the
natural
choice.
Tomato
soup,
murg
malai
tikka
kebabs,
and
a
non-vegetarian
platter
were
ordered
as
starters,
and
to
be
honest,
I
was
rather
disappointed
with
the
taste.
The
kebabs
were
strictly
average,
and
I
daresay
I
had
tasted
better
stuff
even
at
some
roadside
outlets
in
Kolkata.
If
I
have
to
compare
apples
to
apples,
it's
behind
the
standard
set
by
Kebab-e-Que
at
the
Astor
Hotel.
The
main
course
consisted
of
butter
chicken
and
kali
dal,
with
pudina
paratha
as
accompaniment.
While
sharing
the
experience
of
having
butter
chicken,
one
is
bound
to
feel
the
weight
of
the
legacy
of
more
than
seventy
years
that
precedes
the
dish.
At
the
cost
of
playing
it
safe,
I
would
say
that
my
tastebuds
are
not
geared
to
appreciate
the
tomato
and
hung
curd-infused
tangy
taste
of
the
gravy
of
butter
chicken.
Moreover,
my
previous
experience
with
butter
chicken
is
almost
nil;
hence,
I
do
not
have
a
strong
reference
point
for
a
fair
assessment.
And
then
there
was
the
Kali
Dal,
which
I
am
compelled
to
describe
as
lackluster
effort
as
I
missed
the
full-bodied
taste
of
the
true
blue
Punjabi
Dal.
I
will
sum
it
up
by
saying
I
am
not
incentivized
enough
by
the
overall
experience
to
make
a
repeat
visit
to
Moti
Mahal
Deluxe.
Of
course,
it's
strictly
a
personal
opinion,
and
I
understand
that
choices
vary.
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