5/5 Kersi V. 2 years ago on Google
Can
I
rate
this
10
stars
?
It
was
that
good!
We
had
a
lovely
50th
anniversary
celebration
for
my
parents
at
the
Sahib
room
and
we
were
transported
back
to
an
era
when
food
was
great,
ingredients
were
pure,
people
cooked
food
and
consumed
the
same
with
a
passion.
This
was
my
second
visit
there
but
I'm
still
impressed
with
the
hospitality
and
opulence
of
the
restaurant.
Our
table
for
9
guests
was
situated
in
a
semi
private
dining
area
overlooking
the
BOM
skyline
via
floor
to
ceiling
glass.
There
were
by
my
estimate
~15
people
serving
us
and
looking
after
our
needs
including
wheelchair
assistance
for
elderly
members
in
our
party.
The
staff
were
all
following
CAP/CAB
100%
of
the
time.
We
were
greeted
with
a
complimentary
cocktail
that
had
hints
of
cumin,
mint
&
ginger.
Very
nice
&
refreshing.
For
appetizers
we
got
kandhari
paneer
tikka,
brocolli
daak
bangla,
bhatti
jhinga
&
murgh
barrah
kebab.
The
paneer
was
super
fresh,
milky,
tender
and
not
over
flavored.
Interestingly
it
was
marinated
in
yogurt
and
a
beet/spice
extract.
Prawns
were
incredibly
sized...
I
was
reminded
of
the
Navsari
fresh
water
prawns.
Good
cook,
but
I
personally
thought
that
the
chef
could
have
pulled
back
on
the
spice
level
to
let
the
protein
shine.
This
restaurant
cooks
kebabs
in
3
distinct
ways...
some
in
the
tandoor,
some
over
a
sighri
and
some
on
a
tawa.
So
much
to
learn!
I
missed
sampling
the
mutton
paya
shorba
soup
which
was
apparently
simmered
overnight.
Something
for
my
next
visit.
In
the
mains,
we
got
purvanchal
saag,
anar-dana
lobster
and
the
sahib
ki
nihari.
The
saag
is
a
prime
example
of
why
I
would
be
completely
satiated
being
a
vegetarian,
if
needed,
in
India.
Beautiful
preparation
using
5
greens,
garlic
and
ghee.
The
lobster
was
presented
as
a
very
nice
curry
with
jumbo
meat
chunks
and
garnished
with
pomegranate
for
a
pop
of
color
and
acidity.
The
standout
dish
for
me
was
the
nihari.
Mutton
shank
was
fall
off
the
bone
tender
with
lots
of
marrow.
The
flavoring
was
spot
on
and
the
gravy
had
the
unctuosness
of
generous
amounts
of
rendered
mutton
fat.
We
also
got
daal
dhaba
which
was
cooked
overnight
over
coal
embers
and
finished
with
a
generous
dollop
of
butter.
Not
neglecting
the
biryanis
and
accounting
for
the
diverse
dietary
requirements
in
our
party,
we
ended
up
ordering
three:
subzi,
chicken
&
mutton.
The
flavoring
in
all
three
had
a
commonality,
yet
was
distinct.
I
thought
the
chicken
biryani
was
the
winner
amongst
the
three;
but
all
were
very
solid
presentations
of
"gharana"
style
of
Lucknow
dum
biryanis.
Unsealing
the
pardah
of
each
to
smell
the
frangrance
of
spice
and
rice
was
epic.
Rice
grains
were
al-dente,
individual,
fragrant.
Note
this
biryani
stlye
frowns
on
the
inclusion
of
potatoes.
I'm
not
going
to
argue
with
the
culinary
gods
of
Lucknow.
Lastly,
in
breads
we
got
an
assortment
of
signature
rotis.
Lucknowi
kulcha
was
a
layered
bread
that
reminded
me
of
my
MIL's
farmasyu
rotli's
richness
by
having
its
dough
brought
together
with
milk,
yogurt
and
cream;
except
this
one
was
made
with
maida.
Warqi
paratha
is
the
kulcha's
healthier
cousin
by
virtue
of
using
whole
wheat
flour.
The
zafrani
taftan
was
a
fluffy
naan
lacquered
with
saffron
butter.
Mughlai
paratha
was
made
with
sweet
cream,
dried
fruit,
nuts
and
rose
petals.
Mind
=
Blown.
If
the
Michelin
Guide
were
to
grace
these
sunny
shores,
I
would
love
to
see
Sahib
earn
a
star
at
the
very
minimum.
Indian
food
prepared
with
thought,
quality
ingredients
and
adhering
to
tradition
is
hands
down
the
most
complex
and
tastiest
cuisines
in
the
world,
IMHO.
The
Europeans
&
Asians
don't
come
close
in
my
book.
We
also
got
to
meet
their
executive
head
chef,
Mr.
Quereshi
a
3rd
generation
khansamah
cook
from
Lucknow
who
learnt
all
his
recipes
via
his
family
and
has
been
refining
his
art
for
the
past
20
years
without
spending
a
day
in
culinary
school.
He
was
a
soft
spoken
man,
very
humble
despite
being
a
grandmaster
of
his
art.
We
had
to
send
him
off
with
an
ovation.
