The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel has recreated the magic of Punjabi food and culture as Dilli 32, the Indian Cuisine restaurant takes you on a delightful culinary journey with ‘Amritsar on a platter’ through the Grand Trunk Road.
As I made my way to the hotel, to my surprise, the outdoor area was done in an array of bright phulkari colours, the colours of the true love & Punjab with Chef Rohit Tokhi and the main surprise planner Chef Ashwani Kumar Singh present overlooking & setting everything at the fest right & perfect.
Chef Ashwani Kumar Singh
Chef Rohit Tokhi
The delightful, rich & authentic journey of the authentic Amritsari cuisine started with Kanjee, a khatti-meethi rosy coloured drink. There was shikanji for us to try as well and Jaljeera & Bunta to drench our throats with. The prices of the dishes in the menu ended with the no. 32 which was pretty interesting, There was this Bunta rickshaw, servers dressed in colourful outfits- green, yellow, gold, blue and when I gazed at the manji, I could feel the Punjab vibe or connection hitting on me. The trunk (theka) with many colourful bottles and the open food cooking with colourful parandis and bright coloured lamps added more Punjab appeal to the lovely set they created. It was fun to sit on the moorahs and enjoy the summer drinks.
Coming to the food, we started with Khasta Roti with Kanjee. The Kanji being served in a small kulhad. The mini khasta rotis with the nutrient topping were served & presented well in a nice wooden tray. They were great & made for a warm pleasant start.
Next were Bharmey Aloo Potohari (Bharwa Aloo) which were nice. The flavours melted very well in my mouth. The Tikki Rajmah Diyan were soft, mushy & good. They had nice flavours & spices which was just perfect. Much recommended!
Other options included Bhatti Da Murga Pindiwala, Tandoori Mahi Tikka, Tandoori Gobhi, Machli Amritsari, Bhutteyan De Kebab, Seekh Kebab, Lawrence Road de Taway de Tikke and Multani Paneer Tikka.
Mr. Jaideep Anand, the GM of the hotel was very warm & friendly and mentioned about his food stories and discussing the lifestyle we lead now, the nutrition elements being lost and the traditional elements & flavours of the food being brought to life and enlived here in the Amritsari cuisine of the Leela Ambience Convention Hotel.
Mr. Jaideep Anand
For the main course, first was Sarson Da Saag with the white makhan melting on top. I loved it. It was delicious & pure with the authenticity of Punjab. I can go on explaining & describing the lovely flavours. It was indeed a specialty & delight prepared especially by the Chef’s hands.
The Punjabi Chole had the traditional ethnic Punjabi flavour brought to life by Chef Ashwani while Langar Di Daal was nice, nutritious & aromatic with healthy spices. The Tandoori roti was great to have it along.
The Paneer Kulchas were soft & layered with soft paneer inside (Punjabi favourite). A must try! The Aloo Te Vadiyan was interesting. The Matar Paneer & Kadhi Pakoda were also nice. For non-vegetarians, there were options like Chicken Curry, Rara Chaampaan, Saag Gosht and much more.
The Subz Biryani had veggies like carrot & peas with all flavours minced & tossed together. I could feel the taste of Punjab and blessings of the chef.
The GM was happy to share that the Punjab preparation is used here to make Gajar Ka Halwa. They put it over the angeethi for 5-6 hours and it is cooked on slow fire then.
We ended our meal with Phirni, Gur Ka Halwa, Gajrela & Flat Gulab jamun. Served in a mitti kulhad, the Gur Ka Halwa & Gajrela were good & yummy. The Gulab Jamun were soft & difficult to resist. The Phirni was filled with pista, kesar & dry fruits and tasted excellent. There was also Kulfi Falooda & Liquid Peda to try.
It was indeed a lovely and very enriching experience at The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel. Everytime I visit here, I feel they go a notch higher with the love of the chef and the hands which have been busy since morning preparing the delicious menu, the hotel stands tall with regards to quality & selection of cuisines and the taste, service, aroma & distinct flavours.
Date: till 4th March, 2016
Restaurant: Dilli 32, The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel
Timings: 7:30 pm to 11:30 pm
Menu: A la carte
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