Of Kebabs And Kurries

Rashmi Uday Singh’s Good Food Guide

Masha Allah! The mountain has moved. Since Mohammed did not go to the mountain, the mountain moved closer to him. I refer to the custodian of the great Moghlai food traditions…the ITC Grand Maratha Sheraton. It's restaurants, Peshawari and DumPukht, are tucked away near the international airport and every time the urge to trip out on those exquisite kebabs takes over, one trips over on the jammed traffic. So when the ITC Grand Central opens midway between the north and south of Mumbai, both Mohammed and I rejoice! DumPukht, Bukhara and Dakshin fans don't have to go across town to Grand Maratha but can get some of their favourite dishes right here.

I go haring down and what do I find? Authentic yaquti, nehari, pathar gosht and more in WG S Kebabs And Kurries. These intricate and authentic dishes with tantalising textures and aromas are the result of research into the ancient foods of the Muslim states, the nizams, Old Delhi and Qutab Shahi families. Most of the restaurants of this hotel group offers amazingly consistent food and this is their latest Mumbai showcase. Mera salaam hai!

Walk into the rugged-looking, earth-coloured restaurant with it's Dholpur stone flooring and carved wooden pillars. You can choose to sit on the raised 'Quilla' section and enjoy the view of the show kitchens bustling with activity. Do take some time off to study the short, innovative and user-friendly menu which will navigate you through the different styles of kebabs (tandoor, angethi, tava) and kurries (qorma, qaliya, salan, do piazza).

Here the passion for perfection spills onto your plate. Very few restaurants get the mirch began ka salan right, but this one excels at it. You just have to ask for kebabs, especially the succulent and full-bodied burra kebab. I personally recommend the flavoured murgh angaar and can never get enough of the subtle biryanis. Even the succulent burrhani gosht is worth trying and so are the excellent rotis (Uzbeki naan, Naan e backumaach, baqarkhani, and more). It also offers the best shahi tukra asal (rice bread) in town, with a whisper of sweet and a firm yet yielding texture.

Do ask for yaquti (a unique combination of phirni and kheer) for dessert. Veggies can rejoice as well as there are plenty of options for them. However, the service can get slow when packed.

Here's a rough idea of the price points: kebabs - Rs 350 to Rs 550, curries - Rs 425 to Rs 475, desserts - Rs 175. My only quibble is that the name is misleading; I almost didn't go there thinking it would be a fast food place.