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| Three takes on harissa |
The idea of a restaurant based on the cuisines of the Grand Trunk Road felt gimmicky to me so I had never visited Taftoon until I was urged to do so by friends I trust. Well I am glad I did because now I’m trying to figure how to get them to Bangalore. The owner Pankaj did the more expensive thing in having three separate chefs handling different cuisines but it pays off because instead of eating a hodge podge of influences in some vaguely generic “North Indian” restaurant, I felt like I was actually eating real dishes from different states and regions made with respect to the original dishes, while also having some fun without being gimmicky.
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| Bihari kebab |
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| Galauti kebab |
They did three takes on a harissa, one with gucchi and other mushrooms, one with chicken and one with mutton, all with a bit of truffle oil. The galauti kebab was nice and flavourful though it did feel like a distant cousin of a shami kebab. The Bihari kebab on the other hand felt like the real deal, using cuts like liver and kidney, with a smokey barbecue taste and that wonderful, inimitable mustard oil hit.
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| Biryani |
The biryani had a lot of kewra so the fragrance was a bit overwhelming for me but I know that for many people that’s a signpost for a “refined” biryani and I guess that’s why they did it. What I can’t fault is the taste. Light with beautifully separated grains and Gosht that was unbelievably soft.
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| Dhuan ghost |
The best dish was the Dhuan ghost. Mutton raan cooked slowly in a tomato and yoghurt gravy until it had reached halfway till a harissa in texture, but still had enough body to be recognisably meaty and not a paste, served in an earthen pot with smoked kewra. This is a sensational dish, lip satisfyingly satisfying.
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| The Amritsari lal naan with rogan and sesame seeds |
In a city where Moti Mahal often feels like the only place where you can get good North Indian food I have no hesitation in saying this is the best North Indian standalone restaurant in Mumbai since Khyber.
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| Gulaab Jamun and Rabdi pie |
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