Luxury Dining At Jamavar, The Leela Palace Chanakyapuri

If you are the one with style and would not mind splurging a bit, then a dining experience of the Maharaja Table can definitely be your choice!

The Maharaja Table’s decadently opulent interior set against the beige gold sheer drapes in exclusivity seem to come alive with candles that give a warm glow making the glass chandelier on the ceiling above sparkle. Coming to the food, the culinary essence of Jamavar is traditional and authentic Indian with a strong creative element and you could opt for a North West Frontier, a coastal or any other Maharaja Table of your choice; I went in for the former.

Forgotten sensations, flavours from home and away, a host of colours, fragrances and textures take one on a fantastic journey to the world of Royalty. Head Chef Vinod Saini has created a menu that also features a simplified range of comforting Indian classics using outstanding quality ingredients which changes with the seasons. I would definitely recommend ‘nariyal ki shikanjvi’ to kick off as an aperitif, which is a nice refreshing drink of coconut water, lime and mint. Amuse bouche is innovative and refreshing…the perfect thandai shot with a bite size bhel crispy. Less punchy but fresh and aromatic is the corn soup which manages to be thickly textured without over-dosing on cream. The ‘raan-e-jamavar’ an aromatic whole leg of baby lamb gently infused with a selection of exotic spices and slow grilled to perfection is to die for! The perfect equilibrium of flavours and the spirit of originality reigns in all the food in this theatrical environment and would not cease to attract the most demanding of gourmets.

The dessert menu was a whirlwind of flavours, as for me, after a delicious meal the ‘malai kulfi’ with rose scented falooda; an amalgam of taste and subtle flavours was a befitting end to the meal. The chef sure does a clever job in sending out skilfully wrought, full laced offerings. It is apparent that nothing is compromised here, from carefully engineered dishes, to impeccable service, the ambience is a throwback to the days of the royalty and it definitely is a cut above the rest. Needless to add that being here is reason enough; soaking in the colonial grandeur of an elegant era while relishing an assortment of viands below reproach. All in all I would say the meal is simply unforgettable, an experience to be shared and an ambassador of a unique lifestyle.