Soma

One of our earliest food memory takes us back in time when visiting a posh restaurant seemed like an overwhelming experience. And when tubs of creamy paneer curries or pink butter chicken reached our table we couldn't wait to dive in. Then along came a basket of golden fresh-out-of-tandoor naans dripping in butter, which we considered our signal to start tucking in. This sight is fairly common in any North Indian restaurant where aroma of tandoor and spices wafts in the air, whetting your appetite. Take Soma for instance. This fancy five star restaurant is part of glittery Grand Hyatt Hotel in Santacruz East, Mumbai. The scene may be posh and a bit hush-hush but enthusiasm for North Indian food is the same. Being part of a five star hotel, the crowd here is a little more refined.

One usually thinks of curries when wondering about North Indian restaurant but the cuisine is so much more than that. Soma digs deeply into this gorgeous fare by introducing to its patrons a wide range of kebabs, curries, biryanis and flatbreads. Food menu is backed by an impressive bar menu too that lets you loosen up after a glass or two of your preferred booze. Dining at Soma doesn't come cheap but don't let the pricey price tag hold you back from a delightful gastronomic experience. First off comes the kebabs, kasundi rawas tikka, chane aur palak ki seekh, raan-e-sikandari, chutney paneer tikka, gosht pyaz ki seekh, dahi bhalla and murgh malai tikka. Move onto the curries next like, Amritsari bhune murgh, Punjabi kadi pakode, gosht pyazwala, aloo gobi methiwali, ajmeri kofta curry and hariyali jhinga curry.

Biryani and baskets of flaky buttery naans welcome you to pair them with spicy curries. Forgive yourself for the upcoming calorie onslaught and indulge in Soma's decadent dessert course. Start with saffron kheer or gulab jamun and then wade into rabdi, malpua, moong dal ka halwa. By the end of this meal you will be a happy man indeed. At first glance, Soma may seem like a classy Italian restaurant, with all that modern architecture, but it is a thoroughly lovable North Indian restaurant more elegant than the others. Large banners of Indian paintings hangs all over the room. The look is minimal, sophisticated and contemporary.