The Royal Table - Launch at Paatra - The Jaypee Siddharth- 4.5/5

India occupies an important place on the World map and a much more important place on the World Food map. India is a melting pot of many cultures, traditions, races, religions and most importantly cuisines which have evolved over thousands of years. The use of spices and ingredients in Indian food forms the heart of Indian cuisine and the use of such a wide variety of spices exists in no other cuisine around the world. And this is what makes us and our food so unique. What is more special and unique about our food is that each gravy and each dish has a different, distinct flavor and taste and no two dishes will absolutely taste the same.

The 1400’s in the saw the Mughal rule in India and the Mughal’s brought with them a different culture and of course a different cuisine which left a mark on the way we cooked and our palates. The Korma’s, the Roganjosh’s , the pasanda’s were only bettered by the Royal Khansama’s to match the tastes of the Mughal Rulers. The Royal Chef’s its believed could cook upto 24 different varieties and variations of Korma. The Nawab’s of Awadh also introduced the Dum Pukht cuisine in the 1500’s. The 1600’s saw the Portuguese and British influence on Indian cuisine. The Goan cuisine only became better post the Portuguese rule. French influence in our cuisine can be seen down south in Pondicherry, Tamilnadu.

Northern part of India was occupied by various dynasties – The Mughal’s, the Dogra kings, the Rajput rulers, the Nawab’s and even the Sikh Rulers. The 1700’ saw Maharaja Ranjit singh occupy various territories under the Afghan’s and even the Mughal’s and occupied large area’s of Jammu and Kashmir, present Pakistan, Punjab and even Afghanistan. So with the great conquests the Kitchen’s of the Maharaja who was also called “The lion of Punjab”, the food influence of the era also evolved with each triumph. 

Cooking for the Maharaja- The Lion of Punjab, I am sure would not have been easy, especially when the kitchens are lavish and extravagant. I have read that he was a man of great taste and was very hard to please.The Cooks and khansama’s had to experiment and try various combinations to match the palate and taste of the Maharaja. Food was an art and historians believe that food was served on a Lavish table under bright chandeliers hanging down in silver ware with a immaculate and extravagant array of various dishes served meticulously for the Maharaja. History has evidenced various records of the Maharaja’s Chefs being sent for training to various countries like France, England, China and other Princely states. Hence the Royal cuisine of Punjab is a pure reflection of Maharaja’s eloquent taste where the chef’s incorporated their training and experience into locally available rich dairy products with some locally grown produce to manufacture some historical delicacies that have survived the test of time and are savored by one and all even today.

So what better way to enjoy the Food of the Royals and the eloquent taste of the Maharaja Ranjit singh himself than experiencing Royalty first hand in your own city. I had an opportunity to be at the launch of the “Royal Table” at the Jaypee Siddharth recently where I witnessed Royalty first hand at their regional fine dine Indian restaurant Paatra. The “Royal Table” is a pure reflection of Maharaja Ranjit singh’s era that witnessed evolution of this great cuisine and some exquisite dishes that the chef has included in the menu at the “Royal Table” at Paatra. This is the Group’s attempt to showcase the long lost cuisine of the Indian Royalty. The carefully curated menu by the Chef has influences from various regions ruled by the Maharaja right from Lahore to Jalandhar and From Peshawar to Afghanistan.

Paatra has a delightful ambiance which reflects luxury by means of the furniture and fixtures and the beautiful candle light on the table which makes your dining experience oh so romantic and memorable. Love the beautiful candle shades on each table, the specially designed crockery for the Royal table which has the Maharaja’s Emblem as the logo. Its quite a glamorous moment when one takes out the Dawat-e-Khas menu from a Silver vessel in which the menu is rolled into. The Chairs on the Royal table have the Sarpej or a Kalgi embroidered on top signifying that someone from a Royalty lineage is dining on the Royal table. The service staff are well dressed in crisp Punjabi uniform and beautifully tied traditional safa’s or turbans to live up to the Royal theme, offering some great top notch and personalized service as you dine.

The wine pairing with the food deserves a special mention. The wine really complements the food well. And I cannot stop raving about the food and all the dishes in the menu. My absolute favourites in the menu are – Machchli Khasa, Baluchi Surkh Gosht, Peshawari Bharwan Tangri, Paye ka rus, Mardan malai bater, Attock da keema hari mirch, Teh te teh paneer, kaju kishmish aur matter ki sabzi, chiniot de chatpate Aaloo, Lehsun ka raita, Mawa Mithai and Pan bahaar. I know I have almost included all the dishes, but he fact of the matter is that each dish is way too impressive in taste and flavor. The Royal table is a gastronomic experience into the Royal era and the meal leaves you spell bound. The slow cooked chicken or the pheasant or even the Machchli or the Keema, all meat dishes are world class and absolutely top notch. Being a hard core non vegetarian I am very hard to please especially when it comes to meat, and I absolutely love my meat. And let me make an honest confession, that I will fall short of words to describe the heavenly and divine non vegetarian meal experience I had at Paatra. And it must be noted that the vegetarian food also surpassed my expectations. I adored the paneer gravy, the Aaloo, the matter ki sabji and the chowlai ka saag. All were divine.

Now Coming down to taste –

• The Non veg starters were delicious. The meats were juicy, succulent and perfectly cooked. I Loved the soft Peshawari Bharwan Tangri, the soft and mushy Baluchi Surkh gosht, and the Machchli Khasa cooked to perfection. I adored the Teh te Teh paneer and Phaldhari Kebab. I would rate all these starters a 4.5/5. These you can just not miss.

• The Paye ka rus – the Punjabi household favorite - has to be the best clear non veg soup I have tasted in my entire life time. I bits of meat in the soup, this was truly the perfect soup for my soul. Loved it. My rating 4.5/5

• The Mardan Malai Bater was my first attempt attempt at eating a Quail, and man I was impressed. Tender, delicate meat that just melted in my mouth as I took the first bite. What a divine experience, I must say. Bater was meat perfection personified. A multi-sensory experience. As you delicately manoeuvre your fingers on soft meat  you feel the meat tingle your taste buds– My rating – 5/5.

• Attok da keema Hari mirch and Sunhere Machchli ke Kofte were superb too. I am a big keema fan and this was mindblowing. Loved the spice level and subtle flavour. My rating 4.5/5 for both dishes

• Saundha Paneer Malaiwala has to be one of the best paneer gravies I have had in a long long time. My rating 4/5

• Kaju kishmish aur matter ki sabzi and Chowlai ka saag were simply divine. Very simple ingredients with the royal touch transformed into culinary gems. My rating 4/5

• The Chatpate aaloo were amazing and so was the very unique creation Lahsun ka raita. My rating 4.5/5

• The murgh Kofti Pulao was delicious with some Seasonal vegetables cooked with scented basmati rice. It was heavenly. It tasted superb with  My rating 4.5/5

• Lancha Jamun - Succulent Gulab Jamun with a hot sweet viscous syrup, on a bed of pistachio and cardamom tinged flavour and a soothing fragrance. Loved it. My rating 4/5

• Panbahaar – Chef’s version of a Paan ice cream - a gourmet dessert of soft ice cream served glamorously with a caramel dipped almond and a nest vermicelli like Chef’s creation. A beautiful dessert. My rating 4.5/5

• Mawa Mithai – Towards the end I was stuffed, yet I could not miss this sweet end to the meal. Loved the way it was decorated with silver paper or vark as its popularly called. Very royal. My rating – 4/5.

Introductory Pricing : 2500-3500 ++ for Veg and non veg set menu’s.

© Follow Sam on Instagram - Search for sgkatoch

© http://whatsamsaysabout.blogspot.in/

© What Sam says about________ ?
© https://www.facebook.com/whatsamsaysabout
© www.zomato.com/shambavi

The Royal Table Menu 

The Menu 

The Logo specially made for the Crockery

The meats were juicy, succulent and perfectly cooked. I Loved the mushy Baluchi Surkh gisht, 

The meats were juicy, succulent and perfectly cooked. I Loved the soft Peshawari Bharwan Tangri

The meats were juicy, succulent and perfectly cooked. I Loved the soft Peshawari Bharwan Tangri, the soft and mushy Baluchi Surkh gisht, and the Machchli Khasa cooked to perfection. I adored the The te The paneer and Phaldhari Kebab.

The Veg starters

 Machchli Khasa cooked to perfection.

• The Paye ka rus – the Punjabi household favorite - has to be the best clear non veg soup I have tasted in my entire life time. I bits of meat in the soup, this was truly the perfect soup for my soul. Loved it. My rating 4.5/5

 Lahsun ka raita was a very unique creation

The Mardan Malai Bater was my first attempt attempt at eating a pheasant, and man I was impressed. Tender, delicate meat that just melted in my mouth as I took the first bite. What a divine experience, I must say. Bater was meat perfection personified. A multi-sensory experience. As you delicately manoeuvre your fingers on soft meat  you feel the meat tingle your taste buds

Chatpate aaloo

The Royal meal

Attok da keema Hari mirch 

Panbahaar 

Mawa Mithai – Towards the end I was stuffed, yet I could not miss this sweet end to the meal. Loved the way it was decorated with silver paper or vark as its popularly called. Very royal