Ji Hazoor, Bangalore – Mughlai Is as Mughlai Does

[Rated: 4.0/5]

If you want to set your restaurant apart from the thousands of “Indian, Chinese, Continental, Tandoori” eateries that pepper the food landscape of our country, what better way than to specialize in one cuisine. And if that one cuisine is Mughlai, you might as well go all the way and make sure that it’s Mughlai in word and in deed. That’s what the owners of Ji Hazoor, a new fine dine in Whitefield, decided to do with their latest offering.

The moment you enter the spacious, custom-decorated restaurant, the first thing that strikes you is the staggering ceiling height. At a good 20 feet above the ground and with a centerpiece of a brocaded tent reminiscent of the palace dining rooms of yore, Ji Hazoor is unabashedly true to the cuisine it offers. Seating arrangements include an option where you can literally kick off your shoes, recline horizontally and eat like a true nawab. There’s also a pleasant, breezy outdoor seating option.

I started off with some Bhune Jeere Ki Chaach, which was chilled, spicy and so tasty that I drank two of them. For starters, we were served Paya Ka Shorba and Karela Salad. The Shorba was mellow but lacked any distinctive flavour. The Karela Salad was simply outstanding, all the flavours in the salad were perfectly balanced – and completely unexpected. This is a must-try. The next starter I went for was the Roomali Masala Papad, an innovative take on the ubiquitous masala papad, but made with a crisp roomali. It was served with an imli-based dip. Tandoori Mushrooms, cooked to perfection, followed.

The next set of starters were Jhinga Tak-a-Tak which I found just right, with the prawns firm and juicy, and the Lahori Kalmi which was very well cooked but slightly bland to my taste. Inexplicably, it was served with a foil ribbon adorning the top which, while attractive, proved to be very irritating while actually eating the chicken. Pathar Ka Gosht followed – the meat was excellent and the subtle stone-cooked flavour was evident. The Murg Potli Kabab was stuffed with minced chicken and came with a very innovative cream-based dip. The Mutton Shami Kabab was par for the course, as was the Tandoori Pomfret, which was pretty mildly spiced but was again served with that irritating foil adornment. What came next was a Fish Fry which was a lot like fish nuggets with mild Indian spices. I was baffled as to what it was doing on the menu!

Amongst the main courses, I tried the Nihari Gosht and the Rarra Gosht. For both, and this was my experience throughout the entire meal as well, the meat was of very good quality, and really, that’s half the job done right there! The Rarra was slightly spicy but very flavorsome. I thought the Nihari could have had a little more bite to it, though. These were served with the usual assortment of naans and parathas, all of which had just the right texture and crispness.

Amongst the vegetarian dishes, special mention must be made of the Paneer Korma. It came with mild, creamy white gravy and went down extremely well with the butter naan. The Daal Makhani was well-done and gently spiced. The Sarson Ka Saag and Makki Ki Roti proved to be as authentic as they come, though hardly Mughlai.

The meal was accompanied with Meetha Nimboo Soda which I really loved. It was made with just the right amount of sweetness and tang, and worked as a perfect counterpoint to the food. I finished off the meal with kheer, which was served refreshingly chilled. I hardly had room left for a small bite of the crunchy Jalebis. It was a very good end to the meal.

Overall, the portions were generous without being overwhelming, and the passion of the restaurateurs came through in the quality of the food and the selection of dishes on offer. I felt that the service could have been a bit more attentive, though.

So if you’re in the mood for Mughlai cuisine with a proper Mughal ambience to go with it, you really should give Ji Hazoor a visit.

Rating out of 5
Food: 4.0 | Ambience: 4.0 | Service: 3.5 | Overall: 4.0

Meal for two: Rs. 1700 | Alcohol: No | Credit Card: Yes

Address: Ji HazoorTR-9, Plot #95, EPIP Zone, Near Vydehi Hospital, Whitefield, Bangalore | Phone: 080-28413131

– Eswara VAN Sharma