Goan food usually brings to mind the fiery Xacutis, Cafreals, Recheados, sweet Bebinca etc with flavours dominated by the Portuguese and Catholic-influenced recipes. What Hotel Taj Mahal’s Executive Chef Arun Sundararaj attempts at Machan is to exposit, every Saturday in its two month (September and October 2015) Goan Food Promtion, to go beyond the sunny Catholic coastal cuisine and reveal the Hindu Saraswat gems of the Goan heartland.
Hindu Saraswat Goan Cuisine is mainly pesco-vegetarian with liberal use of coconut, moderate heat, tamarind and curry leaves boasting influences more from South Indian cuisine than from Catholic or Portuguese. Lamb and Chicken meat are preferred over Pork and Beef. Chef Arun has borrowed heavily from the rich repertoire of recipes of the family he has married into.
The simple yet sublime Okra garnished with shredded Coconut, the exotic Vegetable Khatkate, the dense and richly flavoured, coconut based Clam and Prawn Masala, the fiery Goan Fish Curry, the hearty and spicy Mutton Xacuti, the smoky, woody Chourizo Pulao, Goan dal, all sang along merrily with the specially invited Goan band, odes to the multi-faceted Goan Cuisine.
The one that had me asking for more was the live station where one could have made-to-order Masala Fried Fish, Prawn Balchao, Vegetable Rissole and Cottage Cheese Cafreal. I was partial to the non-vegetarian dishes-Prawns Balchao that were consistently jumbo sized, smeared liberally and beguilingly with a fiery-looking marinade and grilled to perfection. The Rawa Masala fried fish was sweet river sole, the chef carefully choosing it to juxtapose with the briny taste of King fish in the Goan Fish Curry.
Having sinned once, a second time is no big deal for any fanatic and a food fan is no different. An exclusive spread of attractive and delicious desserts installed at the adjoining Rick’s Bar celebrated infamously, the seven cardinal sins. Desserts were colour-coded and attractively displayed as Greed, Sloth, Lust, Wrath, Envy, Pride and Gluttony. Needless to mention, yours faithfully was guilty of the last. The made-to-order, done afresh Tiramisu was lip-smacking delicious with a light yet creamy cheese and dark coffee drenched savoiardi.
The Goan spread was part of the regular Saturday brunch at Machan. However, to ensure that patrons that are not possessed of the spirit of exoticism, and who would have preferred the mellow and less boisterous flavours of Continental cuisine were not left in the lurch, an exhaustive and enticing spread of vegetarian and non vegetarian Continental and Far east dishes continued to pamper them.
The food exceptional, the desserts sinfully delicious, the service warm and attentive, I would definitely recommend “Go an(d) sin, and sin delightfully, at Machan.
Ratings (Out of 5)
Food: 4.0 | Service: 4.0 | Ambience: 4.0 | Overall: 4.0
Address: MACHAN, HOTEL TAJ MAHAL, 01, Man Singh Road, New Delhi | Tel: +91 (011) 66566162 / 23026162
Timings: Saturday Brunch 12.30 pm – 03.00 pm | Meal for two without alcohol: Rs. 2500/++| Category: Food Promotion/Brunch Buffet
MACHAN GOAN FOOD PROMOTION (September-October 2015), Hotel Taj Mahal, New Delhi- Where the sun, sea and sand seduces one to, sinfully.
Disclosure: This review was done at the invitation of the restaurant. Readers’ discretion is recommended even though due diligence has been observed in keeping the review as objective as possible.
