There are very few places in the city that are truly known to recreate the magic of traditional forms of cooking which is inspired by the Royal Kitchens across India. Indian Durbar at the Conrad Bengaluru is one such example that shouts opulence and takes your dining experience a notch above from the minute you step inside, the theme is golden yellow accentuating the strains of gold-leafed, ‘jali’ as they call it. We were here on a peaceful Sunday afternoon to check out the newly introduced menu, read on to know more about our epic lunch!

This was the first time I was dining at the Indian Durbar, what I have heard from people who have come here before is that the new menu created by Chef Ishtiaque Alam and Chef Akhilesh Pathak has given a fresh outlook by including the new additions inspired by royal kitchens from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and at the same time retaining the signature dishes from bygone era.

We began our meal with Bhatti da Kukad and Lasooni Jheenga, the presentation of these dishes are inspired by an actual Tandoor. Bhatti da Kukad was nice and creamy, the meat had hints of smoked flavour coming from the tandoor. The Tiger Prawn (Lasooni Jheenga) is flavoured with fried Garlic and Yoghurt, very rich indeed, we all loved it.

The next set of appetizers were the Galouti Kebabs, Mushroom and Lamb that are served on Ulta Tawa Paratha. Khumb ki Galouti (Mushroom) was textured to replicate the non-veg counterpart of the same dish and we were actually surprised by the outcome.

Main Course was Sailana Gobi Matar, Nalli Nihari, Dum ka Murg and Durbar-E-Dal that went well with Paraonthia Naan. I personally liked Dum ka Murg, the nice and thick gravy which is mild on spices has hints of palatable sweetness to it, brilliantly done. Nalli Nihari is lamb shanks cooked using in-house mix of spices which is then allowed to simmer in its own broth, this one’s a winner!

The dessert course was elaborate, the chefs have showcased their modern take on classic Indian Sweets. It comes as a complete live setup with ingredients like chocolate syrup, mango pulp which are mixed and mashed with Mysore Pak Tart and Rabdi Gulab Jamun Mousse. A lot of good drama combined with the final result which is nothing short of art on a plate, it definitely the kind of ending you would expect from a royal meal like this! Check out my Insta IGTV post to see the complete video on how this is presented.

So yeah, that’s how our lunch at the Indian Durbar looked like. The place is a must-visit if you are a fan of Indian Cuisine, every element at this restaurant transports you to an era of old-world charm and nostalgia which makes up for a great dining experience.