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| Orza at Ansal Plaza |
There is a saying in my house that goes like this. “You don’t
have to flavour mutton. Because, it has an intrinsic taste of its own.” So, in my
Bengali kitchen, we cook mutton in the most simple and straightforward way. With
the essential onions, garlic, ginger, yoghurt, turmeric and chillies. And we
top it off with a sprinkle of home-crushed garam masala.
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| Kandhari Mutton0 |
Hence, when I eat different variants of mutton or lamb at
eateries, I try to figure out how different each dish is and how uniquely they have
tempered the meat. At Orza this Monday, I ate a Kandhari mutton that was tangy
yet subtle, the redness of the gravy more from the tomato slush than dried red chillies. The Awadhi dish might have been a tad too sour for my
liking, but I must mention that it was very different from what I had of the
animal protein so far in life. The meat fell off the bone like molten butter and
the umami aftertaste lasted long. Food is a subjective topic so maybe once
the tanginess is checked a wee bit, I would rate it as one of the best lamb
dishes ever.
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| Paneer Kundan Kaliyan |
Serving a host of authentic Persian, Kashmiri and Awadhi delicacies,
Orza has been making some noise among gourmands ever since its launch a couple
of months ago. And from what we ate, the buzz is warranted. But, if the
restaurant does manage to convince foodies to come all the way to the deadpan
Ansal Plaza in Khel Gaon Marg, to savour their food, they really will have
achieved a feat. The arcade is seriously deserted, with a few visitors
sauntering in and out. A handful of good restaurants are trying to make the phoenix
rise from the rubble I guess. My heart goes out to them…
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| Khoresht Gharch |
Anyway, I digress. Back to Orza. Where I also ate a rich and
creamy Khoresht Gharch, made with three types mushrooms stewed in a mildly spiced
yoghurt gravy and served with Orza pulao. I was sold, for the want of a
better word. The chewy texture of the mushroom countered the buttery broth in a
delectable way. At the risk of sounding crazy, I might add that this was
the stand out dish of the afternoon.
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| Mutton Pot Shorpa |
That and the Mutton Pot Shorpa, a mutton clear soup that
burst with flavours with every spoonful. The balls of mutton mince were soft
and the veggies added body to the liquid, too. If you are in the mood to detox, do have a bowl of this soup if at Orza, which concentrates more on
its food than décor. Keeping it casual and fussfree. The staff though could be tad
more informed or forthcoming with the names of dishes. And maybe a triple clear
with the sounds of them.
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| Jujeh Kebab |
The jujeh kebab got a special kick from the charred onions
and the finger chillies. They were even flavoured with sumac. I could have a
couple more if the seekh kebabs hadn’t arrived. Traditionally prepared with
lamb mince, I paired them with various homemade dips (herbed yoghurt, beetroot,
raw mango, mint, aubergine and tomato garlic. I’m sure I’m missing out on a
host of other spices used in them but then it's difficult to jot them all down with
good food lying tantalisingy in front).
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| The dips |
The beetroot and yoghurt kebab tasted like the vegetable
chops we regularly eat in Kolkata. It’s one of the most common evening snacks
for us there. Next time I am at Orza, I will try the Pomegranate chicken because
I want to see how they pair the two.
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| Watermelon Feta Salad |
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| Dum Murg ka Stew |
After cleansing our palate with the watermelon and feta
salad, we waited for the mains to arrive. The Kandhari mutton and the Khoresht
Gharch were two of them. The Dum Murg ka Stew was served with traditional sheermal.
Cooked in its own juices, the meat was soft and tasty with Lucknawi spices
thrown in. The fresh grilled greens added a crunch. The sheermal had roasted
almonds on the crust so that was a nice, new flavour. Maybe, next time (if I at
all visit the vacant Ansal Plaza) I’ll try Ab-Gosht, the Kashmiri Machli (the
tasting should have incorporated at least one fish dish) and Dal Adsi. Humble
Kashmiri dishes that often test the true mettle of a chef.
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| Seekh Kebabs |
For desserts, we ordered the traditional baklava. But unlike
the ones prevalent in Turkey, where the centre is moist, these flaky hand-rolled
pastries were dry. Filled with plenty of nuts and chopped dates (and which contributed
to the sweetness predominantly), I missed the buttery aftertaste baklavas are
famous for. But the next sweet meat made up for it. The home made saffron and
pistachio ice-cream. It was rich, creamy and just perfectly sweet. What the
baklava could not, the ice-cream achieved in the first scoop itself…
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| Desserts for the day |
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