Loya, Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai’s New Menu Is A Journey Through North India’s Forgotten Flavours, Traditions, And Techniques

The Indian restaurant at Mumbai's Taj Mahal, Loya, has unveiled a new menu that takes diners on a journey through North India's forgotten flavors, traditions, and techniques. The menu showcases age-old North Indian cooking methods such as dhungar (smoking), baghar (tempering), sigdi (coal cooking), and dum (slow cooking). These techniques add depth, aroma, and character to each dish, with traditional clay pots and iron kadhais further enhancing the earthy flavors.

The menu is inspired by Dham cooking and was created by Chef Farooqui and his team, who spent days researching recipes and ingredients in the northern states along with their Delhi counterparts. The philosophy behind the new menu is to keep it as satvik and authentic as possible, with most dishes being dham cooking-inspired and free of onion and garlic. Non-vegetarian dishes are yogurt-based.

The menu is accompanied by a revamped cocktail menu called the Loya Paanch experience, which focuses on the SPICE elements: Scale, Pitch, Instrumentation, Chords, and Expression. The cocktails are presented with flair and are meant to be savored slowly, patiently, and with flair.

Dishes such as the Kachhi Haldi aur Chuare ka Paneer Kokur Yakhni, Lungdi pickle, and Arbi pickle offer a variety of flavors and textures, from the soft galouti consistency kebab Kachhi Haldi aur Chuare ka Paneer to the spicy flambéed Ori Jheenga Amritsari Machli. Vegetarians can enjoy the Haak Sabzi, Kadamb Munj, and Tudkiya Bhaat, while meat lovers can indulge in Kokur Yakhni, Kangra Khodiya Gosht, and Daruni Jhinga.

Overall, the new Loya menu is a testament to the restaurant's commitment to preserving and celebrating the rich culinary heritage of North India.