TALES FROM INDIA

Clearly in love with her biryani and butter chicken, FACT’s Anushay Taimur Khan visited Dalchini at Centara West Bay Residences & Suite Doha, to give her favourites another go. Little did she know that the fusion dishes on the menu were going to leave her taste buds in awe.

Okay, I admit it! Every time someone says Indian food, the Pakistani in me raises her eyebrows slightly. Well, I do come from a country that likes their food a tad bit spicy and I have always found Indian food to be a bit sweeter. Though, that never stops me from going out to try every new Indian restaurant that opens its doors (and they never, ever fail to disappoint). I was visiting Dalchini at Centara West Bay Residences & Suites Doha, just a few months after its opening and having already eaten here previously, I was eager to see if this dining visit lived up to the consistency and quality of previous ones.

So, this time, when I stepped into the beautifully decorated green rooms with pinky-purple chairs, I was set to get my regular malai tikka and kebabs. Surprise at first sight would be the right phrase for me. The dishes started pouring in and my mouth was open in utter surprise; a fusion of Indian cuisine in the most modern way possible was presented to me and I was NOT expecting this.

My culinary, eye-opening, experience at Dalchini started with a simple pepper chicken dish. I say simple but I mean to say; W H O A. Three different peppers, including pink, black and fresh Peppercorn, were used to marinate and cook this dish and yours truly simply couldn’t believe her luck that she was trying PINK pepper for the first time. I honestly haven’t even heard of that before and here I was, simply diving into this scrumptious dish. When I was presented with the fried fritters, I simply kept munching on them as a side dish and guilty as charged, sent an empty dish back.

You know how the good old Saag and white butter is famous, well, Dalchini gave it the ideal glow up; I got to eat saag with Burrata cheese and I don’t know why anyone else has not come up with this combination before. The fish, pan fried to perfection and laid on top of the most delicious tomato chutney was in a league of its own. The bread, popularly known as naan, came in three different kinds; cheese, dates and plain. While the date naan was not to my liking, the cheese naan was mine to hoard. I took every last bite of that beauty and will never apologise for it. Safe to say, the chef was very happy to see empty plates going back to the kitchen… again!

The chops were served and I never thought that lamb chops could tear this effortlessly; as I cut through the meat like butter, I fell in love with this restaurant that little bit more every single time I took a bite. Every single item we’d tried off the menu so far was something new and creative.
When they told me to be ready for the dessert, I expected some good old gulab jamuns and rosogolla to show up – and they sure strutted in. With a slight twist, of course. The gulab jamuns made a statement with a lemon cream which neutralised the flavour of the dish. To add to this magnificent treat, the rosogolla came with a strawberry sauce which amplified the entire experience. In all my food experiences here in Doha (and life, to be frank), I have never tasted a fusion of Indian cuisine quite as impeccable as this. Two simple, traditional desserts reimagined into a new delight that I couldn’t get enough of.

The entire experience at Dalchini was one to remember and it comes highly recommended from my end if you’re looking for something new to try. They honour the authentic recipes and bring them into the 21st century with a whole new thoughtful and tasty touch. An experience you can cross off your list once you’ve been there, I’ll be waiting for the thank you notes from you all later! ✤