Utaam Bhoj at ITC Sonar's Eden Pavilion till the 7th of June

Utaam Bhoj at ITC Sonar's Eden Pavilion till the 7th of June

Flavours and spice and all things nice is exactly what I could think of after tasting the elaborate spread of Uttam Bhoj at ITC Sonar's Eden Pavilion.

I for one had no idea about Sattvik food . For that matter I still have little idea about the philosophy behind this diet but when the lovely Arundhati from ITC mentioned flavours of Delhi my ears were pricked. I am in love with the robust flavours that Delhi offers. My first ever brush with old Delhi's spicy flavours was on a hot September day in 2011. Whenever I set foot in Delhi I religiously visit 'Purani Dilli' , the area around Chadni Chowk for its lip-smacking dishes.

I like to follow certain principles when I am cooking in my kitchen hence the idea of principles behind cooking is something that  absolutely fascinates me  and Chef Gunjan Goela has such a beautiful philosophy behind cooking that it was a lunch which was made quite memorable thanks to Chef Goela. Her whole philosophy behind eating seasonal fruits and vegetables, using mustard oil or 'Desi Ghee' in her food, eating the right kind of food meant to be taken at the right time makes a lot of sense for our chaotic world. For have we not heard of the importance of eating fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables. Doesn't the doctors harp on the ill effects of fast food joints taking over our lives and health?

Chef Goela does also believe in eating the right kind of food at the right time so she would suggest that you have your snacks in the early evening hours, your lunch before 12 in the afternoon and she does create magic in her kitchen. She tries to capture the essence of traditional methods of cooking and incorporates it in her modern kitchen.

The moment I sipped on the ' Tamatar Matha' (spicy buttermilk with the flavour of tomatoes) I was reminded of Delhi because of the delightful spicy taste which I miss in the food served in Kolkata. This drink is not only refreshing but has cooling properties and is a perfect start to a meal. Be it the 'aloo rismisey' a spicy sweet potato based 'Chaat' or the lesser known 'Mangori' a dumpling based dish from the northern state of Uttar Pradesh each dish has an unique flavour and is an absolute delight to have.

The Dahi vada made with whole moong pulse gives such a lovely texture that I was completely won over.

You shall have a chance to get acquainted with the flavours of Uttar Pradesh and old Delhi. This is definitely a dinner spread that you cannot miss if spicy food is what you crave.

Drop in at the Eden Pavilion for a delightful dinner till the 7th of June, 2015 at Rs2250 + tax per person.

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