It's quite rare for a restaurant to pull off fine-dining especially if the cuisine served is Indian. At best, you could probably experience a good meal in a high-end hotel where chefs spend time on classy contemporary plating and fine service. I had a similar experience at Soma, the Indian restaurant at the Grand Hyatt, Santacruz East, Mumbai. Nestled in between the bar and the Italian restaurant, the room is well lit and spacious, with all paintings and wall hangings depicting the moon (one of the meanings of Soma in Hindi) in one way or another. Indian food has to evolve a long way before it can meet international standards of presentation and refined taste. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the menu was well designed and included fare from across the country and contained old favourites as well as the unfamiliar.
Historical significance
To understand the cuisine served here I must deviate to a historical interlude about the Grand Trunk road and its cuisine. Built centuries ago during the Maurya dynasty and extended in the 16th century by Sher Shah in order to build his empire, the Grand Trunk highway is the trade lifeline from Pakistan running all the way to South India. Spanning a length of 2,600 km, it runs right across the country from the east to the west. Travellers along this route encounter a host of cuisines along the way and the restaurant takes its inspiration from here.
The food at Soma is simplistic at best, with mild, well-balanced flavours. The open kitchen is the centre of attraction, where you can witness kebabs and vegetables being grilled to perfection and swirling roomali rotis deftly handled over an upturned kadhai.
Staple favourites like the Tandoori prawn, baby pomfret marinated in curd and with a hint of ajwain or whole spring chicken cooked with spices over coal for that smoky flavour were delicious. If you're looking for something extra special, try the Raan-e-Sikandari which is flavoured with a blend of spices only known to the chef. The dish is carved at the table and the meat almost falls off the bone, it is so tender. We feasted on the Chapli Kebab, a soft mince patty with mint chutney originating from Pakistan and Afghanisthan, a delicate dish. The Nalli Nehari which consisted of lamb shanks cooked in a thick, rich brown sauce is the perfect dish to be eaten during cold winter months.
For vegetarians, the Dhudiya Kebab makes an excellent starter. Prettily presented, thin slices of paneer are rolled with spices and herbs and lightly cooked. I recommend trying the Shakarkandi ki tawa chaat or the fusion-inspired Tandoori Malai Broccoli.
No Indian meal is complete without the breads and Soma offers a fine selection of hot breads straight out of a tandoor. Flaky, crusty laccha parathas, soft roomali rotis and different types of naans were on offer. The restaurant has an extensive wine list and although we did not venture there, the waiters were quite knowledgeable and informative. Though the restaurant does serve a buffet at certain times, it may not be the best place for a hurried office lunch. The prospect of a long, leisurely meal coupled with impeccable service makes this an Indian restaurant worth visiting.
What: Indian cuisine
Where: Soma, The Grand Hyatt, Santacruz East, Mumbai
How much: Rs 3,000 per person
Recipes
CHAPLI KEBAB
Ingredients
Lamb boti – 280gms
Lamb kidney fat – 80gms
Red chilly powder – 4gms
Garam masala powder – 2gms
Green chilly whole – 2gms
Chopped ginger – 4gms
Chopped garlic – 4gms
Saffron - 0.5gms
Crushed coriander seeds – 2gms
Powdered pomegranate seeds – 5gms
Javetri elaichi powder – 2gms
Salt - 5gms
Ghee - 50gms
Chopped onions – 60gms
Chopped coriander – 5gms
Method
Add all ingredients to the meat and mince it. Shape the mince into small patties and flatten with your palm. In a frying pan, heat some ghee then and cook the patty and on a slow fire until it is golden brown in colour.
Serve hot with lachha & chutney
DUDHIYA KEBAB
Ingredients
Paneer – 200gms
Turmeric powder – 5gms
Potatoes -100gms
Pomegranate seed – 35gms
Dry mango powder - 3gms
Garam Masala – 2gms
Sugar -1gm
Ginger garlic paste - 15gms
Red chilly paste -5gms
Sahi jeera – 2gms
Ghee – 50gms
Coriander - 25gms
Cheese - 25gms
Bread crumbs - 100gms
Salt - 2gms
Method
Cut paneer into slices and marinate it with tumeric powder and salt. Keep aside.
For the filling, heat some ghee in a pan and add sahi jeera, ginger garlic paste and
red chilly paste. Stir the mixture for a minute and add grated potato, dry
mango powder, pomegranate powder, garam masala and sugar.
Take the marinated paneer and spread the filling equally on all slices and layer them together like a sandwich. Roll the paneer carefully and refrigerate it for 15 minutes. Remove the rolls from the refrigerator and coat them with bread crumbs. Heat a pan, add some ghee fry the rolls untill golden brown. Drain the excess oil and serve hot with mint chutney.
(The author is a Cordon Bleu chef and food stylist. The opinions expressed are his own.)