Leaves you spellbound

What makes this restaurant in Noida must-visit is that its chef is a Unani practitioner who has infused his knowledge into the Awadhi fare that he cooks and serves without water or dahi, says SHALINI SAKSENA

If you are the kind of person who likes to eat out in a place that looks and lets out old world charm while being contemporary at the same time, a trip to this sprawling yet cozy eatery makes it worth the time you might have to spend reaching here, if you are in Delhi or Gurugram.

But despite the hour-and-half that it may take you to reach here, the restaurant — Spellbound — will definitely tickle a couple of your sensories — the eyes to begin with. The decor with its rich purple, beige and rust with plush cushioned seats is not something that one not get to see these days since the mantra is all almost getting the maximum out of the space and putting in as many pax as possible.

Talking of space, Spellbound sprawls as no other in the Gardens Galleria Mall’s 2nd and third floors. The seating is well-spaced out giving you an open look. The owner Sagar Sharma, a young marketing executive turned restaurateur, tells you that shift to hospitality came because he wanted to do something different and leave people spellbound with the uniquely made dishes that his restaurant serves.

“When I was thinking of a name, I immediately zeroed-in on Spellbound since I wanted to leave the people who come here ‘spellbound’. First, with the decor, then with the taste, cashing in at least on three-four elements” Sharma tells you.

Here too he has a hit; what with his consultant chef a Unani practitioner of royal lineage — Izzat Hussain. He is passionate about what he serves, how he cooks it and what health benefits that can give the consumer. “For most people using an ingredient is about enhancing the flavour to the dish. For me, it is all about the medicinal value of the spice I am using. I look at haldi’s medicinal value while you will look at its colour,” he asserts.

“When I use ginger, I see the medicinal properties of it or for that matter even garlic. If I am cooking potato I will just add some spice and salt but not haldi. But if I cook cauliflower, I definitely use haldi since the taasir of the vegetable is such that turmeric has to be added,” chef  Hussain explains.

One can taste what he is talking about in the dishes that find their way to the table. First, with the veg and non-veg platter. The two different kinds of chicken tikkas are succulent and melt in the mouth. The galuoti too is tasty but not the best. It all makes up with the heady garlic chutney with a unique and fantastic flavour. Despite the strong garlic taste, the chutney is snow white in colour.

When it comes to the veggies, go for palak kaju. It is brilliantly done and cooked with no water and cream like one is used to in North India. Hussain tells you that the recipe is simple. Cook spinach in a pan without adding any water; once it wilts, add milk and cook till the palak is done. In another pan take 5 tsp desi ghee and fry the kaju, set aside.

In leftover ghee, add chopped onion, ginger and garlic paste and saute till they turn pink. Add tomatoes, haldi, dhania and mirchi powders and cook till the masala is done.Add the cooked palak and kaju to this. Stir and serve. Simple and brilliant to taste!

Then there is the Izzat Ki Roti (named after the chef) — a multi-grain delight which is a great accompaniment for mutton nihari which was good but could have been better though  the lamb was soft and melted in the mouth. The lachcha parantha does well with methi murg shahi pasanda. The chef had used kasuri methi uplifting the dish. If there is still space go for the mutton zafrani biryani. The mutton is cooked to perfection and that comes from the fact that the restaurant uses the special Jaipur Pink mutton, meat of a lamb whose weight is not more than 8 kg. The mutton is unusually soft and tastier.

No Awadhi meal is complete without a dessert. End the meal one a sweet note. Try the kheer or the almond halwa.