Loya’s inauguration at Taj Mahal Palace Hotel Mumbai is the first new restaurant of this landmark in two decades.
North Indian has an inherent sense of heat associated with food. Hot taste, warm color, and warm materials are brought together in complex, hearty dishes often enjoy the best in cold weather. Typically their characteristics are a variety of cooking techniques – each caressing different characteristics from food and also produces a fine experience. Loya, a new restaurant at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai, pays tribute to these techniques and the diversity of traditionally produced dishes in the northern regions of India.
Loya was first installed in Taj Palace New Delhi in 2022 and the next year in Taj West and Bangalore’s Taj West End. It is inaugurated at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel Mumbai in two decades, the first new restaurant of this landmark is (Wasabi was the last by Morimoto and it was opened in 2004). The kitchen is starred by veteran chef Rajesh Wadhwa, the brand of Loya’s brand Custodian. The broad menu shines a spotlight on North Indian cuisine beyond normal fare. Personally, each dish is timed techniques such as Dhunagar (smoking), bughar (tempering), dum (slow cooking), sigdi (using traditional stoves using naturally occurring fuels) and are an ode to become faster of spices. Serviceware and ceramicware also celebrate regional handicrafts, including work by artisans from Murdabad and Khurja. Each piece of handmade metal cutlery is unique.
Photo Credit: Loya
Located at the lobby level, step into Loya may not always feel direct transport – but plays a mixture of contemporary features and historical motifs well. The internal design indicates in a luxurious past markets. Around the multi-level seating area, there are grand arches, best bottom, copper lanterns, colored awnings, evocative murals and more. The bar is coined with a natural rock, highlighted by a striking waterfall that aims to take into account natural Himalayan springs. The furniture is made with logs and beautified with copper.
Photo Credit: Loya
True to its mission, Loya does not introduce the same old kebabs, tikkus and chaats as a appetizer. Instead, it invites you to find new favorite – and this is what we have done. We started with Chulai Kebab, who were coated with puffed Amrath seeds for the nutritious, earthen batsmen of red Amrath leaves. Paneer Teen Chilli portrayed the ‘rolls’ made cleverly with enlarged cheese with Achari Flavor and Black Pepper spices. Two bite, and we won – we were not missing Staple Paneer Tikka! In non-vegetarian options, do not miss the juicy timbury jhinaga, served with a special cannabis cumin sauce (we later paired this chutney with other dishes).
Photo Credit: Loya
Next, we tasted the trio of Loya Chaat, which included Elu Tokeri Chaat, Tamar Thachwani and Chaatpata Kand (Hathi Yam). We tasted each element: crisp potato basket is full of rights, channa, bhalla, and more; Dark fried Yama was elevated with spicy and spicy chutney; And little Tangi Thachwani scooped with pieces of Mathri and Puri. Like other starts, we noted how the chat here was not necessarily the most popular – but their innovation was more than the reception. The other chaat we have experienced was the chaat of lentils, including crisps (made with gram flour and wheat), onions, tomatoes, chutney, etc., assembled tables, chefs explain each item because it is added and eliminates the chut with a pot in front of you. The effect is pleasant dramatic and you see as enthusiasm.
For those who eat seafood, there is another type of dramatic humility that you do not want to miss. One of Loya’s signatures is McCchi – the generous part of the white snapper cooked in mustard oil and the magic of the “special masala rub”. When it reached our table, it was at the top with a vivid cognac (another node for summer we mentioned earlier). The fish provoked delicacy with every bite – this is a cure that we still think and crave ourselves.
Photo Credit: Loya
For drinks, Loya’s cocktail programs, punch, are inspired by the importance of the number of ‘5’. It cites symbols such as five senses along with five rivers of the north. More especially, Loya has five principles of philosophy around which cocktails are structured. They are harmony, experimentation, authenticity, reverence and soul. सिग्नेचर ड्रिंक्स में गुलाब (रोज-कार्डमॉम वोदका, ताजा अनानास का रस, नींबू खट्टे-गुलाब की धुंध), लोया मैनहट्टन (भारतीय एकल माल्ट, राई व्हिस्की, हाउस अमारो, स्वीट वर्माउथ, बिटर्स, मसालेदार चेरी) और स्पार्कलिंग सैफ्रॉन (स्पार्कलिंग वाइन, गिन, सेसरस एयरटेन, अन्य महाद्वीप, अन्य द्वार) Are included. There is also a good range of zero-proof options. Do not miss the opportunity to try tamarind-fenal soda. It is a typical tangi mixture of cranberry, in-house tamarind-fenal syrup, lemon soda and orange essence.
Photo Credit: Loya
Moving forward in the main course, we started with the attic chicken, which was named after a railway station in Punjab, which is the last stop in this country before crossing the route of Pakistan in this country. The dish accepts this division, inviting the guests to actually “break” borders using a small hammer to break a complex webd edible Aries placed on the curry. In terms of taste, this tomato-based chicken curry gives a little reminiscent of the universal North Indian butter chicken, but it manages happiness in its own way. Another highlight was Kangra Khodiya Gosht, who is standing out of a different reason. This Paid-style mutton curry is fragrant with chartered walnut ink!
We tasted curry with black pearl guchi pulao and several Indian flatbreds, including behaviors such as Gola Paratha and Amritri Wadi Kulcha. Between the vegetarian main, we re -added a medley of leafy greens presented in the Kafuli greens. After the tradition, it is prepared in an iron pot because this method is asked to increase the overall iron content of the dish. For a different type of gravy, we recommend Sepu Wadi – immersed the urad dal dumplings in a creamy tomato -yogurt base. We also loved Dal Jhakia, Dal Panch Ratani and Harsil’s chemical. There is no party makhani here and we were grateful for this. These dal dishes cannot be those who usually connect with such a grand surroundings. However, the luxury found in his simplicity has a calm feeling and carefully to enjoy the sour content.
Photo Credit: Loya
You can also see it in sweets like Good-ke-Man, a beautiful subtle badam kheer is made using the recipe of the chef’s own grandmother. There is no rice, vermicelli or any other texural component in the base of milk – just almonds that tease our palette. Plating is a special token – but we do not want to reveal everything before your journey. Nevertheless, we cannot help talk about another sweets presentation: Budana pearls, which came into an ornate jewelery box. It was opened to reveal a luxurious arrangement of rabri and saffron foam on a bed of sweet boondi at the top of almond slices.
The name “Loya” is derived from the word Pashtun, which has “gathering for a feast”. And thus, our food experience showed us that it is not only about the literal heat of food – it is also about the emotional heat found in sharing food together.
Address: Loya, Lobby Level of Loya, Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Apollo Monkey, Colaba, Mumbai.
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About Toshita SahniToshita is fuel by Wordplay, Vanderalst, Surprise and alliteration. When she is not considering her next food, she enjoys reading novels and walking in the city.