Between sips by Magandeep Singh: Food for thought

In the last decade, we have done well to preserve and revive Indian cuisines— from resurrecting lost recipes to presenting it all in extremely innovative formats. The era of Indian restaurants looking like cheap replicas of a fort, or worse encore, a shabby Taj Mahal, is long behind us. The top outlets for Indian fare today look as contemporary as any chic French or Italian fine dining establishment. Not just the structure, everything else—from crockery to cutlery, upholstery to appointments—stand considerably and contemporarily revised. But what about the music? Alas, it still remains stuck somewhere between instrumental versions of nostalgic songs from the 70s and 80s to a solitary riff on a flute and/or sitar with tabla to accompany. If we feast with all our senses, then surely the aural has been vastly neglected.

Which is why I was very curious to attend the launch of a music album by Loya, Taj group of hotels’ latest Indian outpost. The team has gone ahead and released an entire series of numbers which contribute to an already exclusive culinary product, enhancing one’s dining experience. The musical genius behind this collab is none other than singer (and composer) Shreyas Patkar (of Boond se fame). The album has a mystical vibe to it, enchanting and lilting, catchy and nostalgic yet novel, uplifting at times and sustaining in other moments. It plays on regional sounds, uses a mix of myriad Indian instruments and musical styles (I want to say ‘gharanas’ but I am not aptly musically educated to use that word with such nonchalance), all of which makes for music that is recognisably Indian and fairly classic yet fitting-in with their dining format. I have always felt that music changes the way I eat and drink so what I hear as I walk into the restaurant always significantly affects my spirits and, by consequence, my food order. Nobody orders a round of drinks to a song about dead sons of the soil, to cite a dark example. So, kudos to Taj and the musical maestro on this very intelligent and beautiful collective artistic effort at taking the modern Indian cuisine conversation to a whole new plane.

Loya may be an indulgence but at least I can afford it. Which makes a good segue into another ponder for this fortnight. What is the worth of a meal? The capital was recently privy to some superbly exclusive meals by the world’s top chefs, and I didn’t join simply because the price tag didn’t sit right with me. I have experienced both chefs in their respective countries, and it had cost me significantly less there. And there were many other reasons that kept me from dishing out the equivalent of a middle-management monthly salary to experience them here.

Meet Yashovardhan Birla, a scion of the Birla family, a 51-year-old fitness icon and entrepreneur: Know about his tragic past, education, net worth and more

Aditya Birla Group company buys Rs 220 crore bungalow in Mumbai; From Gulita to Lincoln House – Take a look at the most expensive houses in the city

ED searches Byju Raveendran’s house, office; Here’s a look at his Rs 25,000 crore net worth, lifestyle, family, salary & more

Meet Akash Ambani, the eldest son of Mukesh Ambani who’s spearheading the growth of Reliance Jio: Know about his education, net worth, and more

First was the doubt that many such acts, when displaced from their mothership kitchen, fail to execute as flawlessly. It has happened too often for me to not be wary of this possibility. Maybe it didn’t happen here, I’ll never know but I’d rather take my chances with the chef on his home base than when on a flying visit.

Also read: Meet Sanjiv Kapoor, former Jet Airways CEO; Know about his life, career, net worth, and more

Secondly, maybe the price tag feels cheaper in Euros. I have dined at some of the most prestigious of Michelin 3-star eateries where just our wine bill was enough to cause cardiac unease but here, I wouldn’t drop the same in rupees so easily. Nobody’s fault, that’s just me.

Lastly, we just don’t have the wine repertoire to match such meals and experiences, or at least not at prices which would make them not seem ridiculous. Excise, customs, and hotel margins are mostly to blame.

So, all in all, I feel that when the price commanded is subjectively superlative, I rarely walk away satisfied. Maybe if I had the dispensable dosh, I would have partaken and enjoyed it and wouldn’t be here sounding plaintive.

But I am not complaining, instead this is what I do. I look for other meal experiences which I can afford and wouldn’t mind shelling out for. The pop-up at The Lodhi by Siena café from Kolkata which showcased Bengali food like I had never thought imaginable was a recent highlight in my culinary repertoire. Chef Auroni can speak about food endlessly and he is so engrossing that one doesn’t mind listening. That fabulous evening cost maybe all of Rs 4,000 or so. A few months earlier, coincidentally at the same hotel, Chef Avinash Martins had regaled us with his brand of Goan fare and here again, the price was in the same ballpark. Both meals left me positively moved and I can safely say they would rank as some of the best food I have ever eaten. Would that same food be worth it at, say, five times the price? Maybe for some, but definitely not for me.

Also read: Kumar Mangalam Birla: The inspiring journey of one of India’s most prominent businessmen; Know about his life, net worth & more

For me, for a meal to be truly relished, I shouldn’t have to calculate opportunity costs before booking it. Maybe if I had the moolah to spare, I, too, would jump on every opportunity to be fed by the finest right at home. But for the moment, my limited means make me more of an explorer, uncharted jaunts to find new haunts of gobsmacking local fare locally and saving up and waiting patiently to try the lords of the trade in their coveted restaurants around the world when I travel.

The writer is a sommelier