Dine Like A Royal With Some Soul-Stirring Food At The Oudh

While most of us are working from home, our days usually just go while completing morning chores and then starting with our office work. In this hectic life, we all deserve a break and should treat ourselves to a luxurious experience once in a while. Of course, you could stay at home and relax, or maybe take a staycation, but if you want to indulge in some soul-stirring food and experience fine dining, let us tell you, The Oudh in The Ashok Hotel is just the restaurant you need to visit! The Oudh is an amazing restaurant serving Awadhi cuisine and will give you a royal experience like none other. Recently, we visited the place, and now we are short on words to describe our experience!

The beautiful ambience catches your attention as you step inside the restaurant. The stunning marble work, an intricate red carpet and marble pillars elegantly capture the essence of Awadh. But that’s not only it; even reading the name of the dishes on the menu will make you feel like royalty!

Upon speaking with Executive Chef Arvind Rai and Head Chef Sanjay, they told us that they and their team carefully designed the menu. They said they wanted people to come to the restaurant and feel no less than royalty. While they were planning the menu, they made sure to keep the essential meals so that they could bring the authenticity of Awadhi cuisine to Delhi. Chef Arvind Rai also added, “We do have a fixed menu, but in every four years, we revise and add certain new dishes that will entice people.” He also said that before the new dishes are finalised, both the chefs and the staff test the meals to ensure that they are a perfect fit for the restaurant.

As Chef Arvind and Chef Sanjay told us more about their experiences at the hotel, we began our meal with a refreshing drink. This drink which was a mix of jeera, herbs and an aerated drink, gave us a punch of freshness.

The chefs had curated a special vegetarian course. For the starters, first, we had a Tohfa-e-Noor, which was a delicate preparation of a thinly sliced paneer stuffed with a mouth-watering filling and topped with saffron. This paneer starter is unlike any other recipe you have ever had. You would be surprised just by looking at how light the starter is. Next, we had a delicious haryali kebab and a perfectly charred vegetarian galavat. The galavat was served with a small warqi paratha. It had the perfect crunch from the outside and a mushy texture from the inside, melting in our mouths in every bite!

Next, when it was time for the main course, we were presented with a bunch of soul-satisfying dishes. First up, we had Khiley Phool, a mix of cauliflowers, capsicum and stir-fried onions. This dish may not sound exciting, but trust us, the simple taste of this dish will surely blow your mind. Then, we had Paneer Hazrat Mahal– this paneer item was stuffed with a delicious and fulfilling mixture and was topped with smooth gravy of tomatoes and cream. Lastly, we had Dahi Ke Koftey. Again, this dish might sound like a simple preparation, but it offers you so much more than that. These melt in mouth koftas were smeared in saffron flavoured yoghurt gravy and had a delicate taste. All these main course items were served with sides of different naans and a unique kathal biryani!

Lastly, when it was time for desserts, these sweet treats left us speechless! The richness and decadency of pan kulfi and Muzaffar (Awadhi style vermicelli with nuts) will make you crave more for its taste. Plus, a side of rabri with Muzaffar felt simply divine.

If you are a non-vegetarian, then as per chefs’ recommendations, you can try out their Mahi-e-Gulfam (marinated fish cooked over charcoal,) Nihari Ghosht, Murgh Siddam Phukt (boneless chicken cooked in chef’s signature style) and murgh biryani!

Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed the luxurious fine dining experience and a wholesome meal at The Oudh!

Where: The Oudh

Address: The Ashok, Diplomatic Enclave, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, 110021

Cost for two: INR 4,000