They say that if you want to really know the flavour of a restaurant, try out its buffet. The Telegraph very rightly did the same at Shamiana, the all-day dine den at Taj City Centre New Town that has a meticulously planned buffet spread for weekend brunch. “Instead of going for an extensive spread that markets itself on sheer number of items on display, we have gone for a crisp, functional and effective spread that captures the best bits of all courses and spans across a variety of cuisines. Interactive and sustainable dining is at the core of our food philosophy and hence a lot of our live-station dishes are also plated to perfection, giving the diner an elevated experience. We use in-house herbs for most of our dishes and we have tried our best to keep the menu tasty, while also factoring in the health factor,” said Subrata Debnath, executive chef, Taj City Centre New Town.
The Telegraph gets you more on the menu and the restaurant’s food philosophy.
What: Buffet Brunch
Where: Shamiana, Taj City Centre New Town
Timings: Weekend brunch- 12 30pm to 3 30pm
Pocket Pinch: Rs 1,800-plus per person; Rs 2,400-plus per person with alcohol
Shamiana, the restaurant at Taj City Centre New Town, is inspired by the Shamiana at Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai. The menu boasts of international grills, dishes from around the world, comforting mains, craft burgers, Indian signatures, authentic Bengali food and chef’s signature desserts. The menu at the hotel also has a ‘nostalgia’ section that has dishes from the Mumbai outlet menu such as Jardaloo Salli Boti, Ragda Pattice, Chicken Tikka Sandwich among others.
Shamiana also promises a sustainable dining experience with ethically sourced ingredients procured from local farmers. The restaurant has a focus on local and seasonal produce. The 124-seating space has a sunlit atrium with real foliage and glass walls on one side as well that provides an open, spacious and fresh vibe to the space.
The Telegraph spoke to chef Subrata Debnath (in picture), who has joined as executive chef at Taj City Centre New Town, on his food philosophy and what we can expect to see from his kitchen in the future.
What’s been your most gratifying experience as a chef?
Two aspects to judge. First is to serve and exceed guest expectations as a chef. Second, being an industry leader it makes me happy when I see my junior chefs learning and taking the best out of me.
Taj CCNT will focus a lot on weddings. What’s your take on banquet food?
We at Taj CCNT focus on ‘timeless weddings’ to make it memorable, with royal traditions and celebrations. We excel in themed buffet set-up, and create the world-on-your-plate concept with a la carte-style presentation. Our emphasis is on local farming, fresh and organic, healthy options, local produce, more interactive action stations and to create a grander dessert buffet.
What’s your favourite cuisine to create and why?
I always look out for a new venture to offer variety to my guests. I love to add value by emphasizing on lost recipes, nostalgic dishes, colonial touch and new F&B trends. But my favourite cuisines are Asian and Italian, which are more refreshing, appetising, served hot from pan to plate and retain nutritive value.
An ingredient that you can’t do without.
I love black peppercorn. It is called the king of spices and is also known as black gold in the culinary space.
How would you describe your food philosophy?
Indulge in a distinctive dining experience with ethically sourced ingredients from local farmers who directly or indirectly contribute towards the well-being of the society. We encourage our guests every day to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle by eating local.
Any current food trend that really inspires you?
Some of the new inspiring food trends are immunity-boosting snacks, plant-based sandwiches, zero-waste cooking, local produce and alternative sweeteners.
Please tell us a little about your signature dish, and why is it such an important dish for you?
My signature dish is Blackend Salmon, Wilted Bok Choy, Mascarpone Beet Risotto. Salmon is one of the most nutritious food in the planet with rich source of protein, vitamins and potassium and reduces certain risk factors of diseases.
BUFFET HIGHLIGHTS
The buffet is designed around the concept of interactive dining, and doing justice to this is the arrangement of the spread. This includes offbeat live stations such as this sushi bar that also doubles up as a hot spot for fresh tempura. There’s also an appam and stew station where you can relish some freshly made appams right off the pan. Jhaal muri served in folded magazine pages, and dahi vada were also hits.
The buffet is an eclectic mix of cuisines and dishes. Done artistically and organised for a hassle-free food pick-up option, there are various sections ranging from a salad bar that’s in tune with the hotel’s vision of focussing on health, along with global, Japanese, Chinese, Turkish, Bengali and fusion Indian cuisine as well.
The buffet at Shamiana is a depiction of the multitude of skills of the chefs at the hotel. From Awadhi to Deccan-style, Bengali, North Indian, Chettinad and more. The Indian main course station is a true foodie’s delight. We loved digging in to the Mutton Dak Bungalow (top) and Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani.
A LA CARTE PICKS
Blackened Salmon: A satiating meal, this one packs in the goodness of juicy pink salmon with garlic butter asparagus, sweet potato fries and some lemon dill sauce. Be it lunch or dinner, this is a simple yet flavourful option to choose from. Rs 1,250-plus
New York Berry Cheesecake: The ultimate blueberry cheesecake is here. We totally loved the vanilla Chantilly cream and fresh berry compote. The best part was the Oreo cookie base that was a departure from the usual biscuit base. Rs 425-plus
Sharing cocktails is a big part of the bar at Shamiana and we’d totally recommend giving it a go. Pictured here is the Mai Tai Punch that has the fruity punch of orange, mango and pineapple juice along with white and dark rum. It is an ideal tropical sip. That apart, the bar serves a variety of other cocktails, mocktails and liqour as well for you to pair your food with.
Pictures: Koushik Mukherjee