LAVANA, HYATT REGENCY GURGAON

Lavana at The Hyatt Regency Gurgaon serves an exciting line-up of slow-cooked delicacies that reveal the rich culinary heritage of the royal kitchens of Awadh. As my friends and I were seated at a table Chef Pushkar greeted us and inquired about our gastronomic preferences and then thoughtfully recommended that we begin dinner with a kebab platter stuffed with a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian kebabs since one of my friends was vegetarian.

So while the two of us were lured by "Shahi Galauti Kebab" and "Murgh Tikka Mirza Hansoo" my other friend went for "Dhungara Paneer Tikka" and mentioned it had a flavor that was delightful. We too relished each bite of the slow-cooked minced mutton kebab seasoned with the finest spices and the flavorful murgh tikka that had been painstakingly marinated for hours. Bliss!! I had no idea this platter was going to be such a defining appetizer — the kebabs were rich and aromatic and easily the best I've had in some time! As we sat back and enjoyed a drink while waiting for the entrées I observed the staff as they worked the dining area checking on tables and re-filling beverages. They were sincerely taking care of guests.

For entrées we had "Lagan Ka Murgh" i.e. creamy chicken curry flavored with aromatic spices which we scooped with a side of buttered naan. Tender and juicy. If you like Awadhi cuisine you'll find this delightful! It's way more flavorful than the ones I have sampled across Lucknow. Polishing off the curry with gusto, the "Gosht Biriyani" we were served was the last thing we thought we could eat (we did save room for dessert!!). The gosht sandwiched between layers of fragrant long-grained rice and cooked over coals was magnificent, making it a crowning achievement. To cap off the dining episode, we were served sinfully delightful "Shahi Tukda" and "Rabri Lachhedar". We didn't have it! Rather it HAD us totally captivated and under its glorious spell!

Kudos to Chef Pushkar for his gastronomic expertise and for sharing his culinary passion and talent and to Mahesh and Nitesh for the pleasures of a fine table. I highly recommending dropping in at Lavana with friends and family for the most sumptuous Awadhi cuisine in a modern opulent ambience. Bon Appétit!

— JASMEEN DUGAL