Not sure if you’ve noticed, but the leaves have begun sporting an ochre hue, the winds are getting cooler, and the sun gentler. The shift in the season is evident, especially along some of Delhi’s most beautiful roads. The festivities are just around the corner too, with Lord Ganesh marking his arrival this weekend — could this be the beginning of the best times? I’d say yes.
Speaking of turning over a new leaf, the city’s esteemed progressive-Indian restaurant, Indian Accent, which gave Delhi and its food lovers a taste of what re-imagined Indian cuisine could be, has begun a new chapter under the skilled guidance of Chef Shantanu Mehrotra. This follows the departure of the legendary Chef Manish Mehrotra, who stepped down after being at the helm of this iconic restaurant for fifteen years.
Chef Mehrotra, who had been with the restaurant since its inception in 2009, chose to celebrate all things Indian Accent with an ode to its very first menu, when it originally opened its doors. This nod to nostalgia was perhaps the perfect way to usher in the new era of this restaurant.
“At first, people were shocked, more than surprised, when we launched. I remember some guests even remarking that our blue cheese naan was a result of cheese going off!” Chef Mehrotra chuckles, sharing this anecdote with me over a meal at the restaurant last week.
To be fair, blue cheese is an acquired taste, and considering the near total lack of exposure to the world of cheese at the time, unlike today, it could well have tasted ‘odd’ to many diners fifteen years ago! Yet, that same blue cheese naan went on to become an iconic dish, and a prototype for the new wave of modern-Indian cuisine restaurants.
As we savoured the semolina puchkas with three types of water, my husband and I discussed the food at this famed restaurant. He remarked that he had expected to see theatrics with each dish, but was surprised to see none of it, despite thoroughly enjoying his meal. I, for one, could understand why he might expect that from a restaurant famed for introducing ‘progressive Indian’ as a dining experience—a phrase that, until then, had been entirely missing from our culinary vocabulary.
Over the years, our understanding of what this should be has become so convoluted, owing to restaurants that began to serve food with dry ice theatrics, peculiar-looking platters, and what not! The focus shifted from the food to the theatrics completely over the last decade, and let’s be honest, diners did enjoy that for quite some time. But that trend has thankfully died down, and we once again have normal platters and a renewed focus on the food and the service. Today, our definition of modern Indian cuisine is what it was always meant to be familiar flavours, sustainable sourcing and cooking, reimagined interpretations, diversity and inclusivity in the dishes.
What makes a restaurant like Indian Accent thrive after all this time is the impeccable and wholesome experience it provides its diners. It is, of course, aspirational dining, but also a blueprint for the industry to follow and build upon. The flavours are familiar and celebrate the diversity of the country. From the stuffed morels served with a walnut cream sauce, which transports you to Kashmir, to the butter beetroot tikki reminiscent of the famous Bengali chop, to the coconut creme brûlée, inspired by a payasam — the food is what one would call inventive Indian.
That meal and the nostalgic menu left me feeling particularly inspired, and with Ganesh Chaturthi just around the corner, I’m considering doing some kitchen experiments myself. Having grown up in Mumbai, this time of year is especially close to my heart as we welcome Bappa into our homes, and ukadiche modaks are a must.
However, given my lack of skill in crafting those delicate little dumplings, I’m thinking of giving them an ‘inventive’ twist. No, I haven’t quite figured it out just yet, but we’ll get there. On that note, wishing you all happy festivities and leaving you with some food for thought!
(The writer’s views are personal)
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