Vivanta by Taj, Whitefield, Bangalore acquires a new dimension at night. The dimension of light as the fluid glass shell of the hotel glows, tall lamps come to life and the lung spaces connecting various areas twinkle.Terracotta, the signature Indian restaurant of the hotel has the most ambient lighting of all the spaces with just an amber, rosy afterglow emanating from the metallic lamps. The wood and stone decor accents are refined, with a show kitchen acting as a show stopper.
**
**
To call Terracotta, an Indian restaurant however would be doing it injustice as it plays around with an explosion of flavours from the North-West Frontier, the secrets of regional home kitchens, the Khaansama traditions that once took into consideration, all the five senses of the diners while preparing a dish and the subliminal pleasures of food that sate not just the appetite but the spirit. This is tradition yes, but reworked, fine-tuned, researched and enhanced to woo adventurous palates.
The starters for instance are a mix of tried and tasted favourites and new flavours. For the non-vegetarians, there is the classic Galouti Kebab but then you also have the Tandoori Salmon Tikka matured in spiced mustard oil and carom seeds and also Chicken Morsels, char grilled and flavoured with cardamom.
For the vegetarians, even something as predictable as stuffed mushrooms has the element of surprise as along with bell peppers and dry fruits, cheddar pops up to pep up the proceedings.
**
**
And how about some Tandoori Apricots, marinated with hung yogurt and spiced up in mustard oil? And a traditional fruit kebab in a deconstructed form, with fruit, a dollop of yogurt and a caramel shard to finish it?
The latest thrill at Terracotta is that some recipes are being cooked in actual terracotta sheaths which I saw many diners preparing with their own hands just before the tandoor took over.
For the not so adventurous, there was the eternally alluring Dal Makhni, simmered in a tandoor overnight and were we not talking about surprises? So how about a Palak Rosogolla? Sounds..unappetising. But creamy palak goes unpredictably well with gently sweetened rosogolla. There is a Biryani and Roti basket, an assortment of meats and gravies and for dessert, how about some Garlic Kheer and Baklava, with ahem..chironji? Yes, we said so. They do tradition differently here.
**
Chef Arzooman Irani, the man at the helm is always the enthusiastic host, ready to feed curiosity and guests and happy to answer questions. ” We are trying to revive forgotten flavours and at the same time, we are evolving with our guests,” he says, adding that if they are informed in advance, they can even stir up some gluten free food. When a buffet is laid out, every dish is labelled meticulously so that guests allergic to specific ingredients know what they are eating. He has dabbled with every kind of food, worked in India and abroad and he has figured that ethnicity must retain its core and also that spices and cooking techniques and ingredients are possibilities that can create new dimensions and combinations. And that classics can be reinvented if treated with respect and a certain amount of playfulness.
At Terracotta : Lunch hours are: 12:00 pm – 2:45 pm,
Dinner hours are: 7:00 pm – 11:15 pm
To book..call: 91 80 6693 3333