Independence Day at Taj Palace, Delhi: A bite of history!
Restaurant: Capital Kitchen
Reviewer: Aalok Wadhwa | 13th August 2017 | Reviewer Rating (Out of 5) 3.75

It was the day before our independence. As night fell on 14 August 1947, at The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, guests were treated to a celebratory (albeit rationed as per government regulations at the time) menu of three courses.

                                           1947 Menu

To mark the milestone 70 years of independent India, Taj’s kitchen has recreated the menu from the independence night celebrations of 14th August 1947. The menu served at Capital Kitchen, priced at a special price of Rs 1947 plus taxes, showcases an authentic take on the food served 70 years ago. 

Since the menu in 1947 was rather short on vegetarian courses, all but one vegetarian course have been created fresh by the chefs, keeping in mind the overall theme and tastes of the evening 70 years ago. 

As I start tasting the multi-course menu, a few things became clear – one, Lord Mountbatten was not a foodie and two, we eat much better now as compared to 70 years ago. Strangely, the menu on 14 August 1947 was in French and the food was also French inspired with some Indian touches.

The first dish on the table was Potage (soup). Consommé a l'indienne was described as cardamom infused spring chicken consommé. It was weak and forgettable. For entrée I was served Delices a l’Hindustan, or, Paneer tikkas with dabs of tamarind and mint chutneys. The tikkas were bland and lacked any taste. The quality of paneer though was good. 

 

              Chicken Consomme                                      Paneer Tikka

For Plat principal (mains in French), there were four options, and I tasted all of them. Paupiette de Saumon Joinville or Salmon Roulade, soft creamy mash, wilted spinach, turned vegetables and Joinville sauce (a seafood based white sauce) was promising and would have been tasty if the fish had not been overcooked. Poularde Souffle independence was a simple three egg omelet with chicken bits and well, it was an omelet.

 

                Salmon Roulade                                        Chicken Omelet

Feuille de curry tempéré légume Rösti, Sauce au curry (curry leaf tempered vegetable Roesti, curried sauce) had a mushy rösti with the essential crisp exterior missing. The only dish that I found interesting was Crêpes Aux épinards à l'ail, sauce au tomates (garlic flavored spinach crepes, makhni gravy) but then it was not served in 1947. 

 

                          Rosti                                                 Spinach Crepes

I ended on a sweet note. The dessert was Vacherin de Peches Liberation (poached peaches, cinnamon ice cream, crème anglaise), and I loved the ice cream. Friandises (meaning something dainty) and coffee followed. I loved the whiskey filled chocolate balls with a fancy French name. 

 

             Vacherin de Peches Liberation                           Friandises


Though the food was forgettable, I did feel happy participating in this experience. If this is what the Raj timer Britishers had been eating, we certainly should be thankful that they left!

Please note: This review was done on an invitation from the restaurant to taste their food, and no bill was presented to the author. While the author assures you of objectivity, the review may be influenced by the personalized attention the author got.

 

Ratings (Out of 5) 
Food: 3.0 | Ambience: 4.0 | Service: 4.0 | Value: 4.0 | Overall: 3.75
Meal for two: Rs.3900 | Alcohol: Yes | Credit Card: Yes | Wheel chair friendly: Yes
Address: Taj Palace Hotel, Diplomatic Enclave, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. Tel: 011 33105320

 

About the Author
Aalok Wadhwa Aalok Wadhwa
Restaurant Information
Capital Kitchen Capital Kitchen
Taj Palace Hotel, Diplomatic Enclave, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi.
Telephone: 011 33105320 view on a map
Opening Hours: 24 hrs
Average Price: Rs. 4000 - 4500