The Taj Gateway resort, Damdama recently celebrated its first anniversary and on their menu was a Chef’s Table designed exclusively by Executive Chef Sumalya Sarkar. It sounded very enticing so I decided to check it out. Reached there after a very pleasant half an hour drive (roads being surprisingly smooth) and was welcomed by the beautifully manicured lily patches and very creative sculptures designed out of junk metal.

The food journey started with a super chilled glass of beautifully flavoured butter milk and moved on to a hot cuppa chai in a ‘kulhad’!!! Ah to smell the lovely petrichor…. Reminded me of my days as a kid traveling by train to my hometown for Diwali.

             Kulhad wali chai                                    Buttermilk

This was followed by a grand tour of the 20+ acres of well-maintained property that included cottages, a luxurious pool, a spa, a tiny golf course, a superb adventure and sports zone, a kids play area and a multitude of flora.

            Adventure Sports zone                                    The Pool

As per the management, while designing the property it has consciously been seen to that no trees were cut.

Having worked up a huge appetite after all this roaming around, I approached the Chef’s Table with heightened anticipation. The first item on the menu was the ‘Amuse Bouche’ which was a mini platter of 3 bite sized appetisers. The first was a ‘Golgappa stuffed with sweet chutney and sev’ – I’ve had much better of these babies. The centre piece was a ‘Baked, cheesy, flower-shaped canapé with a dressed lettuce filling’ – this was totally yum!  And the third item was a canapé filled with a creamy carrot based filling’ – it was a bit sweet and mild after the cracker in the centre.

                                  Amuse Bouche

The ‘Crunchy Broccoli and Shitake Dim Sum’ (Rs.395) served with dipping sauce 3-ways, stood true to its name and gave an awesome crunch. The all vegetarian ‘Sushi Platter’ (Rs.395) was an ok affair. The one stuffed with pickled radish was my personal favourite and the accompanying wasabi mayonnaise did give it an interesting flavour.

         Broccoli & Shitake Dim Sum                         Sushi Platter

In the ‘Kebab Platter’ (Rs.395) the galauti kebab stole my heart or should I say my taste buds! The balance two managed to stand on their feet but not exceptional.

                                     Kebab Platter

This was followed by an ‘Afghani Anaar and Chili Shot’ (Rs.200) that served as a palate cleanser and boy did it do a good job leaving the taste buds squeaky clean!  The ‘Wild Mushroom Cappuccino’ (Rs.325) had wonderfully balanced flavours and disappeared without a trace although given my way, I would have changed the name to Wild Mushroom “Espresso” and had it piping hot and relished it better.

        Anaar and Chili Shot                      Wild Mushroom Cappuccino

The main course began with the ‘Murgh Awadhi Korma with Zafrani Naan’ (Rs.725). The Naan was soft and the Korma subtly flavoured. The chicken was moist and juicy and the accompanying pickle added a different dimension to the taste.

                Murgh Awadhi Korma with Zafrani Naan

By this time I was desperately looking forward to tasting the ‘Kosha Mansho with Luchi’ but it was not to be. The next dish plated up was the ‘Baked Gobhi Mutter with Tandoori Focaccia’ (Rs.525). The Focaccia that arrived in an assorted bread platter was super soft and melted in the mouth. The Baked Gobhi Mutter was decent.

           Baked Gobhi Mutter                        Assorted Breads

Next arrived the most awaited item on the menu, the ‘Kosha Mansho with Luchi’ (Rs.725) but alas, I was to be sorely disappointed. The Luchi was a saving grace being very soft and all but the Kosha mangsho was under-done and literally had to tear into it hard to get it off the bone. The flavours were right but I prefer my meat to be better done.

           Kosha Mansho with Luchi

“Dum Biriyani with Burhani raita’ (Rs.550) was aromatic and well flavoured with the chicken cooked just right. The Burhani raita was very nice and made a superb companion for the biriyani.

                     Dum Biriyani with Burhani raita

To round it all off nicely came the desserts. An ‘Orange and Ginger Creme Brulee’ (Rs.350), which had both the flavors in abundance but which needed a bit more brulee’-ing. The ‘Chili Chocolate Mousse’ (Rs.395) too had the correct flavours but was too dense really. The pièce de résistance was the ‘Blueberry Kheer’ (Rs.350) which was a simple yet lovely fusion of East meets West in a dish.

                                 Desserts Platter

An overall great experience that would have been more enjoyable if the service moved a tad bit quicker.

Ratings (Out of 5)                                                          

Food: 3.5 | Ambience: 4.5 | Service: 3.5 | Value: 3.5 | Overall: 3.5

Meal for two: Rs.3500-4000 | Alcohol: Yes | Credit Card: Yes | Wheel chair friendly: Yes

Address: Off Gurgaon-Sohna Road, Haryana 122102

Disclaimer: 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.