ITP Indian Travel Places: Food, Travel, Tourism Business Events and Trade Shows
Address: 17, Lodhi Colony, New Delhi, India
Time: 12 Noon to 3:30 PM, 7 PM to 12:30 AM
Meals for two: Rs. 2,000
Cuisines: Indian
Facilities: Full Bar Available
Jamun, Lodhi Colony, New Delhi: DECOR
Jamun is a quintessentially desi fruit. One that is so under the radar that it never gets mentioned in lists of ‘prized Indian fruits’ like mangoes do. Jamun is not only the name of the restaurant in Lodi Colony Market, it seeks to include obscure preparations from around the country, so you have Assamese parval and kosha mangsho rubbing shoulders with the likes of pork vinadaloo and gucchi pulao. On the evening of my visit, I noted with surprise that the majority of tables were occupied by foreigners, for whom Jamun is clearly godsend. Then the penny dropped: the plethora of Goan dishes caters to those who have tasted Goan flavours on trips to Goa and the number of dishes without spice works in their favour too. Indeed, chillies have been introduced to north India as recently as 250 years ago, and have drowned out other, more subtle, flavours in its wake.
Jamun, Lodhi Colony, New Delhi: FOOD
The best part of Jamun is that the menu is chockfull of dishes that one would want to try on one’s next visit. The other thing is that the vegetarian section is, if anything, more interesting than the meat and seafood section.The meaty croquettes (Rs. 395) are powerful soulfood for anyone who has eaten in a Goan home. Nadru yakhni (Rs. 595) was way more authentic than I dared hope: the gravy was thick and sour, and the whole garam masalas in the stock shone through, the way they should. The star of the meal was the chicken xacuti (Rs. 645) that is exactly what you would get in a home in Goa, where roasted dry coconut and grated fresh coconut would be used together. The Assamese parval (Rs. 395) was a mild gravy, where the nutty gravy was created with poppy seeds ground to a paste. For the die-hards, there is tandoori chicken, butter chicken, Pindi chholey with aloo naan and paneer makhni.
Jamun, Lodhi Colony, New Delhi: PLUS AND MINUS
The ‘masala’ Charlie that is brought to every table is so irresistible with relishes, chutneys and papads, that it is a task not to make a meal of it! The tandoori Andaman rock lobster (Rs. 1445) had a gentle hint of spices but far, far too much lime to be pleasant.
