Gourmet Couch by ITC Maurya, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi

Restaurant Name: Gourmet Couch by ITC Maurya, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi
Phone: +911146215152, +917669990791
Address: Diplomatic Inclave, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, India
Time: 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Meals for two: Rs. 800
Cuisines: Italian, North Indian, Kebab, Mughlai, Desserts
Facilities: Delivery Only, 4/5 Star

Trust the ITC Group to give their customers the ease of enjoying the food of their two most famous Indian brands, in the privacy of their own homes, when lockdowns and social distancing are the order of the day. Here’s how they do it: the kitchen has taken stock of the most popular items of Bukhara and Dum Pukht, and have tried to include them in their home delivery menu. Those that did not withstand a car ride were simply removed from the home delivery list. That is the reason that you will not see tiger prawns from the tandoor or kakori kebabs – they simply did not meet the requirements of the hotel after several trial runs, and the stubborn refusal to compromise the good name they have garnered over decades was more valuable to them than the fear of saying an occasional ‘no’: rare to find in the hospitality industry, where shortcuts are more the rule than the exception.

Gourmet Couch by ITC Maurya, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi: Food

Do not miss the murgh tandoori (₹2250): you get a whole bird, cut into generously sized joints. How exactly ITC Maurya manages to transport it to your house is a matter for food scientists, but after a car ride of at least 45 minutes to my house, the chicken was as if we were sitting in Bukhara, enjoying it. The faint crispness of the skin, a sign that it has just come out of the tandoor, was unmistakable. That was surely a miracle of food science. Barrah kebab (₹2299) was a juicy, succulent, meaty joy to eat: like the tandoori chicken, it remained succulent through its journey across the city. Galouti kebab (₹1275) depends on its velveteen texture and its subtle spicing for its popularity. The one dish that I knew would be a 100% shot at success was shahi nihari (₹1625) and indeed it did deliver. It depends on its spicing for its success, and its slow cooking, typically overnight. We ended our meal with the iconic Dal Bukhara (₹950). Not to do so, would have been a travesty!

Plus & Minus:

This is only a personal observation, but there is little genius behind the vegetarian offerings – even after a thorough reading of the menu. Perhaps because the cuisines showcased by Dum Pukht and Bukhara are, by definition, meat-heavy.