Riwaz – The Ritz-Carlton, Ashok Nagar, Bangalore

Restaurant Name: Riwaz – The Ritz-Carlton
Phone: +918049148255, +919741035124, +918049148441
Address: 99, Residency Rd, Shanthala Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Bangalore, Karnataka 560025 India
Time: 12:00 Noon – 3:00 PM, 7:00PM – 11:30 PM
Meals for two: Rs. 5,000
Cuisines: North Indian, Desserts, Mughlai
Facilities: Full Bar Available, Valet Parking Available, Romantic Dining, Wifi, Family Friendly, Desserts and Bakes, Indoor Seating, Table booking recommended, Luxury Dining, 4/5 Star

Riwaz – The Ritz-Carlton, Ashok Nagar, Bangalore: About

I was returning to Riwaz at the downtown Ritz Carlton after many months. The restaurant has seen several changes of master chef and team. The space has remained the same. It’s understated, with a muted colour palette and a starched linen formality to it. Chefs work at a kitchen that overlooks the dining room. My meal began with a selection of kebabs. There was a Murgh Malai Tikka, the de rigueur – at fivestar Indian restaurants – Galouti Kebab on a small roti and Malai Broccoli. The chicken was delicately flavoured and the broccoli retained its green crunch while being slathered with cream and, I suspect, some cheese, too. The galouti kebab was unexceptional.

For main course I had Nalli Nihari, which had two large shanks adorned with warq and Dal Riwaz with Pudina Paratha. The nihari was thickened with a paste of cashew and almonds and was much more unctuous than the flavourful gravy you might taste on the streets of Lucknow or Old Delhi. The dal makhni was super rich with its finish of cream as well. I’m aware I am in a minority here when I seek a lighter version of Indian curries in which the flavour of the core ingredients shines through, rather than being cloaked in cream or nut pastes. I’ve brought this up with chefs, especially in the five-star eateries, to be told that guests want their dishes ‘rich’. The Rasmalai I ended my meal with was quite pleasing.

Every page of the Riwaz menu includes symbols providing information about the dishes: healthy, organic,
contains milk, contains tree nuts, vegan, cereals containing gluten and so on. It’s a recent thing and certainly useful while catering to the many dietary choices that customers now exercise.
Even when catering to these varied preferences, Indian restaurants in five-star hotels have stuck to a formula when it comes to the food itself. It doesn’t do adequate justice to the delicious diversity that is Indian food. There is a sameness to the food even when these restaurants claim different provenances for their cuisine – North West Frontier, Peshawari, Royal cuisines of India etc. I’d like to see Indian repertoires that go beyond dal makhni – by various names – ajwaini jhinga and vegetarian options that showcase ingredients other than paneer, mushroom and broccoli.