Where innovation complements the traditional
Ambience ★★★★
Service ★★★★
Presentation ★★★★
Taste ★★★★
Celebrity chef Jiggs Kalra is presumably most confident when it comes to whipping up delicacy after gastronomic delicacy from his native Punjab. At Punjab Grill, the restaurant he owns at the Palladium Mall in Mumbai, the level of comfort reigns supreme as traditional Punjabi fare is effortlessly tweaked to appeal to a wider clientele. One example (and a highly recommended one, too) is the chicken and litchi salad, where the sweet fruit slice combined with the cold and tangy chicken produces just the perfect taste when rolled together on the tongue. The soft and succulent chicken kebabs in a garlic-based sauce also make for excellent starters. For the main course, a good idea would be to switch back to the good old Murgh makhani - butter chicken which can double up as an Indian version of Sweet and Sour Chicken thanks to the synergistic coexistence of cashewnuts and tomatoes in the gravy. Accompanied by a naan baked fresh in the oven, it can take you rather close to perfection inside your mouth. Where Punjab Grill fails to live up to its reputation is in the dessert department, with rather bland phirni (advertised on the menu as a rice souffle capable of making the best French patissiers blush!) and malai pudding; and completely tasteless chocolate gulab jamun - a rare case of an experiment gone wrong here with the essential flavour of the gulab jamun itself being hijacked by the not-so-exotic chocolate. The finale, however, is a triumph for Punjab Grill, in the form of the complimentary paan (betel juice) shot that is offered in lieu of after-mint. The food apart, Punjab Grill also scores high on table service, although there are clear areas of improvement especially with respect to the time being taken to serve some dishes (which literal gap you are given the complimentary papad to fill). The noiseless, soothing cascade down the front window just adds to the overall experience. Little wonder then that despite being situated right between Rajdhani (the undisputed master of Rajasthani fare) and Asia Seven (arguably the best oriental restaurant in the city), Punjab Grill is where you need a prior reservation on any given evening to be able to get a seat in the first place!
Ambience ★★★★
Service ★★★★
Presentation ★★★★
Taste ★★★★
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