Tastes of a long gone era
The term “Nawaab” has always been synonymous with wealth, power and luxury. A “Nawaab” was originally an honourific title given to a state ruler by the reigning Mughal Emperor. The title did, however, still continue to exist even after the fall of the Mughal Empire. In British India, land was awarded to Indians under British service and the landholders were called Nawaabs, similar to the British peerage system.
After India's independence in 1947, royal families integrated with India, and later they merged their states, losing a lot of ruling rights in the process. Under the 26th Constitutional Amendment of 1971, the regular payments awarded to Nawaabs were abolished, which was a symbolic time because it marked the end of the Nawaabi era. Ruling Nawaabs during this time were declared the “last Nawaab” of their respective princely states.
While the ruling rights and responsibilities of Nawaabs are long gone, their legacy is far from diminished. The luxurious garments, the lavish parties, the beautiful women entertaining in music rooms, the breathtaking architecture: we remember them in pride and awe, the true fairy tales of South Asia. And out of all their legacies, we most often celebrate Mughlai food.
Nawaab's, situated in Banani Road 13/A, strives to take patrons on a journey back to Mughal times with its Mughlai and Awadhi cuisine. The owners were inspired by the tastes of Old India on a trip to Kolkata, where they visited a Mughlai cuisine restaurant. The restaurant has an impressive line-up of four chefs from India: a head chef, a biryani chef, a roti-paratha expert, and a chef specialising in gravy-based dishes. The Head Chef is from Karim's, a signature restaurant of Old Delhi which has been serving Mughlai food to Indians for generations.
“Mughlai and Awadhi cuisines boast rich, heavy dishes with lots of spices, because that's what the Mughal royalty preferred eating,” says Faisal Asghar, Managing Director of Nawaab's. Nawaab's is proud to serve authentic Mughlai cuisine in its original form, as the owners feel there are some restaurants who have different recipes and do not serve authentic Indian food. The intricate spice mixtures are brought in from the specialised areas of India, in order to maintain that standard.
Dishes include kebabs such as the Kakori Kebab, Tundey Kebab, Chapli Kebab and Lahori Kebab, to name a few. Don't be fooled into thinking all these kebabs taste similar: each of these kebabs has their own unique taste. Among their gravy dishes, the standouts are the beef bhuna and the butter chicken; if you think you are tired of these two so-called “common” dishes, you are yet to try Nawaab's versions. The butter chicken is refreshingly light in its creaminess, and the beef bhuna has a distinct medley of flavours.
Another specialty of Nawaab's is their Hyderabadi biryani. “Real Hyderabadi Biryani is actually extremely spicy, not the sweetened biryani we get in some places,” opines Mr. Asghar. The spice factor of the Hyderabadi Biryani at Nawaab's has been toned down so that everyone can eat it, but if you are a spice lover, Nawaab's urges you to ask the waiters to serve you the authentic Hyderabadi biryani spicy recipe.
One of our favourite parts of the dining experience at Nawaab's was their selection of breads, which contain light and crispy naans with garlic, potatoes, or cheese. In addition, there are interesting parathas such as the Warqi Paratha and the Laccha Paratha.
In order to cater to all kinds of tastes and budgets, Nawaab's has some set menus as well as options of kebab rolls that are both delicious and affordable. Set menus range from Tk 200 to Tk 395, and you can purchase kebab rolls within Tk 200. Main dishes vary from Tk 300 to Tk 1000, depending on the portion of meat and style of cooking. If you come in a group and want to try out new flavours, you can opt for the Veg, Non-Veg or Mixed Platter, ranging from Tk 675 to Tk 1295.
Nawaab's has opened in August this year, and is looking forward to serving food lovers with quality food and service. Catering services are also available. To taste cuisine which is truly “fit for a king”, visit Nawaab's at House 94, Road 13/A, Banani Block-D, Dhaka. Phone: 01976292227, 01616292227. Like them on Facebook: facebook.com/ nawaabsbd.
Comments