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Tag: Harrods

Food Review

Hot Chocolate

Do those words make you go weak in the knees as they do to me? I have no ...

Prachi

February 11, 2013

10

About Me

delishdirection

Recently had the opportunity to stay at The Taj Ma

Recently had the opportunity to stay at The Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai and got a glimpse of why — more than 120 years after its founding — it's still one of the best hotels in the city. The last time, we stayed in the Heritage Wing but this time around we were in the Tower. Our 17th-floor suite came with an expansive living room, a huge bedroom with king bed, and a marble-finished bathroom with a bathtub, not to mention sweeping views of Gateway of India and the Arabian Sea!

The @tajmahalmumbai offers a tour of the hotel to guests in the Heritage Wing, which they kindly extended to us. Our guide Hamid (who was a chef at the hotel in the 80s and has now returned as a guide) was full of stories about the hotel's history, its architecture, its famous guests, and more. Did you know that the Joy Shoes shop in the hotel was designed by MF Husain? His signature horse motif can be seen at the entrance balustrade! (pic 9)

After the heritage walk, we had high tea at Sea Lounge, which I highly recommend. The main lounge was fully occupied so we were seated in the adjoining Palm Lounge, which was quieter but still had a great view of the Gateway. Before dinner, we popped over to Harbour Bar (independent India's very first licensed bar!) to try their signature drink From the Harbour, which was created in 1933 to mark the end of Prohibition in the US. It's a tad sweet for my taste but I enjoyed the whole flambé spectacle around it.

Dinner was at the recently opened Loya, which celebrates the diverse flavours of the Northern Subcontinent with a revival of traditional recipes. Each dish spotlights the theatre of Indian cooking, from the drama of smoke, to the richness of slow cooking, to the energetic pounding of spices by hand – with many dishes being finished tableside. The food menu is ably complemented by the bar, which serves signature cocktails featuring Indian ingredients. Absolutely loved my experience and would recommend a meal at Loya.

#hosted #Mumbai

(where to stay in Mumbai, luxury hotels in Mumbai, new restaurants in Mumbai, fine dining in Mumbai, Taj Hotels)

I visited Amritsar over the weekend to preview a s

I visited Amritsar over the weekend to preview a soon-to-open restaurant. While I was there, I also checked out The Bagh - and fell in love instantly!

Spread over a 1.5-acre lush garden, this gorgeous restaurant is a labour of love for sibling entrepreneurs Shreya and Shorya Nayyar (and their parents). The Bagh has plenty of al fresco seating and four private dining rooms housed in chalet or log cabin style settings. The overall design is classy with a homey vibe — rustic furnishing, nature motif upholstery, wrought-iron chandeliers, and a profusion of greenery and water bodies.

Food is a mix of modern Indian and global flavours, including pan-Asian, and Italian — and is uniformly fantastic. I would particularly recommend the beetroot and goat cheese salad, dim sums, nasi goreng, chicken katsu curry, dal makhni (one of the best I've tasted), and the melt-in-the-mouth raan (which is slow roasted for 16 hours in a custom-built six-and-a-half-foot deep Peruvian-style cooking pit).

The in-house bar (Jade) is led by Anshul Tiwari, first runner-up at the World Class Global Competition 2024 who serves up a selection of technique-forward cocktails.

If you visit #Amritsar, do stop by at @thebagh_ for a meal, and thank me later!

#hosted

(Where to eat and drink in Amritsar, restaurants in Amritsar, cocktail bars in Amritsar)

Serene... #waheguru Back in Amritsar after more

Serene... #waheguru

Back in Amritsar after more than 12 years and my first port of call was obviously the Golden Temple 🙏🏼

Last in the Agra series, a few glmpses of the rece

Last in the Agra series, a few glmpses of the recently refurbished Taj Hotel & Convention Centre, Agra where I stayed last week.

I had a spacious suite with a large living room, a well-appointed bedroom, and a sprawling bathroom with a bathtub. I was welcomed with a white chocolate replica of the Taj Mahal and local sweets and snacks (like dalmoth and mathri).

Meals ranged from an Italian dinner at the rooftop Infini - The Sky Lounge to Chinese at the multi-cuisine Palato, and Nawabi & Mughlai cuisine at Daawat-e-Nawab. The hotel also organised a sumptuous poolside breakfast, complete with a glass of sparkling rosé and a view of the Taj Mahal in the distance.

The J Wellness Circle has a fully equipped gym as well as a spa where I had a relaxing massage the day I checked in.

Shoutout to my dedicated butler Simran who took care of everything with a smile!

#hosted @tajhotelagra @elevenupindia @alkaaladhani

#TimelessTajAgra #LegacyofLuxury #RejuvenateAtTajAgra

(Taj Mahal Agra, attractions in Agra, what to see and do in Agra, where to stay in Agra, luxury hotels in Agra, Taj hotels)

Of course, there's more to Agra than the Taj Mahal

Of course, there's more to Agra than the Taj Mahal! Don't miss these:

1-5: The tomb of I'timād-ud-Daulah was commissioned by Nur Jahan (Jahangir's wife) for her father and other family members. It's also called Baby Taj as Shah Jahan drew inspiration for the all-marble Taj Mahal from this monument.

6-11: Agra Fort served as the main residence of the Mughal rulers until 1638 when the capital was shifted to Delhi.

12-14: Mehtab Bagh was originally built by Babur but it was Shah Jahan who turned it into "a moonlit pleasure garden" from where he could admire the Taj Mahal.

15: The 17th-century Jama Masjid was built by Jahanara, the eldest daughter of Shah Jahan; it's the principal mosque of the city.

#hosted @tajhotelagra @elevenupindia @alkaaladhani

#TimelessTajAgra #LegacyofLuxury #RejuvenateAtTajAgra

(Taj Mahal Agra, attractions in Agra, what to see and do in Agra, UNESCO World Heritage Site, incredible India)

A few vanity shots from my visit to the Taj Mahal

A few vanity shots from my visit to the Taj Mahal last week - coz my guide was an enthusiastic photographer!

My visit was #hosted by @tajhotelagra and @elevenupindia @alkaaladhani

#TimelessTajAgra #LegacyofLuxury #RejuvenateAtTajAgra

(Taj Mahal Agra, attractions in Agra, what to see and do in Agra, wonders of the world, UNESCO World Heritage Site, incredible India)

Wah Taj! I first set eyes on this marble edific

Wah Taj!

I first set eyes on this marble edifice more than 20 years ago on a trip with my parents. This time around, I was invited by Taj Hotel & Convention Centre for a two-day sojourn. Obviously, I was keen to revisit the monument, so I queued up along with other enthusiastic tourists to be amongst the first to enter when the monument opens at sunrise.

While the pathway to the entry gate is all spruced up, the security check is a bit chatic - despite a scanner in use, every bag is rechecked manually. So, don't carry a bag/purse if you can do without it. You need to show an ID (soft copy is ok). Water bottles are allowed, but no food. The last two photos are from Mehtab Bagh on the other side of the Yamuna river.

My visit was #hosted by @tajhotelagra and @elevenupindia @alkaaladhani

#TimelessTajAgra #LegacyofLuxury #RejuvenateAtTajAgra

(Taj Mahal Agra, attractions in Agra, what to see and do in Agra, wonders of the world, UNESCO World Heritage Site, incredible India)

Hands-down my favourite meal in Delhi was at @bann

Hands-down my favourite meal in Delhi was at @banng.in (well, it's in Gurgaon but still!)

Loved the plush interiors in deep reds and blues, plus the paper lantern-style chandeliers and the B&W checkered bar floor. The cocktail menu is divided into three categories depending on how potent the drinks are — I began with the Poke, an easy-drinking cocktail of toasted rice gin, makrut lime leaf, green pineapple, and lemon and followed it up with the Chatuchak Champa, a spirit-forward concoction of champa flower-infused gin, lychee honey, and dried champa flowers.

The menu brings the essence of Bangkok's streets to your plate, with inventive dishes like tom kha pani puri, isaan smashed potato (totally moreish), and finger-licking good namtok spare ribs. The star of the show was the fully loaded Thai omelet — we went with the crab variant, and I can't recommend it enough. We skipped the usual red and green curries and tried the white curry, a delicately flavoured coconutty curry with chicken. There was no room for dessert, of course but I can't wait to return!

Huge congrats for this banging debut, @arorgarima in collaboration with @riyaazamlani. The kitchen is ably helmed by chef @manavkhanna93 who eats Thai food every single day and really knows how to dish it out too!

#hosted

(Where to eat in Delhi, best restaurants in Delhi, best bars in Delhi, cocktails in Delhi)

The Delhi binge fest - everywhere I ate during my

The Delhi binge fest - everywhere I ate during my recent trip to the national capital!

Day 1:
Lunch at @monkeybarind - love the glass pyramid space and the food is always on point.

Drinks at @sidecarindia - they have just launched a new signature cocktails menu that's worth a try.

Dinner at @figandmapledelhi - charming al fresco ambience and wholesome food.

Day 2:
Breakfast at @lavonne.delhi - this milk chocolate croissant 😍😍

Lunch at @ikkpanjab - food from undivided Punjab so you have dishes like matthi chole, badam broccoli, chicken sajji, Firozpuri macchi, meat pulao, and so much more. Generous portions, delicious plates, and leave room for dessert!

Dinner at @tresdelhi - get the chef's choice tasting platter so you can try several small plates, the pappardelle with confit lamb was so delish!

Day 3:
Breakfast - skipped coz see above 😭😭

Lunch at @banng.in - will post separately about this banging meal!

Coffee with a friend at @comorin.in along with their malai cheeni toast.

Dinner at @bigchillcafe - can't come to Delhi and not eat here apparently, so here we are! That banoffee pie 🤌🏼🤌🏼

Day 4:
One last chaat at the airport!

Some of the meals were #hosted
(Where to eat in Delhi, best restaurants in Delhi, best bars in Delhi, cocktails in Delhi)

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