Omya at The Oberoi Delhi is one of the most successful Indian restaurants in Delhi that exudes class as well as national traditions. The modern Indian restaurant celebrates the distinctive culinary developments and micro-cuisines that have emerged across the Indian subcontinent over the centuries. The experience begins with a warm welcome with the doorman opening the door as you approach, followed by a greeting from the smiling team as you enter the restaurant. The decor is the chic setting of an upscale restaurant with formal seating, beautiful lilacs as the centerpiece, and a beautiful set of cutlery. It seems the restaurant is packed with loyal patrons – families eating soup, corporations drinking sparkling whiskey, couples in cozy corners – everyone knows this is delicious.
This time, in the spirit of preserving the roots of ancient recipes and techniques, Omya will be hosting ‘Rivaayat’ – a 10-day food festival that starts on the 4th and will continue until the 13th of May. 3. ‘Rivaayat’ is literally translated as ‘narration’, ‘story’, ‘tradition’ or ‘history’ in English. The festival is a tribute to the rich culinary history of the Mewar, Marwar and Malwa regions – a treasure trove of ancient recipes and techniques.
The menu was designed by Kunwar Hemendra Singh in Bhainsrorgah, Mewar. He is a professional Belgian with a repertoire that includes unique and indigenous dishes from the provinces of Mewar, Marwar and Malwa. The menu reflects a sense of tradition, heritage and celebration of life.
Food:
I started with ‘paneer ke sule’, ‘machi ke sule’, ‘chicken ke sule’ and ‘lamb shaami’. What I love most about the starters is that they are prepared using local spices and minimalist cooking techniques. They are rich and filled with incredible royal flavor. My vote goes to ‘machi ke sule’ – the only soft drink marinated in Maharashtrian and Rajasthani masalas.
In the main course, Kunwar Hemendra introduced several mouth-watering dishes that immediately caught my attention such as ‘chakki ki subzi’ – which is nothing more than steamed buns made with gluten flour cooked with tomato. red curry (pronounced: spicy). And then ‘safed-kesariya mugh’, ‘shikari aloo’, ‘safed kathal’, ‘bharwa bhindi’, ‘gatte ki subzi’, ‘bhutte ke kees’, ‘dal bidwal’ were served and I won’ I don’t shy away from saying that all of these immediately captivated me with their vibrant colors, and I admit, they also lived up to my expectations in terms of taste. I paired these exotic curries with ‘Batiya’ (a thick Rajasthani bread cooked on tawa), ‘Thothadi’ (grilled Rajasthani bread with a beautiful design and made with milk and butter), Bafla (boiled and baked spicy dough balls) and ‘Bejad ki roti’ (a traditional roti made with flour, barley and wheat).
I may have passed the dessert, assuming I was too full, but who couldn’t be drawn to ordering the shumai and fortune cookies. Both desserts are light and manageable after a big meal
I am truly amazed at the sumptuousness of the variety and taste of the cuisine: exotic but very comforting.
One last tip: get there hungry for this food festival.
What: ‘Rivaayat’ – 10-day food festival. From March 4 to March 13.
Where: Omya, The Oberoi New Delhi, Dr. Zakir Hussain Marg
