Few weeks
ago I was invited to a bloggers table at Kaiser, a new restaurant in Gurgaon
popular for promoting authentic Mughlai cuisine that traces its origin back to
the imperial kitchens of the Mughal era.
Brainchild
of young restaurateur Kamal Arora (32) who's already made a mark with his very
first venture 'Khyen Chyen', Kaiser (which literally means emperor) evokes a
quintessential old world charm and character offering mystic flavors through
every dish on its menu. The flavors vary from extremely mild to spicy, and are
often associated with a distinctive aroma and the taste of ground and whole
spices.
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| Kaiser |
Launched in
the second week of August this year, Kaiser is nestled in the busy Supermart 1
of DLF Phase 4, Gurgaon. The restaurant can easily accommodate over 22 people
at any given time and has a covered area of approximately 700 square feet.
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| Kaiser |
The kitchen
is in the capable hands of head chef Hasan and sous chef Sunil, who come with
15 years and 7 years of F&B experience, respectively. They are ably assisted
by an excellent, attentive staff of 15.
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| Me with three other food bloggers |
Open seven
days a week from 12 noon to 11:30 pm, Kaiser is hailed for avoiding the use of
artificial colors or ingredients in cooking. That's not all! The meat is
marinated overnight (sometimes for nearly 24 hours) to ensure all flavors get
absorbed properly.
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| Kaiser |
Here are my
top recommendations for food at Kaiser.
Appetizers
- Mutton Gilafi Seekh: Brace yourself for hot and juicy, flavorful tender pieces of minced mutton cooked to perfection. Similarities to mutton seekh served in the Jama Masjid area of Old Delhi are inevitable!
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| Mutton Gilafi Seekh |
- Chicken Tikka: Soft marinated pieces of boneless chicken cooked with flavorful Indian spices that just melt in your mouth.
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| Chicken Tikka |
- Mutton Burra: An instant hit with one and all, these succulent roasted lamb kebabs are popular for its unique aroma.
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| Mutton Burra |
- Butter Tandoori Chicken: The best part about this dish is that the chicken is first marinated, then oven roasted and finally coated with layers of butter to render a near perfect taste.
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| Butter Tandoori Chicken |
Mains
- Kaiser Haleem Biryani: A must have dish, which includes a winning combination of Haleem condiments (used as garnish) and biryani topped with crispy fried onions. Truly deserves a mention, since very few can actually get the awesomeness of Haleem and biryani right in a single dish!
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| Kaiser Haleem Biryani |
Room for
more? You can also try these two signature dishes at Kaiser:
- Murg Musallam
- Palak Gosht
Breads
- Sheermal: Sweet in taste, this saffron flavored traditional flatbread is to be savored with butter chicken or mutton rogan josh.
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| Sheermal |
Desserts
- Double ka Meetha: A.k.a. Shahi Tukda in some places, this bread pudding dessert is made of fried bread slices soaked in hot milk with saffron and cardamom.
- Phirni: This delectable rice pudding like dessert is served in traditional clay containers. Topped with poppy seeds and almond slices, it contains a significant flavor of cardamom that you just cannot ignore.
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| Phirni |
The kebabs,
tikkas, Haleem biryani, and curries at Kaiser are to die for! As a purist I
only look for two things when it comes to Mughlai cuisine - texture and flavor
- a classic combination of these two makes every dish at Kaiser a perfect 'soul
food'.