Yes, the recession is a bad time to be talking luxury but if you do plan to visit India any time soon — perhaps to celebrate a special occasion like a wedding or a big vacation — here are a few places that you may like to check out
1. Bukhara: For more than a decade, this restaurant has continued to rate as India’s finest. The most recent has been a recommendation in the Singapore-based Miele Guide. Located at The ITC Maurya in New Delhi (it has variants called “Peshawari” where food and setting are much the same across ITC-Sheraton hotels in the big cities), the restaurant serves excellent grills and food from north-west India and Pakistan. Try the tandoori jumbo prawns or veggies or a whole shank of lamb. But if you want a more refined slice of India’s Mughlai (or Avadhi, referring to one of the provinces characterized by a synthesis of Hindu and Muslim cultures) heritage, do check out Dumpukht, at the same hotel chain, which has some fabulous food too.
Average cheque for one: Rs 4,000 (UsD 100), without wine.
2. For some entertainment at night, check out the F-Bar at Hotel Ashok, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. This is one of the poshest lounge-bars at the moment in the city; go sufficiently late or you may miss the crowd. A variety of cocktails with Indian accents greet you. And if you are planning a very exclusive evening, ask them to open up their Diamond Lounge, inspired by the design philosophy of Karl Lagerfield, done up in black and gold and with Indian-style jharokhas, from where royal women would peer down to catch plebian action in palaces in another time. For your own private party, you could call on the chef to tailor an exclusive, fancy meal for you besides which the drinks that are served in this upstairs area are in the category of Dom Perignon or Blue label. The price: A minimum spend of Rs 1 lakh, USD 2000.
3. The Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai was the recent site of a horrific terror attack. Ever since then, the hotel has reopened in record time thanks to its dedicated staff and management, determined not to let terrorists alter a way of life. If you are celebrating a special occasion, ask Chef Hemant Oberoi at this hotel to set up an exclusive table for two for you: individual tagine pots, grills et al and the table costs Rs 17,500 (USD 350) per couple. The Chef’s Studio has its own interactive kitchen and there are plasama screens on all sides enabling you to watch how your plate is being prepared.
4. Another chef’s table is popular in Bangalore. You could book Table One at the Park’s Italian restaurant, i-t.Alia, for a party of up to 10 people. This table gives you the option of a pre-fixed gourmet menu (customized five-seven course menus are served pre-plated, accompanied by wine), a silver service and dedicated staff, making you the envy of other guests. Besides you can also opt for the chef’s seven-course degustation menu and choose your own wine.
5. Then, there are some exclusive private dining rooms. Of these, I would recommend the ones at The China Kitchen, at the Hyatt in New Delhi. Able to accommodate up to 10-12 people at a time, these PDRs are called Hebei, Anhui, Hunan, Sichuan and Guangzhou and are named after five of the eight Chinese chefs who work at the restaurant. Decorated with antique Chinese artefacts, the rooms also come with cracked glass panels to allow for a shimmering glow and a feeling that you are really one with the rest of the restaurant too. Apart from that you will find fixed I-pod-docking stations in each, karaoke facilities, flat screen TVs and cordless mikes allowing you to select from a range of DVDs. Sing along or just relax in the soothing ambience whilst listening to your favourite tunes. You can also carry your own I-pod to truly personalise your occasion.
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