Very posh: Varq, at The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi

This is how I felt at Varq, in The Taj Mahal Hotel, Delhi.

Oh wait – that doesn’t look like me, does it?

Aah here I am 🙂 Can you say faaancy?

The table was set most tastefully. I love the red accents with the gold. Don’t you?

The cameras were out in full force! 🙂

This pretty little amuse-bouche set the ball rolling.

I started with this most gorgeous plate of Varqui crab – layers of lightly spiced crabmeat between crisp filo sheets, topped with a plump tandoori shrimp.

Next up was Haleem aur Kebab – a heavenly trio of smooth haleem, melt-in-the-mouth galouti, and a kebab in a glass.

You can’t do posh without lobster now can you?

This dish of Lobster Rassa was a broth with prawns, scallops, and crisp squid. The presentation was so simple, yet beautiful.

We tried some signature cocktails and mocktails with Indian flavours – I particularly liked the mint and pineapple. (I didn’t drink ALL those btw :P)

A very magical, smokey palate cleanser of lime and ginger came around shortly.

For my main course I chose Sea Bass on spiced potato dauphinoise and I’m so glad I did. The fish was fresh and flaky, the potatoes were done just right, and the gravy – sigh. My favourite coconut and mango flavours danced about in my mouth in perfect harmony, and it really was a creamy, spicy bowl of joy.

Even though we were stuffed beyond belief by now, I tried the Martabaan ka meat with baby naan. This was one dish where there was no fuss about the presentation, and it was probabaly my favourite of the night. The meat was incredibly tender and flavourful, and the crisp naan was a perfect accompaniment.

It came with these Aloo and Palak wadi side dishes.

The dessert was another trio: khaas malpua, apple kheer, and jalebi. The unusual apple kheer was delicately sweet, and the gravity-defying jalebi was sticky and very crisp.

Nachiketa, back from her fancy stint at Le Cordon Bleu in London, was in attendance and she’s promised us some pastry secrets. So exciting!

Here she is with Sid. Now tell me she’s not looking like Nigella Lawson!

It was such a happy night. Everyone on the CAL Blogger’s Table was there because it was also Ruchira‘s bye-bye dinner. She’s leaving us in Delhi, but she won’t leave our hearts. She brought us presents which we’re all going to blog about soon and wrote us lovely letters. Ruchira – we will miss you so much but I know you’re going to have the most fabulous time!