The menu is precise but extremely nuanced, no two dishes share a masala blend and since the emphasis is on fresh, authentic and beautifully aromatic food, the spices aren't for heat but for aroma and flavour only, that way you get to taste the actual flavour of the meat or vegetables. For those of you who enjoy mutton, as we do, the options are stellar, Shahajahanabad Nalli Nihari, though Nihari doesn't need an introduction, this particular one is exceptional, from the cuts of meat to the fact that they make two spice blends for the Nihari, one for the base and one for the fragrance. Then there is Faridkot Meat Curry, Beramkhan Dal Gosht and Filmistan Hari Mirch Keema, since we've tried each one of these, it's hard to pick a favourite so I suggest you try them all too, the Dal Gosht however needs a special mention because no one in this city has ever gotten it right. The Keema is definitely hand ground giving it a girth that hold the masala in each bite, with this quality of Keema, you can only imagine how good the Mirzapuri Shammi Kebab must be, pair that with the Dal Langar and Chitte Chawal and that in itself is a meal fit for kings. If you prefer chicken, then the Attari Chicken Curry is all the way from the Frontier, a cuisine we have never been able to do justice to, up till now or you can try the Rampuri Chicken Kofte, which don't melt in the mouth because they shouldn't, that's not how a good kofta ought to be, there has to be a slight bite to it, so you know you're eating chicken. If a vegetarian dish is a must on the table, then there is the Ranikhet Paneer Curry, a rich gravy that envelopes large cubes of cottage cheese, even the cottage cheese they use is exceptional.
I've waxed poetic about this meal because it hit many chords, I grew up with family in Lucknow and a childhood friend who hails from the Royal family of Rampur, I have eaten these foods before and then never again, till right about now. Finish the meal with Kadhao Kheer and plan a long nap thereafter. Village Degh now belongs on your speed dial!
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