Lucknowi Biryani & Peshawari Paneer: A New GK Cloud Kitchen Is Doing Awadhi Food Just Right

Awadhi Affair, a cloud kitchen in GK 1, makes authentic Awadhi food full of rich textures, light spices and  perfectly-cooked meats.

If you’re unfamiliar with term ‘Cloud Kitchen’ {we were a little hazy on the phrase ourselves}, it means essentially delivery-only establishments that sometimes choose not to reveal their locations—so take out is not an option.

When we started to peruse the menu, Awadhi Affair’s curation seemed equally geared at the meat and veggie eater—not often the case with most Awadhi cuisine restaurants. Primarily a meat-rife cuisine, it was nice to see a plethora of vegetarian options that held their own amidst their non-vegetarian counterparts. The Peshawari Paneer Tika {cottage cheese chunks marinated in Peshawari masala and cooked in the tandoor} and the Dal-E-Awadhi {a thick, full kaali dal laden with cream and butter} spring to mind above all else, and go beautifully with a decadent {but spicy} Cheese Naan, peppered with chunks of green chilly.

Meat-eaters, rejoice; this place is your Mecca. Our favourites on the menu were the Doodhia Murg Tikka {great if you don’t want your chicken too spicy}, Lucknow Gosht Ki Seekh {succulent, but a touch spicy}, and Lehsooni Fish Tikka {full of flavour and marinated to perfection}. For your main, choose either the classically crafted Murg Makhani {because who in this fair city can subsist without a regular dose of Butter Chicken?} and their simple Mutton Curry {as wholesome and fancy-free as the name suggests}. Complementing this with a Lucknowi Gosht Dum Biryani or heaps of glossy Butter Naan for best results.

PS: When we ordered, the desserts were not yet available for delivery, but they should be deliverable soon.

The starters here win out over the mains, so load up on those for sure.