dum pukht - itc maratha

dum pukht at itc maratha is the place to go for the exquisite indian foods. it's by far my favorite restaurant in mumbai and possibly india (the one in delhi is very close to this standard as well but we should just forget the one in bangalore). at dum pukht, the chefs recreate foods used to be served to indian royalties back in the golden era. as soon as one steps into the restaurant, he or she would immediately realize that dum pukht is not your regular indian restaurant focusing only on heavy curries but more. the design of the restaurant (both before and after the latest renovation) really exudes the ambience of one of the many classical indian palaces' dining hall.

the best dishes here are kakori kebab which is a finely minced mutton kebab so soft and melty that even a toothless person can enjoy and gucchi pulao which is a simple saffron scented basmati rice cooked with kashmiri morels stuffed with cheese. these 2 dishes really contradict each other in flavour. kakori kebab is so bold in flavour. every soft bite of the kebab turns into a harmonious marriage of powerful herbs and spices in one's mouth that can be best described as sinfully delicious. in the contrary, gucchi pulau has one of the most delicate flavours accentuated only by the fragrance of the morels. the cheese stuffed in the morels help to provide some savory taste to the rice dish. when eaten with a small serving of raita, this dish really takes you on a heavenly ride on the classical indian cuisine. i like to order these 2 dishes together whenever i am at dum pukht because the contradiction of flavours in them complements reach other really well.

i would have rated this restaurant 5 if my review is based on solely these 2 dishes. however, some dishes such as the murgh shorba and the raan (leg of lamb) do disappoint slightly. the shorba used to be very delicious but now it's simply just fine after the renovation. it seems the recipe has somehow been 'renovated' as well.

excellent! excellent! excellent!

it was a nawabi dinner to say the least. a taste never even came close to ever before. the cuisine exquisite and rich. had chicken seekh kabab for starters followed by a white gravy chicken and naan. very rich and heavy so u must not order a lot. had chicken dum biryani and it was the best ever tasted including some best places in hyderabad. i must say 5 is just a limit to rate this restaurant.

we battled thru the evening traffic to our dinner date with dum pukht. the schools being on break due to diwali vacation helped a lot in cutting the travel time.

the restaurant foyer hits you with its shiny bling-iness as soon as you enter. i took a close-up look, as our table wasn't ready and it looked like small hammered metal sheets that had been polished to mirror quality and stuck on the wall. wow, that must have taken a lot of effort.

we were finally seated and i noticed that there were only foreigners seated at every table...in-house guests i imagine, which left me a bit skeptical about what was to come, but then i quickly realized why. the prices are absolutely sky high. no dish cost under 700 and several are close to 2000..."ouch this is going to hurt", i thought to myself...followed by a "this better be worth it".

we were starving after a long day at work followed by the long drive, so we asked for some "chakhnas" to be served right away...and the waiter obliged with papads and a bevy of tasty sauces and chutneys. we may have over-indulged in them but we were all really starving. the marinated garlic achaar/chutney fusion gets the thumbs up...way up.

for the appetizer course, we got the dum pukht kakori and the seekh gilafi (chicken). the kakori left me speechless...i have eaten the same dish at kebabs + kurries in itc central, but these were just a whole lot better. the kabab melted away in my mouth, as it should, and the delicate blend of spices and rose water was perfectly balanced with the flavor of the meat. the kabab came with some sheermal..which was nice to have to scoop up the delicious kababs. the seekh gilafi was not one to be overshadowed and it turned out to be one of the most flavorful kababs i have eaten in a long time...which was a surprise cause usually minced chicken turns out a atad too dry for my taste. wow, was all i could say to our table.

the main course was murgh kundan qaliya (chicken curry) and maash qaliya (black dal). again, the chicken curry was just perfectly spiced and super creamy (not in a bad, heavy way)...i couldn't put my finger on just what made it different from a normal chicken curry (ginger, nutmeg?) but it hit the spot. the dal was just as great as at every itc restaurant...and i gobbled down a couple of bowls of it. we followed this up with some of the sumptuous mutton dum biryani...oh the subtle spice, mixed with the aroma of rose water and other herbs...this is so much more evolved than its crass harshly spiced hyderabadi counterpart. if i were to make a car analogy, this feels like a rolls royce phantom - luxurious and satisfying, yet restrained, while the hyderabadi one that most people are accustomed to is more like a race car that gives you a rise while you're experiencing it, but is soon forgotten.

last on our gluttonous tour? the shahi tukda, of course. this finally took the meal "too far". the rabri and fried bread soaked in chaasni, just left me stuffed...and it's a good thing we only ordered one between all of us, cause one truly can't eat more than a few spoonfuls of this ott dessert.

all in all, this is one of the best meals i have had...not just recently, but of all time. it's a great spot for a special occasion when price doesn't matter too much. also having an itc culinary card helps, as do the coupons that come with it.

so why do i not give it a 5 rating? the wait upfront when the table wasn't ready despite not many other guests being in the restaurant, live music from the bar next door messed up the indian ambience a bit and lastly, the service is not as sharp as can be...they were really distracted by a celebrity group that showed up mid meal and forgot all about our table.

excellent food and service ...
dum biryani was amazing...good ambience ....good food make this place soothing.....amazing experience..

excellent food and service. dudhia kebab was so unique and tasty!!!

if you want to feel thoroughly pampered and like royalty of days gone by,i would recommend dining at the dum pukht,itc maratha.on my recent visit to mumbai my husband took me there and it was an unforgettable evening,one which i shall treasure!

the restaurant is beautifully done up with stone lattice work and sensuous lighting.opulent silverware and crystal,highly attentive staff and soft music complete the divine package.

since we had already snacked in the lounge,we decided to order a simple meal of darayi maach,lamb biryani and kulfi.however,we weren't prepared for the indulgent chef who sent us a complimentary dish with each one we had ordered!

papad rolls,with an enticing array of chutneys and sliced onions,were brought to the table for us to munch on till the meal arrived.the darayi maach came along with chicken seekh kababs,which were courtesy the chef.delicately spiced and bursting with flavor is how i would describe the starters.they came with sheermal,a sweet bread.the portions were so generous that i was already feeling full.the ever considerate rahul who attended us could sense that and suggested that he could delay bringing on the main course.when the main course arrived in a sealed handi the aromas that wafted out on breaking the seal were enough to tempt the most jaded palate.the biryani was light and fluffy,the meat just flaking off the bone.the raita was creamy,chilled and just perfect to go with the biryani.

dessert time and the chef strikes again with a complimentary gulab kheer with the single kulfi that we had decided to share!though we could manage only a few mouthfuls,the desserts were sublime,not too sweet,just right!

the meal ended with three varieties of paan served in an ornate silver box.a befitting grand finale.

when i looked at the watch i realized that we had spent close to three hours over the simple meal.the time had just flown by in the most pleasurable manner in this wonderful place.it is obviously run by people who are masters of their craft,with attention to the minutest of details.highly attentive,courteous and considerate staff make you feel special and contribute to an unforgettable experience.

finally got an opportunity to dine at this opulent yet subtle outlet of itc maratha, which was on my ‘must eat at places’ list. dining at dum pukht is a complete experience in itself, which relies not only on the food but as much on the ambiance and staff around who ensure you have a memorable evening. everything about the places looks and feels luxurious; the lattice worked walls, the silver ware, the ambient lighting, the soft music in the background, the slow cooked dum cuisine and the smartly attired staff. however, the considerate staff ensures none of opulence overshadows your presence and literally treats you like royalty.

being a single diner, i opted for the single traveler menu which is available to their inhouse guests. the concept of the single diner menu is worth appreciating considering it allows one to experience 4-5 courses showcasing the best dishes at a reasonable price. the meal started with kakori and chicken sheekh kebabs; both succulent with the kakori simply melting away. served with sheermal, an aromatic slightly sweet bread which perfectly complemented the almost pate like kakori. a trio of green chutney, raw papaya chutney and garlic pickle was served before the starters along with papad rolls. the papaya chutney stood out owing to the burst of flavor just a tiny bite gave.

was served the maash qaliya (green moong dal) and shahi nehari after the starters were cleared. it took me some time to accept that the dal was indeed green moong, it was finger licking good and was way better than any of the numerous versions of dal i have tried so far. clearly a winner!! the nehari was sublime, with each spoonful reminding me the time its spent on dum. nehari was served with accompanying birasta(fried onions), chopped mint and chopped chillies. couldn’t end the meal without trying the biryani; so dum pukht biryani it was, with meat so tender, it fell off the bone on its own. the rice was highly flavored and the aromas wafted over even before i could have bite. the biryani was different from the usual masala laden treats we enjoy, but stood its ground with ease.

ended the meal with gulab ki kheer. i was half expecting it to be a normal rice kheer with a garnish of rose petals. turns out, every single spoonful had rose petals thinly sliced and added to the rich kheer. couldn’t go beyond few spoonfuls, and i blame their magnanimous portion size for it. the meal ended with a meetha paan served in a silver box.

i could write a separate review for the impeccable service provided. siddharth was the most considerate yet non intrusive staff i have ever come across. the food being the star for the day, i would definitely want to laud the staff for the standards of hospitality they uphold.

dum pukht is a lovely place. they go out of the way to make you feel a special guest. the cutlery and table lay out is breath taking. beautiful!!
itc is luxury collection so will not mention the prices here. but warqee paratha and daal kuraishi is worth their weight in gold. yellow daal in yogurt seasoning is very different and just so yummy. guchhi ( mushrooms) were succulent and cooked to perfection. we were too full to do any justice to biryani. a word of caution: the food is on heavier side though you may not notice any oil on top of those subtle flavored culinary arts served in silver platters.

a must try place. worth every penny. an extra nickel for the smiles of stewards and the paan is silver box.

stomach upset post-dinner...food quality not upto the mark.

dum pukht is a gr8 place to be for your special occasions. the ambience,soothing music,lighting & the courteous service shall definitely make it a special evening. coming to the food, yes it has limited choices for veggies and is more of a non-veg cuisine, being a veggie, i went in for the suggestions offered by the staff, rahul and it was all worth it. for starters, we went for dudhiya kabab, which consists of paneer & potato. the presentation of the dish itself makes the mouth watering & once u taste it u realize,its truly different. they serve 3 portions of it.for the main course, we went for mirch baigan ka salan which has a chilli to give the spicy effect.for bread we chose, naan e bah khummach which is a whole wheat bread sprinkled with saunf.its pretty light to eat as we wanted to keep space for the biryani.the bread is very different & worth trying.then came the star of the night - the biryani.as soon as it comes to your table, the first thing that will hit you is the aroma.you really feel you are being served a nawabi cuisine.they serve biryani with garlic yogurt which works great.overall the food is great,service is very prompt.our bill for 2 with these options ran into 4500.definitely worth going.

good food and decor!

being a restaurant placed inside a 5star hotel, it is expected to be expensive, so will not comment on that. i loved the decor in white and silver with the beautiful cutlery laid out. though itc's other indian restaurant peshawari has become famous (justified), dum pukht is about more subtle flavours... which is a characteristic of lucknowi cuisine!

for more on how hyderabadi and lucknowi biryani are different, please visit my blog
http://thebongfoodie.blogspot.in/2012/10/my-journey-from-biryani-hater-to.html

the one thing to die for is the chicken purdah...the flavour is so rich...definitely qoryh a try

my friend suggested this place and i was waiting for a long time to try this one.my dad came to meet me in mumbai and i wanted to take him out some place good so i thought why not this.

i must say the wait was worthwhile.
food was super awesome. it was an amazing experience been there.
being a five star hotel the service and ambience was superb but the most important the food was delicious.all the flavours and the taste was just tooo good. we ordered murgh khush pardah that was wow. i never had such amazing food before.

all the crystal glassware, the silverware and fine porcelain adds to the royal feel you get once you are here. the staff is very well trained and they take care of you as you are a vip that feel + awesome food is all you need.

we clicked so many pics there as they have very nice interior.
at the end they serve you paan in a silver box that just tooo good.
it was a perfect evening everything is done very systematically and executed very well.

in all it was an amazing experience being there.
food - 5/5
service - 5/5
ambiance - 5/5
value for money - 5/5

i will love to go there again and again experience it all :)
waiting for one to open in chandigarh so i can take my whole family :)

i have no clue how this restaurant does not have a michelin star! the biryani and the kebabs are the best ive ever had. honestly this place is one you dont want to miss. it is expensive no doubt but its the perfect place to go for a celebration

awesome biriyani joint loved it. bit expensive but worth it.