Shamiana: Casual, chic & contemporary home style food

In a new avatar with a modern decor, slashed prices and a revised menu —Shamiana, the all-day dining restaurant at Taj holds a lot of promise.

The air was redolent with informality and the bonhomie was evident. Was it The Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai I was seated in, then, I wondered Indeed, Shamiana, the all-day dining restaurant, which has re-opened, in a brand new avatar, in its original location, by the lobby, seemed a lot more relaxed and casual, than I have ever known it since the 1990s.

Known for its varied selection of casual international fare since 1973, Shamiana recently went for a makeover. With its newly done chic décor and bright, airy interiors, it is definitely warmer and friendlier. The menu is as international as it can be, but with several Indian favourites like rajma chawal, keema pav and pav bhaji thrown in, besides Taj signatures from across the world — Chicken Bunny Chow to Fish n Chips.

Shamiana’s extensive by-glass and by-bottle list of Indian and international wines with classic cocktails and cocktails-to-share, struck me as a deliberate attempt to add flair and fun to the place and give it a youthful vibe. We were being offered some of the best selections by the chefs who had specially curated a menu for us.

I was relieved to see my favourite Baked Camembert Cheese Soufflé, from Zodiac Grill. Double baked it said — I was perplexed. Executive Chef Amit Chowdhury explained that, this one was a rendition of the original, double baked, served in lesser time. I took a spoonful. Fluffy, soft and with a slightly grainy texture, the Camembert left me speechless. It seemed like nothing had changed as far as the food was concerned. But no. A closer look at the menu revealed that the pricing had changed — nothing was priced in four digits. The idea is to make Shamiana more accessible and affordable. Else how many of us can enter the haloed precincts of Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai to dine

My Fish Exotica came next. Sole fish and prawns in a comforting coconut milk-based, tangy and mildly spicy curry. This was overly familiar; this was my regular Goan fish curry with brown rice. Truly home-style. For chicken lovers, there was Chicken Lababdar and a Roast Chicken Basket, besides a Gourmet Lamb Burger for the meat eaters. For vegetarians, there was the good old rajma chawal and a vegetable and herbs burger. The rajma cooked to perfection in a tangy tomato gravy was reminiscent of mom's cooking.

The desserts again left ample room for choice. For once I decided to skip chocolate and give another dessert a chance. I found myself making the right choice with the Baked Almond Cake. Its crumbly texture with rich almond flavour was a treat for taste buds. The dollop of ice cream on top completed the experience. The creamy Super Sundae with nuts took me back to my childhood.

The formal style of service may have been done away with, but the warmth and efficiency is still there. Shamiana, an all-day breakfast space by day and an easy-vibe evening venue, definitely offers more by way of fun, relaxation and of course, home-style food.

Boondi Laddu Pudding

Ingredients: Boondi laddu, 5 Milk, 1 cup Almonds and pistachios, 8-10 Kesar (saffron), 10-12 strings Sugar if needed

Method: In a bowl take 2 tbsp of milk. Add kesar (saffron) strings soak for 10 minutes. In a pan, heat milk and add the laddu. Stir continuously, otherwise the milk may stick to the bottom of the pan. Next step is to add kesar milk. Taste the mixture and add sugar if required. Stir and let the mixture cook for five more minutes. After five minutes, switch off the heat. Boondi laddu pudding is ready to serve. Garnish it with chopped mixed nuts. Chef’s tip — You could either serve it hot in ramekins of set it in the refrigerator and enjoy its cold version.

Recipe Courtesy: Chef Rakhee Vaswani

Chocolate Cranberry Nut Clusters

Ingredients: Dried cranberries, 75 gm Walnuts, 50 gm Almonds, 50 gm Dark chocolate, 200 gm

Method Chop the walnuts and almonds. Melt the chocolate in a large heat proof bowl in a microwave for one minute. Stir until smooth. Add the dried cranberries and chopped nuts to the melted chocolate. Stir well so that all the fruit and nuts are coated with chocolate. Lightly grease a baking tray or plate. Drop teaspoonful of the chocolate mix on the tray. Chill for 15-20 minutes until set. Once set, take off tray and store in a cool place.

Recipe Courtesy: Chef Naresh Guglani, Corporate Chef, Del Monte

— Mini is a food writer