Ananta is a fine dining restaurant located in The Oberoi hotel. This restaurant regularly features in the top Indian restaurants and I can see why. We went here for lunch and loved the food and hospitality. We received a warm welcome and were seated at our table. As we entered, I noticed that the decor of the restaurant was elegant and beautiful. Although a fine dining place, it was very comfortable and had a relaxed vibe. Our little one had a wonderful dining experience too as the staff were very thoughtful and got some nice complimentary dishes for her. We decided to go for the set menu. They also do an a la carte menu.
We were offered some poppadum along with some pickles – Mango, Chilli and Papaya. All three were delicious but our favourite one was the papaya.
DRINKS
Mango lassi – This was for the little one. It was good.
Aam panna – A drink made from raw mango. I have always loved this so we ordered this one. The hint of cumin and mint was very refreshing.
Guava Chatka – We loved this one and ordered it again. The chaat masala gave this drink a nice kick. I found this drink to be a perfect palette cleanser between courses.
STARTERS
The starters platter had Galouti Kebab, Malai Tikka, Tandoori Tiger Prawns and Raw Papaya Salad. They were all delicious. We had another round of it. My favourite was the Malai Tikka. It was succulent and so creamy. It was a hit with the little one too. The chef made a special plate for her with just the malai tikka. My husband’s favourite was the Malai tikkia and the Galouti Kebab.
MAINS
The mains were presented on a traditional banana leaf. Everything on this plate was a pure delight. The Dal Makhni was creamy, flavourful and very delicious. This was one of my favourites. The Prawn Curry was beautifully spiced. It was slightly sweet but yet the heat from the spices came through as well. The Chicken Tikka Masala was very tasty too. The chicken was cooked perfectly. The Nihari was an other favourite dish. The lamb was tender and fell off the bone. It was very well cooked with a rich gravy. This dish along with the Dal Makhni are dishes I would definitely recommend. The raita was simple and nothing fancy but I loved that about it. It was a perfect accompaniment to the Biryani and the other dishes. The Biryani, served in a dough sealed pot, was mildly spiced with aromatic spices and the lamb was cooked well.
The Thali was served with a bread basket which had naan and rotis. The chef was very kind to make a cheese naan for the little one. She had all of it! 🙂
DESSERTS
Motichoor and Shahi Tukra – Shahi Tukra wrapped with the Motichoor served with a pistachio sauce. I thought it would be too sweet but I was glad to find that it wasn’t. The presentation was beautiful and it was delicious! This dessert was part of the set menu.
DESSERT SAMPLER – We were offered a dessert sampler instead of another plate of the Motichoor dessert, so we could try some of the other desserts on the menu as well. Ras Malai is one of our favourites and this was quite nice. The Saffron Malai Kulfi with pistachios was very tasty. The little one had most of it. Our favourite was the Gulab Jamun. It was served warm along with some pistachio sauce. It was one of the best Gulab Jamuns I have had. A must have!
We had a wonderful dining experience here. I would surely recommend this place not just for the excellent food but also for the exceptional service.
Child friendly – A big YES!