North Western Frontier Province cuisine has been an enigma to many. Two of Delhi’s topmost restaurants carry forward the tradition from the seat of power that once commanded the North Western Frontier Province, them being Frontier at Hotel Ashok and Bukhara at ITC Maurya. Started in 1982 during the Asian Games, The Hotel Ashok has been serving up some finger licking delectable treats from the hard lands of Baluchistan and Peshawar at its flagship restaurant Frontier. What we are referring to is no museum or monument in the ordinary sense, it is India’s most acclaimed restaurant whose clay tandoors have returned the country’s heritage taste to its rightful place of prominence.
The simple, nomadic flavours of Frontier evoke the enduring romance of a place and a time that saw many a community come together over a crackling fire, grilling shanks of meats and evolving a robust and characterful style of cooking – tandoori cooking – that has left its mark on the culinary map of many cities across the world. And how.
The décor of the place has undergone a substantial change at the turn of the millennia. Starting from leather upholstered chairs and torches on the walls, the ambiance today is more chic with dark and blue hues dominating it.
But its their food which has stood the test of time. The cuisine, known to use mild aromatic spices and relatively less spices is beautifully curated by Executive Sous Chef Kirti Rastogi. The recipes created decades after being handed down generations have still been kept true although a few more additions have been made to usher in the changes in the palate of the Delhiite.
We start off with some delectable Patthar Kebab. Patthar because the meat is cooked against stones to release juices never before released from the meat. Marinated with a mix of contemporary spices, this melt in your mouth kebab is one of the hot selling items on the menu.
The Bharwan Aloo and the Moti-e-Zameen are two dishes that catch your attention in the vegetarian section. The NWFP cuisine is not usually associated with vegetarian dishes but these two spinoffs using the classical cooking techniques leave you salivating for more. The Bharwan Aloo has a crispy texture with a spicy filling inside while the Moti-e-Zameen is a tandoori salad gives you a platterfull of crispy roasted vegetables and cottage cheese. Add some of the mint chutney and you get a dish worth cherishing.
Next in line are two of Frontier’s classics, The Subz Sheekh Kebab and The Kebab e Bannu. Contrary to the non-veg classic, this one holds lesser amounts of juice while filling up on the taste quotient. The Bannu is a mind blowing creation in itself. The juicy piece of chicken has been rolled in egg wash to lock the juices inside. The marination makes you click your tongue in sheer joy as the explosion of flavours of juicy meat and spices takes place on your palate.
Before we make the transition to the mains, a small mention of their signature drink the Kaala Noor. A drink which feeds off the dark colour of the restaurant itself. Although a bold looking drink, it is surprisingly light on the stomach and acts as an perfect accompaniment to the heavy meaty dishes you are guzzling down. With ingredients like Ajwain, Kala Namak, Cinnamon and lime, this drink refreshes you from the inside in the blistering summer months and helps digest the huge load of protein too.
In the mains, we try out the Mutton Rogan Josh, Chicken Peshawari, Paneer Makhni and Khatte Baigan. One of the main characteristics of an authentic restaurant is that all gravies which have an individual taste instead of the mish mash that you can hardly differentiate at most of the places. The soft creaminess of the Panner Makhni, the sour tang of the Khatte Baigan and the rich spicy flavors from the chicken and mutton make you fall in love with the restaurant.
But its their Dal Dera Ismail Khan which steals the thunder. Simple slow cooked pulses which give off a strong roasted flavor from the coal and wood on which it is cooked. Some butter infused in it to round off the edges as this daal goes to the top of our list.
We end the extravaganza with a simple yet tasteful phirni. Served in a cold Mitti ka kulhar with a mix of kesar in it, this dreamy concoction of milk and rice with a grainy texture leaves an sweet aftertaste worth remembering.
Frontier successfully carries the mantle of North Western Frontier Province cuisine in the only way it can. With pride and traditions intact. Drop over some time for some robust flavours.
