Mouthful of flavours and spices is what Meraz guarantees you, whether you are a fan of Awadhi, Mughlai or Afghani food. While there is a distinct spice trail that binds the culinary differences between these cuisines, the subtle and scrumptious variations in the spice mix and classic presentations give each culinary interpretation that mark of novelty. As head chef Mofijul Islam points out, the art of maintaining the difference between the three popular culinary dimensions lies in the use of spices in the right mix.
While Awadi dishes are less spicy than Afghani, the dishes on our menu are modified Lucknowi (capital of Uttar Pradesh in India) ones; there is a slight whiff of sweet and sour touch in the dishes. Afghani is more about spicy and sour and Mughlai dishes feature dry fruits and an essence of sweetness,”
He explains, adding that the objective has been to present a menu balanced with a blend of all three culinary elements, creating a confluence of fusion dishes.
Located in the prime Al Khuwair area, right opposite Burjeel Hospital, Meraz, which opened last April, has found its niche in the food industry with its concerted focus on dishes from the northern frontier of India. Meraz has bridged the gap for foodies who have been hankering for convenient, affordable and scrumptious north Indian dishes in the trademark Mughlai style. While Awadhi cuisine from the Awadh region is native to the city of Lucknow, the dishes have been influenced by Mughal cooking techniques, which are suggestive of the Mughlai connection. Mughlai cuisine itself can be traced back to Medieval India; it is characterised by cuisines of South and Central Asia and the dishes have distinctive flavours and tastes of ground and whole spices. Afghani cuisines, on the other hand, highlight Afghanistan’s focus on native crops and fruits, with dishes incorporating them in aromatic presentations.
Meraz is an epitome of all these cuisines and more… Although finding a parking spot can be an issue in this part of the town, visiting the restaurant for a leisurely lunch or a dinner get-together with friends and family will make it worth all the toil. The naturally lit interiors of the restaurant have a warm ambience, made more distinct with splashes of frisky colours and airy seating arrangements. The open kitchen adding to the note of welcome infused within the restaurant.
Lamb Galouti Kebabs Achari Broccoli Awadi Seekh Kebabs Hyderabadi Tawa Surmai Nalli Nihari Afghani Chicken Roghni
With noon-time sun imitating summer evenings, we were open to the idea of a cooler to refresh us for the long tryst with fusion foods from north of India. We sipped Virgin Mojito, Green Island and Orange Juice while tucking into the complimentary basket of pappads accompanied by an assortment of dips and spreads. The starter was a platter of freshly fried Lamb Galouti Kebabs with an ultra soft ‘Ulta Tawa (reverse skillet) Paratha’. For kebab lovers, this dish is crafted to induce that melt-in-the-mouth taste with flavours tempering every bite. Another kebab dish that we savoured is the one from Awadh – ‘Awadhi Seek Kebab’- which promises mouthful of flavours that linger on long after you have taken your last bite.
Next on the starters was ‘Achari Broccoli’, which is divine, to say the least. Although the menu is leaning more on the non-vegetarian side, it has some of the best vegetarian items to appease even those who are pure non-vegetarians. The pickle-marinated broccoli roasted in tandoori style has just the right mix of crunch factor and juiciness. We balanced this with a platter of fried kingfish slices called ‘Hyderabadi Tawa Surmai’; a must-try for all dedicated seafood lovers.
Afghani Borani Banjan Haleem The Non-Veg Thali Awadhi Gosht Dum Biryani Gajar Halwa Phirni
Our host Supratim Bandyopadhyay, Manager, got us to taste the large non-vegetarian thali, which featured little bowls filled with keema (minced meat), chicken kebabs, fish curry, dal, palak-matter, kheer and chaas (yoghurt based drink), alongside a big portion of haleem and rotis. While the thali is designed to cater those with big appetites and has all the right accoutrements to make it a scrumptious affair, the dish of haleem is one to try every time you visit Meraz. It is a succulent dish that can easily cater to all kinds of palettes. We feasted on the popular and never-fail dish of Nalli Nihari (lamb shank cooked in red chilli and yoghurt), Afghani Chicken Roghni (chicken drumsticks cooked in spicy onion and yoghurt gravy) and Afghani Borani Banjan (garlic roasted eggplant topped with yoghurt and fresh mint) with an array of rotis – lacha paratha, Afghani bakhumas, Awadhi magaj naan and plain naans.
Right, our tummies were groaning under the weight of all the rich and exotic food that we did complete justice to, and yet, we weren’t ready to leave without the mandatory dessert. Kheer and Gajar Halwa – what a perfect finish!
