HZ Review: Visit Loya To Relish Authentic Dishes From The North

For me, I feel no cuisine in the world can beat delicacies from North India. Thick, aromatic gravies, flavourful appetisers, and irresistible desserts, who wouldn't like that? My cheat meal usually is a big North Indian thali with my favourite treats - a portion of tikkas or kebabs, some chaat, a bowl of slow-cooked dal, some fresh tandoori bread, loads of salad on the side, and a big serving of desserts like kulfi or kheer.

For the longest time I can recall, I have been having North Indian food at either roadside dhabas or regular restaurants. When I first heard of Taj Loya, a fine dining restaurant serving authentic North Indian treats, I was a bit skeptical. Will a 5-star restaurant manage to bring me the same flavours and warmth? I walked in with low expectations honestly but when I stepped out, I couldn't stop smiling ear to ear.

Cost For Two

₹6500 for two people

The Menu

On the menu are the most loved North Indian treats but all of them with a twist - Pindi chole with bharwan karare kulche, paneer teen mirch, sepu wadi, multani gobhi, dal jhakiya, gola parathas to name a few. For the mittha or desserts, Loya serves traditional Indian sweets in an altogether different avatar, kulfi pop, an assorted palette of kulfis, falooda with almond kulfi and rabri.

The Ambience

As I walked in, I could smell the tadka, and see a big kitchen behind a glass petition featuring sigids, clay pots, and iron kadhais. The interiors are thoughtfully designed to ensure you enjoy authentic food in a space that transports you to North India. The colourful walls remind you of Punjab, Mughal era inspired hangings add an old world charm to the space. For me, the highlight was the paintings of medieval marketplaces on the walls across the restaurant that got together the whole vibe.

The Music

Another highlight for me at Loya was the music, the brand has its own music album. The one-of-its-kind album has been composed by musician Shreyas Patkar. The collection has a good mix of classical, indie, and instrumental tracks, perfectly aligned with the vibe of the restaurant.

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My Experience

For someone like me who has had North Indian food for almost all my life, this one was a true treat. I could never have imagined some of North's most loved recipes taking such unique turns here at Taj Loya. For appetisers known as Pella Swaad at Loya, I had kachori chaat and aloo methi sooley, a refreshing take on the starters, both oozing flavours. For the main course I tried dal jhakiya with kathal baingan bharta. Dal jhakiya, the traditional moong and arhar dal was served with a tempering of pahadi jhakiya seeds and kathal baingan bharta, on the other hand, was a unique smoked and spiced recipe which I loved bingeing on with by gola parathas. After a hearty meal, I relished traditional sweets from the 'mittha' menu, bandali pearls, and falooda.

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Verdict

Overall, I loved being at Loya, such a luxe experience, the ambience comforting, food lip-smacking. However, price-wise, expect a price in sync with the brand, Taj. It might not be something you might want to spend on weekly but once a month, a treat like this one won't hurt.

My Favourite's At Loya

Bandana Pearls - Traditional boondi served with rabri and saffron foam, topped with almonds and pistachios

Loya Kachori Chaat - Crispy kachoris with green peas, anardana, and saunth chutney

Sepu Wadi - Himachali wadi in thick yogurt and tomato gravy