Restaurants

The epitome of elegance, the Red Fort has a calming, restrained demeanour. Lighting is low (apart from spotlights on the pristine white tablecloths), artefacts are reassuringly expensive (a capacious copper urn here, a grand water feature there), and the smartly garbed staff (the brisk side of brusque) are proficiency incarnate. Multinational media types in their 30s and 40s dine here. Food is classic Moghul (especially from regal Lucknow), rather than innovative, so don’t expect surprises – save, perhaps, for the highly priced bill. Starters lacked lustre: monkfish tikka looked lovely, but was mushy and overcooked; in contrast hara kebabs (two spinach and fenugreek patties) seemed measly in appearance, but had a soft, luscious filling. To follow, dum pukht biriani was exemplary: the lamb tender, the rice moist with meat juices, fragrant with cardamom pods and cinnamon bark. Equally faultless were the kaddu chana (nicely resilient white pumpkin with chana dhal) and the four little discs of perfectly weighted rotis. Raspberry shrikhand is the eye-catcher among the desserts. As with the Red Fort in its entirety, the wine list can’t fail to impress business clients.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009