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IT’S been a long-standing tradition in the GulfWeekly newsroom to have a deadline day lunch together and rather than scream at each other for late stories, missing photographs and the placing of last-minute advertisements resulting in complete page redesigns … we chill for 45-minutes in the middle of the madness and enjoy Curry Monday.
Due to a change-over of personnel, however, we no longer have a hotline to one of the best Indian curry houses in Hoora and the tastes of the recent recruits have resulted in a change of menu with more Bahraini Tikka and grilled chicken being served up than curry.
It’s very pleasant but has given me a longing for Indian cuisine which made the grand opening of Roti Boti (great name, guys!) - a new restaurant at Al Areen Palace & Spa - a much-longed for date.
Located right at the entrance of the grand five-star resort in Sakhir, you can’t miss it and, judging from the fabulous fare sampled, our readers should set up their sat-navs and head to the desert retreat ASAP.
Executive Sous Chef Janardan Das is a master craftsman and dished up some of the most delightful spicy, juicy, flavoursome favourites I have savoured in a long time with touches of sheer genius and fabulously fresh ingredients.
Educated in Kolkata, India, he graduated in Hotel Management Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition in 1992 and went on to experience kitchen life at leading hospitality enterprises such as the Ritz-Carlton, Fairmont, Intercontinental and Taj group of hotels taking him to Muscat, Dubai, Qatar and now Bahrain.
Chef Janardan was the recipient of the silver medal in a live cooking contest organised by Qatar Tourism Authority and has been a senior member of the UAE Culinary Guild, so he’s a welcome addition to our culinary scene.
His Chicken Tikka taste-test appetiser was tender and oozing with flavour (available from the clay oven as a main course from BD9++) and the Murg Malai Kebab (BD7++), served with a minty sauce dip, was delightful.
The lamb chop that followed deserved a standing ovation. I haven’t seen a chop this chunky in the 10 years I’ve lived in the kingdom and unlike so many presented on my plate at other venues it was not incinerated … it was soft and the meat melted in your month. I started posh with a knife and fork but the taste was so good I had to resort to fingers to nibble and gnaw every last morsel. Marvellous. The Barra Kebab main dish featuring a marinated rack of lamb is priced BD10++.
The other courses were just as satisfactory. My favourite was the Murg Makhani (BD7.500++). This rich, buttery, creamy chicken concoction needs no introduction as it is most probably the best known of all Indian dishes. It was so good, my teenage son, Stan Jnr, who accompanied me, is now known as the Butter Chicken Boy by the waiter. He was later interviewed for his views by a film crew after they spotted him devouring a third helping!
Other successful dishes were the staple favourites Chicken (BD6.500++) and Vegetable dum Biryani (BD5.500++), again delicately cooked and not in the slightest bit dry. A sheer delight.
The Prawn Malai Curry (BD10++) had a mesmerising cream and coconut milk sauce and the Mutton Ghosh Rogan Josh (BD8++) received full marks too from my table companions.
The accompanying Butter Naan and Tandoori Roti (both BD1++) could not be faulted either, thick and tasty, they did their job soaking up the sauces.
I’ve never been a great fan of Indian desserts, as I often find them too sweet for my taste-buds but the Bengali-baked yoghurt (BD4++) is one dish I will order again.
I’m not one usually to go overboard with praise with my Eating Out reviews but Roti Boti is brilliant. There’s a warm and inviting ambience about the place, it is cosy and welcoming with 40 seats inside and a terrace garden for 16 settings outside, which will be a big draw, I’m sure, when the weather cools.
A great start and what a fabulous way to celebrate the 69th year of Indian independence!
Among the guests were Indian ambassador to Bahrain Shri Alok Kumar Sinha and his wife, Mamta, who helped with the ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside hotel general manager, Pierre Vasseur.
Call 17845000 for more details or to book a table.
