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THERE are some golden touches to the kingdom’s newest Indian restaurant offering that make the Mewar memorable and it is little wonder this impressive venue in the growing Galleria Mall dining destination hotspot has become the talk-of-the-town.
Not only has it been impressively decorated, it comes with the most comfortable seating I’ve found on the island, dishes prepared and presented with divine attention, informative and passionate waiters and gleaming shining golden cutlery that would even impress one of my closest friends who has a fixation about the quality of tableware and has been disappointed on more than one occasion at some of the most expensive restaurants in the world.
Regular readers may recall that I have a particular passion for naan to soak up the juices of curry sauces and I’ve never quite found anything quite to match the one presented at Raj Mahal back in the UK city of Bristol … until now.
One of the house specialities at Mewar, of which there are many, is the divine Broccoli aur Cheese Naan, outstanding is the best word to describe it. The best BD1.200 you could invest in Indian bread EVER.
Of course, you have to have the sauce to scoop up and on the advice of Nasir Shaikh, ‘captain of the floor’, from Goa, who only arrived in Bahrain at the beginning of the month, the good lady wife Kathryn and I decided to share the Balti Gosht (BD4.200), lamb curry with some kick from northern India, and my personal standout dish of the night and another house special, the vegetarian Jodhputi Aloo Gobhi & Broccoli (BD3.200).
I love enthusiastic, knowledgeable and welcoming waiting staff and young Nasir is up there with the best I’ve met in the kingdom.
We were also treated to four samples of refreshing Lassi, a chilled churned yoghurt drink with a delectable rose flavour, date & honey, blueberry and pistachio, which must be like letting Laban loose at a rave!
And, whilst we waited for the main courses to be prepared we settled down for a delicious starter (and a house speciality, of course) called Tawa Murg Tikka Hummus, perfect pieces of pan-grilled boneless chicken leg served with pita fritters on a bed of spicy cold hummus (BD3.800). This was melt-in-the-mouth magnificence, Indian delights with an Arabic twist, and a tantalising taste of what was to come.
Now would be an apt time to introduce the restaurant’s executive chef Shaik Saibjaan and his team. Orissa-born Chef Shaik boasts more than 10 years’ experience at some of India’s top hotel restaurants before joining the Elite Group in Bahrain.
A triple Bravo culinary award winner who has also picked up accolades for his ‘customer focus’ during his spell with the Radisson Blu, the presentation of his dishes was five-star all the way.
I love it when the food looks as good as its tastes in the bowls and on the plates. The lamb curry arrived in a distinct metal container and was transferred for sharing into warmed bowls.
Even the accompanying rice looked perfect in its pottery piece.
The vegetarian dish was an absolute delight featuring great wedges of potato, broccoli tempered with fenugreek seeds and ginger and the most delicious cauliflower.
Captain Nasir was spot on with the suggestions and we had just enough room for dessert. I’ve never been a great fan of Indian sweet dishes but the desserts on the menu are a clever fusion affair.
I went for the Rasmalai Chocolate Mousse (BD2.600) and the queen of crème brulee Kathryn when for the Gulab Jamun Flan (BD2.400) and it made for a fiery finish to a fabulous dining experience. Yes, they put the finishing touches to this delight at the table with a flame-thrower … what you might call a crispy conclusion.
‘The Mewar Indian Restaurant – The Royal Art of Indian Cuisine’ has been introduced to the kingdom under businessman Shabeer Dadabhai’s Cuisine Crafts umbrella and operations manager Fady Shawky Ayaid must be delighted with the rapturous response it has received to date.
Call 17502000 for more details or visit www.mewarrestaurant.com. Downstairs seating is close to the tandoor oven or take the glass lift upstairs to another exquisite dining area.
Check out’s Stan’s YouTube interview with Fady and Chef Shaik by placing your smart phone over the QR code.
