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HOT JOINT
CHARCOALS IS just the place for a scrumptious meal of North West Frontier delicacies. Cooking methods, primarily fuelled by coal, explain the name of the place. Housed at the top of Hotel Rama on Lavelle Road, this restaurant boasts of an independent live kitchen, where one can watch kababs come out of the tandoor, and rotis being tossed in the air. Families frequent this year-old eatery as often as corporate clientele and foreign tourists do. It is hard to stay away from the rustic setting, complete with stone counters in the kitchen, rangoli designs on earthen-finish walls with a diya in every niche and slate floor. Large tables ensure no cause for inconvenience, as lilting melodies weave through the airy atmosphere.
Starters are a must-have, with choices aplenty. Machhali tikka (sear fish mildly spiced with ajwain), bharvan aloo (whole potato stuffed and cooked in a tandoor), and kalmi kabab are excellent. A special platter, which has an assortment of mutton, chicken, or fish, is also available at Rs. 155. For the main course, vegetarians can indulge in paneer khurchan (Rs. 140), cubes of cottage cheese with capsicum and red onions. Shami makki aur salsi, corn and vegetable curry, is another great preparation for the vegetarian palate.
Fish curry (Rs. 155), lal maas (Rs. 155), the spicy mutton specialty from Rajasthan, and barrah chaamp (Rs. 175) will suit the non-vegetarian palate. Dal charcoal, black dal cooked the traditional way, simmered on coals overnight, is truly in a class beyond compare. Rotis are various. Of them, onion kulcha and garlic naan (Rs. 25) are outstanding. Family naan (Rs. 120) is a large naan that, literally, can feed a family. Vegetable biriyani (Rs. 75) or chicken/mutton biriyani (Rs. 140), with a choice of raitha (Rs. 75), is ideal for those who stop by for a quick meal. Finally, to gratify a sweet tooth, rabadi (Rs. 55), phirnee (Rs. 55), or kulfi are tops in the dessert section.
A well stocked bar attracts another league, who just want a leisurely evening to unwind. Food cooked over coals must be eaten as soon as it reaches the plate, and impeccable service ensures it happens. R.S. Bhati, General Manager, believes in offering quality with quantity. "Prices must be reasonable. Families are our biggest customers, and they are perennial. Strict standards are maintained on all counts and being accommodating is an essential factor," he says.
Charcoals is open between 12.30 p.m. and 3 p.m., and from 7 p.m. to midnight. It can accommodate 40 at a time. Weekends are chock-a-block. So call on 2273381 and reserve your table.
DOMINIC D'CRUZ
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
Visakhapatnam
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