This restaurant at The Taj Mahal has served some of the iconic dishes that have stood the test of time. SHALINI SAKSENA brings you back stories of how these found their way into the menu
Most of us who have visited Machan at The Taj Mahal are familiar with the tiger strip wall to wall rug and the jungle pictures that adorn the wall. The coffee shop was a trendsetter in 1978 as it had introduced the concept of the midnight buffet. The buffet was a success and the hotel often buzzed at midnight. The timings were 12-3 am and it was so popular that there would be queues during the those hours to enjoy the buffet, priced at just Rs 21! The Periyar Club sandwich at Rs 11 and assorted pastries at Rs 3.
As the hotel, celebrates 40 years of traditions, the restaurant presented a few culinary delights from its original menu and the journey thereafter. Chef Tapash Bhattacharya, Chef Manager at Machan recalls that when he joined, the centre had an elevated platform. There were three canopies with 6 pax on either side.
How did these dishes find their way into the menu? Chef Bhattacharya tells you that the decor and the menu for the restaurant came from Divyabhanusingh Chawda, an avid wildlife enthusiast. Elizabeth Kerkar was the architect (wife of the Ajit Kerkar, the MD back then).
“The Periyar Club sandwich and the layers of ham, fried egg, roast chicken and home made mayonnaise that make up this a favourite became a hit with the patrons who have been visiting the restaurant for decades. Back then, there was no place in the Capital that served a fried egg. Let alone on a sandwich made form the bread that was baked in-house. Therefore the slice was big as opposed to what it is today. The added layers made this a huge sandwich which was served with a side of French fries,” Tapash says.
There is an interesting story how Kathi Kabab Kaziranga got its name. The story goes that during a safari to Kaziranga National Park back in the late 70s, the traveling party got hungry. They had some left-over rotis. The party came across a small settlement and requested for some food. A family gave them some left over chicken which was deboned. Some onions were added and a roll was made. The result? A kathi roll. The egg, Tapash tells you was added much later whose journey with The Taj Mahal Hotel, particularly at Machan, has been wonderful.
“My unparalleled passion and zeal has only strengthened over the years. My priority is our guests who have been frequenting the restaurant. They have woven memories here, they have numerous stories and nostalgic experiences to cherish. The guests are sentimentally attached to this eatery and they are the ones who have made it so special not just for the hotel but for the entire city,” Bhattacharya says.
Another story that Chef regales you with is the reason why the jungle painting continue to adorn the walls despite the revamp on 2000.
“Back in 1978, the entire theme was inspired from the jungle so that walls had paintings depicting wild animals. But then in 2000, the doors to Machan shut. The floor that had tiles got tiger strip wall to wall carpeting. The paintings were removed. The canopies were also done away with. When I opened the doors to Machan, after nine month, I was not prepared for the reaction of the guests who walked in. They were in shock. They couldn’t believe that someone had dared to removed the iconic paintings. There was a hue and cry by every guest who walked in that day wanted the paintings back. We had no option but to put them up,” Chef recounts.
That is the reason why if one sees the painting of the lion closely, its tail is missing. Due to space constrain, the continuation painting had to be put elsewhere. Obviously, none of the patrons who visit the restaurant mind this anomaly since the restaurant continues to serve their favourite dish — the Keema Pav. The recipe remains unchanged since the time it was introduced a few decades back. The Pav Bhaji was an option for the vegetarians.
There was a time when there was talk of giving this dish a Mumbai flavour. “There was a unanimous ‘no’ from all quarters. The kitchen was adamant that the recipe remain unchanged because there was no way that Delhiites will appreciate a Mumbai twist to their favourite order.
Chef Bhattacharya tells you that the more frequent guests who come to the restaurant don’t even need the menu. They know it by heart and know what they want to eat. Of course, there are always some patrons who are fussy. And whenever that happens I am sent to handle the situation. The reason is simple. I began my career with this hotel when it opened. Back then I was a rookie whose work was to probably chop onions all day long. That has changed now. Since I know the ins and out of this restaurant, I am sent to placate the angsty guest. The good part is that is easy to handle them the minute they see me at their table. Our policy is that the guest is importance and we need to give him whatever he wants and that is show another iconic dish found its way into the menu in 1988-89 — Bull’s Eye,” Chef says.
He tells you that a customer wanted a dessert that had chocolate and ice-cream. “The Chef, Sanjay Vij, back then came up with an ingenious idea. He took a chocolate pastry and warmed it. As presentation, he hollowed out the centre and then put a scoop of ice-cream. When the dish made it to the table, the customer said, it looked like an eye. Lo and behold — Bull’s Eye. The dessert had to be perfected. The sponge cake in the shape of an eye was made, the centre hollowed out, lots of melted Belgian chocolate sauce is poured which was then topped with vanilla ice-cream,” Bhattacharya shares and tells you there are here for the guest, “Whatever they want, we give them. Hence 50 per cent of our menu has dishes from the 1978,” he says.
Last but not the least is the Cona coffee that patrons have been wanting to see on the menu since the time it was discontinued. Those who don’t understand what the fuss is all about, Cona (town in the Italian province of Venice) coffee’s history finds its origins back in 1850s. Cona is famous for producing the Cona Coffee Machine around 1910 — the original all-glass coffee maker.
When the dark rich sweet coffee was poured into the cup, the aroma that whiffed ensured that the young throng to the restaurant at midnight. That is was priced at Rs 4 with unlimited refills made it is at instant hit. Maybe the refills proved to be cost ineffective.
Now, another renovation is on the cards. But they are not going to shut shop. Will this renovation also bring back the Cona coffee? It is on the cards. But will it have unlimited number of refills? Rumour has it that it is a ‘no’.
