If each food tells a story, then the new menu at Indian Accent tells one with whole lot of creativity and taste, writes ABHI SINGHAL

Who doesn’t love food, especially the kind that surprises your palate while tugging at the strings of nostalgia? Indian Accent, New Delhi, has unveiled a brand-new tasting menu, lovingly crafted by Executive Chef Shantanu Mehrotra. This menu is a tribute to the soul of Indian cuisine with reimagined contemporary flair and global finesse.

Chef’s new tasting menu isn’t just a meal; it’s a story told plate by plate. The journey begins with a playful mix of small bites that feel like old friends dressed up for a celebration. The aloo tikki with channa dal is soft and spiced just right — comforting yet elevated. The pavé khakhra, vatana, dhokla, kothimbir vadi, and chilli peanut thecha come together as crunchy, tangy, nutty bursts of flavour. Each one sparking curiosity and nostalgia with a modern wink.

Then comes a deeper world into the creative mind of the chef. The green jackfruit congee with pickle wraps you in warmth, the kind you feel on a rainy day with something slow-cooked and soulful. The dish ratalu shaami, rich and earthy, melts in your mouth, while the boursin cheese brings a creamy contrast, and papad kataifi adds a whisper of crispiness that is an unexpected delight.

We Indians love potato and want and need them in every meal. The achari paneer with Banarasi aloo is a dance of sharp and subtle with fiery pickling spices mellowed by buttery potato. It’s bold yet balanced, just like memories of home-cooked meals with a twist.

The mains are no less mouth watering. The palak paneer, reinvented with Indian Accent’s signature finesse, has a depth of flavour that lingers lovingly. You are also served with breads like garlic naan and stuffed naan with Dal Makhni and curd garnished with crispy snack made from chickpea flour.

Then, a playful pause: the Strawberry Kala Khatta, tangy and icy, is a blast from the past-like stealing a chuski after school.

Desserts are the final hug. The Malpua Crepe Suzette is indulgent and aromatic, soaked in syrupy warmth, while the tender coconut with dark chocolate offers a cooling, bittersweet finale you’ll remember long after the last spoonful.

“This menu honours the essence of Indian cuisine while pushing creative boundaries,” says Chef Shantanu Mehrotra. “It’s about evoking memories while surprising the senses.”

A menu specially curated for your taste buds

You would enjoy all the servings with appropriate taste and flavour while you eat. The addition of drinks will leave you go wow and savour the flavour. And that it does - leaving you full, not just in the stomach, but in the heart. There was the iconic blue cheese naan for the start of the tasting manu. Also, can you imagine chuski-style palate cleanser, full of childhood charm to enjoy the nostalgia in every plate.

Fact Sheet:

Indian Accent, The Lodhi, Lodhi Road

Price: Vegetarian: Rs 5,400/- per person   

Non-Vegetarian: Rs 5,500/- per person + Rs 5,500 for 6 glasses of wine pairing and Rs 8,900 if reserve wine pairings are preferred