The tandoor does the talking here

Innovation (we serve Tandoor Duck), candour (Delhi guests yell at managers) and concern (keeping your chef happy is important) are the recipe for an Indian restaurant that's beating the pants off its competitors. The GUIDE spends an afternoon in eminent food consultant Jiggs and son Zorawar Kalra's kitchen

Mountbatten's line has been obliterated," says Jiggs Kalra gleefully. The eminent food writer and restaurateur is referring to the menu at Punjab Grill, one that encompasses all that his home-state offers, even crossing over to Lahore.

The speciality Indian eatery that arrived in Mumbai some months ago, already has two outlets in the capital. Jiggs' son, Zorawar Kalra, who manages the business, says, "Opening the first restaurant was hard, the second seemed impossible. The third hasn't been so bad." Zorawar was keen to bring Punjab Grill to Mumbai because it's a city where Punjabi cuisine, he says, isn't well represented.

The Kalras aren't purists; they enjoy innovation. The Salmon Tikka and Tandoori Duck stand testimony. "Dad has been associated with food for 40 years. He comes up with something new every day," Zorawar smiles about the man who has created meals for the PM and visiting Heads of State.u00a0

Tandoors that move

The kitchen at Punjab Grill is spotless white and functional. Surprisingly, the expected blast of hot air doesn't strike us when we enter. Chefs work in quiet tandem in the cool kitchen, chopping fresh veggies, stirring a curry and cleaning surfaces. Zorawar increased the size of the kitchen to make sure there was plenty of fresh air, because, "keeping your chef happy is most important."

While the kitchen is out of public view, the tandoor faces diners, which Zorawar says, was a deliberate decision. "It brings in an element of drama and keeps the staff on their toes." It took three months to procure the four custom-made brass-coloured mobile tandoors that stand here. Vegetables, meats and breads are grilled in separate tandoors. One of them is gas-based while the other three use charcoal.

It took three months to procure the four custom-made brass tandoors that Zorawar stands against. Pics/ Sayed Sameer Abedi

An appetising mix of smoke and curry aroma greets us when we enter the tandoor room. The chef skewers chunks of pinkish salmon spiced with red wine vinegar, cheese, dill and masalas. They are first seared in a high heat tandoor, then slow-cooked in the medium tandoor.

The salmon comes from Norway, the cream is courtesy Delhi, Mumbai provides the paneer. Sixty per cent of Punjab Grill's menu is vegetarian, to cater to the city's Gujarati population. The spotlight on seafood was Jiggs' idea.