Even before its launch, the thoroughly researched Menu Book, with diacritical marks for accuracy, has become a collectors’ item. From next week it will be sold in all six languages at a no-profit price of Rs.3,000 a copy. The Oudh has private dining options. Ladies often complain about the air conditioning, even in summer. Fresh silk stoles are available for their use on request. Begin your gastronomic journey with the “Lucknowi Yakhni Shorba” or, if you are a vegetarian or vegan, with the ‘Dal Shorba’. The ‘Jhinga Mehrunnisa’ (prawns flavoured with saffron and roasted in a tandoor) and the ‘Tangri Malihabadi’ (tandoori grilled chicken legs) are kababs which The Oudh has the privilege of introducing to diners outside Lucknow. The “Murgh Rehana” (barbecued chicken simmered in a gravy of cashew nut, tomato and cream), the “Hussainabadi Gosht” (mutton and potato roundels simmered in spicy masalas) and the “Teh Biryani” are intended to convince even the most fastidious food snobs of Lucknow . On order, the signature dishes of The Oudh can be prepared in the dum pukht style of cooking by Chef Nizamuddin Qureshi. All restaurants of The Ashok take special care not only of vegetarians but, now, also of vegans, once again becoming the first in India to do so. There is a selection of vegetarian kababs and curries including “Tohfa-e-Noor” (tandoori grilled cottage cheese in a spicy marinade), “Dahi Ke Koftey (curd
balls simmered in a saffron flavoured gravy), “Paneer-e-Hazrat Mahal” (chutney stuffed cottage cheese in a gravy of tomatoes, cashew nuts and almonds) and the “Gulnar Biryani”.
The “Gilafi Kulcha”, “Sheermal” and multi-grain breads are the perfect accompaniments to a royal experience that can best be concluded with a truly heavenly “Muzafar” (vermicelli cooked in saffron with nuts). For the health conscious (and diabetics) the “Shahi Tukre” of The Oudh now come in multigrain bread and stevia variants.
The Oudh is a truly royal experience.
FACTS : Lunch : Buffet from 1230 to 1500 hours
Dinner: A la carte from 1930 to 2330 hours
Private dining rooms and a well stocked bar.