The name of the Indian restaurant at Wyndham Garden Manama in Juffair, Jashan, translates to celebration, and is an apt foretaste of the dining experience that Behnaz Sanjana had.
Teal, gold and ornate motifs on wooden panelling make for an inviting ambience at Jashan. The live Indian music after 8pm every evening adds to the essence of the venue.
To start off, my dining companion and I shared a Tamatar Shorba between us. The tangy tomato soup left a pleasant aftertaste of coriander and the heat of pepper. The starters on the menu all looked so tempting that we took the stewardess’ suggestion and went for the non-vegetarian platter. We got a great mix of grilled delights, of which my favourites were the melt-in-your-mouth lamb Sheekh Kebab and the Peshawari Murgh – chicken heavily marinated in yogurt, giving it a silken mouthfeel. The seafood starred Fish Tikka and Jhinga Kalimirch – prawns with a black pepper.
Dhaba Murg is the signature dish of chef Narendra Singh, who oversees the running of Jashan’s display kitchen. A single bite of the succulent fowl and its richly coloured, chunky gravy made it easy to see why it’s the most-ordered item from the mains. The preparation is a perfect blend of spices, intermingled with slivers of ginger that raised the flavour bar even higher.
We savoured the Daal Makhani, which had been gently simmered for a long time, giving it a deep, intense flavour. The Paneer Makhani was just how I’d envisaged it would be – a tasty, saffron-hued curry bearing soft pieces of cottage cheese. It’s a customary fixture on an Indian menu, but oh so tasty. Chef Narendra likes to surprise his guests with a ‘special of the day’ that doesn’t feature on the menu. That night, we were lucky to eat Patiala Shahi Murg – pieces of chicken rolled up in an omelette that’s half swathed in a tomato-based red gravy, and the other half in an ivory, cashew sauce. All the preparations went well with the sesame-topped naan I’d selected from the assorted bread basket. I quite enjoyed its nutty taste.
The Nalli Gosht Biryani, an aromatic rice dish, was sealed tight with a layer of dough that had bubbled while the contents cooked inside. The stewardess cut it open to let out a fragrant puff of steam. We eagerly peeked in to see pieces of lamb shank embroiled in long grains of basmati rice, the very scent of which made my mouth water. The tender meat, mildly spiced rice and bitter-sweet fried onions played a harmonious melody for the taste buds. Although satiated, I had to request an encore.
To complete the royal meal that we’d thoroughly enjoyed, we were brought Kulfi and Gajjar ka Halwa. The cold Kulfi, rife with the taste of cream and pistachio was a lovely accomplice to the warm, carrot pudding; the slight aroma of its clarified butter wafting up to my nose even before my first spoonful.
All in all, Jashan makes for a memorable dining experience, whenever you crave for authentic tastes from the subcontinent.
Call 66 316-666.
