And magic definitely happened when I walked into an empty Moti Mahal. It was my last meal in Delhi and I actually wanted to go to Kareem's. But it was Ramzan and Kareem's would only be open at night. I was disappointed, but very soon my thoughts turned to Moti Mahal, which I'd seen a couple of times when I passed by it on my way to the Paranthe Waali Galli and to Red Fort. And since I had heard of it as the place that invented Tandoori Chicken, it became an obvious choice.
The restaurant is quite close to Kareem's so getting there was no problem. But upon arrival, we found the place almost empty. The courtyard and the entrace looked shabby and even the interiors were in need of a makeover, paint peeling off the walls and all. For a moment, I was in doubt. Was this really the original Moti Mahal? The one I read about, the one I saw on Vir Sanghvi's 'A Matter of Taste'? We decided to give it a try anyway.
But before I start singing the paeans, there's time to digress for a short history lesson. Tandoori Chicken, as we know it today was invented by one Kundan Lal Gujral in his restaurant called - no prizes for guessing - Moti Mahal in Peshawar during the late British Raj. The Tandoor was originally used to make rotis and naans only. But Mr. Gujral, in an attempt to attract customers with something innovative, started roasting marinated chickens in the coal-fired oven. And thus, our beloved Tandoori chicken was born. At the time of partition, Gujral moved to Delhi and so did Moti Mahal. It was here that it gained fame and even became a favorite of Prime Minister Nehru. And as if this wasn't enough, a cook in the Moti Mahal kitchen later invented another Indian classic, Butter Chicken!
Back to the main story now...we obviously began with the Tandoori Chicken and needless to say, it was the best I've ever had. First of all, it looked different from all the others I'd had till then. That's because unlike all the other places, they dont use artificial colouring to make their chicken look bright red. This one's the normal brown. And it's piping hot...coz it's cooked in an actual Tandoor with burning charcoal and not on some gas stove or electric grill. Go back to all the 'Tandooris' you've had so far and try to recollect...have any of them been cooked in an actual Tandoor or have any of them looked like they have been cooked in an actual Tandoor? Chances are, your answer is no. So those are the three things that make Moti Mahal's Tandoori the best - It's the original, it uses no colour and its cooked in an actual fuckin Tandoor with burning charcoal.
So after the Tandoori Chicken, it was time for some Butter Chicken with rotis. And surprise surprise, this turned out to be the piece de resistance! Once again, I'm gonna make you go back and think of all the Butter Chicken you've had in the past. What makes Butter Chicken? The cream/butter, the tomato and the spice. Now think back and you'll realise that every time you've had Butter Chicken, it was either too creamy or had too much tomato or too much spice. Have you ever had Butter Chicken with all three in perfect proportion? That's the kind of Butter Chicken Moti Mahal makes. Coz its the ORIGINAL.
But it's not only the food that makes Moti Mahal such a great place. Its also the hospitality. After the meal, our waiter came to us and asked how we liked the food. When we said we loved it, he quickly responded, "Mera dil behlane ke liye toh nahi keh rahe hai?". When we asked to see the Tandoor, his eyes lit up and he gave us a tour of the entire restaurant and kitchen. Not only did he show us the Tandoor, he also introduced us to the people who cooked our food that afternoon.
I left the restaurant in a state of trance. Needless to say I'd recommend Moti Mahal to anybody who's going to Delhi anytime soon. But what disturbed me was the emptiness of the place on a Sunday afternoon. By the time we left, a lot of Westerners had actually come in but the place was still half empty. For the kind of food this place serves, Delhiites and tourists alike should be flocking to it. Moti Mahal deserves to be packed to the gills for lunch and dinner, on weekdays and weekends. It deserves no less.
