Made in Punjab, Inorbit Mall Malad, Mumbai: A Taste of Punjab, Closer to home

When you think of Punjab, you think of lush green farms, doodh and lassi, sarson ka saag and makke di roti, Tandoor and Sigri ke meats and a lot of desi ghee laden wholesome meals. Unfortunately for us Mumbaikars, the availability of this robust spread is limited to only a very few options available around the city. One of the flag bearers is, legendary chef, Jiggs Kalra’s Made in Punjab.

Located at the 2^nd floor, near the food court area of Inorbit mall of Malad, the restaurant is located strategically right near the entrance to the Multiplex. The décor in the restaurant is done in subtle tones and the whole place has a very elegant feel to it.

Our gastronomic journey started with an amouse bouche of delicately spiced Aloo Bonda garnished with a little curd and sweet and tangy Sounth, followed by their famous Palak Patta Chaat, where the crispy spinach tempura have been treated the same way as a papdi chaat, quite delectable.

The veg and chicken kurkurey that followed were cheesy crispy sticks paired with a sweet garlic chilli sauce. I didn’t like it much as I found the coating to be a bit thick and doughy. The Bhatti da murg with its brown onion paste marinade was quite flavoursome though the chicken could have been a bit softer. The paneer version of the same dish was far better with a tender smoky flavour reminding one of the earthy robustness that represents Punjab.

The galouti kebab was soft, creamy and melt-in-the-mouth as it should be, it could have done without the onion salad topping. The beetroot kebab was the surprise package; when the panko crusted kebab was served, I mentally imagined a Bengali vegetable chop kind of flavours, but on biting into the kebab, I was happy to discover a nutty cheesy filling which took the kebab to a totally different tangent altogether. Definitely a winner here!

One cannot complete a meal at Made in Punjab without trying there Tandoori Gucchi which is a lovely version of Tandoor grilled Morrels filled with bits of morrels and tender spices. Similarly the classic Chicken tikka was also well done with the chicken very juicy and flavoursome to the last bite.

The Vegetarian meal consisted of a black daal which was thick and creamy; some white butter on top would have certainly rounded it off much better. The paneer lababdaar was a sweetish gravy, very easy on the palate and a winner for people who like their dishes mild. The mutton gravy had a spicy, nihari like consistency and the mutton was literally fall off the bone, the chicken makhani however was a bit on the sweeter side and I kept craving for some robust onion based chicken curry. The accompanying naans were light and crisp, the kulchas quite good but the keema kulcha was a bit heavy and dense to my taste.

The stand out dish in this whole journey was the Sarson ka Saag and Makke di roti and the chefs special Gucchi pulao. The sarson ka saag was seasoned perfectly and definitely took me to the fields of Punjab, I wish I had some gur (jiggery) and white butter with me to complete the experience. The Gucchi pulao, interestingly served in a glass jar has pieces of morrels, teaming exquisitely with fried onions and saffron, lending the dish a subtle aromatic character which was divine on the palate.

With the stomach satiated with these last two bursts of flavours, the desserts of Jalebi with Rabri and Rasmalai were overshadowed. Though both the desserts were extremely well done with right amounts of saffron, nuts, sweetness and textures, my heart, soul and brain were fixated upon the flavoursome journey which climaxed with the lovely sarson ka saag and gucchi pulao.

I am glad to say that Made in Punjab has successfully brought the robustness of Punjab di mitti close to us Mumbaikars in a very elegant and exquisite way.

Ratings out of 5

Food: 4.0 | Ambiance: 4 | Service: 3.5 | Overall: 4.0

Meal for Two without Alcohol: Rs. 1500 Approximately plus taxes| Alcohol: Yes | Credit Card: Yes

Timing: Lunch: 12 Noon – 4pm {weekends till 5pm} (last order at 3:30pm)

Dinner: 7pm – 11.30pm (last order at 11.15pm)

Address: Made In Punjab, Level 2, Inorbit Mall, Mindspace Link Road, Malad West, Mumbai | Telephone: +91 9004515000, 022 66711187