“Top trending” , “Nearest To You”, “Instagrammable” – while these maybe some of the filters people look for while landing on a spot to eat – dining is riding a new wave. Diners now travel hours, most likely via different modes of transportation, and book a meal weeks in advance to indulge in a sonnet of flavours on their plate.
Too much? Not for the ones who treat food as a destination in itself. Think; a special location, a celebrated chef, an exclusive restaurant, and each dish accompanied by a backstory.
Our work often takes us directly to the table – recently with The Sarvato Jaipur, The Johri Jaipur and The Restaurant at Amaya, Kasauli. The proof, however, extends beyond our assurance.
“We want every guest to experience the essence of Rajasthan and take a piece of it home,” says HH Maharaja Padmanabh Singh of his new venture, The Sarvato, created with hotelier Abhishek Honawar. As a true destination dining experience, guests plan weeks ahead, not just to savour the six-course tasting menu that rotates with the seasons, but to journey to Chandra Mahal, set within Jaipur’s historic City Palace, home to the Maharaja.
The experimental set menu represents the essence of Rajasthan with each course — royal dishes alongside flavours from smaller cities and villages from the state — each bite telling a story. Paired with wine and cocktails, it’s the kind of meal you don’t just eat, you travel for. Because at The Sarvato, it’s as much about the history of the palace its nestled in, as it is about the food on your plate.
Another gem from Jaipur is tucked like a well-kept secret inside the busy bylanes of the jeweller’s market. The Johri is an all-vegetarian establishment in a two-century-old Merchant’s Haveli, now a boutique hotel of the same name. Originally crafted by Chef Vikram Arora and now successfully helmed by Chef Sonu Kumar Singh, the menu delights every patron
A seasonal vegetarian menu built on farm-fresh produce and inventive spins on local staples keeps diners coming back. The famed zero-sized mattar of Jaipur is cooked with palak and corn into a hearty plate; the desert delicacy sangri is reimagined as a tender shammi served with pickled ker; and the tangy classic sev tamatar sabji remains indispensable.
The Himalayan gucchi finds form in a fragrant pulao, butternut squash lends a fresh twist to a Bengali favourite, and kathal ki nihari pays full justice to its Awadhi inspiration.
With a menu that experiments and delights at every turn, it’s no wonder diners travel just to experience these flavours over and over again.
In a total contrast to the bustling, arid city of Jaipur and its gems – the lush, pine-rich Himalayas offer a different world entirely. A two-hour drive from Chandigarh, in the quaint town of Kasauli, sits Amaya on a private 25-acre expanse of forest land. Here the air is crisp, the vegetation is abundant, and the food culture is experimental. The food philosophy originally crafted by Chef Prateek Sadhu reflects how the mountains dictate the region’s cuisine.
Pinecone syrups, marigold concoctions, regional spin on umeshu, a variety of mushrooms from Solan, nettle leaves, black-wheat are few of the many culinary treasures that showcase the bounty of the Himalayas. Committed to being ever-evolving Amaya, has its very own lab where this alchemy plays out.
From the fermentations, sourdough bakes, and pickled roots and stems, comes a menu that’s truly inspired and original. Making the trip to this countryside haven just for the food in our opinion is definitely worth it. To be fair, the Japandi architecture on the terraced land also plays a crucial role in luring travellers.
As the world’s culinary map keeps expanding, the allure of destination dining is irresistible. From the innovative Japanese-Peruvian creations at Maido in Peru to the serene Balinese flavours at Rumari in Bali, the contemporary elegance of Quintonil in Mexico City, and the Nordic mastery of Kadeau in Copenhagen, there’s a whole universe of flavours waiting to be explored, and these are just a few of the places we’re eager to experience next.
