Name of Reviewer: Dimple Motwani Name of Restaurant: The Great Indian Kebab Factory Website: thegreatindiankebabfactory Rating: 4.5/5 The Great Indian Kebab Factory has already become a popular name amongst Indians and locals alike with an emphasis on promoting authentic Indian cuisine to those new to it as well as providing Indians with various unique recipes while making use of traditional spices and ingredients. In a nutshell, it’s Indian fine dining with a twist. After having found their place since the first branch opened in Tsim Sha Tsui three years ago, the brand decided to take their legacy forward by opening their Central-based doors to the public this March. The restaurant is exquisitely designed with Indian furnishing, including comfortable sofa chairs and intricate silverware. While most of their marketing has been through word-of-mouth, TGIKF feel they have been able to attract their desired crowd, upper middle-class Indians and expats. However, they don’t wish to limit their audience and thus welcome anyone in the search of good food. We started the tasting with Curried Breadsticks and Tandoori Aloo and Paneer Tikka. The taste of the two starters were just as promising as the presentation of the dishes. The Curried Breadsticks were served with a curried pumpkin lentil. Though a little hard to chew, the flavour of the breadstick, combined with the spice of the lentil served as a unique appetizer. The Tandoori Aloo and Paneer Tikka, a popular starter, was, as expected, fresh from the clay oven and cooked to perfection. The starters were immediately followed by the North Indian Thali. For tastings, I’ve often been served with two to three individual dishes. However, for an Indian restaurant in particular, I much rather prefer a thali, which comprises of five dishes in small portions, enabling me to try a variety of options. The thali was composed of Paneer Lababdar, Sabz Kadhai, Channa Masala and Dal Fry, with Methi Pulao Rice and assorted Indian breads. Paneer, an essential component of North Indian cuisine, particularly for vegetarians, is always something I’m exceptionally critical about. The Paneer Lababdar in question was moist and almost melted in my mouth — just how paneer should be — with a touch of cream on top. The gravy of the Sabz Kadhai was a little sweet which didn’t blend well with the mixed vegetables, and thus, was a bit of a let-down. The two lentils, the Dal Fry and Channa Masala however, were extremely pleasing to the palate. The former, a staple food for Indians globally, was thick and delectable while the latter was rich in a range of spices. The thali also came with a bowl of raita (yoghurt) and papadum. In short, the thali consisted of everything from sweet to savoury to spicy, catering to all tastes. As unique as the meal was altogether, it got progressively more interesting with each course, bringing me to the dessert. ‘Paan’, a popular snack in India, is made up with areca nuts, carom seeds, cumin seeds all wrapped up in a betel leaf lined with lime paste. This concept inspired the paan-flavoured gelato, homemade and created by Executive Chef, Aamod Sharma. This is possibly the most innovative you could get. If Indians are craving for their paan fix, this is the place to go, especially in the summer heat, with the cooling refreshment of the gelato. Signature dishes on the menu include the Punjabi Paneer Tikka, the Pani Murg Tikka, Vegan Harvest and the Dhuan Ghosht Hyderabadi with Bolognaise Sauce, most of which are exclusive to the Central branch. In addition to the above dishes, the restaurant is also known for its Bollywood-inspired drinks, such as the Amar Akbar Anthony, the Rajnikant Special and the Lazy Lamhe, to name but a few. They also serve their infamous regular, mango and strawberry lassis in test tubes — a concept created initially for the TST branch — just to make things more exciting. While being unique and remaining authentic can often be a difficult task to master, TGIKF definitely seems to have had it all figured out with their modern interpretations of traditional recipes. Highly recommended!
Posted on: Thu, 04 Jul 2013 01:13:55 +0000
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