Traditional with a twist - that's Radisson Blu MBD Hotel made in India for you

The real test for a restaurant with North Indian cuisine is its dal makhani, and if that passes muster, you can give it a thumbs up. So when Made in India, the Indian restaurant at the Radission Blu MBD at Noida invited us for a food review, we decided that one of the dishes we must order is the dal. The fine dining restaurant comes out tops with the dal makhani: the flavoring is subtle and not over the top, and the dal is not doused in cream. For me, it crosses the tape with a podium finish.

The menu at Made in India reflects the “flavours of longforgotten cuisine of India”. The chefs here have not strayed away too much from the tried and tested traditional dishes, but have come up with some originals that use modern flavours to capture the imagination of those looking for something beyond the ordinary. Take, for instance, the nimbu mahi tikka (INR 875), which are fish steaks in a citrus marinade cooked in a tandoor using a dash of thyme oil. It’s the ubiquitous fish tikka presented in a new avatar: the pieces are larger than tikka size but smaller than a steak size and the marinade has a tangy flavour of the lime marinade. A word of warning though — the dish has six large pieces and if it’s an order for two, you won’t have space for the main course!

In the vegetarian section, we tried the navratan kebab (INR 575), this was a basic vegetable kebab filled with assorted, nuts such as almonds, cashew and raisins. The kebab was soft and succulent, with rich flavouring from the dry-fruit filling.

The chefs have also tried some experimentation here: there’s a rajma and akroot ki shammi (INR 575), for instance. The dish is made of kidney beans and walnuts, an unusual combination. The kunna gosht (INR 1295) in the nonvegetarian section is another innovative dish of lamb shoulders slow cooked with onions and spices.

For the main course, we selected the vegetable of the day — Kashmiri dum aloo (INR 775), cooked in tomato gravy. It was a tad too sweet for my liking but then I’m the kind that can eat a Naga chilly (just one though) without batting an eyelid. The murg khurchan (INR 875) is another dish we ordered that is not available everywhere. The chicken juliennes were well-spiced and stir fired with bell peppers, onions and tomatoes.

The dal makhni (INR 495) went perfectly with both the dishes. We also tried the khameeri roti (INR 135), thick North-West Frontier-style rotis that complemented the three dishes. These rotis are heavy on the stomach, so go for it only if you are really famished, but they are so delicious that I can eat them on their own without any accompaniments!

The lal mirch ka parathas (INR 145) or kheema kulchas (INR 165) are good options too. We didn’t try the khurmi naan (INR 145), which are stuffed with cheese and topped with diced tomatoes, but it sounded like a good option from the usual tandoori or roomali rotis. We topped off the meal with a traditional phirni (INR 325) that had the right amount of sweetness, making it a perfect way to end the meal.

Made in India, with its billowy white curtains, has a Bollywood ambience and definitely gives you the star treatment as well. From the extensive menu, you can certainly find a dish that everyone on your table will enjoy. The chefs have made a sincere effort to create a menu that is different, yet retains the Indian-ness. (INR 1695 plus taxes for one person, with a choice of starters, main course and dessert).