Authentic! Traditional! That 90s touch! Old street taste, inviting aroma – Few phrases we use to locate that specific food that will take us back to those golden days when each dish with that one common main ingredient tasted so different and unique. Those days, the chef signature was imbibed in everything and whatever we try at home, we will go back to him for that specific flavor.  These days, most of the times when we eat out, we end up feeling better making the dish at home and let me tell you, at times it is much better. Take for example, tomato soups at restaurants taste almost like Maggi soups we make at home. Where is that signature that makes us drool and walk in to the restaurant for that experience? We happily had one such experience with Copper Chimney at The Great Indian Kabab Festival happening now till April 14^th 2017.

Being a vegetarian, we had never explored Copper Chimney before though we have seen, walked past it since the early 90s. Copper Chimney, Cathedral road branch was inaugurated in 1994 though the Mumbai Copper Chimney started way back in 1972 says Restaurant Manager Martin.  As curious as ever when we saw the menu with North Indian dishes which are very much the list in any restaurant we walk in today, we asked Mr. Martin what makes them unique? We did get the answer when we were served the specialties of the Kabab festival and their dishes.  Spices are brought in from the respective regions and the chef makes it himself to ensure the authenticity and it did speak volumes to us.  The vegetarian options are

Khadey masaley ka panner tikka (Paneer tikka roasted in the tandoor with Khada masala – whole spices) – The whole spices sang in every bite and the paneer was succulent absorbing the aroma of those spices

Kashmiri Paneer – King of Kebab here – Paneer marinated in saffron and Kashmiri Garam masala and is charcoal grilled. Looking white, it was a beautiful journey of aroma and singing palate with saffron and those awesome spices nudging us in every bite.

Tandoori Mushroom – Stuffed mushroom with cheese and tandoori spices served with garlic yoghurt chutney.  Stuffing mushroom by itself is an art and it was well done complementing its paneer and potato friends on the platter.

Sialkoti Aloo – Tandoori baby potatoes in a hot!!! Sweet and sour chutney margination and coated with roasted with kalonji. Awesome babies that set our palate on fire interestingly addictive.

Dilli Ki Lal Tikki – Stuffed with Amla (Indian Gooseberries aka Nellikai) with beetroot center, this was an interesting add on.  Would have certainly preferred a smaller tikki though. J but certainly, two numbers instead of one.

Tomato soup no extra frills in names or in ingredients was served and that simply blew us away. Not too thick and not too thin, in the right consistency with a lovely aroma and taste, authenticity and traditional recipe is here bang on.

Mango Lassi, Orange juice, Kiwi Black pepper virgin margarita, every dish announced the sincerity in preparation and that special chef touch in everything. If you ever think what can be so special in kababs, soups, juices, and in margaritas, do make a visit to Copper chimney this time and you will know.

Copper Chimney has two restaurants –

1. Cathedral Road Opp. Hotel Maris, Gopalapuram
2. Near Ascendas IT Park, CSIR Road, Taramani

Non-vegetarians too have a widespread with Tiger prawns, fish, lamb, chicken, mutton and more. Do Check it out.