| Delhi undercover - part two
A quick injection of culture
Mr G had never visited before, so Manoj, our trusty driver from The Taj Mahal Hotel in Mansingh Road, arranged a tour that included: the best of Lutyens' New Delhi - India Gate; The Presidential Palace; the wide boulevards of the Rajpath; Connaught Place - with a visit to The Red Fort in the old part of town. What strikes you about New Delhi, a leafy green city designed by Edward Lutyens and Herbert Baker (an oft incompatible blend of British architects), which was built between 1917 and 1931, is both the magnificent scale and the stunning contrast between deep green grass and trees and the dark red sandstone, brought from Agra to build these dramatic edifices. The natural red soil adds another hue to create a palette fit for kings, maharajahs and latter day presidents and diplomats.
The Red Fort is a must-see. First, to get there, you have to brave the hustle and bustle of Old Delhi and 'real India'. This is a contrast to the rarified air of the new city, your approach to Old Delhi is heralded by much honking of horns and swerving of motorised rickshaws. Mr G looked a tad less relaxed, but assures me now that he relished the new experience.
At The Red Fort much of the hassle has been removed and cleaned up, although you will still be followed by a few hawkers and encouraged to buy many things you don't want. Some of the youngest are the most persuasive - surely heading for success in the new India, in contrast to their parents, who probably never moved on much. The Red Fort is a vast structure, built over 9 years by Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan between 1638 and 1648, but is now a shadow of its precious stone studded past. Even so, it's still incredible; a home built on a vast scale with walls extending more than 2 kms, illustrating India's glorious and opulent past. There were waterways of perfumed water, marbled hammums where 100 concubines bathed naked, manicured lawns, a solid golden throne (nicked by the Persian King Nadir Shah in 1739 in return for sparing the Emperor's life), intricate mosaics and delicate carvings and paintings adorning every structure. Described in the verse of Amir Khusro "If there is Paradise on the face of earth, it is here, it is here, it is here", it is still easy to imagine why.
Undercover
With monsoon humidity and thunder in the air, we headed for cooler climes and lunch at The Imperial, a beautifully restored colonial hotel backing onto the Rajpath.
The Imperial oozes grand-luxe with polished marble adorning most surfaces. The entrance is impressive, as are all the public spaces, with 3 restaurants and 2 bars to choose from and a lovely terrace with stylish wicker furniture overlooking manicured lawns. We enjoyed ice cold Kingfisher in the 1911 bar before lunch in The Spice Route, a different kind of Asian-fusion restaurant, that combines exotic Indian dishes from Kerala and the South with Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese cuisines. The room is a pastiche, but a very convincing and atmospheric one, combining architectural features and artwork to reflect the blend of the cuisine. The food was excellent with Mr G choosing Khao Tang Nao Tang, followed by Ca Xao Thap Cam. He declared his deep-fried crispy rice with spiced shrimp dip kept "excellent" and his Vietnamese chicken and pineapple even better, with beautifully balanced sweetness and sourness. My Kaeng Cherd Saam Kast was a delicate light clear soup with beancurd and mushrooms and my Kari Kulamboo, was a mutton curry flavoured with star anise from Kerala. Outstanding.
Service was friendly and efficient without achieving the standards of the Taj and our impressions were tempered by a conversation we had overheard in the bar, where an irritated creative Frenchman (I could tell he was creative, from his intricately contrived 'disheveldness') was protesting in no uncertain manner. Apparently, he didn't appreciate waiting 30 minutes for his burger, chips and tomato sauce - and he particularly objected to it then arriving cold. If true, his complaint was understandable as The Imperial doesn't come cheap, but perhaps his choice of cuisine attracted subversive service...
Our second mission was cocktails and dinner at The Oberoi, a hotel we're very partial to. Manoj, loyal to the last, suggested that while The Oberoi was an excellent hotel, it wasn't up to The Taj. Despite his remonstrations he dropped us off with a smile outside The Oberoi's entrance (like the Taj, the exterior will win no prizes for architecture) and we entered the perfumed marble interior thinking, "yup, this is stylish". A Chanel store to your left sets the scene for this international-luxe experience, if that's what you are after, with furniture, artworks and lighting of the highest quality. To read Virginia Matthews's (no relation!) recent review of The Oberoi New Delhi, Click here >
We chose a sofa in the bar and a cocktail recommended by the amiable bartender - apple, rum, mint, tequila - and it was good enough to ask for two more. The sleek leather sofas look out onto the large central pool and the bar itself was humming; both stylish locals and visitors enjoying themselves in equal measure. The lighting is great and the spaces work well, with Italian restaurant, groovy glass-faced wine cellar, Japanese kitchen and Asian-fusion restaurant all combining to create an eclectic modern space. India-flavour is minimal, so bear that in mind if you're looking for a Raj-experience, but it all works very well. Having moved to a table in the "Three-Sixty" restaurant, we chose our food. We started with assorted chicken and lamb tikka (melting texture, delicate flavours) and then I chose Keralan lamb curry and Mr G chose Lamb Korma Asafjali. Wine used to be problematic in India, but no longer. The lists are good and, here, we chose Baron Eric's cabernet 'Los Vascos' from Domaines Baron de Rothschild's venture in Chile.
Our main courses were good without being very memorable, the spicing of my mutton seeming a touch one-dimensional. As we dined into the evening this large space filled with an eclectic mix of hosts, guests and visitors for the evening. It felt, as before, like a happening place.
With a deliberate missed call to Manoj 5 minutes before pick-up (this is how many Indian's use their mobiles), he arrived precisely as we stepped out from the hotel lobby to whisk us back to The Taj. Now armed with two more excellent luxe-trotter reference points, we reflected that service, here in Delhi, seemed consistently excellent, but at The Taj Mahal it's just about perfect.
Delhi Undercover conclusion
Delhi is a city of the past and of the future. It has been the capital since 1911 when, following the Delhi Durbar, King George V moved the centre of government back from Calcutta. It is a city worth weaving-in to any itinerary for at least two or three nights, even if you're book-ending trips to Rajasthan, Shimla or Bhutan. Where to stay will depend on what mood you are in, but from the end of the year there will be a wider choice - when the Aman New Delhi promises to excite.
This will be a chic addition to the city, occupying a low-rise location near the leafy golf course, featuring sleek-Mughal-designer-cool architecture and an outstanding spa. We're sure Aman will cause a stir, and we look forward to being amongst the first to sample this exciting new urban resort to discover for ourselves whether it can rival The Taj for impeccable service. That will be no mean feat.
Peter Matthews
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