As an Indian, I take a lot of pride in sharing a meal rooted in my culture with people from other countries. A few days ago, I had the pleasure of dining with my Bahraini colleagues at one of the kingdom’s best Indian fine dining restaurants – Nirvana at The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain.
From the go, we were shown the utmost hospitality by the wonderful staff. Back home, we say ‘atithi devo bhava’, which means ‘the guest is God’, symbolising the respect and welcome for guests in an Indian household. That very spirit of hospitality reflected in Nirvana’s impeccable service.
As we entered, the dim-lit ambience put us at ease. An intimate seating arrangement added to the cosiness of the place, which is adorned with traditional décor. Polished, dark woodwork and a royal red and gold colour palette are just a couple of the elements that bring alive India’s regal aesthetic at Nirvana.
The live musical performance instantly helped us unwind and continued throughout the evening. It featured popular Bollywood songs from the 80s to the early 2000s, played on traditional Indian stringsy instruments. At our table, we even had a fun little game of guessing the tracks – I dare say, my Bahraini mates did better than I!
Just as we were settled in, the food arrived and we embarked on what was to be an adventure of flavours and textures. We started with Chowk Ki Tikki, a pan-fried potato and pea patty, which brought back memories of my college days when we would head to the beach for chaat.
Chaat, which contextually translates to ‘finger-licking delicious’, is an umbrella term used for a variety of popular South Asian street foods, known for their explosion of sweet, spicy, tangy and salty flavours and contrasting textures.
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