The Spice Route at The Imperial, New Delhi, unveils a ethnic Asian menu that mirrors its storied interiors tracing the historic spice route. Rajeev Sethi’s temple-like, Feng Shui–inspired space, rich with Kerala murals and Thai-Kerala architecture, frames inventive dishes like Thai Mango Salad, Jade Noodles and the standout Flaky Duck Handbag, offering intriguing, if not radical, Asian flavour pairings.
Out late and moving that evening, things were rain-reeked and the traffic was slow. The following night in the city would go on to record the highest 24-hour rainfall in the month of August since 2007. The address on the phone was The Imperial, New Delhi. I was headed to try out the new menu at The Spice Route, an iconic Asian restaurant at the 5-star heritage hotel in Janpath that once served as the ground for a hundred talks among figures such as Nehru, Gandhi and Patel. Once at the baronial portico of the hotel, you look for the Daniell's Tavern—after Thomas Daniell, an exceptional landscape painter who brought some of India's most iconic landscapes to life on his canvas—inside which The Spice Route is nestled.
Entering itself in The Spice Route is already participating in its lore. You can't enter in a group, only one person at a time, like in life. The entrance, featuring four antique wooden temple pillars, two flown in from Kerala, is like entering into a temple. Divided into nine sections, the idea is based on Feng Shui and different stages of life. Other sections such as the family section, featuring a large dining table arrangement, the amorous section, featuring three tables for two, and the prosperity section are marked by cut-glass detailing, and more, are part of the nine sections.
Designed by Rajeev Sethi, the whole affair traces the movement of spices from Kerala's Malabar Coast through Myanmar, Malaysia and Indonesia to Thailand and Vietnam. The interiors are rich with hand-painted murals, antique woodwork and precise carvings. All of the work here that you might observe is done using vegetable and flower dyes by mural painter Guruvayur in Kerala. They depict mythology, harvests, everyday life and other exquisite scenes. The ceiling features a representation of Moksha partly obscured by wooden beams, meant to symbolise the worldly obstacles to attaining it. A carved sculptural model of the boat that carried spices, with cabinets to store the spices can be found in one place. Thai and Kerala-style roofing, antique gateways and a painting of Goddess Annapurna beside the kitchen add further personality to the space.
When the menu says "Out chef has been given a free hand to draw inspiration from recipes and cuisines along this route [network of seaways and trade-routes that connected Asia and Africa and Europe many centuries ago] and extract the maximum result...," one can't help but rub hands together in excitement of what devilish experiments might come on your plate and woo you away. Heads swam in the most radical reveries of ethnic Asian cuisine.
The idea, as I was told, was bringing Ethnic Asian cuisine alive, tracing a captivating path from the mystique of East Asia through the vibrant essence of Java to the soulful traditions of Southern India.
We were prepared for each dish to bring together time-honoured Asian recipes and modern flair, celebrating the histories, artistry and familial traditions behind them. It was going to be as if the dishes came 'from the kitchens of twenty Asian grandmothers.'
The evening for us started with the Thai Mango Salad, put together bringing green and ripe mangoes, charred green beans and cashews in a single bowl with a candied ginger vinaigrette. The Golden Tofu came next. It takes a different direction, pairing mushrooms and lotus root with Asian herbs. The meal then moved on to the Jade Noodles—a spin on the classic pesto—made with spinach, Thai pesto and coconut flakes. Following it close was a real novelty: the Onyx Prawn Noodles, a combination of charcoal noodles with grilled prawns, edamame and Thai basil.
Of everything that came and went on my table, the Flaky Duck Handbag was the one my thoughts lingered back to later. A most curious conflation of shredded hoisin-roasted duck and flaky pastry, finished with truffle mayonnaise. The combination—and perhaps the shape of a miniature handbag full with a handle on my plate—made it the standout, and the dish one might call a real standout on the menu.
By virtue of being South Asian, even though one might be familiar with the taste profile of the ethnic Asian flavours, the uniqueness of some of the dishes, elevated with a selection of seasonal additions, may still make one bend one’s head in ponderous curiosity and say “Interesting!” To be sure, then, The Spice Route’s new menu is presenting some notable zaps with the of employment of authentic and specially sourced ingredients, drawing inspiration from recipes and cuisines along the ancient spice route which were previously untapped, awaiting in the kitchens to be discovered by the able chefs.
Address: The Imperial, Janpath Lane, Connaught Place, New Delhi, Delhi 110001
Cost for two: Rs. 8,000 plus applicable taxes, excluding alcohol.