Poush - Paradise on earth revisited. Review on Poush, Andheri, Mumbai

The magic, the charisma, the eternity and never tiring beauty of the valley, situated in the lap of the Himalayan mountains that make man admire, admire and admire nature to infinity is called KASHMIR. Kashmir is heaven in more ways than one and one of them is the Kashmiri food. Yet, the authentic cuisine of Kashmir is not available most of the time.

Often what is offered, as Kashmiri cuisine is not the real one unless you visit the valley. But now there is a restaurant in the heart of Mumbai that takes you to Kashmir. The ambience of this restaurant tells you that is has been made by a true Kashmiri, who is really in love with his homeland and its flavours. Om Takoo has recreated the magic of the valley with this snugly built restaurant. **Poush** (meaning ‘flower’), the only restaurant serving authentic Kashmiri cuisine in Mumbai. A place free from pollution and noise.

*Milieu

*Once there, you’ll be enamored by the ambience. As you enter the restaurant, you see shikaras (wooden boats in which you can sit and eat) placed all over, curtains blowing gently with the breeze. The elevated architecture of the restaurant, for which craftsmen were brought all the way from Kashmir, resembles that of a traditionally done up Houseboat, with slanted pinewood shingling in typical Kashmiri style. Traditional Krewel-embroidered wall hangings and Kangdis used as flower vases and Kashmiri music in the background create the perfect Kashmiri ambience. A special thing to mention is the Khutumbandi ceiling inside, perhaps the only one of its kind in Mumbai. A Shikara by the side of the restaurant, crafted to provide you that 'surfing effect' while you have your meals the Kashmiri style adds beauty to the whole conception.As you remove your footwear and settle in one of them, Kashmiri folk music takes you to another world. There are tables and chairs too, of course, along with an AC section for those who want to sit indoors.

*On The Menu

*Poush offers a variety of tasty delights from the Valley. Om Takoo is careful to differentiate the various traditional styles of cutting, grinding, and sautéing that precede the actual cooking over slow charcoal fires. The spices come from Kashmir, revealed the Kashmiri chef, giving the food its distinct original flavour. The cooking medium is only mustard oil, to retain 'that' originality. Food is served in copper pots by attendants in Pheran.There is the normal table and chair seating arrangement outside and in the AC section too but the best are the Shikaras which you need to book in advance. Book your Shikara on the phone but if you just walk in any other time when the restaurant is packed, the wait is worth it all.

Start with the Qahva-a-Kashmiri (Rs 20) in its purest form. This special Kashmiri green herbal tea is made from tealeaves brought down from Jammu, sugar, almonds, a tinge of cinnamon and cardamom. Steaming hot Kahwa is served in Samovars.

Food is the USP of this place. The delicacies goes best with rice, but there are also a number of options in rotis and naans. You can always try the flavoured Hukka which comes in green apple, strawberry, coffee and many more flavours as you wait for the maincourse. Ordering the food is the most difficult part, as all the dishes are tempting. As you sip on Qahwa you can order for some starters. For vegetarians, there's Poush Chaman and Troush Chaman (both paneer starters, one curd-based, the other red and spicy), and the melt in the mouth Nadier Palak Tikki (made of lotus stems and spinach). Non-vegetarian starters included Kabargah (mutton ribs stewed with herbs, marinated in curds and deep fried), Seekh Kabab (minced mutton marinated, barbequed and stir fried) and Kokur Kanti (chicken pieces flavoured with herbs, roasted and stir fried with onions and tomatoes). You can also order the Assorted Platter.

That may sound like a lot, but it isn't enough for a large group. For those who can't decide on the main course, I recommend the thalis -- Wazwan Thal and Maharaz Thal for non-vegetarians, and the Dai Batta Thal for vegetarians. Taste the real Roganjosh (red mutton gravy), Goshtaba (spongy meat balls cooked in a curd based gravy), Ruwangan Kokur (chicken pan-fried and cooked in a tomato and onion gravy), Dum Aloo (boiled potatoes deep fried and cooked in a red hot gravy on slow fire), Tsok Wangun (brinjal deep-fried and cooked in a tamarind gravy) and rajma, which is to die for. Before and after the food, an attendant gets a tash-t-nari (a small wash basin) with lukewarm water, in which you can wash your hands.

The Maharaz Thal, a traditional composition of non-vegetarian meal comprising Roganjosh, Gaad, Rice, Chutney, Raita, Sweet Dish and Qahva - all for Rs 225. What's more you also have a choice to mix your own Thal. The Wazwan thaal is huge and cannot be eaten by small eaters, one should consider sharing with friends. The service is a little laid back and needs to improve. Portions are good and the meat is well marinated and cooked almost to perfection. For dessert, they serve Phirun-firni, which is quite good for a sweet tooth!

*Vegetarian Delights

*Vegetarians need not despair. Even the most devout Jain of Mumbai is assured that the vegetarian food is cooked separately and devoid of onion, garlic and tomato. One cannot miss the famed Kashmiri Dum Aloo (Rs 85). You can also try Monje Nadier (Rs 85) - thin sliced knol knol and lotus roots pan-fried and cooked in red gravy and Chamani Polav (Rs 85) - cubes of paneer cooked in basmati rice and flavoured with saffron. Here, too, you have a choice of Dai Batta Thal (Rs 200) comprising Paneer Qaliya, Veth Chaman, Dum Aloo, Nadier Yakhean, Nadier Churma, Mutter Palak, Rice, Chutney, Raita, Sweet Dish and Qahva.

*Sharing the space with the famous

*One might seldom bump into many known faces from the television and film fraternity who are regulars here. So, if you want to share table space with famous faces while eating finger licking Kashmiri khana, Poush is the place to be.