Indian Accent’s new tasting menu in Delhi is all about light, refreshing flavours

Since the first Indian Accent opened in 2009 at The Manor, New Delhi, it has changed the perception of Indian cuisine globally. Through its inventive approach, the ‘modern Indian restaurant’ was able to shatter stereotypes and spotlight indigenous dishes—going beyond the quintessential chicken tikka masala or tandoori food. 

Even after 15 years of operation and several iterations of its tasting menu, Indian Accent has remained consistent and focused on presenting traditional flavours with contemporary techniques. 

No wonder, it has won numerous accolades over the years, including featuring in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list since 2013 and the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, 2024. 

While chef Manish Mehrotra’s exit from Indian Accent was much talked about—raising concerns about the restaurant's popularity—a few were only aware that executive chef Shantanu Mehrotra was always the ‘backbone’ of the establishment. 

Chef Shantanu may be a man of few words, but his achievements in the kitchen have so much to say. This time around, with his first tasting menu at The Lodhi, New Delhi (independent of Chef Manish), he has played with lesser-known ingredients while staying true to the restaurant’s ethos. 

“I believe certain regions in India continue to be unexplored in terms of food. The underlying principle of the Indian Accent stays. We continue to elevate Indian food, get new things on the menu, but add a global touch to them,” Chef Shantanu tells YS Life. 

At first glance, the seven-course menu appears to have a mix of chaats, small plates, and some signature dishes that have always been a part of the menu. However, when you sample the dishes, it makes one realise there's a world of edible stories waiting to be discovered. 

India on a plate 

At Indian Accent’s outpost in The Lodhi, New Delhi, the tasting menu begins with a portion of the wild mushroom soup, alongside its wildly popular blue cheese naan. 

As we wet our palate, three different chaats arrive on the table. The khakra was fashioned into a tart, filled with vatana (white chickpeas) and dhokla—a tribute to the flavours of Gujarat. 

The aloo tikki was reimagined in the French pavé technique, adding an airy touch to the dish. There was also the popular Maharashtrian snack, kothimbir vadi, accompanied by a chilli-peanut thecha. 

Next up were a trio of small plates. The first was a soft shell crab (from Kanyakumari) on a base of congee (a rice porridge from Tamil Nadu), enhanced with a dried pickle made from narthangai (a citrus fruit from southern India). It was a nostalgic dish, instantly reminding one of the flavours of khichdi and achaar. 

“Getting new things on the menu certainly drives us. Our inspiration could be anything—be it a street food or something we make regularly for ourselves in the kitchen. For instance, congee is a dish we eat often,” shares Chef Shantanu. 

The second small plate was Indian Accent's take on the Lamb Shikampuri, a kebab dish from Hyderabad. Traditionally made with hung yoghurt, Chef Shantanu has replaced it with Boursin cheese from Normandy. This subtle change lends the dish a creamy texture, almost melting in the mouth. 

As Chef Shantanu puts it—it was one of the most challenging dishes to prepare. The kebab comes with a garnish of urad dal kataifi, akin to a papad. “It wasn't easy to retain the taste of papad,” he adds. 

The last small plate was the Meetha Achaar Pork Ribs—one of the oldest dishes on the menu. The sweet-sour dish has spare pork ribs tossed in meetha achaar, enhanced with the flavours of sun-dried mango or aam papad. 

“There are certain things that can't ever go off the menu, be it these pork ribs or the blue cheese naan. These dishes have become synonymous with the Indian Accent. They reflect the restaurant's ethos without one having to put it in words,” highlights Chef Shantanu. 

Staying away from gimmicks

Whether it's the small plates or the mains, Indian Accent ensures experimenting with flavours without being gimmicky. 

Chef Shantanu also points out that one can't present ‘mish-mash’ in the name of fusion food. “Say something like a South Indian-inspired Chicken Tikka isn't feasible. There has to be some sanctity to a dish; there must be a story behind it, and most importantly, the ingredients must complement each other instead of clashing,” he says. 

“You can't put blue cheese and truffle together. It won't make sense,” adds Chef Shantanu. 

Before we jumped to the mains, the strawberry-kala khatta sorbet—served in a miniature pressure cooker—made for an ideal palate cleanser, a reminder of summer treats during childhood. 

The first dish in the mains lineup was a rawa-crusted sea bass served in a light sol kadhi sauce. The juiciness of the fish, paired with the sauce’s tanginess, was a match made in heaven. “It wasn't easy to convert a summer cooling drink into a sauce. But several trials later, here we are,” adds Chef Shantanu. 

Indian Accent's Black Dairy Dal came next with duck hoisin and butter chicken stuffed kulchas. There was also a raita made with smoked aubergine, with some bhujia on top for crunch. This meal was comforting, to say the least—familiar flavours and delicious in every bite. 

A sweet ending 

For desserts, yet again, the dexterity with which Chef Shantanu experiments without losing the essence of the dish is what makes this menu stand out.

The Tender Coconut, Chocolate dessert was one-of-a-kind. The outer shell, crafted with Idukki chocolate from Kerala, was filled with refreshing tender coconut sorbet and garnished with a chocolate cigar. This one-bite dessert had a burst of flavours, yet was light on the stomach. 

Then entered the star of the show—a malpua in crepe suzette style, filled with rabri and served with orange sauce on the side, and flambéed with Cointreau. It was a welcome change from the generally indulgent desserts on restaurant menus. 

All in all, Indian Accent's tasting menu was a fine representation of flavours from across India, ensuring food is always the hero. “Falling into the trap of trends is easy, and so many restaurants do it. While you eat with your eyes first, and at many places, presentation is all that matters, but you can't bank on it. The taste will always matter. When you eat, you should be happy with the food. Your senses must feast,” Chef Shantanu concludes. 

Timings: 12-2.30 pm (lunch); 7-9 pm and 9.45 pm-12 am (dinner)

Price: 

Vegetarian: Rs 5,400/person    

Non-Vegetarian: Rs 5,500/person

Additional Rs 5,500 for 6 glasses of wine pairings, or Rs 8,900 if reserve wine pairings are preferred.