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With a large number of their guests comprising business travellers,Taj Chandigarh has decided to explore the concept of comfort food at Dera,their elegant Indian evening restaurant. “We were looking to tweak the Dera menu for a while now. Though the original concept of delicacies from the Punjab region of India and Pakistan is still an intrinsic part of the menu,we have made some interesting changes,” says the hotel’s executive chef Neeraj Chaudhary,who has been instrumental in the formation of the new line-up. So,along with the traditional delicacies from Amritsar,Lahore and Peshawar,all of which are cooked in virgin olive oil,there’s an assortment of comfort food now available at Dera.

“Though internationally the concept of comfort food has been around for a couple of years,it’s fairly new to India,” says the chef as we read the new arrivals on the menu. There’s Dal Gosht,Aloo Wadi da Bharta,Dahi Malai da Gulgulla,Tawa Chaamp Kaleji among several others. “There’s a certain familiarity with this kind of a menu and it’s not heavy on the palate. Comfort food is like ghar ka khana,not too heavy,warm and familiar,” says the chef as we dig into Masaledar Chawal paired with a well done Dal Gosht. The Amritsari special – Aloo Wadi da Bharta teamed with Channey Da Parantha also makes for an appetising combination.

“Comfort food is not complicated and the brain releases ‘feel good’ hormones when we dig into familiar food after an overwhelming day,” Chaudhary adds. As we munch on the freshly made phulkas off the restaurant’s in-house tava,it’s a feeling of eating a meal at home albeit in new surroundings. The comfort factor carries on to the desserts as well. We try the sweet Karachi Halwa,a welcome treat. Comforting? Very much indeed.

Meal for Two: Rs 2500 (including taxes)
Contact: 0172-661300
Location: Sector 17,Chandigarh