Grazing along the Grand Trunk Road!!

Mumbai, India

Food teaches one a lot, lessons of life, lesson in diversity and culture and many more; it never ceases to amaze me. This time it gave me a slice of history with the Grand Trunk Road, popularly called as G T road it traverses  4 countries starting from Chittagong, Bangladesh moving westwards through Kolkata, Delhi, Amritsar and then entering Pakistan only to finish in Kabul Afghanistan. Built in the 16^th Century by the Mughal emperor Sher Shah Suri I can only imagine the movement of spices and culinary influences across the ‘Sadak-e-Azam’ as it was originally called.  Chef Ashish Bhasin and his brigade at  022, Trident BKC are basking in the glory of the road as they celebrate cuisines that fall along it with a food festival aptly called #HornPlease

I was there to partake in the celebrations and instantly soaked in the vibe with a Food Carrier Truck at the entrance, that moment I thought, could someone please replicate the movie ‘Highway’ with food being the focus!! In no time I was on the festive drinks menu and got myself a Tar-booze Martini, a desi version of a watermelon one. The food was all decked up on the buffet and offered  the ‘discerning traveller’  more than  Illahbadi, Pehawari, Lahori, Amritsari, Bengali  and popular items from Dilli. It also did a selection of continental, middle-eastern and Asian food with a live sushi counter. 

I enjoyed the Tarbooze with a moist Paneer Gilafi seekh along side some Baba Ghanoush, Muhammara and Brown Pita. The mains were a mélange of dishes each with a distinct flavour, Kofta in Saag, Achari Aloo, Mushroom mutter, Khatte hare baingan, Cholar Dal, Sabut Masoor Ki dal, Mishti Pulao . The happy ending to the meal came with pistachio crusted baklava, Moongdal  Halwa and the decadent Crème Brulee.

The buffet runs for lunch and dinner and the menu changes every session.  The festival runs till 1^st May, 2015 and is priced at Rs 2250++.  Go truck around!!