There is something primal about the combination of men, fire and meat. World over if there is a fire anywhere, there usually is atleast one guy thinking about throwing some meat on that. It just brings out something instinctive and wild in all men.
The combination of fire, smoke and meat though can be tricky and cooking with it is both a science and an art and not everyone really understands it. Anyone can take a bunch of paint and splash it on a canvas but there are a few that can really make what can be considered a masterpiece.
We had heard about one such man doing great things with his meat (get your mind out of the gutter…no puns here). We thought there is no better way to really experience it than JAMming it and so this week we did just that along with a couple of friends.
Part mad-scientist, part artist, full vegetable hater, chef Harman has recently set up shop in Shivalik Enclave. Its built like a sushi bar with just 6 stools on one side of the counter and the chef on the other, doing his stuff. The restaurant itself is warm and cozy and the dim lighting creates a sort of intimate setting. The lighting was certainly a challenge for our video shoot. There is a limited seating just outside the restaurant to take advantage of the lower temperatures but it takes away the real flavour of the place.
The menu is forever changing depending on what the chef finds in the market that day and what strikes his fancy, it could be simple one day and exotic the next. The focus is on getting the best quality produce and getting just enough for the day. They do most of the things on their own, apart from breeding their own animals and planting their own veg (for the sides). With a variety of smokers, they do their own sausages, their own bacon and other meat which is very carefully selected. They even grind their own salt so that gives you an idea of how obsessive and serious chef Harman is about what he is trying to do.
We ate a variety of things that were on offer that day and our simple lunch comprised of Lamb Chops, Pork Ribs, Chicken Wings, Chicken Skewers, Bacon, Pork Loin burgers, Pomfret, Pork Sausages. I think the Pomfret won the vote unanimously as the best dish in the entire lunch, closely followed by the Lamb Chops and the Ribs. The Pork burger was unusual as there was really no patty but several layers of a herbed bacon and cole slaw. The herbed bacon was superb and not salty but had a kind of sweetness to it so it made for a yummy sandwich.
Each item was marinated and seasoned appropriately and the end result was so good that no one asked for any additional sauces or condiments. The sides too were very well matched with the mains and all of us, surprisingly, ate all the sides as well and particularly the cole slaw was outstanding.
The food was followed by an awesome Tiramisu which follows no standard recipe and is their own concoction. It tasted super well balanced and we were able to end the meal on a high note. We also turned the Tiramisu into a birthday cake for Manav who had his birthday a day prior to our visit. Our video is available now, do check it out on the JAM Session You Tube page.
The place is small and the food is awesome and they are mostly not available for walk-ins. So remember that they are closed on Tuesdays, make your booking before you go there but whatever you do, don’t ask for your food to be cooked well done…
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