Celebrating North Indian Flavours

Loya at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Mumbai, is the third Loya restaurant to open after Delhi and Bengaluru

- Aditi Pai

A recent dinner at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel in Mumbai was transformed into an extravagant display of skill as a young sommelier gripped a wine bottle with flaming hot tongs, then deftly brushed on a coat of ice-cold water and skilfully severed the neck, preventing the aged, fragile cork from falling into the wine. It was then poured out through a double sieve. The wine was Les Pagodes De Cos 2014, a Taj Mahal Palace private label and a vintage worthy of the ceremony it inspired.

The Port Tongs ritual is one among the many flamboyant experiences that Sommelier Arth Jain creates when you dine at Loya.

“We've used a lit candle below a decanter for vintage wines to filter out the sediments and the Durand corkscrew to neatly open wine bottles where the corks might be fragile,” says Jain. “At Loya and The Chambers the Port Tongs ritual is possible because we have a flambé trolley and other paraphernalia.”

The restaurant’s décor with its grand arches, stone sculptures, intricate motifs and paintings sets the mood for a leisurely lunch or dinner and lend warmth to the space. Serene water bodies inspired by Himalayan springs, and logwood furniture create a relaxed atmosphere. The bar, with cascading water and the rugged charm of stone and glass, is a special attraction. The carefully set tables, colourful upholstery, and the brass wall plates and lanterns reflect the richness of Indian fabrics and crafts.