Fasting can also mean feasting, discovers Chahak Mittal, who digs her spoon into the special Navratri thali to amble down the lanes of memory

As children, my brother and I were very fond of the Navratri season. And this was  despite the blues that we got because we were deprived of eggs or non-vegetarian food for nine long days, as per the conventions of a typical Indian home. But the scrumptious meals at the end of the day would more than make up for it.

And it was with this feeling that I entered The Creative Kitchen at the Radisson Noida, Sector 55. The sepia-tinted vintage photographs from New York, London, San Francisco, Los Angeles and many more places from across the world added a dash of colour to the white walls. This was further enhanced  by the blue reflection of pool outside the glass sill.

I have a theory that when you fast, you actually end up gaining weight and as the quintessential Navratri thali made its way to my table, I could claim yet again, that I was right.  But for once, I decided to refuse to worry about the weighing scale tipping in the wrong direction. The number of dishes and their appearance was enough to make me want to dive straight into it.

There was paneer makhani, kacche aloo ki subzi, sitafal which could be eaten with kuttu ki puri — all of which transported me back to my mother’s kitchen. With all spices and colours in place, the three curries were  perfect reminiscents of home-cooked  food and fit for those who are away from their families at this festive time.  The crispy puris would make one gorge for even more. Sitafal, however, which is supposedly sweet, didn’t have adequate spices, salt or even sweet, as I found it bland.

The sides added to the platter were dahi ke aloo, shakarkandi chaat, kuttu ki pakori, samak ke chawal, chopped fruits salad, and samak ki kheer sprinkled with almonds and raisins. Reviving the tradition of serving in clay utensils, kesar pista milk was served with chopped almonds in a clay cup or kulhar. This was perfectly-seasoned and refreshing.

The thali starts at Rs 749 plus taxes, and instantly go back to the memories of childhood.

While I was still gorging on the thali, I decided to indulge in some more and ordered Thai Style Spring Roll, and a cranberry-orange mocktail. The rolls served in six vodka-shot glasses with the sweet salsa sauce at the bottom scored full marks for its presentation. Next in line were the Bhutiya De Kebab, gram flour, kebabs infused with corn kernal and green pea’s patties, seared on skillet, served with cabbage, beetroot, and lettuce. These were soft and succulent.

While my tummy was full, my heart kept wanting for more. The place surely is a must try as the meal makes you run through the streets of nostalgia.