Lobster Tikka Masala
There are only three words....Lobster...Tikka...Masala...
These three simple words have now replaced my previous three favourite culinary words...Truffle...Quail...Naan....a sublime dish from Kutir Chelsea in London.
There are simply no other fine words to describe the Lobster Tikka Masala at Chaat, Rosewood Hong Kong. Fragrant and smooth-like-silk buttery Tikka Masala perfectly coats each succulent morsel of Lobster. I honestly had to take a moment to savour these beautiful flavours after the first bite. Beautiful Kashmiri Red Chilli, Clove, Cinnamon and Himalayan Cardamom in the Tikka enveloped the Lobster. Executive Chef Manav Tuli certainly has outdone himself.
The Lobster Tikka dish alone was worth the 3 to 6 month wait to finally secure a reservation. I am already anxiously waiting for the next release of bookings to get us in for another serving of this wonderful Lobster Tikka. Chaat only offers dine-in service to preserve the goodness of how each dish is served.
Another dish not to be missed is the Chaat Tandoori, a platter of Beef Kebab, Chicken Tikka, Fish Tikka and Lamb Chops. Oh those Tandoori Lamb Chops, grilled to fall-off-the-bone perfection and topped with crunchy bits of Pistachio and accompanying mint chutney.
Chaat is typically served as a street food in India. This Raj Kachori, crispy lentils stuffed with green peas with sweet and tangy chutney is slightly more refined and worked nicely as a starter. The Raj Kachori is often called the "King of all Kachoris." We were advised to eat this dish immediately once it arrived at our table to maximise on its crunchiness, given the high humidity levels in Hong Kong. Imagine what 85-90% humidity can do to a lovely crispy Chaat let alone to what it has already done to my fluffy hair.
One cannot ever pass up an order of Butter Chicken if presented on a menu. Chaat's version of the Old Delhi Butter Chicken was sublime. I just wanted to drink the butter chicken sauce like a creamy soup, though opted to be more civilised and dipped every bit of my naan in its savoury goodness of spiced tomato sauce and fenugreek. I barely even touched the chicken.
We ordered a selection of Naan, plain, garlic and butter and a portion of the Bone Marrow Kulcha to mop up all of the beautiful sauces. Kulcha are Indian flatbreads similar to naan though made from maida, refined white flour, instead of wheat flour in naan. Naan is also leavened with yoghurt and yeast to create a more light and soft texture. The Bone Marrow Kulcha was delicious with pieces of bone marrow sandwiched between two thin layers of the kulcha dough.
We paired these dishes with a full body bottle of the 2015 Anselmo Mendes, Alvarinho, Parcela única, a complexly crafted Alvarinho with citrus and floral notes. This single vineyard Alvarinho has the perfect acidity to balance out and cut through the richness of the Indian flavours and sauces.
Chaat has an extensive list of wines from various regions in Portugal as Portugese wines pair nicely with Native Indian cuisine. The international trade between Portugal and India from the 16th century has had a great influence between both cultures. Portuguese merchants traded table wine and Madeira for Indian silk and spices.
Executive Chef Manav Tuli has a wealth of culinary experience from India and London and certainly has created beautiful dishes at Chaat. Chef Tuli pays true homage to his favourite traditional street snacks and regional cuisines and has recently been recognised as a winner of the SCMP's 100 Top Tables Rising Star award in 2021. I cannot wait to return to Chaat to try more of Chef Tuli's wonderful dishes once I manage to secure myself another one of these highly coveted reservations in Hong Kong.
LOCATION
Chaat
5/F Rosewood Hong Kong,
Victoria Dockside
18 Salisbury Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui
Hong Kong
HOURS
Lunch - Saturday and Sunday: 12 noon - 2:30 p.m.
Dinner - Tuesday to Sunday: 5:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.
RESERVATIONS
Reservations required at least 3 months in advance online, by phone at +852 3891 8732 or by email.
MOST RECENT VISIT
13 June 2021