Jaavaid's

I must mention two points at the very outset. The first point is that I am a sucker for Biryani and it is something I can happily eat twice a day. What pushed me to visit Jaavaid's was an add I saw on facebook about their biryani during Eid. More on that later. The second point I want to mention is that I have never had Kashmiri food before and have no clue what it is supposed to taste like. So this being my first time, it would be unfair for me to pass a comment on the food from a Kashmiri angle. My comments are purely based on the experience I have had there, as well as my personal taste, likes and dislikes.

The place itself is located on KNK road, a prime location for Restaurants. To be more precise, this is where the old Cedars used to be. You can enter either from KNK road or even Wallace Garden road. The interiors are decent, with nothing really fancy or overdone, but eerily quiet. Some music on low volume would have been nice. The menu card is simple and easy to read but I did expect something a little more fancier than what could be mistaken for my spiral bound college project report.

(Paneer Tikka)

The Chef and his wife were kind enough to interact with us and welcome us, and even give us an insight into Kashmiri cuisine. They explained that their food was strictly authentic and that along with the chef, the few kitchen staff were from Kashmir as well. Through this conversation we shed our misconceptions about Kashmiri food being very spicy.

(Pasanda Kabab)

For starters we went with a Paneer Tikka and Pasanda Kabab (Mutton). The Panner looked its usual red and fiery self, but it was not close to spicy. The flavor was likable, but the texture wasn't. Paneer can be a flop if it isn't soft and the melt in your mouth types. This was a little towards the not-soft side and hence was just an average dish. The Pasanda Kabab was another story. This is basically ground lamb, marinated in yogurt and spices. This was juicy, had a good flavor and it did really melt in your mouth. Surely a dish I would recommend and say is worth trying.

(JKNK Special Fish)

For the main course we tried Mutton Biryani, Steamed Rice, Butter Naan, Garlic Naan, Mutton soup, Spicy Chicken Curry, Mutton Dhaniwal, and the ambitiously named JKNK Special Fish. The fish is a grilled dish, with minimal spices and flavor. The creamy sauce was a mix of green chillies and yogurt. This was the dish where we were divided on whether we liked it or not. It was cooked to perfection and the texture was awesome. The lack of any intense flavor made some feel that it was a bit fishy and left an after taste. For me, I liked it, thanks to the creamy sauce that came along with it.

(Mutton Dhaniwal)

The steamed rice does not really need a comment. You can't really mess that up, can you? The Naans were good, with generous swabs of butter on top. It was not chewy at all and was easy to tear and chew. Now the Mutton Coriander Curry was the dish that left us all wondering if we liked it or not. I liked it, but let me also mention that the flavor was something totally new for me and which for some might be an acquired taste. Not spicy at all, but it did go well with the steamed rice. It somehow did not seem a right match for our Naan and so we ordered a Spicy Chicken Curry. Now this could look like it could set your tongue on fire, but it doesn't. Again, a new flavor for me which could take some getting used to. The pieces were boneless, though I would have preferred otherwise.

(Mutton Biryani)

Now I mentioned at the beginning that I was a sucker for Biryani and that that was the main reason I visited Jaavaid's. Well, huge disappointment that was for me. I was personally unhappy with the Biryani and I must say that I have had better ones at our local Thakapakkati joints. For the price, it was absolutely not worth it. The joy of having just eaten a good Kabab was suddenly fading away. Again, I don't know if this is how Kashmiri Biryani is supposed to be, but it did not suit my taste.

So would I recommend this place? Well, yes, I would because this is one place where you get to try a different cuisine. Be adventurous and try a variety of different dishes on the menu that you would not find in any other restaurant, rather than the usual Naan with Butter Chicken or Tikka. Maybe ask the Chef to recommend something, which they gladly would. Most importantly, have an open mind and be prepared for a different kind of flavor. It's not the cheapest place. It's on KNK road, remember? With all the above dishes it came to approximately Rs 500 per head, minus desserts.

Ambiance: 6/10
Taste: 6/10

Service: 9/10

Quantity: 7/10