At this newly opened retreat, food plays a starring role.
Savouring a Rajasthani thali in Udaipur is almost de rigueur, and every hotel offers this staple. But at the recently opened Fairmont Udaipur Palace, the thali is elevated to a performance art. Accompanied by soaring drumbeats, four servers bring in a massive golden thaal and place it on the rose petal-strewn table. It’s laden with multiple bowls of local dishes such as gatte ki sabzi, ker-sangri, kadhi, pualo, and more, along with assorted rotis. An individual thali is placed before you, and you can pick and choose whatever catches your fancy. There’s tableside preparation of dal-baati-churma, and meaty delicacies like laal maas are brought separately (not on the common thaal). In addition to the usual suspects that you’d find on an average Rajasthani thali, this one also features lesser known dishes like matire ki sabzi. This sweet and spicy curry is a summer favourite in the desert state and is typically made with watermelon rind; at the hotel, the chefs also add cubes of the red fleshy part of the fruit.
Perched atop the Aravalli Hills, the sprawling 18-acre Fairmont Udaipur Palace is designed for the modern-day maharaja — or maharani. Its interiors are layered with handcrafted details, such as more than 500 carved Makrana marble pillars, thikri-inlaid ceilings, hand-painted domes, show stopping chandeliers, and signature leopard sculptures. 327 rooms and suites sport regal design, hand-carved furniture, and heritage textiles, and come with plunge pools, garden decks, or cabana-style lounging areas. Located about 12 km (30 minutes) from the bustle of the old city, Fairmont Udaipur Palace is a destination unto itself. It’s no wonder that it boasts of eight distinct dining destinations, from a botanical all-day restaurant and a wildlife-inspired cocktail bar to a rooftop grill and bistro.
My first meal is at Bahaar, the garden-inspired all-day dining spot that offers a sumptuous buffet of regional Indian and global flavours in a lush, botanical setting. No sooner I’m seated than a server wheels in the drinks trolley with an array of gins infused with saffron, basil, pistachio, blue, pea, grapefruit, etc. I pick grapefruit infused G&T to go with the Italian lunch on offer (from the soon-to-open Alchemist restaurant). I feast on bite-sized salads and appetisers, followed by scrumptious pizzas and moreish pastas, ending with a light-as-air tiramisu. Breakfast is also served at Bahaar, and the outdoor poolside seating is a great spot to begin your day. The spread features everything from Rajasthani and Indian fare to Asian and Mediterranean favourites. I skip the omelettes and bacon and instead load up on piping hot puris with aloo sabzi and mini kachoris with a side of chai.
High tea is at the al fresco Sitara Terrace just off the lobby, which has sweeping views of the Aravallis, not to mention a spectacular sunset. Here, I’m treated to the signature cold coffee spiked with some Jameson that’s artfully flambéed into the glass. It is accompanied by a two-tier charlie brimming with sweet and savoury bites. One of the hotel’s dining highlights is Dahaad, the leopard-motif cocktail bar with a stunning onyx centrepiece bar. Here, the mixologists shake up spicy picantes and other spirit-forward cocktails.
There’s also Dastaan, a comfy literary lounge that serves artisanal teas, coffees, and cocktails amidst a tastefully done up ‘living room’ strewn with books. At its private dining room, I get a taste of Celesté, the hotel’s pan-Asian restaurant that will open on the rooftop. It’s high-energy live cooking that’s as delicious as it’s entertaining. And that’s the thing about Fairmont Udaipur Palace — you won’t go hungry, or bored.
