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A rejuvenating culinary experience

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A trip to Amritsar is incomplete without a visit to the revered Golden Temple, "Darbar Sahib," and exploring the local flavours of the city, which speak volumes of the North Indian flavours. Recently, when we decided to have the double dose of both worlds, Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels, Raja Sansi, Amritsar turned out to be the best and most convenient choice, as it makes everything easily accessible to you but at the same time offers the peace and tranquility one can ask for during a break from metropolitan life. With 101 luxurious guest rooms, including 4 executive suites, 2 junior suites, and a presidential suite, this is the first LEED Platinum-certified hotel under the aegis of the USGBC (US Green Building Council) in Punjab, designed in harmony with the environment and local culture.

As we reached, the magnificent entrance of the resorted colonnaded mansion, the erstwhile Sandhanwalia Haveli, which traces its origins to the early 1900s with laser-cut detailing in the lobby and an elaborate pendant chandelier, we were assured of the fact that the hotel is synonymous with the epitome of luxury.




Spread across eight acres of manicured greens, it’s a pet-friendly hotel and has been carefully restored with all modern comforts while preserving the cultural, architectural, and culinary nuances of a splendid era. Instances of it can be witnessed in the lobby and corridors of the hotel in the form of archived photographs and artifacts, and it is functioning under the mentorship of Samir Pandita, the general manager of the hotel.


Our afternoon began with a visit to WelcomCafe Phulkari, an all-day dining restaurant that offers carefully curated global, local, and national cuisines, under the guidance of Chef Navneet Singh, Executive Chef, who has been a part of the hospitality industry for nearly two decades. As a native of Amritsar, the chef has grown up seeing the culinary diversification of the city and feels proud that the legacy of the city is still intact. His team keeps working towards it, and the first glimpse of it came to our table as the first meal (lunch) in the form of ‘Welcomsthalika’, the traditional thali of Amritsar, which comes in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options and summarises the culinary richness of the city in the most creative and tasteful manner. From Amritar Kulche to Chole, Dal Makhani to Aloo Vadiyan, and Raita, Papad, and Lassi, it has everything that will satiate your taste buds, and we were no exception. And later in the evening, dinner at Kebabs and Kurries, which offers an exclusive range of heritage cuisine fine-tuned through years of research by the celebrated chefs, was all about the culinary richness of other North Indian treats, including an assorted Kebab platter, Veg Biryani, Stuffed Aloo Kofta, and more. In the company of chef Navneet and a gin-based cocktail called Tempered Scottman, we called it a night, as the next two days were going to be a culinary extravaganza, where we tried local flavours of Amritsar at the hidden gems of the city, as recommended by chef Navneet along with the help of Sukhwinder Singh, an HR executive with the hotel.


The hotel also has Dough & Co., a bright and warm cafe and tea lounge that opens onto the lush green back lawns and offers freshly brewed tea and coffee, bakery goods, and confectionery. And opposite to the restaurant is Swizzle, the distinctive and exclusive bar, that resonates with the old-world charm of the mansion and is operational from 4 in the evening till midnight. And if you are someone who loves making cocktails as much as we do, then you can book a session and learn the nuances of mixology, where the expert makes you understand the art of combination and what goes well with what. Our guide during our stay at the bar was Neeraj Sandhu, who made us understand why certain drinks are meant for daytime and some for weekends and how the mixer plays a key role in enhancing the taste of cocktails. He also made us learn the art of making Passion at its Peak, which is a concoction of gin, vodka, rum, and juices.


Apart from this, the plush property, which is known for its hospitality with a personal touch, includes a spa called K by Kaya Kalpa, which offers a wide range of massages and therapies under the guidance of trained professionals. And for fitness freaks, they have a state-of-the-art gym that will help you burn calories post-indulgence at Phulkari and Kebabs & Kurries. For those peaceful evenings, they have a pool that overlooks lush gardens and the Raja Sansi Kothi as well.


During the 2-day culinary exploration of the city with chef Navneet, we visited Sharma Tea Stall, Rajbir Tikki Corner, Vaishno Bhojan Bhandar, Jain Nutri Kulcha, Bittu Meat Wala, Beera Chicken House, and at Durga's Bake House, we called it a pack-up with the chef's childhood favourite Fruit Cream, which he was introduced to by his grandfather. His sheer smile while narrating the childhood anecdotes made it tough for us to call it a day, but we left with a promise to come back soon to try more hidden gems of Amristar with him.

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