Dinner at Falaknuma Palace

When the Nizam of Hyderabad’s former residence was reopened as a Taj Luxury Hotel, it almost immediately became one of the most sought after hotels in India. The other-worldly quality it exudes (thanks to careful restoration and upkeep) makes it well worth a visit.

Just being at the Falaknuma Palace is such an experience that I doubt even a bad meal would dampen spirits. Lucky for us then, that the food has always been excellent. The interiors of the palace feel like you’ve stepped into a bygone era, one where luxury and opulent detail were of utmost importance.

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Fountains everywhere, and real gold adornments to everything. The Nizam was known to have a penchant for the finer things, so we expected nothing less.

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The service was polite, gracious and very accommodating of customisations. The food was beautifully presented and well flavoured but the dessert stood out to me. This was a hazelnut mousse wrapped in a dark chocolate roll and served with orange sorbet. Really clever flavour pairings. This was followed with ‘liquid dessert’ – a blend of vanilla ice cream and champagne.

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I may not live like the Nizam in this lifetime or the next, but this palace hotel definitely nudges me into delusions of grandeur. What more could a well adjusted adult ask for?

Falaknuma palace is an old favourite. Since the palace reopened its doors to the public, almost every other special occasion has been celebrated here and the quality of food and service never disappoints. Though they levy a high cover charge, the entire experience makes it worthwhile. One such dinner at Celeste was as always, a winner. We ordered lamb chops, duck, and a meat lasagne. The lamb chops were tender and falling of the bone. The creamy mashed potatoes were delectable, one was left wishing the potatoes were the main.

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We also ordered a margarita pizza to start ( which we do quite often) that was also delicious. I think they use a special mozzarella – the pizza is like no other. This was duck – really well made.

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Take a look at that lasagne.

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For dessert we had a hazelnut mousse wrapped in dark chocolate roll, creamy and dense accompanied with an orange sorbet to add some freshness and a berry and dark chocolate fondant accompanied with a vanilla bean homemade ice cream. The perfect end to a protein rich meal.

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Take good food and enjoy it in a setting as grand as the Faluknama Palace, and you’re in for a great experience. The restaurants are about doing justice to the classics rather than breaking new ground. Case in point, perfectly done lamb chops, and the often harder-to-make-well mashed potatoes. We really enjoyed the meal and of course, the attentive but not overbearing service.

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We were offered a tour of the upper floor of the palace which housed the library, game room, Nizam’s private dining hall (with mind blowing acoustics) among other attractions. Words can’t describe the grandeur. You must see it with your own eyes.

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The visit to Falaknuma was kept a closely guarded secret by Mudi & Prad. On reaching the Palace, it was truly a delightful suprise.

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The grandeur and enigma of the palace gave the meal a royal flavour.

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The presentation and service was truly majestic and the tastes were wonderfully subtle. A memorable experience.

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Taj Falaknuma Palace, Engine Bowli, Falaknuma, Hyderabad, Telangana 500053 

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