By Sitaram Mewati
Ummrao Saaj, the signature Indian restaurant at Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai International Airport, is redefining how Awadhi cuisine is presented and experienced in the city, blending the grandeur of Lucknow’s royal kitchens with contemporary elegance and thoughtful storytelling.
Rooted in the philosophy of “Modern Plates, Rooted Stories,” the restaurant celebrates heritage without being bound by it. The menu draws inspiration from time-honoured Awadhi traditions, with a strong focus on the slow-cooked dum pukht technique, gentle use of spices and refined, layered flavours. Here, the emphasis is on finesse rather than heat or heaviness. Signature dishes honour classic recipes but arrive at the table in clean, modern presentations, making each plate feel both familiar and refreshingly new.
“The idea is to respect the soul of Awadhi cuisine while presenting it in a way that feels relevant to today’s diner,” said Executive Sous Chef Shrikant Jogdankar. “We focus on slow cooking, balanced spices and technique-driven flavours, but the plating and presentation are contemporary so that guests get the best of both worlds.”
Adding a distinctive dimension to the experience is the beverage programme, where cocktails are inspired by Indian classical raags, translating mood and emotion into flavour. Indian spirits and native botanicals form the backbone of each creation, and the drinks are composed rather than simply mixed, with carefully balanced layers and intention. Known as the Raag Ritual, this approach turns every cocktail into a multisensory experience that goes beyond the glass.
Dining at Ummrao Saaj is also designed as a shared and unhurried affair. Under the concept of Sangam, or community dining, meals encourage conversation and connection, echoing Nawabi hospitality where food was as much about togetherness as it was about taste. Shared plates and storytelling at the table bring back the idea of dining as a social and cultural ritual.
The ambience completes the experience with a modern Indian soundscape that sets the emotional rhythm of the space without overpowering it. A subtle petrichor-inspired fragrance adds a quiet sensory layer, evoking warmth and nostalgia, and is used with the same restraint as the cuisine.
Together, food, drinks, music and scent come together with clear purpose. At Ummrao Saaj, Lucknow’s royal culinary legacy is not preserved behind glass, but reinterpreted for today’s Mumbai in a way that feels both deeply rooted and unmistakably contemporary.
Editor in Chief : Mewati SItaram
