HYDERABAD: When I first started my venture, I set up a small grill on the pavement of a street in Masab Tank. As I started getting popular, one day, this huge guy got down from his BMW and asked me, ‘I have heard that you have brought something new to the city. What is it?’ Then I said, ‘I make steaks.’ The guy turned pale and turned around to his girlfriend and said, ‘He is saying he sells snakes!’
Above is an anecdote shared by chef Inam Khan, a name synonymous with steaks and barbeque in the city. On Sunday, he took over Xora’s kitchen to serve some of his most unique grilled bites and meticulously prepared steaks.
“Hyderabadi crowd is getting exposed to global food culture. When I started, that crowd was limited,” he said, talking about how absurd the idea of presenting steaks to a city that is set in its tastes had sounded. “Preparing steaks is not easy. It looks cool, standing in front of a grill and tossing meat chunks but it requires a great deal of detail and attention.
For example, preparing a rib eye requires ageing and marination. You cannot make it before preparing for it. Then there are seasonings that go with it,” he said.
At Xora’s sunset gathering, the chef’s mesmerising fire play captivated everyone’s attention, and sampling the final dish evoked a comforting sense of home. A range of dishes was presented on the menu at the pop-up. The chef had crafted a diverse selection of dishes for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.
For the vegetarian section, guests could enjoy exotic vegetables Kibbeh, Paneer Tawouk, and Pineapple bites infused with Peri Peri spices. As for the non-vegetarian options, the menu included Al Faham Chicken Kebab, Badami Murg, and Iranian Lamb Kebab. For steaks, there was the Persian Grilled Veg Platter, which essentially is an assortment of barbequed delicacies including cottage cheese, broccoli, zucchini, eggplant and mushrooms.
The most delicious and the reason why chef Inam Khan is a household name for steaks included Cajun spiced chicken steak, sumac and wild garlic mutton chops, wet aged honey barbeque rib eye steak and chef’s classic atomic bomb burger. For dessert, there was NYK Cheese Cake with Himayat Mango chunks.
The leisurely sunset barbeque affair harmonised perfectly with the relaxed sway of dancers on the dance floor, while a large section of the crowd enjoyed themselves at the spacious bar on the side. The event’s vibe tuned inappropriately with Xora’s wide open patio, relaxed indoor seating, and massive bars both inside and outside, which definitely makes a perfect ambience to unwind after a day’s hard work.
Operations Manager Pradeep said the organisation is planning to host more food festivals in the days to come. “So far we have focused on events and parties but now we want to explore more in food. It is a potential we see materialising,” he said.