Primitive Jaipur: An Exciting New Dining Spot In The Pink City

Born and raised in Jaipur, I have been witness to the transformative culinary scene of the city. I have seen the café culture make its first landing here, eventually paving the way for nightclubs that were once alien to the city. Today, the bustling Pink City is made more vibrant with elegant restaurants, countless cafés, and a host of travellers and gourmands flocking to the state capital for a flavour of this evolution. There has been a new addition to the mix. My inner foodie compels me to stop by for a tasting.

Primitive, A Maximalist Haven

With a distinctly smoky smell, maximalist and eclectic interiors featuring adaptations of paintings from the Ajanta and Ellora caves, and a menu that pivots on coal, the newly-opened Primitive in Jaipur is setting the culinary scene of the Pink City on fire It has been launched by power couple Karan Singh Wallia and Simran Kaur Wallia, the brains behind the iconic and cherished Native Cocktail Room.

Housed in the same building as Native Cocktail Room, Primitive is an experience that sets itself apart from the former in many ways. “While Native is a cocktail bar with great food, Primitive is a fine restaurant with great cocktails,” said Simran Wallia while in conversation with me.

Helming Primitive’s kitchen is Chef Mohib Farooqui who has put together a progressive Indian menu that allows familiar ingredients from your kitchen to come to the fore. Each ingredient complements each other, and gives you a one-of-a-kind culinary experience in the heart of the city.

The Concept

I can’t help but wonder how the restaurant came into being. Curious, I probe Wallia further. I learn that the Wallia duo conceived the idea of a new restaurant a year ago, when they wanted to give birth to something that Jaipur had never experienced before. It is one of the first restaurants in the city that explores the idea of a live kitchen with robata grills roasting the fruits, vegetables, and meat to infuse them with a barbecued taste and smell.

‘Primitive’, I’m told, is derived from the English translation of the word pracheen, implying anything that belongs to the past and history. For the team, ‘primitive’ refers to a style of cooking that preceded the advent of LPG gas cylinders. At the restaurant, this translation is brought to life with over-the-coal and fire way of cooking—glimpses of which shine architecturally as well. In essence, it’s rustic yet refined—a balance that is not easy to find, I ponder out loud. Wallia chimes in, explaining how crafting the menu wasn’t easy.

“When we were putting together the menu, we wanted to keep cottage cheese out of it. We were looking forward to making a point that there’s much more to vegetarian food than paneer,” laughed Wallia. However, the attempt was met with failure when guests started hunting for their beloved dairy dish, often questioning and complaining about its absence. “Only within a week, we reluctantly added a paneer starter to the menu,” Wallia frowned.

Art Meets Aesthetics

Primitive is divided into five gorgeous sections. I can bet a dollar that you won’t be able to pick your favorite from the five if you’re like me. The lower half of the restaurant offers a modern adaptation of paintings from Maharashtra’s Ajanta and Ellora caves, with elephants and horses running across. The upper walls boast an Earthy texture, made from sand sourced from the dunes of Rajasthan. The red room draws you in with its vibrancy. Its gold accents coupled with huge mirrors ornate the walls, the red textured look inviting. The matte gold armrests on the sofas and chairs, paired with intricate chandeliers dripping from the ceiling makes the room apt for a cosy date night.

As an art enthusiast, I’m the most pleased by a painting by Swami Khetanchi. The artist took nearly six months to complete the painting that hangs on the walls here. I walk closer to see the details; the intricate artwork on the paayals (“trinkets”) and choti (“braid”) leave me mesmerised.

Once I peel my eyes away from the creation, another aspect intrigues me. I notice that while one end of Primitive is gilded in gold, the other glistens in silver. Called the Sheesh Mahal, the walls of this section are draped in Rajasthani thikri work. A painting at the centre of the wall punctuates the silver, a locus of the entire mise-en-scene. Further ahead, a private dining room can be accessed, ideal if you’re looking for a laidback 11-course tasting menu.

Overall, despite the gilded interiors, the lights remain dim. The ceiling lights and focus lights are strategically readjusted to spotlight the standout accents of the restaurant. The glowing hearth in the middle of the restaurant shines brightest, making up for the main source of light—allowing one’s gaze to settle on it, despite the bold and relatively overpowering interiors.

Innovative Indian Food

Everything on Primitive’s menu is familiar. It’s not intended to shock your palate in any way—not till one delves into its textures, elegant sauces, and fine plating. “We step away from being called a space that provides fusion food. We are an innovative Indian restaurant that is serving you complementary ingredients you are already familiar with, in modern ways,” said Wallia.

The 11-course tasting menu, reserved for the private dining room, is a prime example of this, including dishes from different parts of the country. The physical menu takes the shape of an Indian map, too. The experience lasts anywhere between two-and-a-half to three hours. Notably, it is one of the first restaurants in the city to offer an à la carte menu along with a tasting one.

Small Plates

As I made comfortable in the private dining zone, the starters began to fly in. The bhutte ki khees, that has three different textures of corn, was my favourite. The pectin corn sheet, corn puree, and the smoky khees blended beautifully to create a porridge-like consistency. It is a staccato-free dish, most of which melts in the mouth before you can realise.

Second on my list was the one of the most unique beetroot preparations: beetroot and walnut khatai. A bed of hung curd and walnut is topped with slices of grilled beetroot. Poured over it is a beautiful reddish-pink beetroot jus, made with various species including the dominant nutmeg.

The tanginess of the curd marries with the sweet jus to give a flavour that you might have never tried before. You might like it in the first go or the taste might grow on you—as it did for me.

The shakarkand do pyaaza, and Awadhi malai paneer are some other vegetarian options to choose from with the small plates section of the menu. The primitive pepper chicken is another standout from the starters menu. It is draped in kaala gud and acquires a tangy flavour from the imli (“tamarind”). The prawn patio is worth trying too, as the restaurant sources fresh prawns and fish every single day.

 

Main Course

The bharelu bhindi should be a no brainer. An innovative preparation, the dish has grilled ladyfingers filled with peanuts that makes it crunchy, crispy, and sumptuous. The puree acts like a cherry on the cake. When paired with the timeless ajwain ka paratha, it makes for a hearty meal.

The Junglee Murgh is a non-vegetarian favourite. With the skin of the grilled chicken retained and coated with a mathania emulsion, the dish is spicy, crispy and flavourful. It is paired with garlic curd to balance out the spice.

Despite not liking guava as a fruit, I still enjoyed Primitive’s amrood ki kadhi, featuring chunks of smoked guava soaked in a tangy kadhi (curry). Pair it with their Ambemohar rice and enjoy—just like I did as I ended the mains polishing off the delicious kadhi from my plate.

Drinks

With a rather long roster of drinks, Primitive claims that every drink tells a tale. From their signature drinks, Calicut is a must-try. The whiskey-based drink features coffee, coconut, peach caramel, and coffee whiskey. The drink is crowned with coconut foam.

Another drink one shouldn’t miss is also a bourbon-whiskey-based Masala Chai Old Fashioned. Orange, maple, and Peychaud’s Bitters enhance the flavour. Panchghani is creative; it features chamomile gin, strawberry saccharum, white chocolate, and Prosecco.

A non-alcoholic drink that is otherwise a part of their 11-course menu is Bulbule. This guava sorbet is usually served as a palate cleanser—refreshing, tangy, and flavourful.

Pair these cocktails with a crunchy bowl of shakarkandi chips. Dip it in the apple and tomato chutney for a delightful experience. The mushroom khurchan tartlets are as good as the chicken khurchan tartlets.

Dessert

If you are also someone with a sweet tooth who sits patiently through a meal waiting for the dessert menu, you have most certainly found a friend in me! It would be a crime to skip on the uniquely plated and baked desserts at Primitive.

The Mithai Board, featuring four incredible desserts, is served in the shape of a flower. Dig into the almond financier cake first. Follow this up with the Andhra Idukki chocolate and raspberry-filled bonbon, and the ultra sweet kaju katli macaroon. The mosambi pate de fruit (candy made with sweet lemons and black salt) is a banger end to the mithai board.

A standout from their tasting menu is the chocolate banana custard featuring four elements including a rich chocolate ganache, buckwheat crumble, a silky banana custard, and a hint of Gondhoraj lemon. The dish is topped with chocolate paper. Mix it all together to savour and relish.

When it comes to Indian mithais, their gajar ka halwa is quite a star. The smoked halwa is layered with cardamom cream cheese frosting, and is served in the shape and colour of an actual carrot.

Post a heavy meal, the haldi doodh is a wholesome end for a nightcap. For the Primitive version, this traditional drink is transformed into a turmeric ice cream with crunchy milk crumbles and pepper milk froth. Dig in to experience a different and yummier version of your grandma’s favourite haldi ka doodh. I sure did!