Mughal Darbar is the other serious option for traditional Kashmiri cooking on Residency Road, competing directly with Ahdoos for the title of the city's best sit-down Kashmiri restaurant. The kitchen leans toward the wazwan tradition — the elaborate multi-course Kashmiri feast — and portions are generous. The yakhni (mutton in yogurt and fennel gravy) and the dam aloo (potatoes in a slow-cooked, intensely spiced gravy) are both reliable choices.
The room is functional rather than atmospheric, but the food compensates. The lunch crowd is mostly locals — a good sign. Unlike some Srinagar restaurants that soften the spicing for tourists, Mughal Darbar cooks the food the way Kashmiris eat it: assertively spiced with Kashmiri chilli (which gives colour more than heat), fennel, ginger, and dried ginger powder (sonth). The sheermaal bread, lightly sweetened with saffron, is the right accompaniment and is usually available. For two people eating well, the bill remains modest by any standard.