India, Oct. 16 -- There was a time when foodies would compare the merits of Delhi and Mumbai. Delhi usually won. Then, things began to change. Mumbai was seen to have the edge. Bengaluru suddenly joined the race and became recognised as a foodie haven. Now there's a hype-driven move to treat Goa as India's food capital, spearheaded mostly by the sort of Mumbai person who believes that because Juhu is now too over-developed, they need to travel further afield to find new beaches and build new holiday homes.

I have often wondered (frequently on these pages) why Delhi let its advantage slip. After all, no Indian city has been as influential in food terms as Delhi. What much of India regards as north Indian food was created in Delhi: Tandoor...