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Thursday, February 25, 2016

The Himalayan Pop-Up at Bidri, The Marriott

 Soumabha     9:35 PM     Food Festivals, Hyderabad, Restaurant Reviews, Sabyasachi     No comments   

 A few weeks back I was invited to The Hyderabad Marriott Hotel and Convention Centre to preview the newly launched set menu at Bidri, the Indian restaurant.  Among the appetizers was a vegetarian kabab called Arbi Aur Moongphali Ki Seekh. As I was appreciating the mashed colocasia and peanut based preparation, Executive Chef Yogender Pal mentioned that this was a recipe from the foothills of the Himalayas, his own state of Himachal Pradesh. He also mentioned that Bidri was planning to host a pop-up event soon showcasing the cuisine of Himachal.

Arbi Aur Moongphali Ki Seekh
Arbi Aur Moongphali Ki Seekh

Based on that plan, the Himalayan Pop-Up has finally materialized at Bidri from 25th to 28th February. For this event, Chef Sherry Malhotra has joined the team from Mumbai, curating some delicious dishes for the promotion. A former Miss Shimla, Chef Malhotra picked up the secrets of Himachali cuisine from her grandmother and is perhaps one of the very few to promote this simple but delectable cuisine in other parts of India.

Himalayan Pop Up
Chef Sherry Malhotra

Himachali cuisine stands out for its recipes which are easy to prepare with very basic ingredients.  A range of dals and channa are used in the recipes, often due to paucity of fresh vegetables in the hilly areas. At the start of a preview tasting session of the pop-up, a few bloggers were invited for a cook-off of a particular item from the menu.

Dahi Ka Chaap
Dahi Ka Chaap

The dish selected was Channa Madra. Chef Sherry explained to us that yoghurt and tamarind based gravies are very popular in Himachal – they are called Madra and Maani. We were given a bowl of Channa Madra to understand the desired taste. Then the recipe, as well as the ingredients, were provided to us. It was a simple recipe using chickpeas and lotus seeds in a gravy of whisked yoghurt and desi ghee along with a few ground and whole spices.

Sepu Wadi
Sepu Wadi

We made our own version of the dish, which tasted nice, but in my opinion did not come out half as good as the original. But the process revealed to us the simplicity of preparation of Himachali dishes as well as gave us an idea of the major spices used there.

Lotus Stems in Yoghurt
Bhey

After the cook-off, we proceeded for the sit down dinner to taste some of the items the chefs had shortlisted for us in a special tasting menu. We started with some succulent Dahi ka Chaap – lamb chops braised in a saunf and milk based marinade. Fennel seed seems to be a popular spice in Himachal as Methi aur Saunf ki Murgh Chaap, a chicken leg preparation had it in abundance too.
Among the vegetarian starters, I was glad to encounter Arbi Aur Moongphali Ki Seekh again. Channe Ki Tikki, a soft and flat shaped fried snack with chickpeas and tomatoes went well with the green chutney served on the table.

Nashpati Ki Sabzi
Nashpati Ki Sabzi

There were a whole range of vegetarian main courses. The star of these was surely Nashpati Ki Sabzi. I had never had pears cooked as a vegetable, and the dish with fennel seeds and dried red chillies was soul food.  Sepu Wadi had urad dal pakodas cooked in a spinach base. Kaale Chana ki Maani was a tamarind preparation with spinach pakodas and black chickpeas –   the curry tasted exquisite, and I like black channa in my sabjis. Other vegetarian items were Kaali Dal and Bhey – a preparation of lotus stems in yoghurt.

Methi Macchi
Methi Machhi

Among the non-veg items Methi Machhi stood out – again a simple dish with perfect flavours. There was Chaa Gosht, a mutton gravy in yoghurt which was just about decent.

We had Tudkiya Bhat – a rice dish with tadka to accompany these courses, and Babru, the Himachali version of bhaturas with urad dal stuffing.  An assortment of other Indian breads was served as well.

I noticed a few things on the tasting menu for the pop-up, which may also be the essence of Himachali cuisine in general. Yoghurt is widely used in preparations. Most of the dishes are not very complicated, use only the basic masalas, and depend more on the original flavours of the ingredients.
Many of the vegetarian dishes are prepared using lentils rather than vegetables – the concept of pakodas cooked in a gravy seems to be popular. And though the non-vegetarian items were decent, the vegetarian food really stood out.


Desserts
The desserts

From the desserts served, Khus Khus aur Makhane ki Kheer, mildly sweet with abundant cashews and raisins impressed hugely. Meetha Bhath, the other dessert was a sweetened basmati rice; it paled in comparison to the kheer.



It is great to see the culture of pop-ups starting off in Hyderabad – it gives the food lovers a chance to try out new things. Also, the trend of presenting lesser known Indian cuisines which is commendable. Kudos to the team at The Marriott for organizing niche promotions – their earlier concept “Earthen Flavours” was another promotion I absolutely loved.

Location:
Bidri
Hyderabad Marriott Hotel and Convention Centre
Tank Bund Road, Hyderabad
Telephone: 27522582

Disclaimer: The review is based on an invite from the restaurant. However, the opinion expressed in the post are honest and unbiased.




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Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Quick Bytes: Bánh Xèo or Vietnamese Pancake festival at Syn, Taj Deccan

 Soumabha     6:13 PM     Hyderabad, Quick Bytes, Restaurant Reviews, Sabyasachi     No comments   

My limited exposure to Vietnamese cuisine has only been through trying out a couple of Pan-Asian restaurants and a few Vietnamese food promotions in various hotels. Whereas Pho has been ubiquitous in all these places, I did not come across Bánh xèo or Vietnamese Pancakes. So, when I was invited for the Bánh xèo promotion at Syn, Taj Deccan, I was curious to know more.

Bánh xèo
Bánh xèo

I loved the idea that Syn was doing a promotion just with a niche dish within a not so familiar cuisine. Executive Chef Rishi Manocha has picked up a popular dish from the Vietnamese stable and presented many variations of the same.

On the appointed day, a small group of bloggers and people from the media assembled at the restaurant. Chef Rishi explained that Bánh xèo is essentially a street food in Vietnam, where bean sprouts are often used as part of fillings. The pancakes can be of various sizes, the sweeter ones are usually small. The limited menu had four vegetarian and non-vegetarian items each, and we were asked to order among the same. Given a choice of four non-veg dishes, I picked the Pancake with Tenderloin Rendang.

Tenderloin Rendang Pancake
Inside the Tenderloin Rendang Pancake

We were told that Vietnamese fried pancakes are similar in looks to our stuffed masala dosas – folded and served with a range of chutneys. However, the similarity ends there. Ingredients of pancakes, fillings, as well as the dips are actually completely different – so comparing both would be the same as comparing apples and oranges. The pancakes have rice flour and turmeric among its ingredients, whereas the fillings have veggies, meat or prawns. One of the sauces normally is a sweet and sour fish sauce, soya being another popular dip.



It took a little bit of time for the pancake to arrive. We were advised to eat with our hands, the Indian way seems to be the Vietnamese way too. I am no fan of sprouts, mainly because of being forced to eat at home for good health. However, the soft and spicy beef rendang pieces made it up, especially with the sweet and sour fish sauce which won over the Bengali in me. I followed it up with the baby shrimp pancake, which was almost the same with prawns replacing the beef pieces giving it a seafood flavour.

My vegetarian friend had a preparation with Bamboo Shoots and Tofu, and he seemed to have loved it. The other three in the vegetarian menu were Mushroom and Aged Ginger, Asparagus and Water Chestnut, and Corn and Lotus Roots.

Experimental foodies will love this promotion which is on till the month-end. It may be a good idea to try it out as an evening snack or not-so-heavy meal. The veg pancakes are Rs 375 each whereas the non-veg preparation ranges from Rs 405-450.

Location:
Syn Asian Grill & Bar
Taj Deccan
Banjara Hills, Hyderabad
Telephone: 66523939

Disclaimer: The review is based on an invite from the restaurant. However, the opinion expressed in the post are honest and unbiased.



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Monday, February 22, 2016

Quick Bytes: Kashmiri Wazwan Festival at Firdaus, Taj Krishna

 Soumabha     7:12 PM     Food Festivals, Hyderabad, Quick Bytes, Restaurant Reviews, Sabyasachi     No comments   

“Agar Firdaus Bar Roo-e Zaminast
Hameen Ast O Hameen Ast O Hameen Ast”

(If there is a paradise on this earth,
It is this, it is this it is this)
Couplet from Poet Amir Khusro on Kashmir

For one week till 27th February, Firdaus at Taj Krishna will turn into a true paradise for lovers of Kashmiri cuisine. The Kashmiri Food Festival here will showcase the delicate traditional dishes from the valley. Curated by Waza Tariq from Vivanta by Taj, Srinagar, the festival gives the Hyderabadi food lovers a chance to savour the delicacies of the Kashmiri aristocracy.

Tabak Maaz
Tabak Maaz

Wazwan is the traditional sit-down dinner in Kashmir. A huge number of dishes are served in this fare, most of which are preparations of meat. At the media preview for this festival, Chef Tariq explained to us the significance of Wazwan and the importance of using the right ingredients and processes to prepare the food. He took pains to explain in detail the preparation of the items. After a look at the display of the traditional dishes, I was eagerly waiting for the food to come in.

Chef Tariq

We started with a couple of appetizers. Chicken Kanti is a well-known street food in Srinagar, served in the kababs shops in Khayam Chowk. The boneless chicken prepared in stir fried onions was a good dish to start the meal. Nadru Malai Tikki, a lotus stem and paneer kabab was soft, and went well with the Walnut Chutney served with it.

Nadru Malai Tikki
Nadru Malai Tikki

Tabak Maaz, or lamb ribs fried in yoghurt is possibly the best known starter in the Wazwan. Chef Tariq explained that though this dish should be well cooked, care should be taken that the twice cooked meat does not come off the ribs. The Tabak Maaz here was as good as those served in some of the best restaurants in Kashmir, and definitely deserved a second helping.

Gushtaba
Gushtaba

The Chef decided to serve five items from the main courses. Rishta and Gushtaba, the twin mutton dumpling dishes were two among them. In Rishta, the dumplings were cooked in a zaffran and chilli based gravy. The mutton mince had really been pounded well to a soft texture. The spicy gravy was silk smooth and I tried it with the laccha parathas served with it. Gushtaba on the other hand, had a yoghurt based gravy. I was reminded of my experience of trying these delicacies at Ahdoos, Srinagar.

Rishta
Rishta

Rogan Josh, perhaps the most well-known Kashmiri dish was savoured next. The Chef explained that in this preparation uses Maval a Kashmiri flower to provide the colour. Rogan Josh has two different preparations among muslims and pandits in Kashmir, this was the former version. There was Kashmiri Pulao served with it.

Kashmiri Pulao
Kashmiri Pulao

Among the vegetarian dishes, Rajma Gogje was brilliant – a recipe of smaller local rajma beans with turnip. Kashmiris are avid rice lovers and this was a perfect recipe for having with rice. I had some with  phulkas too. On first look, the gravy of Nadir Yakhni looked similar to Gustaba, but on tasting, I found them to be different.

Among home food in Kashmiri cuisine, Haak the leafy vegetable stands out. I remember the chef in our houseboat in Srinagar used to get fresh haak from the Dal Lake and cook some soul food for us. So I was happy when my friend specifically asked for haak to be served, and we just loved it with rice.

Kesari Halwa and Badam Phirnee

Finally it was dessert time. I did not like the Kesari Halwa, which was too dry for my liking. The Chef assured me that this is how it is prepared. The almond based Badam Phirnee was a winner, smooth and not too sweet.

Kahwa
Kahwa

We ended the meal with some awesome Kahwa.

Hyderabadi food lovers had their first taste of Wazwan through a mediocre Kashmiri restaurant which closed down couple of years ago. The festival will give them an opportunity to try out the real recipes of the traditional feast. The festival at Firdaus is a-la-carte, serving a wide range of other signature Wazwan items also, such as Yakhni Gosht and Waza Chicken.

Location:

Firdaus
Taj Krishna,
Road No 1, Banjara Hills
Hyderabad
Telephone: 66662323

Disclaimer: The review is based on an invite from the restaurant. However, the opinion expressed in the post are honest and unbiased.




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Sunday, February 21, 2016

Quick Bytes: Teppanyaki Pop-Up at Oriental Bar and Kitchen

 Soumabha     6:37 PM     Food Festivals, Hyderabad, Quick Bytes, Restaurant Reviews, Sabyasachi     No comments   

Oriental Bar and Kitchen at Park Hyatt is among the top restaurants in Hyderabad for Asian cuisine. The restaurant had been recently adjudged the Best Pan-Asian Fine Dine Restaurant at the Times Food Awards 2016.

Teppanyaki Park Hyatt
A Teppanyaki Dish under Preparation

The restaurant has now kicked off the concept of Pop-Up Kitchen Series, where a specialty chef is invited to display his culinary art. Teppanyaki is the first initiative in this series featuring Chef Amit Sharma, the Teppanyaki chef of TK’s Oriental Grill of Hotel Hyatt Regency, New Delhi.

The Teppanyaki pop-up, which has started on 19th February, will be on till 28th.  Special menus for vegetarians and non-vegetarians curated by Chef Amit are being offered during this period. Invited for a preview of the pop-up, I was extremely happy to experience the interesting concept where the guest is able to sit across and watch the preparation of each course while interacting with the chef.

In Japanese Teppanyaki style cooking, a hot metal griddle is used to prepare the food. All the items from starters to the main courses are prepared on the heated surface, mostly using the stir fry technique. Chef Amit who originally hails from Chattisgarh was deft in using his spatulas, and it was fascinating to watch him prepare each item with ease. The set menu has soup, salad, appetizer, main courses and dessert, where only the soup was brought in from the kitchen whereas the rest were prepared on the griddle.

Spicy Mince Chicken Salad
Spicy Mince Chicken Salad

Since all of us were non-vegetarians, we experienced the standard non-vegetarian set menu. The chef started with the preparation of Spicy Minced Chicken Salad. Here, coarse chicken keema was stir fried with the addition of select spices and then sprouts were added to the mix. Garnished with mizuna and red chilli slices, the dish was exotic.

Next in was the Miso Shiru Shrimp Soup. Miso paste and a Japanese seaweed were the main ingredients here, giving a muddy look and feel to the soup, slightly overwhelming the shrimp flavour.


Prawn and Spring Onion Yakatori at various stages of preparation

Yakitori is traditional Japanese skewered food, and on the menu, we had Prawn and Spring Onions Yakitori. It was interesting to watch the chef prepare this one, right from stir frying the raw prawns and spring onions on the stick to further sautéing after addition of sauce and seasonings. The result was soft and succulent prawns doused in a delicious sauce.

Shredded Chicken in Black Bean Sauce
Shredded Chicken in Black Bean Sauce

We had three main courses. The Shredded Chicken in Black Bean Sauce was exceptional with a hint of sweetness. It tasted good on its own as well as with the Chef’s Special Sticky Fried Rice. But in my opinion, the dish of the day was the Sauteed Tiger Prawns in Oriental Yellow Curry. The jumbo prawns were delectable and the yellow curry was one of the best I had with the white rice served along with it.

Goma Tofu Steak
Goma Tofu Steak

After this the chef was gracious enough to serve us a main course from the vegetarian menu – Goma Tofu steak served with veggies and soya sauce. The steak had potatoes and tofu in it, and the taste of the combo reminded us of a famous North Indian street food.

Chocolate Tart
Chocolate Tart

The last act on the teppan was the flambing of the Chocolate Tart, which was served with vanilla ice cream.

I found the idea of pop up extremely timely for Hyderabad. The food lovers in Hyderabad are becoming more and more discerning and they want to try out new cuisines and flavours.  Teppanyaki is something they are going to enjoy. The pricing for the set menu at Rs 1400 plus taxes per person is also quite reasonable. The restaurant has time slots for Teppanyaki, so please call them before visiting.

Location: 
Oriental Bar and Kitchen
Park Hyatt Hyderabad
Road No 2 Banjara Hills
Hyderabad 34
Telephone: 49491234

Disclaimer: The review is based on an invite from the restaurant. However, the opinion expressed in the post are honest and unbiased.

Chef Amit Sharma
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Friday, February 19, 2016

The Delicious Pan-Asian spread at Mekong, Marigold

 Soumabha     6:28 PM     Hyderabad, Restaurant Reviews, Sabyasachi     No comments   

Mekong at Hotel Marigold Begumpet, has always been my preferred destination for Pan-Asian food. The place, which is named after the famous river passing through a host of countries in South East Asia, is located at a stone’s throw from my residence, and I am a frequent visitor here.  They have a delicious Bento Box quick lunch on weekdays – you can read about it here.

Mekong Sushi
Ikura Gunkan Maki with Salmon Roe

So, I was more than happy to be invited by Burrp and Food Bloggers Association of India (FBAI) for a blogger’s meet at my favourite restaurant. Burrp, the restaurant review portal has been quiet in Hyderabad for some time, so it was good to see them bounce back with some new initiatives and a new mobile app and logo. FBAI, the active pan-India association of food bloggers, has quite a few members in Hyderabad and the meet gave them an opportunity to come together.

Yam Taohu
Tofu and Vegetable Salad

The meeting started with a brief address by Mr. Akesh the Senior General Manager of Marigold followed by a short presentation by Burrp. Soon we were ready for the main event – the tasting session of some delicious food.

Chef Taraknath who heads Mekong had planned a special menu for the occasion. The menu had a huge spread of around 20 dishes. First in was a Thai tofu salad called Yam Taohu, which had tofu, green leafy vegetables and mushrooms in a chilly jaggery dressing. I am not a huge fan of tofu, but liked the sweet and sour taste of the salad.

Hanoi Toi Tom
Hanoi Toi Tom


Mekong is known for its range of sushis and the menu for the day had two variants. Ikura Gunkan Maki had rice rolled in a cap styled look with orange salmon roe on top. The presentation of the dish looked adorable and it went well with the wasabi and the gari ginger slices. Oshinko Maki was a vegetarian traditional sushi with pickled radish and bell pepper in it.

Among the starters my favourite was the Hanoi Toi Tom or Vietnamese garlic prawns tossed in a spicy sauce. The prawns were cooked just right, and had drawn in the garlic based marinade well. I could not resist from going for a refill of this delicious dish. Ngoh Hiang was a sliced up fried roll stuffed with spiced chicken and prawn mince. The chilli based dip served with it enhanced the taste of this starter.

Ngoi Hiang
Ngoi Hiang

For the vegetarians, both the starters were crispy fried, Xiang Su Xianggu had shitake mushrooms whereas the difficult to pronounce Thxd Krxb Saybaw had lotus stems tossed in sweet chilli sauce.
Dimsums in Mekong are quite popular. Here I liked the vegetarian Jiaozi shaped dimsums which had bok choy and spinach. The Hargow was crunchy with the water chestnut in it, the shrimp taste was not that prominent.


Dimsums
Dimsums

The famed Myanmar delicacy Khow Suey was served next. The broth mainly consisting of chicken and coconut cream was quite decent, but I have had so many different versions of this at various places that I am no judge of authenticity. What I missed here were the add-on condiments served separately with the Khow Suey, so that you can customize your own dish.

Thai Massaman Curry
Thai Massaman Curry


There were five main courses chosen by the chef. The Thai Massaman Curry, an example of Thai Muslim cuisine was what worked best in combination with Jasmine Khew Pela or steamed jasmine rice. The lamb dish was quite different from the normal Thai curries due to the use of different set of spices and the potatoes soaked in gravy.

Phaaw Saeht
Phaaw Saeht

Curried Crab Singapore Style scored with its presentation. A vegetarian dish, Phaaw Saeht had stir fried water chestnuts and bok choy, in a nice combination, I enjoyed it with the Pad Thai.

Curried Crab
Curried Crab

In the dessert section, I liked the Coconut Ice Cream with Dates Cigar. There was also Thap Thim Krawp, iced coconut milk with water chestnut.

Dessert Platter
Dessert Platter

I liked that the special menu was curated very thoughtfully – it had dishes of differing tastes as well as dishes from different geographies of the orient. I have always been a fan of Chef Taraknath’s preparations ever since I first tried them out a couple of years back. Mekong definitely ranks among the top restaurants serving oriental food in Hyderabad, and it is good to see that they maintain the consistency in their offerings.

Address:
Mekong
Marigold by Green Park
Greenlands Ameerpet Road
Hyderabad 500016

Telephone: 67363636

Disclaimer: The review is based on an invite from the restaurant. However, the opinion expressed in the post are honest and unbiased.
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Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Janus, the Premium Grape Brandy from Sula and Remy, Comes to Hyderabad

 Soumabha     6:42 PM     Events, Hyderabad, Product Reviews, Sabyasachi     No comments   

I am a huge fan of the range of wines from Sula Vineyards, with a particular fondness for a product called Sula Riesling, a white wine with fruity flavour. The 15-year-old company is clearly the leader of the wine market in India with their red, white and sparkling wines. I have heard a lot about their vineyards in Nashik and was contemplating a visit to it for a long time, which has not somehow not fructified yet.



Recently, the company had announced a new addition to their product line. As a result of a partnership with Remy Cointreau, Sula announced the launch of their first brandy named Janus, which distinguishes itself from the other brandy names in the market due to the fact that it is a 100% grape product.



After being launched in Goa and some smaller states, the brand was recently launched in Hyderabad. At a media preview organized by Sula at Taj Krishna, we were put through a tasting session where we tried out three glasses of similar looking liquors and were asked to guess the brand among these. The brandy was easy to identify with its smooth taste and distinct fruity aroma. The other two were scotch whiskies in the same premium price range.

Master Blender Yonael Bernard

From the presentation that followed, we learnt that the name Janus comes from a mythological Greek figure with two faces – one looking at the past and the other at the future, signifying transition. The brandy, made from select grape varieties found in the Nashik region and matured in French oak barrels, follows the same procedure as the famed French Cognac. Blending is done under the supervision of French master blender Yonael Bernard who is the creator of the brand. The distilling is done in Baramati, Maharashtra whereas the bottling is done in Goa.

After the presentation, we tried a few cocktails with Janus as a base. While a few of us liked the brandy with cranberry juice and ice, the real winner was the combo with ginger ale. I had also noted some other cocktail suggestions in the presentation, of which one was with hot and fresh coffee.

Eat Chill Talk
The Indian Punch at Eat Talk Chill, Hyderabad

But the best concoction of Janus for me was reserved for the next day. At the opening of Eat Talk Chill, a new lounge at the very popular United Kitchens of India restaurant, star mixologist of Hyderabad and a good friend Sharad Arora prepared a delicious cocktail with Janus named The Indian Punch. The drink uses Janus brandy as a base with Earl Grey Tea, lemon and spices like cinnamon and cloves. Served hot and cold, the former is also a perfect recipe for curing persistent common cold – a familiar use of brandy at home during my childhood days in Kolkata. Easily, one of the best cocktails I had in recent times, and strongly recommended.

Janus has just been launched in Andhra Pradesh.  It is a premium brandy which comes in two sizes. The 750 ml version is priced at around Rs 2275, whereas the 180 ml one is around Rs 600.  The product should be a nice new option for discerning consumers in the premium Indian segment.

Disclaimer: The review is based on my experience at the launch of Janus in Hyderabad. I was invited for this event. However, the opinion expressed in the post are honest and unbiased.

Some pics are courtesy Sula Vineyards



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Tuesday, February 16, 2016

The Mediterranean Seafood Festival at Sheraton

 Soumabha     10:46 AM     Bangalore, Restaurant Reviews, Soumabha     No comments   

Surrounded by land on many sides, Mediterranean sea is the main source of seafood for the Southern Europe and Western Asian countries. The Mediterranean Seafood Festival at Sheraton Bangalore is centered around this theme and is hosted in both their restaurants Persian Terrace and Bene. The special offerings have both set menu and a-la-carte grill options.

Mixed Grill of Fresh Seafood with Greek Salad and Crusty Bread
Mixed Grill of Fresh Seafood with Greek Salad and Crusty Bread

The set menu is priced at Rs 2500/- for a 4-course meal with an appetizer, soup, main course and dessert. The wine lovers can also opt for their select paired dishes which comes with a helping of Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay. As the items offered in the set menu differ quite drastically in both the restaurants, it is advisable to have a look at both the menus and make a choice based on what would suit the palate more. Other than the set menu, one can also waltz around to the fisherman's market and pick fresh produce to be conjured up and grilled Greek or Persian style.

Fisherman's Market
Fisherman's Market

The decoration has changed in Bene and Persian Terrace to suit the seafood festival. The normal table mats have given way to pseudo fishnets and then there is a small fisherman's market inside Bene. The fisherman market offers a wide variety of prawns, crabs and lobsters along with fish like Red Snapper and King Fish which can be grilled or made into a pasta and served as part of the festival fare. The daily catch is dependent on availability and the items on display change on a daily basis.

Seashells and Calamari
Seashells and Calamari

The tasting menu offered to us was a combination of the Italian and Persian seafood cuisine.  My last Italian experience at Bene with Chef Giuseppe was excellent, so, naturally the expectations were high. The Persian seafood dishes on the menu intrigued me as I was not very sure what to expect.

Persian Watermelon, Prawn and Feta Salad
Persian Watermelon, Prawn and Feta Salad

We started off with the Persian Watermelon, Prawn and Feta Salad. I absolutely adore the watermelon-feta combination in salads as they quite richly complement each other, one being sweet, the other a touch salty. Add cold prawns into them and the combination is quite delicious. The salad also had papdi in it which made it taste like an Italian chaat.

Spanish Garlic Prawns
Spanish Garlic Prawns

Served in a small green pot, the Spanish Garlic Prawns up next was piping hot. Paired with Nederburg Sauvignon Blanc, the prawns were delicious and were polished off the plate within minutes. The other appetizer on offer from the Italian cuisine was the prawn based Gambas Al Pil Pil.

Market Seafood Soup
Market Seafood Soup

After the starters, we moved on to the soups. The Italian speciality was the Market Seafood Soup, a tomato based broth which was loaded with seafood like prawns and seashells. The soup had a subtle flavour and went well with the focaccia bread kept on the table. The Persian soup - Ghalieh Mahi, was a Persian herb and fish soup. Although the presentation of the soup in a small cup impressed all, the soup had a strong taste and flavour which didn't quite suit my palate.

Mediterranean seafood served with Couscous
Mediterranean seafood served with Couscous

The main course was laid out after the soup bowls were cleared. The Persian dish up for grabs was the Mediterranean seafood served with couscous. Though not quite common in India, the couscous finds a dominating presence in the Israeli and Moroccan cuisine and is the staple accompaniment to curries. Mixed Grill of Fresh Seafood with Greek Salad and Crusty Bread was the other offering in the main course.

Tiramisu
Tiramisu

For desserts, we ended with the creamy coffee flavoured Italian dessert, Tiramisu, which is a must try in Bene. The seafood festival is a culinary journey through the Italian and Persian cuisine, one which for sure will leave you enthralled.

Festival Dates: 12th February 2015 to 21st February 2015
Cost : Rs. 2500/- for Set Menu

Address: Sheraton Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway,
26/1, Dr.Rajkumar Road, Rajajinagar,
Malleshwaram, Bangalore
Telephone: 080 42521000
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    Pintxo (or Pincho) is a small snack eaten in bars or taverns while rejoicing with friends and family. The name of the restaurant is quite se...
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    Over the last few years, the choices available for enjoying Bengali cuisine have really increased in Hyderabad. The main reasons for this ar...

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