Of textures and techniques

Food review

The idea of having an in-house kitchen garden in a five-star property gave us a good enough reason to visit Pluck restaurant in Pullman New Delhi Aerocity.

The glass facade of the property looked ordinary, and for a second we doubted our choice, but little did we know the real investment of the hotel is on its three C’s —creativity, comfort and concept.

It was the first dish that laid the foundation of a long afternoon meal that was high on technique and creativity. Street Papdi Pluck Style was presented as a cake, with mashed mix of papdi and yogurt serving as base. It was topped with a thick layer of tamarind jelly. The dish looked pretty and tasted decent. As a street food lover, we missed generous dose of sweet chutney and yogurt.

Then came Bhavnagri Chilli and Candied Onion Paneer Tart and we loved the neutral taste of cottage cheese with sweet candied onions. The contemporary take on traditional tart hinted at the popularity of glocal approach in hospitality business.

After this we were served deconstructed Mushroom and Chestnut Soup. The mushrooms blended well with mascarpone cheese and together they elevated this simple soup to a perfect dish on the menu. To cleanse our palate before the main menu was served, Ashish Dhar, culinary designer, suggested we have Neembu Paani Sorbet. The round ice ball, sprinkled with roasted cumin was refreshing, especially in this weather.

For mains we had Grilled Spicy Miso: Salmon, Fine Herbs, Maple and Olive. And when it arrived on our table, the bespoke presentation spoke volumes about the technique involved in creating this dish. The miso marinated grilled salmon, with miso jus was decorated with a crown of thin sheet made of olive and maple paste. The sweetness of maple, acidity of miso and neutral flavour of salmon complemented each other.

We ended our lunch with not-so-sweet Greek Custard, Rasmalai Parafait which is served with strawberry sorbet and candied beetroot. Perfect for those who don’t have a sweet tooth.

The restaurant has also started a new concept where people can prepare their own drinks and shake their mixers like mixologists. Currently, Topesh Chatterjee, assistant manager outlets, has introduced classic cocktails. So we had a chance not only to drink, but make our own cocktail. We first tried Moscow Mule, which according to Chatterjee is the first cocktail vodka. “It was made in 1950, Russia,” he says. The second one we had was Sidecar(1922, France). Both had distinct flavour and punch.

After finishing our meal and drinks, we visited the kitchen garden. It wasn’t that big, but it did have what every kitchen needs: mint, oregano, basil, tomatoes, okra, and a lot of other herbs. Though it is practically impossible to create dishes using this limited produce for guests, Dhar says the quantity of ingredients depends on requirement of the dish, which is not always large in number.

“But using fresh herbs and vegetables does make a difference in the dish,” he says.
FAQ’s

Address: Pluck, Pullman New Delhi Aerocity, Asset No 2, Aerocity Hospitality District, IGI Airport.
 Meal for two: Rs 1800 – Rs 2200 + taxes (without alcohol)
Timings: 12 pm-3 pm(lunch) and 7 pm to 11.30pm(dinner)
For reservations: Call  [phone]

Recipe

Sweet tooth

Classic Lemon Tart

Ingredients

For dough:
Butter -100 gms
Flour- 200 gms
Salt -4 gms
Sugar- 14 gms
Egg- 1

For lemon mixture:
Lemon zest - 3 lemon
Lemon juice - 2 lemon
Cream- -250 gms
Eggs- 2
Sugar- 110 gms

Method
For dough:
Add flour,sugar,salt, egg and butter together and work it like a pastry dough.
 Line it in a 11 inch tart mould.

For mixture:
While up the cream to soft peak.
Combine zest and lemon juice together.
Whisk up sugar and while eggs in a bowl. Add lemon juice and zest mix to eggs.
Incorporate the whipped cream with egg and lemon mixture.
Pour this in the tart and bake it at 160 for 15 minutes.
Chill it down and cut slices.
By chef Janeya Kanna,
HolyBelly - a  food boutique.