A global affair

Fine dining

Imagine getting to savour a lavish spread for breakfast on a lazy Sunday morning. The thought was enough to make us ditch the kitchen and head to Ssence, the world cuisine restaurant at The Suryaa Hotel.

Done up in light colours with splashes of orange — which give the place a fresh and vibrant appeal, Ssence is spread over 6,760 square feet with a seating capacity of 146 people.

Being a Sunday, the restaurant was brimming with people enjoying the buffet spread. However, after taking a walk across the buffet, we decided to opt for the a la carte menu, and began our gastronomical journey with ‘Subz Galouti Kebab’ and non-vegetarian ‘Galouti Kebab’. Served with light saffron paranthas, the vegetable and lamb mince diskettes, melted in our mouths. The aroma and taste of spices like cardamom, just added wonders to the appetiser.

We were so hungry that we totally forgot to order drinks, and only realised that when our server asked us what we would like to drink. So, we quickly scanned their drinks menu and settled for fresh juices — ‘Fresh Watermelon’ and ‘Sweet Lime’. We were soon served the juices, along with which came ‘Feta Cigar Rolls’.

The fried cigar rolls filled with Greek feta cheese and bell peppers had the perfect crunch. And the best part about the dish was the accompanying fig chutney, which added the right amount of sweetness to the rolls.

The kebabs and cheese roll managed to satiate our hunger to an extent, so we took a little break and ordered a round of mocktails — ‘Italian Smooch’ and ‘Watermelon Granita’. While sipping the refreshing drinks we decided the main course dishes and ordered for ‘Grilled Fish with Lemon Butter Sauce’ and ‘Grilled Cornfed Chicken with Red Wine Jus’.

Served with creamy garlic mashed potato, the accompanying sauces added abundant flavours to the grilled items. However, we liked the sole (fish) grill better (despite it being a little less seasoned) as we found the chicken to be dry and chewy.

But the best part of the meal was the ‘Teppanyaki Ice Cream’, which is made on a granite grill that is chilled to -35 °C. With two flavour options — strawberry and butter scotch, we opted for a small helping of both. The choice of flavour was poured onto the cold grill and mixed with dry fruits, chocolate chips and other toppings, after which the mixture was chopped and stirred while crystallising, until creamy. Watching the dessert being made on a live counter was as delightful as the experience of having it.

FAQs:

n Address:  Ssence, The Suryaa Hotel, New Friends Colony.

n Meal for two: Rs 3,000 plus taxes.

n Timing: 6 am – 1 am (all day dining).