From farm to fork

The benefits of organic food are ushering a sort of food revolution in the hospitality industry with restaurants incorporating healthy food on their menus. Hence, to cater to the growing demand, The Park’s award-winning FIRE restaurant has introduced a seasonal menu that is over 50 per cent organic ,and reflects the way Indians are looking at food now – nutritious and wholesome.

“Our owner, Priya Paul, travels extensively and she realised that people are getting conscious about what they are eating. So she proposed the idea of introducing organic food. Initially, the team was a bit apprehensive because we had to see whether we could deliver or not. We had to think in terms of execution and logistics,” Abhishek Basu, executive chef, The Park, tells Metrolife.

So began the hunt for finding the right partners who were practicing sustainable techniques to offer environmentally-friendly food. “The idea is to serve the freshest meals to our guests,” adds Basu.

And in an endeavour to meet their commitment, the hotel has already started growing their own greens. Starting from basil to rocket leaves, and from sweet lime to brinjal — they are following the concept of farm-to-table. 

So to see what the seasonal menu has in offering, we decided to try their food and began our meal with a refresh salad ‘Burrata, Arugula and Tomato’, which was tempered with mustard seeds. The cheese, soft, delicate and creamy, was the hero of the dish. Sourced from Bangalore-based Father Michael, the wonderful combination of greens and creamy cheese was heavenly.

After this, we tried their ‘Drumstick and Mango Ginger Rasam, Cherry Tomato and Curry Leaf Bruschetta’. The sweetness of mango cutting through rasam’s piquant flavour was adding twist to this South Indian staple. 

Equal attention is given to vegetarians’ dilemma of never finding enough on the menu. Here it’s the broccoli that has undergone experimentation, resulting in ‘Brocolli Fennel Tikki’ which is soft, squashy and flavoursome.

For the mains, we settled for ‘Kerala Duck Mappas’. Made in coconut milk and served with soft and fresh appams, the well-cooked bird is surely a must try.

And for desserts, we had multiple options. But we ordered ‘Purple Basil and Thandai Panaacotta, Kali Mirch Truffle’. This unlikely marriage of sweet and bitter takes the taste buds by surprise. But then the palate adjusts and accommodates to relish flavours that swing in harmony. The menu is available for lunch and dinner and cost for two is Rs 2,000 plus taxes.