A food festival to celebrate Syrian cuisine

A food festival to celebrate Syrian cuisine

A Syrian food festival is being organised till November 17, from 6.30 pm to 11.30 pm at The Persian Terrace, Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel, Brigade Gateway.

Prepared by Chef KK Gopal Krishnan, who had spent several years in Syria, the menu aims to capture the region’s authentic flavours.

We started off with a platter of Arabic bread accompanied by hummus, Muhammara and Baba ghanoush, of which the latter was quite disappointing. They hadn’t managed to achieve the creamy consistency or the flavours. The ‘Chicken Vermicelli Soup’ which had thin pasta, chunks of chickens, carrots and celery was creamy, but light.

The ‘Aleppo Kofta Kebab’ is a flavour-packed dish of boneless chicken marinated with chilli flakes, hung curd, lemon juice and garlic. The ‘Syrian Shish Taouk’ with minced chicken marinated with parsley, cumin and spices, was also tasty. The ‘Kibbeh tahini’ which included mixed vegetable koftas, stuffed with cheese, covered in a sauce of yoghurt and tahini, would have tasted better without the cheese.

The ‘Syrian Spiced Lamb Chops’ came with a portion of rice, pita bread and salad. The lamb was chewier than expected. The ‘Kebab e Sayadieh’, with grilled fish, was my favourite. It was tangy, flavourful and cooked perfectly.

I wasn't thoroughly impressed, but many of the dishes did come close to its flavour profile.

For reservations, call 7899129687.