NEW DELHI: Passing by this hotel with a classy off-white exterior, I always used to wonder what lies beyond those louvered windows but never really dared to explore. Until now. Sitting on the second floor of Select Citywalk, Hotel Delmaar pays tribute to old charming European restaurants. Right from the wallpaper, furniture, flooring and Kentia Palms to the meals.
To start off, we ordered Beetroot and Poached Pear Salad, and Avocado Toast. Before bringing in the food, Chef Utkarsh Bhalla told us that their focus has been micro-greens and herbs, grown at their farm in Okhla. “Even mustard, barbeque and mayonnaise are done in-house. We have red radish, amaranth, baby beets, and sunflower microgreens. But we are importing parmesan from Italy because it’s an important ingredient for an Italian restaurant, and I don’t want to compromise on the quality. We order two wheels [13kg each] every month,” he says.
The salad comprising chunks of beetroot, pear and orange, was garnished with basil, micro greens, pumpkin seeds, feta cheese, coupled with the punchy flavour of red wine vinaigrette. Then, we were ready for the Avocado Toast that had goat cheese spread on the multi-grain baguette with a layer of mashed avocado mixed with condiments. One bite through those layers, and you can feel the pungency of goat cheese, if you are sensitive to strong smell, though.
Vegan and gluten-free options include Millet Pilaf, and Earth Bowl, which is keto friendly too. “We have classics that used to be an important part of the menu of five-star hotels in the 1960s. The dishes we have chosen are Chicken A La Kiev, Bone Broth, Handrolled pasta such as Wild Mushroom Tagliatelle and Shepherd’s Pie.”Shepherd’s Pie, with Medieval origins, was baked to perfection. The lamb was succulent, peppery, with a plethora of flavours. However, a crispier potato layer would’ve worked wonders.
And the last one we tried was Fish Meuniere, a special recommendation by the chef. The skin was fried just right and meat of the Bhetki was cooked perfectly. Fish guacamole, potatoes and caper butter added a zingy flavour.Our favourite part of the meal – dessert – was the Apple Pie topped with apple chunks caramelised in maple syrup and cinnamon, with a scoop of ice-cream – a hot ‘n’ cold combo, as always, heavenly.
(With inputs from Pushkar Banakar)