Ever wanted to dip your feet in a drum filled with a fresh batch of grapes and stomp till you squeeze all the juice out of them? You may get to do it in a vineyard but to our surprise, we got a chance to try it closer home, during a Sunday brunch at Hilton, Chennai.
A lavish spread of global cuisine displays everything from desi tandoor to Asian teppanyaki. The recently relaunched menu of the Bingeful Sunday Brunch at Vasco’s comes with an extensive list of over 300 dishes, besides a regular array of waffles, pasta, and risotto.
Curated by Executive Sous Chef Manish Uniyal, the revamped brunch has over 14 live grill counters, Asian regional cuisine, and a kid-friendly brunch menu as highlights. “The new menu has been structured in a way that it is more region specific. Here we have focused on the various regions of the South and West Asia, such as Mauritania and Bali, presenting food with its own identity rather than putting them in one big umbrella, calling it Asian food,” shares Manish.
While the massive spread of starters boasts of everything from slices of Emmental and Edam cheese to Balsamic Mushroom and coffee custard salads, I go for the soft yet crunchy Panko Crusted Barramundi with tartar sauce, a rather pleasing appetiser following which I tried the crispy Noodle Wrapped Prawn, a perfect side to your cocktail.
While the soft and juicy slices of Tenderloin Meat could do with some more seasoning, the Beetroot and Gin cured Salmon’s sweet and salty flavours are sure to awaken your palate. Poached Broccoli, dipped in a rich cheese fondue and the pretty looking Zucchini Pesto Bocconcini parcels that held creamy cheese with a hint of pesto turned out to be our picks for vegetarian starters.
Moving on to the mains, we try the Lamb Kabsa, a West Asian rice preparation with spicy lamb chops and rice flavoured with barberries. We then go for Cantonese Char Siu, a very filling tender flank of pork, with steamed broccoli and potato wedges. While we couldn’t resist trying the sushi and the steaming hot dimsums, we make room for Arancini, Italian rice balls stuffed with a generous amount of cheese with guacamole and salsa.
From the variety of options available at the Teppanyaki grill counter at the alfresco space outside Vasco’s, we order a Teppanyaki meat grill, tender and succulent pieces of spicy meat. The endless aisle of desserts had everything from Gulab Jamun Jalebi to mildly sweet Key Lime Pie. But what caught most attention was the make-your-own cupcake station where you can customise your cupcakes with your choice of base and toppings.
`2,700 onwards.
12.30 pm to 3.30 pm.
fathima@newindianexpress.com| @fathiimaashraf