There are no qualms about the fact that summer dinners are all about simple yet wholesome dishes, featuring a plethora of the season’s bounty. If, like us, you are thinking of cherry tomatoes, juicy zucchinis and creamylicious feta cheese as well, here’s a menu you should try out this weekend. Alba, the European-cuisine restaurant nestled within JW Marriott Hotel Bengaluru, has recently unveiled a new menu and we were among the first ones to sample it. Here’s how it went.
First to arrive at our table was the drink Campari Spritz (campari, sparkling wine, soda, orange), in which the subtle tang of the orange kickstarted our dinner on a rejuvenating note. We paired it up with three cicchetti dishes, which were pan-European small plates inspired by Venetian tapas. These included Plantain Empanada with feta cheese and zucchini; Salmon Gravlax with beetroot cream, dill, seaweed and seeds cracker; and Duck Two Ways (mousse rillettes with orange gel). While the last two failed to impress us, the Plantain Empanada with refreshing zucchini and sour feta was so flavourful and delectable, we felt sad that we had gulped it down in just one mouthful!
We had the Creamy Burrata Cheese, Avocado Tartare, Gazpacho, Basil Oil, Micro-greens salad next. The strong, herbaceous basil oil complemented the cheese well and opened up our palates, preparing us for the next courses. The next dish — Sunchoke Soup with sweet potato, ricotta gnudi, charcoal oil — won the trophy for the best dish that night! The dry texture and sweetness of the potato ball, the warmth of the creamy soup accentuated with the smoky notes of the charcoal oil, made for the most hearty dish. If the Santa Ana breeze could be captured in a soup bowl, this is what it would taste like, we think.
For the main course, we had Burrata and Ricotta Ravioli with pappa al pomodoro stuffed zucchini flower, fresh tomato and risotto made with carnaroli rice, robiola, aged goat cheese, green asparagus and onion hash. While the stuffed zucchini flower — served with cheese-stuffed ravioli on the bed of tomato coulis — resulted in an odd texture combination that fell flat after the delicious soup, the al dente risotto can taste a bit undercooked for diners with Indian palates.
The saving grace was the final dishes of the course – Chilean Sea Bass in papillot, clam-infused quinoa, creamed cauliflower, sweet chard, fennel and Roasted Zucchini and Aubergine Parmigiana with provolone, scamorza cheese, basil, pesto and salsa rossa. While one can never go wrong with eggplant parmigiana, the restaurant’s version of this dish dared to be experimental and that paid off quite well. The fish was delectable too, with the texture of the chewy quinoa blending well with the perfectly cooked meat. For guests always on the lookout for more fibre or protein rich alternatives to the regular rice or pasta, this dish is sure to become a go-to.
Meal for two: INR 5,000 onwards. At Vittal Mallya Road.
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