Walking past the elegant and serene lobby at Novotel Hyderabad Airport, we entered Food Exchange to explore the new Mediterranean buffet experience at the restaurant. After a quick walk-through of the several Indian and Mediterranean options alongside a salad bar and cheese station, we grabbed a glass of Iced Tea and took a seat at a quaint corner of the restaurant.
The bountiful buffet experience curated dishes from the Mediterranean countries including but not restricted to Greece, Italy, Turkey, Spain and beyond. The appetisers section had several options including canapes, salads, assorted breads, and live stations for Pastas, Kibbeh, Shawarmas and Falafel. We also caught a glimpse of an elaborate section for dips including varieties of Hummus, Labneh, Babaganoush and several other condiments alongside ready to cook marinated meats.
The bustling live counters dished out several treats and we were fascinated by the pasta counter. All pastas were made from scratch at the restaurant, and we called for a portion of the pasta Fettuccine in Alfredo Sauce. The sauce was creamy and complimented the al dente pasta.
We called for some Shawarma and Kibbeh, and nibbled on excellently made fresh Pita bread with Hummus and Babaganoush. They remained some of the best options on the buffet. Soon after, a portion of Kibbeh was served along with an alluring pink Beetroot Hummus. The mildly spiced appetiser had an enjoyable crunch. The Mint and Fresh Chili Scented Chickpea dumplings were a hit with several diners, balancing textures and flavours seamlessly. We also tried a tiny portion of the Moroccan Spiced Roasted Rohu Fish which was highly flavourful and roasted to a crisp. The Mediterranean Spice Roasted Chicken with Pilaf was a standout dish, with excellently flavoured rice. “We come up with different themes every weekend to delight our guests. With the Feta to Falafel themed Mediterranean buffet spread, we have the opportunity to serve something special and different from around the world,” says Sathish Lalineni, Chef at Food Exchange. While each week will feature different dishes from various countries, we were informed that some well-loved dishes would be a constant in the weeks to come.
We took a quick break from the scrumptious appetisers to go through the Mediterranean options at the buffet section. We tried a portion of the Moussaka made with Zucchini and Eggplants topped with a layer of Bechamel Sauce. Unlike the traditional Greek recipe that adds a layer of meat sauce on top of the vegetables, the vegetarian variant contained no meat. The dish still worked owing to the flavourful sauce, and an occasional bite of the fried onion garnish.
Themed buffet spreads at The Food Exchange feature a section for Indian dishes as well. We walked past the bustling chaat counter that was busily dishing out a variety of snacks like Pani Puri, Bhel Puri and more. We serve ourselves a portion of the Gosht Nihari and Chicken Cafreal. The Nihari was thick and wholesome while the staple Goan dish Cafreal paired well with steamed rice. We also tried a portion of the heavenly Banarasi Kofta along with some naans.
Desserts featured some Middle Eastern favourites like Baklava and Basbousa that were both indulgent treats to end our meal with.
Rs 2,750 upwards.
Every Saturday from 7 pm.
Until 8 July
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