Come weekend and we’re instantly on the lookout for the latest watering hole to wash away the work blues. This week, we headed straight to Rika at Park Hyatt to try out their fully revamped menu, along with some delicious drinks.
The ambience at the restaurant put us in the mood for weekend revelry with a chic vintage inspired bar, vibrant art murals and plush seating. We picked a cosy corner to start our meal. A chilled portion of Cucumber kimchi and spiced crackers kept us company while we waited for our drinks to arrive.
From the bar, we tried the Watermelon and yuzu mocktail that was a refreshing palate cleanser between bites. Grapefruit infused gin fizz topped with tropical fruit added a zing to our meal.
What came next was a huge variety of dim sum starting with the Edamame and wasabi dim sum served alongside a light soy sauce. The Prawn and truffle har gao was satisfying in every bite, prompting us to polish off the serving in minutes. The prawn crackling ball was a revelation, with a fried layer of threaded noodles enveloping supremely flavourful prawn within. We also tried the Lamb pot sticker that was a hit at the table owing to its crunchy pan-fried wrapper filled with a wholesome lamb filling. An absolute standout dish from the extensive dim sum menu was the Baked puff with eggplant in sweet chilli garlic. Enveloped in a supremely crumbly puff pastry was a sweet and spicy filling of the eggplant with chilli garlic adding in just a hint of spice to the dish.
With a nearly full belly, we moved onto the mains that served some classic favourites, starting with the egg fried rice served with the Chengdu stir fried sliced lamb. Tossed with celery, red chilli and cumin, the lamb dish was a great accompaniment. The pan fried noodles with Chinese greens paired well with stir fried vegetables. “Our new menu highlights authentic dishes from specific regions across Asia using local ingredients from the provinces. Our desserts too, feature European specialties infused with Asian elements and ingredients,” says Neeraj Tyagi, executive chef of Park Hyatt.
For dessert, a light and airy Japanese cheesecake was served with berry gelato on crumble. The creamy cheesecake with a bite of the zesty gelato was a treat to the senses. We also tried the Warm chocolate fondant served with a delightful Banana caramel gelato and Lychee sago that added a wonderful twist to the myriad textures on the plate.
Rs 2,500 for two.
At Banjara Hills.