For monsoon enthusiasts who like to cosy up with a quick bite, Casino’s newest chef is whipping up an elaborate spread of tapas and paellas. Having invited myself over for a sneak peek into chef Unni Viswanath’s Spanish Seafood Fiesta, I am welcomed with a serving of gambas al ajillo. A prawn-based dish cooked in fish stock, this one is on the tangy side with an olive oil and lemon juice-based dressing.“For the salad lovers, we do have a seafood-based recipe with radishes and lettuce tossed in orange vinaigrette,” informs the former Shangri-La Muscat employee.  
 

Coast to coast        
To get the best of Unni’s tapas list, I recommend the combo platter which comes in four variants. The first item to land on my plate, envueltos de berenjena (eggplant rolled with fresh ricotta cheese and bell peppers), a personal favourite, is pleasantly mild. However, there are options like pimientos rellenos which is a red pepper stuffed with minced tuna tossed in a parsley sauce, which guarantees a fiery twist to the meal.The main course, a mixed seafood paella prepared with imported calasparra rice is the ultimate seafood lovers treat. Highlighting a mix of kingfish, tiger prawns, crab meat and mussels, this rice bowl comes seasoned with saffron. I also enjoyed the zesty black mussels tossed in garlic and white wine or mejillones al vapor. Despite the lack of authentic Spanish desserts, the Kottayam-based chef’s menu ticks all the boxes for me.

Till June 11.From 7 pm to 11 pm
`1,500 onwards. 
Details: 7558942235