While the sweltering summer is keeping us indoors, we’ve been daydreaming about European summers more than ever before. Saving us the trouble of a long journey and bringing modern French-cuisine closer to us, Amiel Gourmet has introduced a brand new summer menu and curious to find out what the French eat to beat the heat, we dropped by the outlet at Sahakarnagar to preview the menu.
Entering the quaint café, we basked in its beige-and-black décor enveloped in warm light. Soon, chef Amiel greeted us with a smile and requesting him to bring a few of his favourites, we seated ourselves at a table by the corner.
First up was a Tomato Coeur de Boeuf & Mozzarella Di Bufala (beef heart tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella, with pesto and tomato coulis). The sweet-and-sour dish came with a side of bread and butter and the slices of tomatoes and creamy mozzarella was a match made in heaven.
For the mains, we sampled Risotto Vert (cooked in spinach purée, with butter-roasted green veggies like broccoli and peas, topped with roasted almonds and shaved parmesan). A spoonful of it with the chewy parmesan, crunchy almonds, and wholesome veggies presented a burst of textures in our mouths. For diners who prefer their risottos to be smooth, the crunchy elements might seem a bit overpowering. But for us, it worked well.
The next dish, Atlantic Salmon (topped with saffron hollandaise foam, butter-roasted veggies like zucchini and carrots) could turn any non-pescatarian into a proud fish-lover. The rich, lemony foam complemented the meat perfectly. The citrusy notes of the sauce and smoky notes of the grilled fish resulted in a light-yet-flavourful dish.
How could a French meal end without dessert and so we tried their Profiteroles (vanilla ice cream-filled choux, topped with roasted almond shavings and dark chocolate sauce). The chewy choux, chilled ice cream, hot chocolate sauce and crunchy nuts again resulted in a celebration of textures. Amiel’s version of this classic French delicacy tasted delectable and was the perfect end to the meal.
Meal for two: INR 3,000 onwards. At Sahakarnagar
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