Squid Ink Tagliatelle to Seafood Risotto, you are in for a treat if you drop by Focaccia this week. The Italian restaurant at Hyatt Regency Chennai recently kicked off their coastal Sicily festival, helmed by executive chef Manish Uniyal. With 21 new dishes and specially curated beverage menu to pair with them, we head over for a special degustation tasting of what is in store.
Melons & mozzarella
Our first dish is a salad that is fresh and vibrant with colour. Baby beets and cinnamon poached pears pop with sweetness to contrast a creamy goat cheese and tart grape vinaigrette. For non-vegetarians, there is a delightful pairing of Parma ham meets ‘melons and mozzarella’. Refreshing and perfect for the summer. And later, and this is perhaps one of our favourites, we dig into a Tater di tonno — fresh tuna, capers and avocado. Simple ingredients that practically sing when plated together.
We follow this up with a sip on the mixologist’s Sicilian Sunset, which is as pretty as the name suggests, with a blend of mango and passion fruit laced in white rum.
Feeling up-beet
Other dishes that serve up a ten in our book, include the Seared Salmon with olives and capers in a gorgeous white wine sauce and a Three Cheese Beet Cappelletti. The latter is a plate that is all pink, courtesy the beets. Meanwhile, the Cappelletti pasta is filled with a creamy medley of pecorino Romano, ricotta and goat cheese, finished off with a basil butter sauce. We just went to heaven on a pink
staircase made of pasta...
Chef Manish tells us that the focus behind the scenes in the kitchen has largely been on fresh, high quality ingredients. And this goes beyond the implied fresh catch. He shares, “My pastas for this promotion are bronze cut, which makes them easy to mix with other ingredients. We are also using carnaroli for making our risottos, which is known as the ‘Caviar of rice’. We opt for a Risotto al pomodoro arrosto, which as promised delivers a premium bite with a touch of crisp kale on top, and if you enjoy texture and crunch, the Breaded Chicken Breast with Artichoke Salad is not to miss.
Misu long time
Dessert is a duo of Mango Misu, a seasonal take on the traditional tiramisu and an Almond Semifreddo with caramelised apple. Or if you prefer to go with a shot of something stronger, order the Italian Espresso Martini with a hint of kahlua.
Meal for two INR 2,000 all-inclusive. Starts today. On till July 2. Dinner only. 7 pm to 11 pm.