The Q Bar in Hilton, Chennai has always been a common ground for people who love food and partying. It is one of the prime spots in the city to spend an evening in hip style and has always been up to date.... to date. The rooftop restobar has undergone a massive overhaul recently and with it now open to the public, we headed there to see what's new and what's not.
Also read: From Rajasthan with love
Well, pretty much everything has changed to be honest. The ambience is different which is a byproduct of the architecture that is new, and the whole concept now focuses on sophisticated socializing. And so Executive Chef Shibu Thampan had his work cut out to revamp the menu. Having tasted his dishes, which are 99 per cent new by the way, we can stoutly say that he has delivered.
With the welcome drinks out of the way, we began with the Mac and Cheese Croquettes which were crunchy and tasty, followed by the Crispy Pork Belly that was bloody delicious and the Mushroom Milagu Tostadas which made us rethink the way Mexican food can be Indianised. The toasted tortilla was not too hard and the filling was something to rave about. The fact that it is not doused in sauces and ketchup, sealed the deal for us. Definitely a must-try.
We moved on to the Tibetan Momo-ries and the Chicks on Pattaya Sticks. The latter was a dish that a true master had created. The way it came plated, the way the meat had been glazed and cooked and the salad it came with made it a dish that was worth emptying the plate. The same could also be said about Gambas Al Agillo, a prawn-based dish that was oh so good.
Although there was no more room for any more food in our bellies, we found ourselves staring at a finely crafted plate containing the dessert which goes by the name Textures of Q Chocolate. Made primarily using milk, white and dark chocolate, the sweet course was deadly to taste. But the way it was plated was even better. The millimetre perfect precision in which the white chocolate top layer sits over the middle layer and the way the dark chocolate has been rolled to resemble clay was pure eye candy.
All the dishes, we could not help but notice were made and plated in such a way that they can be shared, once again establishing the fact that Q Bar is now the place to socialise. Chef Shibu told us that the food had to resemble the revised ethos of the restobar and it all made sense. What better way to socialise than to share tasty food while sipping a drink, eh!
Food: INR 400 onwards. Dinner only. At Hilton, Chennai.