The newly-opened white bungalow-turned-bistro at Jubilee Hills stays true to its Italian moniker, Mairu, which derives its decor impetus from moorlands. The eatery rendered life into this concept in its outdoor lunchroom that shelters an uncaged playful parrot that was feeding on oats and barley. It sat on our shoulders, looking resplendent with its beady black eyes. But, before we could pamper it, our bird flapped its wings and scuttled away. The ivory-themed surrounding also promised us an Asian-Continental repast whose gastronomic highlights were the subtle savours of olive oil, marigold petals, fenugreek, bay leaf and mint.
The 75-80 seater alfresco diner is anything but your traditional picnic-on-the-blanket refinement but haute cuisine extolling its European integrity in the City of Nizams. The grand urbanscape of Jubilee Hills is often known to impersonate our colonial tycoons and interestingly, Mairu’s culinary series was the best representative of an archaic-barren suave culture. You would not believe us unless you sample the Magical Mint and Cranberry Coffee. Foresee a blend of spearmint, peppermint, roasted chicory, cinnamon, espresso and zesty citrus from the dazzling signature mocktails. Garnished with lemon and watermelon wedges, the mint drink can be a refreshing glass especially if you are at a work lunch.
After a spring of verve and spark, we sampled the starters. The Asian Chilli Chicken and Gunpowder Paneer were tossed in the in-house sauce for us to have plenties of savouries to snack on. We moved on to the Greek Lover Bowl to see a pop-up of cucumber, herb rice and hummus: Nothing beats the Mediterranean delectable and we were lucky to have an abundance of noodles tossed in garlic, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, olives and parmesan. Succulent lightly marinated chicken in a bed of kalamata olives and creamy dairy-free tzatziki sauce – served with an extra dollop of lemon-butter sauce, the dish is a must-try. Besides, for the Gunpowder Paneer, the chef made the spice from scratch. The ground lentils before roasting kaju and cumin powder introduced an ensemble of condiments that changed our luncheon in a nutshell. Added to all of that, the dessert pipeline comprised Hazelnut Sunbun, Chocolate Cylinder, Blueberry Baked and Biscoffee Cheesecake which spoke for themselves.
₹1,200 for two. At Jubilee Hills.