Poolside ambience, signature drinks and Mughlai treats are the highlights at this exotic resto bar in Hyderabad

There's something incredibly comforting about the winter sun in its full glory while the chill is significant in the air. The slight sense of warmth on the skin, a little hide and seek from the clouds makes one enjoy the romance of winters. Combine that with a hearty meal straight out of the tandoor, and we have ourselves the perfect afternoon.

This week, we checked out Jasper at Le Méridien that has recently gone through a menu revamp, now featuring a host of Mughlai dishes using time-honoured slow cooking techniques and recipes. The rooftop space on the 12th floor opens up with a view of the pool in focus. Indoors, we’re greeted by the wellstocked bar.

We called for the Hyderabad beats, a peach, rosemary and lime-based cocktail perfect for the sunny afternoon. While we soaked in the views from the rooftop space, a host of grilled The tandoor route appetisers were brought in. Notably, all the dishes were served with three chutneys — mint, pineapple and a surprising option, an apricot based chutney inspired by Hyderabad’s iconic dessert, the Khubani ka meetha.

The Murgh tikka angara was a stunning dish to kick off our meal with. Marinated in a blend of tomato, chilli paste and nuts, the dish paired especially well with drinks. Amping up the winter-special was the Bhutte dill ki tikki, a corn and cottage cheese based cutlet flavoured with dill leaves. Coarsely ground, the corn rendered a soft crunch to every bite. What’s a Mughlai meal without some shorba? We dug into the Murgh badami, generously topped with slivers of almonds in a lentil based broth. The Dal-e-jasper, a dal makhni preparation, paired with the Missi roti oozed smokey goodness. A must-try at Jasper would be the Nalli boti korma. With incredibly soft, buttery and succulent meat that fell off the bone in a spicy sauce, the dish took the prize for its balanced flavours. The Kesar badam kulfi, a frills-free dessert option completely pandered to the Indian palate.

Rs 1,900 for two.

At Gachibowli.