Visit this homely al fresco restaurant in Banjara Hills for their gourmet grub

Monsoons are a great time to sneak out of work or home to catch up with a loved one in a pleasant setting, considering how lovely the weather gets. And since we can’t have the pleasure of time on weekdays, set lunches come in as a great and quick escape.

Imli Sarai, the charming gourmet French and Italian restaurant in Banjara Hills has introduced their Set Lunch menus starting this monsoon. We pranced our way into the lovely space covered with a canopy of Tamarind trees and tasteful seating to try their Festa Italiana menu.

With a choice between two or three courses, the menu features simple offerings to make mid-day breaks uncomplicated. We started with a plate of homemade French fries with Parmesan and Truffle oil along with Garlic bread with Mozzarella for our Primi or first course. Coupled with a chilled glass of Classic cold coffee, the snacks in generous portions set us up for the second course.

The Secondi consisted of a variety of pastas in classic sauces including the Alfredo, Arrabiata, Pesto and more. We also spotted some Neapolitan style pizzas made with a Khapli wheat Sourdough base. Intrigued, we called for the classic Pizza Margherita and thoroughly enjoyed how the simple yet robust flavours came together.

We chose lamb sausage and mushrooms as a topping for the Pasta aglio olio e peperoncino, with al dente pasta cooked to perfection. “Our set menus are a great way to discover Imli Sarai’s offerings. The Festa Italiana with traditional recipes and farm fresh ingredients will take you around a journey to Italy. We also have a more elaborate set menu for the weekends,” says Zain Rahimtula, founder and chef at Imli Sarai.

As the rain gods showered upon us, we ended our meal at the space with the Tarte du Jour or Tarte of the day — the lemon tart that was just the pick-me-up we needed to get back to our day.

Rs 1,800++ for two.

At Banjara Hills.