On a Saturday evening, we reached Le Meridien, to check out their rooftop restaurant, Jasper. Just a few days old and located on floor 12 of the massive hotel, the space gives a stunning view of the area. As jazz music played in the background, we explored the place, which had a huge pool amidst the outdoor section. We found ourselves a table near the bar area that was decorated with candles and tiny LED lights — a perfect setup for a date night. At our table, the sous chef of Jasper, Gambhir Singh Rawat, greeted us and took us through the menu. “One can find traditional Hyderabadi and Lucknowi cuisines here. We tried to curate a menu that will remind us of age-old recipes, which are somehow getting lost now,” he shared.
For the tasting, the Zafrani Subz Badam Shorba arrived first. This was an aromatic soup made with a vegetable broth (carrots, beans, cauliflower, and more) that was seasoned with saffron shreds. It was warm, comforting and was garnished with roasted almonds that gave it a hint of crunch.
Kebabs calling
A plate of Multani Paneer Tikka was served next. The fluffy paneer cubes that had smoky notes were stuffed with a filling prepared with raisins and chillies. W e paired this with cranberry chutney — a perfect mix of sweet and savoury flavours. As expected, Mutton Galouti Kebabs made it to our tasting session. Chef Gambir, who put together the whole menu informed us it was their most-ordered dish. The spicy kebabs that were beautifully seated on coin-sized tawa parathas delivered meaty flavours were melt-inthe-mouth. But, the best part had to be the pineapple chutney that was served alongside. Tempered with curry leaves, if you prefer spicy and sour flavours, then this is right up your alley.
As we sipped on our drink, Berry Blush, prepared with blueberry pureé, lemon juice, and ginger ale, our main course arrived. Amritsari Dal Tadka, the popular Punjabi dish, was creamy and had strong gingery notes. Deliciously wholesome, we paired the classic with laccha butter naans. The succulent and buttery chunks of chicken in the Dhundhar Murgh also had us reaching for seconds.
Rose in cheesecake?
For dessert, Gulkand Gulab Jamun Cheesecake was served. The cake has a creamy and rich consistency and we found ourselves smitten when we took a bite of the gulkand flavoured gulab jamun. A symphony of cheese and rose, we called it a night with this decadent dessert.
Rs 3,500 upwards. At Gachibowli.
— bsuchitra@newindian express.com