Business may not be so good at the moment, but foodies in Delhi have hardly ever had it so good. Not only have the number of specialty standalone restaurants grown exponentially in the past few months, it seems to have spurred the hotels, hitherto almost unchallenged in the F&B department, to further heights. Perhaps it is all in preparation for next year?s Commonwealth Games. Perhaps the investment had happened when the pot of gold seemed bottomless. Whatever be the reason, top-end eateries in the city seem to be doing their utmost to keep pessimism at bay.
Among the most missed landmarks had been the Gourmet shop at the Oberoi?s. It was repeatedly recognised as the best confectionary and many a time have I seen people turn the familiar corridor corner and been stumped to see the old favourite missing. Ever since it closed down a few months ago, there were reports of it opening in a new avatar. But as it does, albeit with a delay of a few months, it is bound to leave quite a few gasping. ?That is the intent,? says General Manager Jay Rathore.
For the new ?The Oberoi Patisserie and Delicatessen?, to use its full name, is a stunner. Covering 4,000 ft at the ground level where Kandahar used to be, its approach is from the level above, between the Hermes and Brioni stores. A floating glass staircase ?starts the arrival experience,? Rathore waxes eloquent. Inside, the sense of space is immediate as one takes in the different parts. The Bottochino marble flooring combines beautifully with the white Satvario counter tops and teak wood furniture. The lighting is soft, the seating spaces inviting, and a throwback almost to the days of PRS Oberoi?s deft personal touches that made his hotels so special. No one?s mentioning expense, but it?s clear none has been spared to make this experience world class.
There are six distinct spaces. The counter for beverages ? hot and cold ? begins the journey. Next is delectable area for chocolates, meringues, pastries, and you can see live chocolate finishing. Cakes have their own pride of place too. Breads have their own oven and counter, and there is a baking schedule for breads to cater to different hours of the day. Then come the meats ? cold cuts in an array of shapes and sizes to satisfy the most demanding of customers. Cheeses, all from Europe, have their own space, backed literally by a host of condiments in the shelves at the back.
And a sense of spaciousness is the order of the day as across the NDMC area, the Hyatt Regency too has reopened its Caf?, in the same area as before, but with a reduction in seating capacity by about a dozen. New larger French windows that provide an even better view of the poolside, clean, soft lines of the Travertine pillars, ebony furniture and even the huge food counters only make this establishment another foodie magnet.
Designed by Bob Bilkey and Oscar Llinas, the 24-hour Caf? has the hallmarks of a Hyatt restaurant. The food is ?authentic, the cuisines straightforward,? stresses new executive chef Dieter Lengauer (and he as delightfully garrulous as his predecessor Marcus Mathyssek was typically Teutonic ? to the point. Lengauer is Austrian, if that helps!), the range of choices enormous ? and not just in the buffet, but also the refurbished a la carte menu.
There are now four interactive kitchens, including a new beverage bar. The earlier salad bar has been replaced by three appetiser counters ? for salad, chaats, mezze, kebabs etc ? full meals for those who so with. ?The open kitchens that follow offer both Continental and Indian dishes that change daily,? says Lengauer, who admits the soft launch is also a period for testing out the new menu and ?listening to the guests?. And a direct result of that is the toning down of the organic salads and the return of an old favourite ? the pasta salad!
And the foodie is sure to be delighted by one twist ? the dessert counter is the first to greet you, a reminder of the fact that some place must be kept for the 80-odd desserts on offer. So diet if you can.