FALL 2012
celebratedliving.com
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FromDelhi toQuebecCity,
a jet-setter’sguide todining
inÿvecapitalsof cuisine.
I
n thematterof a fewyears, the Indianpalate
has seeminglymaturedeons.Delhiitesarenow tucking into sushi and risottoas theirnew
comfort foods. Thearrivalsofbignames suchas thenewMeguandLeCirqueoutpostsat
TheLeelaPalaceNewDelhi havealsobeengamechangers inDelhi’shospitalityÿeld. But in
truth, thecross-pollinationof hautecuisineandexperimentationwithcontemporary Indian
speaks to this increasinglycosmopolitancapital’sowncomingof age. —TANVI CHHEDA
THREESIXTYONE, 443UDYOGVIHAR, PHASEV, GURGAON, 011-91-124-245-1234,
OBEROIHOTELS.COM/OBEROI-GURGAON
Housedwithin the futuristic, glass-clad
Oberoi Gurgaonon theoutskirtsofDelhi, this culinary theater highlightsAsian cooking
from teppanyaki to Indian tandoor. Thoughdishespayplentyof attention todetail—
sushi comeswithperfectlycooked, seasoned, and rolled rice—youwill beÿxatedonyour
seat: a ° oating teakwooddeckatopa36,000-square-foot re° ectionpool. Anaudacious
move inaprimarilybusinessdistrict, thewater feels like thearchitectural equivalent of
looseningyour necktie.
INDIANACCENT, 77FRIENDSCOLONYWEST,011-91-11-4323-5151, INDIANACCENT.COM
Modern Indiancuisine is still largelyunchartered territory, butwithpioneeringchefManish
Mehrotraat thehelm, thishiddengem, tuckedaway inaquietbungalow, astonishesand
amazes, courseafter course. Trydishes suchas tandoori baconprawnswithwasabimalai
creamandbakedpaneerpinwheelwith Indiancorianderpesto, andÿnishwithMehrotra’s
desserts, includingalphonsoaamraswithhomemadecoconut jaggery icecream.
SPICEWATERTRAIL,M-24GREATERKAILASHPART1,MBLOCKMARKET,011-91-11-
3089-4731,SPICEWATERTRAIL.COM
Aboldnew stroke inbringingcoastal cuisine tohigh-
societyDelhiites, this revelatory restaurant takesyouonaculinaryodyssey through regions
includingKarnataka, Kerala, AndrhaPradesh, andTamilNadu. And there’smore than just
idlis
andcoconut chutney tobehad. Theextensivemenu featuresKeralacrabcurrymade
withchili andcoconutmilk; pumpkinellisseri, achunkypumpkingravy; tamarind rice, a
southern staple; andpayasam, adessertmade from rice,milk, andplentyof cardamom.
SMOKEHOUSEROOM, CRESCENTATTHEQUTUB, LADOSARAI, 011-91-11-2952-3737,
SMOKEHOUSEROOM.COM
With theopeningof thisentirelywhiteandcurvaceous restau-
rant andbar,moleculargastronomyhasarrived in India. Expectquite the scenegiven its
siblingnextdoor, nightclubShroom, butdon’tbediscouragedeither. RestaurateurRiyaaz
Amiani andbusinesspartner SiddharthMathur are serious foodieswho sealed thedeal to
move forwardwithSmokeHouseRoomafter apilgrimage to southernSpain, the landof
liquidnitrogen.Don’tmiss the restaurant’swatermeloncaprioska,which featuresan impos-
sibly thin sliceofwatermelonwrappedaround the inner rimof theglass.
