Bella Cucina
Le Meridien Hotel, Sector 26, MG Road, Gurgaon
Meal for two: Rs 3,200 approx.
So how much do you know about Italian cuisine? While for most people the knowledge of this cuisine begins and ends with Americanised fast food items like Pizza and Pasta, for more knowledgeable foodies, it would go so far as Risotto, but that’s it. So how can one get more intimate knowledge of Italian cuisine?
Le Meridien hotel in Gurugram is trying to provide a satisfactory answer to this question with their new restaurant Bella Cucina dedicated to Italian food. The restaurant promises a rich experience of Italian food which has been made more interesting by the use of molecular gastronomy. And, I took the opportunity to see for myself what they had to offer.
My meal started with a bread basket served alongside a tomato sauce made with olive oil. The freshness of the bread and the richness of the sauce nicely prepped up the appetite.
Then came a very unique concoction – Cappuccino of mushroom. This was a great example of the use of molecular gastronomy. Effectively a soup, this cappuccino was made from mushroom instead of coffee and came topped with a sprinkling of truffle. It’s unlikely that you would find mushroom in this form anywhere else. It had a nice gentle flavouring of spices and a smooth texture which provided a warm feel to the palate.
The third course of the meal consisted of two salads – Macerated green Asparagus and Black, Red & Green Quinoa Salad of which, the latter was clearly the better one. Quinoa is a grain gaining popularity across the world. This salad, made from three varieties of Quinoa, had a really fresh taste thanks to the dressing used.. This dish seemed to me as Italy’s answer to Bhelpuri or Aloo-chana chat.
The Spinach and nuts Ravioli that followed was the most delightful part of the meal and is most likely to make you a convert to Italian cuisine. There were three elements in the dish: Ravioli, the sauce which topped it and the pine nuts. All three beautifully complimented each other. The softness of the Ravioli, rich creaminess of the sauce and the crunchiness of the nuts came together to make this dish absolutely delectable.
Next came the Garlic potato flan with broccoli puree and vanilla sauce. The dish consisted of delicious chunks made from potato and cheese. This combination is a winner in itself but the broccoli puree, with its flavour-fullness and freshness, reminded me of the mint chutneys that we Indians know well, but remained loyal to the overall taste and flavour of Italian food.
The cuisine of Italy is renowned for its deserts and the two that I had at the end of the meal did not disappoint. The Classical Tiramisu was dense and sinfully rich. The 8-layer chocolate cake was another treat for the sweet tooth. So, if you want to enjoy an authentic yet unique taste of Italian cuisine in a fine dining environment, then Bella Cucina is your go-to A worthwhile experience for anyone who wants to try the olive-oil and cheese-infused taste of Italy.