The Wine Company is touted to be the first standalone and one-of-a-kind wine bar and restaurant in Delhi-NCR. The venue has been adding life to Gurugram’s bustling party zone, Cyber Hub, for four years. This year, they celebrated their anniversary by introducing an innovative menu curated by celebrity chef Sarah Todd. Primarily a wine bistro, The Wine Company offers a luxurious collection of over 200 wines from a wine trail across 35 countries around the globe. The new dining menu gloriously shatters the myth that wine doesn’t pair well with Indian food. Todd, the winner of MasterChef Australia, has incorporated the combination of wine and local produce.
Upon entering the venue, one can’t help but gaze at their unique wine cellar shop, which is a rare concept. The tastefully decorated interiors house wooden furnishings such as oak wood barrels placed as tables and a 40 ft bar counter. They also have high tables and chairs as part of the wine cellar area décor, for guests to emulate spirit tasting sessions. Even though the restaurant has been revamped for a new glamorous look, it remains as welcoming and entertaining as earlier.
I happened to visit the restaurant recently to satisfy my curiosity about how they have curated a mélange of wine and food. We were greeted with some of the most exotic red and white wines. The bar is also a pioneer in introducing the global craze of frosé—frozen rose wine cocktails in our country.
We started our meal with The Wine Company Cheese Platter—an assortment of four artisanal cheese, walnuts, olives, grapes, apricots and apple wine jam. It was beautifully plated and made for an amazing mezze platter. Next we had Goat Cheese Churros, truffle cream and chili dip. This stood out for being light and delicious. It was followed by Soft Shell Crab Pakora, Nahm Jim and Pomelo Salad—Todd’s version of Indian street food. The crab was perfectly cooked and the complete dish was flavourful.
Flambé Kashmiri Kalari, peppers, chives was next on my plate. I would call this the highlight of the meal. It is a traditional Kashmiri cheese, served marvelously with flaming wine pouring over it at the restaurant. Mildly sour and aromatic, this dish truly reflects Todd’s progressive vision of wine and our homegrown recipes going hand-in-hand, among many other dishes like Red Wine Duck Kulcha, Goan Chorizo Bhut Jolokia Risotto etc.
Going further into the delectable dining experience, Shiitake and Wombok Momos, ponzu and chilli dip arrived. It was appetizing. Then we had Kolhapuri slow cooked lamb on betel leaf, avocado raita, crisp boondi. It is a brilliantly crafted sumptuous dish. The menu also features soups and salads, pastas and pizzas, etc.
All the dishes mingled perfectly well with wines. In fact, various wines seemed to enhance the flavours of the dishes. Also, there is always someone to guide you with your wine selection according to your food preferences at The Wine Company.
We ended our meal with their signature dessert, Lamington—dried coconut, coconut ice cream and chocolate mousse. It was moist and extremely savoury. The Wine Company hosts live music shows and other fun events regularly. The restaurant is a haven for wine and cheese connoisseurs, gourmands and party-goers alike.
The Wine Company; Cyber Hub, DLF Cyber City, Gurugram
Meal for two: Rs 2,400