Cocktails, designed by Abhi, also come with an Indian twist with authentic flavours such as gulab jamun (paired with spiced rum), jalebi infused with saffron and arak, and besan ladoo together with cardamom whisky, in the mix. We enjoyed the theatre of seeing the Nilima cocktail changing colour to purple with ingredients including vodka, mint, ginger and a butterfly pea flower-infused ice cube, which acts as a slow-release natural dye. Dining from the chef’s selection menu, we were encouraged to push the boat out (portions are small) and try most of the delectable dishes on offer, starting with prettily presented aloo tikki – crispy potato, tamarind and pomegranate - and goat shami kebab – a tasty combination of bakarkhani flat bread, roasted plum and black cardamom.
One of the highlights was the salmon tikka starter with kokum beetroot garlic, coconut and chutney. “Beetroot with salmon works because of the balance between the earthiness of the beetroot and the richness of the fish,” explains Rohit, whose reputation as a master of modern pan-Indian cuisine was cemented during his time at London’s legendary Gymkhana. For mains we tucked into mangalore fish with a delicious coconut and tamarind sauce and lamb barbat with burnt spices and garlic, all served with tadka dal and steamed rice. Our desserts were as delicious and unique as they sounded – a sous-vide pineapple and coconut dish with jaggery and chutney, and a deconstructed orange carrot cake with heritage carrots and cashews. If you’re feeling more adventurous, opt for garlic almond cannoli with pistachio mawa and mixed berries. We also enjoyed a surprisingly light and fruity Thelema chardonnay from South Africa.
ONAIR Mi LL i
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