It`s a tribute to the king of fruits at The Oberoi
PHOTO: BHAGYA PRAKASH K.
MANGO MOODS Nasim`s desserts are a treat for the eyes too
Come summer and the colour and the flavour of the season is distinctly yellow, with mangoes dominating the scene. Who can resist a sumptuous mango, whether one wants to eat them plain or topped with a dash of honey or ice-creams?
But how about trying them with vodka, gin or white rum? Unconventional as it may seem, the effect is quite tantalising. If you too are tempted to give it a go, head for The Oberoi, which is hosting an exclusive mango festival, Mango Sensation.
This ongoing promotional fest, on till May 31, is also aimed at introducing the culinary skills of the hotel`s new chef, Nasim Ahamed Delvi. Nasim, basically from Bangalore, simply "loves cooking" and he will head the hotel`s pastry division as his interests lie in baking and making exotic desserts.
With a firm belief that you use all your senses when you eat, he attracts you with the visual sense, with desserts actually looking like miniature sculptures.
The fest offers beverages such as mango daiquiri, frozen tropics (with tequila) and mango margarita. Simply out of this world. But if you prefer something more down to earth, then you can choose from aam ka panna, mango shake/lassi and mango freeze.
You can take a short break at this point to progress to the main course in any one of the restaurants of the hotel, and then return to more mango for the desserts. Make sure you conserve enough space for them, unless you want to simply skip the main course and gorge on the desserts. You can even forget about counting calories, since the chef promises you that these desserts are created keeping in mind the health and the calorie conscious too!
Nasim`s aesthetically designed desserts virtually tease you into eating them. No two dishes look similar. That`s because chef Nasim believes in being innovative with each dish. "You have to be passionate about what you do," he smiles.
He toyed with the idea of using mango as the main ingredient for his menu as "it is a natural summer fruit. You can create anything without using sugar or preservatives," says the chef, who tries to make desserts with only natural fruits.
The menu offers unique dishes such as mango soup, which the chef describes as a "fiery dessert". True to his words, you can feel the ginger, chilli, and a pinch of salt in this delicacy.
The hotel also plans to start a pastry shop. You can even place an order for a wedding or a birthday cake with Chef Nasim there.
To taste the desserts, you can visit the Oberoi between 11 a.m. and midnight.
Ambience: Five-star
Service: Five-star
Specialty: Mango, mango, and mango
Wallet factor: Rs. 400 upwards for the a la carte menu
