Savour the best at these newly opened restaurants in tricity

Mona & Vikrant Parmar

Trust Punjabis to take their food seriously and when it comes to rapper Badshah, a confirmed Epicurean, even more so! His restaurant, Seville in Sector 26, Chandigarh, offers a plush experience — be it open-to-sky roof, variety of seating and light interiors, accentuated by the neutral colour palettes. Peppy music invigorated the dining experience with an expansive Lebanese continental menu. Extremely hospitable staff knows the menu by heart and read the guest well to make suggestions accordingly. It’s the Asparagus Nilgiri accompanied with gari (pickled ginger), wasabi and soy sauce that left one with a refreshing taste.

Their Ravioli Ricotta Mushroom was a melt-in-the-mouth treat, while non-vegetarians would definitely be spoilt for choice here. Two dishes — Mutton Chops with creamy mashed potato, and Assorted Veggies, right from asparagus to cherry tomatoes to button mushrooms to bell peppers to broccoli — were a must-have! Replace the mutton with Buttered Sole Fillet and you have another smashing dish to savour. While options in dessert were slim, they offered cocktails in plenty. Apart from regular ones, their innovative drinks included Murabba Marmalade, which was served with murabba in a wooden spoon on top. A concoction of homemade murabba rum, passion fruit cordial and apple juice, it was sure a sweet and sour treat! Ever heard of a Bread Jam Delight? Well, they sure have! Homemade bread, vodka, white rum, fruit jam, angostura bitter; it was a citrus delight, served with bread and jam on top! What we really enjoyed, however, was Pineapple Aperol Daiquiri — a sweet and flavourful accompaniment to the meal.

One8 Commune

A plush, swanky space that takes up one corner of CP-67 Mall on the fourth floor, One8 Commune is for all Viral Kohli fans. His signatures taking up the large space at the entrance wall, and jersey number 18 (hence the name) on display right after, have grown into popular selfie spots! A combination of dark wood and beige upholstery, it felt spacious. Having the side-wall mostly comprising glass helped natural light filter in, while a floor to ceiling bar cabinet made for the centre piece. Their food menu boasted of a wide range of fusion dishes. Now think of Kala Chana Hummus Chaat or Kadhi Chawal Risotto, these two are amongst the many that made for Virat’s favourites. The chaat was not tangy, but its fried kurkuri bhindi on top peppered with green olives and sundried tomatoes offered novelty. While one had doubts about Kadhi Chawal Risotto, made with Italian arborio rice, with cherry tomatoes and crunchy beans, the flavours balanced out well.

Their Garden Vegetables pizza won on the basis of a soft fluffy base with a sprinkling of vegetables, while being mild in flavour. The extensive menu offered Jalebi Chaat, Prawn Chukka Masala and Vietnamese Curry. Of course, being in Punjab they had Indian staples too. Virat Kohli might be a vegan himself, but his restaurant made sure that non-vegetarians were well fed too. A non-veg dimsum platter was a good way to start. Wrapped in potato-starched, palak-infused sheets, there were succulent prawns. Other varieties included juicy chicken and mutton mince. If craving for North Indian, their Mutton Seekh Kebabs were unique as these came with a touch of gravy and served with dainty naans — a meal in itself!

The desserts were about another level of fusion. Think of Tiramisu Cornetto — the coffee drenched pastry served with ice-cream in a cornetto cone. It did not work well though for the textures and flavours were jarring! However, Kesar Pista Tres Leches — a cross between Indian ras malai and Mexican Sponge Cake was creamy and delicious.

Their extensive range of cocktails was fantastic. The bartender recommended Victoria Blossom, a gin-based cocktail inspired by The Butchart Gardens, British Columbia, and it was indeed a delight for the senses.

The property boasted of an extensive terrace seating, which was aesthetically done up. However, what we missed was fine-table linen! Opened in July this year, the restaurant awaits Virat Kohli to show up, as do his fans — old and young alike — who frequent the eatery to spot the legend sometime!

Back To Source

A passion project for Munish Aggarwal, well, if you thought location was important, try out Back To Source located in a nondescript corner in Sector 17, on the first floor, and that too without an elevator! But each time you go there, you will find it rather bustling.

Keeping up with Chandigarh’s original character — straight lines, cane chairs and natural colours, it was like a trip back in time. The use of natural ingredients — small grained rice from Sikkim, coffee beans from Kaveri river belt, cold pressed groundnut oil for frying and single source milk — was the highlight. From an extensive menu, there were Beetroot Cutlets and Mutton Seekh Kebabs for starters. We were pleasantly surprised to savour beetroot covered in coarse oats flour and breadcrumbs with hummus. Refreshing in taste and light on the stomach, these were fantastic. The Mutton Seekh, made with stone-pounded mincemeat, was yummy too.

For the main course, we opted for the rare Guchchi Pulao. Along with raita, it was delectable. The Mutton Biryani cooked with Sikkim rice might be an anti-climax for basmati lovers, but with chunks of tenderly cooked mutton and a boiled egg on top, the fragrance and taste was fantastic. For the roti lovers, a lachcha parantha with creamy paneer curry was a good option.

But it was their desserts that became the show-stealers. If brownies were coarse and rich, gulab jamuns melted in the mouth.The Fig Ice Cream was impressive too.

Punjab Grill

The grand entrance of Punjab Grill, which opened its portals to gourmets in tricity recently, was like a promising invite of what was to follow. Spacious settings, with a variety of paintings adorning the wall; fine dining was what it was all about and the place did not disappoint. Situated in the bustling Nexus Elante Mall, this new location marks Punjab Grill’s 54th outlet across India.

Fusion of traditional and contemporary aesthetics, a distinct aroma of local spices pervaded the atmosphere. Meticulously curated interiors complemented the rich flavours served. Butter Chicken, Dal Makhani, succulent kebabs and aromatic biryanis to vegetarian delights and traditional desserts like gulab jamuns and phirni…The range of food items was impressive. Well, that was not all; a glance at the menu and there was Salmon Tikka, Karachi Chargha, Bhatti the Murg, Tandoori Bharwan Aloo, Khumb Peshawari, among a host of other sumptuous dishes.

As for the starters in fish and mutton, while the presentation was fantastic the fare seemed a little undercooked, even as the Chicken Malai Tikka later made up in more ways than one. Then came along the Butter Chicken Kulcha, served with Dal Makhani and tomato chutney — a true winner, for every morsel melted in the mouth as it delighted the senses!

Says Sareen Madhiyan, brand chef, who has spent nine years with the chain, “It is not a business venture, but a legacy that we are carrying forward. So, we are very particular about the ingredients that we use. We focus on the flavours at all times and most of our fare is grilled. It is a blend of tradition and modernity, which captures the essence of Punjabi culinary heritage.”