FOOD & SPIRITS

a grilling affairN GRILL, HYDERABAD

With its rustic stone finish and understated interiors, the restaurant can pass off as a mini-weekend getaway. Even if the escape is only for Sunday lunch or a smoothie. As you enter, the place seems spacious and if you go there with a laptop to work, it's not a bad idea. Preetam Reddy, one of the three gentlemen behindthe venture sums it up, "I like to think of N as the good old Chicago tavern

of Hyderabad with a modern touch."

The range of smoothies is quite tempting and you don't have to fret about your weight ? the menu brands it ?guilt-free' with ?fruits, fruits and more fruits.' So take your pick from apple smoothie, berry blast, or mango blast. These have been introduced by city-based fitness expert Shilpa Reddy.

You have authentic Italian delicacies like risottos, pastas, crisp pizzas and gnocchi. Says Manager Karan, "The pizzas are baked in wood fire ovens. Today pizza has become Americanised but what you get here is the real thing. It is thin and crisp with basil and olive oil."

There is a separate open lounge bar. The place is also open to people who want their meal minus the drinks. The restaurant can accommodate about hundred people for a private party. For outdoor seating there are walls with contemporary concrete finish, sporting nature motifs.

The menu is a mix of Italian, American, Japanese and Mexican cuisine. The Mexican sandwiches are worth checking out. If you are calorie conscious you could opt for a dew-fresh Greek salad. Or you could let yourself go and choose from the chocolate cakes. Then there is the rock shrimp tempura. The desserts are again an American affair, the list is long with cheese cakes. Try chocolate truffle ravioli or a mango almond cheese cake. N GRILL Plot # 788, Road #36 Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, Ph. # +91 40 2001 2009, +91 40 2001 3456 Author: LAKSHMI VISHWANATHAN

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

seaside sonata THE WHARF, CHENNAI

It's a magical setting. Waves kissing the sandy shore, the sea a mysterious inky blue with froths of white surf flecking the surface, the starlit sky forming a glittering canopy. A cool breeze wafts past you and you settle back with a drink and some heavenly food to enjoy a heavenly evening. Everything about The Wharf at Radisson Resorts Temple Bay is laidback, inviting you to just chill. The restaurant has an indoor and outdoor section; the outdoors is definitely tops because one is actually looking out onto the sea, which is just a few feet away. The tables are set well apart, giving you adequate privacy and the quaint thatched roofs over each table make the setting rather rustic. The large open kitchen takes pride of place in the centre and on one side is a well-stocked bar which serves Indian and imported liquor and a fine selection of wines. The Wharf is, but naturally, known for its seafood. The menu is eclectic with a very wide assortment of offerings. There is an interesting choice of Continental and Indian food. The pasta section too is appealing with gnocchi, spaghetti, penne, farfalle and fusilli. You have a choice of ten plus sauces including the popular Carbonara, Olive Pesto and Bolognese to the more exotic Creamy Pumpkin Sauce and Saffron Cheese Sauce.

The ?Be the Chef' section is exciting. With a vast array of seafood ranging from lobster, king prawn and squid to catch of the day, you can mix and match an assortment of rubs and marinades to side offerings like French Fries, Creamed Potato and Dil Rice. The soups are simply awesome. We checked out the saffron infused chicken, corn and noodle soup, which would be great comfort food on a rainy day and the sinful but delicious broccoli and cheddar soup. One dish which would have seafood lovers salivating is the Fried Calamari salad ? it's delicately flavoured and crunchy. Just yum. The Grilled seer with a flaky potato wrapping was an unusual but tasty dish. I simply loved the Zaffrani Murgh Hawa Mahal ? yes, it tastes as exotic as the name! The chicken is bursting with spices and the egg white coating gives it a wonderful glazed appearance, and the addition of saffron strands adds a richness to the flavour. Don't forget to have dessert ? try out the Velvetti Chocolate pudding ? it's an indulgent warm pudding topped with rich chocolate sauce and ice cream. Scrumptious. (You'll need to jog one hour everyday for a week to knock off the calories though!)

One suggestion though, the music channel under the table is distracting. The sound of the sea is much more melodious! l VINITA NAYAR

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

oriental flavours TASTY TANGLES, BANGALORE

The enormous wooden doors first hold your attention at the Tasty Tangles, the latest offering from the Jumeirah Hospitality Group. And they hold your attention, until you make your way inside to the cheery, well lit, spacious interiors, which can accommodate up to 180 people at a time. Cozy dinner set ups jostle with community seating, which accentuate the South East Asian emphasis on families and friends eating together. The restaurant, in keeping with its pan Asian culture, expects a group to dig in with their chopsticks collectively and share meals from the serving dish.

We chose a common drink off the streets - the hazelnut flavored Taiwanese bubble tea, the extremely refreshing Lemon Grass Delight and a fruity drink called the Asian Four Seasons. For starters, we ate the remarkably light and non-greasy crispy fried vegetable spring rolls made out of wrappers imported from Vietnam, the sharp tingly Wasabi Prawns, and the Thai trademarked, Potato Satay with the peanut sauce. The spicy lemongrass crab cakes and the Indonesian chicken Satay are bestsellers on their menu too. For light eaters, the menu offers extremely fulfilling one pot noodle soup meals in a small and large portion size option. We settled on small portions of the Wonton Noodle Soup with Dumplings and the Curry Laksa with chicken and prawn, both wholesome and flavorful. Before we moved to the noodles and rice section, our friendly waitress, brought us a noodle platter to choose our noodles. For mains, we had the sweet and tangy Bakmi Goreng with chicken and prawns and the vegetarian Char Kway Teow made from an Indonesian mushroom based sauce.

Moving through the menu, each course surpassing the other, we came to the climactic specialties section. Chef Gaurav presented to us three signature specialties ? the Wok tossed pakchoy and water chestnuts, the Lamb Redang in an Indonesian spice and coconut base and the piece de resistance of Tasty Tangles ? Roasted duck ? Singapore Style with Hoisin sauce. True to its reputation, the well done duck, drizzled with malt sugar and the sweet potato sauce is succulent and the best we had ever had.

Buoyed further by our excellent meal, we dug into the Sumatra Chocolate and Coconut Pot and the Mango Pudding for dessert. The decadent chocolate concoction was of ?melt in the mouth' consistency and the pudding had just the right bit of fluffiness. TASTY TANGLES, Level II UB City, 24, Vittal Mallya Road,

Bangalore. Autor: HARINI ARAVIND