Monday, July 1, 2013

GO GREEN @KAMA- Radisson Blu, Ghaziabad

Creative vegetarian dishes using only the freshest ingredients while retaining their natural flavour

While being a vegetarian isn’t for everyone (including me), I meet lots of people every day who tell me they are vegetarians or would like to become one! But when I got an invite from my friend Simarjeet, General Manager at the Radisson Blu, Ghaziabad for the Hotel’s vegetarian restaurant ‘Kama’ I made many excuses not to go as driving all the way to sample vegetarian fare was simply not me! Simarjeet then mailed me the menu and sure enough I got tempted to try and foodie that I am went all the way from Gurgaon for a ‘dekho’!
The grandeur of the restaurant caught my attention the moment I entered and I found ‘Kama’ to be a delicious mix of contemporary ambience echoed in the rich interiors replete with peacock murals and plush wood. On offer are also two private dining areas at the side of the restaurant, for those who mean business.
Banish the thought of boring fare, for Vegetarian cuisine is brought to a new high here. To start with you can order from an I-pad menu and the best part is with a picture display you actually know what is in store for you to taste. As for my daughter and me, we spent some time just ogling at the dishes before we finally ordered. Regional Indian cuisine, which carries the delicate whiff of Gujarat and the earthy, spicy, ‘fiery’ feel of the Marwari province and many more unique flavours define the space. On offer is also a chef tasting menu (can be paired with wine) that offers excellent value and an opportunity to sample a wide variety of dishes, which offer a gamut of traditional, ethnic Indian vegetarian cuisine. While one waits for the culinary journey to begin an amuse bouche (a free one bite food sampler) is served at the start of a meal as an appetite tickler, which changes every day. We got to sample a pineapple panna with a sweet and sour corn mix, which was presented so well that I didn’t have the heart to disturb it but my greed took over and I bit into the heavenly morsel. I would surely recommend starting your meal with the Kandhari shorba a chickpea soup spiked with homemade lemon butter served with a mini kulcha. 
Kandhari Shorba
From the starters don’t miss the Kama kebab made with Kerela yam and gherkins served on an ulte tawe ka parantha. Another good bet is the spinach roomali chaat roll tangy, healthy and wholesome with a stuffing of tandoori fruits, Greek Olives and spiced yogurt. The mains are more tempting than the starters and the star items being kerela stew ensemble with appams , Mewar paneer masala with Mirchi parantha,
Annam’s adai which is a spiced lentil pancake served with avail, jaggery, onion vathakozambu and tomato pappu.
Appams with stew

Mewar paneer with Mirchi Parantha

Ferrari ki sawari
The Ferrari ki sawari is a very interesting creation and I simply loved the idea of the Italian potato Gnocchi with spinach, a sheer delight and absolutely delicious. 
And yes worth trying is also
kadhi muthia, bharwan bhindi, green peas poori, masala poori and fruit raita from the Devilal Maharaj ka khazana section

Gujrati Thaal
The Jackfruit Biryani  that we tried was nice and flavorful though I would have 
Jackfruit Biryani
personally liked the jackfruit to be cooked with the rice in the same way as we make chicken biryani; here it was jackfruit pakoras instead. By the end of all this I was too full to try any dessert, but had a Thandai shot which made for a nice sweet refreshing end. 
Apple Triology
Truly, the restaurant offers the choicest vegetarian fare, simmered to perfection in the most exotic spices. The food is unpretentious and clearly freshly made and more importantly is delicious to boot! The menu also offers a good selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to compliment the food. Those who are vegetarians by choice or for religious reasons have nothing to worry while with us, and for those who enjoy only non-vegetarian food it is probably a worthwhile experience to have a glimpse of the variation that is possible in the vegetarian cuisines, definitely worth a visit!

FAST FACTS
Kama @Radisson Blu Hotel, H-3, Kaushambi, Sector 14, Ghaziabad
For Reservations: 8744050670/0120 473620
Meal for two: INR 2,000 plus taxes without alcohol.
Timings: Open for dinner only.