ROMANO'S AT THE BRAND NEW JW MARRIOTT, SAHAR IN MUMBAI

As I walked through the doors twice (yes I had a meal here on two consecutive evenings) of this Italian Adventure, I was overwhelmed with the majestic feel of a multi levelled restaurant replete with a 25 feet high ceiling , two flights of stairs, a vibrant show kitchen and exotic fragrance of Italian food. The restaurant consists a rich bar (as in the wine is excellent!) and of course I cannot talk of the bar and not mention ‘Ema’ the vivacious bartender ever ready to whip you up a heady cocktail of your choice and she keeps her bar like a Laboratory where she is forever experimenting with new flavours only to present her best and boldest creations: drinks like the Oak-aged Negroni with cherry wood smoke and the JW style spiced Old Fashioned with homemade garam masala syrup.

A visit to the kitchen revealed that there truly are a lot of specialists working in here and chef keeps them all busy. Pasta dishes are made in-house, and completely by hand, in the old artisanal way. For example to make perfect Tortellini (round shaped) one needs talent, experience, dedication, a professional environment and simply a lot time and trust me this and the rest of the handmade pasta menu that includes a wide range of delicacies like Gnocchi (made of potatoes only), a series of artfully shaped of pasta pockets like Raviolo (square-shaped) as well as noodles that vary in size from very thin ones Angel Hair to very broad ones Pappardelle are no less spectacular. 

But before that, savour the selection of antipasti, soups and chef’s salad selection. The vibe is homey, comfort Italian chow like ‘Minestrone’ and ‘Aglio olio’ are done to perfection.

Recommendations go all out for the Burrata, which means ‘buttered,’ a luscious, creamy fresh cheese made by mixing cream and unspun mozzarella curds together,  this is one simple dish which tastes good only if done right  and here kissed by sweet basil pesto alongside heirloom tomatoes was absolutely decadent to the core. The warm mushroom salad wasn’t bad either with parsley and roasted garlic, though it could have done with a little less salt.It was the exceptional sea bass baked in parchment paper, fragrant with lemon sauce and clams that was the most stellar preparation. The menu is concise and changed seasonally; in keeping with the spirit of Italian cooking, everything is fresh and the flavours are kept simple so they balance each other. Desserts, too, are exemplary especially the ‘Tiramisu’ a fluffy sponge combined with exotic flavours of espresso and cocoa ,layered with mascarpone served out of a porcelain dish which one is allowed to gorge on unlimited and trust me you may end up eating half of the bowl, so do save space.

FAST FACTS

Romano’s is at the JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai Sahar, IA Project Road, Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Sahar, Andheri East, Mumbai

Tel: 022 33956233
Timings: Open only for dinner all days of the week.

SINGAPORE STREET FOOD ANYONE? HEAD TO JW MARRIOTT AEROCITY'S K3

Singapore is the best place for street food owing to the Hawker centres being clean, cheap, and offering diverse and delectable food. Interestingly even Anthony Bourdain’s No reservations …a well-loved foodie show features Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice shop which by the way also has the longest queue At the Maxwell Hawker centre (read leading all the way around the corner) in Singapore. It is a wonderfully buzzing, multi-cultural society... Chinese, Indians, Malays and assorted expats all live alongside one another in this city-state. And needless to say, with such a mix of cultures, it is a foodie’s heaven. The variety on offer is mouth-watering. Certainly the Island republic’s reputation as a culinary paradise is well earned and merits more than one reflection of what makes good eating! So when I heard that K 3 at the JW Marriott has flown in Chef John Chye, all the way from Singapore Marriott Hotel, the husband and I simply had to go as we have some very fond memories of our many foodie trips to Singapore.

So in we went, looking like fish out of water and the first thing we ordered were two Traditional ‘slings’ as though this is something we do every day.  It was a good start and trust me it was as authentic as it can be! Later we even tried the French and the Italian take on it which were equally decadent. Coming to the food, the Kitchen dished up perennial Singapore favourites such as the famed Singapore Chilli Crab, 

which almost Singapore’s national dish, so I had to try some of these tasty crustaceans, fortunately it lived up to my expectations. The exact sauce recipe is a closely guarded secret, but I guess it consisted of garlic, ginger, fresh red chili, honey added to a rich tomato sauce, finished with chicken eggs. The Hainanese Chicken Rice is a winner out here the rice is flavourful and the slow steamed chicken along with chilli sauce complimented it rather well.

The Satay consists of chicken and lamb grilled over a charcoal fire. I relished the delectable and succulent meat with a tasty peanut dip; along with some fresh slices of cucumber and onion…I was in heaven for sure. All in all, I thought my meal was a magic experience for the senses, a moment of true happiness with dishes like the  Seafood Laksa, Ma Po Tofu, Soya Braised Duck with Tofu Skin, Ayam Masak Kicap (Chicken in Spicy Soy), Ikan Masak Assam (Fish with spiced tamarind gravy) among others.

BEST BAK KUT TEH I HAVE EVER TASTED....DECADENT

FAST FACTS

Chef John is the guest Chef at JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity during the Singapore Street Food Festival from 22nd August, 2014 – 31st August, 2014.

Guests who enroll for the Kris Flyer membership during the food festival will receive bonus 1000 Kris Flyer miles.

The Singapore Street Food Festival is available as part of the daily Lunch/Dinner and Sunday Brunch buffet at K3, priced at:

Lunch Buffet (Price- INR 1800++)

Dinner Buffet (Price- INR 2250++)

Sunday Brunch (Price- INR 2500++ | INR 3000++ | INR 4200++)

Timings: 12:30pm to 3:00 pm (lunch), 7:30pm to 11:00pm (dinner) and 12:00pm to 3:30pm (Sunday brunch)

For reservations call: +91 11 4521 2120

WEEKEND GETAWAY IN STYLE @ THE JW MARRIOTT, CHANDIGARH

It is not just another place to stay, it is a differentiate offering to weave long lasting memories ...

The closest and most easily accessible place for Dilliwaalas to unwind is the clean and green city of Chandigarh and what can be better than doing it in style at the JW Marriott. It is a harmonious blend of luxury, impeccable service, age old traditions and contemporary sophistication. This unique property deserves every accolade it has received from its regular customers for its luxurious accommodation, creative cuisine and unmatched recreational facilities.

LOCATION

Exuding elegance and craftsmanship, the hotel is centrally located within close proximity to the airport and the railway station, in addition to the Business District - Sector 17 and the Information Technology Park.

ACCOMODATION

The hotel offers 164 elegantly designed rooms & suites midst fabulous landscaping and sylvan surroundings. The Interiors of my room echoed my need to lay back, rest so that I could later resume my business of the day in style and comfort. Adorned in warm creamy tones with plush, comfortable interiors, my room featured top class amenities and what I really loved the most was the iron and the ironing board and the Alarm clock with the I-pod docking station. I was equally impressed with automated ‘Do Not Disturb’ and ‘Make My Room’ signage

FOOD AND BEVERAGE

‘Café@JW’ the all-day dining venue and was my favourite spot for breakfast. 

‘Saffron’ offers a gastronomic experience unlike any other and offers authentic flavours of the Northwest frontier cuisine where herbs and spices are blended together to give a rich culinary experience alongside distinguished flavours from the tandoor and the charcoal grill. 

The culinary essence of ‘Oregano’ is authentic Italian cuisine with a strong creative element. The chef sure does a smart job in sending out delicately wrought, full flavoured offerings.

It is obvious that nothing is compromised here, from carefully engineered dishes, to impeccable service, the ambience is extremely Italian, and it definitely is a cut above the rest.

And if you are in a ‘Deli’ mood, ‘Chandigarh Baking Company’ is a place to indulge into some sinful cakes and pastries, chocolates, cookies or made to order sandwiches and burgers along with your cuppa any time of the day or night.

REJUVENATE AT THE QUAN SPA

The Spa provides a unique haven of tranquillity where dedicated therapists combine timeless wellness concepts with modern therapeutic wisdom, to set a new benchmark in holistic wellness and therapy. From the moment the word Spa came to my mind, I could only think of bliss and rejuvenation…and the Quan Spa did exactly that! The spa offers a spectrum of authentic and traditional wellness treatments, from oriental and western body therapies to specialized facials.

SERVICE

Wonderfully warm and gracious staff adds an edge to the utterly delightful property.

FAST FACTS

Best way to Reach: Drive in your own car or hop on a Shatabadi

What: Luxury at its Finest!

Where: JW Marriott Chandigarh, Plot no. 6; Sector 35 – B, Dakshin Marg,

Chandigarh – 1600 35, India

T: 91 172 395 5555 I F: 91 172 395 5588

www.jwmarriottchandigarh.com

Other Facilities: Pool, Whisky 111 – Bar & Lounge, Meeting facilities, Fitness club, to name a few.

 

 published in Statesman

AKIRA BACK

Panning across two levels of the hotel, this signature restaurant specializes in Japanese cuisine with Korean essence and Stands out in its effort to merge visual arts with gourmet art …

LOWDOWN

This is an impressive establishment for entertaining. With chic design blended with an eight-metre tall sake wall which houses some of the finest sakes and wines in the sub-continent, the ambience is simply stunning. Akira Back imbues flavours from the ancient back alleys of Tokyo and metamorphoses them into a contemporary gastronomic experience. Replete with a robatayaki grill which originates from a centuries-old country style of cooking by Japanese fishermen, the restaurant distinguishes itself. One can also enjoy an evening of flavour and flair at the restaurant’s al fresco dining in the inner courtyard. For those who do not know, Chef Akira Back is a Korea native and former professional snowboarder who was raised in Aspen, Colorado, and brings his sense of adventure and boundless creativity at his namesake restaurant Akira Back, an innovative Japanese restaurant with Korean essence.

WHAT’S ON OFFER?

Specially designed for the restaurants, diners also get to watch chefs in action while they dip their meat in sauce. The cooking methods are true to thousands of years of oriental tradition, yet the flavours are quintessentially twenty first century – modern, subtle and thrilling.

Chef back has tailored traditional, regional spirit to the modern gourmet with the accomplishment of an enthusiastic chef in search of new experiences and has created dishes like Tuna Pizza, seared Foie gras, wasabi pepper tenderloin to name a few. Sashimi is the restaurant’s forte clearly; obviously not only the freshest sea-food will do, but also the best quality, served beautifully. The tasty morsels of ‘maguro’ (tuna) are delicately smooth and ‘shake’ (salmon) is divinely creamy in texture and taste. If you are a soup lover go for the Miso soup, it’s truly decadent. A speciality here is also the Sake steamed flounder; the soft flesh of the fish is steamed with a black bean yuzu soy sauce and is most tender. I was mesmerised by the style and plating of the dishes, influenced by the origin of the dish, each offering is carefully arranged on beautifully handcrafted dinner ware. For dessert try the yuzu tart its superlative. All in all, for top-notch food, service, view and ambience, Akira back is a restaurant to patronise.

CHECK IT OUT

Akira Back is at JW Marriott, Asset Area 4 - Hospitality District, Delhi Aerocity,

New Delhi - 110 037 

For Reservations: +91 (0)11 45212121

Meal for two: INR 4,000 without alcohol.

Timings: Lunch: 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. & Dinner: 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

ABOUT CHEF AKIRA BACK

Chef Back’s love of travel and culinary exploration took him to Japan and throughout Europe where he worked under world leading celebrity chefs. When he returned to the US, then he was named the first Korean to be the Executive chef of Nobu Matsuhisa in Aspen. Following the famed Yellowtail by Akira Back at the Bellagio, Chef Akira is spreading his culinary wings with 3 new restaurants. Kumi by Akira Back at Mandalay Bay, Akira Back New Delhi JW Marriott Aerocity, and on early this year Akira Back Jakarta will be the new outpost for his culinary journey.

 published in tlf