News Flash: The French are passionate about their food. Just as the Italian culture employs a tremendous number of words related to different kinds of pasta, and the Inuit or Eskimo culture has dozens of words referring to snow and ice, similarly the French language is nuanced with phrases surrounding a dining experience.
The term “La Riviera” (the literal translation is “coastline” in Italian), but here at La Riviera at the Pullman Hotel, Gurgaon, the reference is to the Mediterranean coastal region, the South of France and northern Italy extending from Cannes to La Spezia i.e. Cote Azure or the French Riviera famous for its beauty, mild climate and fashionable resorts.
I was joint at the table by the young and super talented Executive Chef Tanveer Kawatra and the very articulate and suave General Manager of the hotel Mr. David Hopcroft, who despite hosting another dinner made sure the conversation and evening remained very engaging and delicious with a lot of animated discussions. F&B Manager Harleen Singh Rawal made sure the wines and drinks on the list were served to perfection–temperature, glasses, perfect squares of ice cubes etc. Kawatra at this moment piped in proudly saying, “You see a lot of spotless plates here post each meal”. Couldn’t be more true, as I see the table next to me literally licking off their palate cleansers off the plate, they actually drank the liquid at the bottom of the dish.
La Riviera is situated in the NCR of Delhi, big steps from New Delhi and little steps from main Gurgaon, housed within the Pullman Hotel of the Accor Group. The restaurant did have its splashes of refined luxury like the eclectic glassware from Urban glassware USA etc. The view from my vantage point and almost all through the restaurant was of the swimming pool, this created an enchanting backdrop for in house dining. Outside, the water body bubbled away in the center of the youthful inspired courtyard. Clean lines, modern curves, art on the walls and interesting high ceilings permeate the inside space. Service is first rate neither rushed nor dead, with a white-gloved, formal feel. The clientele is an interesting mix of destination diners and locals.
We begin the evening with a sampling of the award winning cocktails by Ashish Sharma who manages the bar. Created to open the palette and complement the food without upstaging it, the “Mid Town” looked like it would be very sweet, but the Chardonnay created an interesting base and the superior Bacardi aged rum gave it a pleasing, slightly vintage after taste. Another offering was a ‘real’ Bellini. Finding a Bellini with fresh peach puree is like finding a needle in a haystack in Delhi, and Pullman pulled this off perfectly, thanks to the possible Australian influence of David Hopcroft.
The Wine list is balanced, not too extensive but approachable, allowing good pairings for each course.
The fragrance of freshly baked ciabatta wafts over my table, served with pure olive oil butter. My first course is a delicate pretty dish of chilled scallops and prawn salad. Served with a flute of GH Mumms, this excellent dish has me at a loss for words. The truffle oil brings out an earthiness and the pink peppercorns bring the surprise element to the tongue. A beautiful summer dish, presented equally beautifully over shaved ice, served with tiny dollops of smoked chevril. Wow!!
My Champagne is interspersed with a Bona Monferrato Chiaretto 2009, a Rose. The Merlot and Barbera Nebbiolo grapes give it a refreshing flavor and smooth finish. But the real master piece is the foie gras and beef carpaccio taco. The taco is baked, and the combination is amazing. Bravo.
La Riviera, also describes their menu as “Cuisine de soleil, or cuisine of the sun. it is food from the sun kissed play grounds of Europe.”
The dishes are crafted on-site by Kawatra, on the flamboyant red Molteni cooking suite, showcased behind a ceiling to floor glass show kitchen. They pride themselves on the use of seasonal ingredients, so it’s not surprising that the most glorious dish of the evening is the simple burnt garlic and spinach risotto. Quite basic, yet flavorful and understated, combining incredibly fresh produce with perfect al dente Arborio rice. This is the must have item, if you want to save that trip across the Atlantic, and haven’t eaten your way across Italy yet, consider the advice of someone who has and order this dish.
The waves of courses continue, the confit duck and split pea lasagna is elegant yet rich, served on a bed of Porcini Mushrooms. The twice cooked lamb saddle with chili black bean greens are outstanding, if looking for something a little more daring. Paired with a Rolf Finder Barossa Valley 2010, the combination of Shiraz and Grenache from southern Australia, prove a perfect wash down for the lamb. I find the Wagyu with celeriac and white truffle oil wonderful as well.
Despite being very full, I find myself sopping up the dessert, valrohna chocolate, cremaux, raspberry jelly and ivory milk. Tastes as exotic as it sounds.
This is the essence of La Riviera with great cuisine, cultured service and glamorous ambience, La Riviera’s reputation will continue to grow.
Viva La France!!
