Well, it wasn’t quite that but the alliteration was too delicious to resist. What I am referring to is some of the food promotions that Colombo has enjoyed this past fortnight. Indeed, Colombo’s culinary forte seems this flurry of food promotions that perpetually grip the city. Some even were conducted by international chefs.
Youthful Chef Enrici who was flown in from Perugia in Italy for the recently concluded Italian food fiesta at the Il Ponte, Hilton Colombo was one of them. Before the World Spice Festival had finished, the hotel was already hosting an Italian chef. Indeed, Hilton Colombo has been juggling quite a few promotions and all credit to the dynamic new GM Jerome Auvity. The Frenchman has certainly imparted a sense of chic and panache to the hotel’s ethos and interiors . But what the gourmet and indeed the gourmand will be pleased to know is that Monsieur Auvity has also wha-wha-whoomed the Hilton’s gastronomic scene. Every time I have dined at the Hilton I have seen the GM on his rounds, keeping the staff on their toes.
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| Park St Mews: A must place for great ravioli |
As for Chef Enrici, he came, he saw and he conquered. Well, not quite. The chef is currently on “sabbatical” (the Italian tourist season over, he is “resting” until Feb. 2010 when he takes up a new job). But he brought us a taste of Italy quite literally as he flew in bearing products from Perugia. It is currently the fabled Alba white truffle season in Italy. But at 7000 euros/kilo I doubt even those born with a silver spoon in their mouths would venture to sample white diamonds (as the Alba truffle is preciously called). So Chef Enrico brought along instead black truffles.
The cuisine wasn’t la haute gastronomie. However, especially enjoyable were the truffle pizza and the mille feuille of potato and truffle (sounds suspiciously French…). I also thought wonderful the soup of Cannara onions made with a regional onion speciality the chef brought as indeed the extra virgin Lungarotti Olive Oil. But then the gnocchi was grumpy and the pasta with black truffle fondue was a tad too white. These, however, were prepared by local chefs at the live stations and the Italian chef lamented, “In Colombo people don’t appreciate al dente- this is tastier and healthier but nobody listens when I tell them.” The desserts were not very Italian and disappointed, if only because Hilton Colombo offers some of the city’s finest desserts and one has come to expect excellent standards from them. Nevertheless, the service as always was Mama Mia!
I would not have thought that a non-Italian chef could or even should attempt Italian cuisine. As facile as pasta seems, it is one of those simple things very difficult to perfect. However, if anyone is to dare it then it would be a perfectionist like Harpo Gooneratne who has equipped his kitchens with local chefs who boast international training and are doing rather a good job. Indeed, Harpo serves better ravioli than most Italian restaurants in London (save the Michelin-starred ones) and his ravioli promotion at the Park St Mews which goes on until November 30 is certainly one to avail yourself of if you haven’t already.
Harpo internationally sources his ingredients. He has certainly hit on a recipe for success. Now if you miss the ravioli promotion then you can still get a taste of America (although who wants that these days…) at the pancake promotion the Commons is hosting. You would be well advised to. Should you not have a taste for America then innovations include exotica like crepes with broccoli and bitter gourd cream. Yes...
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| Italian chef Enrici at the Hilton. |
Now, the Patna part of my epicurean voyage didn’t quite happen. Not even in the Flavours of India that Chef Gulab Singh Rana convened during the Cinnamon Lakeside’s Indian food promotion. This was conducted at their Dining Room, arguably the smartest coffee shop in town.
The menu changed nightly and the buffet included traditional favourites from North India, including wonderful dal makhani and fragrant biriyanis that the chef from Uttaranchal prepared.
However, to me the most delightful aspect of the buffet was the chaat counter with its offerings of Mumbai street food like bhel puri, sev puri etc made with tongue-ticking, myriadly-hued chutneys. Also available were South Indian masala dosas and mendu vadai (locally called ulundu vadai). However, the masala vadai seems a Sri Lankan encroachment courtesy of the Sri Lankan chefs who were overseeing the dosas and vadais…
Pan Indian was the theme and India has certainly become cosmopolitan today. However, by no stretch of imagination could sushi, noodles and pasta be said to comprise the “Flavours of India”. And these items stretched on, comprising more than half the buffet. It was rather a pity as Chef Rana’s capabilities are sufficiently wide-ranging to have sustained a culinary onslaught without fortification from the international cuisine phalanx.
But these thoughts were soon distracted as the traffic of Colombo’s beautiful people processed past my line of vision. Indeed, the glass-encased Dining Room lends itself marvellously to people-watching. And at the Cinnamon Lakeside you can be rest assured it’s the “It” crowd you see.
My attention was snatched away from the swirl of sarees, trendy trousers and dainty dresses (very dainty) by the irresistible display of desserts.
The traditional Indian specialities bore an uncanny resemblance to the fare you see at the Bombay Sweet Mart. However, you cannot go wrong with Cinnamon Lake specialities like Cinnamon Bavarian flan, fruit flan and the gorgeous chocolate domino cake. The only problem with them is that you can’t just contain yourself to one. Those watching calories might perhaps have feasted instead on a chat with the ever so sweet Chef Rana. Wouldn’t have tipped the weighing scales! |
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