When I stepped into The Cafe last Sunday, I was greeted by the unmistakeable aroma of Indian spices. I immediately knew that I was in for a delicious afternoon of paneer makhani, prawn masala, and good ol’ samosa.
In this part of the world, authentic Indian cuisine is a rare treat. The Indian Food Festival was a convenient way to experience flavors from the land of saris and silk without having to fly.
“You should try a little bit of everything!” said chef Ajith Kumar who was very excited about sharing India’s food to Filipino food enthusiasts.
Chef Ajith from Hyatt Regency Gurgaon, New Delhi is staying in the Philippines for the week-long festival called “The Road to Gurgaon.”
“In India different regions have different different types of cooking. If you go to Punjab, they use mustard oil, but if you go to South, they use coconut oil and coconut milk. It all depends on the region.” he explained.
“The food we brought here is not from a specific region. We don’t want to stick to a place,” he added.
Two food stations were transformed to display the variety of dishes that the festival has to offer.
The baked trevally with mustard yoghurt was the centerpiece in one of the stations. It had a uniquely strong flavor, but it wasn’t as spicy as the other dishes. I enjoyed mine with biryani rice.
The papadum, bhattura and naan caught my attention. It was perfect with the different sauces and curries. (tip: the cucumber-yoghurt raita (the white sauce) was delightful and refreshing! It had almonds!)
Because most of the dishes looked like brown stews, they were quite difficult to photograph, but they were flavorful and interesting, just as authentic Indian cuisine should be.
Chef Ajit was proud of not having to compromise the authentic Indian flavors in the dishes. However, he said that the spiciness of the dishes were adjusted to suit Filipino tastebuds.
“The only thing we balanced here is the spiciness. So everybody can enjoy the food,” he said.
Planning to bring kids? Worry not, there are dry dishes which picky toddlers could appreciate. The vegetable samosa and chicken tika are friendly enough for those who want to stick to familiar flavors and textures.
For me, the surprise of the feast was the Indian desserts. I did not expect to enjoy the gulab jamun as much as I did.
Gulab jamun is a popular Indian dessert made from milk powder, yogurt, sugar and water. According to chef Ajit, it is best eaten with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
The good thing? In addition to the Indian food festival, regular items at The Cafe buffet could also be enjoyed.
During buffet service hours, the other stations still serve sushi, sashimi, bread varieties, caviar, dim sum, desserts and other favorites.
On Sundays, the buffet also comes with free-flowing wine and cocktails. They also serve Mayura Wagyu beef.
The Indian Food Festival would run from July 17-24, 2016. The lunch rates are PHP1,388 (Mon-Wed); PHP1,488 (Thurs-Sat) and PHP1,988 (Sun). The dinner rates are PHP1,888 (Mon-Wed) and PHP1,988 (Thurs-Sun). Metrobank Card Holders get a 25% discount at the Cafe until Aug 31.
The Cafe, Hyatt City of Dreams, Belle Avenue, City of Dreams Manila Entertainment City, Parañaque; +63 2 6911234 loc. 1162, for online reservations click here. Daily 6pm-11pm. (PHP1,388-PHP1,988)
