On a sweltering Friday afternoon, I accompanied my sister, Jia, for a tasting at Elan at the Lodhi Hotel. We had been invited to try the ‘All Day Dining Chef Menu’, and I must admit, I couldn’t wait. For starters, I had not previously dined at the Lodhi Hotel, and secondly, I had spent the previous night salivating over the menu.
On approaching Elan, I was tempted to dine al fresco, as the bright cushions and shallow infinity pool seemed very inviting. My wise sister insisted we sit inside, as the day was only going to get hotter. However, I can only imagine how fantastic it must be to enjoy a romantic meal in the outdoor setup of Elan. The indoors area is beautiful as well. Hardwood flooring is offset beautifully by the white tablecloths, vibrant orange chairs, a gorgeous chili sculpture, and enormous birds of paradise peeping out of large vases.
We were greeted by the Executive Chef, Ritesh Negi, and his team. We told him about our preference for gluten-free food, and about all our nut allergies and food intolerances. After patiently listening to us rant, he suggested a few items off the menu.
We started with the ‘Twice Cooked Hoisin Chicken in Steamed Buns’. Yes, the buns had gluten, and yes I sinned, but it was so so worth it. The bun had a warm, cloudlike texture, and the chicken was tender and beautifully enveloped in the hoisin sauce marinade. The fresh cilantro and raw onion gave lifted the flavors of the meat to another dimension.
Since we had spoken with Chef Ritesh about our love for seed-based breads, he was kind enough to send us two varieties of the same. They were prepared and toasted to perfection—I can’t imagine why anyone would want to eat white or seedless bread in any situation when it is possible to eat something so satisfying. I enjoyed two slices with some butter and Philadelphia cream cheese.
Next, we tried the ‘Soya Cured Tenderloin, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and Freshly Ground Pepper with Micro Greens.’ We were both extremely impressed by this. The tenderloin was skillfully sliced into slivers, just a tad thicker than prosciutto, and they were unctuous and succulent, without being too salty and soy-ey. The microgreens looked adorable on the plate, and added a savory crunch.
We also tried the ‘Seabass Steak with Asparagus Tempura and Summer Mango Sauce’. I don’t usually like seabass, as I find that while it has a nice texture, it does not have much of a flavor on its own. However, the Seabass Steak at Elan with the Summer Mango Sauce made for a delicious combination. I only wish the Asparagus Tempura had been fried in hotter oil to give a more crunchy texture to the dish overall.
Our last entrée was the ‘Desi Meat Ball with Quinoa, Home Dry Tomatoes Salsa’. I was excited to try this dish, as I had seen a picture of it earlier, and was wondering whether the curry would have an Indian flavor or not. The dish was gorgeous to look at and the meatball was well seasoned with a nice rich flavor. However, the curry had too much black pepper and, perhaps, cinnamon in it, and I would have preferred some more quinoa to assuage the spicy feeling.
We were too stuffed by dessert and missed out on trying the ‘Lodhi Mess Up’, which I presume is a play on the Eton Mess. We ended up enjoying some gorgeous, luxurious, tangy Jamun sorbet in an ice-cold martini glass.
The meal truly ended on a high note, and we can’t wait to come and taste Chef Ritesh’s cooking again.
Quick Notes-
Elan
The Lodhi Hotel
Lodhi Road
Pragati Vihar
New Delhi 110003
www.thelodhi.com
Meal for 2-3000++
