Plenty on the Platter

The Cafe,that’s hosting the food festival,has the ambience of a fine-diner and offers both lunch and dinner buffet. We arrived for dinner to the sounds of a ghazal performance.

Despite the fact that many tables were occupied,the mood at the cafe was mellow,with the ghazals taking over. Finding a corner to ourselves,we were impressed by the quick service.

The starters,seekh kebabs,were plated up instantly. Sadly,they were cold and had to be sent back. The next batch was served hot — though palatable,it lacked a flavour punch. On the other hand,the fish tikka was spot-on — it was juicy,the masala marinade leaving a mix of flavours on the palate. Even those who swear by their meats,would relish the Hariyali kebab. True to its name,the flat mint green tikki seemed to disappear ever so gently in the mouth.

The buffet also offers a couple of shorbas that one can pair up with the kebabs but we chose to head for main course right after. It would be a good idea to first take a look at what’s on offer before plating up,as there truly is a robust spread. The biryani dominates,with the likes of gosht pulao,khaas murg biryani,korma dum biryani and kabuli pulao along with chicken and mutton curries and salan of different types. We are told the menu,prepared by visiting chef Haleem Quareshi from Lucknow,changes every day,though some biryanis are staples. With the likes of yakhni biryani and gosht rizala,we realised the chef was incorporating Kashmiri fare as well.

Both the biryani and rizala were flavoursome and each grain of rice in the biryani stood out on its own. Even though mutton biryanis are usually the highlights of such a festival,we couldn’t help veering towards the vegetarian line-up that looked so appetising. Plating up aloo ka salan,paneer ambali and gobhi musullam,we queued up at the chef’s counter that was dishing out piping hot paranthas. The vegetarian curries were delightful and would have ranked just right on the mirchi-metre,if there was one. The salan brought us back for a second helping. Though the spread fills you up happily,the dessert counter is another voyage in itself. The zafrani kheer,thick and creamy,reflected the hours of work that must have gone into preparing it. Those who like their sevaiyyan brown and generous (with plenty of dry fruits) will like the version here.

Meal for two:Rs 1,300

Location:Hotel KC Royal Park,Sector 3,Panchkula

Contact:8699086120