The new regional menu at The Pewter Room is a crowd pleaser Its unusual for a restaurant to make changes to its menu a few months into its launch. So news of The Pewter Room in Sector 26,which has managed to toss up Indian cuisine with a contemporary twist,rolling out a new regional menu does make one curious. While the food quality is definitely top-notch,the Rooms pre-plated fare,it seems,is meeting with resistance from diners who are used to sharing out of bowls. But,as the restaurants executive chef Piyush Jain explains,the new menu along with a table dhote menu is merely a fresh addition to the existing menu. And thats something they intend to do regularly. It translates into a plumper menu with multiple dining options. We check it out on a rainswept afternoon. Its not easy to spot the additions to the menu,since they arent marked on paper. Instead of casually adding regional specialities,the team has put thought into what goes into the new line-up. The result is a selection of dishes culled from various parts of the country. From Puducherry comes a flavoursome fish curry,Gosht Rizala from Kashmir,Urlai Bhindi Chettinad from the south,Hyderabads famous Baingan Aur Mirch Ka Salan and the fiery Murg aur Makai ka Soweta from Rajasthan. Also to honour the Indian tradition of sharing,the new regional menu is served elegantly in brass bowls a definite crowd pleaser. We start with Murg Chuski (Rs 380). Its a visual delight. The chicken is wrapped around satay sticks and dunked into a glass that holds a tangy chutney concoction. Another must-try,for vegetarians,is Peppers Brie Poppers (Rs 260). The real surprise of the crumb fried bell peppers is revealed the moment you sink your teeth into a popper. Filled with brie cheese and paprika,its a starter worth every bite. For the main course,the Pondicherry fish curry (Rs 610),with its robust flavours,emerged with flying colours. One no longer needs to wait for a food festival to savour this popular curry thats more like a broth and settles well on the plain rice. The Rajasthani Murgh Soweta is unfortunately too close to butter chicken. Given that the monsoon has officially arrived,the regional menu launch is timed well. More than the food artistry we have seen The Pewter Room excel in,these dishes showcase the restaurants flair with comfort food. The menu will bring sights and tastes that are familiar to the Chandigarh diner. The service in bowls will only win The Pewter Room more brownie points. Meal for two: Rs 1,600 Location: SCO 1,Sector 26,Chandigarh Contact: 4678912
