Comfortably Coo

Over last weekend,a pall hung over Hauz Khas Village. While hipsters lamented the loss of a space to rock their crocs in,foodies morosely discussed restaurants that were. The civic authorities,luckily,gave breathing space to most of the existent restaurants,barring a lamented few. However,as ancient texts declaim,there can be no life without death,which possibly explains the opening of Roost Bistro a week before the restaurant holocaust. The interiors are immanently bistro-like,complete with wooden and metal furniture,steel bowl lamps upturned over tables and gratuitous French pop cascading as background noise.

The menu is refreshingly non-dogmatic,comprising mainly comfort foods,ranging from pastas and curries to pub-grub and a variegated selection of teas and coffees. We begin our meal with Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tikkas and the restaurant’s signature Prawns ‘With a Pinch of Salt’. The X-men like mutant starter,comprising crisp,pink bacon wrapped around a malai tikka is a well-defined juxtaposition of flavours,comprising brackish bacon rashers engulfing a mild tikka in a wholly delicious manner. Meanwhile,the prawns translate into shellfish martyred (read ‘drowned’ according to the menu) in tequila. Following their inebriated,heroic death,they are decked out in salt followed by a roasting,probably in a manner wholly approved by Lot. While the tequila is innocuous,it is nevertheless present,making for an uplifting starter to say the least.

Our mains feature the Potuguese-Konkan hybrid,Prawn Balchao,and the Pasta Fruits De Mer Aglio Olio. For those wondering about our solely seafood selection,it is a reflection of our unsatiated seafood cravings. The pungent balchao translates into tiger prawns floating laconically in a thick,chunky tomato-chili-based gravy,accompanied by a distinctly south Indian rice,studded with cashew nuts and embellished with curry leaves. Together,the dish is representative of the Konkan coast and the flavours contained therein. The pasta features a sprinkling,or rather,shower,of squid,prawns and sole nestling amongst a grove of spaghetti,fumigated with the flavour of olive oil and roasted,desiccated garlic. This fulsome essence,infused with cracked pepper and dried red chilies,provides an easel for the palette of seafood,a landscape (or seascape?) we hungrily despoil. Compared to the savouries menu,desserts are kind of tame,but we find solace in the banana caramel milk shake.

Meal for Two: Rs 1,500 (including taxes,excluding alcohol)

Address: 30,Hauz Khas Village. Tel: 30146033 ext:430