Garnished with Glamour

With 140 covers spread over three private dining rooms,a chef’s table,a bar with a portico,show kitchen and a main seating section,we got the feeling of being the only diners at the restaurant. The silverware sparkles,the crystal glasses tinkle and even the soft white linen tablecloth seems to have a personality. But you wonder about — and miss — the famous “circus-style” interiors of the New York restaurant. The Delhi branch is a “well-behaved cousin of its American predecessor,” with boardroom-style décor and wall panels in oakwood shades. The chinaware sports motifs of clowns and jugglers,but that’s about as much fun as you can have here.

Our antipasti is an artistically created dish called Vegetable Garden (Rs 700). It lives up to its name — an assortment of beetroot,corn,asparagus,orange carrot and baked ricotta slivers,punctuated by morsels of pomegranate and pistachio. It is literally a guided tour of a garden,where you are greeted by a burst of flavour in every mouthful. There is also the classic,Le Cirque Salad (Rs 700) comprising shaved fennel,taggiasca olives,artichokes,tomatoes,candied cashews and drizzle of Italian white balsamic vinaigrette.

Head chef Mickey Bhoite has graciously demarcated the Le Cirque classics from his own creations in the menu. Notable among the latter are a starter of Duck Prosciutto (Rs 900),an assortment of caper berry and apple sitting on a bed of cured slivers of duck breast. A hint of balsamic vinegar lends this dish that necessary punch. Bhoite’s upbringing in the Tuscan valley clearly reflects in his cooking.

Eating at Le Cirque is like a celebration — an occasion where you surrender to the attendants,soaking in the Western instrumentals while sipping on the bubbly. A detour of wild mushroom consomme (Rs 700) with porcinis proves to be a sumptuous choice with the cheese stuffed ravioli releasing an interesting burst of flavours. The menu boasts of a majority of non-vegetarian dishes,with only a passing concern for vegetarians. However,the Morrel Risotto (Rs 1,600) is pleasant,with the right dose of creaminess. The Wagyu Rossini (Rs 4,000) with tender fillets of tenderloin are cheerfully paired by a creamy spinach paste and melt-in-the-mouth foie gras.

No meal is complete without the more-than-three-decade-old tradition of digging into Le Cirque’s Crème Brûlée (Rs 600). Except that the cakey texture was a major let down. The chocolate souffle( Rs 600) with vanilla sauce,however,made up for this disappointment. You can put Le Cirque on your “things to do” list.

Address: The Leela Palace,Chanakyapuri

Contact: 39331390