Florentine

On one of those evenings when in the mood for a fancy dinner, we can turn to the fine dining options we have in the city, one of the newest restaurants being Florentine. It is located in Hotel Gateway Grandeur at Christian Basti. Florentine has got exquisite interiors with wood finish and the ambience is enticing.

I dined with the Executive Chef of the hotel, Mr. Mauktik Chakraborty, who whipped up a few delicacies especially for me. I tried to pick up a tip or two about good cooking as well! He prepared cheesy herb chicken which comprised of grilled chicken leg coated with mozzarella cheese sauce and gratinated, served with dry red chilli pilaf. The thick creamy texture, infused with herbs made it absolutely sumptuous. The Indian dishes came next, with the Afghani Tangri Kabab. It comprised of chicken leg stuffed with minced chicken and special spices cooked in a clay oven. It was excellent, so tender that it melts in the mouth and the distinct smoked flavour invigorates the senses. Another dish I had was Mutton Amritsari accompanied with freshly baked naan. Boneless mutton pieces were served with two masala gravies; one was onion based brown gravy and on the periphery of the platter was yellow gravy. The chef revealed the secret of the delicious yellow gravy, it was made with turmeric and magaj, and that is all I can unearth lest I give away too much of his secret.

This multi-cuisine restaurant offers Indian, Oriental and Continental delicacies, Florentine dishes being the specialty. Their menu even has Florentine recipes on the last page for cooking enthusiasts. Some of the continental fish dishes on offer are Beer Battered Fish with Saffron Garlic, Sautéed Prawns with Mushroom and Spinach and Chowder Sauce. Poultry on offer includes Chicken Chasseur, Chicken Florentine, Mustard Roasted Chicken, Chicken with Spaghetti and Pesto. In lamb they have Roasted Leg of Lamb with Rosemary Garlic and Cajun Lamb served with spicy black beans. Vegetarian dishes include Cottage Cheese Brochettes with Tomato Provencal sauce, Cheese and Basil Ball Mornay, American Corn and Spinach Parcels.

They have a range of Indian dishes starting with kababs like Seena Malai, Baghdadi and Shikhanpuri to main course delectables like Prawn Turushi, Fish Malabari, Murg Zafrani, Chettinad, Mutton Rogan Josh and Mutton Dhansak which is cooked in Daal and spices. Accompaniments include Nawabi Biryani and Yakhni Biryani along with an assortment of Naans and Rotis including Keema Naan. The Oriental exotic menu offers Teriyaki Chicken, Thai Green and Red Curries as well as Indonesian Lamb curry, Peking Lamb, Prawn Sui Mui, Lat Mai Kai and Kung Bah Paneer to name a few. A good meal for two may be approximately Rs 800 plus taxes. Florentine is surely worth a visit for its multi-cuisine extravaganza, plush decor, a snazzy mezzanine floor, courteous staff and culinary delights conjured by the chef. Truly, a fine place to dine.

(published in The Eclectic, July 2010)