The Lalit has always provided us with an exemplary dining experience, and our recent visit to The Grill Room was no exception. Situated on the 28th floor, the restaurant has an elegant and simplistic décor, but what makes the dining experience exceptional (apart from the delicious food, of course) is the 360 degree view of Delhi. Strangely, gazing at our fast-paced city from the windows of the restaurant makes the chaos seem so distant, and provides a deep sense of tranquillity and instantly calms one down, enabling one to appreciate the meal even more.
Each dish on the menu is carefully crafted by Chef Bobby Jacob and paired with wine by their French sommelier, Mr. Charles. While the restaurant is already touted as one of the best for its repertoire of premium cuts of meat, poultry and fresh seafood, they have recently introduced a Burrata Cheese and Cheese Wheel Pasta Promotion in the restaurant, which provides another reason to make a trip down to the place at the earliest. A cheese lover’s dream come true, this promotion gives us a taste of fresh, stretchy, creamy burrata cheese, which is made from cow’s milk and has the most satisfying soft and oozing mouth-feel. And if that’s not enough to tempt you, they also have on offer freshly cooked, piping hot strings of pasta that are tossed in a hollowed out giant bowl of aromatic piquant Parmigiano Reggiano, producing the most divine cheese wheel pasta.
After a lovely Amuse Bouche of Goat Cheese and Olive Tapenade that tantalized our taste buds, these exquisite cheese dishes are what we dug into. The Burrata Plate was all kinds of cheesy goodness one can ask for, and then some more. A huge chunk of burrata adorned the wooden board, surrounded by some grilled vegetables (bell peppers, asparagus, and zucchini), cherry tomatoes, green and black olives and garlic breads. As our knives glided smoothly into the cheese, the creaminess and freshness of the cheese got us salivating, and we just couldn’t help ourselves from going back for more. The cheese wheel pasta was no less- the thin strands of pasta were lightly tossed in the cheese wheel and topped with some fresh herbs- so simple, yet so delicious.
We also had a taste of the Basil Infused Quinoa Salad, which was a lovely mélange of flavors and textures. The quinoa had been imparted the fresh flavor of basil, and was topped with sharp feta cheese and cubes of pickled beetroot to balance out the sharpness. For someone who otherwise is not a fan of quinoa, I sure polished off the plate very fast. We also tried the Cheese Empanadas, which were baked flatbreads stuffed with sautéed onions and mozzarella accompanied by a fresh and zingy chimichurri sauce. The empanadas had a thin, crisp covering, and were stuffed with stringy and gooey mozzarella, and the sweetness of the onions was complemented well by the chimichurri.
Next, we tasted, and instantly fell in love with, the Mushroom and Asparagus Tortellini. The tortellini was shaped dexterously, and was stuffed with a delectable mixture of wild mushroom and asparagus. But what took this dish over the edge was the four cheese fondue sauce, which we happily lapped up with our spoons.
Now, coming to the pièce de résistance of the restaurant- the grills section. We tried the French Cut New Zealand Lamb Chops and the Caribbean Jerk Barbeque Chicken. The lamb chops were really tender and juicy and cooked just as requested- a perfect medium. The lamb chops were rubbed with a delicious spice mix and were served with creamy and fluffy mashed potatoes. The barbeque chicken was an equally delightful dish, consisting of juicy chicken rubbed with jerk spice mix, and the chicken had beautiful char marks of the grill. The chicken was served with a piquant peri peri sauce for additional flavor.
No great meal is complete without something sweet, and The Grill Room shines in the dessert department as well. We tried:
Lemon Cheesecake: The baked cheesecake was infused with lemon and had a chocolate cookie crust. The sweetness of the dessert was perfectly balanced with the acidity of the lemon and it was a very well-composed dish. The luscious berry compote served alongside also took the flavor up a notch.
Symphony of Trio: This was a platter comprising three delicious desserts- baked ricotta cheesecake, mango indulgence and chocolate mousse. The cheesecake was soft and fluffy with a thin biscuit base, and was topped with a quenelle of whipped cream. The mango one was a light and airy mango mousse, topped with a mango coulis, and adorned with dried mango cubes that mimicked the texture of a meringue. The chocolate mousse was thick, rich and decadent and had a deep cocoa flavor, layered with dark chocolate ganache.
Crème Brulee: This dessert was the highlight of the sweet section. Bruleed at the table, it had a perfect thin layer of crunchy, caramelized sugar, atop a smooth custard, which had been flavored with vanilla pods, and we could actually see specks of vanilla in the custard, which is always a welcome sight. Missing this dessert here would be a crime.
The service at The Grill Room, much like at the other restaurants at The Lalit, was par excellence- extremely professional, yet exuding a lovely warmth not seen in most other five-star establishments.
The Grill Room offers up some scrumptious food, in a spectacular setting- perfect for a quiet, cosy meal, away from the worries of day-to-day life. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that one tends to savour each bite of the delicious food even more in a setting as beautiful as this, and it just makes for a wonderful dining experience.
So, for a magnificent meal with a stunning view and superlative service, The Grill Room is an absolute must-visit!
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