Laa Unico - El Elegido (The Chosen One) Laa Unico means “The One” or “The Unique One” in Italian. Setup in Mukund Nagar, the restaurant has chosen an apt name. An extremely beautiful setting on a rooftop, the place is a pure vegetarian restaurant that does not serve alcohol however boasts of a stunning bar that serves some quirky and colorful mocktails. A fine-dining setting, Laa Unico has seating comforts for everyone. Apart from the regular tables and chairs, they also have private cabanas and hutments for larger parties. Shots The Red Devil was served in test tubes nestled in a beaker full of ice. Made with orange, pineapple and lemon juice, this was a good start to the tasting. Served in shot glasses, the Laa Unico Shots looked cute on a wooden slice and a blend of vanilla with a hint of cardamom, this was a delicious shot. #DeliciousDelicious Mocktails The Dragon Mojito was the standard mojito blended with chunks of dragon fruit which gave a wonderfully different flavor to the whole drink. And with a sample served in a cut-out dragon fruit itself, it had a unique presentation too. Zuppas (Soups) The Roasted Pepper Soup [Rs. 170] is described as a soup with the perfect blend of red and yellow peppers, mixed herbs, garlic, onions, leeks, carrots and sweet chili sauce. However it looked and felt more like a packet tomato soup with a smattering of crushed pepper on top. A bit disappointing, to say the least. Thankfully the Zuppa Di Asparagus [Rs. 200] was a saving grace with a lovely creamy soup full of asparagus flavors. Chattar Pattar This section is where the chefs at Laa Unico shine through with their creativity and fusion. The Sev Puri Tacos [Rs. 220] had tortillas stuffed with the usual sev puri ingredients of masala mash potato, spicy tangy chutney, crispies and onion. A wonderful and flavorful combination, one that was relished by all. The Mexican Bhel [Rs. 210] was another fusion of our Indian street food with Mexican touch. Good flavors overall. Khaman Oxide [Rs. 295] was the dish where the liquid nitrogen finally made its entry. Khaman crumble with a flavorful relish of Indian chutneys, cooled and sprinkled with liquid nitrogen. While it does leave a slightly metallic aftertaste, the dish was quite delicious and chilled. The Gastro Pani Puri [Rs. 180] too felt like a modern version of pani puri using chemistry set. Tangy, spicy and sweet chutneys were served in test tubes. Multi-colored liquids in test tubes to be poured from one place to other – that’s was extremely memory-evoking. And the fact that you can devour the final mixture, was like the cherry on top. Antipasti The Nachos with Cheese Sauce [Rs. 235] were served with red and green tomato salsa however the salsa was more like a smoother and finer chutney rather than coarsely cut up salsa. The Pale Di Potato [Rs. 195] were a crunchy bunch of crispy potato skins which went well with the served garlic mayo dip however was disappointed with the Jalapeno Sticks [Rs. 270]. While the stuffing was gooey and cheesy, there was hardly any taste of the jalapeno, despite being served whole. :-/ Oriental Starters The oriental starters at Laa Unico was something I was pretty impressed with. The Paneer Lollipop [Rs. 270] had finger cut paneer chunks tossed in exotic sauce and garnished with sesame. Lovely flavors, this went very well with the mocktails on offer. The Stir Fried Veg. [Rs. 290] had exotic vegetables tossed in black pepper sauce which was another equally delicious dish. #YumYum #HighlyRecommended Indian & Tandoor Starters The Multani Paneer Tikka [Rs. 370] had chunks of cottage cheese stuffed with mix veg. folded and coated in a mixture. Loved the punch of the veggies with the paneer envelope. #DeliciousDelicious Pizza Although we were already full by the time the Italian and Indian mains were served, seeing pizzas and pastas on the table always tempted us to have “just one more bite.” :D All the pizzas served to us, Julia Robert [Rs. 440], Bombay Masala [Rs. 410] and the Rustico Special [Rs. 480] had a thin but hard base with extremely similar toppings, especially the Julia Robert and Rustico. All in all, not the best pizzas I have tried. Pasta Pasta Del Barone [Rs. 440] was made with pink sauce, a blend of the classic béchamel and tomato sauce; while the Pasta Barbaresca [Rs. 450] had a flavorsome creamy sauce. Very well made pastas with an abundance of sauce however found a small stone in the Barbaresca. Pointed it out to the manager, a sincere apology and a quick replacement of the dish with an assurance of better quality control sorted it out quickly. The Aglio Olio E Pepperoncino [Rs. 330] was a perfect example of how an Aglio Olio should be made and Laa Unico has nailed it. A lovely drizzle of olive oil on top helped elevate the dish. #DeliciousDelicious Fondue Fondue is a Swiss dish of melted cheese served in a communal pot (fondue pot) over a portable stove heated with a candle or spirit lamp, and eaten by dipping bread into the cheese using long-stemmed forks. Indians have taken this concept and applied it to a lot of Indian dishes and the results are pretty impressive. The Pav Bhaji Fondue [Rs. 350] had crisy bits of pav served with a melting pot of bhaji. A good way to enjoy the classic delicacy. Indian Mains Having almost no space left in our collective tummies, we decided to trim down our order of Indian Mains and zeroed in on the Veg. Vilayati and Kaju Paneer. An excessive use of tomato sauce in the curry meant the Veg. Vilayati tasted like sour grapes although the Kaju Paneer was a surprise. Having requested for a slightly less sweet version, Laa Unico did not disappoint. Rich and creamy, the dish was a perfect balance of flavors. The mains were accompanied by varied Indian breads like Cheese Oregano Naan [Rs. 110], Masala Dhania Ki Roti [Rs. 80] and Cheese Chili Kulcha [Rs. 120]. Desserts Just like a married man can still check out other people [albeit surreptitiously ;)], I too am allowed to check out desserts while on a sugar-free diet. The Chocolate Mud Cake [Rs. 250] had soft chocolate cake drenched in gooey chocolate sauce. Looked like a mess however tasted delish. The Cream Caramel [Rs. 170] on the other hand looked pretty as a picture however lacked the signature wobble that defines the dish. Felt a bit dense on the palate as well. The Chocolate Landscape [Rs. 490] had a lot of theater to the dish. Made live at the table, it has mud cake soil, enriched brownie chunks and oodles of chocolates, and drizzled with chocolate and caramel sauce. Mukund Nagar and surrounding areas sorely needed a place like Laa Unico. Pure vegetarian, alcohol free yet with an ambiance to match any top bars in the city, Laa Unico will appeal to young as well as the young at heart.