Pawan Soni visits  Marieta, the new eatery at Gurugram, only to be amazed and dismayed at the same time. It will be sometime before they get their act together, but their enthusiasm is already flowing through their offerings

Nestled between two established dining spots at Two Horizon, Marieta emerges as Gurgaon’s newest culinary contender, overtaking the space vacated by well-regarded Italian eatery Artusi. Although the name “Marieta” which is a popular female name hails from Greece, the restaurant’s global menu lacks prominent Greek offerings.

The start was a bit of a let down. Not being served a hard copy of the menu and asking diner to scan a barcode for the digital menu at a finedine restaurant with an excuse that they are new doesn’t go well with me. May be I am an old timer who doesn’t like reading the menu on mobile’s small screen. The manager quickly improvised and offered to share a b&w printed menu with which I was okay but it never came. However he later shared his laptop with me to read the menu. For a classy looking restaurant they can easily do with few Ipads if even after a month of their opening they are finding it difficult to get the printed menu.

I am here with my wife and like most men opt for ‘The Second Date’. Don’t get me wrong. It is a tequila and sake based cocktail with a bit of lychee and Jasmine tea. Its delightful aroma and soothing taste set a pleasant tone for the evening. As I perused the drinks menu, I noticed a variety of tequila and mezcal cocktails, signaling an interesting trend. Just as gin has surpassed vodka in popularity for cocktails, it seems tequila-based cocktails might be the next big trend.

While the food initially took some time to arrive, once it did, the dishes came out in quick succession. Most of the dishes we ordered were impressive. The Mushroom and Cream Cheese (Rs495), encased in crispy kataifi on a cauliflower sauce base, was particularly exciting. Similarly, the Habanero Butter Shrimp (Rs750), served with airy sourdough bread, was noteworthy, although I expected a bit more heat from the habanero, making the dish’s name somewhat misleading.

The Avocado Cream Cheese Uramaki (Rs750) sushi roll was enjoyable, with the added crunch of fried sweet potato crisps on top. However, the

Spicy Sweet Potato Soft Shell Taco lacked the necessary spiciness to balance the sweetness of the potato. Adding a bit of spicy sauce on the side made it more enjoyable for me.

The only disappointment was the Neapolitan Margherita pizza, which fell short on the dough, kneading, and rolling. The edges didn’t rise properly, the center wasn’t thin enough, and the sauce was mediocre. However, the chef acknowledged the issue without making excuses, which in my view was commendable.

Since we had no room for a main course, we opted for desserts directly. The Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta (Rs595) was exceptional, perfectly set and delicious. Topped with figs and caramel sauce, this dessert, an Artusi recipe, is reason enough to visit Marieta.

We arrived early for a Monday dinner and found the music to be too loud for an empty restaurant. However, as more guests arrived, the sound was absorbed, creating a more enjoyable ambiance. The tables in alfresco settings are a bit small for four people; fitting more than two people would be a challenge. Despite minor initial hiccups, the service was good and well-informed. Overall, Marieta is worth a try, especially for the panna cotta.

— Author is a food critic and founder of the Big F Awards. He can be reached at Pawan.Soni@indianfoodfreak.com)