Amreli has replaced the famous Olive at Hotel Diplomat. Within a few days of its opening, the restaurant has earned quite an appreciation, thanks to a well-planned menu with extensive variety by chef Sabyasachi Gorai. By Divya Kaushik
There was nothing new (read fancy) that I could notice about this place as I entered. But its charm was irresistible. What was playing tricks on mind is tough to say. It could have been the music or the smiles and cheer spread around. In the first visit, Amreli at Hotel Diplomat felt like a place I have been visiting for long, such was its warmth. I chose a cosy corner to have a better look at the art collection on one of the walls of the restaurant. Each had striking but soothing colours and the collection is surely a crown to the interiors. The one at the extreme corner is of a dog dressed like a man. Sidhant lamba, the owner and brain behind the newly-opened restaurant, told us that the painting is an ode to his beloved dog. “I commissioned an artist to paint this and the face is of my dear dog. I asked the artist to imagine him like a man and paint it,” said lamba, an interior designer who was fascinated by the name Amreli for his first restaurant. He says it just sounds like what he wanted. “The name has an Indian touch to it and it sounds something different. It perfectly defines the place and the newness that it brings with it,” he added.
For most foodies Hotel Diplomat has been synonymous to Olive and now it is pleasing to see that Amreli is finding its place in those foodies’ ‘places to dine at’ list. A look at the menu will reveal that the place strikes a perfect balance between a bistro and a fine-diner. There is a good variety waiting to be explored if you take your egg preparations seriously. The menu designed by chef Sabyasachi Gorai or Saby is quite a mix of all things popular but what’s worth discovering is that many of its Indian starters and main course dishes are prepared with southern spices and ingredients. Take for example paneer korma cooked with curry leaves, coconut cream and mustard seeds. If you are a fan of South Indian you should try paper thin, perfectly fluffy appams. Vegetable stew cooked in coconut cream is perfect to go with appams. You can also find a sole fish curry cooked in the southern style. lamba shared that their South Indian dishes as part of Indian fare have been a huge hit. He also added, “At Amreli, we serve a multi-concept menu that focusses on freshness and ingredient quality. The reason why we have included such a variety is because we want to cater to different palates in an impressive way.”
The menu is divided in sections like bistro menu which includes creamy peanut butter and jam brioche sandwich, mushroom on toast, scrambled egg, egg appam, egg Florentine and the most famous so far, keema egg benedict. Then there is soup, salad and appetiser section with quite a variety for those who keep a check on their calorie intake. One can try roasted pepper and quinoa salad with mesclun greens, pumpkin seeds, pesto and horse radish cream. Apple, amaranth and beetroot salad served with rocket, candied walnuts and feta cheese is a good option. You can either stick to your favourite comfort food and choose from paninis, burgers and sandwiches section, pastas and grills or indulge in the Indian main course, which is definitely a must-have if you love Southern preparations. Sole meen moilee, a fish curry from the coast, the humble plate, dal and vegetables of the day and Kerala mutton stew, melt-in-mouth mutton chunks in a creamy coconut stew, and mutton biryani are well-known recipes, but here a perfect balance of spices makes them a brilliant preparation.
Do have a spoonful of dessert to perfectly end the meal. After seeing such a variety in the menu, you may expect a little more from the dessert section, too, but whatever is there on the list will definitely make for a perfect ending to a delightful experience.