When lunch becomes a culinary escape
Lunch has increasingly become more than just a quick break in the middle of the workday. For many urban diners, it is an opportunity to step away from the rush, savour thoughtfully prepared food, and recharge before returning to their schedules. Recognising this shift, a growing number of restaurants are curating menus that balance speed with quality, offering compact dining experiences without compromising on flavour. Blending signature dishes, efficient service, and inviting settings, these midday offerings are redefining the business lunch as a culinary experience in its own right.
OKO, The LaLiT New Delhi’s Pan-Asian flagship, recently opened its doors for a media tasting of Oriental Express, its new midday menu spanning Japan, Thailand, and China.
The tasting opened with a Tom Yum Siam mocktail, sharp with lemongrass and chilli-an assertive start for something pitched as an efficient lunch. Thailand carried through in a bright som tam salad and a Thai green curry with jasmine rice; China showed up in neat, well-sealed vegetable dumplings, simple but competently made; and Japan closed the savoury run with an udon donburi bowl, soft noodles in a soy-glazed broth that felt more comforting than showy. A scoop of lychee ice cream ended the meal on a light, floral note. Nothing overstayed its welcome-the whole sequence was clearly timed to fit within a one-hour window, and it largely lived up to its billing as polished yet quick, without the food ever feeling rushed. What lingered longer than any single dish was the room. Floor-to-ceiling glass wraps around three sides, with Lutyens’ Delhi on one flank and Connaught Place on the other, while dark wood, brass accents, and Asian art keep the space warm rather than corporate. Service, unhurried despite the “Express” branding, was delivered with genuine warmth rather than rehearsed fine-dining polish.
