From summery beverages to salads and grilled fish, the all-new summer special menu introduced by Fio Cookhouse is creating a buzz lately. Deebashree Mohanty tells you that the decor and ambience of the restaurant adds to its impressive and innovative summer platter
Tired of the cliched drinks and platters on your table every time you venture out to sample something different and refreshingIJ Visit the Fio Cookhouse at Epicuria, Nehru Place, to be pleasantly surprised. If you can beat the traffic snarl (which lasts for a little over 10 minutes), get ready for a meal to remember. Right from the green ambience to the table settings, everything comes with a breath of fresh air. “That’s exactly how we wanted to welcome our guests this summer. The green decor inside the restaurant makes one feel one with nature,” the manager says, as she greets you at the doorstep.
Fio has come up with a summer special menu which includes beverages, salads, main course and a cool dessert to end the meal with. “Instead of having a bulky summer special menu card for our guests, we have a packed customised menu that is sure to appeal,” she tells you.
The place is brimming with activity on a sunny weekday afternoon and that just goes to show how Fio is doing things right. The waiters inform that on a weekend evening it is difficult to find a seat without prior reservation!
Coming back to the summer specials which is neatly displayed on a card, most of the dishes are made from raw mangoes which leaves a tangy after taste on the mouth. To start of your food sojourn, order the Chilly Summer, one of their best sellers. This vodka-based drink which also has raw mangoes, tabasco and pepper is ideal for beating the heat.
For those who prefer their cocktail with gin, opt for the Gin Keri which is a mix of cool mango pulp and mint leaves.
There are other mocktails like the cooling tea to keep you company while you dig into the fresh salads and the selective main course that the chef has dished out for his loyal customers.
“Our guests are often spoilt for choice but they are unsure of whatever they are ordering. So, to make it simpler for them, we have a tried and tested menu already customised to suit each palette,” the chef tells you as he rolls out his bitter gourd and mustard pasta. If you are a big fan of bitter gourd, this is a unique combination, a must try.
Non-vegetarians could start off with grilled fish, chilli and lime with ginger tamarind glaze and go on to have the plum chicken with lemon couscous and jus as a main course. The fish is soft and tangy just the way you would like. The bruschetta with raw papaya and mango salsa is an ideal way to begin your meal if you are a vegetarian looking for something wholesome and different at the same time.
But the USP of this restaurant remains its attention to detail and impeccable decor that gives a Fio-good factor to the guests. Beat this — to maintain the verdant greenery outside and the green pots within the restaurant, Fio has a team of gardeners in the rolls. “We don't want to compromise on our design and decor. Nowadays, when a person walks into a restaurant, it is not just to have a meal and rush back. It is more about enjoying and relishing your food and that is what we promise all our guests. It has been working in our favour,” the chef says, as he brings out his dessert speciality.