At Glass House, you can travel the world through multiple plates, says Shambhavi Suri
Walking into a magnificent structure with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and doors, which overlooks a serene garden, could instantly transport you to a state of zen. The Glass House at Hilton Garden Inn, Gurugram, is sophisticated, classy and peaceful to say the least. Though its permanent menu takes you around the world, the curated one ‘21 dishes of 2021’ promises to embrace the best of the myriad of cuisines — both local and international — to enhance your dining experience.
Seated on a table for two, right next to the glass windows while enjoying 80s pop music, I was welcomed with a Dark chocolate dome. Plated with granola soil and a white chocolate cigar which bridged across the plate, connecting the granola soil with the chocolate dome. It read, ‘Welcome to HGI, Shambhavi’ in white chocolate, adding a warm, personal touch to the dessert. Once the chef poured the melted chocolate over the dome, it melted revealing the filling inside. I began cutting into the dome only to be surprised by the layers upon layers within it. At the very bottom of the dome was a dark chocolate brownie which was dense yet fluffy. Above the brownie was the light and airy whipped cream which was topped with some diced fresh strawberry and almond shavings. As I took my first bite, I began to think, ‘this might be too chocolate-y’, but I was wrong. The freshness and citrus from the strawberries with the airy whipped cream, brownie and some nuts and dome bits for crunch, made a deadly combination. The dark chocolate dome bits added some bitterness which helped the dish to not enter the ‘overly sweet’ zone. This dessert answers the question, ‘how much chocolate is too much chocolate?’ by proving that no amount of chocolate is too much if it is perfectly balanced.
Now, it was time for something to wipe the chocolate flavour from the palette. An amuse-bouche was served (typically bite-sized dish, served to refresh the palate between courses). This was the Compressed watermelon with mint and cucumber broth, and Cream cheese quenelle. Served in a white bowl, the compressed watermelon looked like a beautiful piece of salmon at first. However, to my surprise, I had cut into the crisp piece of watermelon. The melon was submersed in the mint and cucumber broth, only revealing a bit of the piece over which the cream cheese sat. The beauty of the dish was that the flavours do not linger on the palette and was truly refreshing.
Next up was the Malaysian laksa. Served in a hollowed-out coconut, the dish was presented in a very creative way. Serving the laksa in the tender coconut was not merely for presentation. The chef explained that once the piping-hot broth is poured into the coconut, the pulp of the tender coconut melts, giving an enhanced flavour. The broth was thin in terms of its texture, making it light and delicious. The noodles were also topped with peanuts, carrots, broccoli and fried onions that added a crunch and some more layers to the dish. This bowl of laksa was comfort food redefined! The lightness of the broth had me going in for more.
While I was still enjoying the laksa, the Blue cheese malai tikka with ananas chutney made its way to my table. The tikka came in a cylindrical-shaped, brass serving piece with the skewers inside. The serving piece was smoked with coal and made the entire place smell like Old Delhi at night, when all the tandoors come out into the narrow galli (ally). The tikka was soft and succulent, and came apart as soon as I put my fork on it. The pungent flavour from the blue-cheese was a lip-smacking variation to the traditional malai tikka. The blue cheese also added another layer of creaminess along with the malai. The flavours in the mouth that lingered after the bite were just the smokiness of the tandoor and the sweetness from the malai. In my next bite, I paired the tikka with the ananas chutney. It was just tantalising! It was tangy, refreshing and the flavour of the pineapple was not curbed by the flavour of the red chillies or ginger in it. The pairing of the chutney and the blue cheese malai tikka was a match made in heaven. The acidity from the ananas chutney balances the heavy creaminess of the tikka, making the entire experience delightful.
The next appetizer served was a different take on the traditional dahi kebab. Known as yogurt polpettes, it was served with a Raw papaya relish. The polpettes were rolled out and shaped like a cigar, covered under a blanket of noodles and deep fried. The stroke of the fluorescent green raw papaya relish on the black plate was like a brush stroke in a painting. Cutting into the polpettes, there was the hung-curd mixed with coriander, cashews and finely chopped green chillies. I put some relish on top and took my first bite. Just like the malai tikka and the chutney, this dish was also balanced perfectly with an almost citric and acidic condiment, paired with a heavy and creamy element. The fried noodles gave it an extra crunch which is missing in the traditional dahi kebab.
For the main course, I was served Chaudhary saab ki biryani alongside Burari raita and salan. The non-vegetarian variant of the Chaudhary saab ki biryani was with pieces of chicken, cloves, cardamom, mint leaves along with chicken keema and topped with fried onions. The biryani was served in a traditional earthen pot known as matka. The smell of the desi-ghee took over all my senses as soon as I took off the lid of the matka. With all my senses engaged, I took a bite and it transcended all my expectations. It was one of the best biryanis’ I had in a very long time. The different flavours of the chicken pieces and the keema added layer upon layer to it accompanied by the spices. All this was brought together with the taste of desi-ghee which transported me to the roots of India.
After all this, the beautiful afternoon came to an end with a dessert. The Indian Dessert Board plated four different kinds of barfi. The first from the left was a round-shaped pista barfi, topped with almond shavings. Second was the rectangular beetroot barfi. Next was the strawberry-khoya barfi shaped in the form of a heart and the last one was the coconut barfi. This dessert board truly represented the great Indian desserts, celebrating the diversity of flavours and ingredients present in India.
With the sun rays getting fainter as the evening skies came about, it was time to end the journey that I took through the food served. The kind and friendly hospitality of the chef and the waiters at the restaurant made my afternoon even more memorable. For someone who is looking to take a trip around the world to experience different cuisines and flavours, you can do it right here.