Balram Naranyankar wanted to bring a little bit of Greece back home after a three-week holiday to Athens that he spent couch-surfing. This was five years ago, his dream has taken shape in the form of The Blue Door, now a hard to miss landmark on Road No. 45, as it quite literally has a blue door!
As you step into the sunny restaurant, the combination of blue and white will soothe your eye; you will feel like you’ve stepped into the quaint and quiet lanes of Greece. The ambience is mesmerising, choose from their list of cocktails, we recommend their mango and coconut milk based drink — with its light flavour, it will ease you in to their overwhelming menu. The cuisine at The Blue Door is Greek and Mediterranean, so those who love dipping their pita into baba ganoush and hummus will be pleased.
Enjoy the experience, one bite at a time, a dips platter that includes eggplant, beetroot dips and hummus will go well their own array of breads, including the Greek version pita which has a harder exterior or their soft thyme or oregano breads. Order the Tzatsiki, a traditional Greek yoghurt with cucumber and salad is a sure-winner. Try the crispy eggplant boureika which is dough stuffed with picante (a spicier version of salsa sauce) eggplant and is served with a tomato garlic dip. The menu is definitely a non-vegetarian’s delight; for starters choose the chicken souvlaki (marinated chicken and grilled vegetables) which is served with a yoghurt based dip.
Done eating? Take a breath, because there is a lot more to come.
Bite into a salad before you head over to the mains. Try the iceberg surprise, a fresh combination of spinach, iceberg, spring, dill and garlic. For those who have never tried a salad, this would be a good place to start, especially the pine-nut and avocado infused green fusion salad; the parmesan shavings on top add delight.
Some portions are small, while some are huge; but if you’re not into eating chunks of food at a time, here’s a pro tip: order to share. A must-try is the prawn moussaka or the vegetarian moussaka with potato and zucchini and a creamy béchamel sauce (a white sauce made with butter and flour). Go for the mutton eggplant shoes — light and flavourful; if you like eggplants, you’ll end up loving them. Feeling indulgent? Pick between finochio red snapper (whole red snapper stuffed with fennel and amaranth) or the stuffed bifteki on the grill with perfectly done grilled beef, stuffed with feta cheese, sundried tomatoes, capsicum (both dishes are priced at Rs. 850 each). For those in the mood for something lighter try their Italian sandwich with tomato, mozzarella and pesto dressing or their grilled chicken sandwich with parmesan and Dijon mustard dressing.
End the meal with Ravani with lime (a syrup cake with lime flavour), looks and tastes juicy and is sure to give you a sugar rush. The baklava is loaded with roasted chopped pista with a crunchy outer layer and soft centre which oozes with honey at every bite; take a small scoop of the ice-cream on the tip of the spoonful of baklava will be the first step to guilt-laden experience. For the complete Greek experience try the mastiha panacotta, a flavourful panacotta laced with Greek liquorice.
The food here won’t do much to appease those looking for ‘masala’ or ‘spice’ in their moussakas or sandwiches. The Blue Door is a specialised and complete fine-dining experience and you’ll feel your appetite blues getting washed away.
THE BLUE DOOR
What: A restaurant offering Greek and Mediterannean cuisine
Where: Plot 1179, Road 45, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad
When: 12 p.m. to 11 p.m.
USP: Freshly prepared breads and flavourful dips
Table for two: Rs. 2000 (without alcohol)
Contact: 040-23555003
