It's night on the quiet and quaint Lavelle Road. I am sitting in Fireflies Seafood and Grill and lounge bar in anticipation of a delicious meal. The olive green and cream-toned interiors and the air heavy with the piquant aroma of spices fills up my senses.
As is customary, I start my meal with a drink: the tangy-sweet Fireflies Spring Fever. An instant refresher, the Fireflies Spring Fever is an unusual mix of lemon and mango, with a hint of mint that leaves behind a pleasant after taste.
The starters have some exotic names. I choose tempura shrimp. Batter-fried and crisp, the tempura shrimp is fresh and crunchy, though a trifle oily.
The sauce that is provided with the tempura shrimp — a mixture of mayonnaise, original Japanese ginger with a sprinkling of chilly flakes — is a must try.
For the main course I am served jerk chicken and chicken Ballantine. Jerk chicken is a combination of diced chicken pieces and gravy of sauces, olive oil, special herbs and spices that accentuates its taste. The Chicken Ballantine is a roulade of chicken cooked in minimal spices. Simply scrumptious.
What is served next, specially recommended by the Chef, is manna from heaven: filet mignon. Savoureux, I say. Served with mashed potatoes, mushroom and broccoli, the filet mignon is cooked in a lava stone grill that lends a pleasantly curious flavour to the steak.
Chef Jose George claims that Fireflies was the first restaurant in town to get the lava stone grill. “This stone in this grill retains heat, helping food to be cooked faster and better. Our wood-fire pizzas are cooked on this grill and it's one of our specialties.”
My sweet tooth was aching to be fed. So I ended my meal with a tiramisu, not too sweet, yet satisfying. A perfect end to a lovely spread.
Fireflies is located on No.4/1, Walton Road, above Café Coffee Day, Lavelle Road. The restaurant is open from noon to 3 p.m. for lunch and 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. for dinner.
For reservations call 41140303 or 9632694605.
Ambience: Soothing
Service: Good
Wallet Factor: Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 5,000 for two
Speciality: Filet mignon
