Overcast skies that threaten to open up at any moment and a swing overlooking gently lapping water are what one sees when looking out of one of the glass sides of the Pepper restaurant at Vivanta by Taj – Malabar.
It is the kind of weather that causes a yearning for good food and hot coffee, and thankfully, the ongoing Arabic food festival at Pepper ensures that there is plenty of that to be had.
Sous chef Rinku Sharma explains that the menu has been chosen to represent the best of West Asia. “Since it is that time of year when we have a lot of guests from the region, we have put up a varied spread that picks the best from countries like Syria and Egypt and so on,” he says.
The a la carte menu gives much freedom for choice, and those looking for a proper three course meal can begin with some Moroccan flavour with soup Harira, a mild Moroccan lamb broth with Harira dip.
The tomato, lentil and herb flavours dominate the taste, with the finely sliced lamb providing some occasional juiciness. In case you happen to prefer more conventional lentil soup, Egyptian soup Shorba Adas (lentil and cumin being the main ingredients) is on hand.
The starter is a contribution from the cuisine of Damascus, the cigara boregi, crispy pepper and cheese stuffed rolls (named so for their cigar like shape, we are told).
The outer crust is reminiscent to the ubiquitous puffs that are the staple of our bakeries, with only the cheesy insides, best savoured with an accompanying dip and a dash of olive oil dressing, setting it apart. The bread and salad combination fattoush and hummus bieruty, one of the popular exports from West Asia, are the alternatives worth a look.
The main course menu is well constructed, with meat lovers and vegetarians having choice aplenty. Vegetable tagine, with chickpeas, olives and onions in tomato sauce, Egypt’s okra stew named bamia and batata charp (Tehran), with sliced potatoes layered with aubergine, tomato and cheese, being options to consider if you are vegetarian.
Lebanese khoubz lubnani pita bread and Persian bread or the more familiar spiced chicken rice machbous al dijaj provide a broad look at the different culinary styles of West Asia.
Chef Rinku explains that the primary difference between the cuisine on offer and Indian cuisine is the difference in the spices used and the way the preparation is carried out. He mentions that the grilled, spiced and skewered prawn dish Rubian meshwi is a popular favourite among guests, even as another skewered meat dish arrives. The sheesh taouk from Tripoli consists of char grilled cubes of chicken cooked on skewers. The white meat and its leafy accompaniments are best enjoyed hot with all the flavouring available, failing which it tends to come across as slightly chewy.
With all the meat and cheese that has graced our plates, dessert is a tough proposition to consider, but the popular Lebanese mixed nut pastry baklava is an offer that is hard to refuse.
Another option to provide sweet relief to the palate is the baked filo pastry called omali. And in keeping with true West Asian tradition, the dessert is followed by Ethiopian yirgacheffe coffee, addressing the yearning caused by a rainy day.
The strong coffee is best washed down with some chilled water, with a small sweet toffee taking care of restoring balance to the palate, leaving us with full stomachs and a better understanding of world cuisine.
The Arabic food festival is on for lunch and dinner at Pepper restaurant till August 24.
(The writer was at the fest on the invitation of the hotel.)
