The Middle East and the exotic flavours of its cuisine hold centre-stage every Friday at Edesia, Crowne Plaza Today New Delhi Okhla. The weekly theme dinner aims to offer the exciting range in the cuisine of the region in an authentic way. So culinary gems from Syria, Egypt, Iran, Turkey, Yemen and Oman make their way to the table. At Edesia, the attempt seems not only to capture the cuisine but the hospitality typical to the Middle East as well. Guests are welcomed with the Arabic tradition of hand wash, followed by the application of itr (fragrance) and sprinkling of rose water. The ambience is also quintessentially middle eastern withattendants dressed in Arabic attire with Arabian music to boot. A genie roaming around the restaurant evokes a sense of the Arabian nights. The specialities of the region — fruits, variety of dates and sherbets — are displayed. Though the Middle East has many specific regional cuisines, one item ties them all together — aromatic spices. While a Middle Eastern meal might exclude meat, it never abandons bread. They welcome guests by serving three types of drinks — cucumber with yogurt, date milk and rose water. One can start with fattoush (toasted bread and salad), fresh and full of health. The smoothie bab al yam is very light and refreshing and is accompanied by kharoop shish — mutton kababs.
The dinner buffet is a true feast, beginning with shawarmas, sandwich with sliced chicken and vegetables, tahini wrapped in pita bread to tagine (lamb stew cooked with spices, chick peas and prunes on slow heat) and farah reej mashwi. The vegetarians have desirable options of okra with tomato sauce and dolmas — wine leaf rolled with rice. Dishes are served with aroz mofalfal — long grain rice with dry fruits and saffron.
Sfouf (almond semolina cake), basbousa (semolina cakes with syrup) to nut-filled desserts ranging from baklava and knefe (sweet phyllo and cheese dessert) make the dessert section. A taste of this meal comes at a price of Rs.1,600 plus taxes per person.
