The romantic monsoons are here. And it is the perfect time to tuck in hot sizzling food. And no better venue than the well manicured lawns atop the Pasumalai hillock which houses The Gateway Hotel’s GAD restaurant. It adds to both, a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach.
As a kid, I remember ‘sizzlers’ were always head-turners. They still are, especially in small towns like Madurai. They undoubtedly have that added value attraction what with all the smoke swirling up and the distinctly audible sizzling sound off the hot iron plate decorated with exotic greens and meat. Kids get visibly excited and adults cast a controlled gaze.
The smoking hot delicacies are not easily available here and one presumes it’s got to do with the peoples’ popular taste and choice. So when Executive Chef Siva Kumar Anagani called to say this was the right time to taste his sizzling ‘masterpieces’, I was surprised and even more taken aback on finding the dining area packed on a weekend night.
“There is lot of fusion but no confusion,” smiled the Chef leading me to a table. “Every dish we are providing in the sizzler festival is a meal by itself,” he assured.
I am all ready to welcome the nippy with the vegetarian platter that contains barbecued cottage cheese, bhagar rice, vegetables skewered with Mexican salsa and served with mint chutney, butter and more.
“It is a ‘tastelicious’ whole meal because in the Indian sizzlers we are providing rice as starch and in the Continental sizzlers, we are giving mashed potatoes and bread as mainstay. It fills you up,” the Chef continues as I ‘double’task – taking notes and bites.
‘Fusion sizzler’ is all about combining Indian, Chinese, Thai and Western cuisines. For example, barbecued chicken marinated in Chettinadu spices and cooked in clay pot on clay oven comes with glazed seasonal vegetables (steamed and tossed in olive oil and chopped garlic) and curry leave pulao. The vegetable satay is complemented with crunchy peanut sauce and pickled gherkins on a bed of thai curry fried rice.
The teppanyaki sizzler has both veg and non-veg platter combining lot of Asian greens with sauce of your choice on a bed of mixed fried rice either with cooked tofu, chicken or fish. The char roasted lemon chicken steak with a flavour of cumin and wild mushroom sauce on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes has already caught the gourmet’s attention.
Some other exotic combinations with grabbing names like ‘surf n turf” are exclusive Chef’s surprise. It combines beef steak with prawns and herb rice. Or there is this luscious medley of otherwise familiar items that arrive sizzling on your table attracting eyeballs all the way -- from grilled chicken, paneer steak and vegetable cutlets with barbecue sauce to macaroni and pasta loaded with shallow fried beans, carrots and cauliflower or a bed of vegetable fried rice topped with crispy fried noodles or prawns and mini spring rolls.
It is always ideal to talk less and focus on your sinking teeth digging into the succulent taste of an assortment of exotic items on such occasions. Allow yourself to be delighted both by sight and taste, sound and aroma.
The options at the month long sizzler festival are delectable. Whether it is the spread of Italian pasta or the Thai connection, the Indian Tandoori or tangy Chinese, it is the trail of smoke that makes your table the cynosure of all eyes.
And the grand finale to the majestic meal is, of course, the sweet finish with apple pie, choco or hazelnut brownie, enhanced with vanilla ice cream and chocolate or truffle sauce and carmelised nuts. You simply need to gorge on and set your taste buds on fire. On till the month end only for dinner from 7-30 p.m. to 11 p.m.. For reservations call 6633000.
