In hindsight, forgetting my lunch bag was the best thing I did on Tuesday, as it gave me an opportunity to check the Let’s Go Bowl’ing Special Menu at On The Go. Put together by New Delhi-based Chef Samta Gupta, with inputs from Ranjana Singhal of OTG, all the dishes on this list are one-bowl serves.
However, what my friend and I realised was that one bowl does not necessarily mean one person. There was enough in each to be shared comfortably with a couple of people. Which Ranjana is happy to have customers do. “At least that way, people will try something new; instead of sticking to the same old stuff,” she smiles.
We studied the menu with great concentration and then looked at each other in despair. Such difficult decisions! Chef Samta kindly rescued us by offering suggestions. So we began with the Vegan Potato Salad. When the salad arrived, I blinked at it. Dabs of a cashew cream dressing very effectively set off the black plate, golden potatoes, white radish slices, red pomegranate seeds and the green of the methi micro-greens and sprouted moong. It was as good to eat as it was look at. The radish and moong added crunch and zing to the herby roasted potatoes; the sweet pomegranate and the dressing took care of the methi’s slight bitterness.
The Burmese Khow Suey was the perfect dish to follow this. We ladled the soup into our respective bowls, sprinkled our choice of accompaniments and dug in. Spicy and filled with noodles and veggies, it warmed us from the inside out on a cold rainy day.
Next up was Chef Samta’s choice: Emdatshi. I sipped at the white broth tentatively. Bland, was my first verdict. Then Samta suggested I try it with the chutney that came with it. I added a big dollop and mixed it well. Up came long white strands. “Rice,” she answered my look. With the addition of the chutney, the flavour changed to some tangy notes. Emdatshi is a cheese and rice broth from Bhutan, explained the chef.
Exotic Shrooms Ramen Noodle Soup
With my love for mushrooms, I didn’t want to pass up on the Exotic Shrooms Ramen Noodle and Chef Samta agreed that it deserved a taste. The base was a mushroom soup to which had been added broccoli, noodles and other varieties of mushrooms. This was served with rings of onion pickle. The mild spice helped one recover from robustness of the khow suey and the emdatshi.
Mexican Burrito Bowl
The Mexican Burrito Bowl was an artist’s delight. It had been divided into rajma , corn, cauliflower rice, and diced veggies, which were then topped with tomato sauce, sour cream, jalapeños, cherry tomatoes, lettuce and nachos all served in a see through glass bowl. It was a shame to disturb the arrangement but we scooped up spoonfuls, added the toppings and set to work. Accompanied by the salty chips, the flavours of the beans and veggies came together well.
Peruvian Bowl
Even as we were trying to recover came the Paneer Burji and Peruvian Bowl; both strong reminders of comfort food. The cottage cheese burji with warmed pav and an excellent chilli tomato jam was simple but tasty. The latter, despite the posh name, was a quinoa khichdi served with nendran chips, a potato patty, ghee and pickle. Definite overtones of ma ki haath ka khichdi , though mum would have turned her nose up at fancy quinoa.
Doi Berry Parfait
The dessert had just two options: Doi Berry Parfait with Granola and Baileys Ice Cream. The latter was a simple ice cream flavoured with Baileys. The former was made of yoghurt and freshly plucked berries and topped with home-made trail mix.
“You have a cold,” warned my friend. “That’s a virus; nothing to do with this,” I responded quickly shovelling a few spoonfuls into my mouth.
Paired with honeydew melons, the parfait and the granola offered different levels of sweetness. For those who like some crunch in their desserts, this makes the perfect end to the meal.
Let’s Go Bowl’ing
On until Sunday, August 19 for both lunch (12.00 noon to 3.00 pm) and dinner (7.00 pm to 11.00 pm)
On The Go, Behind ALG House, Race Course
Cost of meal for two is around ₹1600 plus taxes
0422-452 0116 or 0422-452 0117 for reservations
