Ahead of the bustling festive season, enjoy a relaxing time at La Cucina with its Italian Wine Dinner. It is the perfect sit-down dinner to experience fine dining and Italian cuisine at its best. Accompanied by a rich and carefully curated selection of wine, this six-course meal is crafted with experienced deliberation that reflects in its delicious flavours. Moreover, if you often find yourself confused about wine selection, this can help enlighten you on what kinds of wine can match the food on your plate and enrich the overall dining experience. There are sommeliers present to serve as well as explain the importance of the wine. Each course also has vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian options.

What: Italian Wine Dinner

Where: La Cucina, Hyatt Regency Kolkata

On till: September 18, 7pm onwards

Pocket pinch: Rs 5,000-plus

For reservation: Call +91 6292 196230

The meal begins with an assortment of freshly baked and soft breads, which include a Date and Pumpkin Swirl, a Pesto Palmier, a Sour Dough and a Focaccia. They are accompanied by three kinds of dips, the fresh and tangy Sundried Tomato Pesto, the smoky Wood-roasted Garlic Confit and the sweet and creamy Truffle Infused Wild Mushroom Pate.

Next on the menu is the Orange Blushed Poached Prawn with a sweet potato crisp. Small but packed with flavours, this lightly poached and chewy prawn offers sweet notes before you get on to the heavier courses. The other option available is the Watermelon Carpaccio with Smoked Yogurt and baby seedling. The crunchy, watery and thinly sliced watermelon is complemented by the fresh yoghurt.

The Calzone or folded pizza offers the familiar taste of a regular pizza but in a more compact form. The lamb Bolognaise filling is juicy and only lightly spicy. Accompanying it is the Folonari Chianti Classico whose light acidic notes complement but do not overpower the subtle tangy notes of the Bolognaise filling.

General Manager Kumar Shobhan spoke of how his love of wine and exploring wine tours and culinary adventures in all his travels made him thrilled to announce the wine paired dinner.

The Basil infused Lemon Sorbet comes as a break in between the courses. It is incredibly refreshing and cleanses your palate, readying it for the much heavier main course.

The first course includes Pan Seared Scallops with a creamy coconut and lemongrass emulsion. The freshly tossed veggies add freshness and texture to the dish while the pan-seared scallops are chewy, sweet and have smoky notes. Accompanying this course is the citrusy Villa Antinori Bianco Toscana. It is balanced and subtle when it comes to taste and opens up your palate for the rest of the meal.

The first course is followed by a warm soup, the Truffle Infused Cauliflower Cappucino. Sweet and creamy in taste, it is the definition of a comfort soup. The toasted bread on the side makes it even better.

Desserts on the menu include a Chef’s Special Tiramisu, which has a warm and comforting taste and the rich chocolate Mille-feuille. The Raspberry Caviar and Hazelnut Praline Choux with the Mille-feuille provide texture to the dish and provide a break from the chocolatey thickness. The ending wine is the Cavicchioli Rose which is a light, fruity wine that is bubbly and refreshing.

The main course has multiple options available. The Grilled New Zealand Lamb Chop, among them, is chewy and juicy. The Green Pepper Corn Jus along with the sour mash also make for a creamy side. One can also order the Thyme Baked Seabass that comes with lime herbed beurre blanc, tomato tartare and bites of fresh fruits like avocado and grape fruit. The main course is served with the Antinori Peppoli Chianti Classico, which is bold and dry. It goes perfectly well with the proteins and is on the heavier side.

“I always like to go the minimalist way when it comes to making a menu. The ingredients that I choose should speak and every element on the plate must complement each other. I also try to focus on fresh and local ingredients. The menu has the authentic Italian taste but at the same time, it is very modern and contains flavours in which everyone will find something to like,” said Chef Ishika Konar, executive chef, Hyatt Regency Kolkata. “There are very few people in Calcutta who actually love wine but they want to try something authentic and Italian. So, we were very keen on having only the best and most authentic wines for the dinner. La Cucina has always been remembered for their wine menu,” added Ershad Mullick, director F&B, Hyatt Regency Kolkata.