Ottimo, at ITC Royal Bengal, the signature Italian restaurant, offers the experience of years of culinary mastery firmly rooted in the traditions and culture of the Italian soil with a touch of the unexpected and a delightful spark of innovation. Modern and classical Italian cuisine finds its way to your table in renditions that echo the true flavours of Italy and brings you an authentic experience.
Among its features, Ottimo showcases a magnificent live kitchen that is a feast for the senses. When you think of Italian food, you conjure up images of boiling pasta, rich and thick sauce made with sun-dried tomatoes, and lots of cheese. While these are definitely part of a delicious Italian meal, the heart of Italian food is based on the grill with a distinct and unique style from each region. Premium cuts of meat, poultry, fish and seasonal vegetables are all classic grilled Italian dishes. Ottimo’s grill festival, La Griglia, on till March 31, is celebrating exactly this.
The Telegraph sampled the menu, and here’s what we loved.
Spring Chicken with Italian Herbs and Pepperoncino: Crumb-coated and grilled, the chicken has a lovely bite, and a fresh smell owing to the Italian herbs. Smashed baby potatoes and pesto are befitting accompaniments.
Andaman Prawns with Salsa Verde: Fresh and juicy prawns from the Indian Ocean get a spicy rub of the salsa verde and are then grilled to retain their freshness.
Asparagus with Black Garlic and Hazelnut: A fave veggie in most grills, the asparagus is cooked all the way through without it becoming limp or soggy. The black garlic brings in some great umami action to the plate.
Scamorza with homemade Mono-floral honey and Balsamic: That’s not chicken or fish steak, but chewy scamorza cheese that has been grilled and then drizzled with floral honey and balsamic vinegar. A must-try for cheese lovers
More about it
What: La Griglia
Where: Ottimo, ITC Royal Bengal
On till: March 31
Timings: Lunch: 1pm - 3.30pm, dinner: 7pm - 11.30pm
Pocket pinch: A la carte starts at Rs 1,500-plus, veg starts at Rs 550-plus