Prafull Aina, the new executive chef at The Oberoi Grand, is all about classic dishes, seasonal ingredients and keeping it fresh. Keeping this in mind, he’s planned a whole new menu for the all-day dine den, Threesixtythree at The Oberoi Grand, and t2 was the first one to get a taste of the newly-incorporated dishes. “The new menu is all about classics and winter theme. We have kept a balance between Indian and Continental cuisine. A lot of pumpkin, beets, walnuts, garlic, almonds and other winter special ingredients have made their way into the menu. We’ve taken special care to include a good portion of vegetarian dishes in the menu keeping our clientele in mind. The earlier classics, such as the Thermidor and the Tetrazzini, have also come back to the menu, so have comfort food dishes such as the Bharwan Tandoori Aloo, Makhmali Kofta and so on. we’ve also sourced a lot of local ingredients, such as the gondhoraj lime so as to keep things fresh,” said chef Aina as he took us through a series of over 10 different dishes that are a part of the new menu.
A few of our faves were the Burrata with Peruvian Asparagus, Balsamic Grapes and Truffle Oil Dressing that had a good blend of sweet, sour, creamy and tart; the Bharwan Tandoori Aloo which was a classic yet simple and always amazing recipe, and the Roasted Pumpkin with Cashew Nut Purée where the sweet pumpkin was balanced by the creamy purée or the nuts.
Let’s dig in!
Hazelnut Rocher: This is a representation of the popular Ferrero Rocher chocolates. The wrapper is also made with chocolate and a rich and creamy hazelnut mousse is encapsulated within the centre of the chocolate ball that is also loaded with nuts.
Hyderabadi Nalli Nehari: Chef Aina has introduced the Hyderabadi nehari with this dish. The gravy here is loaded with spices and is hence much more potent and aromatic than its Calcutta counterpart.
Slow Roasted Pumpkin: Winter fave pumpkin is grilled till it’s nicely charred on the outside and soft on the inside. It is served with a salsa verde oil and cashew nut purée as base. These two flavours balance out the sweetness of the pumpkin.
Textures of Potatoes: Three textures make up this dish — baked thinly-sliced potatoes layered with Parmesan cheese, purple potato chips as garnish, and potato sauce that’s a purée with cream and butter. It is served with a coriander mayonnaise emulsion and beetroot powder drizzled on top.
Semolina Gnocchi: A bigger version of gnocchi, this has a pine nut and basil emulsion as base. The nuttiness of the pine nuts is cut through well by the aroma and freshness of the basil. Parmesan cheese is the star of the dish, and you’ll love nibbling on to the crisp.
Gondhoraj Mahi Tikka: Keeping his locally-sourced philosophy in mind, chef Aina has used Bengal’s fave gondhoraj lime in the marination of the fish. This adds a zingy and fresh taste to the kebabs.
Makhmali Kofta: Kofta poached in a spice gravy and then cooked in a saffron-based sauce. The kofta is not fried but poached in a spice-based broth and then simmered in the luxe gravy. Goes best with rice or naan both.
Bharwan Tandoori Aloo: Everyone loves Tandoori potatoes. It has khoya and nuts on the inside and scraped potatoes are also used in the filling. The char on the potatoes is on point, and you won’t stop at just one.
Makai Chilgoze Ki Seekh: The dish is designed keeping winter in mind, and has a good combination of corn with pine nuts that add to the crunch. The kebabs are so succulent and moist that they melt in the mouth.