It was an invitation to one of the most contemporary and popular star hotels in the "city of joy" and I had an open choice of lunch/tea/dinner!!! Notwithstanding the fact that almost every visit to this hotel's reception warrants a sighting of pretty air-hostesses from some private airlines or the other (although i prefer the ones in blue or red uniform) i did not hesitate much to take the offer for lunch and duly set off for my destination. I had heard that the hotel had almost totally revamped its entertainment centers, but what i witnessed was nothing that i had even imagined... almost every corner, every wall, every seating area, every eatery, every lounging area has been drastically revamped to accomodate a more contemporary, stylish, global audience (if i may say so, for want of a better word) For someone like me, who has too many memories attached to the place, it came as quite a shocker mised with a certain amount of sadness but then as Bob Dylan famously said "the times they are a changing..."
Anyway, thats enuff about the decor and renovation...the point of discussion, to begin with, was THE BRIDGE...the new 24x7 coffee shop in place of the ATRIUM, which incidentally had developed almost a cult following. Probably even god doesnt know why the decision makers decided to shut down ATRIUM, coz i thought that was one of the identities of the hotel, alongwith SOMEPLACE ELSE, though by god's grace, the former is still there. So, i was accompanied to THE BRIDGE by my "chaddi-friend" who also happens to be the Director-Public Relations of this esteemed hotel now...though that doesnt take away the fact that our relationship is still very much based on our "chaddi days" So, needless to say, its always difficult to behave in a polite formal corporate manner with her, which i had to since she held a position of repute in that particular environment (i had taken utmost pains to dress up in a stylish full-sleeved shirt for the occasion) Coming to the lunch part, after opting to sit indoors and after deliberating on the buffet option and the ala carte menu, i stuck to my age-old tried & tested 'Beef Fillet Steak' thinking that it wud be just like they used to make in THE ATRIUM, almost a decade back. But sadly, that was not to be...no, i am not saying it was bad, it was just not what i expected...i guess when u r comparing something to ATRIUM's sandwiches, burgers and steaks...then its quite a bit that a chef has to live upto...and this one couldn't. Also, i am quite a tradition steak eater...i like mine flattened, well-done, with mashed potatoes and boiled vegetables that shud primarily include green peas, beans, carrots...this one, in true contemporary health conscious fashion had bell peppers and olives, something that just doesnt go with a steak (or maybe it does, amongst the more experimental steak eaters) In retrospect, i think i sud have listened to my chaddi-friend..oops! the Director-PR who had initially recommended the fish fillet...and after trying some from her, i daresay she was absolutely right...the bhetki was of the finest quality that has ever touched my tongue in so many years...pristine white and succulent to the power of infinity. But that doesnt mean i abandoned my steak, afterall i am a born sucker for steaks...and good or bad, i will finish them to the last shred on my plate. And so i did, but what came after that is what was the icing on the cake...2 scoops of vanilla ice cream, with a sprig of mint and topped with chocolate sprinklers. I must admit that i have never had this 'sprinkler thingy' ever before...and the raw flavour and texture it adds to an otherwise smooth ice cream blend is unreal. And so, the Director-PR was pleasantly surprised to see that i have finished off every lick of the ice cream even before she cud say Ooo-La-La (what u see in the picture above is seconds before the complete destruction) Ice creams, cakes and bitter chocolate has always found topmost place in my food chain...and so it was no surprise that this dessert served in the most delicious way and style, proved to be a tad bit more interesting than the steak...i suppose, i am a bigger sucker for ice creams than steaks ;)
I left after saying "thank you" to two people who waited on our table as if I was the biggest and the toughest food-critic that the city has (the Director-PR expressing doubt over the beef steak's quality didnt help either coz in seconds the chef came running from the kitchen to know what's wrong...certainly a very embarassing situation for me) and after walking down the corridor with my chaddi friend who gave me a glimpse into a whole lot of memories that the hotel has for me...and that will never change even if they change every nook and corner and wall and.......
