TAPPA

During a work trip to Aerocity I heard rave reviews of the newest restaurant on the The Walk — Tappa — by Lite Bite Foods which has with more than fifteen brands under its wings including Punjab Grill, Shizusan, You Mee, Barbecue by Punjab Grill, Street Foods by Punjab Grill, Tres, American Tandoor, Zambar, Asia 7, Nashto, Artful Baker and Tappa. Excited to go over and try out the cuisine, I pinged Kushagra Nagrath and he kindly arranged dinner. Walking in at 9 p.m., my friend and I were escorted to a table where we perused the menu; the overarching theme was clear — despite the effect of globalisation, certain nostalgic triggers ground each of us to our inherent Indian-ness. This restaurant is laced with a nostalgic vibe through its attention to detail and elements in the food and beverage, triggering childhood memories and subsequent delightful moments.

I thought it best to leave the choice of dishes to Chef and after enquiring about our culinary preferences,he sent out a procession of dishes! Dinner began with 'Guacamole greens, arugula, sous vide chicken, red onions, tomatoes, jhalmuri crisps' — a light layered textured dish that took us beyond familiar sensation; for me, it evoked memories of schooldays in Kolkata where jhalmuri was a must after the bell. Sigh!That said, the full-flavoured salad was fresh, tangy and beyond sumptuous. Up next was 'Cream cheese, water chestnut dimsum'. Honestly, I had never tried dimsums with cream cheese; it was melt-in-the-mouth flavourful. Sinful, no doubt, but satisfying and unlike anything I've had! And then it was time for entree: 'Tawa Tiger Prawns'. The tawa prawns rubbed with pickled yuzu was off-the-hook fresh and flavorsome, satiated hunger pangs and murmurs of satisfaction were involuntary elicited as we wolfed it down in no time! And then it was time for the last entree — Pizza with pulled lamb; the cheese-laden pizza melted in the mouth with each bite ending in an explosion of green chilli, garlic, cilantro, mozzarella and Parmesan. Trust me, the meaty pizza was so fresh and juicy that even the fine cheese couldn't boast bragging rights, capiche?

As conversation and camaraderie flowed, the clock struck midnight, and it was time to bid adieu. Reminiscing about the dinner at Tappa, at the heart of its concept lies progressive Indian culinary ideas while retaining a global outlook. Dishes that would delight millennials and take elders down memory lane. To appreciate the assortment of dishes comprising Tappa's menu, I recommend going with dining companions and ordering dishes you can share. Bon Appetite!

— JASMEEN DUGAL