Epitome of diversity

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Epitome of diversity

Friday, 16 August 2019 | Dhruvika Bhanot

Epitome of diversity

Not just in its food but also in its ambience, La Roca offers an experience that fires all the senses, says Dhruvika Bhanot

Modern restaurants are no longer just about food. They often sell concepts, tell a story or haul the diners into another dimension through their ambience. La Roca, certainly tries to do the last by paying an ode to modern Spanish design in all its splendor.

As I entered, one of the first things that jostled to catch my attention was the ceiling of the restaurant, an immense dome-shaped roof. Of course there were also the tables, each one in the vast restaurant, designed to give a different dining experience because each side was positively off beat. Sit on the left and an assortment of golden rimmed mirrors accompany you through dinner, find a seat somewhere in the centre and you will have a gracious view of the glorious bar, which is undeniably the highlight of the restaurant, I might even go forward and label it as a crowd-puller. Despite not drinking alcohol, I couldn’t help but be enamoured by how extensive the bar was and add to it the fact that it was grandly emphasised with golden lighting which contrasted with the dim-lit restaurant. The hanging lamps were suggestive of the fact that if someone walked from their table and into the bar, they would be transported into a lateral space yet remain in the element of the restaurant. Quite a place. 

Before I ascended into the read through of the dishes, I wouldn’t want to wait any longer to appreciate the impeccable service where the servers were not just quick but also quite knowledgeable about the menu, something of a rarity. The upbeat ambience and matchless service  meant that I was already writing them a perfect grade point. 

The first to arrive to our table were two beverages — orange juice and a coconut drink. While the first drink somewhat treaded outside the taste of an ordinary orange juice with an underlying taste of pineapples, the coconut welcome drink was an unusual encounter too. Never having tasted anything similar to it, I approached it with unblemished curiosity. It was a bartender special, a connoction of pineapple, fresh cream and flavoured coconut water. The ivory colour might try to fool you but take a sip before you descend to conclusions. I found myself reaching for it throughout dinner. 

Close behind were cottage cheese balls, a light appetiser enveloped in crunchiness, which made me excited about the subsequent arrivals. The menu was quite the epitome of diversity, one moment you were eating sushi and the next tacos, and the next nigris. Though inspired from a deep-rooted Spanish tradition, yet it found its way across the world in different forms.

The beetroot salad was next. Laid on sour cream, it had both chunks and thin slices of beetroot, balanced by the sweetness of caramel oilnut. It had a somewhat sour taste and I couldn’t help but scrunch my face at it. It wasn’t my favourite but was a different experience with its contrasting flavours.

Enoki nigris were one of the best delicacies of the night. Nigris wrapped in sweetness with a small strip of nori, had fried enoki mushrooms on top. I was quite apprehensive of trying them but they absolutely blew my mind with their brilliance. Truly tasteful and I would definitely return solely for the nigris. 

A close second favourite were the lamb khurchan tacos where small pieces of the meat were sandwiched between lettuce and mexican salsa and topped with a dollop of cream. The hard shell of the taco enveloped the juicy and flavourful lamb. It was slightly spicy, which I loved no less but nothing the coconut water could not drown.

Next up were the chicken skewers which were the most intriguing. They were marinated in lemon juice, coriander, salt and black pepper. For someone who is habituated to eating spicy food, I found the taste mellow but after a second serving, the flavour revived itself. The succulent chicken was placed on a pita bread. 

What did not settle well was the sticky rice, tomato balls placed on plate splattered with orange cheese and green chutney. The dish carried an aftertaste of cheese. I couldn’t form a truce with it even after a second serving. It seemed that too much was going on inside the little ball and my mind couldn’t decipher one flavour before the next hit my tongue. It might have been pretending to be something which it was not. I did not have much time to mourn over the dish that remained untouched for the remaining dinner as our servers brought lamb chops, dark and absolutely alluring. Saucy, chewy red meat enveloped in tomato sauce and kidney beans left a bit of an aftertaste on the sour-y side.

Our final main dish was Paneer shaslik topped with spicy corn crumbs which tapered towards spice but was bearable and rather appealing due to the slight blandness of the skewered and grilled cottage cheese that struck a harmony with tortilla crumbs. As someone who has loved cottage cheese for the longest time, it was a delectable dish. 

The dinner seemed to have been an unquestionable success and concluded with Tres leches. A South American dessert cake sponge, which melted with the first taste and was drenched in sweet milk, crowned with cream and milk crisps. It was almost enough to threaten nigris as the most relished delicacy of the night, and sealed the deal for me.

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