For those who need to experience a variety of flavours, Dragonfly is a perfect place to hop in for a meal, says Harshit Arora
Why would someone, especially a restaurateur of some repute, name a restaurant Dragonfly? That was the question that buzzed in my mind as I entered Priyank Sukhija’s latest offering that specialises in cuisine from South East Asia. But a bit of Googling never does anyone harm and I came to know that these insects symbolise prosperity, harmony and are even considered a good luck charm in the region.
Once inside Dragonfly, I saw that from the decorations at the entrance to the lights across the restaurant and furniture, everything mirrored the life cycle of the insect. The outlet features three levels, each with a bar. The table that I was offered was in the middle of the restaurant. A bar covered one entire side of the ground. On the opposite end was the DJ console. The wall behind the console had several cutouts in myriad colours which portrayed vibrant dragonflies. The theme of the restaurant is fine-dining but on weekends, it turns into a party place with an in house DJ performance. Also the lighting changes with the flow of music which gives the place a lit vibe.
The menu was incredibly detailed, including soups, salads, ceviche, sushi, tempura, dim sums and puffsomes.
Coming down to what I was here for — food, I decided to place myself in the hand of the chef as I was dealing with Asian cuisine for the first time. The meal began with a Confit chicken salad. It was served on a plain round plate with arugula or rocket leaves. The presentation of the dish was simple yet appealing. It had a touch of vinegar and lemon which gave it a tangy taste to it. However, where it failed was that the texture of the leaves didn’t really blend in with the creamed chicken.
Coming to the drinks, I preferred to try something new. Mixologist Richard Hargroves has introduced the unique Manga mixology menu with drinks like the Sakazuki Cooler, Lust and Goku. The menu was based on Japanese anime. On one page there was a comic story of a character and on the other, there was a drink which was related to it. Out of the specially-curated 12 alcoholic cocktails for summer and four non-alcoholic ones, I decided to order Lust, a mojito with a Japanese makeover. The base of the drink was gin, plum wine, cranberry and apple infused sake which was perfectly blended with fresh yuzu juice, rose petals and topped with soda. The drink was zesty and the rose flavour cooled down the body on a hot summer day.
Moving on to the starters, I was served Thai chi crispy chicken. The chicken was perfectly cooked in tomato puree and was blended in classic barbeque sauce which imparted it a hint of smoked flavour. The touch of lemon on top gave it a tang.
Next up was Sriracha bloody Mary tuna. Baked in Thai sauce with onions, jalapenos and coriander, it was served cold and therein sprung the reason why I didn’t like the dish much. I would have preferred it to be served piping hot.
Next in the line were three types of Puffsomes — Peanut butter, mushroom and truffle and last but not the least Roasted Peking chicken. These colourful puffs were baked to perfection. Crunchy on the outside and flavoursome on the inside, these were a treat for the senses.
I travelled all the way to Japan, through cuisine, of course when I was served their signature sushi My first time. Served on a blue rectangular platter which gave it the look of a beach as there was a palm tree made of vegetables.
While I wasn’t done savouring it, Old is gold made its way to my table. The dish was basically a classic EBI Tempura (shrimps coated in a thin batter and fried until lightly crisp) which was perfectly blended with tanuki flakes, kewpie mayo and gold dust.
The main course, which took some time to reach the table, was well worth the wait. The Singapore hawker style noodles. were perfectly cooked. A pinch of vinegar added to the dish imparted a sour taste to it and that is what made it stand out.
Next up were Lamb shanks with Barley Risotto, pink peppercorn and mustard greens. The traditional dish was served with Kimchi rice. The presentation and the taste of lamb was what made me dig in and polish the plate clean.
Finally it was time for desserts. On the chef’s recommendation I ordered Mandarino. A cheese cake served with chestnut cream, citrus crumble and vanilla ice-cream, this was certainly the perfect ending to a a flavoursome meals.
The food, theme and decor score full marks, though the service is a little patchy. At one point, I had to wait for a dish for a long time while another arrived before I could finish the previous one. Overall a good meal and great value for money.
