Global flavours at the Indian table

Inspired by the recently concluded G20 Summit in New Delhi, Executive Sous Chef Ashutosh Bisht conceptualised a food festival to represent global cultures under one roof. Thus happened the ‘Around The Globe’ fiesta at Edesia in Crowne Plaza, Okhla.

To render an authentic street-style experience of global metropolises, the all-day dining restaurant has been given a makeover that features key elements from different countries. For instance, at the entrance, there is a replica of the ubiquitous double-decker bus of London and, as one enters, they are greeted with a ceiling illuminated like the lantern festival in China. A wall is dedicated to the iconic Times Square in New York, USA.

Walking from aisle to aisle, one notices a corner representing every country, giving the visitors a feeling of coming across global food hawkers and carts.

The 15-day festival, which began on September 14, houses over 100 dishes and is an ode to World Tourism Day. It ends on September 28.

Indulge in iconic street eats, inventive twists and a mosaic of tastes that will thrill your taste buds in a one-of-a-kind Food Embassy experience.

A few of the signature culinary gems include Shawarmas, Doner Kebabs, Falafel Wraps, Barbeque selections, French Galette Saucisse, Korean Bap Burgers, Russian Baked Potatoes, Japanese Okonomiyaki Pancakes, Montreal style Bagel Sandwich and many more along with a lavish main-course and dessert spread.

The Turkish Ice cream stall was the busiest, keeping children entertained as their parents recorded their little ones’ joyful giggles, creating memories of a lifetime. The Ice Pops, Pulled Sugar Candies and Candy Floss counters were also of a lot of interest.

“The Turkish ice creams are unique for their hard and stretchy texture. They are made of goat milk and are resistant to melting due to the inclusion of the thickening agents salep, a flour made from the root of the early purple orchid, and mastic, a resin that imparts chewiness. The person selling the ice cream will keep beating it to make it more and more chewy,” said Chef Ashutosh.

At the restaurant’s rear, a tremendous spread of barbequed meat awaits the visitors. At the counter, a chef is roasting finely cut meat and fish steaks live on the counter, topping it with seasonings and sauces. “This is mainly like Australian barbeque. In Australia, barbeque is a huge tradition. For them, barbecue is all-encompassing, equivalent to the sense of grilling, and not limited to meats such as pork and beef, as is the case in America. In Argentina, they simply throw the protein in fire to roast, similar to how forest dwellers roast in our tribal areas.”

He added, “This food festival is an ode to the street food culture around the world as well as a celebration of our in-house chefs who come with expertise in diverse cuisines across the globe.  Our menu boasts of multiple dishes which have gained a cult status in their respective countries of origin. While most of the dishes stay true to their authentic preparations, we have also given inventive twists to a couple of dishes with millets as a star ingredient.”

The Indian side hosts the quintessential Biryani but made with millets. “It is the year of millets so we thought of replacing rice with millets,” he said.

Speaking about the decor, Somali Bajpai, responsible for its public relations, said, “Nowadays, we also have to think about how photogenic a venue should be because every body wants to experience not just the food but also post photos on their social media immediately. These are little things, but they bring joy to our visitors.”

The entire restaurant is transformed into a world embassy showcasing street-style carnivals, monuments, iconic lanes, food truck culture, travel souvenirs, entertainment zones and other visual surprises.

One can munch on New York-style burgers or fork their way through the German Cheese Spaetzle, dig into the African Bunny Chow or go Mamma Mia over the Neapolitan Pizza, taste the Mexican Burrito or get playful with their palate just like the iconic Turkish Ice Cream.

The menu is cyclic so items will differ every day.

Among the desserts, the Tiramisu – a classic Italian layered dessert with rum-flavoured, coffee-soaked ladyfingers, a creamy mascarpone custard, and whipped cream – stole the show. Special mention – The Watermelon Martini will leave you enthralled with its first sip and leave you wanting for more for weeks to come.

Shuvendu Banerjee, general manager, said, “As we approach World Tourism Day, we strive to celebrate tourism’s role in inclusive development with this immersive culinary dining experience. With guest delight and loyalty being at the forefront of our hospitality business, we are optimistic about winning hearts with such thoughtful curations. We are also looking forward to strengthening relationships with our partners from the tourism fraternity through the course of the event.”