Creo and Caramel: The creative art of food

5 Dariya News

New Delhi 25-Aug-2015

The Latin word 'Creo' means to create or to make. This can also be said about the Creo restaurant in west Delhi where everything - from water to the main course to the dessert - is a work of creative art.Be it the specialised 'Water Menu', the four varieties of Lactose-free milk with nuts for the health buffs, food stations that cater to gourmets from across the country to the international ones to live counters - Creo, which is located at New Delhi's latest addition among top hotels, Vivanta by Taj at Dwarka, has a lot to offer.For those with a sweet tooth and love for bakery items, just walk across to 'Caramel', the hotel's equally inviting bakery.

While the breakfast and the Sunday Brunch at Creo are its high points, the place and its food is all inviting for other meals too.One unique thing at the breakfast that no visitor can miss is the 'Masala Chai' served from a copper kettle in small lined glasses carried in wire-holders."The chai served at breakfast in the copper kettle and small glasses is unique. It reminds you of railway stations and chai being served there. The breakfast buffet is one of the best that I have come across. Cheers to their team," Kiran Ahluwalia, a visitor from Mumbai, told IANS.The restaurant offers global cuisine with a combination of European, Oriental, Indian and south coastal main courses served lovingly by the chefs."There are three 'Ts' - time, taste (for freshness) and (right) temperature that are our focus to enhance the food experience of our guests. The emphasis is on being creative," the hotel's general manager, Anil Malhotra, told IANS.Chefs at the restaurant often interact with guests for feedback on tastes and preferences so that innovations can be worked out."Be it the refreshing cooler smoothies, mocktails and enriched cold soups, accompanied with an assortment of artisan cheese and cold cuts or the good old chilled seafood counter, the cold mezze counter, the antipasto counter, a selection of 12 vegetarian and eight non-vegetarian salads, assortment of bakes breads, dips, salsas and dressings, we have a lot to offer," Executive Chef Elangovan Shanmugam told IANS.

For the connoisseurs, carved and baked whole red snapper and leg of kid lamb with wine and legumes, bay fresh prawns in black bean coriander, mapu tofu, Awadhi murgh biryani and bhagare baigan, live appams with stew and malabari paratha coastal fish curry are there to satisfy the palate."The food, service and layout at Creo are explicit. It is hard to decide what not to eat," Pooja Thakur, a guest, said.With live stations of Italian flavours of evergreen risottos, pastas and wood-fire pizzas, seafood and meat grills, sumac dusted chicken Shawarma, Japanese master chef juggling teppanyaki with assortments of sushi and misoyaki roister, there is little one can resist.The Lactose-free milk with amalgamation of nuts, which is said to have tremendous health benefits and reduce heart disease, comes in flavours like rice and raisin, wheat and honey, linseed and fig and oats and prunes.The 'Water Menu' includes flavours like basil and lime, cinnamon and honey, turmeric and cumin, methi (fenugreek), thyme and wheatgrass.At Caramel, the collection is of theme-based desserts, free from fat, egg, sugar and gluten; fruit and spiced chocolates; a children's live counter for waffles and 'Moms pancake' with ice cream and chocolate.With all this and more, they say, if gluttony could kill, I would be so dead!!

FAQs:

Where: Creo Restaurant and Caramel Bakery at Vivanta by Taj, near Sector 21 Metro Station Dwarka, New Delhi (Tel: 011-66381000)

Meal for two: Rs.1,200 to Rs 2,500 (depending on dish choice and drink); at Caramel - Rs 300-500.

Timings: 7 am to 10 am (breakfast), 12 noon to 3 p.m. (lunch) and 7.30 pm onwards (dinner). Open all days.

Sunday Brunch: Rs.1,400