31 January,2015 08:00 AM IST | | Ananya Ghosh
Barbeque Nation now offers this Indian frozen dessert, complete with toppings and dips, as part of its buffet menu. sunday mid-day tastes a few offerings and tells you whether it's worth a try
The Paan Kulfi comes laden with gulkand and other condiments such as shavings of the areca nut, sweetened coconut, roasted fennel seeds, nutmeg and anise seeds, and is love at first bite
Those with a sweet tooth have another reason to rejoice. Barbeque Nation has recently introduced kulfis as part of its buffet menu where you can sample this Indian dessert in myriad flavours such as paan, anjeer, strawberry and mango and also customise them to your fancy.
The Paan Kulfi comes laden with gulkand and other condiments such as shavings of the areca nut, sweetened coconut, roasted fennel seeds, nutmeg and anise seeds, and is love at first bite
You can choose from a wide array of dips including caramel, khus and kiwi, toppings such as fresh strawberries, apples, and pineapples along with dark chocolate flakes, white chocolate chips, choco vermicelli and gulkand (rose petal jam). If you manage to resist the temptation from biting into these topping-studded sleek sticks drenched in multi-hued translucent dips, and shift your gaze to the back wall of the counter, you will be greeted by never-ending rows of jars - each stacked with dry fruits and sweetmeats. You can tickle your taste buds with as many as 54 varieties of dry toppings.
sunday mid-day tastes a few of the kulfis:
I play it safe initially and order for a malai kulfi with falooda and rose syrup. But in a bid to impress me Mohidul, the attendant, smothers the kulfi with thick layers of falooda and copious amounts of the syrup. And the result is far from impressive. It's overtly sweet and even has a bitter aftertaste due to the chia (sabja seeds) in the falooda.
Next, he suggests that I try the paan flavour. I'm not too fond of paans. The very smell of it brings to mind stained half-broken dirty teeth and chipped walls. I try to dodge the bullet by asking for the Strawberry one instead. He happily obliges but goes all out again when it comes to the toppings.
Strawberry Kulfi glazed in mango sauce and sprinkled with pieces of strawberry and crushed nuts
After a few minutes what I have on my plate is nothing short of a work of art - a stick of kulfi glazed in mango sauce and sprinkled with pieces of strawberry and an assortment of crushed nuts. I have never tasted anything that has a combination of mangoes and strawberries but found this unlikely couple quite interesting. The sweetness of the strawberries is complemented by the lemon-like juicy tartness of mangoes. The nuts balance out the fruitiness of the dish and add a good crunch.
I slowly learn to trust the kulfi man and gather enough courage to sample the paan kulfi. It comes laden with gulkand and other condiments such as shavings of the areca nut, sweetened coconut, roasted fennel seeds, Nutmeg, Anise seeds, fruit preserves etc. On top Mohidul adds a dash of nutmeg powder. And it's love at first bite for me. The flavour of the betel leaves is mild which is perfectly complemented by the robust condiments.
Next, I try the anjeer flavour. And I'm glad that I had saved the best for the last. It has thick caramel sauce, rabri and a dash of vermicelli. The flavours hit all the right notes before melting in my mouth. If you are in the mood to experiment, then these kulfis are worth a try. We cannot rate this experience as it was by invitation
Where: All Barbeque Nation outlets across Mumbai
Worli (02233133557), Andheri (6060 0001), Lokhandwala (6002 1001), Nerul (33133453), Thane (33133319) and Belapur
