Trendz at the Lalit has moved from Vietnamese, Korean and European to a Mediterrenean menu in the past few years. In its latest avataar, it has got most things right, though a few experiments didn't quite hit home
Overlooking the airy atrium and lobby-level water body at The Lalit Mumbai, Trendz has been living up to its name for some time now. It has trending menus that are changed and adapted to suit the palates of the ever-evolving, well-travelled food connoisseur. We visited on a weekday night, so the empty restaurant may not reflect whether the latest changes to its menu is a success or not.
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Lamb Done Twice
Under the aegis of Executive chef Subrato Goswami, the menu has been kept simple, focussing on fresh ingredients that tickle the taste buds. There is a blackboard at the chef station stating the grills of the day and other recommended dishes; the printed menu itself is short and crisp, with suggested wine pairings.
We started with a Steak Tartare (Rs 750). A refreshing molecular gastronomy concoction of watermelon and mango, the innovative fruit dish had Persian watermelon, vodka and pickled flavours. A mango ravioli placed on top looked just like a poached egg that would confuse many vegetarians. But the dish is worth a try.
The Walk in the Garden
(Rs 750) is a fresh salad on a bed of lemongrass crumble, but the Caesar’s ‘twist on the tradition’ (R850) that comprised sous vide chicken, bacon powder, romaine hearts and reggiano slivers did not impress.
A case of overdoing the molecular route, perhaps?
The mains did not disappoint, especially the Norwegian Salmon (Rs 1,950) that was poached in olive oil, on a bed of shaved fennel with a side of Lebanese tartar, eggplant caviar and some pomegranate thrown in. The caviar was especially interesting and went well with the flavour of the fish. The Lamb Done Twice (Rs 2,250) is priced too high for the small portion of the melt-in-the-mouth sous vide shanks. Though flavourful, these may seem too little spiced for most Indian palates.
We rounded off the light meal with the Chocolate Temperature and Texture (Rs 600), a dessert comprising ice-cream, mousse, a slice of opera cake, and a chocomosa. The last is a bundle of molten chocolate inside a fried casing — innovative and tasty. The Estee Lauder Inspired Perfumed Pannacotta (Rs 600) comprises a pineapple spring roll, Kaffir lime and frozen pineapple and was light, textured and a fitting end to the fare.
For a meal that would cost about Rs 3500 for two, the latest offering from Trendz is a mixed bag, though the very lightness and simplicity of the meal is worth a try, if you want a five-star experience.