The Bengali new year was just around the corner and Cafe Rouge had hosted a Bengali special Sunday brunch. In addition to the regular fare of museli, fruits and a medley of Continental and Oriental options, the also had the traditional luchi bread, Kosha Mangsho, Ilish curry, Kolkata traditional biryani, mix vegetables Bengali way and a variety of the humble aloo.
Buffet Starters
We started with some of the salads and cold cuts – even though the amount of options they have is pretty decent but the quality could do with a lot of improvement. The hummus was not as fresh and creamy and the cold cuts needed to be a lot fresher to cast an impact.
Live Counters
They also have live counters with street food options – think classic choley kulche, idli, vada, sambhar; these options of course change weekly. We tried the Vadas with a medley of chutneys which were really fresh but the vadas lacked the crunch and freshness.
On the Table
The appetizers served on the table included – chicken tikka, fried fish, soya chaap and chilly paneer. Absolutely loved their appetizer section, succulent tikkas, freshest meats and flavors on point.
The main course had a lot of Bong favor – Kosha Mansho (the traditional mutton curry cooked in mustard oil) , Ilish Mach (made with Hilsa fish, one of the most celebrated yellow curries) , Kolkata Biryani (made with mutton, onions, hints of saffron and the humble potato), Lucchi (much like a poori, but made with maida) and an array of potato dishes. The Bengali selection honestly had potential but was not quite complete in terms of flavors and authenticity. The mutton needed to be much more succulent and the biryani much subtle with the play of spices.
The desserts again had some hits and misses the caramel custard and phirni, are a must try though. The buffet at Cafe Rouge has potential but is not quite there yet. I would strongly recommend their North Indian fare.
Where? Cafe Rouge, Ramada Central, Gurgaon
Price for two – 2500INR for brunch
Cuisine – Multi-cuisine