360 degrees
Flavour is the motif of this brand new restaurant
Set’z has a new sibling and it is at the Aman Hotel. On the Waterfront is centrally located; as well-appointed as the original with an identifiably different menu, with the same broad divisions.
Atmospherics: You can opt to be seated in a different area every time you visit, and you really will feel that you are visiting a new restaurant every time: ground floor or first, ‘verandah’ or main dining area, or the drop-dead gorgeous water-front with its private table with a cover charge. As in Set’z, there are tables of twelve as well as those that seat two. Don’t miss the installation feature “Tears of a fisherman”.
Table talk: Thai and Chinese, European and Indian are the cuisines on offer here. How the restaurant has managed the feat is a miracle, but virtually all the food bursts with flavour. Take for example the Thai minced chicken salad, mint, red onions, roasted rice (Rs 565). There are no distracting bits in the soft-as-a-cloud minced chicken but their flavour is distinct nevertheless. The European poached Cochin shrimp, avocado, tomato, lime, garlic salad (Rs 775) owes its flavour to a mélange of superior ingredients.
Crispy sea bass, green mango, peanut, onions, lemon (Rs 595) was another elegant salad, this time Thai, which had crisp fish combined with tangy green mango that was full of flavour. In the oriental stir fry section, chicken thigh, bamboo shoots, green peppercorn, basil, fish sauce (Rs 740) combined to make an elegant dish that used contrasting textures to great effect. Cheung fan – prawn, scallop, green onion (Rs 595) is the best there is in our city.
Plus and minus: I wish more Indian restaurants served Indian food this good. The kacchi palak, kamal kakdi (Rs 700) is a treat for all – not only vegetarians. Service is still hit and miss. I ordered my Angus, raw garlic, chilli, lemon (Rs 2,000) from the teppan counter extremely rare but it arrived well-cooked. My companion had ordered noisette of English lamb, aubergine and cumin puree (Rs 1980) well cooked and got it extremely rare! The server genuinely didn’t seem to know the difference!
Do not miss: prawn coriander root, lemon leaf, galangal soup (Rs 610), Scampi, yuzu, shallots, soy (Rs 1150) from the robata, sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce (Rs 450).
Aman Hotel, Lodhi Road
Tel: 011 43633411
Open from 12 noon to 12 midnight
Alcohol served
Meal for two: Rs 5,000
Food: 3.50
Service: 3.00
Décor: 4.00
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