Chef Davide Cananzi at the Piedmont food and wine promotion at the Hyatt Regency; Koneenica at the launch of the Saffron new menu. Pictures by Rashbehari Das

Chicken and Anchovies Salad with Bardolino Vinegar, Penne with Seafood Carbonara, Cheese Fondue with Roasted Pepper, Barolo DOGC? The mouth-watering dishes and exotic wines are part of the Piedmont wine and food promotion being hosted by La Cucina, the Italian speciality restaurant and bar at Hyatt Regency.

Piedmont is situated in the north-western region of Italy. The place and its people are famous for their love for all good things on the table including food and vintage wines. “Keeping in mind the people of Calcutta and their love for good food and beverages, we decided to host the Piedmont wine and food promotion. On the tables are exotic wines from the vineyards of Piedmont,” says a spokesperson for the hotel.

The oldest and most famous recipe of the Piedmont region is the Bollito. “Made with vegetarian and non-vegetarian combinations like turkey, beef, pork, chicken, cabbage, potatoes, onions and lentils, Bollito can be had with a variety of sauces like mustard, green sauce and pickles,” says Davide Cananzi, chef de cuisine.

He adds: “The wines from the vineyards of Piedmont are predominately red. Barolo is the most famous of all Italian wines. Barolo has a bouquet of violets and a smooth velvety flavour with a slightly resinous aftertaste.”

A bottle of wine will cost anything between Rs 1,790 and Rs 8,000. The special food dishes come within a range of Rs 275 to Rs 475.

The Piedmont food and wine promotion continues till July 16. The table is set only for dinner.

Chef Davide Cananzi at the Piedmont food and wine promotion at the Hyatt Regency; Koneenica at the launch of the Saffron new menu. Pictures by Rashbehari Das

Menu mix

Saffron, the pan-Indian restaurant at The Park, gets a new avatar under the guidance of Abhijit Saha, executive chef at The Park Bangalore.

“Modern India is going through a period of rapid culinary evolution. The new menu at Saffron strives to strike a balanced mix between the two basic types of Indian cuisine ? the aristocratic culinary fare developed by the khansamas now found in restaurants and home-cooked meals,” says Saha.

A variety of new items has been included in the new menu at Saffron, covering cuisine adopted from various regions around the country.

Starters like Spicy Fish Nuggets and Corn Stuffed Bajji Chillies are interesting, while the Coconut and Sesame Tandoori Prawns and Anardana Chicken Shikampur are a must-try, insists the chef.

Coming to the soups, one can sample from the asparagus, spinach and yoghurt ones if vegetarian is the preference, while the crab soup is a must for seafood lovers.

On the kebab front, the chef has experimented quite a bit, whipping up dishes like Banana Blossom Kebabs, Crab Cakes with Indian spices and Tandoori Lamb Chops marinated in balsamic vinegar, cloves and star anise.

The main course gets even more expansive with vegetarian dishes like Water Chestnut, Lotus Stem and Okra Stir Fried with Onions. Punjabi inputs can be found in the savoury Kadi Pakodi and Kashmiri elements in the Mushroom Biryani. The Keralite Vegetable Stew or the delicate Cauliflower Koftas have been adopted from down South.

New items on the non-vegetarian list include Pomfret in Mustard Sauce, Parsi Chicken Curry with Matchstick Potatoes and Lobster ka Salan. Fresh catches like crab, lobster, prawns, mussels, squids and fish are part of the wide selection of seafood items. Keeping up with the spirit of Bengal, the traditional Kosha Mangsho is recommended.

Finally, to round off your meal on a sweet note, the new menu at Saffron has a host of delicious desserts like the Trio of Chocolate Mousse (cardamom, vetiver and rose), Lychee Kulfi and creamy Payasams, available in different flavours.

The chef's special, however, is the Darjeeling Tea Pot de Cr?me.