French, Lebanese or Thai — which cuisine would please your Valentine? If you can’t choose one, head to Maison Rose, a new restaurant near City Centre 2, that will put on your platter all of these and more.
“We opened Maison Rose as this stretch — Rajarhat Main Road — was craving a restaurant of quality,” says Radhika Sethia, who runs Maison Rose as well as the Xen Suites property where it has come up. “While we are open to home deliveries, we expect customers to come and imbibe the experience of this festival.”
The Valentine food festival has begun and will continue till February 15, 12.30 to 9.30pm.
Soup and salad lovers can start with Apple, Strawberry, Pear and Spinach Salad (Rs 200). This classic French dish comes with a sweet and spicy honey-ginger dip and sets the mood what with the fresh fruits cut up in the shape of little hearts.
One can also opt for Iceberg with Smoked Chicken, Boiled Egg and Cherry Tomato, where the mayonnaise dressing is seasoned with parsley, caper and garlic. The “iceberg”, of course, refers to the crunchy variety of lettuce added to the wood-smoked chicken.
Among soups is a take on Thai Red Curry and Creamy Roasted Pumpkin Soup, that uses the time-tested combo of pumpkin and rosemary.
Much time and effort has gone into plating, and executive chef Sadhan Das says it’s his goal to arouse appetite the moment one lays eyes on the food. “A chef without art is just a cook,” says the man who has trained in Thailand and Dubai in their local cuisines.
The Havana Marinated Cottage Cheese with Herb Pilaf, for instance, is served to resemble a sandwich of sorts with the components balanced atop one another. “The cottage cheese is stuffed with a concoction of parsley, coriander, thyme, lemon juice and cheese before being panko-coated and grilled. The dish is rounded off with a drizzle of the said mixture — the Havana dip — on top,” says Dey.
Vegetarian or not, you cannot miss the Smokey Pears and Mushroom Shashlik with Green Pineapple Salsa (Rs 305). A product of fusing French and Mexican cuisines, these green salsa-marinated grilled mushrooms, pineapples and bell peppers will leave you asking for another skewer.
The Beer Battered Fish Orly isn’t the oily affair one is used to either. “We have ensured that the batter is light and fluffy and we are serving it with an unusual raisin sauce,” says Dey. “The Thai Chicken Green Curry with Butter Rice also tastes authentic, due to the fresh coconut milk we are using.”
For hardcore Bengali food fans, there is the Kala Bhuna Gosht with Lachcha Paratha (Rs 441). “For this, we have cooked Kosha Manghso till the colour darkens and the gravy dries up. We have also added fried onions for flavour and colour,” Dey says.
In the dessert section, try the Apple and Carrot Sweet Roll, that is a take on the season’s speciality patishapta. “The sheet uses rice flour, milk and — for the sake of Valentine’s Day — rose petals,” says Dey. The filling includes grated carrots, apples and rose petals and it is all topped with a creamy, milky sauce of mawa, raisins and —you guessed it — rose petals.
