 |
The Oberoi Grand
Description: The Sunday Gourmet Lunch has no hot buffet. There is a wide array of appetisers, soups, salads and desserts in the buffet. But for the main course, hot dishes are served individually in small portions so that a guest can taste more variety. The menu boasts a healthy mix of Indian, Italian and South East Asian delicacies.
Timings: 12.30 pm-3.30 pm.
Venue: La Terrasse.
USP: Since the food is not displayed on the buffet, it is fresh when served.
Menu: A sample menu for a Sunday brunch reads as follows. For breakfast, there is Freshly Squeezed Mango or Cucumber Dill Juice, Lemon and Ricotta Pancake with Blueberry Preserve, Waffles with Fresh Mango, Terrassana Maple syrup and Vanilla Bean Butter, Almond Brioche French Toast with warm layers of custard and apple, or Masala Uttapam and Dahi Vada with coconut chutney and sambar. If you want soup, you can try veloute of roast onion and garlic with wild mushrooms or broth of fresh water prawn with citrus fruit and fennel.
 |
In the main course, you can choose between steamed Norwegian Salmon with Sauteed Edamame Bean, Hearts of Palm and Pesto Broth, Olive Crusted Lamb Chops with Braised New Potato, Kalamata Olive, Green Bean and Tomato Compote, Garlic Pepper Prawn and Stir-fried Morning Glory with Green Pea Egg Fried Rice, Mushroom Krapaw and Stir-fried Vegetables in Ginger Soya Sauce with Pan Fried Noodles, Carnaroli Risotto with Morel Mushrooms and Asparagus and Grilled Vegetable and Mozzarella Napoleon with Soft Lemon Polenta and Tomato Fondue.
A complimentary glass of sparkling wine is included in the buffet.
Price tag: Rs 850, plus taxes.
Footfall: 75.
Celebrity guests: Melinda Gates, Ricky Martin, Queen of Bhutan, Steve Waugh and Alyque Padamsee.
Future plans: Since there is the flexibility of changing the menu every week, there is scope for additions and experimentation.
Voiceover: “Besides a wide variety in the cuisine, there are plenty of innovative dishes on the menu,” says executive sous chef George K. George.
ITC Sonar Bangla Sheraton & Towers
Description: The Sunday Sonar Family Champagne Brunch combines the pleasure of eating out with entertainment. Don Saigal and his jazz band bring alive melodies from yesteryear as well as contemporary music. Children are kept entertained with face painting, clown and caricature shows and movies, while their parents enjoy the brunch.
 |
Timings: 12 noon to 4 pm.
Venue: Eden Pavilion.
USP: The buffet spread has the flavours of all the signature outlets of the hotel rolled into one.
Menu: Start off with the chaat station where you can savour Dilli Ke Dahi Bhalla or Rajasthani Papri Chaat. Move on to the salad bar where you can enjoy salad greens with fruit-flavoured vinaigrettes as well as a variety of cheeses.
Choose from a wide range of exotic salads like Norwegian salmon with potatoes and hummus and the chef will toss up a fresh green salad according to your choice. Enjoy grilled items like Thyme-Roasted Zucchini and Bell Pepper Fritatas or Mosaics of Grilled Vegetables with Basil Crisps and Tomato Coulis from the kitchens of West View. You can also enjoy an interesting blend of flavours with a wide array of vegetarian and non-vegetarian soups.
Besides, there is a pasta bar, an interactive noodle bar, a Pan Asian spread, comprising Thai, Mongolian, Sichuan and Japanese dishes and Lebanese cuisine.
If you are looking for something Indian, try Dakshin, which serves cuisine from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, or gorge on the biryani and succulent kebabs from a live station.
You could also try authentic northwest frontier cuisine from Peshawri and Awadhi cuisine like Navratan Curry and Malai Khumb and Marwari vegetarian dishes like Ker Saangri and Ghutti hoi Gobi from Dum Pukht.
There’s something for the Bengali bhadralok ? Kosha Mangsho, Doi Mangsho or a simple Maacher Jhol. An Indian bread action station serves up parathas and kulchas. To end on a sweet note, there is a range of desserts from Chocolate Mousse to Mishti Doi. For the calorie-conscious, there is also a low-calorie, eggless dessert.
Price tag: The brunch is priced at Rs 950 plus taxes with unlimited white spirits, beer and sparkling wine and at Rs 750 plus taxes with unlimited non-alcoholic beverage.
Footfall: 150.
Celebrity guests: Aparna Sen, Derek ’Brien, Ranjit Mullick and Koel Mullick.
Future plans: Live counters will be set up during winter in the lawn next to Eden Pavilion.
Voiceover: “Our Sunday brunch offers the experience of a spectacular family day ? live entertainment coupled with culinary excellence. It is a tribute to Calcutta, the city of gourmets, and provides a platform for the chefs and service teams to excel,” says Ranvir Bhandari, general manager of ITC Sonar Bangla Sheraton & Towers.
Hyatt Regency, Calcutta
Description: At the Sunday Lunch here, the guest can enjoy a dip in the pool, followed by a lazy lunch.
Timings: 12 noon to 4 pm.
Venue: Waterside Caf?.
USP: Instead of calling it a brunch, Hyatt Regency prefers to call it a Sunday lunch. Though the menu changes every week, the live counters are a constant feature.
Menu: The buffet comprises live stations of seafood, chaat, Bengali street food, carved roast, dosa station, pizzas, pastas, a tandoor for vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian kebabs and an egg station along with a choice of waffles, croissants and French toast. There is also a live dessert counter that serves crepe suzettes .
Begin with vegetarian and non-vegetarian salads and cold cuts and follow it up with sour and pepper soup with egg drop. In the main course, you can choose from Lamb Ossobucco, Pork Schnitzel, Grilled Pomfret or Vegetable Cannelloni in the western section. In the Indian section, you can dig into biryani or Peas Pulao along with Zafrani Malai Kofta, Aloo Dum Khatta Mitha or Palak Paneer.
 |
Besides enjoying a fruit flambee from one of the live stations, you can also enjoy the wide variety of cakes, mousses, Indian sweets and brownies on the buffet. Beverages can be from the a la carte menu.
Price tag: Rs 625, plus taxes.
Footfall: 150.
Celebrity guests: Karisma Kapoor, Chunky Pandey, Yukta Mookhey, Lilette Dubey, Jatin and Lalit, Shaan, Boney Kapoor and Sridevi.
Future plans: None as yet since the buffet has been recently launched.
Voiceover: “Through the Sunday lunch, Hyatt Regency Calcutta looks at indulging our guests with authentic dining experiences,” says executive sous chef Subrata Debnath.
Hotel Hindusthan International
Description: The predominant cuisine is Mediterranean and dishes are authentic.
Timings: 12 noon?3 pm.
Venue: Virgose, the restobar.
USP: The highly affordable, and by far the lowest-priced buffet. A value-for-money deal.
Menu: The menu is different every Sunday though the spread remains the same. There is an antipasti counter, with seven vegetarian and non-vegetarian options in each, like Chicken Galantine, Fish Terrine, Seafood Antipasti, Spicy Salami Roll, Asparagus and Artichoke Crostini.
There is also a cheese platter and soup section along with a pasta and risotto spread, boasting delicacies like Spaghetti Bolognaise, Penne Seafood Ragout, Prawn Risotto and Penne Pomodoro.
There are two vegetarian and non-vegetarian options in the grills section, like Chicken Breast in Pesto Sauce and Cottage Cheese in Barbeque Sauce, while the Oriental section has preparations like Diced Chicken in Hunan Sauce and Vegetarian Hakka Noodles.
The dessert counter has six different selections, like Mango Cheese Cake and Hazelnut Mousse in Chocolate Cup. There are two live Lebanese counters serving shawarma, falafel and pita bread with a Lebanese mezze platter.
Price tag: Rs 650 including a glass of wine; Rs 550 without beverages.
Footfall: 35.
Celebrity guests: Bipasha Basu, Dino Morea, Payal Rohatgi, Gul Panag and Jeet.
Future plans: Depending on guest feedback, there are plans to upgrade the menu from time to time.
Voiceover: “What sets the Sunday brunch at HHI apart is its ambience at the restobar that combines fine dining and lounge seating,” says Vinay Jaiswal, director of operations, HHI.
Compiled by Tithi Sarkar
Pictures by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya and Pabitra Das
