Whisky Samba, a classy restaurant by seasoned restaurateurs Ashish Dev Kapur and partner Joydeep Singh, has been enthralling guests in Gurgaon for a few years now. The restaurant, located at one of Gurgaon's most posh office addresses, became popular initially, thanks to its large bouquet of cocktails, mocktails and an exhaustive wine menu. Incidentally, Whisky Samba is known to have the longest bar in Delhi-NCR. The stunning 50-foot bar offers an impressive 180 types of whisky and whisky-based cocktails. The food here was always good, but not necessarily what would pull you to this part of NCR on a weekend. Aiming to change that, the team got on board Chef Vikramjit Roy a few months back, with the result that Whisky Samba is slowly making Food its high point.
Whisky Samba recently introduced a fabulous new menu spearheaded by Chef Roy
Chef Vikramjit Roy, of course, needs very little introduction to those who have been following the restaurant scene in India. For the uninitiated, Chef Roy is an industry veteran and the man behind such iconic brands like Tian, Pan Asian and Wasabi by Morimoto. Not many know that Chef Roy has also worked with international restaurants like Bangkok's Nahm and the famous Din Tai Fung's Taipei branch.
Whisky Samba recently introduced a fabulous new menu spearheaded by Chef Roy, which clearly reflects his vast experience in Pan Asian flavours. The new menu is presented well and is showcased as Gourmet Bar Meals - with the aim to tie-in their specialty bar offerings along with a fresh set of savouries and sweets.
(Also Read: #NewMenuAlert: Hong Kong Club's New Menu Promises A Burst Of Flavours With An Edgy Twist)
The new menu has modern Japanese and Pan Asian dishes as well
The menu is broadly divided into two parts - one with Modern Japanese and Pan Asian dishes and the other showcasing a set of 'Nostalgic Mains'. The variety in the first is huge and every dish comes with super flavours and international-style presentation. But it's the second half of the menu that I find more exotic, actually. This part is inspired by Chef Roy's family recipes, and flavours that have been collected from all over the country over his travels; this section is a must-try for the regional-food junkies. We don't know if these dishes are Chef's personal favourites, but it's safe to say they are from his personal collection and that's good enough!
THE SUNDAY BRUNCH AT SAMBA
Drawing from the new menu, Whisky Samba has created a weekend meal aimed at people from Gurgaon, and even South Delhi. The Sunday Brunch menu, in a way, offers you the best of both worlds. You've got sushi, salads, burritos, toasts, and warm appetisers like dim sums, soups, fritters and stir-fried meats, with of course cocktails and wines to enjoy, plus there are also a few signature nostalgia dishes to savour as mains.
There are rustic, artsy 'stations' all over the restaurant
All dishes are served on your table, while you also have these rustic, artsy 'stations' all over the restaurant where you could go and get a soup, salad, duck roll or even a waffle/pancake to order.
Some of the dishes you must not miss include: Minced chicken salad, fish dumplings with roasted onion sauce, crabmeat and poached chicken toast, asparagus croissant served with a spicy celery sauce and stir fried shrimps and the duck rolls. From the Chef's Nostalgia section, I really enjoyed the red snapper cooked in mustard and raw mango sauce.
Everything on the menu is free of refined sugar and flour
The health conscious will be happy to note that everything on the menu is free of refined sugar and flour. Additionally, a quick chat with Chef Roy revealed that beyond his dishes and presentation, he is also trying to keep his overall approach modern and relevant to the world we live in. Salads are sourced locally and picked fresh regularly, meats are cooked sous-vide style, and he tries to get on board artisanal brands in a bid to support local, seasonal produce.
The Samba Sunday Brunch Details:
Unlimited delicacies from sushi, cold plates, salads, dim sum, warm appetisers, mains & desserts. INR 2300 ++ (Food)
Add INR 1000++ (Unlimited cocktails/beer)
Add 1500 ++ (Unlimited IMFL, cocktails, beer, sparkling wine)
For Reservations: 011 - 33106208