Beer has always been a drink for the young. A light drink to relax with your buddies. But India has always been bereft of fine Beers. The upcoming microbreweries do try to fill the gap to some extent but the arcane laws of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh limit their presence only to Gurgaon. With FSSAI piling up new rules, there is a big shortage of fresh brews in the Delhi NCR, especially east of the Yamuna. This is where the Belgian Beer Café at the Crowne Plaza, Greater Noida takes charge and emerges a winner.
Although located at a distance from the city, the hotel is bustling with an expat clientele which fill up their restaurants giving them brisk business. The Belgian Beer Café seduces you with a rustic look with a huge Chemist’s cabinet replete with drawers acting as the Bar. A small board lays out the menu written in chalk while wooden cupboards line up the walls. The tables are Spartan, reminiscent of the olden Belgian breweries. With a huge number of draught beers in the line, they surely are going to become a hotspot.
One of the most daring things they have done is to stick to a quintessential Belgian menu. Although surrounded by a population whose only accompaniment to booze is Tandoori Murgi and Paneer Tikka, their beautifully curated menu stands tall. We start off with Hoppetisers. Appetisers made with hops that serve as a perfect accompaniment to a light Hoegaarden or Stella Artois. The Patat Royal are potato fries wrapped in parma ham along with some chive give a perfect mix of starchy potato along with the salty, meaty ham and the zingy herbed mayonnaise on top. The Crumb filled Queen Olives with Ricotta cheese and a rocket sauce is a beautiful burst of flavours on your palate.
The starters include a light as air Beer Battered Calamari and a Bread Canape. The saltiness of the Brie and the crispiness of the walnut and the toasted bread along with the caramelised apple on top is a complex interplay of flavours which combine like a dream with the strong Leffe Beer.
Before we jump onto the main, the Beer bread and the Potato Stoemp act as a filler. Both of these are characteristic of Belgium’s scarcity of food. The left over beer is made out into the beer while the day’s left over vegetables comprise the Stoemp. The buttery potatoes are an excellent companion to the crispy beer bread.
The mains include a Beer Battered Fish and a Salmon Steak in White Wine Sauce. The puffy crispy beer battered fish is a delight on the palate while the Salmon with its meaty texture and perfectly balanced sauce makes you salivate for hours after.
There are beer cocktails on the menu too. The Grand Palace stands tall amongst all of them with a dash of Orange and Angostura bitters to the blonde Leffe Beer. The correct balance of sweetness with acidity is what makes it a favourite.
We end our meal with a delectable crunchy fluffy Vanilla Crème Brulee, a dark deep bitter Belgian Chocolate Brownie and a Chocolate Mousse. The desserts act as a perfect end to the fabulous journey.
The Belgian Beer Café experience is an invigorating and relaxing one. Take our time to sip on some tasty draughts or hold some beer chugging competitions. The food here is a perfect compliment to the beer with light, delicate tastes which fill you with wonder. Your perfect watering hole outside of Gurgaon.
