Monday afternoon and I am mentally prepared for a boring buffet. I personally don’t enjoy buffets cause how can you compare “food cooked fresh and specially for you” to something “laid out in open and ready to be picked”, but Cafe Knosh you absolutely surprised me and I am so glad!
Cafe Knosh is a long walk from the main reception and if you are visiting The Leela Ambience Delhi Convention Hotel (erstwhile The Kempinski Ambience Hotel) for the first time, you might find it confusing. To reach there, you would have to walk on marbled floors and rough rocky terrains (:p) but believe me its worth the walk. The place has so many beautiful and unique art pieces, that it actually makes the journey enjoyable!
Curry Wheel
When you enter the Cafe be prepared to be awed by the spread of food. What really catches the eye is the “Curry Wheel”. One of the newest changes that has been brought around Cafe Knosh since the rebranding. A lot of restaurants serve food in handis and copper utensils but the way it was placed in the center of the buffet, really looked beautiful. A representation of curries from all over the country, what impressed me the most was the individualization of flavour, be it flavours from North India or South India. I was seated with a pool view, it was again a long walk from the main buffet table but I feel walking helps you digest food faster and makes room for more food (so no complaints :p).
I ate a lot but would only talk about the things that really impressed me:-
1. Pineapple Rasam– Pineapple with rasam- REALLY?!! But somehow it works. The spiciness of Rasam with the tanginess of Pineapple, somehow works. I generally have a runny nose after drinking Rasam but with Pineapple’s sweetness, it was very well taken care of.
2. Muhammara dip- I just could not stop eating it. It was really well prepared.
3. The Paneer Tikka which impressed us with its inherent juicy texture which is absent in a lot of eateries.
Pizza specially prepared for me!!
4. A special mention to the Pizza counter. I told the chef that I like my pizza hot out of the oven and with veggies, so he specially rolled out a veggie pizza for me (which was not even on the menu)- SWEET!! The chef also mentioned that there is a large group of South Indians staying with them, so they have specially added Sambar, Dhai-chawal etc in the menu, so that they feel at home. Wow! That is some hospitality!
5. Everything tasted good but what stood out for me was the Indian section. Not only was it presented well but it even tasted gorgeous. The daal tadka and the paneer (I am drooling as I write)- simply gorgeous!!
6. Ending things on a sweet note- The DESSERTS. I don’t have a sweet tooth, so I generally junk the desserts in buffets but their desserts- OH MY GOD!! I just couldn’t stop eating (mentally calculating the calories :p). What stood out for me was the Rose Dessert and apparently it was Sugar less (do I need to say more). Somehow the rose flavor gave it the required sweetness (and no sugar means I can always eat some more :p :p). A special mention to the mud pie, it is like a bite into heaven- simply delicious.
Wheww after eating it all, I obviously need my chamomile tea. Sipping the tea and gazing at the bright blue pool, in an absolute food coma mode, just thinking Cafe Knosh-you were actually worth the walk!!
