Review: Sunday Brunch at The Oberoi, Gurgaon

The Oberoi is a name that speaks of luxury and opulence. Having heard a lot about the acclaimed Sunday brunch at threesixtyone, located at The Oberoi, Gurgaon added fuel to our never-ending quest of good food. So off went Wicked Spoon Confessions, one breezy Sunday to not only discover “Lost Recipes" but also try 10 different Champagnes on offer. The thought of trying choicest champagnes was alluring and the special showcase of “Lost Recipes” had us tingling in foodie anticipation.

We stepped into threesixtyone, located at level 1 & were promptly escorted to our table by the hostess. The simple & luxurious interiors added character to a beautifully laid table that offered a good view of the restaurant. The Oberoi, Gurgaon is the only hotel in Delhi NCR to be serving unlimited refills of 10 types of champagnes and sparkling wines in the brunch menu! The menu included brands like Veuve Clicquot, Taittinger, Moet & Chandon, Louis Roederer and the Beachhouse Sparkling—nothing short of Premium!

The most sought after Champagne trolley

We started off with a Moet & Chandon, which boasted of a great taste and was suitably complex for starting an interesting culinary journey.

The bartender at the well-stocked bar, informed us that it was the International Rum Day that day (Aug 16) and on the occasion, the restaurant had arranged for some special rum cocktails for its guests. I opted for the special Rum Day Punch from their menu.

The well-stocked bar at Threesixtyone

The rum punch had a wonderful aroma of various spices and citrus juices and had a tangy flavor to it.

Rum Punch served in a cup—Great presentation!

We sampled the Caribbean chicken and prawns that blended well with the theme for the brunch that day- Caribbean!!  The prawns were really tasty and crunchy, while the chicken was juicy and tender.

Next, we moved to the Indian Chat counter. Threesixtyone had an exclusive Indian chat counter that offered fruit chaat, dahi bhalla, fried idli chaat, fried noodle chaat, and ever so popular papdi chaat. We tried the fruit chaat and dahi bhalla before moving on to the continental salad counter.

The Continental Salad Bar

At this bar, there were some refreshing juice shots, like pineapple, watermelon and mixed fruit with mint. We tried some frozen prawns and a bit of hummus with bread. Needless to say, everything was delectable and yummy!

Mouthwatering salads and dips at Continental Salad bar

Delights from the Chat and Salad Counter-Dahi Bhalla, Hummus, Cracker

 
By now we were eager to try the special showcase- Lost Recipes from the Mughal era, a special initiative by the restaurant’s executive Chefs Ravitej and Chef Osama Jalali. The idea behind the initiative was to unearth the once popular culinary traditions, lost in the strokes of time. We browsed through the Lost Recipes menu and were surprised at the myriad dishes on offer, some of which we had never even heard of!!

We tried a variety of appetizers- Murgh Pateeli Kebab, Relished by likes of Bahadur Shah Zafar, Yakhni kebab, the vegetarian Kebab e burghul-Aurangzeb’s favourite, and patode, a dish made of arbi leaves!

Lost Recipes Showcase-Some popular appetizers of the Mughal era

To complement these dishes, the server offered a vodka-based cocktail aptly titled Sharbat e Akbari. The cocktail had a very unique taste to it because of the spices mixed in the drink—especially the cinnamon with a tinge of mint. The cocktail was served in a copper cup to give an authentic feel.

Refreshing Vodka Cocktail - Sharbat e Akbari

We spoke to Chef Ravitej & complimented him for the wonderful idea of the Lost Recipes. Over interesting banter, he revealed that these recipes were not listed in any cookbooks and that the team at threesixtyone wanted to revive these recipes and to popularize them again before they got lost. Nice :)

Lost recipes find a savior—With Chef Ravitej Nath

We tried his suggestion- Murgh Zameen Doz, chicken marinated with almonds, yoghurt and spices, wrapped in dough and cooked in an earthen pot in a pit dug up in the ground (zameen doz). This style of cooking, he informed, was followed during Akbar’s era. How can one resist such a creation? In fact, he also arranged an earthen pot dug out from a pit for us to see!

There’s a full chicken in that pot!

Chef Ravitej with Murgh Zameen Doz

We also tried the unique Parinde mein Parinda. This preparation involved stuffing smaller birds into bigger birds in descending order of their size. The dish included duck, chicken, quail and egg, which were very succulent. The texture and taste was just awesome!

The next counter had some selected main courses from the Indian, Western and Oriental cuisines. We tried small portions of Piston ka qeema, Chicken ishtoo, jerk spiced chicken, and stir fry of lamb. All preparations were great and we loved every bite of them.

The spread for the Indian, Western, and Oriental main course

There was also a live station serving some delicious-looking Caribbean delicacies and a Sushi bar as well.

Live counter serving Caribbean dishes

Sushi Bar

It was now time to try some more delicacies from the lost recipes main course and we took small portions of the most popular items from the menu—Kancha Kofta, Nihari, Motia Pulao, Qubooli, and some more. All these had a story to their preparation and were favorites of the Mughals.

Some favorites from the Lost Recipes menu

After a sumptuous and satisfying meal, we headed to the most looked-forward-to section of the restaurant—The Dessert Counter. There were so many items to choose from that we were spoilt for choice. The spread included sweet delights like Cho Banana, Rum and Coffee Éclairs, Hazelnut Chocolate Tart, Chocolate Pudding, Chocolate and Caramelized Nut Cake and many more. In fact, they also had Gulab Jamun, Moong Dal Halwa and assorted Indian mithai. Uniquely designed figurines made with pure chocolate adorned the dessert counter.

The exquisite dessert spread

After trying out a few of these delicious-looking desserts, we bid adieu to the lovey ambience, efficient service and delectable food that created a fond foodie memory to savor for days to come.

The Sunday brunch at The Oberoi, Gurgaon offers a showcase of excellent food, world cusine theaters, premium champagnes & cyclical themes to aficionados. The luxurious interiors and delectable food offer a deeply satisfying dose of happiness….now “Good Food means Good Mood” isn’t it?

Where — The Oberois, Udyog Vihar, Gurgaon
What — Brunch on Sundays
When — 12..30 PM to 3.30 PM
Price — Rs. 4495/- plus taxes (Alcoholic Brunch) and Rs. 3250/- plus taxes (Non-Alcoholic Brunch)

Words By: Sachin