If you were to ask a tourist, ‘What do you like about India?’ the answer would almost always be, ‘Its exquisite cuisine.’
And for a good measure, you would also hear, “From state to state, even from city to city, the taste, style and the way food is cooked is different.”
If India remains an enigma with its enormity of challenges and successes and the ‘paucity amidst plenty’ theory, its food has remained a mystery for people around the world for thousands of years.
And no city in the five continents seems to do without at least one restaurant offering at least two types of Indian food.
For all its cultural diversity, Auckland is perhaps the best canvasser of such cuisine, although quality could be a variant.
India Week
Visaya Restaurant at Sudima Auckland Airport Hotel will demonstrate the culinary variety during its Indian Food Festival, scheduled to be held from October 19 to 25.
The seven-day event, commencing with a gala opening, promises to be a delectable journey for connoisseurs of food in general and for diners with a specific taste for Indian cuisine.
According to Director and Event Coordinator Laxmi Jhunjhnuwala the Food Festival will feature a sumptuous buffet including flavoursome street food of Mumbai, rich, extravagant food from Rajasthan, and the exotic tastes of South India.
“Diners will have a unique opportunity of witnessing how various ingredients are put together and cooked. If you feel adventurous and want to try your hand at making hot, sticky jalebis, you could do so,” she said.
Ms Jhunjhnuwala said that guests will be able to enjoy food during the week for lunch and dinner. Every buffet will contain an array of speciality food from two or three regions of India enabling Visaya to complete the taste bud tour of India, she said.
Dine & dance
“This is a perfect opportunity to have fun with family, treat your corporate clients or have Diwali office lunch or dinner party for your staff. Live entertainment, dancing to Hindi film music and spot prizes for the best dressed and the best dancer will be among the attractions at this pre-Diwali feast,” she said.
The Restaurant will ring true the concept that those indulging in its delicacy would tend to let the outside world get on for a while without them.
Indeed, most restaurants prepare delicacies of a particular region, while the true and traditional Indian fare is difficult to capture.
Visaya promises the use of aromatic spices, which give the food the exotic flavours that guests will find tantalising.
The promotion will be held over lunch from 12 pm to 2 pm (at $30 per person) and dinner from 530 pm to 10 pm (at $45 per person). If you are in a pack of six, one could dine free, enjoying the ‘Pay Five-Eat Six’ offer.
For further details and bookings, call (09) 5518888.
