Amare Roma, Romancing Rome @ The Nest, Howard Johnson

Located at the Northern part of Bangalore, bordering the busy and overcrowded Manyata Tech Park is the Howard Johnson Hotel. One of the iconic hotel chains of the US, they have been in the city for over 2 years now. Their plush and chic interiors remind you of a bygone era interspersed with contemporary urbane chic ambience to match up to the demanding business traveller of today. The Nest, their All Day Dining is hosting the Amare Roma, a traditional Italian Food Festival showcasing the best of cuisine.

I started my Viagio Italiano with a glass of Kafer, which is an Italian Red made from the Montepulciano grapes of the Abruzzo region around Rome. Chef Dev accompanied us in the tasting and we started with a modest serving of the Bocconcini and Tomato Salad. The Balsamic reduction in this Insalata made all the difference and rendered a unique flavour to the dish.

The Tomato Basil soup was served up next. The tanginess of the shredded Basil coordinated well with the sweet and sour and was definitely a popular choice.

The Salmon Tartare from the Antipasti section of the elaborate menu formed the perfect balance of the palette to an acquired taste. By far, the perfect Tartare tasted by me, this one definitely stands out as the Dish of the Day with its eclectic mix of essential flavours and citrus notes added to perfection.

The Vegetable Lasagne stood out from its counterparts that diced vegetables were used as filling within instead of the traditional and mundane-to-some-extent minced varieties of the same. The unique taste of the vegetables are somewhat lost in the mince. In this case, their flavours are maintained individually and is definitely a big relish.

My Secondi was a generous Bistecca Di Filetto Di Manzo, a Fillet of Beef well-done and served up with Jus and Potato Wedges. The meat was succulent and cooked to perfection. When tasted with the jus, it created an ethereal flavour that only good beef can deliver. I was a happy man!

Chef Dev had saved the best for last with his flawless Tiramisu. Not only was this a visual treat, but its authenticity maintained with a slice of Biscotti by its side. The dessert was truly decadent and is a must-order in the menu. I have plans to revisit the venue just to taste their Rabbit Linguine as I was stuffed to the core. This amazing Italian festival was held at the Nest till July 3rd 2016 and is definitely a Food Connoisseur’s delight.