Pasta festival at Cafe G- Crowne Plaza

Crowne Plaza ‘s Cafe G  beckoned me again and this time my love affair with pasta was the reason. The best part about Cafe G is their festivals , they are currently hosting Festa Della Pasta which offers a really expansive pasta menu .The pasta festival  offers 10 types of pasta cooked in 30 different styles. It’s akin to  a tour of Italy starting from the north and culminating at the south, covering 20 different regions of the country .The pastas are made fresh at the restaurant everyday. On the menu apart front the traditional Italian fare are some contemporary dishes alongwith Chef Atul’s own creations. Since the pasta is made inhouse they are light , and can be also had for lunch. Thankfully for me, this was not the usual red or white sauce affair , no overpowering cream or cheese ,instead what you get is light, flavoursome fare that will linger on your tastebuds and mind for a long time.

Ravioli di Zucca con Salsa di Formagio is traditionally made with gorgonzala and is from the Piemento region. The chef has twisted the recipe and made it a commendable item on the menu. Agnoletti con pollo e funghi misti co timo is chef’s own creation. The dish had  a lovely nutty flavor .rigatoni al ragu is another must try. The lamb is slow cooked for 8-9 hours and makes this a must try. For Sea food fans , there are plenty of options. There’s Sea food Tortellini, Panzerotti pasta with prawns and  Smoked Norwegian salmon with sea shell pasta. Chef Atul also serves his own creation , Penne con Gamberi e Zucchini which is penne pasta with west coast prawns and baby zucchini. The sauce is made with the starch of the pasta and it requires great skill to emulsify stock and olive oil and Chef Atul is very proficient in this skill. The slight dash of chilli gives this dish just the right punch.

The Penne con Salsa alla Amatricana tasted really good.The addition of black pepper added extra flavour to this dish as it goes very well with bacon and tomato sauce.

The dessert spread at Cafe G is one of the most extensive in its class, with no less than 14 options on tasteful display the night we dined. Choices are as diverse as kandari rabri, fruits savering, apple strudel, marscapone mousse with cherry compote, mango mousse, chocolate custard crunchy pudding, vanilla cream caramel with prunes, orange mousse, wildberry yoghurt mousse, raspberry cheesecake slice, baked yoghurt with pineapple compote, semolina cake with pistachois, almond steamed pudding, baked honey rolls and chocolate mudcake... quite the mouthful! 

There is quality as well as quantity too, and we were blown away by some of these delicacies. The vanilla cream caramel was silky smooth and topped with just the right amount of sweet, golden caramel. Topping the dessert with a prune was an interesting culinary choice, with the chewy fruit adding an unusual but a welcome addition to the texture palette. Another favourite was the steamed almond pudding, moist but not over-sweet, flavourful but not overbearing, and also crowned with a dried and glazed prune. For the kids (or the grown-up chocolate lovers), there’s chocolate mudcake, chocolate pudding, chocolate pastry and chocolate custard. The selection of fruit mousses is a lot of fun to dig through as well, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that the highlight of these was actually the humble mango mousse, one of the best we’ve ever had in India. 

Amongst the cream and the fruit and the very liberal sugar glaze, the eggless eater can pick out at least four or five dessert options to feast on. The sweet tooth has been catered to as well as the discerning dessert connoisseur, and this extensive dessert spread has something for everyone. For those who may find the sugar rush a little overwhelming, there is also a selection of fresh cut fruits to get your fork into, or one always has the option of indulging in cheese and biscuits to cap off your meal, should that strike your fancy.

So Book a table at cafe G and take your loved ones along for a night of good food and wine in the heart of the millennium city.

Pics Credit and Co- written by Jasmeen Kaur Malhotra.