ITP Indian Travel Places: Food, Travel, Tourism Business Events and Trade Shows
Restaurant Name: Citrus: The Leela Palace, Old Airport Road, Bangalore
Phone: +919071705800
Address: 23, HAL Old Airport Road, HAL 2nd Stage, Kodihalli, Bangalore 560008 Karnataka, India
Time: 7:00 AM – 11:30 PM
Meals for two: Rs. 3,500
Cuisines: North Indian, Italian, Asian, Continental, Mediterranean
Facilities: Breakfast, Wheelchair Accessible, Full Bar Available, Smoking Area, Table booking recommended, Indoor Seating, Brunch, Luxury Dining, Free Wifi, Outdoor Seating, Kid Friendly, 4/5 Star, Romantic Dining
The specials from Citrus, at the Leela Palace, can now come home to you for a gourmet experience
It’s become a pattern now. Every time I sit down to write this column and about the delivery menus of restaurants, I hark back to the times when I dined at them, and memories of good times come flooding back. It’s been like that at Citrus, the all-day restaurant at the luxury Leela Palace. I have enjoyed long, wine-soaked brunches here, eaten lovely meals on the sun-dappled patio and even partied here when it reopened after a dramatic makeover.
Given the dispiriting circumstances we find ourselves in now, such times have necessarily to be confined to the realms of nostalgia. And even in those moments when we long for an indulgence we must settle for ordering in. Hotels in the city have done a remarkable job in stepping up to the challenges of the times. The Leela Palace for one has set up separate menus for delivery via food ordering platforms and for takeaway from the kitchens of Citrus. The hotel has received ‘platinum’ grade certification by the Bureau Veritas as a Cov-safe hotel, which means that the highest hygiene standards are maintained and the entire process from food preparation to delivery is track-able.
If you order direct with the hotel, you can choose pretty much from the entire a la carte menu of Citrus and have a gourmet experience at home. From the appetizers that include a Mezze Platter (₹1,000) and Chicken Dry Chilli (₹1,000), I recommend the Crab Cake (₹1,000) that comes with a red pepper remoulade. Or begin with the Fresh Burrata Salad (₹850), in which creamy cheese combines with ripe tomatoes and basil pesto.
The Citrus pizza is of the very best quality and if you’re in the mood for one, order the Lemon Chilli Prawn and Smoked Pepper (₹1,350). Main course choices cover the gamut from Provencal Vegetable Filo Roll (₹1,100) for the vegetarians to Nasi Goreng (₹1,350) that hits the spot and an Indian selection offering kebabs from the tandoor, Tellichery Chemmeen Curry (₹1,800), with all the goodness of seafood, coconut and Kerala spices, and Butter Chicken that always pleases.
The delivery menu on food ordering platforms is priced lower, making it accessible to a bigger audience. Think Wok Tossed Szechwan Paneer (₹400), Spicy Chicken Tikka Paratha Roll (₹450), Spinach, Mushroom and Corn with Ricotta Lasagna (₹450), utterly comforting Thai Chicken and Vegetable Green Curry with Jasmine Rice (₹600) and Asian-style Dragon Chicken with Scallion (₹500). There’s Mississippi Mudpie and Blueberry Cheesecake (₹225) for dessert. All of it is a steal, coming as it does from a five-star kitchen.
The takeaway and delivery offerings from the Leela Palace are the perfect mood-lifter and we all know how much we need that now.
Stay safe, everyone. And get the vaccine when it’s your turn.
