How Le Cirque Adjusts to Indian Tastes

Source :Amrit Dhillon;WSJ:Nov 4,2011



Le Cirque opened a New Delhi outpost in August, but the famed New York restaurant made some modifications when it went overseas.


Not least of which was the menu, which downplays French cuisine (not a favorite in India) in favor of Italian.


“We offer Italian food but with French techniques in terms of presentation,” said Mickey Bhoite, the Indian-born, Italian-raised chef at the restaurant, which is located on the 10th floor of the Leela Palace Hotel. “Italian food is beautiful, but when you put it on a plate, it’s not gourmet, and it’s not creative, so our presentation is contemporary French.”


Delhi’s Le Cirque serves classics such as tuna tartare, lobster risotto and paupiette of black cod, as well as new dishes developed for its audience. Mr. Bhoite shared some of the other factors the restaurant keeps in mind:


Vegetarianism: The New York menu has meatless dishes such as spaghetti primavera and ravioli “Mama Egi,” but Mr. Bhoite knew this wouldn’t be enough. India’s large vegetarian population, some of whom travel overseas with cooks to ensure that their dietary needs are met, helped inspire menu items like the wild mushroom consomme. He uses Gucci morels from Kashmir, as well as seven other kinds of mushrooms, and did away with onions and garlic, which are also restricted from some Indian diets.


Even then, Mr. Bhoite was in for some surprises. “A large Jain family came in and ordered the pumpkin tortelli, but wanted it without onions. I use white onions in it, but I had to adapt by taking them out,” he said.


The Indian palate: With many Indian diners long accustomed to spicy food, fine-dining establishments have stories requests to add raw green chili to their risotto, or watching as patrons shake Tabasco on their gnocchi.


Mr. Bhoite has thusfar been pleasantly surprised. “Only a handful of customers have asked for some extra chili,” he said. Except for judicious traces of cumin and coriander — and even then, used in sparing Mediterranean or Middle Eastern style rather than classic Indian — Le Cirque’s menu steers clear of spices.


“Rustic” requests: The first time a patron asked for pasta with pink sauce, Mr. Bhoite looked at him blankly, not understanding the order. He declined to prepare it, instead serving a traditional tomato sauce with cream on the side.


“Do what you wish on the table but not in my kitchen,” he said.


Sharing dishes: Mr. Bhoite is most distressed when a table asks for a painstakingly plated dish to be divided into half a dozen servings — standard procedure at family-style establishments but not at a gourmet restaurant.


“By the time a morel risotto or a lamb noisette has been divided six ways, it’s so small they can barely taste it,” he said. “But they seem OK with that.”