Chic World

156 february 2014 TheGoodLife Cozychic.These are the two words that define Fio in its entirety. It’s a cookhouse and offers an exhaustive menu, including both Italian and Indian fare, but the food is not out of the ordinary. Not even very characteristic. It surely isn’t something we would head to Fio for. But the ambience, very stylish interiors and their deliciously different cocktails make the experience every bit enjoyable and worth remembering.

Ambience: Once you are here, it is difficult to remember that you are sitting in the buzzing business district of Nehru Place that houses the metro. In fact, it is impossible to fathom that such serene luxury could be conceived at such proximity to a metro station. Frangipanis and a pebbled patio with a stunning alfresco dining area pave way for an interior that is very soulful, dreamy and powerful all at once. The interiors are divided into two sections: a fascinating lounge and bar area with charming mood lighting and a restaurant section that is relaxed and cheerful. Both the areas are cleverly wrapped by a wallto-wall library that gently transform from a liquor cabinetry to a culinary library and eventually into a food cabinetry. Inventive and very cool! We especially couldn’t help appreciating the rather large glass windows that almost stood out as embellishments. Just sitting by the window with a hot cup of coffee on a wintry evening seemed like a must-do here.

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Cocktails:We started with a Dirty Martin i and El Gringo Jito, a tequila based cocktail muddled with fresh oranges, cointreau and mint. Both of these were exciting but not as addictive as our next round: Bellini Martini and It’s Me @ 18. Fantastic in taste and very enamouring in presentation.

A chic february 2014 157 It is impossible to fathom that such serene luxury could be conceived at such proximity to a metro station.

Food: To complement our drinks, we were served their signature appetisers, Bruschetta Garlic with garlic cherry tomato confit, Crusty Fish Fingers and Spit Fired Grilled Chicken. The bruschettas and the fish fingers were rather unimaginative and quite ordinary, in choice, presentation and flavour. But the chicken was sumptuous and oozed with stone ground sundried tomato pesto as we dug in. Then came their special cookhouse salad which was the biggest disappointment of the evening.It had everything:goatcheese, tomato quenelles, snow peas, corn, green apple, baby greens, tossed in the exotic fig dressing, and yet, nothing going for it. For the main course, we chose prawns, ceppelletti and rawas. Grilled Lemon Cilantro Prawns served with cookhouse salad, lemon cilantro, and pepper on ci no were perfectly done but weren’t flavourful enough. Cappelletti with stuffed and twisted, ricotta, spinach, and pine nuts was satisfying but nothing that wooed us enough. But the Olive Crusted Rawas that came with couscous salad, baked aubergine, and salsa verde was the one we totally polished off. With just the right tanginess, sufficient flavour, and freshness that you could taste, it was really the highlight of the evening as far as the food was concerned.

For dessert, we were served Tiramisu in a Jar which was basically classic tiramisu with biscotti and chocolate ganache. Predictably delicious. And Fresh Baked 15 min Cake that was fragrant with the freshness of carrot and raisin and was served with raspberry ice cream. A simple dessert that was soothing and pleasant.

Service: Service here more than makes up for the gaps that food may leave on your plate.Chefs swing by your table once in a while to note your preferences and that special attention to detail feels flattering. Bartenders too are more than happy to switch ingredients as per your preferences and craft a dink for you even if it does not feature on their bar menu. Just the kind of customisation that makes luxury dining even more special. We bring to you the recipe of the preparation we liked the most Olive Crusted Rawas Ingredients 220 gm rawas fillet 35 gm olive tapenade 1 gm oregano 20 gm salt 2 gm pepper 2 gm refined oil 35 gm butter 10 gm mix ball pepper 80 gm aubergine 10 gm parsley 10 gm cilantro 2 gm capers 2 gm cumin 5 gm garlic 10 gm spring onion 15 gm rocket lettuce For olive tapenade Black and green olives - 10gms Mince black and green olives along with capers and garlic. For rawas Marinate Rawas fillet with Dijon mustard, a pinch of salt and pepper. Preheat your pan with some olive oil in it. Now dry pad your fish fillet to drain off any excess liquid out of it. Place the olive tapenade onto the fish fillet, pan sear the crusted part for about two minutes and a minute for the other side. For couscous 30 gm couscous Salt Pour some water in a saucepan and bring it to boil. Now add salt and stir. Add couscous in the same ratio and remove from heat. Let it rest for about five minutes.

Make sure the couscous is fluffy and separated, not gummy. Add some vegetables to it and serve it warm with olive crusted fish. Salsa Verde 10 gm parsley 2 gm capers 2 gm basil Place parsley, basil and capers in the food processor and process until finely chopped. Add some oil and finish it with some lemon juice and seasoning. Serve it cold as an accompaniment along with the fish. 158 february 2014 TheGoodLife It’s me @ 18 Labeled as their go-to drink for people with a young heart, this is a vibrantly delicious cocktail with orange vodka, lavender, cointreau and hints of cranberry.

Ingredients 45 ml house vodka 15 ml cointreau 15 ml fresh lime juice 15 ml monin lavender syrup 60 ml cranberry juice 4 dash angostura bitters Method Pour all these ingredients as mentioned above in a cocktail shaker and give it a good shake. Strain into a martini glass and serve, garnished with lavender seeds.

Bellini Martini A Bellini that has been crafted for fashionable people, this was a drink we just had to try. And must we say, we like this stylish take on the Martini.

Ingredients 45 ml house vodka 15 ml peach schnapps 15 ml fresh lime juice 30 ml fresh orange juice 60 ml house red wine Method Place all the ingredients other than the red wine in a cocktail shaker and give it a good shake. Strain and pour in a martini glass. Now gently pour in the red wine to create a layer on top of the drink. Serve this good looking martini without garnish. Cocktails for love It’s the season of love. Take the euphoria it a notch higher by stirring and shaking up these drinks from Fio’s intoxicating bar menu. We coaxed the bartender to share the recipes of our two favourite drinks so that you can recreate the magic at home for yourself and your guests: All that’s making dark nights sparkle and shine. february 2014 159 We’re loving Sonam Kapoor in this black Shehlaa Khan number, with thigh-high stockings, red pumps, statement collar and cuffs, and berry lips and smoky eyes. Perfect for a stylishly romantic night out. Would you dare try?

Glam night Black Magic Woman He’s suave. She’s elegant. And together, they make for one helluva style statement. We scoured the red carpets and picked out our favourite Bollywood couples, whose sartorial sensibilities are stuff that our dream closets are made of. Double on the glam night Him: Right from his days as a model, Arjun has displayed a certain nonchalant swag. Wide-lapel jackets with distressed denims, laid-back T-shirts, jodhpuris and tuxedos, he exudes oodles of sophistication. Her: Effortlessly stylish, Mehr’s easy and relaxed sense of style never fails to disappoint. From flowing maxis, bodycon dresses and her signature linen trousers, she exemplifies unapologetic chic. Stylishly together: These ex-models are stunners in their own right and their individual styles only complement the other’s, further upping the ante. Arjun Rampal & Mehr Jesia february 2014 161 Him: What’s not to love about the dandy Deol! His exceptional taste is evident in his choice of fedora hats, bow ties and vests. Not to mention that he constantly reinvents himself, maintaining his prime position under the style spotlight. Her: Known for her minimal yet trés chic appearances, the lithe and lissome Preeti embodies elegance with her sartorial options. Stylishly together: The two make for quite the sassy duo, what with Abhay’s quirky ensembles and Priya’s understated and quiet sophistication. Abhay Deol & Preeti Desai the glam night 162 february 2014 Him: Arbaaz exudes a subtle sense of elegance that allows him to carry off even the most funky graphic tees with elan. Her: Malaika has always received attention for her bold statements. With her lavish gowns, fitted bodycon dresses and sky-high heels, Malaika makes heads turn with her oomph.

Stylishly together: This pair sets off nary a stylish oohs. Poles apart when it comes to their dressing attitudes, Arbaaz and Malaika still manage to paint a striking picture.

Arbaaz Khan & Malaika Arora february 2014 163 Him: John’s very dapper. While his vestiary choices reflect a partiality to comfort, with his denims and crisp white shirts, he also swings a tuxedo with equal ease.

Her: Investment banker Priya is new to the red carpet, but her stylish dresses at whatever appearances she’s made say she’s headed in the right direction. Stylishly together: We dig their cool vibe. John with his swanky style and Priya with her simple sens i bl i ties make them one pair we’d like to keep up with.

John Abraham & Priya Runchal the glam night 164 february 2014 Him: Here’saman who doesn’t get enough of experimenting. Jackets, hats, pocket squares and his infallible love for custom-made suits, Imran is a dapper dresser. Straight-cut jeans with a blazer, chinos with a crisp shirt, his delish footwear, here’saKhan who loves to move away from clichés. Her: Vintage prints, floral motifs, stripes... Dresses seem to be a favourite with Avantika. And boy, does she know how to accessorise! Yes, we’re going gaga over her bags and shoes. Despite being limelight-shy and Bollywood perfect, she’s always turned out flawlessly. Stylishly together: We love their young, hip and fresh sense of style. Always different, always throwing something new our way, and always making a statement.understated and quiet sophistication. Imran Khan & Avantika Malik february 2014 165