The fine art of crafting a menu: No more just a listing of dishes, how a menu can be part of a culinary experience – Lifestyle News

The scent of citrus lingers on the balmy air.

Bees coercively kiss the sweet pulp of overripe figs dangling from the trees.

A sun-drenched island with azure skies.

Where the waves and the mountains meet.

Technicolored umbrellas punctuate the beach landscape.

Contrasting with the glistening blue sea.

Last day of an endless summer.

Savouring a bittersweet lemon sorbet while inhaling the salty wind.

A languid afternoon in Capri.

If this description and an accompanying picture of the Amalfi coast don’t transport you to Italy, the Gamberi alla Napoletana certainly will. Firm and crisp prawns nestling in a broth of garlic, tomatoes and herbs that is fresh, fragrant and bursting with flavour—truly a summer in Italy.

At 360°, Oberoi Delhi’s restaurant, diners can look forward to not just a whole new range of dishes spanning the globe, but also a delightful read accompanying the food with the actual menu, which is a trove of stories, enhancing your experience.

The story of Lulu stirring up a pot of stock and settling down under the sky with a mug of piping hot chicken soup is as heart-warming as the soups listed on the right promise to be.

The sushi platters are named after Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai, and the rolls nomenclatured from the titles of his films. How about discovering what’s under cover in Those Who Make Tomorrow, One Wonderful Sunday, or a Rhapsody in August?

Italian, Japanese, Indian, Mediterranean, grills—the menu has it all, along with poetry on chaat, stories of kebabs, quotes by Anthony Bourdain, a Japanese travelogue, and even a note on the science behind the grilling process.

The dessert section is by no means an afterthought, with a wide range of sweets on offer to please every palate. A comprehensive list of sugar-free options is a welcome addition, besides novel flavours of gelatos and sorbets. A sugar-free raspberry caprese makes those with restricted diets feel not marginalised at all, while a kumquat mango mascaparone gelato can be enjoyed by those seeking gluten-free options.

Executive chef Manish Sharma describes the crafting of the menu as an attempt to digress from the usual, and how he and his team of chefs relied on unique ingredients and flavours to offer a novel culinary experience based on sustainable and organic sourcing. As the menu proclaims, a story in every meal, that’s a labour of love, indeed.