Food review: Cavalli's Visionnaire Cafe in Gurgaon
Cavalli's IPE Visionnaire Cafe reaches out to the well-to-do suburbanite on Gurgaon's Golf Course road.
The interiors are chic and shiny,with purple patent leather chairs and glass-top tables.
It's tucked away behind the concrete jungle that defines Gurgaon and the moment you step in, the busy road you just got off is forgotten. The Visionnaire cafe brandishes its Cavalli connection in big bold letters at the entrance and is part-IPE Cavalli furniture store, part lounge and restaurant. The interiors are all high maintenance and gloss, with purple patent leather upholstered chairs, glass tables, chain-like silver strings used as drapes and chic sea anemone-looking chandeliers swooping down on the bar. The look is dark, chic and expensive and the restaurant has a modern European feel to it, with prices to match. While at first glance the appetisers and salads look inexpensive, by the time you are done ordering mains and dessert, your wallet is considerably lighter. Throw in a couple of glasses of wine and yes, it is a meal priced at par with the best delis and high-end cafes in the city.
To begin with I am wondering what all the fuss is about, as the platter of Norwegian smoked salmon we order is unimaginative and could easily have been fixed at home with minimal help. The pan-seared prawns (also an appetiser) on the other hand are fresh and delicious, the chilli and garlic working well together rather than one dominating. Order a rose wine (by the glass) or stick to a scotch on the rocks to complement your meal. The liquor menu is not very extensive but the restaurant stocks most of the big brands. Going back to food, some staple cafe fare like the Caesar salad, Greek salad and tuna nicoise make their appearance on the cafe salad menu and while the portions are generous, the salads are not fantastic (to be fair it was 46 degrees outside which probably explains the wilted lettuce). The menu also has a fair selection of pastas, pizzas and risottos- Italian to the hilt. The mains at Visionnaire cafe shine and while there is minimal fuss on the plate, the palate is more than pleased by the clean flavours and inventive cooking techniques. The oven roasted Kolkata bekti served with an artistic muddle of coriander rice and marinara sauce was super as was the tenderloin steak served with rosemary potato wedges.
We ended our meal with the blueberry cheesecake which was baked and sweetened just right. The meal was pleasant enough and the service excellent but the sore point was the music. I loved the brand of 80s pop being played by an efficient DJ but it is definitely not the kind that you eat food to. You want to break into a jig and feel compelled to eat quicker, in keeping with the out-ofplace dance music.
We recommend getting one of the outdoor tables post-October as it's much nicer, though horns from busy Golf Course road are bound to intrude on your evening.
Stop over for a selection of teas, smoothies and sandwiches early evening or late morning and do a quick dekho at the furniture store which has some interesting, albeit expensive pieces on display.
| BT MORE RECOMMENDS Oven roasted Kolkata bekti Blueberry cheesecake Meal for two at Rs 5,000 plus taxes; for reservations - (0124) 4040470 |
We ended our meal with the blueberry cheesecake which was baked and sweetened just right. The meal was pleasant enough and the service excellent but the sore point was the music. I loved the brand of 80s pop being played by an efficient DJ but it is definitely not the kind that you eat food to. You want to break into a jig and feel compelled to eat quicker, in keeping with the out-ofplace dance music.
We recommend getting one of the outdoor tables post-October as it's much nicer, though horns from busy Golf Course road are bound to intrude on your evening.
Stop over for a selection of teas, smoothies and sandwiches early evening or late morning and do a quick dekho at the furniture store which has some interesting, albeit expensive pieces on display.
