Nepali Times

Dining at the Rox restaurant involves not merely eating but a complete gastronomic experience, one that all the senses revel in. Hyatt’s signature restaurant, The Rox specialises in Southern European cuisine and their newly introduced winter menu brings you hearty dishes that evoke the warm balmy weather of the Mediterranean region — a welcome change from Kathmandu’s current chilly weather. 

Everything on the menu sounded enticing but choices had to be made. We started with the wild mushroom soup (Rs 850), a thick luscious puree of fresh mushrooms with bits of bacon, morel mushrooms, porcini dust and a drizzle of rosemary oil. The garnish of caramelised onions added dimension and sweetness to this earthy dish.

Then onto the salads, Chef Gopi Nandakumar does away with the traditional thick slabs of tuna that are fundamental to the tuna nicoise salad (Rs1150) - instead he creates a tuna confit. The tuna is rubbed with salt and spices, then slowly simmered in olive oil, and then shredded evenly.

The bright jewel-toned peppers, the lilac of the onions, the ostentatious scarlet of the tomatoes, and the green of the lettuce offset by the rich yellow of the egg yolks makes this dish look as pretty as it tastes. The other salad we sampled was the poached pears with beets (Rs 1000). The fruit’s sweetness was accentuated by the red wine it was steeped in with a touch of fresh oregano, the acridity of the beets, and the tartness of the sour cream. I could very well eat this salad as a dessert.

PICS: RUBY TUESDAY

A 500 something word review does not do justice to a meal at the Rox for here I am, halfway through, and we haven’t even come to the mains. For the main course I had the rainbow trout (Rs 1850), the chef’s specialty that is baked to perfection. The creamy flakes of fresh fish served on a bed of wilted spinach are beautifully complemented by a fresh light lemon caper sauce. The shepherd’s pie (Rs 1850) uses minced lamb sautéed with grated vegetables and a rich tomato puree covered by a thick coating of smooth mashed potatoes, covered in parmesan cheese and baked until golden - a version of the classic British dish that even the most fastidious of eaters would not be able to find fault with. The winter roast vegetables come in the iron skillet that they are roasted on with a four-cheese fondue (brie, roquefort, camembert and our very own desi yak) with roasted walnuts. The surprise in that dish for me was the roasted radishes- the roasting cuts away the pungency and leaves it sweet and tasting more like a freshly baked yacon (ground apple).

It is a sin to walk away from a meal like that without having something sweet to finish it off. My choice- the ricotta pancakes (Rs 1000). A light pancake that encases a mound of ricotta cheese comes with a compote of winter fruits, yoghurt and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Hyatt certainly has the best bakery and confectionery among our ‘starred’ hotels.

I asked Chef Gopi what he enjoys most about his job and he told me that he is very passionate about his job for if he is not, it is evident in the food. Ruby Tuesday

How to get there: The Rox @ Hyatt Regency is in Boudha.