Hyatt’s new pasta and risotto promotional menu reaffirms The Rox’s ability to serve up a delectable buffet of Italian comfort food. Diners can choose from vegetarian or non-vegetarian offerings and can also order from the Rox’s regular menu.
Before the Italian feast, diners can expect to start their meal with slices of freshly baked olive focaccia bread. The bread was soft and easy to tear, and came with a tasty sundried tomato paste.
The vegetarian soup, a spicy carrot and squash reduction, topped with arugula pesto, had a velvety smooth texture, with the deseeded chillies providing just the right hint of heat. Comforting and simple, it was the quintessential starter to an Italian meal.
For non-vegetarians, there was the bacon and tortellini soup which was slightly salty. Coupled with aged crusted parmesan and cheese bread, this would be the perfect dish for savoury soup lovers.
For the salads, the vegetarian option edged out its non-vegetarian counterpart. The vegetarian macaroni salad was a refreshing mix of macaroni, onions, tomatoes and oregano tossed in Italian vinaigrette. The light and perfectly seasoned sour cream ganache topping complemented the macaroni pasta, and provided a refreshing lift to the taste buds.
Executive Chef Gopi Nandakumar’s attention to detail was apparent in his choices of pasta and their accompaniments. With macaroni, a “softer” pasta, he used crunchy fresh onions and tomatoes. On the other hand, he paired penne, a slightly “tougher” pasta, with shredded pieces of poached chicken, which were cooked in white wine for the non-vegetarian salad.
The main dishes were also well-curated, allowing individuals to get a taste of classic Italian cuisine not commonly found in Nepal. The Lamb Ravioli was filled with roasted lamb ragout, mushrooms and topped with generous shavings of cheese. The handmade ravioli pasta was cooked al-dente, complementing the tender lamb ragout well.
Vegetarians are also in for a treat as the chef insists on using the best ingredients like morel and button mushrooms for the vegetarian pasta. The mushrooms were sautéed till tender, and the pasta came in a delicious rich and creamy sauce.
The meal gets more exciting with the risotto dishes. The vegetarian risotto was wrapped in vine leaves as the chef wanted to present the classic risotto in a “unique and interesting way”. The sundried tomato risotto was neither acerbic nor too sweet.
The non-vegetarian risotto was richer in taste as it was cooked with saffron. Packed with fresh prawns, squid and rainbow trout, the seafood risotto was tastier than the vegetarian option. Similar to the pasta, the risotto was also cooked al-dente, and had a good crunch to it.
The dessert was an ingenious spin on the classic mille feuille. Filo pastry was used instead of puff pastry.
Sprinkled with sugar and caramelised, the filo pastry was transformed into a crunchy sheet of saccharine goodness, layered with sweet strawberry cream. Drizzled in chocolate sauce, the dessert sealed the meal perfectly.
The pasta and risotto promotion at the Hyatt Regency Kathmandu starts from 15 April and is slated to last till the end of the month.
How to get there: The Rox restaurant and bar in Hyatt is located in Boudha, Kathmandu.