ON THE WATERFRONT, LODHI HOTEL, NEW DELHI: Thai Food Festival

I looked askance upon hearing the name On The Waterfront. Really? In the heart of dusty Delhi where the only major water source, the Yamuna River, is polluted enough that none would want to back it leave alone front it? That is until you step into the restaurant located in Lodhi Hotel. There is water, water, everywhere. Landscaped with water bodies, pink sandstone and greenery with clever and generous use of glass, both transparent and reflective ones, the mind is tricked into a sense of serenity and expansiveness. The huge floor to ceiling glass walls reveal the peaceful water body, with an enclosed space set right in the middle of it which promptly brings to mind intimate candle light dinners, seductive wines and pleasing food.

On The Waterfront a multi-cuisine restaurant located in Hotel Lodhi is running a special Thai Food promotion running through the entire month of August. The restaurant has specially roped in the gentle and genteel Thai Master Chef Tarathip to entice the guests with both familiar and uncommon dishes. Sashimi Salmon Salad was a revelation. The roll originating from Nippon was given a nip by the kaffir lime, lemon grass, and lemony sauce with a hint of chilli. Likewise the Grilled New Zealand lamb leg served in delicious slices with salad greens and spicy citrus sauce.

I would have preferred both the Raw Papaya Salad and the Pomelo salad to be sweetened with Thai palm sugar instead of honey. Both were good especially the Pomelo salad with fried browned onions upping both the flavour and texture of the salad. But replacing the native palm sugar with honey despite its many health benefits does take away from the soul of the dishes.

Prawn Tom Kha soup was perfect, the fragrant coconut milk sharing the limelight with galangal, kaffir lime and signature spices. Thai Fried Shrimp cake and Vegetable spring rolls made nice bite-sized snacks. Tofu, tossed in chilli paste was singing out with flavours and aroma of the vegetables, capsicum and onion.Thai Basil Fried Rice was tasty enough to be eaten alone while Chicken in Panang curry was rich, nutty and aromatic and was great as an accompaniment to Steamed rice.

But the star of the lunch was the Tilapia. Suffused with the heat of Thai chilli, the intensity of fish sauce and the fragrance of fresh basil, the lean white fish was a winner all the way. Phad Thai though was a poor cousin, listless in taste with the smell of overcooked scrambled egg overpowering the rest of the flavours.

The popular dessert Water Chestnut in coconut milk rounded off the meal. The pink pearls were crunchy and the milk though canned, tasty. The frozen crushed ice cube though tended to dilute the taste of the milk besides making it difficult to scoop the pink pearls.

Go sit On The Waterfront and enjoy the fire in the belly that the vibrant Thai cuisine invokes while the cool water outside evokes happiness all around.

Ratings (Out of 5)

Category: Special Food Promotion- Thai

Food: 4.0 | Service: 4.0 | Ambience: 4.0 | Overall: 4.0

Address: ON THE WATERFRONT, Lodhi Hotel, Lodhi Road, New Delhi | Tel: +91 11 30806523

Timings: 12.30 pm – 03.50 pm, 07.00 pm – 11.30 pm | Meal for two without alcohol:~ Rs. 3500/++ | Alcohol: yes | Disabled friendly: yes

(Disclaimer: This review was done on the invitation of the restaurant)