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Photo: P.V. Sivakumar

Hot off the coal (Clockwise) Handle the skewers at Barbeque Nation, dig into some fresh bakes and sample sizzlers from 100 Degrees

The omnipresent ‘multi cuisine’ tag is losing its sheen. The chilli and pickle-loving palate gave way to international cuisine some time ago. It’s the turn of speciality eateries to get a toehold in the food map now. A quaint eatery serves tofu dishes, an Italian gelateria invites you to indulge in sorbetti and gelati, a barbeque place urges you to have a go at the skewers and another restaurant serves sizzlers by the dozens. These fine-dining places are roping in the middle and the upper middle class clientele as well.

On a weekday evening, a group of friends is experimenting with the skewers on burnt charcoal, checking if the sauces and spices are right. The barbeque dinner in progress is not in a backyard of a farmhouse but the restaurant Barbeque Nation, which opened in Hyderabad this year after Mumbai and Bangalore. Bangalore and Mumbai are in a different orbit with foodies eager to experiment, admits Prasenjit Roy Chowdhury, the CEO. Nevertheless, he adds that Hyderabad has opened up to newer tastes. “Our clients aren’t limited to the frequent business travellers; the local palate appreciates our food. The fixed platters find many takers and lamb teriyaki and spiced cajun potatoes are the favourites.”

Yoko Sizzlers, part of a national chain, and Ohri’s 100 degrees are the additions on the sizzler routes. Ohri’s, synonymous with food courts, repositioned itself with 100 degrees. “We found that Hyderabad lacked a sizzler joint and came up with 100 degrees. We wanted a place that would give a Spanish atmosphere and found this building on Necklace Road. The exterior is done up like a beach with sand thrown around,” says Amar Ohri. The sizzlers are varied – Japanese Yakitori, Indian Kadai Paneer, Moroccan Chicken, Olive crusted Pomfret and more. Indian and Chinese noodle sizzlers are the unique selling points. You can also make your own sizzler choosing the bread, sauces and accompaniments, wash it down with some wine and end with Bakhlava served with ice cream. The restaurant plans to open its second branch in the Jubilee Hills-Hi-tech city belt.

Bean Me Up, the Soya Station and Salad Bar at Little Italy which specialises in tofu, tempeh and soya-based dishes caters to the health conscious. Vikas Passary, who brought the Goa-based eatery to the city says, “Most speciality dining places here have food that’s high in calories. There was nothing that had healthy yet tasty food.”

The menu is vast and features soya burgers, Indonesian samplers, soya milk shakes, salads with tofu and tofunnaise and even desserts made with a creamy soya substitute. “Bean Me Up is not for everybody. But those who enjoy this kind of food are regulars here,” he adds.

If fine-dining is on an upswing, so are speciality bakes. Bread Talk, a boutique bakery, lets you experience the walk-in kitchen and place orders for breads, buns, muffins and cheese cakes. Shop for stuffed buns, small and large servings of oat and rye breads and get custom-made burger or sandwich. Food Bazaars and Oven @ Fresh, the Heritage outlets have also introduced counters for fresh bakes – pastries and muffins for the indulgent and salads and multi-grain breads for the health conscious.

Gelatarias and ice creameries like Amore and New Zealand Natural provide the final touch to speciality dining. Gelati, sorbetti, frozen yoghurt, cheesecake flavoured ice cream and ice cream tortes are Amore’s specialities. New Zealand Natural that serves imported ice creams and sugar-free ice creams opened two outlets this year.

The success of Amore’s first outlet at Eat Street led to the opening of its second outlet within six months at Madhapur. 100 per cent vegetarian flavours like Ferrero Rocher, Cointreau Creme, papaya sorbet, watermelon sorbet are now favourites. Dilkash Abbas Director, Amore explains, “Hyderabad is a city of food connoisseurs. Everyone loves ice cream and we wanted to bring something new to the city. We wanted to grow with the city.” With the vast choice, eating out only get’s more difficult. But what’re you waiting for? Bring out your bib and cutlery and head out on this food trail. Bon appetit!

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