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Photo: Murali Kumar K.

Perfect mix The food has some welcome surprises

Where a lack of conformity might seem a problem for most, this is precisely the USP of Kosmo, a fairly satisfactory climax of the fusion experiment begun at Cosmo Village. Thus, what might otherwise seem a rather regular menu is made fresh and interesting with a smattering of the exotic.

We start off with the barman’s signature drink, the Geisha. This cocktail mixes vodka with lemon grass, cardamom and rose water and has a warm sweetness that is well suited for the Indian summer. A warning, though; the rose essence is rather strong, and is quite the acquired taste. People looking for a more familiar fix needn’t fret. Outside of the Geisha, Kosmo’s cocktail menu sticks to the standard fixtures, with most of the fusion focus going to the food.

Thus, among the soups, the gazpacho is drizzled with sesame oil, giving it a much more substantial feel, rather than the usual light and airy flavour. Similarly, the lobster bisque comes with the addition of coconut milk. And the mixed seafood soup features a very Mediterranean mix of seafood, but with a less authentic cousin of the rasam for the base. The tapas platter that came next, although pleasant enough, wasn’t as impressive, treading far too familiar ground. The salad, an organic herbed salad with yoghurt and blue cheese dressing, made up for the tapas platters, thankfully. The lively, upbeat blend of yoghurt and blue cheese was a nice change from the straightforward flavours of the tapas.

Of course, Kosmo does have a range of more interesting starters including fresh oysters with two sauces and a shot of bloody Mary; caviar with cucumber mousse capers, boiled egg and pancake; grilled artichoke bottom with mozzarella and sun dried tomatoes pesto and foie gras. For the main course, my friend went with the traditional Cosmo dish the Thai green curry and parathas, although the mozzarella and egg plant cooked in the tandoor with a Creole sauce also caught his attention.

Nothing really needs to be said about the Thai green curry and parathas, but for those who haven’t tried this fusion favourite before, the green curry has similarities with a korma, but with a more effervescent feel.

For myself, I ordered the marinated sea bass fillet, which is flavoured with lemon juice, olive oil and dill with saffron infused sauce. By itself, the sea bass is rather tepid, with a few flavour variations, but no real highs.

Add to this the accompanying teriyaki sauce, however, and it acquires a rich, full-bodied tone with a perfect hint of sweetness. The vegetable accompaniments also include an oriental mushroom salad for a further touch of the unusual.

Other options that seemed interesting include the marinated pork rib in galangal and lemon grass juice and the baked spicy lobster combined with Malaysian sambal. Desserts again returned to the beaten path, but with better effect this time. The blueberry soufflé, while not the best I’ve had, was rather worth it. So too was the tropical fruit platter that my overstuffed friend finished with.

Kosmo is at No. 81, Ali Askar Road, Off Cunningham Road, behind Air Deccan and can be contacted on 41702030 or 41702050.

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