Thanksgiving at Focaccia, HRC

If it's Thanksgiving, there's got to be turkey and pumpkin pie. Thanksgiving is an American tradition, one that is celebrated in many other countries as well. At Focaccia, Hyatt Regency Chennai, the day was celebrated with a fine dinner that included roast turkey.

Focaccia with a tomato dip 

Smoked duck breast salad

The appetiser that Chef Sakeer Hussain's created for us had slices of smoked duck, poached pears and salad greens. Perched on top was a fried quail egg. The dish was fresh, light and wholesome, a beautiful balance of smoky meat, sweet fruit and piquant dressing.

Bartender Jiten's cocktail with lychee &basil infused vodka

Porcini mushroom soup with mascarpone foam

Porcini mushroom soup looked dull and boring and that's why you should never judge a book by its cover. It had oodles of flavour, slices of mushroom for texture and drizzles of olive oil for a gleaming finish. The mascarpone foam added an ethereal lightness.

Soft cheese risotto with sweet paprika, pumpkin and rosemary

Risotto is a difficult dish to perfect, this one was bland. The pumpkin too was bland and even the soft cheese failed to lift the flavours. A pretty plate, no doubt, finished with rosemary and a flower.

Roast turkey with sauce and veggies

The main course was sliced turkey served with a deep and dark leek and button mushroom sauce, buttered vegetables and stuffed potato. The turkey was tender and cooked with  the skin on which helped keep the meat moist. What came as a relief was that there were no bones to deal with. Even the roasted potato, with its topping of cheese, was delicious.

Mascarpone pumpkin tart

There's something about many elements on a dessert plate, even better when they are bite-sized. There was a whiff of strawberry sponge cake which had to be eaten quickly or your breath could send it across the plate! The other was with chocolate and cardamom and, of course, a slice of pumpkin pie. And ice cream on a crumb base with a berry compote.

Alley shooter

Jiten brought us a couple of Alley Shooters in a martini glass --- because you can't fit ice cream in a shot glass. With half the rim dipped in chocolate sauce, the glass held a concoction of vodka infused with coffee, Baileys, a shot of Jameson and a scoop of ice cream. What an apt nightcap!

*This was an invited review