A Royal Feast - Axis at Galaxy Hotels

I was lucky to be born to a mother who had Lucknow in her upbringing. It showed in the way she spoke, the food she made and her general tehzeeb! All that came flooding back to me the other night at Axis, Galaxy Hotel. You must think I reminiscence a lot when I talk about food but then that’s the thing; food either induces a new sensation to your palate or rakes up memories of flavours past. So it’s not always that we find new tastes, textures or flavours in seasoned cuisines; we could also find memories and feelings. Maybe that’s why I love food so much; it is this dramatic for me.

I have an old association with Galaxy Hotels; it was one of few places one could go for good food and fresh beer as far back as 10 years ago. These memories tend to stay even as staff change, chefs come and go and newer restaurants vie for attention. I am a great fan of the coffee shop bakery, again one of the few hotel pastry counters that innovate and continue to impress. Their Asian restaurant, The Monk, needs a post for itself; we probably already have one; it’s a lovely place to eat and the original meal-in-a-bowl menus in Gurgaon. Axis is the hotel’s coffee shop, I can say plenty about their breakfast because last year we enjoyed it for 10 days in a row when we had family staying at the hotel. The breakfast is perfect for weekend mornings,  its priced just right and stocked very well, don’t miss the south Indian and stuff from the bakery!

We checked out the Kebab & Biryani fest on at Axis and came out smiling widely with a belly full of happy! Start with the Buffet’s salad bar and don’t miss the Seekh Kebab chaat; pretty cool starter for a party too. The grills are served at the table and thank God for that – chances are you may be getting up to get the Lucknawi Mutton Biryani from the buffet quite a few times! Among the grills, I enjoyed the Sikandari Raan the most; it had been a while and this was spiced just right. I usually avoid the chicken so let me just say the red meat was bang on but my companion vouched for the chicken, especially the spatchcocked looking Bhatti Chicken from the tandoor. Here’s what really got me, the finer things, the Chicken Badam Shorba, the Mirch Ka Salan and the Phirni, yes, from all buffet desserts; the phirni really stood out! When these things are in place, the meal automatically becomes complete. Add live ghazals to that and you tell me, how much better can an evening be? Get the right company though; I am glad I did. I was there, eating for 3 hours! I savoured the Shorba with a lady singing (rather well!) Lambi Judaai and felt so Dilli it was a complete cracker! Try out an evening like this; it’s on till the 15th of Feb and priced pretty good, for Gurgaon standards at least!

Price: Buffet priced at Rs 699+ taxes, with Unlimited Howzatt brew @ Rs 999+ , and IMFL drinks @ 1299+ taxes

Ed: Cover photo not from this establishment.