Gear Up Jaipurites! The Mediterranean Food Festival at ITC Rajputana Sheraton is here! The food festival commenced on March 18 and will last until March 27.

Well, the JWB clan couldn’t resist the temptation of the mouthwatering dishes, and so we decided to visit it and know more about the festival and the FOOOD!

Oh yeah!

We met the Chef-in-charge Anubhav Moza and discussed the menu and the cuisine.

Anubhav: Mediterranean cuisine is the food from the cultures adjacent to the Mediterranean Sea. (Let’s call it Med cuisine from here on) So, our menu is also a mix of Spanish, French, Egyptian, Moroccan and Italian dishes. This cuisine is all about fresh vegetables, herbs, meat, and of course, the lavish use of Olive Oil. Other staples of the cuisine are polenta, cous-cous, olives, rice, and fish.

Hmmm, that sounds….food! *drooling already*

We were given the menu, and Sanchit came running with gleaming eyes to make his selection.

Good News Alert: The Chef has also included a variety of vegetarian dishes. And, for all the spice lovers, Anubhav mentioned that Turkish and Moroccan foods use spices similar to those used in India. (Hint: try the Harissa Grilled Fish)

Anubhav: When planning the menu, we kept in mind not to just focus on one particular section. So, considering our sizeable vegetarian clientele, we have incorporated vegetarian dishes too. Originally, the cuisine was more about the seafood like prawns and fish, so, we played with some recipes to create their vegetarian alternatives.

The Vegetarian spread includes:

Porcini Mushroom Risotto, Asparagus & Roast Tomatoes, Sicilian Style Spinach & Potato, and Cottage Cheese & Vegetable Tagine, for the main course along with a variety of salads, and soups.

Also, the chef affirmed that the desserts on the vegetarian menu are egg free.

The Non-Veg menu:

Main Course: The Spicy Harissa Grilled Fish, Herb Crushed Salmon, Caramelized Onion stuffed Chicken Breast, and Moroccan Lamb Tagine.

Soups, Salads, Hazelnut Pannacotta with Berry Compote, and Coffee & Chocolate Pudding for the desserts.

Being a vegetarian, I opted for Bulgarian Chilled Cucumber Soup, Porcini Mushroom Risotto, and on the Chef’s recommendation, Olive Oil Cake with Candied Orange.

He explained, “We use the orange rind in the cake and not orange juice. The skin has more flavor than juice and so its taste remains intact in the cake.”

Bulgarian Chilled Cucumber Soup: The soup had a prominent flavor of mint. It’s definitely a thirst quencher and works as a body cooler in the scorching Jaipur summers.

Porcini Mushroom Risotto: The risotto was creamy and cheesy with an overload of parmesan crisp, with a sweet smell of mushrooms.

Olive Oil Cake with Candied Orange: To be honest, I am not a big fan of orange and orange flavored foods, and I was doubtful of the cake made of Olive oil. But, to my surprise, the cake tasted exquisite, and the aftertaste was a mix of sweet and sour.

So, what are you waiting for, people? Go, try it now, and do share with us your favorite dish.

Watch out!

JWB will bring you some of the secret recipes of Mediterranean cuisine straight from Chef Anubhav Moza’s Kitchen.