The Crossing, a chic restaurant located in the lobby of the The H Hotel specializes in Indian cuisine, with the menu effectively representing a cornucopia of the various ethnicities and culinary traditions that live on the subcontinent.
Chef Ankur Chakraborty, Founder grew up inspired by a wide range of regional Indian cuisine as his father worked for the Indian Railways. The Name -The Crossing inspired him because he wanted it to be a place were different people come together, take a breather, and enjoy the tastes of India.
The venue has bright, modest accents, elegant furnishing a relaxed ambience, inspired by the waiting rooms of the Indian Railways. The atmosphere in the private dining room, hosting the Chef’s table, is relaxed, and inviting and makes one feel as if dining in private at home.
We try out the Vegan Chef’s table menu and come away reminiscing India and its myriad tastes.
It begins with an amuse bouche (batasha – a sweet tangy beginning) of Golgappa and Puchka – or pani puri, a popular dish known by these names in various parts of India. Golgappa or Puchka or Panipuri are not words but a feeling for thousands of foodies. It is the most common street food that can be found on every corner and nook of a city. No matter how much we have it, we can never have enough of this amazing spicy delight. Hollowed puris stuffed with a delicious yoghurt based filling and tangy spicy flavoured water can never fail to delight any palate!
Next was the Ram laddoo. Ask any Indian about their love for Pakora (fritters), you’ll get an answer in the affirmative, most of the times. Ram Ladoo is a savory fried lentil pakoda, turned into a chaat – and the topping of picked daikon added to the uniqueness. The ladoos were served in a bed of yoghurt gravy and some padron peppers for a touch of the tapas.
Our culinary journey continued with the kalimpong (name inspired by an eastern hill town in the Himalayan foothills of West Bengal known for their dumplings) veggie dumplings in a spicy tangy pea protein broth, incredibly soft, tender, and truly delightful.
Chef Ankur surprised us with an off-the-menu item of Kothimbir vadi – a delicious savory crisp snack Maharashtrian cuisine made with gram flour (besan), coriander leaves, peanut, sesame seeds and spices. These savory, herby and flavorful bites are pan-fried or deep-fried. Loaded with coriander leaves they are a popular all-time fritter snack.
This was followed by a soft fluffy phulka accompanied by a jackfruit roast and a herb chutney. Melt-in-your-mouth jackfruit and veggies coated in a tasty gravy and accompanied by a hot off the griddle phulka.
The chef’s gourmet version of the humble baingan bhaja was a delectable mix of shallow fried eggplant disks that were extremely flavourful, accompanied by pumpkin fritters and tender broccolini topped with a tantalizing soya glaze.
The two rice varieties were the humble and nourishing khichadi, a comfort food that can never go wrong and a delicious pulav made from sella rice, pine nuts and korma masala.
The cherry on the top was again an unlisted item – malaiyo! A fluffy foamy yellow dish – this true hidden gem of Varanasi is a seemingly simple dessert made of flavored milk froth with pistachios and almonds. But it will blow your mind with its out-of-this-world texture. It is milk in all kinds of amazing textures! It only has to be eaten to know what it is, and this dish definitely justifies a visit to this restaurant.
End this wonderful experience with a taste of Hawaii in a passion fruit and coconut sorbet served with a black rice crisp.
The non vegetarian options are also plenty and as varied and interesting as the above.
Having lived in UAE we are all familiar with the versatility of different cuisines and traditions. The Crossing is a celebration of this flexibility and a testament to how regional cuisines come together to create the experience that is Indian cuisine. The select menu, with its fewer options created thoughtfully, makes it all the more easier and also creates a varied dining experience.
You’ll almost surely want to return for more of this sophisticated fusion of food.