December 8, 2021: The Lodhi in New Delhi has collaborated with Bengaluru’s Grasshopper restaurant to give gourmands a chance to experience the restaurant’s acclaimed flavours in the heart of the capital at Elan.
Grasshopper, which opened in 2002, offers subtle tastes and a quiet ambience. Set in a sprawling farmhouse owned by Sonali Sattar and Himanshu Dimri, the outdoor restaurant is surrounded by verdant greenery, and is minimal and uncluttered in design and idea.
The cuisine by the restaurant is fresh, innovative and pleasing to the senses. The flavours and textures in each dish are innovatively combined to harmonise as well as to surprise. A five- table only restaurant, Grasshopper is one of the few in Bangalore that prides itself on introducing the modern-day 'farm-to-table-concept'. There is heavy emphasis on simple, organically sourced and homegrown ingredients. Herbs and some vegetables used in the cooking are grown in the garden adjoining the kitchen.
Chef Touseef Shamsudeen uses his imagination to create food that is delicate and refined, while at the same time soulful and satisfying. Hailing from a Southern-Indian heritage, he disciplines with European cuisines and techniques. He has a natural flair for concepts of fermentation and preservation of ingredients. Pre-set seven-course and five-course meals are custom designed for each table at Grasshopper. Menus change from day to day, based on the seasons and the availability of fresh produce.
For this pop-up at The Lodhi, Chef Touseef has put together an exclusive five-course menu. The selection of Appetisers features Marinated bocconcini with roasted globe grapes, basil oil and olive tapenade; Charred asparagus with cave aged parmesan, crisp sage and lemon zest; and Ceviche of wild mullet with grapefruit segments, pickled serrano peppers and chives. Main Course options include Crisp potato gnocchi with coconut and onion espuma, garlic chips and smoked butter; and Braised lamb shanks with a sauce of mixed peppercorns, buckwheat risotto and glazed carrots. For Dessert, there is a choice of Espresso panna cotta with coffee caramel sauce and roasted almonds, or 70% dark chocolate ganache with mustard ice cream.
The pop-up is available to be experienced until December 14, 2021, for lunch and dinner, at Elan, The Lodhi.
