Feels like Europe

Fresc co brings in a fresh new zing to fine dining

Warm sunny days, lots of
shopping and settling down in a bistro for snacks and coffee. Sounds like Europe? Well, Europe is right here in Delhi, and that too, bang opposite Janpath's flea market. No, the cold hasn't made me insane yet.


The restaurant will remind you of bistros in Europe

But Europe is the feeling I got the moment I stepped into Fresc Co -- a chain that began its journey in Barcelona less than two decades back. Brightly lit interiors and a large open kitchen greet you the moment you step in with tables arranged in a manner to give you the roadside caf ufffd feel.

Their show kitchen gives you the option of seeing your food being prepared right there in front of you. Since I had gone before Christmas, there was a live band singing everything from carols to popular numbers which added to the appeal of the place.

Cosying up
It was brisk business as usual at the restaurant when I entered in the evening. The brightly lit interiors with stark white walls and furniture, jalousie windows and cheerful paintings looked inviting. I decided to walk up to the first floor which was cosier and overlooked the area below. If you have a romantic
dinner in mind, this is where you should walk up to without any
second thought.u00a0

Yummy, says my tummy
I was happily soaking the ambience when sense came nudging in the form of my friend. It was getting late and food had to be ordered.

Keeping with the mood of the place, I thought I'd try some Spanish fare for starters. So I ordered Traditional Spanish crostini of chicken, mint and lemon which was very good. So good that I almost missed the breads that came along with it.

Olive cravings
Since I was suffering from olive cravings, I got my hummus customised and got myself more olives. At Fresc Co, you get two different types of hummus -- one the regular one and the second a slightly thinner which tasted like it had yoghurt mixed in it (and much better than the thicker regular version), bruschetta and pita bread. The portions were huge and I was feeling stuffed.

So I just went for paella with chicken, black pepper and saffron for the main course. This traditional Spanish rice preparation is somewhat like a risotto, but spicier. Dark chocolate mousse flavoured with Bailey's Irish cream rounded it off perfectly. Heaven, anyone?

At: fresc co, 78, janpath, connaught place
Timing: 11 am to 3.30 pm (lunch) and 7 pm to 12.30 am (dinner)
Ring: 43620222
Price: Rs 1,500