THE
"ANNA" OF AMARANTA
"You name anything from Amaranta menu, I can serve
it to the guest; in fact, after coming to this restaurant, I learnt more on the
coastal food" quips the ANNA of AMARANTA, (the hi decibel restaurant that
offers a fine dining sea food experience at The Oberoi, Gurgaon)
Meet the ANNA (Anna in Tamil means elder brother). It is
none other than Gopalakrishan Srinivasan
Pillai (29), the load bearing pillar of this restaurant.
Teetotaler,Vegetarian Chef.
Born in a poor family in Ayyarmalai Village, near Trichy
in Tamilnadu, Gopalakrishan completed his one year catering course in
Thuraiyur. Remember, the money for the college fees has been promptly sponsored
by a well wisher. His father runs a small shop in Trichy, mom is homemaker; his
younger brother lives with his parents.
The Tamilian businessman from London, a regular guest of
Oberoi needs very specific food- no coconut, no onion, no garlic, less spicy,
less sour, the mango pickle has to be less spicy.... A minister from Tamilnadu
expects crispy Vadas, very soft Oothappams, filter coffee that tastes like the
same in Chennai homes.... guest centric Gopalakrishan is game for it. He
connects with the guests effortlessly.
AMARANTA has
won critical acclaims from all quarters; renowned food critics have praised on
the seafood served here, in an embarrassingly superlative language.
The Oberoi Gurgaon has made it a point to fly the seafood
every morning from the major fishing ports along the Indian Peninsula- Kochi,
Chennai, Vizag, Kolkata, and Saurashtra.
The case in point: the guests can enjoy "the catch
of the day" in their plate in a matter of hours. Undoubtedly, it is a
never fading, always fresh dining experience. Incidentally the word AMARANTA
means a flower that never fades.
Text and pics: R.KESAVA MALLIA in Gurgaon
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