A Taste of Megu

The Leela Palace in New Delhi is among the fanciest hotels built by the group.  While not the largest, this hotel has clearly tried to position itself as one of the most luxurious.  With this in mind, the hotel opened with high-end restaurants that are destinations in themselves.  Le Cirque occupies top spot here, but since I have experienced this well-known French restaurant at their Las Vegas location, I decided to try Megu instead.

Meaning “blessing” in Japanese, Megu serves exquisite Japanese food, sushi and sumiri aburiyaki - an unique grilling technique from Kyoto. However, what the restaurant is more known for is its upscale, chic ambience that brings the bold and the beautiful to its doors in Trump Tower, New York City.  Chef Yasumichi Morita was soon a darling of Megu’s jet-setting patrons.  Megu has since opened a few more restaurants around the world and this one is its very first venture in India.



I could see they hadn’t spared any cost to make the interiors as glamorous here as they are known for.    The red, gold and black themes along with rich dark wood all around was amply paired with excellent service and knowledgeable waitstaff.



I decided to partake from the fixed three course menu that began with their signature starter, the Crispy Okaki Asparagus.  High quality asparagus that was perfectly fried - clearly they import most of their ingredients from abroad daily; I haven’t had such good asparagus in the country!

I had selected the Omakase Sashimi, the chef’s selection of the day’s best.  There wasn’t anything here that was particularly adventurous, but the yellow fin, salmon and octopus were of the highest quality.



I ended my meal with a Yuzu Creme Brûlée.  Both Japanese and Chinese have very little to offer in terms of dessert and therefore, most of the high-end restaurants offer a fusion of European dishes combined with some local inspiration.  This was one such offering.



All in all, loved the experience.  High-end dining from New York City can clearly work in Delhi too. The butter-chicken loving local has made enough money now and is willing to experiment and also be seen at the best places in town.  The fact that both Le Cirque and Megu fill their tables every night are proof that is room for more.