Indian Food Festival at Oakroom Restaurant & Bar, Oakwood Premier Joy~Nostalg Center Manila

Oakroom Restaurant & Bar, in-house restaurant of Oakwood Premier Joy-Nostalg Center Manila is currently celebrating divinity of delectable Indian dishes through their Indian Food Festival. This on-going food festivity which started February 20 will run until the first of March 2013.

Oakroom's Indian Food Festival here in Manila is spearheaded by Guest Executive Chef Ashutosh Nerlekar of Oakwood Bangalore. Equipped flair for whipping up complex Northern Indian cuisines and 15 years of culinary experience, Chef Ashutosh is set to enamored Oakroom's guests as he prepares food that does not just satisfy the palate, but nourished the body as well.

This festivity of Indian Cuisine showcases ala carte dishes perfected by Chef Ashutosh himself. During the first day of Oakroom's Indian Food Festival, selected guests and friends from media were invited to sample Chef Ashutosh culinary masterpieces which include some of his personal favorites.

Known for its distinct taste with emphasize on the spicy side of the spectrum, Indian cuisines can be tad intimidating especially to those who has low tolerance for anything spicy. I, myself has never been a fan of spicy food but I had my fair share of Indian cuisines I enjoyed immensely. The Indian Festival however opened my eyes and my palate to the wonderful world of diverse flavor as beautiful as the culture where it was rooted from.

First dish that graced our table was a crunchy appetizer called Masala Papad with Kidney Beans. This mini appetizer which can easily fit into your palm served as a prelude for all the fun fare of flavors that were set to flirt with our palates. A single bite introduced my taste bud to an explosion of stimulating flavors that caressed my senses. After all the complexity in flavor, the freshness that it exuded lingers in the end.

The Kebab Tasting Platter came next. A trinity which comprises of Chicken Tikka, Fish Amritsari, and Galouti Kebab or Minced Lamb. A trifecta of flavor that can stand when eaten on its own, and still blends perfectly well when taken together. Each has distinct kick of spiciness that wasn't overwhelming, just right enough to tickle and tease the palate into wanting for more.

A soup dish called Tomato Rasam was also served. It's a Southern Indian tomato and lentil broth that exudes an innocent appearance but every succeeding sip will gradually unfold into an intense flavor spunky enough to excite ones palate.

A beautiful platter of Thali was also served. That afternoon, there couldn't be more apt interpretation of a belief in India that food is God than this aesthetically pleasing Indian fare. Three little bowl of Methi Murgh, Alleppey Prawn Curry, and Lasooni Dal are the main stars in this beautiful concoction of a dish. Each one has a character that made them uniquely endearing to the taste. Served with papadum, paratha, and basmati rice, it was a satisfying meal I would not soon forget.

Another thing of beauty was the dessert platter. Trio of Gulab Jamun, Carrot Hulwa, and Bebinca. This combination somehow made me realized that as our lunch progressed, my appreciation for Indian cuisine deepen. and there couldn't be any other sweeter way to cap off a nice meal than this platter of Indian desserts.

The special menu for the Indian Food Festival at Oakroom was kept simple and neat.Not everything we sampled is included on the menu but Oakroom guaranteed that the choices are all equally delightful and filling. I uploaded a snapshot of their menu on YedyLicious Facebook Page so that you may check all the other options.

Truth be told, Indian cuisine is not something that everyone gets to appreciate. Its distinct taste can somehow be intimidating, but if you are open minded and adventurous enough, indulging in to the intriguing flavors as colorful as their culture is well worth it. So, if you have not immersed yourself enough to the wonderful world of Indian cuisine, now may be the right time.