La Maison Des Délices, or Délices in short has been around for some time. However, I still remember the two times I had dined there, and both fell way short of my expectations. However, when S told me that they had had a menu revamp, and added a few new interesting dishes to their menu, I caved and went over for a taste.
From the outside, the place looks small, but once you go inside, the illusion is gone – well-lit, nicely decorated space, serving chiefly French and Italian food – the menu is extensive, and you can pick and choose from it. I ordered a cup of coffee before ordering my meal, and it came to me strong and creamy, just how I like it.
We started off with their new menu additions – these are mostly Lebanese, and all of these come with a side of cold Labneh and Tabbouleh. The Labneh was cold and creamy, and was great for dipping in the pieces of Shish Taouk, soft bits of chicken with a hint of Za’atar which was unmistakable. RK and SS chose to start off with the Prawn Cocktail, and the combination of Thousand Island with fresh, juicy prawns is always a hit.
While the Cold Mezze Platter lacked variety (no Baba Ghanoush, Lavash bread or Tzatziki as usually seen in platters around the city), they did make up for it with the fluffiest Falafel I have tasted. Crisp on the outside, moist and smooth inside, these were addictive, and I could not resist scooping up the creamy Hummus and apply it all over their soft pita breads. The Tabbouleh was cold and crunchy and I think this might just be my new summer best friend.
Of course, if a menu has Lamb in it, I would order it, and the Lahem Meshwi was tender and fragrant, and I sorely missed a couple of pieces of Pita Bread to wrap these babies up and make them into wraps, piling generously with the crunchy red pepper and labneh.
For our mains, we had to be wise, and PC chose the Grilled Chicken with Black Pepper Sauce, because she really wanted something light. The dish comes with an option of mash or rice, but she skipped those. Rarely have I found chicken breast so soft and moist, and the one bite I had from her plate left me wanting more – the flavours were clean and fresh, and the green salad was kept simple to let the peppery notes shine through.
S had selected the Tavuk Biftek – slices of chicken coated with Sumac and Za’atar, served with herbed rice on a sizzler plate, topped with a tangy, creamy sauce – again, cannot say enough about the moistness of the chicken, and the herb rice was fragrant with parsley and I probably smelled butter, but it was difficult to locate it over all that hissing and spluttering from the sizzler plate.
R selected the Chermoula Grilled Bhetki – a nice, thick fillet of the fish, topped with Chermoula and grilled – the fish made this dish – it was fresh, tender, and soaked in the flavours from the Chermoula rather well.
I decided to go with the Coq au Cremant simply because of the lure of the bacon, and thank God I selected it! The chicken fillet was covered with bacon – and when I say covered I do mean covered – and then a lovely creamy sauce covered it – the combination of tender chicken breast, bacon, and cream was something which made not just my night, but probably my entire week. The green beans accompanying it was crunchy and provided a fantastic contrast to the soft meat. I might have reached for a few rolls on the table to sop up the cream, because really, do I want to waste bacon cream? I think not.
We were stuffed to our gills, but dessert stomach is a real thing. I chose something simple – the chocolate pastry looks deceptively simple, but there is a thick layer of cold chocolate mousse there! S selected the French Apple Tart, which came in with a hefty dose of cinnamon and caramel sauce, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. I tasted some and I must say, if you like tarte tatin or apple pie, this shall be your next best friend.
We rolled out of our seats after the meal, and I have to say, my opinion has changed, especially because I returned there a couple of times since then, and the food didn’t disappoint! Head over to Délices to check out their menu between 11.30 am to midnight.
Disclaimer: Poorna Banerjee dined at Délices at the kind invitation of the management.
