Into the city

A checklist on what to shop, where to eat and what to lookout for.

Moorish magic

Forget the relatively bland Lebanese cuisine that has done modestly well in Ahmedabad. The authentic taste of Middle East served at Souq Bistro & Grills is much closer to our flavour-packed palate.

The atmosphere is definitely Moorish, with arches and pillars, but their spice wall grabs all the attention. There are stacks of spice jars neatly lined up to add a vibrant mix of colours to the whole ambience. We started our meal with their mezze platter, lentil in curry broth soup with poached beetroot Carpaccio salad. They’ve given a twist to the original hummus recipe by adding green peas. For the main course, we tried the Moroccan tagines and grills. Tagine is a combination of meat and vegetables that has to be stewed in a clay pot with a conical lid. The vegetarian version contains vegetables, caramelised onions, raisins and chickpeas. Manning the kitchens is Chef Dipak Roy who recommends his signature Spicy Bbq chicken wings and beer roasted chicken. Their Greek Chicken souvlaki, a version of Greek kebabs, dipped in tzatziki sauce (cool and creamy tangy cucumber dip flavoured with garlic) is mouth-watering.

One of the favourite desserts here is the baklava, which they serve occasionally. Another hot seller is the lemon tiramisu, which leaves a sweet aftertaste. This restaurant is also emerging as the next hot spot for good live music gigs. It is, for sure, going to redefine the way we look at a hitherto unexplored cuisine. Average meal for two Rs 800 to Rs 1, 000 At Souq Bistro & Grills, Ground Floor, Acropolis Mall, SG Highway, Ahmedabad Tel 65555550