Lights, Camera and Action: Liquid Nitrogen, Molecular Gastronomy and Much More

Ever heard of paapri chaat in ice
spheres or frozen gol gappas? This is the bug of Molecular Gastronomy that has
bitten Varun Puri. His new entrant Lights, Camera and Action is located in the
plush Rajouri Garden market. This new baby is different from the rest with
respect to world class cuisine, service and ambiance.

Owner Varun Puri knows his stuff quite
well. His eyes light up as he talks about his new venture. Lights, Camera and
Action is a very appropriate name for this restaurant as this one has a lot of
action just a Bollywood flick.

The newly introduced concept of Molecular
Gastronomy transforms the tastes and textures of food. The result is a
completely innovative dining experience. Chef Arun is by far an artist from a
different world who has used Molecular Gastronomy to transform and culminate the
artistic components of culinary and gastronomic phenomena to create something phenomenal.

I was invited to dine at the
restaurant. Although it has been a fortnight since its inception, but Varun
excitedly talks about the large number of diners who frequent this place daily.
The décor is fabulous and the lounge area resembles a Bollywood set – full of
action. The lighting in the dining area is subtle, highlighting the walls
covered with posters of movies that are re-named in Bihari ishtyle. The servers have catchy slogans and popular
dialogues written on their shirts that catch your eye the moment they turn
their backs.

As you take the flight of stairs, a wall
adorned wall with selfies of stars stare at you. The wide terrace looks
beautiful with a large seating capacity to fill in a huge gathering.

The
showers had just subsided and the crisp air felt amazing after the terrible sunny
climate in Delhi. The terrace was the perfect choice to enjoy the masterpieces ready
to be served before us.

I was very excited to witness the
extraordinary art of turning liquids into solids within seconds and devour the
flavors. A spoon to ladle a kesar based lassi
was presented before us. The liquid nitrogen to freeze a delectable rabri based
lassi looked appealing. One gulp and I was transported into a new level of
satiation.

Rangeela Kaun, Rajnikant Early Morning
Tea is actually a tea style rassam which has a mind blowing recipe of heaven on
earth experience. Molecular gastronomy is at its best in a glass with curry
leaves and coconut powder that gets transformed into liquid, once water from a kettle
resembling a railway chaiwaala is poured into it.

We are served three soup spoons serving
gol gappas on a spoon. The soup spoon was served with flavours of salt,
spices, curd, jaljeera chemically altered with the addition of Gluco into a
water and sodium alginate bath. The gel membrane formed around the juice, resembled
an over-sized egg yolk. The traditional spiced gappas and yoghurt is served in
spherical shapes using sodium alginate as a setting agent.

The slight pressure
of the tongue made them burst, that gave an everlasting explosion of flavour. Chilled coolers like Summer cooler, Fresh fruit mojito and whiskey sour were the perfect partners for a delectable dinner.

The Chamak Chalo salad was a bright
display of colours that pleased our palette. It was the Hollywood Nitrogen
Papdi Dhokla Chaat that stole our heart. Cold and transformed by liquid nitrogen
into powder with freeze-dried chutney sauce, it was the recipe for a
gastronomical delight. The Bhiku Mhatre Vada Pav was enticing. The crispy deep
fried bits of gram flour taste amazing when sprinkled with green chutney and
chillies.

Jhakaas Maska Bhaji Paav is a fondue style dish that steals your
heart with the butter oozing out. You can dip the paav inside the bhhaji and
devour it with onions.

The pataka chicken and Chicken-e-chamli, served as starters
were as scrumptious as the other dishes served before. The Kukjad Kamal Da made
with four cheese style has a sauce that
has a very distinct flavor with an Italian essence. Pyaar
Tune Quesadilla were the usual quesadillas that tasted brilliant. We were happy
to be served Bachan Sahab Ke Rajma
Chaawal, a perfect North Indian meal that was served with curd.

All good things come to an end with
sweet nothings. An exquisite sweet delight in the form of Bole Toh with Oreo
cookies was served with rabri. We were
elated with the extreme hospitality and grace at Lights, Camera and Action that
gave a whole new spectrum of food before us.

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Tags: Food Lover's Haven