Sorriso, Marriott Suites Pune.

Chef Jacopo Avigo

Bistro, the Italian flagship at Marriott Suites Pune, has now been replaced by Sorriso with Brescian Chef Jacopo Avigo taking over the mantle of the kitchen. While the minimalist and soothing decor of the inside seating area remains untouched, the al fresco area has been tweaked and is now an enclosed space with a generous dash of greenery and a bar at the far end. The new menu boasts of traditional Italian dishes, some of which have been given a modern twist by Chef Avigo.

Gamberi - Gourmet Pizza

Our tasting kicked-off with Handmade Gourmet Pizzas - Funghi and Gamberi. The dough for these pies is double fermented resulting in bread that's crisp and light. The regular tomato sauce base gives way to mushroom cream topped with burrata and truffle oil in the former while the Gamberi had a slightly sweet pumpkin cream base plonked with prawns and rocket leaves. Both excellent, but considerably steeper than the regular pizzas listed on the menu. 

Crema Di Granchio

Crema Di Granchio, a clear crab bisque with shredded crab meat speckled with carrots and celery, was redolent with aroma of the crustacean and was perfect to slurp on a cool monsoon evening. Cozze Ripene is a classic dish of stuffed mussels where the mollusks are poached in white wine and parsley to open the shells after which the flesh is chopped and cooked in bechamel sauce and then stuffed back in the shells, coated with bread crumbs and deep fried. Though the accompanying garlic mayo is pleasantly sharp, I'd have preferred a spunkier tomato or red pepper dip instead to combat the creaminess of the stuffing.

Buffalo Tonnato

Casoncelli Bresciani

The Buffalo Tonnato was quite easily the standout dish for me. Cold slices of medium done buffalo tenderloin, with a blushing pink centre, when eaten with a creamy tuna sauce and peppery rocket leaves results in a revelation of a dish that must be tried when at Sorriso. The Estiva - a salad of smoked salmon, boiled eggs, romaine lettuce in a lemon dressing - is refreshing, but the overall impact is a tad underwhelming. Casoncelli Bresciani, pasta stuffed generously with pork mince and pancetta and tossed in a decadent butter-sage sauce was another favourite of the evening; while it's not a deal-breaker, the pasta could've been a little thinner.

Ossobuco Alla Milanese

Sorriso's Ossubuco Alla Milanese swaps the traditional veal shanks for lamb shanks but the meat is perfectly pliant and the delicate flavours of the ossobuco complement the saffron risotto well. The biggest disappointment of the evening has to be the desserts - both the Tiramisu and Dark Chocolate Mousse with Saffron Sauce failed to hit the mark. The Tiramisu was devoid of the lightness or the booze quotient of the good ol' classic Italian dessert and the incompatible pairing of strong ingredients like dark chocolate and saffron leave you with a confused palate. 

{The bloggers table was hosted by Sorriso.}