OBK gets Asian-Inspired!
If there is any pan Asian restaurant in Hyderabad I look upto in terms of superlative food, exemplary service and a quiet, posh ambience, it would be Park Hyatt’s Asian speciality restaurant, Oriental Bar & Kitchen (or OBK as its popularly known) at Park Hyatt, hands down.
I was elated, therefore, to be invited to a preview of the new menu at OBK to be curated and launched at the hands of sous chef Azrul Samah of Hyatt Regency, Makkah Jabal Omar located in Mecca. Chef Azrul has an impressive career specialising in Malay and Asian cuisine, we are informed and we cant wait to begin.
“We did not want to be constrained by structured and typical Asian recipes. The new menu is a compilation of recipes, which are inspired by the flavours of Asia, which can be from any particular region from Japan to Cambodia to Malaysia and Indonesia, and from Thailand to Mainland China, from home recipes to street foods etc,” informs Mohit Malhotra, the executive assistant manager, F&B, Park Hyatt.
We start off with a Gado Gado salad, the very refreshing Indonesian street food favourite, a crunchy, flavourful medley of assorted vegetables and with a spicy peanut sauce dressing, and this is a much more liquid version of the drier Gado Gado I have been used to trying. Its followed by the delectable Chicken Murtaban with Malaysian curry or multi layered pancake filled with chicken mince egg and served with a spicy Malaysian curry. While Murtaban is believed to have originated in Kerala, its now a staple breakfast for all Malays.
Gado Gado Salad
Chicken Murtaban with Malay curry
But the star, undoubtedly, of the meal is the Curry Laksa which is part spicy, part tangy, but on the whole flavorful, aromatic and just plain delicious with the noodles, sprouts, shrimps, vegetables and boiled eggs garnish, all playing their roles in making for a great dish, wholesome, appetising and healthy too!
Laksa Curry
There is more superstar material, the classic Singapore Chilly Prawns which enjoys near iconic status in
Another Malay classic, the Chicken Percik Sauce draws more appreciative noises around the table, as the chicken is perfectly grilled and the creamy, spiced coconut milk sauce slathering it along with turmeric, lemongrass and spices makes for a perfect blend of tastes.
Singapore Chilli Crab is an iconic national dish of Singapore and the prawns version is an adaptation of the same recipe which uses
There is roast chicken with ginger rice as well as Lamb Rendang (resplendent with lemongrass, galangal and red chillies) but we are stuffed by now, so I decide to put my cutlery down after trying a tiny spoonful of each of the dishes.
Hot, crisp, sweet-tangy banana fritters lend a sweet finish to the meal. We thank Chef Azrul for a wonderful meal and walk out happy souls!
