The other day saw me venture out on the “luna”tic scarface, also known as MG Road, Gurgaon with a keen sense of purpose. I was heading for Senses, the coffee shop at Pullman’s Hotel, Gurgaon to try their Angus Burger that was much talked about on the Indian food Freak/Gurgaon Food Freak Facebook page.
Whoever named the coffee shop Sen5es sure named it aptly? No sooner one enters the restaurant than one is struck by the zen like beauty of the place. The décor and layout of seating arrangements makes the place looks expansive, the glass wall on the one side offering a verdant scenery, pleasing to the eye. There is much light, and the starkness of the predominant white is offset by sparsely placed, tall potted plants, colourful ceramic dishes and calming blue lighting at the different cooking and display stations. Much thought has been given even to how the buffet spread is laid out- no clutter, the spread not overwhelming yet offering sufficient choices…The place appeals to your senses. It is perhaps one of the few 5 * coffee shops that are under-statedly beautiful.
Not letting the lovely ambience satiate my hunger for the burger, my companion and I ordered for their Angus burger, one rare and the other, medium. We opted for the whole works- bacon, fried egg etc. One of us chose the salad as accompaniment and the other, vegetables, with grilled vegetables in mind.
Our starter, the Warm Peking Duck Roll was tasty and done just right, the crispy duck pairing perfectly with the sweet plum sauce, green onion and cucumber, rolled in a soft yet “bite-y” pancake. It is a no-messy, tasty starter, scoring high in the reviewer’s opinion.
And then we were served the Angus Burger. A huge monster of a burger, it was visually appealing, the golden brown bun contrasting with the thick burger patty, dripping red with the beetroot relish, the melting cheese beckoning, a perfectly done fried egg sitting atop sinful fried bacon, the sliced tomatoes and lettuce trying desperately to offset the calorie count. I couldn’t wait to bite into it. Only the bun wouldn’t let me!
The bun that housed the Angus burger was not the usual sesame seed variety. The texture was papery and chewy and wouldn’t allow me an easy bite. Over powered by the hugeness of the burger and the recalcitrant bun, I had no option but to use the knife and fork which made eating it a laborious process.
The burger however, was a delight, the meat done medium as I had requested for, the sweet and juicy beet relish playing up the texture and flavor of the large, meaty burger. The accompanying salad was fantastic, the greens fresh and crispy negating the need to order any guilt-ridding vegetables separately. However, the vegetables that accompanied my burger were mere fried potato wedges. The wedges were crisp and beguilingly light, camouflaging successfully their calorific value.
Coming to the bun that spoilt my fun, further inquiries revealed that the bun used that day was a Ciabatta one, which when done by an experienced hand wins many accolades, but pulls the rug from down under other lesser mortals. For, maintaining consistency in quality is a consistent problem with this bun, which has to be done with the right amount of water and not too much flour to bring out its porous, chewy, airy yet tantalizing taste.
The lower half of the bun turned soggy with the juicy beet relish while the upper half was papery, dry and extremely difficult to cut or bite into. Senses may reconsider using ciabatta for their burgers and have it replaced with the regular sesame buns given that consistency is in question. It took away from an otherwise excellent meat treat that this Angus Burger was.
PS. I subsequently visited the restaurant the following week and this time tried the burger with a sesame seed bun. Much better. For those who relish the meat, do request the staff to go easy on the beet relish. Service left a lot to be desired, though. Plates were cleared only after being requested (in case of buffet taken by my son). Mustard and ketchup were served after much delay, which left the “rare”ly done burger cold by the time they were served to us.
Special mention must be made of the fabulously refreshing pitchers of water, steeped with slices of fresh fruits that is available at Senses. One had the option of going for citrusy orange-ginger, refreshing watermelon-mint and spicy apple-clove. My pick was the watermelon-mint one.
In the line up for the best burgers in town, Senses shall give the competition a run for the money if only the ciabatta bun is shunned. Or, well-done!
Disclosure: This review was done after an anonymous visit, with the food paid for by the reviewer.
Ratings (Out of 5):
Angus burger: 4.5/5 (burger without bun) | Ciabatta Bun: 2.0/5 | Ambience: 4.5/5 | Service: 2.5/5 | Overall: 3.5/5
Meal for two: Rs. 3000/- (incl. taxes) w/out alcohol | Credit cards: Accepted | Alcohol: Yes
Address: Sen5es restaurant, Pullman Hotel, MG Road, Sector 26, Delhi-Gurgaon border, Gurgaon | Tel: 0124-4992000
