Having heard much about the Bento Box offered at ITC WelcomHotel, I decided that I just had to try it out when a friend and I stepped out for lunch recently. The concept, which refers to a single-portion meal, is Japanese in origin. When I heard that a traditional Bento is packed with rice or noodles, vegetables, fish or meat and pickles, it reminded me strongly of our own thali.
The choices available on that day were Continental or Oriental and I chose the vegetarian option of the latter. The starters were served separately - vegetable fritters and lotus stem in a honey-chilli sauce. The first was crisp outside and chewy inside, while the lotus stem with its mix of sweet and spice made a perfect accompaniment.
The full bowl of clear soup was a welcome surprise as the thalis and combos usually get just a taste. A hint of lemongrass and loads of crunchy veggies helped me calm my conscience.
Finally a big black box made its appearance. It was placed before me and the lid was removed ceremoniously to reveal stir-fried veggies, fried rice, three spring rolls, a tofu curry, pickled carrots and beans and a cupful of fruit. The compartments were all red in colour, adding a splash of colour to the rice and veggies.
The spring rolls had a sweetish filling, which threw me off for a bit. But the garlicky flavour of the stir fry and the spicy tofu were perfect with the rice. It made sense to keep the rice bland. Three dishes, each with a strong taste, would have been a bit too much with flavoured rice.
The tofu was so soft that it fell to pieces at the first touch. The portions were ample for a single diner and the bowl of fruit (a mix of papaya, pineapple, watermelon and grapes) made for a healthy dessert. Anything else would have tipped the diner over into the discomfort of a heavy meal.
Rohit Mallick, General Manager of ITC WelcomHotel, said the idea was to promote zero waste. “A lot of food is wasted when people order more than one dish,” he explained. “This way, a single diner gets a taste of multiple dishes.” Called the WelcomMeal in the menu, it is offered at the restaurant and for in-room dining.
The hotel has other initiatives towards sustainable dining as well, says Rohit, pointing to the use of local foods on the buffet and a la carte menu to help reduce emissions caused by food travelling distance and the zero mile artisanal water, produced and bottled in house and served in glass bottles. This not only does away with use of plastic but also reduces emissions related to transporting bottled water.
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Both the Western and Oriental, with vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, are interesting
The first offers a choice between a pasta and a grill. Non-vegetarians can choose from prawn, fish, chicken and sausages for the grill while vegetarians have just cottage cheese. The sides include Caesar Salad, Steamed Vegetables, Mashed Potato and Chocolate Brownie
For the Oriental, the choice is between tofu and chicken, served with rice, spring rolls, and fruits. The second option has chicken spring rolls and egg fried rice.
The price ranges between ₹525 and ₹675.