Rise and shine to wholesome goodness

Breakfast will never be the same again, thanks to the introduction of Zesty Mornings at Cubbon Pavilion, ITC Gardenia and Raj Pavilion, ITC Windsor in namma Bengaluru. The thought behind this new initiative is to provide morning diners a familiar breakfast experience, yet loaded with wholesome food in the form of forgotten grains, microgreens, alternate milks, fresh juices, locally produced cheese and artisanal bread. Breakfast is considered to be the most important meal of the day and for a good reason. A comforting dosa, idli, toast, eggs, coffee and orange juice are usually some the items mostly preferred by busy executives at city hotels before their dash to the first business meeting. 

The Zesty Mornings breakfast has been launched at ITC’s Pavilion restaurants across the country where the chefs have put together a menu which is thoughtfully prepared with ingredients high on the health quotient while taking care of dietary requirements such as gluten free, low fat and probiotics. Take, for instance, the Conscious Cereals programme which incorporates sorghum, pearl millets, red rice, amaranth and porridge with the requisite fibre for the body while providing a healthy source of sustained energy to kickstart the day.

There are customisable Breakfast Bowls with a choice of homemade granolas, toasted nuts, puffed grains and flavoured yoghurts. For diners with dairy intolerance, there are alternate milks derived from seeds, nuts and soya. And, not to forget, the Pavilion Juicery blending freshly sourced microgreens, sprouts, herbs, fruits and vegetables to make that perfect glass brimming with taste and nutrition.  The glass-covered Raj Pavilion at ITC Windsor overlooking the cool blue pool makes for a perfect breakfast destination even if you are not a resident guest at the hotel. You could make a breakfast date with your family and friends and savour the extensive fare in this sun-soaked, Victorian-themed restaurant inspired by the 100-year-old Lalbagh gardens.

Same goes for the glass, marble, steel and wood adorned Cubbon Pavilion at ITC Gardenia. Named after Cubbon Park, the highlight of this restaurant is the vertical garden which adds a touch of the outdoors inside the restaurant making it an ideal setting for a morning repast with your favourite dishes.
Going back to the breakfast, there is a Wokery section dishing out Asian food including congee,  dim sums and bao buns while ensuring we get our balanced fix of protein, starch and leafy greens. There is a Western Griddle section employing healthier cooking techniques such as baking, roasting and pan-frying without compromising on the tasteful flavour of the dish. And, for those comforting moments, the South Indian island dishes out the softest idlis, crispy ragi dosas and uttapams from handmade batters accompanied with piping hot sambhar, home ground podis and chutney. However, if you are in the mood for a light breakfast then you could opt for a millet-based khichdi too.

In addition to the extensive buffet, a menu card on the table announces signature breakfast dishes which are available on order. Here you could choose from  Puffed Amaranth Oat and Pumpkin Seed Granola with nutmeg cashew cream and rosewood honey or the Buckwheat and Jaggery Pancakes with toasted almond cream, fennel and chilli stewed apples. Two more options include the Black Rice Crepe Benedict with smoked salmon, caper hollandaise and the Goat Cheese Scramble with rosemary polenta cake and young tomato confit. The author is a Bengaluru-based hospitality professional, food lover and travel enthusiast