Flechazo Comes to Hyderabad with its MediterrAsian Buffet

Buffets with huge spreads have always been popular in Hyderabad. Variations in it like the barbeque on the table or innovative live counters have all been lapped up by the locals. Flechazo, which has opened a large buffet place in Hitech City, is the new kid on the block. After a very successful run in Bangalore, this is the second outlet from the restaurant chain.


Flechazo brings in a little twist to buffet dining – the food here concentrates more on Mediterranean and Asian cuisines, and aptly it calls itself a MediterrAsia restaurant. The place has around 250 covers, and as you enter the place you can’t help but appreciate the ambience of the huge place. It is apt that Flechazo in Spanish means “love at first sight”.


As I went around the restaurant, a few things struck me about how this restaurant is different from other buffets in town. A Food Shot counter is a first here where bite-sized snacks from various cuisines are put on a conveyor for you to pick up the ones that you enjoy. I tried out a Gujarati Dhokla Chaat and a Veg Sushi. Lots of kids were running around picking up the food from the belt and keeping it back. It was a fun atmosphere.

Food Shot Flechazo
Food Shot Counter

The most popular live counter is Big O. Here you can actually make your own pizza with your selection of topping. You can even wear the chef’s cap and apron and pose with your creation. The rush here was seen to be believed. On closer scrutiny though, I found diners more interested in selfies than concentrating on pizza preparation. The counter also serves some fresh pita prepared there.

Smokin’ Cold is the live dessert counter. Here you can see how ice creams are prepared using liquid nitrogen. You can even try your hand at making them.

American Cheese Potatoes
American Cheese Potatoes

The recce over, I settled down for my lunch. As is customary with most buffets, the starters are served on the table. There were about half a dozen each of vegetarian and non-vegetarian starters. I tasted the American Cheese Potatoes in the vegetarian section, and it was pretty decent. Spicy Apple and Pineapple Shawarma were an innovation which had pineapple and apple marinated in a tangy sauce and served on your table.

Spicy Apple and Pineapple Shawarma
Spicy Apple and Pineapple Shawarma

I was then served a Nitro Batida, a drink with lychee, passion fruit and cranberry, which is changed into an ice cream using liquid nitrogen. This was surely a novel drink with a very balanced taste which must be tried.

Nitro Batida
Nitro Batida

It is the non-vegetarian starter section which is the highlight of the buffet. Golden Fried Prawns and Chilli Chicken from the Pan-Asian fare, and Chicken Tikka from Indian cuisine impressed. Chicken Shawarma was a treat to watch when the entire mounted dish was brought to the table.

Flechazo Style Popcorn Chicken
Flechazo Style Popcorn Chicken

Flechazo Style Popcorn Chicken and Pesto Fish Kababs were fusion food.  Kasundi Fish, however, did not have adequate flavours from the famed Bengali mustard sauce. To compensate, Fiery Prawns Sichuan Style was stunningly spicy and tasty dish. The Mutton Seekh was a tad dry.

Pesto Fish Kababs
Pesto Fish Kababs

Service on the table was absolutely top notch. This was a blogger’s table which usually gets special attention. However, as I looked around I saw all the other customers being doted on by the wait staff.
A major reason for me to go back there will definitely be their crab dishes.  The Chilli Crab served as part of the starters was simply delicious. The Coconut Crab Curry was also the pick of main courses.

Seekh Kababs
Seekh Kababs

After gorging on the starters, you may still have space for main courses. I did not have much but still could not resist the Malabar Mutton Roast with steamed rice. Here again, there were more than a dozen preparations including vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. The Lucknow Style Biryani looked interesting but on tasting the flavours were not truly Awadhi.

Shawarma
Shawarma

The Dessert counter looked very attractive too. While I had some freshly fried Jalebis with ice cream, there was a beeline for nitrogen-based ice cream. I had never heard of Rajasthani Keech before, but this was a decent dessert too with a mint flavour. Again close to a dozen items here means there was something for everyone.

Live Dessert Counter

Dessert Counter and Desserts

Overall, nice sumptuous choice of food in a swank environment. Flechazo will be popular in Hyderabad as there is a huge market for good buffets.  In my opinion, they need to work a little more on the Mediterranean dishes, while the Indian and Asian stuff is par for the course. The buffet price varies for lunch, dinner, weekend and weekdays (Rs 500 to Rs 800), so a check with the restaurant is recommended.

Location:
Flechazo
Sun Tower, Huda Techno Enclave
(Above Mangatrai Jewellers)
Madhapur
Hyderabad
Telephone: 73066 08888

Disclaimer: The review is based on an invite from the restaurant.

Some pics are courtesy the restaurant



No comments:

Post a Comment