A mini-Europe in India

A gorgeous ambience with sunlight coming in through colourful windows; light yet tantalizing flavours in the air and a chef passionate about serving healthy and tasty food. What else does a person need to make their monotonous day simply magical? Food is what makes life bearable. We humans cannot survive without it and when it's good, you yearn for it. This is what will happen if you visit AnnaMaya. Located in Andaz Hotel, Aerocity this place is a must have on the list of every foodie.

A European food hall inspired by the colours and flavours of India, AnnaMaya's purpose is to encourage guests to 'eat mindful - shop artisanal and raise awareness'. And once anyone visits the place, they will believe in their slogan. Even though it's a European food hall, you will find a hint of Indianness in everything – from a brass glass to a salt sprinkler. As you enter AnnaMaya, the first thing you see is the dessert section – again Indianness – Indians believe that every good things begins with something sweet and this time this belief proves true. With myriad of delectable food, you will be left confused. It is a place where you get the best of both countries because almost each dish has some Indian kick to it. There is 'buratta cheese, basil, tomato and naan' which is light yet it leaves a cheesy taste in your mouth; another one of their delightful European dish was 'turkey burger with grilled pineapple, melted cheese and fried egg'.

And it's not all European, the executive chef – Alex Moser has made sure that the guests feel at home when they are eating, so he has included some good old Indian recipes like a very spongy 'grilled paneer', 'murgh makhani with creamy tomato gravy', 'kadai paneer with home-made cottage cheese,' 'spicy kebab in butter naan', 'doi mach-bengali fish curry' and also 'butter chicken'. The best part about this place is that they use their own herbs grown organically inside a temperature controlled cabinet and hence every salad you have is the juiciest you have ever tasted. It is not just the food that's impressive but also the drinks they have. At a very nominal rate, one can have the most refreshing and flavourful drink of all time – one is a 'peach, lime lavender lemonade' with a pungent peachy flavor and the other is a beautiful looking 'watermelon, pink peppercorn, lime drink' – just a look at them and you will know they taste out of this world. As earlier mentioned, AnnaMaya does not forget its Indianness and has something in their Indian section too – and that is 'Lassi' – the flavours range from a 'coconut dill rose lassi' to a 'matcha tea, cacao, chocolate and mint flavoured lassi'.

Every visit at AnnaMaya is a surprise because you don't know what you will get. You won't get the same dish if you come after some time because their menu changes according to the season. So, go this time and find out which dish they have for you.