AN IMPERIAL SUNDAY BRUNCH

In a city that boasts of Sunday Brunches a dime a dozen ,The Imperial Sunday Brunch at 1911, boasts of a medley of tradition and contemporary character and flavor that keeps gastronomers coming.Going by the larger percentage of expats and vegetarians lounging on a lazy Sunday, there has to be something to savour.

Its in the small details ,the lighter offer of the crunch of vegetables and salads, small morsel meats and fish, as compared to heavy, gravy drenched dishes and burst in the seam buffets that create its own vital signature.

If the prawn tempura station spells the most versatile South East Asian counter,the hot dog stand can get you mulling about enjoying lettuce filled sausage fare on a laid-back weekend. Linger over a slice of stellar chorizo, have a hearty starter of a succulent moist smoked chicken and orange , sip a glass of freshly squeezed pineapple juice, or dive into a succulent plate of sautéed stir fry vegetables. Anything goes at this languorous lunch event where the light comes in to create an ambience steeped in colonial classicism and enticing British charm.

When Vice President and General Manager Vijay Wanchoo states that the likes of Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Pandit Nehru and Dr S Radhakrishnan would come and hold meetings over pastries and tea you know that 1911 is more than a Sunday institution, with 250 covers – sitting down to a nostalgia driven dinner every night.

The high ceilings, the photographs and British watercolours and aquatints on the walls echo vintage vitality, the red blazored waiter service, reflective of British Raj days, affirms that this Brasserie cum coffee chop is a well oiled slick operation.

The Sunday menu is gratifyingly to the point, served family-style: just a couple of starters and a pared down menu of continental fare,two Chinese dishes and a few Indian dishes meet your idea of eating right and not stuffing up.

With one of the finest pattiseries in the city, the dessert counter is a top quality, small plate scrumptious spread that's long and deep enough to make competitors weep.

The Steinway at the corner is grand enough to set your pulses racing thinking of whisper soft fingers running adagios and arpeggios along the keys.The Imperial boasts of The Piano Club – the only one of its kind. " In a setting like this that goes back to 1936, with vintage European fare, and a fine dining menu I felt it's a good idea to offer our space to concerts and performances with renown artists keeping alive the music heritage of the hotel," says Vice President and General Manager Vijay Wanchoo ( distinguished blue blooded Kashmiri pandit) who incidentally could pass off as a descendant from the British Raj himself.

" We launched the Piano Club in March 2013," adds Wanchoo, "we had the privilege of presenting the noted Moroccan Hungarian Pianist, Marouan Ben abdallah. We invite a few select guests who are mostly from the diplomatic core as well as our cherished customers, to experience these sit-down live concerts that lend an aura of

class as well as match the legacy and repertoire of the hotel. Since the restaurant serves classic European recipes and is filled with old world ambience, each facet is about a rare and consummate experience." Indeed if visitors lounge till 6 pm relishing coffee and an Indian sunset on a Sunday, you know this is about the haunts of history!