Easy Tiger: A stylish and clever dining experience
Tucked into a lively strip of the ever-developing Gurgaon, ‘Easy Tiger’ announces itself with the same confidence. A South East Asian retreat where clean lines and sculptural furniture that celebrates the best of Le Corbusier’s impact on India create a space that feels both urbane and a little mischievous. My fiancée and I slipped in for dinner and quickly understood why it’s gathering momentum among those who prefer their restaurants with both personality and precision.
As someone nourished on ‘Anglophone’ pop culture, the immediacy and double-edged playfulness of this restaurant’s name rang through my head in the hours before we sat down to dinner. Like a Guy Ritchie henchman pacifying his big boss in Thames-estuary vowels: Easy Tiger!
We opened with cocktails - proper vodka martinis shaken by mixologists that know their craft - and (for her) elderflower-laced creations that were bright, floral and as unapologetically polished as a Bond femme fatale.
The food arrived at a steady, well-paced rhythm. The staff - from front of house and management to the waiter who attended to our every course - were polite, professional and gave us the right amount of space to enjoy an intimate Saturday evening dinner. Starters were crispy sea bass with ‘takrai’ dressing, striking a wonderful equilibrium between crunch and citrus. Crackling prawns, swaddled in ‘kataifi’, that were all sublime theatre and texture. The 48-hour Belgian pork belly was the kind of deeply glazed, slow-yielding indulgence that stops conversation mid-sentence.
Sushi followed and impressively held its own. The salmon roll was lightly flamed and encased tempura prawn and avocado. The smoked eel roll, dotted with bubu arare, was a standout: smoky, crisp and quietly addictive. Unagi, we said to each other, pointing to our inner eye.
For the main event, the steamed lime sea bass was light and sophisticated in its simple elegance: fragrant, clean and lifted by a sharp, invigorating broth, with bok choy offering gentle crunch.
Our waiter steered us towards the pandan brioche for dessert and we were grateful for the nudge. Soft, aromatic and subtly sweet.
‘Easy Tiger’ isn’t trying to shout for attention; it doesn’t have to. With confident cooking, interior design that borders on architectural seduction and service pitched just right, it presents a dining experience that is stylish and clever. And their furniture designer can expect a call from me.
