First things first. The dusty drive to Zirakpur in the middle of the afternoon was completely worth it. The all-new ‘B Lounge’ tucked away in Hotel Bristol throws up a pleasant surprise with its themed lounge that brings in the best of Egypt! Having had enough of Continental, Chinese and Mughlai fare, the new cuisine does offer a refreshing change. “That’s exactly what we had in mind too,” steps in the hotel’s managing director Sunny Virk as we take a look around the new place that also boasts of their new restaurant Peppers. But first it’s the lounge that we head to. Don’t go expecting pyramids in the corner but yes there’s an understated elegance to the place with plush seating, little candles burning alongside Mashal-like lights and earthy tones running right through. “It was on a visit to Cairo that I first tried Egyptian food and completely loved it,” mentions Virk as we lend an ear to him and the Egyptian music filtering in. Staying true to their theme, the lounge will only serve authentic Egyptian fare. “There’s an uncanny similarity between Indian and Egyptian cuisines. They use our kind of ingredients but Egyptian food is high in nutritive value as its either baked, poached or roasted,” explains Virk. Tempted we turn to the menu. The names of the dishes might sound foreign but a closer look at the description of the dishes will tell you it’s not fussy food.

“All the sections, be it the starters, main course or even the desserts bring in a selection that would best suit the Indian palate,” pitches in CEO, R S Rawal. So in come healthy salads and starters which are tossed up in olive oil and bring in a liberal use of feta cheese, hung curd, olives, exotic greens, chickpeas, dates and all. “While we are all used to one type of Hummus and Pita bread, we offer a range to choose from,” chorus the two. If you are a salad person then the Dates and Lettuce salad comes highly recommended as does the chicken Souvlaki and Kofta Bi Fama that makes the most of sesame and feta cheese. “All the food is pre-plated,” Rawal adds as we notice the well-stocked bar. The main course offers seafood, chicken, lamb and vegetarian dishes. Do try ‘Asafer Bil Murghabiah’ that offers grilled chicken marinated with chickpeas and served with Tahini sauce. “All the dips are made from hung yoghurt and therefore are very healthy,” adds Virk who also suggests a vegetarian delicacy ‘Khushri’.