Three days in New Delhi Aerocity with Accor Hotels

It almost felt like a holiday . I had not been to Delhi in over a decade and I had always been there only on transit. And so when I got an opportunity to visit Delhi on work and was hosted by the Accor Hotels at Aerocity, I jumped at the opportunity. There are over a score of hotels in Aerocity which is spread over 40,000 square feet. While these are not not just airport hotels, the entire area is becoming one of the hot spots in Delhi with bustling events and shows. I was on a hotel hopping spree, spending a couple of nights at IBIS New Delhi Aerocity and then at Novotel New Delhi Aerocity and finally at Pullman New Delhi Aerocity. Accor Hotels apparently has the largest inventory of rooms in Aerocity alone, with 445 rooms in Ibis and a combined lot of 670 keys in Pullman and Novotel.

IBIS New Delhi Aerocity

We were picked up by the IBIS staff and in barely ten minutes I was inside IBIS. Despite the close proximity of the airport, the hotel was an oasis of silence as I sipped ginger tea, in the gazebo and basked in the sunshine for a while. The highlight of my stay in IBIS was my room – English Vintage which was designed by Neha, an employee of the hotel. It had a Victorian flavour about it – from the colours to the decor. Delicate touches like an antique mirror, an old clock, a kettle and a poster of the vintage car on the walls added to the charm. Painted in hues of blue, lavender and purple, I loved the lace that decorated the walls.

The My Room Concept is one of the most unique experiences – it not only bonds the employees of a hotel with the guests, but it also brings their dreams true. I met Neha over coffee and we discussed her dreams and desires and how she would like to visit UK sometime. There are many more rooms designed under My Rooms, one even themed on Bollywood.

Novotel New Delhi Aerocity

It was almost late night when I checked in to my room at Novotel. My luggage was already brought in the morning while I had stepped out to explore Delhi and when I walked into my room, the soft light and the lilting music greeted me. For a moment I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. I was not in Delhi, any more but in Chateau Lille. The room was designed by a sommelier and little wonder that I was in high spirits. Chateau Lille was also a part of the My Rooms concept initiated by the hotel.

I particularly enjoyed the bright and chirpy atmosphere of Food Exchange the signature restaurant where I would have a leisurely breakfast that almost ended in brunch. It was an elaborate affair by itself with different cuisines that you would probably have to skip lunch after a sumptuous meal. The flavours are distinctly organic Asian and it offered an elegant dining experience. The Pizzas here are highly recommended as they are hand rolled wood fired pizza. The Rotisserie is a destination for meat lovers as the chef explained that there is a different menu everyday and you can even purchase the meat by weight. Being a vegetarian however I settled for some Indian fare with their signature dishes, Panner Tikka, Pumpkin and Corn with mango chutney with rice and roti. If you are looking for a quiet bar to sip some cocktails and wines then head to Quoin.

Pullman New Delhi Aerocity

But if you are looking for an exclusive F&B destination in Aerocity, then head to Pullman NewDelhi Aerocity. I had the most luxurious suite in the hotel, but if you ask me which is my favourite place, it has to be the Herbs Garden. Sitting in the open, along the warm sunshine, sipping a Watermelon and Basil cooler, I watched gardeners at work .

After a while, I went on a tour as we saw the herbs and vegetables being plucked. It looked like a small garden but the in house farm is over 5000 sq feet in space and the chefs plucked the ingredients right from here.Serving both European and Indian flavours, the menu is based on the seasonal vegetables that is grown here and it is all about farm to table. Some of the signature dishes that I tried included the signature Golgappa and Caviar and the Sweet Potato with Feta and Pomegranate just added to the flavour.

I love the names here. Besides Pluck you have Plink and Honk. The latter is a bistro style restaurant serving contemporary Asian menu and I had my dinner here. Their motto is apparently serving Street Smart Food. I had a set menu which included a mic of Chinese and Japanese, Indonesian, Thai and Singaporean cuisines. The menu has been created keeping in mind the travellers who stay here. While it is a foodie haven for meat and sea food, there are good vegetarian options as well. I loved the Crispy Lotus Stem Asparagus, which is one of the Raw and Nibbles which is served with caramalised onions. There are vegetarian dumplings as well besides Stir Fried Spinach with Ginger Oil

But it was the ambience with the soft and dim lighting that made it an experience. Even the decor told a story. At the entrance you could see banana trees and lamps which symbolically denoted Pinjor, a festive celebration in South East Asia.

Plink is where i ended up my culinary tryst with Pullman.Wine tasting with Kriti S, the award winning sommelier was an experience in itself . And while we tasted different reds and whites from different parts of the world , the fun began when Kriti started doing a personality analysis based on our favourite wine of the day. And she told me that I am restless and love to travel. Just kidding, I am not going to share what she told me, although I must say that it was rather true.

Three days in Aerocity just whizzed past and it was a honour to end my tryst with the 100th property of Pullman in the world.

This post was written in collaboration with Accor Hotels and they hosted me for four nights in Ibis New Delhi Aerocity, Novotel New Delhi Aerocity and Pullman New Delhi Aerocity.

Pictures courtesy Accor Hotels

All these can be savoured with Sides of Baby Spinach, Grilled Vegetables, Sautéed Garlic Broccoli, Corn, Parmesan Cream & Garlic or Seasonal mushrooms. Natural Potato at Pluck can be savoured three ways: plain old Baked Potato, the same can be savoured in a Smoked Chipotle flavour or Bacon and Crispy Garlic flavour.

House Sauces are the best condiments on the table with a choice of 3 Mustard Sauce, Bearnaise, Blue Cheese, Peppercorn or BBQ; these add a punch to every meal.

Desserts get special attention at Pluck with a wide choice ranging from delectable Hot Caramelized Pear with Valrhona Chocolate, Biscuit Breton, and Hot Toffee Sauce & Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream to a sublime Yuzu Flan: Caramelized Banana, White Chocolate Mousse, Champagne Pearls & Maple Ice Cream. An extraordinary treat in the form of Greek Custard, Rasmalai Parfait with Strawberry Sorbet and Candied Beetroot awaits you. The Greek custard is made from salty feta cheese and stuffed with a sweet rasmalai parfait. It is accompanied by a very pleasing strawberry sorbet and candied beetroot and finished with cocoa boondi, a rather novel take.

Drinks

Quench your Thirst with Grape Year which is bursts with the flavours of Apricot jam and Prunes muddled with lemon juice; these are combined with grape juice and finished with prunes as garnish. The Sunrise Kick is a spicy drink made up jalapenos, orange chunks, apple juice, crushed ice and finished with a slice of jalapneo as garnish; one for the adventurous palate. From cocktails, Cucumber Basil Refresher is a great way to start your meal, prepared with freshly plucked basil and cucumber. Amalia, our orange flavoured cocktail is an rare cocktail that you will only find at Pluck.

Signature dishes at Pluck include:

Golgappa Caviar with Tzatziki Dip and Dried Ginger Gastrique
Parmesan Burnt Garlic with Oat Meal Streusel roll over Melba
Quinoa Broccoli Cake
Roasted Cod Candied Orange with Lentil Stew, Madeira jus and burnt butter
Deconstructed Mulligatawny with Coconut Gel and Puffed Rice & Lentil Broth
Tandoor Roasted Amritsari Salmon Pomelo & Mint Salad with Sweet Lemon Rind
Bhavnagri Chilli & Candied Onion Paneer Tart with Texture of Onion
Pulled Tandoori Chicken Cannelloni with Crispy Skin, Roasted Cumin and Cheese Sauce
Five Lentils Crusted Fish with Idli Sponge, Beetroot Murabba Puree with Malabari Sauce
Caramelized Hazelnut, Chocolate & Saffron Milk Bar Candied Orange, Lemon Curd, Mango Coulis.
Greek Custard, Rasmalai Parfait with Strawberry Sorbet and Candied Beetroot

About Chef Ajay Anand

Chef Ajay Anand, Director of Culinary at Pullman and Novotel, Aerocity, New Delhi is a passionate professional who loves serving what he relishes. He swears by the motto ‘Imagination Unlimited’ whilst at work. Ajay’s cooking style has evolved from the techniques and flavors from cultures around the world, but is rooted in classic French traditions. He endeavors to balance European traditionalism with Asian minimalism and American ingenuity.

About Chef Ashish Dhar

Chef Ashish Dhar, is associated with Pullman and Novotel as Chief Culinary Designer. He brings along 15 years of rich and varied experience in Food & Beverage operations, Client Servicing and Team Management in the Hotel industry in US, UK and India. He specializes in European cuisine and wants to take farm-to-table food concept to newer heights at Pluck.

Pluck Factsheet

Seating capacity: 110 guests

Meal for two: Rs 3000 + taxes (without alcohol)

Lunch timings: 12pm-3pm

Dinner timings: 7 pm -11.30pm

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#CelebrateYou

Asset No 2, Aerocity Hospitality District,

IGI Airport New Delhi – 37, India. T: +91 11 4608 0808

Reservations: [email protected]

www.pullmanhotels.com | www.accorhotels.com

Join our Global Loyalty program

at ACCORHOTELS.COM

For further information, kindly contact:

Urvashi Malik

PR Manager

Pullman Novotel New Delhi Aerocity

9899871553

[email protected]

Pullman Aerocity New Delhi

Situated at the lobby level of Pullman New Delhi Aerocity, Pling is the elegant, sensuous and tranquil lounge-bar. The very name is inspired by the sound of ice dropping in a glass of liquid and connotes good times and shared laughter. Pling offers a high-end lounge bar experience with live music, exclusive club style services and showcases the signature ‘Vinoteca by Pullman’ which offers an international wine selection by the glass or bottle. The elegantly designed aesthetics of the bar, accompanied by the sumptuous selection of hors d’oeuvres and tapas, makes it a perfect place to meet friends and associates alike. Pling transforms from an active luxury light-dining space to a vibrant lux-lounge featuring both national and international bands.

Vinoteca by Pullman

The Vinoteca is a concept that is synonymous with Pullman across the world. The introduction of Vinoteca by Pullman is a good example of how Pullman Hotels & Resorts aims to meet the needs of the modern traveller. At Vinoteca by Pullman, a minimum selection of ten wines are served by the glass and a minimum of two Champagnes served by the glass. The selection changes regularly to vary the offering as Pullman encourages guests to try as many wines as possible. Appropriate wine preservation systems to store and serve wines by the glass effectively are in place. At Pullman, wine is an ice-breaker, a conversation starter. After work, after a meeting, before going back to the room, at cocktail time or after dinner, wine brings people together.

Food

We at Pling thrive to surprise our guests with food elements prepared & presented in a way which compliments local tastes and aspirational dining desires. Menu at Pling has been curated by Chef Ajay Anand, Director of Culinary. Menu will be presented to the guest by Chef Ashish Dhar, Chief Culinary Designer and Chef IN charge at Pling. The food menu at Pling is divided in to four sections – Small Plates, Sliders, Between the Breads and Charcoal Smoked. Guests can choose from simple Parmesan Podi Popcorns or succulent Lamb Sliders, to start with or pick from an array of lip – smacking charcoal smoked dishes like Amritsari Lamb Pepper Tart, Nagori Methi Chicken Tikka with Pineapple Relish or Kashmiri Chilli Smothered Paneer with Mint Chutney. The menu is made to suit the alcohol menu at Pling. A selection of Desserts cater to those who like to spend late evenings in a bar, have a glass of wine and enjoy sweet something’s. On the menu are desserts like the indulgent Dark Milk Chocolate with Milk chocolate Mousse, dark caramel, candied macadamia and warm malted caramel. Hazelnut Praline with a Flourless hazelnut cake, gianduja mousse, orange curd and praline ice cream is for those who look for desserts sans chocolate.

Cocktails and Mocktails

At Pling, the Cocktails and Mocktails are made up using fresh, homemade infusions. Pullman Signature, inspired from the legacies of French collection of spirits and liqueurs is made using Cognac, cointreau, espresso, chocolate. The Twist, our mixologist’s concoction is made using Kentucky straight whisky with a twist of ginger in the sweetness of maple. Some amazing creations like The Marriage which is a perfect blend of Gin, egg white, homemade peach syrup and vermouth or The Debut which is amalgamation of Bacardi, kaffir lime and homemade chilly syrup.

Grape Year, a non-alcoholic legacy drink, made from breakfast compotes & preserves creates an outstanding character by itself. Cucumber Cooler, another non-alcohlic gem is a a perfect balance between cucumber and flowers plucked from our in-house herb garden.

Celebrate success. Celebrate you.

Pling Factsheet

Seating capacity: 60 guests

Operating hours – 0700hrs – 0100hrs

Alcohol service – 1100hrs – 0100hrs

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Pluck, our modern day eatery at Lobby Level serves Modern European and Contemporary Indian flavours. Pluck is committed to offer the freshest, safest ingredients in a seasonal menu that is locally focused and globally artistic, cultivating a healthy relationship on our tables. The menu at Pluck is decided by seasonal availability of produce. With an in house farm of 5000 sqft, our chefs pluck the freshest ingredients for your meal and the result can be felt in every bite that you take.

Food

The menu is divided into two sections: Modern European and Contemporary Indian flavours. The Modern European offering at Pluck features old favourites like a hearty Mushrooms and Chestnuts Soup with mushroom carpaccio and truffle mascarpone and the or Parmesan Burnt Garlic Soup with oatmeal strudel, roll over melba. Whether it is the Light Spinach Salad with Crispy Bacon & Mushrooms Blue Cheese Aioli or the Crunchy Smoked Salmon & Tenka, these farm-fresh and scrumptious choices set the tone for the meal.

All soups are presented in a deconstructed form and arranged right on the table. Start with a flavourful and low-calorie Tomato & Coriander consommé served with handpicked greens or The Deconstructed Mulligatawany with Coconut Gel, Puffed Rice and Lentil Broth. Guests can also try an unusual combination of Mushrooms & Chestnuts Soup which are done in a deconstructed form and assembled on the table to make this a novel and interactive experience. The Golgappa & Caviar (made of tangy golgappa water) are served with a tzatziki dip and dried ginger gastrique and topped with mint and spell all things modern – there are traditional flavours with elements of molecular gastronomy. Sweet Potato, Feta & Pomegranate is a stunner on the plate with tamarind pipette and mint soil. For mains, Pulled Tandoori Chicken Cannelloni with crispy skin, roasted cumin and cheese sauce is a must have. The chicken is marinated thrice, cooked in a tandoor, then hand-pulled, rubbed with spices and finally stuffed in homemade cannelloni and is served with crispy beetroot skin, roasted cumin and cheese sauce and garnished with beetroot powder that gives it a distinct colour. Vegetarians can opt for a robust treat in the form of Plantain kofta, Pukhtan style served on a bed of quinoa and spinach pulao. This dish is made up of 75% plantain and 25 % pumpkin. Both the vegetables are boiled and passed through a sieve repeatedly to smoothen their texture, mixed with spices and rolled into croquettes that are served on a bed of quinoa and spinach pulao with Pukhtan style gravy, borrowed from a similar dish from the streets of Pakistan. Roasted Cod with Candied Orange and Lentil Stew is another favourite of our guests; it is eaten with some crunchy puffed rice and very soft mashed potatoes, one cannot miss this. Grilled Chicken: En Sous Vide Morel Jus, Spiced Fries, Sticky Cabbage is a dish to look out for.

House Sauces are the best condiments on the table with a choice of 3 Mustard Sauce, Bearnaise, Blue Cheese, Peppercorn or BBQ; these add a punch to every meal.

Drinks

Signature dishes at Pluck include:

Golgappa Caviar with Tzatziki Dip and Dried Ginger Gastrique
Parmesan Burnt Garlic with Oat Meal Streusel roll over Melba
Quinoa Broccoli Cake
Roasted Cod Candied Orange with Lentil Stew, Madeira jus and burnt butter
Deconstructed Mulligatawny with Coconut Gel and Puffed Rice & Lentil Broth
Tandoor Roasted Amritsari Salmon Pomelo & Mint Salad with Sweet Lemon Rind
Bhavnagri Chilli & Candied Onion Paneer Tart with Texture of Onion
Pulled Tandoori Chicken Cannelloni with Crispy Skin, Roasted Cumin and Cheese Sauce
Five Lentils Crusted Fish with Idli Sponge, Beetroot Murabba Puree with Malabari Sauce
Caramelized Hazelnut, Chocolate & Saffron Milk Bar Candied Orange, Lemon Curd, Mango Coulis.
Greek Custard, Rasmalai Parfait with Strawberry Sorbet and Candied Beetroot

About Chef Ajay Anand

About Chef Ashish Dhar

Pluck Factsheet

Seating capacity: 110 guests

Meal for two: Rs 3000 + taxes (without alcohol)

Lunch timings: 12pm-3pm

Dinner timings: 7 pm -11.30pm

——————

#CelebrateYou

Asset No 2, Aerocity Hospitality District,

IGI Airport New Delhi – 37, India. T: +91 11 4608 0808

Reservations: [email protected]

www.pullmanhotels.com | www.accorhotels.com

Join our Global Loyalty program

at ACCORHOTELS.COM

For further information, kindly contact:

Urvashi Malik

PR Manager

Pullman Novotel New Delhi Aerocity

9899871553

[email protected]

Enclosed are some key messages from AccorHotel India, related to our presence in the Aerocity Area. It will be very helpful if you could weave this in your blog and other social media posts.

o AccorHotels now becomes the largest hotel operator in the New Delhi Aerocity area [ Pullman & Novotel have a combined inventory of 670 Rooms while the ibis New Delhi Aerocity is 445 keys which adds up to over 1100 Rooms in the Aerocity area by AccorHotels.

o The opening of the Pullman New Delhi Aerocity had marked a significant milestone for AccorHotels as it was the 100^th Pullman to open globally [ it opened on 4^th November, 2015].

o Both Pullman & Novotel together as a combo are positioned strongly to respond to India’s growing Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) market. The Pullman boasts of Delhi National Capital Region’s largest convention space, spread over a vast expanse of more than 40,000 square feet

For Pullman New Delhi Aerocity, we would like to share that we are a F&B destination offering 4 dinning outlets with innovative concepts like farm to fork, live coffee roasting, wine tastings by Pullman & Tea Deli. Hence, keeping these concepts in mind and more such offerings, Pullman is truly a F&B paradise in Aerocity.

o The 43-acre Aerocity area tipped to be the next central business district of New Delhi. Besides offering quick access to the airport and being centrally located between Delhi and Gurgaon, the area is great for business and long distance travellers. They have the option of staying at properties ranging from luxury and upscale to midscale and economy segments. Hotels operating in this area have a huge opportunity to capture a large chunk of Meeting Incentives Conference and Exhibitions (MICE) and the wedding market.