The good news about the 70-cover NTC is that it's airy and full of natural light. There's cheery artwork on the walls and a huge central flower arrangement that towers over the salad buffet like a reigning deity. The bad news is that the executive chef recommends the buffet to us. Hmm, no signature dish? No house specialty? Catch any self-respecting maestro not pushing his own brand of magic! Chef Wadhera hastens to say that he's put in a great deal of effort into his buffet therefore... Point taken, we dutifully start off at the salad counter that appears to hold out promise. It's only when I discover that the balsamic vinegar dressing is loaded with bhuna zeera and chaat masala, that I do a double take. "Just to spice things up," the maitre d' says helpfully. Don't mess with the balsamic I want to wail. But a quick round of the other things on offer proves that the dominant flavours are desi-from the channa salad to the chicken chaat. Even the Tex-Mex section looks suspiciously like it belongs to our part of the world. Raw onions clearly rule the day--they're in practically everything! (Will restaurateurs, especially those who cater to the office crowd realise how responsible they are for the monster breath that non-kacha-pyaz eaters like myself have to put up with?)

Moving on to the main course there's a selection of six vegetarian and six non-vegetarian dishes to choose from. This part of the buffet I have to admit is really not bad. Choices range from the butter gravy/ korma variety to continental options like grilled lamb chops and pasta. There's also an above-average biryani as part of the deal. That said, NTC perhaps makes some of the best rotis that I've had in a long time--they're a manageable size, and nicely crisp instead of the doughy breads that one is usually handed. The a la carte menu features coffee shop regulars like fish and chips, burgers and club sandwiches and Indian favourites like Goa Fish Curry.

The bottom line is: don't go looking for a gastronomic orgy at NTC, but the ambience is pleasant-the owners have spared no expense on creating a high-end look-the service is friendly and you can get a drink. Certainly visit if you live in Gurgaon. Would I drive all the way from Delhi? I'm not so sure about that one!

source cities.expressindia.com by Anjali Abhyankar