Sizzling all the way!

Spiced, seared and sauced up, these sizzlers at the le Royal Meridien are a meat-lover’s dream come true...There’s something so wickedly divine about sizzlers, that even in this searing summer heat, you do not want to give it a miss. While some might find it odd, almost weird even to understand the complex flavours of charred, smoked food, it’s these very flavours that have a few of us craving for more. And the Sizzlers Fiesta at Cilantro, Le Royal Meridien provides the perfect opportunity to feast for us meat-lovin’ foodies, who scoff at anything even remotely vegetarian on the sizzler plate. Heck, even the mashed potatoes and glazed vegetables that accompany the meat are frowned upon.With options ranging from seafood to veal, the menu list is exhaustive. But unfortunately, are stomachs refuse to play game beyond a point, making us pick and choose among the best. To start off with, we sample the hara prawn sizzler, which we like not just for its nice fleshy bite, but it’s probably the best way to have prawns in all their goodness. Though the sodium content seemed a bit high for my health-conscious colleague, the salt seemed just about right for me. Think sizzlers and can a good chop be far behind? The lamb rack sizzler (the lamb being imported all the way from New Zealand), with bell peppers and a light Cajun-spiced sauce was another delight, proving to be the perfect juicy bite. Though we didn’t much care for the cilantro chicken, which came wrapped in ham and Swiss cheese, the pepper sauce that accompanied the steak was brilliant. A reduction of wine, stock, spices and fresh peppercorn, the light, yet flavourful sauce hits the right note. Another winner was the lazeez murgh sizzler, which is the ubiquitous chicken tikka marinated in wholesome spices and simmered in a curry sauce. Supremely tender and juicy, the chicken almost melts-in-the-mouth on first bite. Ah bliss!For those who don’t mind being a little adventurous, do try the ossobuco sizzler (tender veal shanks served in a Milanese sauce) or the tender scallops sizzler, which is served with a fire-roasted corn relish. The steaks are nice and hardy, with emphasis mainly on the meat; everything else that accompanies it is just paraphernalia. The sizzler festival is on till March 20.tarunya.suresh@timesgroup.comFollow us on Twitter for more stories