Mrs Mage, Hyderabad, offers a delicious sojourn with cocktails, chilli pork and baos

Though Mrs Mage is tucked away at the poolside at Hyatt Gachibowli, the teal and white furniture, draped fairy lights on the surrounding trees and a stylish blue neon sign state its presence. In line with the oceanic tones, the wide bar with flame-coloured backlighting adds some warmth, with some of the reflection shimmering in the water. The evening is cool with a slight overcast, but the weather does little to diminish the anticipation for the feast to come.

Mrs Mage is the Hyatt group’s own concept; it is based on the various delights a fictional character named Mrs Mage (created by the hotel group) has enjoyed in her years of travel around the world, be it tempting dumplings from South East Asia or fresh, handmade pasta from the Mediterranean. All of these come with a spectrum of cocktails and mocktails developed by the hotel group’s in-house mixologists to suit the mood of the diner and of the meal.

My first cocktail of the evening is a Whisky Sour followed by a refreshing gin-based Maze Sour. The pricing is quite reasonable, inviting you to try more as your meal progresses.

A feast for the senses

The first to come is the Tonjin Burnt Garlic Soup, deep brown and teeming with fresh vegetables for some crunch. The soup is not too spicy but the freshly-ground pepper offers a warming-from-within feeling, preparing us for what is to come. Unless you are big on soups, I would recommend splitting this with your co-diner. For those craving something with some more fire, try the Pound Chilli and Cilantro Chicken Broth.

The array of appetisers at Mrs Mage will pamper your taste buds. For those who, on instinct, love a plate of crispy corn, opt for the Rock Corn Tempura. The two are synonymous, but Mrs Mage’s take has an airiness to the coating that does not fill you up.

I am a big fan of bao so when our server brings out a steaming portion of the Chef’s Special Steam Chicken Bao, I am not disappointed. I have had my fair share of baos that are far too dense and often overwhelm the fillings. But here, the baos are like clouds. The hoisin chicken within is flavourful and tender, complementing the fresh and crisp lettuce against which it is nestled.

A Whisky Sour at Mrs Mage restaurant at Hyatt Gachibowli hotel, Telangana
 
| Photo Credit: Divya Kala Bhavani