Sunday buffet at Azzurro Kitchen & Bar

On a lazy Sunday morn heralding summer languor, I found myself in the mood for Med. Sips of wine, colourful salad , and some old-fashioned happy music to enjoy the sun before it gets blazing!

And I found all this at my favourite place: Azzurro. Birthday family lunches, quiet romantic dates, even the odd business lunches — I’ve had them all here, and yet I didn’t know about their Sunday buffet! We walked into its cool white interiors, aglow in the warm afternoon light filtering through buff blinds, right into a lavish spread. Mostly salads here, the flavours of which were light and summery: crumbly, fresh sole, or crispy Parmesan, spinach and mushroom salad, or the unusually sweet-tangy mutton salad. Plus there was the DIY option — the live salad bar had a wide range of fresh salad greens, bacon, grilled chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, with a variety of dressings.

A cool swatch of lemony hummus and babaganjoush with pita was next on my plate. Followed by second helpings of the ham mortadella and chicken pistachio cold cuts. And a third course of the Aubergine and Tomato Pizza — fresh dough base, rolled out thin enough for a crackly edge, and thick enough to give a juicy body to the toppings. Glug that down with a drink — we quite preferred the excellent San Medin from the by-the-glass wine menu, to the complimentary Zampa white wine.

The real joyous spring feelin’, though, was with the live music, a solo do with lilting guitar strumming. Had me walking out with a skip in my step, a smile on my face, and happy humming that went, ‘you are my Theme for a Dream, yes you are.’

Azzurro Kitchen & Bar, 3, Community Centre, Saket PVR Complex, Ph: 41664274/75; and 147 & 148, The Shopping Mall, Arjun Marg, DLF Phase 1, Gurgaon, Ph: 95-124-4289254. Noon to 3.30 pm. Priced at Rs. 550 plus taxes (buffet and pizza option), and Rs. 850 plus taxes (buffet and one regular main course option).