Whether it is size of the place or the food, Cibo doesn't fail to impress

Call me a traditionalist, but when I want to eat, I want places whose main priority -- apart from trying to make me happy -- is food.


Grills at Fire Grill

There are many lounges and other such that serve decent food, but unless it is mellow, unobtrusive Western Classical, even with all my love for it, music can be a problem. What can also be a problem is an ambience that sends mixed signals: somewhere between nice-place-to-hang-around-with-decent-food-to-go-with-alcohol and nice-place-with-okay-food-and-decent-alcohol.u00a0

Cutting right through my many hang-ups, is the Fire Grill at Cibo. This was my first time at Rohit Bal's restaurant: the many places in and around CP are notorious for their mediocre food in the family, and taking the wife to one of these has a huge personal risk. And especially after our experience with Ravi Bajaj's Soak, she had sworn off designers-turned-restaurateurs.

Pride of excellence
But I have mentioned the calming effect winter has before, and taking advantage of it yet again, we stepped into the mellow-yellow Cibo. Thank Bal, I said, for the stone, the bare wood tables, suitable chairs and muted music. Thank bar, I then said, for the excellent wine we were served immediately after. Fransola 2008 (Torres), though served chilled, had a balanced acidity that felt good in the mouth, and cleared the palate for the Lime and Basil jumbo prawns -- really jumbo, well-grilled, and served with just the right amount of relish.