For Hyderabadis EatMor isn’t just another restaurant. It’s an institution. Before Hyderabad grew into a cosmopolitan IT Hub, the EatMor at Basheerbagh enthralled kids and adults alike with its lip-smacking snacks and playful sundaes. The EatMor at Banjara Hills is comparatively newer but has remained a favourite destination for Hyderabadis for several years. When the restaurant, which is flocked by patrons round the clock, shut its doors a few months back it raised more than a few eyebrows. The good news is that Eatmor is back in business – in a new and improved avatar.
The redesigned café is dressed in a soothing white contrasted by slate grey upholstery. The slender buffet station is the focal point of the café. Next to the buffet is a curious device, which I learnt is a ‘Tonda’. Designed and manufactured by IFI in Italy, the Tonda machine in EatMor is the first in Hyderabad and only part of a handful in the country. Mr. Amey Marathe – the Corporate Chef of Ohri’s, explained that the hermetically sealed Tonda machine comes with several advanced features including smart defrost and precise temperature control, which makes it the best-in-class display for Gelatos and Ice Creams. A dozen different ice cream flavours were placed in a circular manner mimicking the petals of a Cosmos flower. There are manual controls for rotating the display, but it also continues to automatically rotate when closed and stops as soon as the lid is opened. Chef Amey has a penchant for unorthodox ice-cream flavours. He surprised me at Sahib’s with Biryani and Thanda (Chili) ice-creams. With a dozen flavours on display, I was expecting to be surprised by a few, and I wasn’t disappointed. The tamarind flavour had a sweetness that kept every one of us guessing, and the Chilli Guava is a crowd favourite.
EarMor in Basheerbagh began as an ice-cream parlour and snack hub. Ginormous sundaes are somewhat of a speciality at EatMore. The Titanic comes with about half a dozen bricks of ice cream, shaped like a tower by strategically placed wafers and topped with whipped cream. I heard stories on the table from blogger’s who grew up in Hyderabad, about how this used to be the dessert everyone looked forward to during their childhood. Another sinful indulgence is Awful Awful, which is a mashup of chocolate fudge and vanilla. These are desserts that are best shared with a friend or two. Else they’ll end up being a meal by themselves. The grapevine has been buzzing for months about the arrival of Keventers in Hyderabad. But, until then EatMor has you covered. The buffet spread includes Vanilla and Chocolate milkshakes; both of which are quite brilliant. The Pink Cheesecake Lemonade that blends the flavour of Swiss Cheese into lemonade is an attempt to offer you the best of both worlds by letting you ‘Drink Your Dessert’.
EatMor operates from 7:00 AM to 3:30 AM, closing for a breather for just three and a half hours. The food menu is small but well crafted. There are the usual suspects at a Café – Pizza, Pasta, and Sandwiches. The ‘Famous Chhole Bature’, which is a hot seller at many Ohri’s properties across the city, is likely to be a huge draw here too. The menu features a host of other comfort food. Desi Stroganoff is Makhni (Chicken or Paneer) is served on a bed of buttered Jeera Rice. The Middle Eastern Delicacy is a platter of Hummus with Pita Bread, Falafel, and Zatar Fries. The Tandoori Seekh Roll is a hearty wrap stuffed with Kachumber and Mutton or Veg Sheekh Kebab.
The new EatMor offers a tempting package that’s been carefully calibrated to showcase traditional, crowd-pleasing flavours with a modern sensibility. Through the day, EatMor serves three buffets – lunch, dinner, and midnight. The midnight buffet, which features Hyderabadi specialities like Biryani, Mandi, and Paaya is a huge crowd puller. I got a taste of what’s on offer at the lunch buffet, and am eager to head back to experience the midnight buffet. The pricing is quite reasonable; lunch buffet on weekdays is priced at Rs. 599 (plus taxes), while food options in the a la carte menu begin from Rs. 180.
