India Hotel - The Park Hotel New Delhi India

24 Hour dining at the lobby level

The new look at The Park, New Delhi draws its inspiration from the five primary elements from the Hindu science of Vastu Shastra. The first space including Fire, the restaurant and Agni, the bar, opened last year to great acclaim. The stylish reception brought in the theme of air and space.

The newly opened restaurant MIST brings in the element of "water" into the design of the hotel. It flows into the outdoor pool, inspiring the art and decoration of the space.

The Espresso bar greets you as you enter the space, which then opens up beyond the curve of the lobby to the café, the wood fired pizza oven and a raised conservatory seating area, leading out to the garden. This provides a visual link to the outside and a new route to the pool terrace.

Light blue is the predominant colour, and the circle is the main decorative motif in MIST. Blue glass beaded curtain re-create a random pattern of water droplets along the opaque window wall. Seat upholstery is in blue and cream leather, and a dot-patterned fabric. The window between the bar and buffet is glazed with blue glass. In the buffet area, circular glass tables sit in front of a walnut panelled recess, hung with an array of circular mirrors of varying diameters. The palette of materials also uses pale and dark brown marble, and polished steel.

On the end wall is an integrated screen showing projected video art. The work being shown is by award winning English artist Daniel Brown, whose piece "Waterfall" is specially commissioned by The Park, New Delhi for MIST. Central to the space is a minimalist water sculpture, designed by Conran & Partners, in marble, polished steel and glass.

MIST has a predominantly Italian menu, and with this in mind, the furniture chosen, makes reference to Italian design of the 50's and 60's, helping to add a touch of "La Dolce Vita" to the Hotel. The mood is cool, relaxed and contemporary.

With thin crust pizzas made with innovative toppings like smoked salmon and camembert, baked in the wood fired oven to a great selection of sandwiches made from the finest ingredients in freeform breads, MIST showcases a combination of Italian and Asian Recipes. The Pastas and Risottos are made with recipes both traditional and contemporary. The menu has been designed in such a way that there is enough choice for vegetarians. The extensive Wine List features an interesting selection from around the world, and the beverages on offer include fun cocktails and a wide variety of healthy rejuvenating concoctions such as the cucumber and watermelon refresher and Yogurt shakes in different flavours.

There are mouthwatering desserts like the Baked Apple with Mascarporne, caramel baked bananas and Sugarfree Panacotta for the calorie conscious. Mozzarella artichoke rocket and olive oil bruschetta, Wrapped Spice Prawns, Grilled pesto Smeared Roasted Vegetable Panini, Parma Ham and Rocket pizza, Porcini Morel and oyster Mushroom risotto, Thai Roast duck with Flat Rice noodles, baked Banali trout fillets with almond butter sauce to name just a few dishes from the innovative menu.

FIRE, the new Indian restaurant at The Park, New Delhi and its bar Agni is designed with the basic element of fire in mind. In the restaurant, fire for heat and for cooking, and in the bar, fire for energy and as a life-giving force. The design ethos of the two new spaces conveys the dynamism and the movement of fire, which can be calm, fierce, warm and hot.

The restaurant, seating 60, is separated from the lobby by a white sculptural plaster wall and sliding glass door. An elegant space, with a pale limestone floor, it has been designed to operate equally well by day or night. A plaster relief wall, inspired by Mughal stone- work, extends into the bar behind. At night the room is lit by an array of clear light bulbs hanging in clusters above the tables, and by a family of bronze floor lamps.

India Hotels New Delhi