It’s that time of the day. When you are groggy-eyed, reluctant to head to work and are searching for excuses to jump back into your cosy bed. That is, till you take a shot of Honeydew Passion Fruit Chilli. Looking tame, like a fruit punch in a tequila glass, the sweetness of the fruit is beautifully overpowered by chilli. It hits you from the very first sip. No wonder, it’s aptly called the ‘Eye Openers’. It literally pops them open with its zesty flavours, gearing you up for a hearty breakfast and a heartier day.

This is just one of the ‘creative works’ of Michelin three-star Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. We are at Le Meridien’s restaurant at Chennai, treating ourselves to an exclusive breakfast menu crafted by him for all the Le Meridien hotels across the world. A signature spread that is simple, yet gourmet.

The potent welcome is joined by a list of others like the Carrot Orange Passion, Cherry Lemon Black Pepper, Mango Chilli Lime, Raspberry Pineapple Clove and more. We gulp down shots, making faces, each time we hit a spicy or tangy note. It’s a fun beginning to the day for sure.

Global cuisine

The Jean-Gorges breakfast has six signature dishes, all of which we try out. Two vegetarian specials included the Spinach and Herb Buckwheat Crepe and Warm Goat Cheese Custard. The former makes for a healthy and wholesome breakfast with an aromatic blend of gruyere cheese, spinach and fresh herbs rolled up in a crepe. But what won us over was the comforting texture of the goat cheese custard. Le Meridien calls it the ‘textural deconstruction of the Provencal quiche’ and the warmth of goat cheese with the cold goat cheese foam topping and black olive and dill puree makes it a divine combination. Served with toasted bread, the plate was wiped clean in a jiffy. What got to the table next was a Croque Madame Reinvented - crunchy toast filled with softly fried eggs and slices of bacon. The dish brought along with it an interesting melange of textures melting in the mouth. It was what you’d call gourmet comfort food. The espresso-steamed egg, was presented to us in a coffee cup. Despite the innovative method of steaming the egg in a high-pressure espresso steamer to create a light, fluffy-steamed eggs, the dish lacked flavour and failed to impress. Although, it’s not a bad option for those who just can’t do without their daily dose of proteins. The Smoked Salmon and Silken Tofu again were quite predictable with little to surprise us in terms of flavours.

Coffee and more

While breakfast buffet spreads are brimmed with croissants and cakes with exotic fillings, Jean-George has kept his morning dessert nutritious, yet delectable. The Spiced oatmeal soufflé is warm, wafting with aromatic spices and satisfies your weighing scale, thanks to the brown sugar. It is accompanied by a bowl of fresh berries and urges you to dig in for a heart-healthy morning meal. And what’s breakfast without a round of coffee? The Jean-Gorges Breakfast has a tie-up with Illy, the Italian coffee-makers, to help you end a satisfying morning meal with a dash of caffeine. We had to choose from a menu that included Mochachino, Amore, Vodka Expresso, Irish Coffee and Café Royale. We picked Amore, an Illy double espresso with Amaretto and fresh cream and a Vodka Espresso. The former tingled our taste buds with its subtly sweet flavour and the kick of the Vodka Espresso was good enough to get us going for the day ahead.

With the Jean-Georges breakfast at all Le Meridien hotels, you start the day with a pleasant jolt when you sip the aptly named Eye-Openers – each of the six being distinctly unique. However, we wish there were more than just six dishes to choose from the gourmet-style breakfast to add to the experience of a breakfast designed by a Michelin Chef.

What: Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s signature breakfast spread

Where: Le Meridien hotels across the globe

How much: Gulp down an Eye Opener for Rs 160

Signature dishes range from Rs 250-350

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