Too much of a good thing... impossible!. Review on Fusion 9, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad

Hyderabad... the foodie's paradise! If I'd picked a different restaurant each time I wanted to eat out (which I tried hard to do), I would still have been left with a long list of ''to check out''. That list didn't get very much smaller with time because I made repeat appearances at some restaurants... Mainland China and the restaurant kind of across the street from it : Fusion 9.

Trendy, upmarket... call it what you like, F9 is all that and more. In a sense, a place where I felt very much at home. I've been there with friends, colleagues and family. The ambience is just great, the food sinfully good and the service OK. I've only been disappointed once: but I can never really tell if it was the preparation that I couldn't digest or the company I had that evening.

The drinks served here are out of this world, some combinations very unusual. The Long Island Iced Tea served here is truly amazing as is their non alcoholic Lemon Iced Tea. I've had almost all the vegetarian starters listed on the menu at F9 and none has failed to impress. Be it the satay or hummus. In the main course section, I've tried Spaghetti, Gnocchi, Pizza... pretty much everything except the Biryani! I, of course, will not remember stuff other than the Italian food.

F9 has 9 different cuisines on its menu, including Indian cuisine. But no meal is complete without dessert. One of F9's specialties is the dessert menu... of yummy stuff prepared by none other than Anelise!! Each item better than the other... all of them just make you wish you'd left a little more space in your tummy. And since you can't do justice to everything in one visit, you keep going back. I know I did.

Fridays are Jazz evenings at F9 with the Charminar Jazz Collective playing live at the venue. The restaurant also has an excellent Sunday brunch spread. The one thing about F9 is that it is crowded... ALL THE TIME. So you're better off making reservations before hand.

I'd heard about this restaurant much before I even moved to Hyderabad. And the impression it left on me is such that I will talk about it long after I've moved out. Out of Hyderabad I've come, but I'm holding on tight to the hope that F9 will spread to Bangalore as well.