Taste With The Eyes

Gymkhana Night: An Indian Dinner Party at Home

GYMKHANA NIGHT
AN INDIAN DINNER PARTY AT HOME

When Gymkhana—one of London’s most celebrated Indian restaurants—opened its first Las Vegas location, it quickly became one of the city’s most anticipated dining destinations. While a reservation is certainly on my list, I was equally excited to discover that several of the restaurant’s signature simmer sauces are available to order online.

For this dinner party, I built the menu around three of those sauces: Green Tikka, Butter Masala, and Goan Coconut Curry. Each one delivers the depth and complexity of Gymkhana’s distinctive flavors, making it easy to create an elegant Indian-inspired meal at home while adding a few personal touches.

GYMKHANA NIGHT MENU

NAAN
Garlic Yogurt Green Chutney

CHILEAN SEA BASS
Butter Masala
Warm Cream Swirl, Cilantro, Jalapeño

PRAWNS
Goan Coconut Curry
Chile Oil, Cilantro, Edible Flowers

SAFFRON BASMATI RICE
Cashews, Pomegranate, Mint, Cilantro

CURRY-PICKLED RED ONION

ROASTED HARIYALI CORN
Green Tikka Marinade, Deggi Mirch, Chopped Cilantro

The silky Butter Masala was a natural pairing for buttery Chilean sea bass, finished with a swirl of warm cream, fresh cilantro, and sliced jalapeño. Sweet prawns nestled into the fragrant Goan Coconut Curry, then were garnished with chile oil, cilantro, and edible flowers for a vibrant presentation. Roasted corn, coated in the herbaceous Green Tikka marinade, added smoky flavor and bright color to the plate.

To complete the meal, saffron basmati rice was finished with toasted cashews, jewel-like pomegranate arils, fresh mint, and cilantro. Curry-pickled red onions added a tangy counterpoint that balanced the richness of the curries, while warm naan and a cool garlic yogurt chutney tied everything together.

The result was an elegant dinner inspired by one of London’s iconic Indian restaurants, yet relaxed enough to enjoy at home with friends. Three exceptional sauces provided the foundation, while high-quality seafood, summer corn, plenty fresh herbs, and thoughtful garnishes made the evening uniquely my own.

Gymkhana Night Recipes

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Capellini al Pomodoro

🌿🍅 Capellini al Pomodoro 🍅🌿

Do we really need another pasta with tomato recipe? The answer is yes. Yes, we do.

Especially when it is peak tomato season.

There is no better time to enjoy tomatoes than right now, when they are at their sweetest, juiciest, and most flavorful. A simple bowl of Capellini al Pomodoro celebrates the beauty of fresh tomatoes with just a few ingredients—allowing the tomato itself to take center stage.

For this version, I use Campari tomatoes, which are ideal for this recipe. These petite tomatoes are known for their naturally sweet flavor, low acidity, and juicy texture. They are larger than cherry tomatoes but smaller than traditional slicing tomatoes, with a perfect balance of sweetness and tang. When gently cooked with garlic and olive oil, they soften into a silky, fresh tomato sauce while still maintaining some of their beautiful summer tomato character.

Sometimes the simplest pasta dishes are the ones we return to again and again. Fresh tomatoes, fragrant basil, good olive oil, a little butter, and a shower of Parmigiano-Reggiano are all you need for a bowl of pasta that tastes like summer.

Capellini al Pomodoro Recipe

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Tomates Aliñados (Spanish Tomato Salad)

Tomates Aliñados
🇪🇸 🍅 🍅 🍅 🇪🇸
Inspired by José Andrés’
Spain My Way

Spanish Tomato Salad
Anchovies, Manchego, Oregano
Spanish Olive Oil, Sherry Vinegar
Country Loaf, Chilled Amontillado Sherry

An unforgettable dinner at Bazaar Meat Las Vegas by José Andrés inspired me to bring a little more of Spain into my own kitchen. After the meal, I ordered his newest cookbook, Spain My Way: Eat, Drink, and Cook Like a Spaniard, eager to explore the recipes and stories behind the cuisine that has shaped his cooking.

As I turned the pages, I came across Tomates Aliñados, a simple tomato salad served at a tiny country bar in southern Spain. It is described as a peaceful place surrounded by vegetable gardens and sugarcane fields, with just a handful of tables where guests gather for leisurely meals. The setting is humble, but the salad is a classic expression of Spanish cooking—ripe tomatoes dressed with excellent olive oil and paired with Manchego cheese and anchovies.

Today I’m sharing my recreation of this beautifully simple Spanish salad, along with a few photos from our dinner at Bazaar Meat—the memorable meal that inspired me to discover Spain My Way in the first place.

Tomates Aliñados (Spanish Tomato Salad)

Spanish Tomato Salad Recipe

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Fettuccine alla Papalina Inspired by Mother Wolf Las Vegas

Fettuccine alla Papalina
👵 🐺
Inspired by Mother Wolf Las Vegas

An exceptional dinner at Mother Wolf at Fontainebleau Las Vegas inspired this recreation of one of the evening’s most memorable dishes: Fettuccine alla Papalina. While every course was beautifully prepared—from the crisp, golden Fiori di Zucca (batter-fried squash blossoms filled with ricotta) to the spectacular Branzino alla Brace (whole wood-grilled Mediterranean sea bass)—it was the seemingly simple pasta that stole the show.

Mother Wolf’s Fettuccine alla Papalina combines prosciutto cotto, melted butter, English peas, and Parmigiano Reggiano in a dish that proves how a handful of carefully chosen ingredients can create something truly unforgettable. Inspired by that memorable plate, I recreated my own version at home.

My recipe follows, along with photographs from our evening at Mother Wolf, including the beautiful dining room and several of our favorite dishes.

Mother Wolf Mural

Fettuccine alla Papalina is a classic Roman pasta. According to culinary tradition, the dish was created in Rome in the 1930s at a restaurant near the Vatican for Pope Pius XII, who requested a lighter, more refined version of the beloved Roman pasta dishes of the time.

Inspired by carbonara, the original preparation replaced guanciale with prosciutto and used butter, eggs, and Parmigiano Reggiano to create a silky, delicate sauce. Over time, variations have emerged, with some chefs adding ingredients such as peas or onion, but the essence of Fettuccine alla Papalina remains the same: a simple yet elegant Roman pasta built around exceptional ingredients.

Fettuccine alla Papalina Recipe

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Beef Shank Tacos with Caldo

Beef Shank Tacos
🌮 🥩 🌮
With a Mug of Steaming Caldo

Transform the tender beef shank from a leftover pot of Caldo de Res into tacos with fresh cabbage, onion, cilantro, cotija, and a squeeze of lime. Serve with a hot mug of the reserved caldo on the side—the rich, savory broth is the perfect accompaniment to the crisp-edged beef and cool, fresh toppings.

A Mug of Hot Caldo (beef broth)

Beef Shank Tacos Recipe

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GYMKHANA NIGHT AN INDIAN DINNER PARTY AT HOME

GYMKHANA NIGHT MENU

NAAN Garlic Yogurt Green Chutney

CHILEAN SEA BASS Butter Masala Warm Cream Swirl, Cilantro, Jalapeño

PRAWNS Goan Coconut Curry Chile Oil, Cilantro, Edible Flowers

SAFFRON BASMATI RICE Cashews, Pomegranate, Mint, Cilantro