Some of the five-star hotels are joining in. While Maurya Sheraton in the capital has a zero-oil menu at their cafe, meant exclusively for their employees, Shangri La in Delhi has implemented a similar menu for their guests at its cafe Uno and the pan-Asian restaurant, 19, Oriental Avenue. “We use techniques like baking, grilling and poaching to avoid unsaturated fats. We have been using our pizza oven to give a smoky flavour to the dishes. Besides, sushi and sashimi feature largely in this new menu because they are the healthiest option one can get,” says David Ansted, executive chef, Shangri La, who took over six months ago after a long stint in the restaurant’s branch in China.

So, the next time you eat out, don’t worry about hitting the gym to expunge the guilt and the calories or crib about how low-cal diets ruin the authenticity of traditional cuisine. Instead, look forward to the generous second helping you so regretfully gave up.