JEDDAH, 30 October — An Indian food festival opened at the Jeddah Marriott Hotel on Sunday night, offering a wide range of dishes from India’s different regions. Indian Consul General Syed Akbaruddin and his wife were the guests of honor at the formal inauguration amid an exhibition of Indian artifacts and authentic ambiance. Marriott General Manager Marco Fien said Indian food was popular the world over and the residents were looking forward to the event, which would continue nightly up to Thursday and as an extra feature on the following day in its Friday branch. "Our Friday brunch is one of the most popular in town with varieties of 120 dishes," Fien remarked. "One can explore a multitude of dishes from around the world at the brunch with live cooking on every corner of the hotel’s mezzanine floor. Children can have a real treat with face painting and games with the clown, soft ice-cream, popcorn, playstation, mini buffet, etc." Sales Manager Fazal H. Razvi said the festival, which offered different Indian dishes every night, also featured live cooking. The opening night’s varieties included South Indian dishes like lemon rice and "avial," aside from a range of snacks, sweets including "payasam" and "laddoos," and other tandoori delicacies. Attracting additional attention are spices and flavors of Goa, Hyderabad and Kerala, as well as an Air-India raffle draw for two tickets. Director of Sales & Marketing Bassam Banna told Arab News that there had been a 25 percent drop in business of the hospitality industry due to room and event cancellations in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the US. Seafood fiesta is one other offering from the hotel at its Al Bassateen restaurant every Wednesday evening. A lavish selection of daily catches is prepared in front of guests, plus an array of salads and desserts. The hotel, which has already started preparations for the upcoming month of Ramadan, also has a shisha corner by the poolside and an Italian night every Monday featuring authentic Mediterranean cuisine.