Month: March 2017

California Boulevard- Restaurant Review

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

California Boulevard is a hollywood themed restaurant situated in sector 29 of Gurgaon, but please mind it, its not in the popular sector 29 market of Gurgaon thats flooded with restaurants and bars, instead, its situated near the IFFCO Chowk Metro Station and is away from that hustle bustle. So if you wanna spend some quality time enjoying good food in a great ambience, this is the place. The ambience is very premium and classy and of course very English, with hollywood movie posters and name stickers of famous movie stars placed on the floor. The huge red coloured tram looking bar is definitely a highlight.

Coming to food, all I can say is that each and every dish was awesome and this place is highly recommended. Some of the dishes that I tried and loved included Khumb and Singhade is Galauti, trust me you won’t even know its veg, there is just no difference in the taste, it was so awesome. Then I had Mutton Kakori Kebabs, soft, succulent and very tender, this again is a must have. Cottage Cheese Tai Chi, Crispy Nachos and Peshawari Boti Kebab, Kafir Lime Chicken Tikka are another set of recommended dishes. With all these appetisers I was so full, that I skipped the main course completely. My son for sure tried the Dal Makhani with Butter Naan and was extremely happy with it. For dessert we tried the new entrant in the menu, the Bolivian Cocoa Walnut Pudding and it too was amazing. It was a sinful indulgence for sure, but totally worth it.

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Tasty Thursdays…Select Recipes from Indo-Japan Food Forum

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Recently the first ever Indo- Japan Food Forum took place at the Assocham where in collaboration of Japanese food in India was the highlight. As everyone cant be a part of such events, we bring to you some of the selected recipes that were created specially for the event which have an essence of both Indian and Japanese Food. Enjoy

And here is a little about the people behind these amazing recipes..

Zariya Fest, Select City Walk

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Elite Delhi schools have a general perception of creating spoilt children who dwell in mal-influence. However, who go unnoticed, are the children who use their resources to bring change. Rajavi Mishra, Hanssa Jain, and Sharanya Khemka, students of Step by Step School, founded ‘Zariya’ in 2016. In collaboration with the NGO ‘Samarpan’, an initiative to provide a caring home for orphaned children, Zariya aims to fight child abuse and neglect that takes place in New Delhi. Its first ever endeavour was to develop a sense of achievement among such children. This was done by organizing an 8 month long vocational skill building programme: Kala Ki Pehchaan.

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To showcase their progress and raise funds for the cause, Zariya organized a fest on 20th March at Select CityWalk, which featured performance by the children of Samarpan NGO, concerts, stalls and fashion show. www.foodcloud.in had signed on as the official food partner for the event. They intended to come forward with other inspiring projects to serve the cause. Many home chefs who are associated with food cloud showcased their culinary skills at the event and sold their deletable food. From Thai to Lebanese, Continental and some amazing desserts, there was something for every tastebud to savour. Akanksha Goel, Arsh Khetan, Soven Soni, Ranveer Singh Aujla,Malika Thakur, Shivank Sareen, Sachi Sinha, Utsav Maheshwari,and Dhruv Narula, students from Step By Step School and Sanskriti School played a crucial role in making this show a success. It was a great event and I had a lot fun visiting the same.

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Relive School Moments @ The Classroom, Sector 29, Gurgaon

Posted on by Sunil Malhotra

The Classroom at sector 29, Gurgaon is definitely a walk down the memory lane.
As one enters the first thing that hits you is Nostalgia, as the name suggests the restaurant decor is around classroom.One is transported back in time to the school going days and that itself is a very pleasant feeling. I mean we all still have that child somewhere in us, those numerous memories of school days and in this fast paced life, that’s one place we now seek revisiting the most. Though nature doesn’t allow us to go back in time, but all thanks to places like Classroom, we can at least relive those moments and refresh our most cherished memories.

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The restaurant boasts of a 400 cover spread over three floors.They have a really exhaustive menu both for food and beverages.
Very interesting snippets and photographs adorn the walls.
The classroom effect is very much visible in the lovely decor right from blackboards with some amusing messages to the books used as lampshades, very innovative really. They even have a recreation zone complete with snooker, foosball, darts, and even some swings.

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For Starters we had Palak Patta Chaat, crisp fried palak well mixed with yoghurt and sweet saunth chutney and some green mint chutney.

Club Wellington Eggs Kejriwal, a simply awesome butter toasted bread with cheddar cheese, mushrooms and eggs sunny side up done to perfection. The Lukmi, a Hyderabadi recipe, crisp patty filled with flavoured mince.
The Classroom Maska Chicken served with a rumali, a superbly done tandoori butter chicken in a very innovative style, please don’t expect the typical gravy butter chicken, it was truly different and highly recommended. Really an awesome creation.
The chicken Momos were well done but nothing exclusive really.
For the main course we had The Andhra Chicken which was mildly spiced but with the right authentic flavour. The Keema Ghotala, a really mouthwatering lamb mince with egg and served with really soft maska buns, a real treat.
Meen Moilee a real delicacy of sole fish made in Malabari curry very easy on the palate and left a lingering taste.

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Not to forget the Cocktails n Mocktails.

Couple Chemistry was an interesting mix of Vodka,Pineapple Juice and Beer, and served in a very unique manner,by way of presentation. Year Repeat had a great mix of Vodka, Apple and Peach syrup topped up with Sparkling Wine.
Also had the house brew of wheat beer an absolute delight. Sweet Like You and Outstanding Kick made for some interesting Mocktails.

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The staff is most courteous and eager to serve you with a smile. Superb Food. Excellent Service. Great Ambience. This is a place to visit again and again.Highly Recommended.
The Classroom Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

MAFF, JETRO and ASSOCHAM host India’s first Indo-Japan Food Forum

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Ministry of Agriculture Forestry And Fisheries,Japan,(MAFF) held its First Indo-Japan Food Forum in Association with Jetro and Assocham at Assocham House, Delhi, on the 16th of March, 2017.


The main focus of the Forum was to promote Japanese food and it’s favourable food preparation methods and techniques effectively in India.
The theme of the Forum was ‘Food and Health’
The Forum saw high ranking officials from the Ministry of Agriculture from Japan and India, Jetro and Assocham address the issues of creating awareness of Japanese food and food processing technologies in India.


Leading producers of Miso, Marukome Co Ltd, Kagome Co Ltd, and other food processing companies graced the occasion and their representatives explained in detail about the company background and their future plans to invest and produce in India.


Mr Tejima, Founder of Sushi Junction, and online Sushi store took us through their process of opening an online food delivery store to its present day success in this niche segment. He laid emphasis on the quality of food served by them and the growing awareness in the Indian consumers towards Japanese food.

The Forum also saw the presence of some distinguished Indian Chefs who prepared some very innovative Indian Dishes using authentic Japanese ingredients.

Here is a glimpse..

All in a all an exciting time ahead for Indian foodaholics to get a taste of multiple Japanese food products and More Japanese Cuisine to be made easily available for food lovers.

Hoping and Wishing great success to this exciting new phase.

Power Woman- Gita Gopinath, the woman behind Sundri, a world class salon!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

When we talk about unisex salons, most of us end up thinking it as a new age funda, but not many know that there are women who have been ahead of times, and they did this some 27 odd years ago, yes 27..

Gita Gopinath is one such woman, who not only dared to dream but also fulfilled and nurtured her dream to the extent that today she boasts of a salon that is 27 years old. Gita was married back then when she started all this, she faced some resistance from her family, more so from the husband and in-laws side, but she did not give up. She was one amongst the first batch who was trained by Blossom Kochar, back then. Once she enrolled for the program with Blossom Kochar, there was no looking back. Starting with a small salon, today she has a multistories building to call of her own. Situated in sector 14 market of Faridabad, Sundri by Gita Gopinath is one of the most reputed salons in the city. Here is Gita Gopinath at her salon..

Gita at work

Equipped with the latest technologies and trends, today Sundri is a perfect mix of modern methods and age old experience. The place is a beautiful one indeed and Gita’s personality reflects in each corner of the place. I was so surprised to find a floor place dedicated to a small library having philosophical books, on positive mindset and lifestyle, exclusively for the members of the salon, where in they can sit in peace, read, relax and unwind. Its such a beautiful thought I must say and the credit goes to Gita for thinking and planning all this along with her designer Deepa Devarajan, who helped bringing that serenity to the place. Deepa not only helped on designing this floor, but she is responsible for the overall design of the salon and its a perfect example of one power woman meeting and collaborating with the other.

Gita Gopinath with Tamanna Sing and Deepa Devarajan

Coming back to Gita, she has not just successfully taken Sundri to newer heights, but also passed on the legacy to her younger son. Karthik Gopinath, Gita’s son was a step ahead of his mother, as he not just got inclined to this business of styling at a much younger age, but also added feathers to his cap by winning prestigious competitions into hair styling in his teens itself. He is a shy dude who knows his work well and lets his work speak instead of himself. With the mother son duo putting in all their efforts at the right place, I see the future of Sundri stronger than ever. It was a pleasure meeting both of them and learning so much about their life, their struggles, their perseveration and their devotion towards their work. Its truly inspiring to meet such people who are so clear of their dreams and leave no stone unturned to follow and realise them.

Gita with her team..

I wish them both a great deal of luck, and for all of my readers, all I urge is that do visit Sundri once, get yourself pampered with their services and you will know how different your experience will be.

Yin and Yang Food Festival at Empress of China, Eros Hotel

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Yin and Yang theory is based on viewing things in a relation to its whole.The theory is based on two basic components: yin and yang, which combine in a complementary manner and form a method for explaining relationships between objects. Yin and yang are represented by many tangible dualities, such as male and female, light and dark, fire and water. It is believed that everything has both yin and yang aspects, every object, every person has both these attributes of positive and negative, its just that which of the attributes manifests more strongly than the other. Yin is represented as the feminine, passive, dark, cold, while yang is represented as masculine, active, light, warm.

This philosophy plays a very significant role in the Chinese culture and especially in the Chinese Medicine and Food. Chinese people believe that the balance of Yin and Yang food can really help a person’s physical health to remain fit. Most foods are either predominantly Yin or predominantly Yang and sometimes the combination of Yin and Yang also helps creating a balanced food. Foods with higher water content are usually Yin, as they are cooler and those with high energy or fat are Yang. Most Fruits and Vegetables thus are Yin and Duck, Beef, Alcohol and Warm Spices are Yang.

At Empress of China, Chef Nikhil Rastogi brought in this age old theory of Yin and Yang and created a beautiful food festival out of it. Two separate pantries representing and showcasing Yin and Yang foods respectively were created and one had to pick up ingredients of choice and give it to the chef behind the counter to prepare a dish out of it. Basis selection of foods the dish could be only Yin, only Yang or a combination of two.

To begin with we had Asparagus, corn and mushroom salad (YIN), five Spiced marinated asparagus and corn with sweet chilly dressing, this was a very crunchy and refreshing salad.

Crispy Noodle Salad with Spicy Tamarind Dressing was a Yin and Yang combination dish as the presence of spicy tamarind dressing added the Yang attribute to the otherwise Yin noodles. This one was a beautiful preparation indeed, the taste was perfect, I personally loved it the more than the Asparagus salad.

Lohan Dimsum and Chicken Dimsums were the next two dishes that we relished like anything. The cristal veg dumplings were so tasteful and juicy, a Yin preparation and the chicken dimsums were steamed as well a bit roasted and that itself was the highlight of the dish. I simply loved these both.

Vegetables Salt and Pepper on Skewers tossed with fresh greens and peppers was an amazing preparation. I specially liked the idea of vegetables being on skewers rather than served as a whole dish. Sichuan Chicken, going by the name sounds like a common Chinese dish, but trust me you have to try this once at Eros and you will know the difference. Such authentic pepper flavours gave completely new dimension to the dish.

Steamed Prawn brought in as individual servings were great too, I am not too fond of prawns but this one was truly amazing and its taste lingered on in my mouth for a long time.

For main course I settled for Chicken Pot Sticker, which was an amazing Yang preparation, with minced chicken on a bed on pan fried noodles, mild sauces not overly spicy, it was a perfectly balanced dish and I strongly recommend it.

The dessert which looked like the Yin and Yang symbol was a combination of dark and white chocolate mousse which was delicious. The mousse had a mild flavour of jasmine, which enhanced the overall taste.

I simply loved witnessing this festival and learning so much about the Yin and Yang theory of food from the chef. Its always a pleasure dining at Eros, the people are so warm and hospitable that what more can you ask for. Perfect food, company of Chef Nikhil and F&B Manager Umesh and Harpreet who handles the PR at the hotel, is always an added value to the whole foodie experience. I enjoyed myself completely and I am sure you too will enjoy, so don’t miss the festival, its on till 23rd, so still 2 more days to go..!!

 

Ghungroo- Delhi’s Only Dinner Theatre, An Experience Beyond Words!

Posted on by Sunil Malhotra

Tucked away at Parsi Anjuman, Bahadurshah Zafar Road, Ghungroo is Delhi’s one and only Dinner Theatre. The concept of dinner theatre in itself is very unusual and thoughtful at the same time and Rudra Experiences are doing a wonderful job of bringing different experiences for us to explore. An absolutely wonderful experience to spend an evening with family n friends. We recently got a chance to witness this and I am so glad we went for it, and trust me I already look forward to going there again, it was so wonderful.


The music and dance show which traces the history of Delhi from the times of its first documented ruler Prithvi Raj Chauhan to its present along with the Audio Visuals is a treat to watch.



As the mesmerizing performances take you through the journey of Delhi becoming the seat of power and it’s cultural impact across India, you are literally on the edge of your seat, and can’t take your eyes off the dancers.



Its beautifully choreographed and equally well performed and each of the act deserves accolades.
A most interesting musical journey from the Sounds of Yore to the present day. Simply enthralling one hour spent and you cant have a better form of entertainment than this.

For us it was experience beyond words can describe and we created memories for a lifetime.


After the spellbinding performances a gastronomical delight at Angaare the open air barbecue awaited us
An authentic Indian Barbecue which served delicacies as Seekh Kebabs, Chicken Tikka, Fish Tikka, Paneer Tikka and Mushrooms.
All slow cooked with delicate spices and perfectly done.
Also to accompany the tandoori delicacies were ChickenC, Dal Tadka and Vegetables along with Tandoori breads.
For dessert there was the Shahi Tukda and Jalebi .Both awesome.
All in all great food and is highly recommended.
A great theatre experience followed by delicious food. Sitting out in the open and enjoying the sumptuous food is a treat.


Don’t miss this for anything, indulge in it and experience Delhi’s culture like never before, its totally worth your time and money, catch a glimpse here

You can check the details here and also book yourself a seat, http://rudraxp.com/daytrip/ghungroo-sounds-of-yore/ so what are you waiting for.. do it right away..

Unns, The Captivation- Book Review

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

A word about the Author first.
Sapan Saxena a software engineer by profession is an Author by choice. Born in Lucknow he got his Engineering degree from MNNIT Allahabad. While coding for a complex algorithm he realized that writing fiction would make more sense.
His first book was the highly acclaimed Finders. Keepers.
Currently based in Nsshua, New Hampshire UNNS -The Captivation is his second book.


UNNS traces the journey of its main protagonist Atharva Rathod and his love Meher Qasim.
Atharva hopelessly in love with Meher from adolescence is seperated from her in a sudden change of heart and circumstances which he is totally unable to comprehend.
Time passes and fifteen years down the road he still pines for her not knowing what prompted her change of heart and subsequent disappearance.
But as destiny would have it Atharva who is now an intelligence officer with R A W is sent on a secret mission to Germany and yes runs into Meher.
A chance meeting or something planned???
Atharva’s love for Meher which was buried deep down surfaces again.
Will Meher return his love?
Is she a threat to Atharva’s mission?
Read the book to find out and watch the gripping trailer here

The author has narrated the story beautifully. It is a fast paced racy Rom-thriller. Edge of the seat excitement from cover to cover. Difficult to put down the book once you start reading.
Be prepared for a shocking end to the story.
Absolutely a must read.
Go pick your copy and enjoy the drama unfold!!!!

The book is available on Amazon for Rs 189/-

My Rating 4/5 stars

Witlinger in association with British Council Celebrated International Women’s Day

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Witlinger,the British Beer, showed their support towards the celebration of strong modern woman by partnering with the British Council for their Women’s Day Event.

The event saw some women run NGOs coming forward to showcase and sell their crafts made by women and to create awareness of their charitable activities to raise funds.

There was a performing band that belt out some really meaningful and melodious numbers all very relevant to the status of women in our Society.

Later in the evening there were more performances lined up as Witlinger, the exclusive beverage partner served their beers to keep everyone in an upbeat mood.
A great initiative by British Council and Witlinger to acknowledge and celebrate Woman Power.