Restaurant Review – Page 16

Category: Restaurant Review

All Good About This Dirty Apron- Good Food & Good Music

Posted on September 2, 2016 by Aditi Malhotra

Brainchild of Engineer turned pianist and a self taught baker, Arjun Gupta, Dirty Apron claims to be city’s first Eurasian Restaurant. Arjun who feels strongly about both food and music has designed the place in such a way that both his passions are met with great results, so you get awesome food along with awesome music.

Dirty Apron is a part of The Piano Man and is hosted in the same building as Jazz Club and Cake Away. Recently they invited us to a bloggers table to review their specially designed food menu. They have come up with these amazing thin crust wood fired oven pizzas, which come loaded with exotic toppings and great smoky flavour. I loved the ambience of this place; it is the calmer and cozier part of the Piano Man.

Canopies with different toppings were served as a amuse bouche. I tried the one with mushrooms topping and it tasted really good.

As for drinks we opted for Pot, which is vodka-based cocktail infused with elderflower syrup and orange peel oil bubbles. It was nice and tangy. I also tried the Red Wine Sangria and that was good too.

There was Orange Sunrise for those who didn’t drink alcohol, it had a nice orangey taste and a wonderful presentation, and the big pieces of orange really added a lot of freshness in the taste of the drink and also helped it look better.

There was Pumpkin and Peanut Butter Soup and Green Apple & Vermouth Cold Soup. Both the soups were strikingly different in their taste, texture and even presentation, but both were wonderful to taste. I am not fond of apples basically but the green apple soup was just amazing, it had a very distinct taste and I have never had anything like this before. I loved it.

Ahh and now coming to one of the most amazing salads I have ever had, it was a platter of salad, with small portions of 3 different types of salads. There was Beetroot, Orange & Feta Salad, Raw Papaya Salad + Green Mango and Grilled Peaches + Blue Berry + Goat Cheese Arugula. I loved the Raw Papaya Salad, it was nice and tangy, something on the lines of Kimchi Salad, yet very different. The second best was the Beetroot Salad, crunchy and amazing. You must try this platter for sure.

The main course had assortment of Pizzas and I tried Wild Mushroom & Asian Pesto Pizza, Bulgogi Chicken Pizza, and the Pepperoni Pizza and I have to say that if you ever crave pizzas, this is the place for you. The crust was so thin and perfectly done and all the toppings were great. I personally loved the Bulgogi pizza, which had tender pieces of chicken and caramelized onions. Bulgogi is a recipe of Korean origin and was initially prepared with beef, and then later on adaptations of chicken and other meats were also done. My second favorite was the wild mushroom and Asian pesto pizza; in spite of being a hardcore non-vegetarian, I loved this one. Crisp, and crunchy, loaded with veggies, it was awesome and a must try for everyone.

A pan flavored palate cleanser was also served and it was refreshing.

Blueberry Cheese Cake and Kaffir Lime Scented Creame Brulee were served for desserts. I personally am a big critic of cheese cakes and I think that no one makes better than me, because I have been left disappointed at most of the places, but thankfully, this place was different. The blueberry cheesecake was just perfect. It felt homemade to me and that’s the reason I polished off the whole slice all by myself. The creame brulee with the hint of lime was perfect too, in fact the hint of lime made it taste a little different than the regular creame brulee and I found the change welcoming.

Overall had a very pleasant experience at Dirty Apron and I highly recommend all food lovers to visit this place.

Peshawari Food Festival @ Kama, Radisson Blu, Kaushambi

Posted on August 25, 2016August 29, 2016 by Aditi Malhotra

Crownit, a social app that allows users cash-back on restraunts, spas and other offers, recently hosted a bloggers table at the ongoing Peshawari Food Festival at Kama, Radisson Blu, Kaushambi. For a foodie like me, food festivals are an opportunity to try authentic cuisines within the comfort of my city. This was my first time at Radisson Kaushambi and there I learnt that they keep doing these food festivals quite often and bring the tastes of different regions for their clients. The current food festival focuses on delicacies of Peshawar and continues till the 4^th of September.

The experience began with a combination of a welcome drink and a snack bite. It was Buttermilk along with Anjeer and Potato Cutlet topped with Prune Sauce. The buttermilk was good and so was the cutlet, but I found the sauce a little too sweet for my liking, I would have preferred mint chutney to it.

For drinks we were served Florina, which was a refreshing mixed fruit mocktail. The presentation of starters was amazing; we were served Suleyamani Murg ke Kebab, Peshawari Paneer Tikka, Tandoori Phool and Peshawari Raan. Out of all the things served I loved the Raan; I haven’t ever eaten meat so tender. In fact mutton is something I usually don’t eat outside, I am basically a chicken person, but oh my ghosh, this mutton was mind blowing. You simply have to try it out to believe. The next best was the Tandoori Phool, which were florets of cauliflower marinated in tandoori masala and roasted to perfection. The Paneer Tikka and Chicken were good too, but the raan and tandoori phool were clear winners.

Soups were brought in post the starters; there was Paaye Ka Shorba and Chana Pudina Ka Shorba. I opted for Paye Ka Shorba, though I have never really tried it and was a little apprehensive too, but I thought of giving it a shot. Paaye Ka Shorba aur Kharode Ka Shorba as its popularly called is made by boiling animal bones in water with a little bit of vinegar. The valuable nutrients are literally leached out of the bone marrow. After two to 48 hours of simmering, the liquid is retained and the bones discarded.

Cartilage found in animal joint areas such as chicken feet, beef or lamb knuckles, trachea and ribs, hooves and skin, tend to yield the most nutritious broth. It contains cartilage (gelatine), bone marrow, amino acids and minerals. The end ingredient is a broth that contains all the valuable nutrients that are found in animal bones.

I couldn’t really accustom to the taste, I found it little oily, sticky and salty. It’s a kind of taste that one needs to develop over a period of time and may be cant appreciate in first instance. My mother who happened to accompany me tried the Chana Pudina Ka Shorba and highly recommended it.

The main course comprised of Dumpukht Murgh, Meat Kofta Curry, Paneer Handi Korma, Subz Gulbahar, Peshawari Choley, Yakhani Biryani, Maash Pulao, Qatlama and Khamiri Naan. Except the Peshawari Choley, which I missed by chance I tried everything and also I opted for normal roti in place of Khamiri Naan (never really liked them). The Dumpukht Murgh had a thick gravy and was delectable, but again for a change I loved the Meat Kofta Curry more. Though the koftas were little too big and also a little dry, but the gravy was awesome. Paneer Handi Korma and Subz Gulbahar will surely make a vegetarian very happy, even I liked them being a hardcore non-vegetarian. The Maash Pulao was a type of vegetarian pulao made with lots of green sprouts, a healthy option but surely not for me, especially when the aroma of Yakhni Biryani was pulling me towards it. The Yakhni Biryani served with Raita and Salan was just yumm, this is a must try and I am sure you will love it as much as I did. The most surprising dish was the Qatlama and I am sure no one can wildly guess with the name what it can be. Qatlama was like a desi version of pizza and is very popular in the Peshawar region. It was basically the khamiri naan, topped with vegetables and melted cheese just like a normal pizza and it tasted as awesome.

Desserts are the last part of any course and sometimes it’s really true that best things are saved for last. Badam Nariyal Ki Kulfi and Sheer Korma were the real delights. The badam kulfi with hint of nariyal in it was really awesome, and I loved the faluda, which was coloured orange with the use of saffron. The combination of white kulfi on the bed of orange faluda was not only tempting to the eyes but a feast to the taste buds as well. Sheer Korma was no less, it was like the traditional meethi sevaiyan loaded with dry fruits and was very very tasty.

Special mention for Chef Vishal Nigam and Chef Devi Lal who prepared these delicacies not just with expertise but also with lot of affection, passion and love.

Overall my experience at Kama was worth every moment spent there and I am feeling bad that I missed out on visiting the place earlier, but better late than never. I look forward to many more culinary experiences at Kama in time to come.

Do visit the Peshawari Food Festival at Kama, Radisson Blu, Kaushambi

From 18^th August to 4^th September

Chaayos Opens Its Doors at GK2 M Block Market..!!

Posted on August 23, 2016August 23, 2016 by Aditi Malhotra

Chaayos recently opened its doors at M-Block GK 2 Market and also launched a 7 star new menu. This menu comprised of special teas, both hot and cold, some mouth melting savories and teacakes. I was invited for a review with my other foodie friends and I am grateful to my friend and a co-blogger Radhika for that, do follow her page on facebook

We began our tasting session with ‘Desi Sab Kuch Chai’. It was a very typical masala chai infused with spices like Cinnamon, Cardamom, Ginger, and Basil etc. A perfect companion for those rainy evenings or winter mornings. ‘Assorted Pakoras’ were served along with the chai and it made the perfect combination. The onion pakoras are just worth it, you will want more and more of them, they were so addictive. Its definitely a must try dish on the menu. Along with it we were served ‘Bun Maska’ and ‘Egg Bun’. I tried the Egg Bun and really liked it. It was soft and delectable. The taste was mild, as the egg was not loaded with too many spices; it was just perfect, and as soft and mild as the bun itself.

Next up was a specialty tea, it was a lot of fun, because we weren’t told about the tea, we had to taste it and identify the ingredients. So after the first sip itself, I could gather that it was a honey lemon tea with a dash of ginger. It was amazing, and it had a very refreshing aroma, perfect for a sore throat or just to soothe it. From all the teas that I tasted, this one was my personal favorite. It came the ‘Loaded Chicken Cheese Max’. This one is a lethal combination, trust me. Don’t think much just go for it and I am sure you will love them both. There was a Paneer version too, but I gave it a skip, who wants to eat paneer when you can have chicken 🙂

And now it was time for their very famous ‘Kulad Chai’, which was served in actual kulads. I am not very fond of teas otherwise, but the aroma of this tea made me go for it and I am glad I did. Its awesome. Those fond of tea, will love this preparation.

The next tea that I tried was one of the most unique teas I have ever tried. It was the ‘Aam Papad Tea’. As the name suggests, it felt as if I was drinking a liquid form of Aam Papad. It had exactly the same taste, and aam papad is something I relish occasionally with the fear of having a sore throat. But just the way guys on TV promote Mango Drinks saying that the mango season never really gets over, you can similarly relish the taste of aam papad with this tea without any apprehensions. I loved it. From the savories, next we tried was the ‘Butter Chicken Wrap’ and ‘Kadhai Paneer Wrap’, I must say that the filling in both the wraps was very different, It was really loaded and every bite of it was heavenly. I wont really reveal what all it had; all I can say is that you must try it.

Last but not the least, was the ‘Thandi Chai’. They have about 3-4 flavors available in the same, what I tried was the Saunf flavor. After trying all the savories and filling myself up, this saunf flavoured thandi chai seemed just perfect. I quite liked it and I am looking forward to try the other flavours on my next visit there.

For dessert, there was ‘Bananaa Cake’ and ‘Lemon Cake’. The cakes were nice, but a little too dense for my liking. I know I know, I am little nasty when it comes to reviewing desserts, but what to do, I am a baker myself so I end up highlighting the negatives first. But nevertheless, the cakes weren’t bad at all.

I had a lot of fun with my foodie friends and now its your turn..You must surely plan a visit to your nearest Chaayos and more specially this newly opened one in M Block GK 2 Market and enjoy a tea of your preference with some amazing food. I just love the warmth and vibrancy this place exudes, its so comfortable that you almost feel as if sitting at home with a cup of tea and some pakoras.. bliss!

Soul Satisfying South Indian Food at Tirupati Vrindavan

Posted on August 21, 2016August 24, 2016 by Aditi Malhotra

South Indian food is something that I can enjoy only once in a blue moon because I don’t find that authentic taste at much of the places. But this newly opened place Tirupati Vrindavan has changed my perception completely. It not only serves amazing South-Indian food but also has a very peaceful and cool ambience, very apt to its name that is derived from two religious and spiritual places, Tirupati for Lord Tirupati and Vrindavan for Lord Krishna. It’s a place away from the usual hustle bustle, loud music or a fancy set-up that we normally see in the restaurants these days. This place focuses on the quality of its food and believes in ‘keep it simple silly’ funda. I was invited there by Dish Guide, who have this amazing app called Foodie, which helps you locate best dishes in your neighbourhood, do check it out.

At the onset, we were served a welcome drink of Butter Milk, and I really have to say that it was the best buttermilk I ever had. It wasn’t anything like the regular buttermilk; this one had a nice ‘tadka’ of sarson, kari patta and jeera. It was very refreshing and I just loved every bit of it.

The buttermilk was followed by an amazing ‘Rasam Shot’, I am calling it a shot because we got ourselves served in short steel glasses instead of the whole portion, but I suggest that you try and have the entire portion, its simply worth it. In fact I regret not ordering the full portion. It is one of the best things they have in their menu. It was served along with crispy papads.

For starters we tried their special Fried Idly, Masala Idly, Dahi Vada and Medu Vada, which were served with an assortment of chutneys and hot sambhar. All three dishes were good, but I personally loved Fried Idly the most. It was crispy on the outside and yet retained the softness that a normal idly has. I didn’t even care for the sambhar, it was just great in itself. I loved the sprinkle of gunpowder masala over the idly which gave it an enhanced taste. The second best dish that I liked was the Dahi Vada. The dahi was perfectly sweetened, not over sweet, but just perfect and the vadai were mouth meltingly delicious.The masala idly was also good, as it was an idly tossed in brown onions and tomatoes masala. The medu vada was good, but nothing exceptional. For drinks I tried their Aam Pana, and you must definitely try it out, it was really good.

We were a group of 5 people and hence wanted to make the most of our visit to this lovely place, hence we decided to order more number of dishes and share amongst us so that we get to try more variety.

For the main course, we settled for Masala Dosa, Mysore Masala Dosa, Curd Rice and Lemon Rice. Both the dosas were amazing, crispy and loaded with masala potatoes in the center.

The curd rice, I guess was prepared in a little hurry and was missing the tadka, it was nice, but I think by now I was expecting more out of every dish and thus it was a little disappointing. The lemon rice was just perfect and I relished every bite of it.

The afternoon of this great culinary experience was brought to an end with their special filter coffee. It was raining outside and I guess there is nothing better than a cup of hot coffee on a rainy afternoon.

For those who love South Indian food, this is the place you must visit and those who don’t like South India food, I suggest you please visit this place and I am sure you will start loving this cuisine.

I also happened to meet the owner of the place, Shubham and he came across as a very warm and friendly person and I think it’s his persona that is reflected through the restaurant that he has made.

I really urge all my readers to give this place a sure shot try and you will love it.

Relishing Parsi Flavours at Soda Bottle Opener Wala

Posted on August 14, 2016 by Aditi Malhotra

Navroz is the name of the Iranian New Year, which is celebrated in the month of August by all Iranians. This Navroz, Soda Bottle Opener Wala, the very famous Iranian/Parsi Café came up with introducing the special Navroz Thali in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian versions.

This was my first time at trying out the Parsi cuisine and hence I was all excited to do so. I opted for the non-veg Navroz thali. I must say that the thali looked very very tempting, the way it was presented. The thali consisted of Jardaloo Chicken, Mutton Pulav, Masala Ni Dal, Rotli, Chicken Cutlet, Salad Shirazi, Kachumbar, and Brinjal Pickle.

I started with the mutton pulav and loved it instantly. A very tender and spiced mutton was sandwiched between two layers of rice and when you dig in from top to botton, you have a mouthful of balanced and perfect taste, the mildness of rice and a delectable spiced mutton.

I tried the Jardaloo Chicken with roti next, I cant say that I loved this chicken instantly, as the gravy tasted very different compared to what gravies we North Indians are used to, but a couple of bites more and it started to grow on me.

The Masala Ni Dal was the only thing in the thali that I didn’t like, may be because I still didn’t develop the full taste for Parsi Cuisine. I loved the Shirazi Salad and Kachumbar Salad as well, but the most suprising thing was the Brinjal Pickle, I simply loved it. I otherwise dislike Brinjal, but this pickle was an exception. There was a cutlet too, which had filed eggs and chicken stuffed in it, or at least it tasted like that to me. 🙂

I also tried Eggs Kejriwal, a signature dish from the menu and have to say that these eggs kejriwal were simply mind blowing. Eggs on a toast with cheese and ham inside, they were a mouth melting experience.

Next was the Chicken Cutlet Pav and like some dishes in the thali, this one also was very particular in taste. The cutlet was nowhere like the regular cutlets that we eat, it was nice but not something that I would jump for.

For drinks there was quite a variety to choose from, like Masala Pepsi, Mrs. Soda Bottle Openerwala Cold Coffee, Raspberry Soda, Shikanji Bin, Fresh Lime Soda and Iranian Tea & Coffee. I settled for Shikanji Bin and yet again it was very different as compared to the regular shikanji that we get. It was little fruity and pulp of fruit was coming in mouth with every sip. It was nice and refreshing.

For desserts there were Raspberry & White Chocolate Panacotta and Sev, both the dishes were nice, but I preferred the raspberry & white chocolate panacotta to sev. The panacotta had a slight sour punch over the top because of the raspberry sauce, but as you went down, the sweetness of chocolate could be felt.

The ambience of the place is very warm and friendly. It feels like as if you are sitting in your home, with some nice old Bollywood songs in the background like Manu Bhai Motor Chali Pom Pom Pom.. Or may be it feels as if you are enjoying some Mumbai cuisine sitting next to the Gateway of India as the whole place has a lot of Mumbai feel.

Overall had a great experience relishing the Parsi cuisine with some foodie friends and I look forward to visiting the place again with my family. I am sure you too would drop in at Soda Bottle Openerwala and enjoy a nice Parsi meal with your family and friends.

Sunday Brunch @Blooms, Eros Hotel

Posted on August 10, 2016 by Aditi Malhotra

Sunday is always the most sought after day of the week, one either wants to relax completely or go out and have some fun, but doing something special is indeed a part of Sunday. Out of all the things one may plan whether to stay at home or go out, food is I guess the biggest discussion point and with me its no different. Last Sunday I was fortunate to have been invited for reviewing the Sunday Brunch at Blooms, Eros Hotel, Nehru Place and I really can’t explain in words what fun it was. Blooms organizes Sunday brunches every weekend, but the last Sunday of every month is the most special one, as its always done centered around a theme. When I visited, the theme was Monsoon Magic, the weather was just perfect to justify the theme and yes the ambience and the food, both were magical.

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The magic began right at the entrance as I eyed the lavish spread of desserts. It was difficult to resist the temptation of not beginning the brunch with desserts, but nevertheless, I started at them for a long time and captured them in my camera at least.

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The ambience of blooms is very comfortable and relaxing and they have both indoor and outdoor seating. Some special elements were added in the decoration to compliment the monsoon theme. There were umbrellas, paper boats and even the staff was wearing raincoats. It all looked very very cute and interesting.

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The menu was elaborate; there was a lavish buffet spread inside along with a lot of live counters that were placed outdoors. Just taking a stroll around and looking at all that yummy food made me hungry, and I can feel the hunger pangs even now as I write this review.

LIVE STATIONS:

Thela

There was a thela that served assorted pakodas, now monsoons are almost incomplete without pakodas and hence it was a sure shot hit amongst the guests An assortment of pakodas were served, paneer, aaloo pyaaz bhajiya, achari green chilli and others. Then there were a variety of Samosas on the thela, Potato & Cashew filled traditional Indian samosa, Chicken Patti samosa, Keema mutter samosa with mint & saunth chutney.

Chole tikki, sizzling stew of Dry peas with spiced potato was also served with tamarind chutney and selection of toppings.

Also I just loved the way the Pakodas were served from an upside down umbrella, it just looked so interesting.

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Bhutta Corner

Charcoal grilled corn was served with lemon, salt, green chilli & spicy masala.

There was also the steamed buttered corn with spicy masala.

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Rain forest Grill

Selection of meats and vegetables with spices mix from the RAINFOREST region of America, Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela

Lamb chops, Chicken breasts, Red snapper, Salmo, Seabass, Prawns, Button Mushrooms, Potatoes, Peppers, Asparagus, Zucchini, and more, one had ample choice of staples to try out these rain forest flavors.

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Momos

Traditional South Asian dumplings with choice of vegetarian & non- vegetarian fillings were served with spicy sauces & dips and they were simply amazing.

London Fish & chips

Batter fried fish was served with homemade wafers and it was a true delight, the fish was very very delicately fried and light in taste, the handmade chips were the highlight of the dish.

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Asian hawker counter

Then there was this counter, which served the Pan Asian delicacies and just passing by the counter, the aromas made by tummy rumble with hunger pangs.

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Main Course

This buffet lay out all that you could think of, with wide variety of dishes in India, Continental and Chinese, you just couldn’t ask for more.

Desserts

Desserts Spread was mouth drooling and had a perfect mix of both western and Indian desserts. I tried quite a few of them and especially loved the raspberry eclair and chocolate mango mousse.

The live bar counter knocked out some amazing drinks and also there was a live band to keep the mood upbeat at all times.

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The Sunday Brunch by Blooms, Eros Hotel is definitely not to be missed, so do plan your weekend accordingly and also watch out for their next theme on the last Sunday of August. I had a lot of fun and I am sure you too will enjoy!

Your Neighbourhood Bar Opens in East of Kailash-BarShala

Posted on August 3, 2016August 3, 2016 by Aditi Malhotra

‘In Wine There Is Wisdom, In Beer There Is Freedom, In Water There Is Bacteria’. One cannot agree more with Benjamin Franklin.

But what to do when you are broke like a joke? When it’s that time of the month and the salary cheque looks far-flung? When you want to be a high troller without riding on the luxury roller? What about manhandling those man talks and being in a place, which reeks of nostalgia and smells of home? All in all, the perfect place to finish up a boozy evening in style!

Here comes your panacea for all drinking ills- The BarShala!

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BarShala is India’s fastest growing chain of “friendly neighbourhood drinking resto-bars” in India positioned on the basic premise-“peeney waalon ka paradise” (a paradise for people who enjoy a good drink). Founded by the team at Indospirit, headed by Mr. Sameer Mahandru, the aim is to create the bar-next-door for the entire country.

The Mission – Piyo or Peene Do

Whether it is hanging out with your friends after office hours, or discussing the next game of cricket over a chilled beer, BarShala is the perfect joint for you. The menu is uniquely crafted with Hinglish names of dishes adding quirkiness and making things breezy!(literally).BarShala, as small and powerful as the name suggests, the sting in the tail is having to choose between numerous flavours of rum mixes, Indigenous beers or Vodkas at unbeatable prices. The bar currently lacks the presence of any sorts of cocktails and cocktails in the menu. They as of now have all straight liquor. There’s a character in the décor too, with winks of Indian kitschy graphic and jazzy mosaics. Attracting regulars and interested new faces, the atmosphere is relaxed and intimate.

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BarShala has been brought to life by a passionate team of individuals with extensive experience in the F&B industry. The young and energetic team at BarShala has promised to go the extra mile to ensure that one has a crazy time with friends and create some amazing memories. Having opened up their first two outlets in Janakpuri, Karkardooma and lining up the unveiling of East of Kailash, the bar is getting higher every day. The only dream is to see Delhities in BarShala- blurring the line between weekdays and weekends-Rammed and raucous.

I recently visited the East of Kailash outlet and it definitely lives upto its name, its just a hangout place where you can go only for drinks and nothing else. It is a BarShala in true sense. However quirky the names of menu items be, the food is very very basic. Don’t expect too many high fundas, or exotic cuisine here. You will get just the routine snacks, more like ready to eat options in both vegetarian and non vegetarian, but the liquor prices are so cheap that you cannot complain. I tried the Mutton Seekh, Fish Fingers and Chicken Salad, which were just about OK.

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Also its most apt for youngsters and men interested in drinking, if you are looking at spending some cosy time with your girl friend, this isn’t the place. Neither its apt for families.

The staff definitely needs to be more trained and attentive and hospitality is something they need to work upon.

BarShala is managed by the INDOSPIRIT Group.The INDOSPIRIT Group of companies is a leading bottler, importer, distributor and retailer of alcoholic beverages in North India. The group was founded in 2007, and now has a turnover of 300 Crores.

Sandwich Factory-Home to Global Foods at Reasonable Prices

Posted on July 31, 2016August 3, 2016 by Aditi Malhotra

I was recently invited at this cozy little joint called Sandwich Factory in Mayur Vihar, and though its little far off for me but it was definitely worth the visit. The place is small, and doesn’t have too many covers, but is an ideal place to grab a quick bite with your family or friends. The menu isn’t very elaborate, but still they have a handful of options to choose from and all of them are very very delectable. The prices are very pocket friendly and will appeal to the youth a lot. The ambience is cool, cosy and vibrant and you would love to spend time sitting, chilling and enjoying your food there.

Starters:

Masala Fries, Chicken Nachos and Chilli Garlic Nuggets, the fries were crisp and had chatpata spicy taste and the chilly garlic nuggets were good too. The nachos do have a scope of improvement, as instead of chicken cubes I think shredded chicken should be used so that the chicken doesn’t run away from nachos and also there should be a little more cheese to bind the chicken with nachos. Both the owners of the place, Amit and Yashdeep were present there and took our suggestions very positively.

Mains:

Signature Bruschetta was served first and it was surely the best, I just loved it and this is definitely that one dish that I can go back for anytime. The bread was so soft and the topping just perfect. There was then the Creamy Bruschetta which too was great, but I would still any day prefer the signature version.

Next was the Jumbo Chicken Focaccia Burger, now this burger is inviting as soon as you look at it. You will know what I mean when you see the pic, it is a burger that has expressions, little naughty and quirky types and is so much fun to only see it. The taste was great too and that added to the entire experience of eating this burger. It seems like a friendly burger who first you don’t wanna eat(you can’t eat your friend), but one bite into it and you will only put your hands down after finishing it off.

Last but not the least were the Mexican Chicken Quesadillas and I enjoyed them a lot. The filling was just perfect and I loved it. It was the second best dish for me after the Signature Bruschetta.

Drinks:

we tried the Watermelon Mojito and the Mint Ginger Mojito, both of them were simple and refreshing, by simple I mean that the original tastes were very much retained and not overdone or over powered by any of the ingredients used. A lot of times people end up using too many ingredients which kills the real essence of the drink, but nothing like that here. I liked them a lot.

The only disappointment was lack of desserts which they accepted and are working on a special dessert menu to be included soon. I look forward to visit the place again especially when they include some delicious desserts too.

All in all, the place is definitely worth a visit and I give it a generous rating of 4/5.

Terrific 25-New Menu Launch at Aanch

Posted on July 24, 2016 by Aditi Malhotra

Aanch, a chic and urban restaurant in Rajouri Garden has been successfully running since 5 years. Bringing innovation to menu and food presentation ideas is the need of any restaurant today to constantly keep surprising their customers and retain their interest. Aanch is also all set to do the same, as they planning to launch 25 new dishes in their menu. We were recently invited for a preview table of this Terrific 25 menu and honoured with this privilege of tasting everything before it opens for general public from August onwards.

The place is located at the top floor of shoppers stop mall, and is an extensive spread with a huge terrace and outside expanse where in private parties and weddings are held.

Drinks:

Coming to the menu, we were first served the new mocktails on the menu, the regular mocktails done with an India twist to them. The first one was Tulsi and Melon Fantasy. It was refreshing but the flavour of basil was a little overpowering, and if that is taken control of, it definitely a perfect summer drink.

Next was the Veggie Virgin Marry, which was a desi twist to the popular Virgin Mary, but here there was no use of tobasco to make it spicy, it was instead made spicy by using red chillies, also there were cut pieces of capsicum in the drink which made it spicy and crunchy at the same time. I am a virgin mary lover and thus I preferred this Veggie Virgin Mary and loved it. It was slightly on the spicier end, but yet it was amazing. I also loved the presentation of the drink very much.

I also tried the Virgin Orange Caprioska and Very Berry Slush, both of them were good too, but the berry slush was mind blowing, it was best of the lot and I highly recommend the same.

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Starters: To clear the palette, water melon cubes with cheese was the first thing to be served and it was refreshing.

Soups- Mushroom Cappuccino and Chicken Tom Yum, both of them were amazing, though I preferred the creamy mushroom soup over the chicken one. Mushroom soup was served with a mushroom toast which was good and the fried chicken roll that came with tom yum soup was just amazing.

Mahabali Paneer Tikka- a spicy version of the regular paneer tikka, this one was truly awesome. I also loved the presentation of the same.

Roti pe Boti-This was an out of the menu dish, that the chef created especially for us bloggers to taste and I fell in love with it instantly. It was a soft and tender galauti kebab placed on a very khasta mathi with a dollop of green chutney. The combination was amazing, the galauti kebabs just melted in the mouth and I can go back for this dish anytime. In fact I would really urge them to include this as a part of their regular menu.

Shahi Be Mahi- This was a very tender Fish Malai Tikka, and it was one of the best starters of the entire evening. The fish just melted in the mouth, was mildly spiced and too delicious. This one is a must try.

Gabbar Ke Sholey- It was an innovative and interesting way to present bread rolls stuffed with cottage cheese, they seemed like small hand grenades that looked amazing and tasted good too.

Lemon Grass Mushrooms- Oh these went on to become my personal favourites. The spices were perfect and the most amazing part was a mild cottage cheese filling between two mushrooms. I haven’t eaten anything like this before. It was really awesome. Also the presentation on a small rolling cart was very very cute.

Galouti Golgappe- These were the golgappas filled with a small piece of galouti topped with some green chutney, onions and pomegranate seeds. The concept was good but the golgappas need to be a little more juicy, they were dry.

Tawa Ka Burrah and Chooza Murg were next, both the dishes were regular, the mutton burrah was tasty, juicy and tender and I loved the way it was presented. Chooza Murg was like Tandoori Chicken, and was perfect.

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Banana Chik and Mango Chicken were presented next, they both came in sweet looking hand carts. The Banana Chick tasted more like a Thai steamed chicken which I didn’t like much. The Mango Chicken had a tangy fruity taste with a hint of Chinese flavour and it was good.

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It seemed like a marathon of starters, as they were just not ending, and trust me it takes a lot to taste and try 25 items on the menu, but they were all so exciting that even though the tummy space was reducing, we just could not give up.

Chilly Chicken Pao and Veg Cheese Quesadilla were next in line. The chilly chicken pao was spicy and nice and so were the quesadillas.

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After trying so many delectable starters, there was hardly any space left for the main course, but being a blogger one has to try and write about it, sometimes its not easy you see. But yes I did. The first thing on the menu was Haleem, followed by Balti Murg, Murg Makhanwala, Creamy Gosht, Dal Makhani and Paneer Pasanda. All the dishes were perfectly done, minus the murg makhanwala, as I found it a little too sweet. The creamy gosht could have been a little better too and I am sure the management will take our feedback constructively.

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There was Cheesy Baked Pasta and Chicken Spatchcock too, but they seemed a little out of place with the more emphasised Indian menu. They were good no doubts, but certainly didn’t gel with the entire palate.

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Finally the meal came to an end and the dessert was served, It was Coconut Cigars with Vanilla Ice-Cream. The Coconut Cigars were crisp and tasted excellent dipped in Vanilla Ice-Cream. The presentation was great and it looked like a few birds sitting in a pool of ice cream.

Overall, it was a fantastic experience. We also met the owner Mr Bhuvnesh Bhalla and his wife who paid attention to every feedback we had to offer and they came across as very warm and hospitable people. Also met Chef Ashish Massey who is the man behind this amazing culinary experience and is a great person. Last but not the least this privileged of experiencing a new menu before it gets launched for general public was bestowed upon due to my friend and an excellent PR person Neha Bahl from Qube Communication and had a pleasant experience meeting other blogger friends too. The menu gets launched for public August onwards, please do give it a try and you will be pleasantly surprised with the small twists and innovations.

Feng Shuii- Oriental Dining, Restaurant Review

Posted on July 23, 2016 by Aditi Malhotra

Feng Shui is a Chinese philosophical system of harmonizing everyone with the surrounding environment. Feng Shuii, a newly opened oriental dining restaurant resonates this meaning in the truest sense. Located at the upcoming Gallery on MG, which would soon host some of the nicest Restaurants, this one is surely gonna be a hit. The moment you enter the place, the ancient art form of Feng Shui, the artefacts, and the harmony greets you and takes you in the Chinese Era. The ambience is beautifully done and one cannot ignore the tastefully placed art pieces that reflect the true essence of Feng Shui. I mean you would really want to get up from your seat, take a stroll inside the restaurant, and just stare at these art pieces, they are so beautiful.

I somehow always feel that the place that emits positive vibes has to be good overall, and in case of Feng Shuii this stood absolutely true. Not just the ambience and environment is so harmonious and beautiful, but also the food is excellent. I was called here for a bloggers review meet and I am so glad I could make it.

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Drinks:

Their drinks menu consists of fresh juices, some mocktails and aerated drinks. I settled for a coke this time, as I love the fizz with Chinese Food.

Starters:

Chilly Paneer, Chicken Satay and Chilly Fish were served for starters. Chilly Paneer was simply amazing, perfectly done, neither too spicy nor sweet or bland. My son isn’t very fond of oriental cuisine as such but he always enjoys Chilly Paneer when I make it at home. We have tried Chilly Paneer at a lot of places, and most of the times it ends up being too spicy especially from a child’s point of view, but here at Feng Shuii, my son just loved it, in fact so much so that he didn’t have anything else but two servings of Chilly Paneer.

The Chicken Satay too was delectable and was served with a subtle peanut dip. Chilly Fish is my all time favourite, but again barring a few places I never like the way it is prepared in restaurants. The best that I had was at Drums of Heaven restaurant, but now Feng Shuii is going to be my new favourite for Chilly Fish, it was mind blowing. The fish was tender and yet has a very crisp coating, the spices perfect, and the veggies added to the flavour and crunch. I can back for it anytime, in fact my mouth is watering as I write this review.

Dimsums:

We tried the Mushroom & Cheese Dimsums and also the Juicy Chicken. Being a hard core non vegetarian, I still preferred the Mushroom & Cheese dimsums, they were just lovely. It was such a mouthful treat, the creaminess of mushrooms and cheese made it so rich in taste. I am praising mushroom dimsums doesn’t mean the chicken ones were not good, they too were delicious, all I wanna say is that even if you are a non vegetarian, please give the mushroom version a try, you won’t be disappointed.

Main Course:

The main course consisted of both Thai and Chinese dishes. The main course was served like a buffet, but the fun part was that rather than we walking up to the buffet lay out, the buffet came to us in very smart serving trolleys that come equipped with electric heaters and can keep the food warm for upto 8 hours while being unplugged. These small little innovations and changes in food presentation make a lot of difference in ones overall experience.

The first dish that was served was Massaman Curry with Nasi Goreng. Massaman Curry is a relatively mild Thai Curry that in itself is an interpretation of a Persian Dish. The flavors of the massaman curry paste (nam phrik kaeng matsaman) come from spices that are not frequently used in other Thai curries, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cumin, bay leaves, nutmeg and mace and this makes it very different. This paste is first fried with coconut cream, and only then are meat, potatoes, onions, fish sauce or salt, tamarind paste, sugar, coconut milk and peanuts added. It is usually eaten with Rice, and in this case it was Nasi Goreng. Nasi goreng, literally meaning “fried rice” in Indonesian and Malay, can refer simply to fried pre-cooked rice, a meal including stir fried rice in small amount of cooking oil or margarine, typically spiced with sweet soy sauce, shallot, garlic, ground shrimp paste, tamarind and chilli and accompanied by other ingredients, particularly, chicken. These came across as one of the best fried rice I have ever had, I just loved it. I can eat them anytime, with or without any gravy.

Next was the Thai Green Curry served with Steamed Rice. I have never been really fond of Thai food, and here also my perception and taste didn’t change. I did try some of it, but didn’t find it too exciting.

Fish in Black Bean Sauce was good, I tired it with some Veg Fried Rice, but somehow the gravy was little too salty, so inspite of being good, the salt spoiled the taste.

Hakka Noodles with Chicken in Sweet Chilli Sauce was good too. The Chicken was tender and gravy little sweet, but still it was a good combination with hakka noodles.

Dessert:

The best part is always reserved for the end I guess, this simple yet amazing dessert Belgium Chocolate, did just that. It was a perfect ending to the delightful meal. It wasn’t over the top, not even had a very fancy presentation, but the taste was just wonderful. Its heaven for chocolate lovers. Must try.

Service & Hospitality:

The staff was very very hospitable and attentive. The service was a little slow but I am sure they will improve it.

Overall the experience was just amazing and I give a generous 4.5 star rating, do it give it a shot and you will be pleasantly surprised.

Category: Restaurant Review

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