Tag: Food Review

Flavothon at Cha Bar, Head Straight There For A Surreal Experience..!!

Cha Bar, Delhi’s favourite tea cafe organized “Flavothon” a food lovers meet with Executive Chef Abhishek Basu from The Park sharing tips on multi-dimensional cuisines complemented with some exclusive teas from the extensive Cha Bar menu. Flavathon introduced some mouth watering dishes in their new menu.
Cha Bar, a brain child of Ms Priti Paul, backed by the decades of experience of the Apeejay Group. Cha Bar was created as an integral part of the 90 year old Oxford Bookstore.
Cha Bar provides its customers the experience of browsing through the wide selection of books at leisure, sipping a cup of tea of your choice with some savory snacks being served.

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There was the Erachi Pathri which was really delicious. The Turkish Sigara was another crisp one with both veg n non veg variety. The Cocktail Sausage Roll was a delight.
Absolutely wonderful was the Dahi Bhalla, very soft and the curd was really refreshingly delicious.
They also had the Spinach and Feta Cheese Quiche and Some delicious Chicken n Cheese Toasties which were absolutely mouth watering.

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There was a wide range of desserts like Gulabjamun Cheese Cake, Flurry’s Heritage Chocolate Boat, Pineapple Colada Muffin, Coconut Cookies and Chocolate Rum Balls to name a few paired with some exotic teas like Arabic Spice, Bollywood mix, Cha Bar Blend, Moroccan Mint and a host of other varities to choose from.
A special mention here for there Filter Coffee which was really superb.
From desserts, for me the most delectable was the Gulabjamun Cheese Cake,really worth dying for followed by Rum Balls which were a real treat.
The quite ambience and the mouth watering snacks provided a great sense of tranquility. Highly recommended for a really surreal experience.

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About Cha Bar:


Cha Bar is the first of its kind urban contemporary space that created a rage in Kolkata in year 2000, turning tea from a dry page in history to a lifestyle drink! Ms Priti Paul’s brain child backed by generations of Apeejay Surrendra group’s experience in tea plantation business, Cha Bar was created as an integral part of more than 90 years old iconic Oxford Bookstore in city centre Park Street. The concept was expanded pan India integrated into Oxford Bookstores and customers loved the experience of being able to browse at leisure, leafing through the books of their choice, over a cup of tea from the wide selection available at the Cha Bar or simply unwinding with friends sipping the rejuvenating beverage, iced or piping hot!


Whether one prefers a rich, full-bodied, strong flavor, or a light fragrant taste, the Cha Bar offers a wide and enviable choice. Cha Bar believes that there is indeed nothing quite like a good cup of tea so every cup of blend we serve has journeyed, be it from the dhabas in India or from across the Globe from other cultures. Today, Cha Bar offers this experience at Oxford Bookstores across multiple stores in Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi.


From the Flowering Teas, Organic Teas, Herbal Teas, Diet Teas, Fruit Teas, to an exclusive range of Darjeeling, Nilgiri, Sikkim and Oolong, complimented by the best in Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Moroccan, Russian, Sri Lankan, South African and Thai Teas – make up more than 150 varieties on offer to create pure joy for our customers as they browse through a book by their favourite author. Cha Bar’s Menu boasts of exotic and cultural blends like the Moroccan Mint, South African Rooibos, Decaf Teas, Green Teas and Ayurvedic Teas with healing powers and all of them are popular amongst our patrons. Special category of ‘Chai Hindustani’ and the Cutting Cha has been reinvented here at Cha Bar. Single Estate Virginal Teas from our Plantations in Upper Assam are also served here in a truly contemporary setting delivering an experience that has made Cha Bar a preferred destination. It was in April 2007 that we first brought Bollywood Masala Mix Cha, Truck Drivers 100 Mile Ki Cha, Katakali, Formosa Oolong, Yellow Tea, Emerald Green, Vervain Blue, Jasmine Pearl, Chinese Lapsang Souchoung, Verbena Tea, Licorice Tea, Fruit Melange, and Japanese Genmaicha to our Menu.


To complement the collection of Teas, Cha Bar offers a wide selection of Ala Carte savories such as fresh wholesome salads like the Mediterranean salad, classic Caesar salads with a choice of dressings that are perfect for a nutritious meal. Scrumptious finger foods like muddled nachos, chilli cheese toasties, keema samosas, onion pakoras, sev tikki pav are the ideal appetizers to share with friends and family. Other tit bits include the classic English tea sandwiches, pita wraps and rolls, house special soft centered muffins, freshly baked cookies and cupcakes, home-style special cakes and pies like the carrot and walnut apple and cinnamon pie is perfect to round off tea-time or take away. Other delightful savories include Falafel Hummus in pita pockets, Lebanese Choley Frankie in spiced pita wrap, vada chutney, chicken and vegetable pot pie, potato fry basket, Chocolate Croissant Roll, Muesli and Parmesan cookie and Seasonal Fruit Tart.


The stylish and relaxing ambience of Cha Bar can make hours go by browsing through our huge collection of books while one is spoilt for choice with an assortment of Teas blended and prepared with precision, and after exhaustive research, with personalized and informed service. The space dedicated to the Cha Bar adds to the experience. The natural colors of all material generate a serene, placid, refreshing and a comforting environment. The unique design and concept incorporates the original textures of wood, steel, glass, aluminum, onyx which are uncoated and exist in their original beauty and contours. The predominating color white used in our latest Cha Bar in Connaught Place offsets the brilliant mélange of hues of the Oxford Bookstore Connaught Place – the active space brimming with energy.


A unique feature of the environmental graphics across all Cha Bars is the Tea-Pot wall which displays the different traditional tea-pots from across the world. This not only creates awareness about the tradition of tea-serving across different continents but also adds an interesting design element adding to the ambience of the space. It also showcases how different Teas in our menus are served and promotes the dying truck art of Pakistan and the Bollywood poster art of India, for which special artists are commissioned by, Ms Priti Paul, Director, Apeejay Surrendra Group and herself an art aficionado.


Oxford Bookstores which houses Cha Bar is fiercely passionate towards raising funds, raising public consciousness and sharing responsibility towards one horned rhino conservation in India’s North Eastern state of Assam. Oxford Bookstores and WWF-India Partnership seeks to enroll customers of Oxford Bookstores and Cha Bar in the cause of conservation. When customers of Cha Bar choose our Single Estate Assam Teas, a portion of sales of every cup they sip, matched by Oxford Bookstores, helps preserve the life of one-horned rhino and their habitat in Assam as part of one horned rhino conservation efforts by WWF- India. Every time they buy a book, they directly but voluntarily donate towards ‘Give Back to Nature ‘programme of WWF-India, specifically supporting the Wild Wisdom quiz, India’s only national level quiz to sensitize and generate awareness among children by fostering a sense of competition, pride and knowledge of Indian biodiversity.


Cha Bar Menu is refreshed regularly with additional varieties of exotic Teas and scrumptious snacks with in-house experts at Apeejay Tea Group with experience of nurturing tea in our plantations dating back more than a 100 years and renowned Chefs of the Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels with nearly 5 decades of experience in fine hospitality and award winning Food & Beverage offerings.


About Apeejay Tea Group:


Apeejay Tea Group is amongst the largest producers of tea in the country with 17 estates spread over 50000 acres in Upper Assam producing 25 million kilograms (approx.) of tea. It is a matter of great pride for us that Harrods, London has appointed Apeejay Tea as its sole India partner for sourcing Indian Teas. An exclusive collection of our single-estate teas, Sessa, Khobong and Pengaree, are on Harrods’ prestigious shelves. Typhoo, our FMCG brand is UK’s third largest tea brand and an over 100-year-old iconic British brand retailing in nearly 50 countries globally including India. London Fruit & Herb, Heath & Heather, Melroses and Ridgeways are some of our other International brands.


About Oxford Bookstores


Established in 1919 Oxford Bookstore is the best equipped ‘base-camp’ for journeys of the mind offering its customers the widest range of outstanding titles and consistently courteous and informed service for close to a century. Today, with India’s first dedicated Children’s bookstore, Oxford Junior, India’s first of its kind tea boutique, Cha Bar, India’s only literary festival created by a bookstore, Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival, Oxford Bookstore offers booklovers access to the very best in publishing enhanced by a variety of events which salute books, visual & performing arts and celebrate the word. Oxford Bookstore measures its success by the smiles on millions of happy customers that the brand has served over the last 9 decades. There are a few treats as sumptuous as a visit to Oxford Bookstore in India. Each time you walk into our iconic store in Calcutta where the brand started in 1919, its charm leaves you wanting for more. Our fleet of 200 happy to help expert booksellers and informed hosts work day and night to bring to customers world class reading experience be it through our books or our fine teas and live by the brand’s motto – Much more than a bookstore – at every store, be it Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore or Bhubaneswar. In December 2012 Oxford Bookstore took a chapter from its growth story in India by launching, Katakali, its first overseas bookstore in the luxurious Taj Palace Hotel at the foothills of the Atlas Mountains in the exclusive palm-filled oasis of the Palmeraie, Marakkech. In April 2013, with the opening of its most architecturally crafted retail store in a stunning new destination in Delhi’s historic centre, Connaught Place, Oxford Bookstore carved out yet another incredible space for quiet browsing, reading and contemplation. Its growth story continues…


For more information, please also log on to:

www.oxfordbookstore.com


http://www.apeejaytea.com/

 

Cha Bar Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Junglee Billee Launches Sunday Brunch and Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Not Miss It..!!

Junglee Billee has been one of our most favorite places since its inception, we have always loved the food there and with Chef Pawan being a close friend, we can never really get enough of this place. We love the fact that they keep doing really interesting stuff at Junglee Billee, from Ladies Nights, to Special Movie Screenings, From Sundowners to Fusion Cooking Sessions, they are always up to something. And yet again, Junglee Billee comes up with the launch of their special Sunday Brunch and this is something we could not miss at all.

Specially curated by Chef Pawan, the brunch menu at Junglee Billee boasts of a delicious 6-course spread that includes Soup, Salads, Main Course, Live Pasta Station, Grill Section and Desserts.

 

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The vibrant ambience and great food at Junglee Billee always lifts up the mood and hence calls for a visit any time of the week, but here are top 5 reasons why you should not miss the Sunday Brunch at Junglee Billee:

One


If you love seafood, you cannot afford to miss it, there is a wide variety of fish, prawns and other seafood dishes to choose from, all of them that look so tempting and are equally delectable. Fish Roulade, Shrimp Cocktail, Fish Terrine, Seafood Salad, were some of the highlights.

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Two


The Cold Cut Platter and Cheese Platter will surely make your mouth water. Pepperonis, Ham, Bacon, Salami, and Sausages with different varieties of cheese are completely drool worthy.

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Three


The Mumbaiya Food that Junglee Billee is famous for is hard to ignore. You just can’t have enough of it. The Keema Pao, The Kurmure Bhel and everything else on the menu are all worth your attention. I vouch for the authenticity of this Mumbai cuisine. Having lived in Mumbai for so many years, I haven’t found any place in Delhi been able to replicate the same essence, but Junglee Billee and Chef Pawan’s efforts have truly changed the scene. The live music playing some Bollywood numbers will definitely take you to the lanes of Mumbai and you will enjoy it as much as I did.

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Four


The grill section at the terrace is perfect for the on setting winters. The aroma of meats and veggies on barbeque is surely a turn on. Chicken Breasts, Herb Sole, Cottage Cheese, Sausages, all spiced and grilled to perfection. Enjoy this scrumptious meal with a huge selection of cocktails and mocktails. Pan Martini and Sangria are my personal favourites.

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Five


Have a sweet tooth..? Don’t worry you can satiate your cravings at this Sunday Brunch. Mava Cheese Cake, Crème Brulee, Baked Yogurt, Chocolate Cake, Raspberry Brownie Mousse, you name it and you have it. This section is pure sin and totally worth the indulgence.

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What: Sunday Brunch


Where: Junglee Billee, M Block Market, GK I


When: Every Sunday, 12PM- 4PM


Price: INR 900+ Taxes for Food, INR 1399+ Taxes for Food+IMFL, INR 1699+ Taxes for Food + Imported Liquor


 

Junglee Billee Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Factory by Sutra, a perfect amalgmation of great food, great ambience and good music..!

I have eaten alone a lot of times when I am traveling and enjoyed my own company, but being in my own city, this kind of an occasion is very rare. Recently I experienced enjoying some good food, great live music and perfect ambience, all by myself, and this was a place which now tops my list of favorites, it was Factory by Sutra at Sector 29, Gurgaon.

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I chose the balcony area to be seated, with cool breeze and some amazing sufi songs playing in the background, this appeared to be the perfect place to enjoy a relaxed evening. My foodie experience began with tasting from the Chandni Chowk Section of the menu. Delhi 6, which were golgappas stuffed with bhel, topped with aaloo tikki and chutney and some Kurkuri Bhindi Nachos, which was crispy fried masala bhindi served with some mint yogurt. Chef Abhinav, who is the man behind all tasteful food that Factory has to offer, suggested both the dishes and I loved them. The Golgappas were nice and tangy and the fried bhindi was just too good. The way bhindi was fried and the spices along with chopped onions and tomatoes, took my experience to the next level, it gave me an instant idea of what I am gonna serve my guests next when they turn up at my house. This is a must try, from a boring vegetable to an interesting snack, its totally worth it.

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Leaving myself in safe hands of Chef Abhinav, I relied on him for my next set of appetizers. This time chef suggested Crispy Calamari and Lemon Garlic Fish from the Little Munchies Section. Personally I am not very fond of Calamari, but this was good, perfectly fried and spiced, but the show stealer was the Lemon Garlic Fish. It was truly amazing; I polished off a full fillet in minutes. The taste of garlic, the freshness of lemon grass and the tender fish, made it completely drool worthy. The best thing I loved about it was that the lemon grass didn’t over power the taste; normally lemon grass is put in such a way that after two bites, you start feeling as if you are eating an aroma candle, but this one was just perfect. I highly recommend trying this one out, you will love it. I enjoyed my set of starters with a refreshing Mojito.

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As I prepared myself to explore the culinary delights from the main course, a live sufi performance also began in the lounge area. The night looked much more vibrant now.

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For main course, chef delighted me with Butter Chicken Khichri, Lahori Mutton Curry and Khamiri Roti. I thoroughly enjoyed this lovely dinner plate of mine, as the band played one of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s creation. The butter chicken khichri was something I have never tried and is hugely recommended. The Lahori Mutton Curry was simple but flavorsome; I relished it with the khamiri rotis, chutney and onions.

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The best thing about Factory and Chef Abhinav’s preparations is that, they are simple and very very flavorsome. The menu isn’t very elaborate, but has all the basics and best dishes from across the cuisines. Factory not only offers great food, but is a brewery, co-working space and boasts of different genres of live music most days of the week. This place is definitely worth a visit.

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For dessert I had a choco lava cake and it was delicious.

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I am looking forward to visit Factory again, and this time with my family. I got a couple of things packed back for my family, the non-veg platter was simply amazing, it has chicken tikka, seekh kebab and fish. I also brought back Chilly Chicken Pita Bao, and I loved it. It was spicy and juicy; it’s a perfect snack to just grab on the go.

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Drop in to Factory and I am sure you will love it as much as I did. Also follow their page on Facebook for latest updates on their events.

Factory By Sutra Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Rabbit Invades North India with First Playboy Cafe at Gurgaon!

Bringing in the essence of playboy bunny embellishments and its vibe in your everyday bar and café is how Playboy Café has been thought through. After successfully launching Playboy Club, Hyderabad and Playboy Beer Garden in Pune, PB has now expanded its wings to North India with its first outlet in Gurgaon Sector 53. Quirky interiors with walls adorning Playboy posters, a world class bar, with a huge seating area spread across 3 floors, Playboy Café is nothing short of being a feather in Gurgaon’s Food & Night Life Cap.

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I recently visited the place for a specially curated event for food bloggers organized by Foodmaniacs (Vickhram Vicky).

I loved the ambience and vibes of the place right from the time when I set my foot in. I was welcomed by one of the most fascinating drinks, Playboy Vodka Chai, which is Tea mixed with Vodka, fresh Mint, Cranberry Juice, Orange Juice and Honey. I loved both the presentation and taste of this drink. It should definitely be tried.

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In starters we had Nachos Topped with Garbanzo and Blue Cheese Yogurt Kababs, to begin with. The Nachos were nice and loaded with beans, feta and pomegranate seeds. I personally didn’t like the Blue Cheese Yogurt Kababs much, as one I found them to be on the sweeter side.

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Up next were Fritto Misto and Cajun Fish Tikka. Fritto Misto was a sea food platter consisting of Squid, Prawns and Fish dusted in Chef’s special flour served with sweet chilli sauce and garlic aioli. I loved this platter, the fish, the prawns and the squid were fried to perfection, were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The Cajun tikka too was perfectly spiced and roasted; I simply adored this dish and highly recommend it.

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For drinks I tried the Playboy LIIT, mother of all liits, it had 11 spirits juiced up, and the presentation was killer. It came in a big red telephone booth and looked awesome.

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Next we tried Green Eggs Benedict, a signature Playboy preparation, and Pudina Lamb. Poached eggs on a steamed bun with cheese and creamy green colour is what comprised of this signature dish. The taste was mild, as one cut through the half boiled eggs and the yolk oozes out with cheese and softens the bun, it becomes one mouth melting experience. Though the dish was good, but I was not able to place it well as an appetizer, for me it will be heavenly if served for breakfast, but nevertheless, one should try, its different.

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The Pudina Lamb tasted good and was nicely spiced, but the lam could have been tenderer, it was slightly stretchy. I am sure the chef will take my feedback in a constructive way and there wont be an issue next time around.

We also tried Keema Ghotala, Southern Style Mushrooms, Cheese & Green Peas Maggi, Chicken Sumai, Thai Rice & Chicken Dumpling and American Poutine. Keema Ghotala is Playboy’s version of Keema Pao and is a must try. Southern Style Mushrooms were good too, crispy and tasteful. You can give Cheese and Green Peas Maggi a skip, because somethings are better without experiments, American Poutine was a little put off, as the fries had dollops of wine sauce which was too sweet and it killed the taste of fries. Order fries without the sauce and you will be better off. Chicken Sumai and Thai Rice & Chicken Dumplings were definitely the show stealers, they not only looked good, but tasted yumm too, do try them out and thank me later!

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Though I was already full with the starters, but yet excited to try the main course. So together as a group of foodies, we ordered Grilled Fish, Chicken Duo and Spaghetti Bolognese. The grilled fish on a bed on rice was totally a scrumptious indulgence. The chicken duo was worth ordering too, you should definitely try it. Spaghetti was the only weak link, it wasn’t bad, but could have been a little better.

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Now coming to desserts, we tried the Tiramisu, which was simply mind blowing, creamy coffee taste, and a sinful indulgence that’s totally worth every bite. Then there was a Red Velvet Jar, which too was amazing.We also tried Chocolate Decadence and all I can say is that it’s a must try for all chocolate lovers. You will fall in love with it, at least I did, so much that I got so engrossed in relishing it that I even missed out on taking its picture, but the indulgence was a bliss. Never mind the pic. Do remember me when you try it, and come back and thank me for sharing it with you all J

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All in all this Rabbit is worth catching, so please head straight to Playboy and just sit back, relax and enjoy great food and drinks. They have a fully loaded bar which is meant to be explored, and the bar tenders there come up with some breathtaking tricks that you will have fun watching.. so enjoy!

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I had great fun with my foodie friends and I am sure you will love it too.

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Image Courtesy- Playboy Cafe
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Image Courtesy- Playboy Cafe
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Image Courtesy- Playboy Cafe

Playboy Cafe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Oktoberfest @ Q-Bar, VITS Mumbai

Known worldwide as a beer festival, Oktoberfest is a phenomenon to be experienced! And it’s time to Celebrate the spirit of the German festival at an enticing destination, Q Bar – VITS Luxury Hotel, Mumbai. With international beer brands and German delicacy, VITS Mumbai has continued the legacy of serving its guests and patrons the fantastic beer fest.

And this time I had the opportunity of experience spirit of the carnival right at Q-Bar with free flowing beer and special German staples that kept the spirits high. Serving a perfect opportunity for beer aficionados to catch-up, the fest offers an array of German Brews and appetizers in pints, towers and beer buckets. I can bet that this is a cracker deal for guests can relish VITS’s carefully chosen menu to pair with preferred drinks, Music, sumptuous food and tones of fun.

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Starting with the 1st beer cocktail – Expresso Black Velvet Beer, the smooth coffee flavored cocktail was just too quenching. The taste just lingered for longer while. And the Captain’s Keg was just another invention which was an innovative cocktail but promises to leave one energized like no one’s business.

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German delicacy like Butcher’s Platter, Chicken Rolls & Wiener Schinetzel were one among the few yummy recipes dished out by VITS.

 

Espresso Black Velvet Beer – Espresso Black Velvet Cocktail is seriously the best of both worlds, beer and espresso, and I plan on enjoying many glasses of this lovely elixir here at VITS. One may think this an unlikely combination but it’s actually quite good and some people prefer it over other cocktails

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Captain’s Keg – Ahoy Matey! A typical Pirate Cocktail that it is but has earned many fans across the European coast. The Captain’s Keg, made with white rum, guava nectar, and grapefruit juice, then topped with light beer and garnished with a lime wheel. “This is your captain speaking, and I recommend you to have it!” This is what you would too say post having this nectarous cocktail.

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Butcher’s Platter: Scrumptious sausages of meat with a mix of taste and flavor captured the best of German produce. This “slaughter platter”, with its sausages of pork & chicken, is traditionally made and served with German Potato Salad. Well-grilled & soft sausages were simply lip-smacking.

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Chicken Rolls: Continental in nature, these chicken rolls are quite wholesome. Infused with minced chicken and spinach, they are so soft that every bite can be celestial.

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Wiener Schinetzel: This easy German recipe is one of the favorites. Marinated in wine, these crispy Crum fried chicken breast with lemon pepper sauce are served with lyonnaise potatoes. And this recipes is complemented with Soukrout which adds to the taste. It’s must have.

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The decor theme featured German elements like German flag, themed branding on window panes, hanging large size cut image frames of German Culture.

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Live the experience of Oktoberfest with authentic German appetizers, Live DJ along with your favourite Beer and International Beer at Q-Bar VITS Luxury Hotel, Mumbai.

Wir sehen uns dort! See you there

Delectable Foodie Experience at Warehouse Cafe, Sector 29, Gurgaon

I recently visited Warehouse Café in Sector 29, Gurgaon, with some foodie friends. Though the place has been there for sometime now, I really didn’t get a chance to explore it. But now when I finally did, I am a little disappointed that why didn’t I do earlier and also glad that I finally did. The ambience of the place is very warm and chilled out. One can just hang in there with family or friends and enjoy great food.

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My foodie experience began with Corn Cheese Rolls and Water Melon Cooler, and I must say that the beginning was very exciting. The corn cheese rolls were delectable and I loved the crispiness outside and mouth-melting corn and cheese on the inside. The watermelon cooler was refreshing.

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Up next was Chipotle Paneer Tikka, a paneer tikka with a twist. The use of chipotle spices suited well with the paneer, and I loved the small dollop of salsa on the top of tikka, it made it taste a bit tangy but interesting.

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Next we tried the Mumbai Pao and Keema Pao. Somehow the basic vada pao never gels well with me; I still feel that its best-found in streets of Mumbai, but the keema pao was very good. The keema was done to perfection, full of taste and flavours. This is definitely a must try on the menu.

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Next was Murg Malai Tikka, a creamy and mildly spiced chicken preparation that is always my personal favourite. This too should find a place on your plate and you wont regret it one moment.

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Lamb Kibbe was the next dish that I savored and loved instantly. It was a slightly denser version of a regular shammi kebab but something all meat lovers will appreciate.

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The clear winner from all starters for me was Dahi Ke Kabab, because they tasted exceptionally well and I have never liked them in the past and that made all the more reason for me to relish these ones. Initially I was even apprehensive to taste, but one bite into it and I was mind blown. This is one dish I am going back for very soon.

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There was another dish, which was a new addition to the menu; it was Buttermilk and Tonic Water Infused Crumbed Chicken. A beautiful fried chicken dish, I am sure it will find its place with a lot of people.

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By the time, we finished the starters I was too full and main course didn’t really bother me. My friends ordered a selected few dishes and their aroma forced me to try them as well. I started by tasting some Chicken Noodles with Chicken in Black Bean Sauce because I simply can’t resist myself from eating Chinese Food; the aroma just takes over me completely. I also tried Rara Mutton, Paneer Lababdar and Dal Makhani( ok, I now I said my tummy was full, but I also said that I could not resist the aromas, so I tried all of this from my son’s plate). The mutton was tender, juicy and scrumptious, dal was rich and flavorsome, and also as per my son, who is an expert in Dal Makhani, this one certainly got a generous 4.5/5 star rating. I personally loved the paneer lababdar, it was just too good. Rick thick gravy, this is a delight for vegetarians and I am sure all non-vegetarians will love it equally, just like I did.

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For drinks I further tried two flavours of Banta, Jaljeera Nimbu Pani and Narangi Anar and both were great.

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To bring a fantastic afternoon to end, brownie with ice cream was served and it really made my day. Fudgy and gooey brownie with hot chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream can never fail as a dessert.

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I loved my overall experience at Warehouse Café and I really look forward to going there again with my entire family.


 

Warehouse Cafe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Tandoori Knockouts- A Mind-Blowing Take Away in Gurgaon!

Tandoori Knockouts, an amazing take away tucked in the Super Mart, DLF Phase 4, Gurgaon is bliss for anyone who loves Tandoori Preparations. I recently along with some foodie friends tried a few of their dishes and the experience turned out to be a really good one.


The dishes I tried were:


Chicken Tandoori Momos: These have become a rage now, but very few places are able to deliver the authentic tandoori taste, I am glad TKs did it quite well. The flavours were perfect and I can gorge on them anytime of the day.

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Chicken Afgani Momos: They seem little subtle especially if you try them after the tandoori momos, because of the spice quotient. But those who prefer mild taste and wanna go for a melt in the mouth experience, definitely should try these Afgani momos. img_7631

Veg Tandoori Momos: They were as perfectly done as their non-veg counter part. The spices and the flavours were awesome. Those who are vegetarians can enjoy authentic tandoori taste without any compromises. In spite of being a har core non-vegetarian, I loved them.

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Veg Afgani Momos: Yummy and delectable, a perfect delight for those who love mild tastes and are vegetarian.

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Chicken Tikka: Nicely roasted with tandoori spices, this one was surely a winner. I just loved them. Soft and tender chicken, done to perfection, this is a must try from the menu.

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Soya Malai Chaap: I am very fond of soya chaps, but I have to say that as compared to other dishes, this didn’t sit too well with me. I found it to be a little dry, there could have been a little more masala to it and I am sure Tandoori Knockouts will take my suggestion in a positive manner.

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Paneer Tikka: I very rarely find the paneer tikka made well, because normally the masala is not coated too well, which after a couple of bites, make the paneer tikka taste bland, but at TKs, the masala was very well coated and made the entire paneer tikka carry the taste. Also the veggies along with it were well coated and tasted equally good.

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Paneer Malai Tikka: This one really melted in my mouth, I loved the flavours and texture of this one. It was very soft, mild and yet flavourful. This one was one delectable experience and must be tried.

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Also the other thing that I loved about Tandoori Knockouts was their quantity and sizes of each item. I mean whether the momos or the tikkas, the sizes were huge and quantity enough to fill one person completely. The pricing is also very very reasonable and I am sure this will make Tandoori Knockouts your favourite for those evening snacks, quick dinners and just like that foodie experiences. Do try them out.


Tandoori KnockOuts Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Arabian Culinary Night – VITS Luxury Hotel, Mumbai

TAFATHALO was the word that resonated while I was welcomed at the VITS Luxury Hotel for the Arabic Food Festival. The word “Tafathalo” means “Do me the honor” in the Arabic dialect. It is an invitation to come to the table. And yes, once again the culinary wizards of VITS Luxury Hotel had crafted for its patrons the Arabian delights over the month. Aptly translating the tradition of hosting a guests for a meal, which is an old honored tradition in the Arabic World and an expression of hospitality, VITS this time served an array of Arabian delicacies.

The Arabic cuisine is of a rich diversity of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Asian food. But with the arrival of western business associates in the Arab land, their tastes and preferences also led to spice-up the Arab cooking. And this time the delicious diversity was served in a platter at the VITS Luxury Hotel during the Arabic Food Festival.

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While the menu comprised of Non-Veg & Veg recipes, it was chiefly based on starters. But yes, these scrumptiously flavorsome dishes were incredibly wholesome and pampered the taste buds with utmost care. Accompanied by Mr. Aloy Fernandes Manager (VITS, Luxury Hotel), I embarked on a gastronomic adventure that literally left me salivating for more.


The Arabian culinary night began with Falafel – Incredible Falafel Burger. This one was not just conventional but the one that was incredibly presented. The taste was such that it would give a fried chicken run for its fame. It was crafted like a miniature burger with deep fried blend of grounded chickpeas & spices in between the pieces of Peta Bread. This incredible invention was born in the kitchen of VITS. Trust my word, after savoring this palatable delicacy I learnt that it was a veg recipe! Complemented with Lebanese Dip, Hummus & bowl of Fattoush which comprised of lettuces, pepper, pickle as well as parsley, this recipe graduated to be so astonishing that it lured a pure non-vegetarian like me to ask for more.

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After devouring the Falafel, the next Arabian recipe was Kibbeh. They are to die for! Kibbeh, kubbeh or kokeba all mean “the shape of a ball” in Arabic. These finely baked & deep fried crispy morsels of lamb meat were deliciously succulent. They tasted just too out of this planet! No Shami Kebab can even graduate as a substitute for this, a must try for every foodie.

 

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Casting a spell with its lip-smacking taste was Shish Taouk. Boneless chicken cubes marinated in garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and grilled on skewers with peppers, this innovation tasted fabulously appetizing. Every bite was truly wholesome with the grill flavor lingering in the mouth. Crispy on outside and tender within, the Shish Taouk was one of its kind.

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The essential concept in the Arabic cuisine is hospitality and with great warmth , chivalry, VITS served me with yet another saporous dish knows as Lebanese Sumac Prawns. Sumac is a tangy, lemony, berry-red spice that goes well with grilled fish and prawns. The prawns were luxuriously marinated with Sumac, special spices and slowly grilled to render the reviewer speechless. Yes! this recipe was another tantalizing treat for my taste buds. It was complemented with soft Peta bread & tempting Garlic Dip.

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The non-veg mezze offered each portion of all its non-veg recipes in a platter complemented with the accompaniments. While The Veg Mezze comprised of Falafel (Incredible Falafel Burger), Spinach Bell Pepper, Mushroom & Cheese Fatayer & Orfali Kebab.

Spinach Fatayer; a baked puff affluently infused with assorted bell pepper, spinach, mushroom & feta cheese was amazing. And the last but not the least Orfali Kebab was just an another fabulous crunchy veggie cousin replicating boneless fried chicken strips. This was yet another Arabic veggie delight which I savored and I believe that an ardent foodie must grab a bite of it.imageedit_3_5492179676

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Fattoush, Lebanese Dip & Hummus were the star accompaniments. Specifically crafted to augment the palatable taste of every appetizer that was brought over the table. Also, the entire cuisine was cooked in Olive oil which added to the flavor. The Hummus was olive-oil flavored, Lebanese dip was flavored with hung-curd & thyna paste, and the Fattoush Salad ingredients i.e. lettuce, pepper, olive & parsley were stir fried with Olive Oil.

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The idea of Arabic Food Festival was brewed in the kitchen of VITS where Chef Hemant & Chef Arnald charted out the flavorsome journey of Arabian cuisine for the guests. The courteous & friendly duo were present with me throughout the evening. Their passion to serve new cuisines & recipes every time makes VITS Luxury Hotel a hub to savor fabulous delicacies every time.

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The festival concludes by the end of this month. So, go ahead and relish the cuisine of Arabia specially crafted for the admirers of world cuisines. After all, VITS is the place to treat your taste buds with incredibly flavorsome signature delicacies that are dished out every time.


 

Poolside - VITS Hotel Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Nawabi Andaaz at Pride Plaza Hotel, Aerocity

Nawabi Delicacies to relish, with some thumri in the background, comfortable ambience and company of great foodie friends is what comprised my day at Pride Plaza Hotel recently. Hosted by Pride Plaza and my dear friend Vickrham from Foodmaniacs, this was surely a day to remember.
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Amouse Bouche, which had watermelon and some cream on top of a refreshing drink, was not just great to look and good to taste, but also was done in a personalized way making it way too special. My name was written with chocolate and it made one of the warmest welcomes I have received.

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This was followed by yet another welcome drink and also champagne was opened marking the beginning of a great culinary experience.

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For starters we were served a Vegetarian Kebab Platter first. The kebab platter included Rajma Ke Galouti, Kele Ke Gular Kebab, Makai Moti Ki Seekh, Mawa Mawe Ke Kebab and Hara Dalcha Kabab. I Loved the succulent Rajma Ke Galouti, they almost tasted like the non-vegetarian galouti kebabs and very very flavorsome. The second best were the Mawa Kebabs, really soft and mouth melting with mild flavors. The Kele Ke Gular Kebab and Hara Dalcha Kebab were good too, I didn’t like the Makai Moti Ki Seekh as much, but all in all it was a wonderful platter considering the fact I am a hardcore non-vegetarian.

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The next up was Non Veg Kebab Platter, this included Galouti Kebab, Nukhti Kebab, Murg Ke Parchey, Murg Shami Kebab and Mahi Gilafi Seekh. Out of this platter I loved Nukhti Kebab and Murg Ke Parchey the most. The Nukhti Kebabs were pieces of mutton roasted to perfection and spiced with a thick masala. I could really be satisfied with one complete dish of nukhti kebabs with some roomali roti, aah bliss! I am craving for them as I write. The Murg Ke Parchey was also just amazing. Surprisingly the Rajma Ke Galouti tasted better than the original galouti, though I don’t mean that they were bad. They were good, but still the vegetarian version was softer and more tasteful. Murg Shami didn’t go too well with me; they weren’t as soft and tasty as I expected them to be. Mahi Gilafi Seekh was just about OK.

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Coming to main course, it was an elaborate spread and comprised of some beautifully selected and curated dishes by Chef Sartaj Quereshi along with Exceutive Chef Shailendra Singh especially for this Nawabi Andaaz Food Festival. There was Moong Ghosht, Keema Kaleji, Murg Bemisal, Murg Koh-E-Awadh, Paneer Lavanglata, Bagiche Ki Sabziyan, Guncha-E-Keema Mutter, Moong Mughlai, Kofti Dum Biryani and Narangi Pulao. The entire spread was as awesome as their names and once again the surprise part was the vegetarian dishes being so great. Normally in Lucknawi Cuisines or Hyderabadi Cuisines we don’t expect the vegetarian to be so good, but commendable job but Chef Sartaj, that his vegetarian rocked as much as his non veg dishes. I will try and get the Chef to share one of his recipes for all my readers out there, soon.

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The star dish was however the Moong Gosht. The moong dal itself never tasted so rich and creamy to me, we always associate creaminess and richness to Dal Makhani, but what a wonderful way to present this dal in this rich avatar and tender pieces of spiced mutton added another layer to the whole experience. This dish is definitely a must try and one should not miss it at any cost. Keema Kaleji and Murg Bemisal too were outstanding. A special mention for Bagiche Ki Sabziyan and Paneer Lavanglata, these are not to be missed as well, whether you are a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian, you will simply love them.

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Coming to the dessert, I can really challenge that you would have never eaten such a lethal combination of some many desserts in one go. This mother of a dessert had Kesari Gulab Ki Phirni, topped by Palak Ka Halwa, yet again topped by Gulukand aur Cheney Ki Jugalbandi (a sort of rasmalai), topped by Ilaichi Gulab Jamun and Dhudhi Ka Halwa. Just one word to describe it- Mindblowing! Somehow mine looked also very cute and resembled a small Ganesha.

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I had a tremendous foodie experience and I really urge my readers to give it a shot, this place is definitely worth a visit. We also took a complete round of the property and its amazing, I am so wanting to visit their other restaurants and also may be a comfortable stay in one of their rooms.I thank Foodmaniacs and Pride Plaza Hotel for inviting me for this culinary delight, look forward to visit them again sometime soon. Fond memories with friends and great foodie experience is what I got after visiting this place!

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Cafe Pride Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Lebanese Delights at Zerruco Kitchen & Bar

Zerruco at The Ashok Hotel,Chanajyapuri held a Lebanese food festival from the 7th sep to 14th sep and I have to say that by far it was the best Lebanese food I have eaten ever.

The impression that I carried about Lebanese food, and assumed the regular dishes to be served were all met with a surprise. There was nothing regular about the place. The dishes were 100% authentic and the menu featured the typical Lebanese dishes and not the regulars like Shwarmas and Harissa Chicken that we normally relate Lebanese food to. In fact their menu doesn’t comprise of these things at all. So don’t be shocked that walking in at this Lebanese joint and not getting a Shwarma.

The ambience of the place is another highlight, it has a very spacious sitting place with a well stocked bar. The decor is simple and attractive. They have an equally spacious sitting in the open also and it makes a perfect place for a relaxed chilled out time with family and friends.

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The head chef is a young man by the name of Harsh Pathania and is very knowledgeable and competent.

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We left ourselves in the hands of expert and he starter us with two salads, Syrian Salad with Lemon, Mint and Garlic and Tabbouleh Salad. Both the salads were amazing, but I personally found the Tabbouleh Salad better, not because the other was any less in taste, but because this one was little unusual. Both the salads were very satisfying overall.

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For drinks, my dad who was accompanying me settled for a cocktail called Gentleman, which was a whisky based cocktail with Lemon Grass, Angostura and Maple Syrup, and I had Ronella, a mocktail with Apple, Orange, Cranberry and Fresh Fruit. Both the drinks were great.

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The chef recommended the Signature Mezze Platter next, a chef’s special.

And was it special? You bet it was really really special.

The platter consisted of six different dips and an assortment of delicious kebabs which had chicken seekhs,mutton seekh,chicken tikka,fish tikka and prawns all beautifully done in a tandoor.

The high point of the platter was that each of the above kebabs was distinct in their flavours.

Each of the marinade was specially done for each item.

This was really one mouthwatering stuff, Kudos to the chef.

And to be honest if you have one platter between two you don’t really need anything else.

A very very satisfying platter.All the kebabs were juicy and succulent and each held its own intrinsic flavour.

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Then we were treated to their Halloumi Pizza which was quite interesting in presentation but didn’t quite sit well with me. The design of the pizza didn’t let the filling to be spread across equally and it was only in the center of the pizza, so with most bites I could only taste the bread and not the filling. And also may be the lingering taste of kebabs was still there.

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Hummus Bill Dajaj was served next, which was basically homemade hummus topped with sautéed chicken and pine nuts. I loved the presentation of this dish as much as the taste. The hummus was perfect and tasted quite well with the chicken, pine nuts added the extra crunch to the whole dish.

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Thereafter we were served the main course consisting of Chicken Ablama a Lebanese curry chicken, which was again really very good. You rarely find gravies in the Lebanese cuisine but this was an exception and a really good one at that.

The other dish served was Dajajb Falora, a vegetarian curry which again was amazingly good. These both dishes were served with Vermicelli Rice and I have to say that this was one hell of a meal. So filling and so tasteful.

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Last but in no way the least their desserts, they were simply awesome.

Baklava a sweet patty filled with nuts was out of this world as we’re the Malabia and Ummali.

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Malabia is a dessert in which boiled milk is flavored with rose water and cardamom, thickened and then baked in a water bath. It was delicious. Ummali is also a milk based dessert where in a puff pastry is dipped in thick milk.

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All in all a tremendous gastronomic experience.

Visit once and I am quite sure you will go back for more and specially when they are now coming up with Mashrabiya Nights where in you can relish the Lebanese Delicacies with Sizzling Belly, Tanura & Durbuka Dance under one roof.

Do not forget they have a well stocked bar and some interesting cocktails. I am thankful to Sourabh Chandna, the owner of the place for inviting me for this scrumptious meal.

Now its time for you to explore, so get up and going to Zerruco.


Zerruco - The Ashok Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato