A word about the author first, Zuko a.k.a. Siddarth Sabari is a blogger and writer based in Chennai, Born in Mumbai he spent his growing years schooling in Mumbai and later in Chennai.
He was diagnosed with Dyslexia at an early age and found it difficult to follow language, but despite his limitations and the support of his mother he passed out from Vellore Institute of Technology in the year 2013 as Mechanical Engineer specialising in Energy. He was awarded the First Indian Dyslexic Writer by the K.L.University,Vijaywada.
He worked for a couple of years in a Public Limited Company before joining his father’s business in Chennai.
Figmented Reality is a psychological book which forces the reader to analyse answers to certain fundamental questions in our lives.
The protagonist is a boy who at a very young age is sexually abused by an elderly woman. He is unable to get over the pleasure he derives from that one sexual encounter so much so that it engulfs him completely.
The encounter leads him to ways of self attaining methods of sexual pleasure.
As he grows up he is always on the look out for elderly women to satisfy himself but fails and in the process he offends women his age as the only thing he seeks from them is sex.
He is generally perceived as a pervert and avoided.
He goes deep into the dark world of drugs and constant state of wanting sex which he is unable to get.
Then enters Veena, a mother of two, and he falls for her head over heels to the point of obsession.
But his mind has so degenerated by this time that all lines between a figment of imagination and reality have blurred.
The author has really woven a brilliant narrative taking us through the dark dingy world of addiction and hallucinations.
The climax of the book is most unexpected and shocking.
A must read, I just enjoyed reading my copy, you go grab your copy now!!!!
ZIZO, Its as classic as it sounds! Just a brief about Zizo , its an award winning Lebanese restaurant (2015 and 2016) Delhi and Gurgaon, and now they have extended their venture to DLF Mall of India, Noida. The ambience is superb and they have an amazingly hospitable staff.
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Chef Danny was on the floor himself, explaining the dishes and how he has added the Indian taste to the them making it more comfortable for the TG, which in a way is funny, but definitely yummy at the same time 🙂
We tried a variety of food from Zizo and I can say the food at this place is really nice and should definitely be tried.
Batata Hara to begin with is one of the dish that I strongly recommend, crispy potatoes with perfect spices, not too hot, but mildly spiced.
Falafel Basket which had crispy cutlets served with pickled veggies, salad and tahini sauce is also something I vouch for. It was delectable.
Next were the Cheesy Cigars, and though I found it to be too cheesy for my liking, those who drool on cheese, this one if surely for them. Oodles of cheese rolled in crispy cigars this is one dish for cheese lovers.
The Veg Mezze Platter consisted of 3 different types of dips served with pita bread, and all the dips were great to taste. The one called Lebaneh Beltoum was in particular the best, it had a tangy flavour with garlic in it and tasted really well. The Trio-Hummus was also totally worth it and one must try it for sure.
Zaatar Man’oushe, a flat bread pizza topped with herbs mixed with olive oil and cucumber on its top was crispy and different. It looked like a pizza for sure, but tasted quite different.
Fattoush Salad, was another dish that one can try, nothing too elaborate about this one, it was a simple salad but tasted quite good.
Coming to desserts, they truly were the highlight of the day. Lady’s Arm was a very different kind of dessert, crispy rolled pastry with custard filling, I really loved it, it was delicious.
Baked Cheese Cake was another dessert that one cant afford to miss, 3 layers of cheese topped with crushed pistachios, served with sugar syrup made it a visual and a tasty delight to relish.
Here is a big thank you to the Zizo team for serving us such delectable food, really look forward to visit them soon, and you too must visit ZiZo for a lovely Mediterranean cuisine.
We Indians need just an excuse to indulge in sweets and when there is a special occasion, we go all the way for it. So why not even celebrate Republic Day with a traditional Indian sweet, but of course with the Republic Day twist of making it in a try-colour, the colours that represent India, the colours of our flag. Here is a very interesting recipe shared by Rohit Tokhi, the executive chef for The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel, I am sure you will love to try this out as I am gonna do it too. Do share your feedback on the recipe with us, and tell us how it was.. enjoy and have a great Republic Day!
INGREDIENTS & QUANTITY
PREPARATION:-
THE BASIC MAWA MIXTURE:-
Take a pan put in grated Khoya and heat over a slow flame for 5 minutes. Add sugar and stir well over a low heat. Cook till mixture leave the pan. Now add ghee along with cardamom powder and rose water, stir well. Now take three bowls and pour the prepared mixture equally into the bowls. Use the first bowl of prepared basic mawa mixture as white mixture.
THE GREEN MAWA MIXTURE:-
Take a pan fry pistachio in desi ghee. Add milk, cook till dry and make a fine paste. Keep aside. Now add the prepared green pistachio mixture and the second bowl of prepared mawa mixture and mix thoroughly.
THE KESARIYA MAWA MIXTURE:-
Take a pan fry diced carrot in desi ghee. Add milk, cook till dry and make a fine paste. Keep aside. Now add the prepared kesariya carrot mixture and the third bowl of prepared mawa mixture and mix thoroughly.
TO ASSEMBLE THE BURFI:-
Take a greased tray. Spread the green pistachio mixture first. Evenly spread the second layer of basic mawa mixture on the first layer and press well. Now evenly spread the third layer of kesariya carrot mawa mixture and press well.
TO SERVE:-
Cut the burfi as per you size and serve cold or at room temperature.
About the Chef:
Award-winning Executive Chef Rohit Tokhi brings a special magic to the hotel, with over 19 years of experience crafting mouthwatering food. Chef Rohit was voted the championship winner of a student chef’s competition conducted by the National Council for Hotel Management & Catering Technology (NCHMCT) in 1996. Ever since then he has continued to demonstrate and develop his culinary skill set. Recipient of the coveted Hotelier India’s Chef of the Year award in 2011, Chef Tokhi was also the winner of the Bacardi Cruise Industry Chef of The Year 2006. At The Leela Ambience Gurgaon Hotel & Residences (formerly The Leela Kempinski Gurgaon), his restaurants Spectra, Rubicon, Diya and Zanotta won the Times Food Guide Awards consecutively in 2010, 2011 and 2012. In 2007 and 2008, under his culinary guidance, restaurant 360 at The Oberoi New Delhi won the Times Food Award as well.
Quirkiness, youthfulness, vibrancy and lively energy are the words that come to my mind when I think of describing 18+Cafe. The place literally feels really alive and is apt for youngsters. Quirky posters and work of art covers the walls on both sides and I had a fun time reading all of those funny posters, don’t be surprised if you find me copying those quotes as my Facebook status 😉
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This place is a multi-cuisine and hence makes it a very friendly choice for the youth who likes to eat a variety of things. There are Pizzas, Burgers, Pastas, Chinese food and Indian as well. I have heard their breakfast tray is also very popular, I went here for dinner and hence had to miss it, but next time around I am surely gonna try it.
Now coming to the food that I had, for starters we ordered, Chilly Paneer and Chilly Chicken, I know it sounds weird to order both veg and non-veg variety of the same dish, but what to do, my son wanted to have paneer and I chicken and hence ordered both. We also ordered the Classic Chicken Dimsums.
The Chilly Paneer was really nice, though I just got to try one piece of it and the rest was polished off by my boy, I can say that its very rare that its made to so much perfection. It was neither too spicy nor too sweet or bland, the paneer pieces were really soft and assured the freshness of ingredients used, the overall taste was awesome.
Same was the case with Chilly Chicken as well, only I wished the chicken was slightly more tender, but otherwise the sauces were perfect and it was juicy enough.
The Chicken Dimsums were truly a delight, we thoroughly enjoyed gulping them down quickly.
For the mains we ordered, Chicken Hakka Noodles and Chicken in Hot Garlic Sauce. The noodles were yummy and I could have really eaten them without the gravy as well. The Chicken in Hot Garlic tasted nice, but I found the gravy to be too runny, it could definitely have been a little thick, but then thats about it. Otherwise the overall meal was great.
They have a wide range of cocktails and mocktails to choose from, and also varied flavours of sheesha, but as I visited the place on a cold wintery night I gave drinks a miss and hookah is something I don’t prefer, but for those who wanna indulge in a wholesome experience of lively ambience, great food & drinks and hookah, this is the place for you. Enjoy 🙂
In this era of busyness, sometimes cooking food takes a miss and home delivery and take aways come as a big rescue for us. Recently on my way back from Gurgaon after a business meeting, I thought of ordering food from a near by joint and then brought it home. This delivery only place was called Twigly. Now first things first, as soon as I reached home, which was almost after 1.5 hours after grabbing my delivery packet, I opened the packet to check how messy it would have become after the rumbling and tumbling in the car, but to my surprise, all the packets were in their place, still perfectly and neatly packed. My first impression of this perfect packaging scored very high.
I had ordered a Piri Piri Chicken Sandwich, A Chicken Arrabbiata Pasta, Twigly Fiery Grilled Chicken & A Blueberry Brain Freezer.
As I opened the individual packets of each of the things, I must admit again that the packaging was superlative. It was so neat, clean and packed with all required things one can think of, sauces, cutlery, tissues, spices, everything.
The sandwich looked extremely tempting and I could not hold my temptation and immediately dogged into it. A multigrain bread was used and normally I find these breads too thick and dry but the bread inspite of being thick was really soft and delicious. The filling of veggies and piri piri chicken was awesome, crunchy veggies and tender chicken, it was a perfect combination. I just loved it.
The Twigly Fiery Chicken was mind blowing, served with Pita Bread, Hummus and Pickled Beetroot, this made for a wholesome dish and is highly recommended. The chicken was perfectly grilled and spiced and tasted awesome with soft pita bread.
By now I am sure you already know that the food from this place is simply awesome, and hence the Pasta too was exactly as per my expectation, delectable. The sauces were perfect and thankfully inspite of the time and distance it didn’t dry out at all.
The blueberry shake is a must try and you should not be missing it.
As for me I am very sure that I am ordering from this place sooner than you think, as they also have an outlet in Kalkaji which is near to my home, so what are you waiting for, dial in and enjoy a hearty meal.
If you are looking at enjoying some authentic American Burgers, La Americana brings them to you with handmade buns that they boast of even supplying to some of the major fast food chains across the country. Bonn is a household name when it comes to buying buns and breads from the market and La American is a fast food outlet from the same company.
To begin with we ordered Chipotle Chicken Tenders, The Hot Fries and Cheese Corn Poppers. The Cheese Poppers and Fries were good, but the sure shot winner was the Chipotle Chicken, you just cant afford to miss it. It was crispy and spicy on the outside but soft and succulent inside. We ended up ordering 3 portions of the same, they were so good.
For burgers we tried, The New Yorker from their regular burgers range and must say it was tasteful. Juicy and tender chicken patty, this is one burger you can enjoy just on the go, as it isn’t too huge and bulky.
From the premium burger range, we tried the Piri Piri Chicken Burger and Onion Garlic Chicken Burger. The Piri Piri Burger was awesome, juicy with loads of pier pier mayo dripping from it. The chicken patty was grilled to perfection. This is definitely one of the must tries.
The Onion Garlic Burger too was great to taste, reminded me of the typical American flavoured chips that we get. It had the right blend of onion and garlic flavour.
We also tried the Texan style BBQ wings and they were amazing. Grab a Black Jack Shake to go along and you will be sorted.
The place has a cosy and vibrant feel and is idle for both youngsters and family audience. You must give it try soon! The prices are very reasonable and portions sufficient.
Normally restaurant launches are all about hundred of people rumbling and tumbling against each other, having drinks, hunting for food like scavengers and dancing to a loud music till wee hours and forgetting all about it the next day! But as the name suggests the launch at Darzi Bar & Kitchen was as tailor made as they claim their theme to be. Very well managed, controlled and with right dose of entertainment, endless supply of food and drinks and a very warm and personalised hospitality were the key highlights of the launch.
The ambience is cosy, comfortable and just like a place where you would want to spend long hours enjoying some lip smacking food and drinks with your family and friends.
The Darzi Bar and Kitchen, located in the heart of New Delhi, Connaught Place, was launched on Saturday, 14th of January, bringing in a completely fresh view to the whole dining experience. The restaurant offers a lavish selection of Indian Fusion, Progressive Indian and European Cuisine, making the whole “love for food” journey turn into a classic with Master Chef Shipra Khanna. Meeting her once again has been my pleasure and loved the feeling that she remembered me too. Shipra’s journey as a master chef has been an inspiration for many and her strength is commendable.
The whole idea of The Darzi Bar and Kitchen was born to provide a new and improved way to set a mood for an all round tailored experience. Mr. Manuj M Gupta, the Founder and Partner of The Darzi Bar and Kitchen says, “The words tailor-made summarize my entire vision for The Darzi Bar and Kitchen as it is a unique concept, catering to everyone with options made especially for them, highlighted in overall interiors, food and drinks. Everything has been set keeping this vision at power, with options that have been invented to suit the customer’s fits and misfits so that when they leave they are a lot happier than when they entered.” Mr. Abhishek Trehan, Partner of The Darzi Bar and Kitchen mentions, “6 months ago, I had a dream to bring a warm and cozy place to New Delhi which explores tailor made cocktails and handcrafted gourmet food. A place, which was idle for having conversations while enjoying some of the best concoctions and bites, this city has to offer. Hence, The Darzi Bar and Kitchen came into being.”
It was this dream for The Darzi Bar and Kitchen, which led to a new and improved way to provide a made to measure experience, making sure that the whole idea catered to an exclusive tailor-made selection for each customer by measuring their likes and dislikes. Master Chef Shipra Khanna says, “Tailor-made food and beverages are for your belly as clothes are tailor-made for the body. This is the essence of The Darzi Bar and Kitchen. Of course not to miss out on the whole ambience which too is tailor made!!”
The Launch was one of its kind, I mean I haven’t seen a launch where everything is so perfect. Everything had a personal touch, with Shipra, Abhishek and Manuj interacting with each guests, and being so warm and hospitable, it almost felt like a personal house party.
The food served was delectable and the cocktails and drinks were amazing.
The entertainment was top class, with some live singing and dances thrown in and then a master stroke performance by none other than Jasbir Jassi himself.
He brought the house on fire as audience started dancing on his high energy numbers. Watch a glimpse here..Shipra too sing and dance along with him and that added a lot more fun to the whole performance.
Bollywood actor Chandrachur Singh also made his way to the stage and enthralled the audience by singing ‘Rang Barse’ in his deep sensuous voice.
A special mention for the DJ, he really knew the pulse of the people and totally rocked the music scene, commendable!
Many known personalities also witnessed the launch and enjoyed the food and ambience including Raja Randhir Singh, Anupama Verma, Shikha Swaroop and a few others.
The Darzi Bar and Kitchen team comprises of Chef Umesh Kapoor who is the concept & hospitality consultant, Saniya Sharad Sahai who has tailor-made all the artifacts and wall arts and Mr. Prantap Trikha, the interior and architecture consultant. The Darzi Bar and Kitchen inspires a tailor made experience whether it’s in food or interiors, to create and complement individual tastes, focusing on the exclusivity provided to everyone.
I am now looking forward to have a nice evening spent there just enjoying their Tailor Made Food & Drinks.. hope I am able to make it soon..! Here is wishing Shipra and the team all the very best for their new venture and hope it reaches new heights of success!
Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust is organising 6 mobility camps in Mumbai city, from January to April 2017. They will be distributing prosthetic legs, calipers, wheel chairs and hearing aids as a part of this initiative.These mobility camps are to be conducted throughout the city in places like Jogeshwari, Antop Hill, Colaba, Kurla, Vashi and Govandi, from 18th Jan to 8th April. In true philanthropic spirit, the mobility camp is open to all; without any prior registration, for free of cost.
For more details contact: Ph: + 91 222 387 8930 / 23898930
Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust is a registered charity that was established in 1990 by Mr. Mahendra Mehta. From its humble origins as a family institution it has grown rapidly and now its projects cover a wide range of activities located in both India and other developing countries, including Afghanistan, Sudan, Kenya and Burundi.
Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust is already successful in serving over 2.3 crore meals to underprivileged children in Mumbai since 1998.
Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust is committed to the welfare of people from the most underprivileged strata of society without distinction of caste, creed or color. Our focus has been on providing mobility aids to the physically challenged, sending mid-day meals to children who attend schools, providing books and garments to needy people, training street children in computers and conversational English and conducting various vocational training programs.
Eminent personalities like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Anna Hazare, Dalai Lama and Shri Ratan Tata have supported Ratna Nidhi’s work in the past.
Cafe Gatherings is a cosy little join tucked away in the Super Mart 1 of DLF Phase IV, Gurgaon. Space is a constrain at this place, but for a small group or a cosy couple outing, its just perfect. I recently visited this place and found it really amusing.
For me its a small intimate Dine-in Eatery.
Though short on seating capacity the place exudes great warmth and cosy ambience giving you a very comfortable feel and the food too is great.
We started with the Peri Peri Chicken which was really done to perfection with the right blend of spices.
The Fish Fingers was another delicacy well done, crisp on the out and really soft inside, really a mouthwatering dish.
The Chicken Morsels as the name suggests were just that very lovingly done by the chef. Real juicy morsels of chicken with a very distinctive taste.
Pasta Arabiatta and Spanish Cannelloni were the pick of the dishes. Truly Delectable!!!!! I mean the taste of the Spanish Cannelloni still lingers in my mouth, it was so good.
For the mains we tried the Thai Curry & Rice, another delicious preparation perfectly done.
I enjoyed myself thoroughly at Cafe Gatherings and you must give it a try, you won’t be disappointed.
Truly a great gastronomic experience.
Often in winters you don’t want to step out late at night for a dinner and on such occasions home deliveries are the best option. Hudson chopsticks – As we call the name, it’s a well known in university area and recently we ordered a hearty meal from them on a cold winter night.
The cuisine is Chinese with a few Thai dishes as well and is definitely going to leave an impression. Currently it’s a takeaway /doorstep delivery restaurant.
We ordered a Soup, Chicken Momos, Hakka Noodles, Veg Spring Rolls and Red Thai Curry. The quantity was good and sufficient enough for 3 people.
One of the must try here is Chicken WHEAT Dimsums, one if its kinds. By giving our desi momos in wheat it leaves you with less guilt.
The other mouth-watering dish was the Thai Red Curry served with Sticky Rice. I simply loved it. Good portion for more than 2 people.
Hakka Noodles too were delectable and the best part of ordering noodles is they provide chopsticks with it, which gives you the feel of enjoying an authentic Chinese food that too at the comfort of your home
Overall, loved the food and suggest you must give this place a try, its totally worth it!
