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Category: Restaurant Review

A Wholesome Foodie Experience @ Circus

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Lip smacking food thrown in from regular menu as well as a special food festival menu, array of drinks, an exquisite ambience and company of like minded foodies, the perfect formula for an evening well spent, this is how I will describe my experience at Circus, South Ex.

The place exuberates, energy and liveliness all throughout, with ample bright space for seating, an outdoor balcony space and a beautiful terrace, you can choose your den as per your mood and the weather.

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There is an ongoing Punjabi Food Festival at Circus and hence we got to try the best of both worlds, to begin with we ordered Dahi Ke Kebab, Makhani Lahori Tikka and Paneer Pepper Fry. Dahi Ke Kebab were nice, crispy on the outside and soft inside, one of the best dishes we had that evening, the Lahori Tikka was really nice, perfectly spiced and mouth melting, one must try these. The Paneer Pepper Fry turned out to be a bit disappointing, it was too spicy and except spices there was just no taste.

Next we ordered Mutton Tikka Tak A Tak, Chicken 65, Butter Chicken Pizza and Loaded Potato Skin. The Mutton was really nice, tender pieces cooked in a tawa type thick masala, I really loved it. Chicken 65 was another winner, perfectly spiced with loads of curry leaves. The Butter Chicken Pizza was good, though didn’t really feel the butter chicken taste in specific. The Loaded Potato Skins were really good, the hollow potato skins were filled with creamy cheddar cheese and then baked. Its a delight for vegetarians.

A wide array of drinks were there to choose from, Circus Bloody Marry, Masala Gang and Joker No 7 were really nice. For mocktails there was Kiwi Cantaloupe Cooler, Mixed Apple Mojito and Salted Caramel Shake.

From the Punjabi Festival menu, we ordered Machi Amritsari, Machhi De Tikke, Beere Da Kukkad and Papadwala Paneer Tikka. The Amristsari Fish was basically fried fillets of fish with a really crispy covering, this was awesome, and must try while the festival lasts. Macchi De Tikke, were big chunks of fish marinated in tandoori spices and were really tasty. Beere Da Kukkad was typically the tandoori chicken prepared really well. The chicken was really tender and juicy and I loved it. The Papadwala Paneer was amazing, the crushed papad coat added a lot of crunchy to otherwise soft paneer.

For the main course we ordered mainly from the Punjabi Food Festival menu, Dal Makhani, Kukkad Patialashahi, Mutton Ghee Roast, Palak Paneer and Andhra Chicken Curry.

Loved the way the main course was brought in home style dabbas, perfectly accompanied by kachumbar salad and assorted breads. Fell in love with the food just by looking at it.

The Dal Makhani was totally as per expectations, creamy and very Punjabi, the Mutton Ghee Roast had a perfect masala, but somehow was a bit salty, but otherwise this could have been the winner. Kukkad Patialashahi was the best, a very well prepared chicken gravy, this was delectable. The kachumbar salad a dose of tanginess and spice to the whole meal, it was a perfect accompaniment.

Coming to desserts, we tried the Moong Dal Halwa, Aatte Ka Halwa and Circus Special Sunday. The Moong Dal Halwa was not as per my expectations, it was little dry and less sweet for my liking, but the Aatte Ka Halwa made up for everything, it was delicious. The Circus Special Sunday looked the most tempting and was nice too, though it wasn’t very sweet, it was berrylicious with some strong flavours of strawberries and cherries.

But my overall experience at Circus was fabulous and I really look forward to visiting it soon.

Circus Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Chhalava – The new foodie destination in town

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

World class interiors, opulence spread over three floors, delectable food, amazing drinks and sheesha lounge, this newbie is all set to take the Delhi food scene by a storm. Chhalava recently opened its doors in the heart of South Delhi, GK 2 M Block Market, with the first floor dedicated to fine dining, the upper two floors along with a beautiful terrace are more like a lounge where in you can chill with family or friends.

One look at the place and you know how much detailing has gone into designing of the place, from walls, to ceiling lights, the illusion floor and crockery, everything is top notch.

It was a cold winter afternoon with a gentle breeze flowing in, making it perfect to indulge ourselves in some lip smacking delicacies at the terrace.

To begin with we ordered Achari Paneer Tikka, Dahi Ke Kebab and Some Assorted Kebabs. Dahi Ke Kebab were the highlight, soft, succulent kebabs coated with crushed papad, these were simply amazing, I highly recommend trying these.

The Achari Paneer was good too, sadly I couldn’t get a second helping, and had to just satiate with one piece of it. I am definitely going again to Chhalava to have some more of Paneer and also trying the other dishes that I could not try.

Mutton Seekh were really nice and prepared in a different way as they were topped with a creamy sauce which gave it that extra punch. This should be on your must try list for sure. Then there were Chicken Stuffed Puchkas too, but I found them to be a little dry, these could definitely be more juicier and I am sure they will consider my suggestion and work on it.

The Chicken Tikka probably is the most popular North Indian appetiser and it was made to perfection, no doubting that.

For drinks I tried Black Lemonade which is one of their signature preparations. It was really nice, a lemonade with black colour, it not only looked great but also tasted refreshing. The next drink I tried was the Cranberry Peach Cooler, and this too was a beautiful drink which looked damn sexy and tasted great too.

Coming to mains, first things first, the presentation was fabulous. I really loved the way the dishes were presented on a cart which also had a burner beneath to keep the food hot, and also a special place for keeping onions/chutney, truly different.

We ordered Paneer Butter Masala, Traditional Butter Chicken and Dal Makhani. As I have always said that my son is an expert on Dal Makhani, he gave this a generous 8.5/10. The butter chicken was yummy and thankfully not sweet. It had the perfect blend of being creamy and saucy but not sweet. Paneer butter masala too was nicely prepared. I thoroughly relished my meal and loved the entire spread.

Desserts at Chhalava were outstanding, Chhalava Cake with Ice Cream was delicious. Warm chocolate cake with hot melted chocolate inside with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, simply worth drooling. The Chocolate Lasagne was awesome, I really want you guys to try both these desserts out. You really cant afford to miss them.

I had a great time at Chhalava, and a special mention for the entire team, they were extremely warm and hospitable. This is one place that you should visit as soon as possible. You will love it. GK 2 market outlets really have a tough competition now, so watch out how Chhalava fares amongst all the established outlets and takes everyone by a surprise.

Chhalava - छLava Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Sunday Brunch at Zerruco- Simply One of the Best..!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Sunday Brunches are luxury for me, the comfort of having so many dishes to choose from, an elaborate dessert spread and array of drinks is always attractive isnt it and when a Sunday Brunch is organised at a place one loves otherwise also, its a win win situation. Zerruco, a Lebanese Speciality Restaurant, has been my favourite ever since I went there for the first time. It has a great ambience and I truly haven’t eaten a better Lebanese food anywhere else. Its housed in the Ashoka Hotel, Chanakyapuri and is a fine dining place with spacious seating both indoors and outdoors.

This Sunday afternoon, I headed to Zerruco, as it was the first Brunch of the season for them. It was bright and sunny, but not in a hot way, but a warm way just the way a cold winter afternoon should be. The outdoor ambience where the spread was laid out looked immensely attractive. The spread had a mix of Lebanese and other Mediterranean dishes, including soups, salads, mains and desserts. Sangrias, and Margritas were available in lots of flavours to give high to this brunch.

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There was Pumpkin and Green Apple Soup and Asian Chicken Soup, the Pumpkin soup some how lacked authentic taste, the pumpkin flavour overpowered everything else, green apple could not be tasted at all. The Asian Chicken soup was perfectly done, I really loved sipping this warm soup.

The Salads selection was great, it was a delight to see so many colourful vegetables, and meats tossed in different sauces. Middle Eastern Tabbuleh with Red Quinoa, Beetroot & Goat Cheese Salad, Mexican Corn and Pepper Salad made the vegetarian part, whereas Ceasar Salad with Bacon and Anchovie, Smoked Chicken Salad with Pears and Endive and Coronation Chicken Salad was what the non veg selection comprised of.

Tabbuleh, Mexican Corn Salad were amazing, I loved both of these from the vegetarian ones. Caesar salad was good too but the best for me was the Smoked Chicken Salad with Pears and Endive. This one was the sure shot winner and is highly recommended. The spread of different sauces to binge on with Pita Bread was mouth watering.

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Chef’s Special Wood Fired Oven Cheese Pizza was awesome. It had a thin crispy crust and oodles of cheese.

There was a live grill section, from where I picked up a mixed non-veg platter and it had me completely bowled over. It was amazing. It had Chicken, Fish, Prawns and Mutton Seekh and each of the items was delectable.

The main course had a few selected European dishes especially curated by the executive chef Mukherjee. Aubergine Parmigiana, Florentine and Corn Cannolini, Mushroom Risotto, Roast Chicken Breast, Lamb Harrira and Fish Majboos were the dishes that not only looked beautiful but tasted good too. Special mention for the Roast Chicken Breast, Mushroom Risotto and Corn Cannolini, they were delicious.

I also tried some Chicken Linguine with mixed sauce from the live pasta station and it was yumm. The taste is still lingering on, it was so nice.

Apple Crumble Pie with Custard Sauce, Chocolate Brownie and Banofie Pie made for the dessert spread and each one of the tasted awesome. I have a weakness for desserts and this was a true sinful indulgence for me, but then who cares?

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I highly recommend not just the Sunday Brunch at Zerruco, but a visit to Zerruco for any meal, its totally worth it. But yes weekend is approaching and this Sunday Brunch should not be missed. I enjoyed myself thoroughly and here is a glimpse

Dockyard- Restaurant Review

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Naval life has always held my keen interest but somehow I have never been able to experience the same closely. As a child also the big ships, the coal engines, the big metal pipes and propellers have intrigued me a lot and even now when I watch such movies I wish I could for once see a ship closely enough, not just for traveling and luxury, but the working of a ship.

That may or may not happen, but visiting a restaurant which is based on the naval theme is something that I could achieve and hence Dockyard was on my list since long. Recently I got a chance of visiting this amazing place, that not only has interesting ambience and interiors but also serves lip smacking food and some amazing variety of cocktails and mocktails. It also houses a microbrewery and hence serves fresh beers as well.

The ambience is bold and has a very rustic appeal to it. Big dockyard type lights, the raw looking furniture and a huge screen behind the bar that stands out completely.

For drinks I tried Melon Vs Ginger and then Wild Herb Guava, both of them were nice and refreshing. I personally loved the Guava one more, Nashila Nariyal which a friend of mine ordered attracted me because of its sheer presentation and a sip of same ensured its great taste as well. When it comes to mocktails I judge a place lot of times by its ability to pull of a great Mojito because sometimes simple things aren’t done perfectly, but at Dockyard the Mojito was awesome. Calling Hey You and Pan Bahar were some other cocktails that were amazing. Though I found the Pan Bahar a bit strong, it was appreciated by a lot of people.

 

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Chakhna Sampler to go with drinks is a must have.

Lebanese Delight, a two way humus served with Pita Bread, this was a good beginning into the food world.

Veg Bruschetta, Afgani Paneer Tikka and Vada Pav Sliders were amazing. The Bruschetta had different toppings and I loved the corn topping the most. Paneer Tikka was soft and a mouth melting experience. The Vada Pav Sliders looked so drool worthy that I could not ignore them, they tasted equally well.

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Next I tried Methi Malai Murg Tikka, presented on a skewer, it looked awesome and the taste was delectable. Korean Barbecued Chicken and Wasabi Prawns are a must try, they were both each better than the other.

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Mandarin Chicken Pizza was really nice, crispy thin crust with amazing chicken topping. Chicken Satay and Naram Garam were also served, the Chicken Satay was tender and juicy, normally I find the satays to be quite dry, thankfully this was different. Naram Garam was a deep fried sphere with soft and creamy filling inside. It was really yummy.

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Coming to desserts I tried Crispy Fried Ice-Cream and Tiramisu. The Fried Ice Cream was a pure delight and I loved it, Tiramisu has always been my favourite and indulging in this one was as amazing.

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My overall experience at Dockyard was very fulfilling and I highly recommend it. You must visit it soon.

Dockyard Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Lohri Lunch at Zodiac, Fortune Select Hotel, Gurgaon

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Zodiac at the Fortune Select Hotel, Gurgaon hosted a grand Lohri Lunch with a lavish buffet spread out for us to indulge in.
A word about the property, it a small but elegant and beautiful hotel exuding great ambience. As one enters the Hotel Lobby, the Zodiac is situated just across the lobby. Zodiac is billed as a fine dining restaurant and it fully justifies the same.
It is very elegantly furnished and the decor is simple but very appealing.
They had laid out a lavish spread of vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes from across cuisines and a wide range of desserts and mocktails.
The veg Margarita Pizza was perfectly done, the thin crisply done crust and delicious topping.
A really appeasing preparation was the Gol Gappas which were really very crisp with two varities of water to accompany regular n the other sweet. Absolutely mouthwatering.
To go alongside was the Dahi Tikki Chat again very thin and crisply made tikkis.

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The Grilled Fish in Lemon Butter Sauce was another delightful creation. The fish was perfectly done in the lemon butter sauce a very subtle taste indeed.
The Hyderadi Gosht Biryani was a perfect blend of tender mutton cooked in some wonderful spices which lent it a great aroma and superb flavour. A real wholesome meal in itself.
The Paneer Tikka had the right marination and was tender and delicious.
Paneer lababdar was very well made with a real creamy and sumptuous gravy.
Dal Tadke Wali and Dal Fortune need a special mention as each was simply delicious. The Soups and Mocktails served were simply awesome.

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To accompany there was very wide spread of superb salads and they were super awesome. Fresh, crunchy and very refreshing.

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Last but not the least there was a lavish spread of mouth watering desserts, each a winner on its own, to name a few Ras Malai, Kulfi Falooda, Mississippi Brownie and the Mud Cake which was amazing.

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All in all a wonderful spread of delicious food easy on the palate. Zodiac truly is wonderful place to visit.
The staff is extremely polite and provide a very efficient service. The place is really worth a visit over n over again.

Zodiac - Fortune Select Excalibur Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Savoured Authentic Indian Food at Chawla’s 2

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Enjoying authentic Indian/Mughlai food is always a delight, and recently we had one such enjoyable evening at Chawla’s 2 savouring some Indian delicacies from their menu.

Chawla’s 2 is an extremely popular chain of restaurants having about 8 outlets in Delhi NCR and is expanding its presence with more outlets in the pipeline.

The ambience is like a mix of  fine dining and casual dining restaurant, perfect for cosy family outings or even a chilled out evening with friends.

To begin with we ordered Murg Lehsuni Tikka, and Murg Malai Tikka, though they looked identical, but thankfully tasted evidently different. The Lehsuni Tikka had a very prominent garlic flavour which I loved, the Malai Tikka on the other hand was very soft and tender with a creamy texture.

For the main course we relished Bhuna Meat and Dal Makhani. The Bhuna Meat was exceptionally tasty, very well prepared and perfectly spiced. This should definitely be a must try. Dal Makhani is a favourite for my son, and he has become an expert in recommending best Dal Makhani across Delhi NCR. He rated this Dal Makhani a generous 8/10. It was creamy and flavoursome.

We really enjoyed our awesome dinner at Chawla’s 2 and I am sure if you have not tried yet, you should. You won’t be disappointed.

 

Chawla's 2 Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Zizo- Best Mediterranean Cuisine Comes to Noida Now..!

Posted on by Ikreate Passions

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.

Review Credit: Shikhar Arora

Zizo Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

18+ Cafe- food, drinks, sheesha and more.. have you grown up yet..?

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

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 🙂

18+ Cafe & Lounge Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Twigly- An Awesome Food Delivery Joint

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

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.

Twigly Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Authentic Tastes Affordable Prices- that’s La Americana for you!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

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.

 

 

La Americana Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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