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Category: Restaurant Review

A Launch that was Tailor Made… Darzi Bar & Kitchen!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

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!

Cafe Gatherings-Restaurant Review

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

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.

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

Hudson Chopsticks- Food Delivery Review

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

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!

 

Hudson Chopsticks Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Pier 38, Cyber Hub, Gurgaon- Your Gateway to Persian Food!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Craving for some Lebanese and Arabic Food, head to Pier 38 in Cyber Hub, Gurgaon and you can definitely satiate your cravings with some lip smacking food and signature cocktails.

Piers being significant because of the trade between India and other countries and Persia amongst the prime ones, Piers 38 as a name came into existence serving flavours from Persia! 

The whole ambience of the place is extremely vibrant and yet very inspired by the actual Piers at the oceans. It has a very rustic appeal and a lot of elements are like a reflection of actual things being used. For example actual Pier at the entrance, bar lights that look like ship searchlights and many other detailing in interiors gives the place a very thematic appearance.

I was recently invited for a bloggers meet and had a great fun with my foodie friends indulging in some great food, music and drinks.

To begin with, we were served the Mezze Non Veg Platter, which consisted of Chicken Cigar Rolls, Kebabs and Cutlets, along with some Pita Bread and Dips. This one surely is like a meal in itself and one must give it a try. Next was a wholesome serving of Chicken Cigar Rolls and I really liked them. They were crispy on the outside with tender and juicy chicken on the inside.

We tried some Persian Barbecue specialties like Iranian Hot N Sour Paneer Skewers and Lamb Chelo. The Lamb Chelo was delectable and being a non-vegetarian I gave Paneer Skewers a miss, though they looked quite tempting.

Next we were served Galautis and they truly were amazing. Soft, tender and mouth melting, this is one dish you should not miss. We also tried some Chicken Tikka, Chicken Tangri Kebab and Chicken Shawarma, and all of them very fabulous.

Dilli Chaat was a surprise for me and I was completely blown over by it. It was so delicious. Crisp and tasteful, this dish is highly recommended.

I was too full with all the above-mentioned dishes that I had to give main course a skip, but this too looked very tempting. There was Veg Khoresht, which is like a vegetarian stew, and Veg Moussaka, which again is a very popular classic dish.

For non-vegetarians there was Khoresht Bamia and Ghalieh Mahi, a traditional Persian Fish Curry.

There was also a wide array of signature cocktails like La Orange Cosmo, Pomegranate Basil Martini, Habibi amongst others. I personally liked La Orange Cosmo the most and Smokey Bourbon Bot was good too.

Coming to desserts, there were Nutella Cigar Rolls, Persian Baklawa and Fereni. Out of these I was really tempted to try the Nutella Cigar Rolls, for the obvious reasons, I mean who can ignore Nutella, but this is the only thing that ended up disappointing me, because the cigar rolls in themselves were a tad too salty and it seemed more like a snack than a dessert. Hence I sweetened my mouth with the traditional Baklawa that was good.

Overall I loved the place and meeting fellow foodie friends is always a bonus. So Pier 38 should definitely be on your list and you must try it out soon.

 

Pier 38 Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Rang in Christmas with a Lavish Buffet at Pavilion 75, Welcome Hotel, Dwarka

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

A foggy winter afternoon, day of Christmas and the whole family gets to enjoy a lavish buffet at Pavilion 75, Welcome Hotel, Dwarka, what more can one ask for?

For me it was simply splendid. The Christmas vibes welcomed us right at the entrance, a big Christmas Tree at the Lobby, followed by a warm greeting by Santa Claus who led us to the restaurant, Live Singing of Christmas Carols, celebrations were in the air.

As soon as I entered the restaurant my mind was blown away, there were more than 50-60 dishes showcased as a lavish spread and all of them looked worth drooling. My mouth started watering while I was capturing these delicacies on my camera and the wait from the buffet to the dishes coming on my plate to then my mouth seemed endless.

The head chef was generous enough to send us a selection of dishes on our table just as we settled. Grilled Prawns, A Veg Kebab Platter and Grilled Fish were the first things served to us. The prawns were mind blowingly delicious, I simply loved them. They were perfectly spiced and grilled. The Veg Kebab Platter was great too, I found the Moong Dal Galauti best out of the lot. It was a mouth melting experience and the taste still lingers on. The way fish was presented in a fish shaped terracotta dish, added a whole lot to the overall experience. The fish just didn’t look good but tasted awesome too.

There were enough choices in the menu for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Grilled items like Tikkas and Kebabs, a Decent Continental Menu, A Live Shawarma Counter, an Elaborate Spread of Main Course Indian dishes and an even Elaborate Spread of Desserts is what comprised of this lavish buffet.

I tried the Shawarma which was good, from the main course I loved the Rahra Chicken, Mutton Keema, Gosht Biryani and Pista Chicken. Their Dal Makhani was simply awesome.

Desserts left me confused and I really could not make up my mind on what to eat and what to leave, so ended up trying a little bit of most of the items. The Rasgulla, Gulab Jamuns, Cakes, Ras Malai, Rabdi & Jalebi and everything was just amazing. I wish I had some more space in my stomach and I could have tried whatever was left.

Overall the experience was mind blowing, the staff is very hospitable and attentive and I can vouch for their buffets, you shouldn’t miss them at all. They had some activities planned for children as well and my son tried his hand at pottery. It was really a fun day spent enjoying good food, music, drinks and activities.

 

Pavilion 75 - WelcomHotel Dwarka Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

An Eggciting Feast @AndaMental

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

It was a wintery Friday evening and the whole city was prepping up for the much awaited festivity of New Year. From 5star properties to fine dines; the restaurants’ menu was all adorned with lip-smacking recipes of the festive season. There was an excitement in the air and it was on my cards to make the most with an egg-citing opportunity that came my way. I was invited to review a one-of-its-kind joint – Andamental where they served egg-srtavagant recipes of eggs.

Since early 20s when Mumbai was Bombay, Egg Omlette with bread (Anda Pav) or bread with scrambled eggs (Bhurji pav) or egg curry (Anda Curry) were the prominent crowd pullers and are still a best substitute to satisfy the hunger pangs. But with the arrival of Andamental, egg recipes have amp-up their taste.

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Andamental is a place for all the eggetarians who savor the rich source of proteins and wait to relish egg recipes. Looking at its tempting menu, I was quite confused on what to try first, but what took my attention was Andamental Maggie.

Andamental Maggie – The Spicy Gravilious Maggie layered with fried egg and garnished with cheese and coriander was just too good.

After having a chat with the manager, she confirmed that the one I chose is an all time favorite of Andheriites. The next in line was Veg Mental Biryani which ensured that I conclude the tasting session smacking my lips.

Along with basic stuff like – bhurji, biryani, omlette, Andamental has pioneered in some egginnovations which are worth a try.

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Apart from recipes of egg, there are some scrumptious veggie delights which the vegetarians may like to savour. And I suggest must visit for a brunch, lunch or dinner.

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It’s a small joint which can accommodate around eight to ten people. There is neither reservation nor valet parking but the staff is welcoming and the recipes of this joint are simply egg-citing!

 

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

Preview Launch of Royal Brewery Bistro

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Hotel Royal Plaza has launched Royal Brewery Bistro for Delhites to celebrate the ongoing festive season. The Bistro has an industrial theme inspired decor which is both elegant and stylish.
It has a combination of Dining and Lounge seating with a community table to accommodate the wide range of choicest delicacies brought to your table by Executice Chef, Atul Mishra. The poolside view enhances the ambience of this Bistro. It makes for a perfect place to chill and relax with your friends and family
The Bistro cellar stocks over 300 bottles of choicest wines. It also boasts of serving a wide variety of fresh draft beers, some of which we got to taste were amazing. Also on the menu are a variety of RBB signature cocktails and mocktails.

As perks of being a blogger we got to visit the place just a day before its official launch and also got to taste a few delectable items from the menu.

To begin with a Chicken Salad and French Onion Soup were served. The salad was just wonderful and I wish had a bigger portion of the same. The soup was great too and unlike the thick french onion soups that I have tasted it various places this one was different, It was made of pure onion stock and had a well soaked bread as the base with loads of onion rings. It wasn’t anything similar to what I had tasted in the past and I definitely recommend trying this one out.



The New Zealand Lamb Chops were a revelation of the kind of cuisine to look forward to. Really succulent pieces of chops done to perfection. This one is chef’s special and you must try them.


We also tried some Pizza, Pasta and Tacos and all of the dishes were delectable. All I wish was the service was a little better and the food a little warmer, which I am sure they will surely look into and rectify.

The dessert platter not only looked amazing but also tasted wonderful. May be I am a little biased as it had all chocolaty items.


Add to the above some smashing cocktails and great music provided by the house DJ and you are all set to spend an amazing time. I surely look forward to visit the place sometime soon and I really had an awesome evening spent there.


Wishing the Bistro a roaring success. So keep this place in mind when you plan your next outing! Enjoy

 

Royal Brewery Bistro Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Sunday Dimsum Brunch at Chi Asian Cookhouse

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

If you are looking at spending some leisure time relaxing, sipping your favourite drink and eating a hearty meal, the Sunday Dimsum Brunch at Chi Asian Cookhouse is more than perfect for you and here are the reasons why you shouldn’t miss it

  1. You get to eat 9 varieties of dimsums and that too unlimited, isn’t this alone a good enough reason. Well for me it definitely is and that too when each one of the dimsums is so amazing.
  2. Not just dimsums but you get to enjoy a soup, and main course dishes comprising of gravies and rice & noodles, along with desserts and a cocktail/mocktail/wine of your choice from the pre-decided menu. Not just this, the menu will keep changing every month which gives you a chance to indulge in more varieties of the food.
  3. The ambience is cool, warm, vibrant and totally relaxed, which makes it even more perfect for a Sunday afternoon.
  4. The staff is friendly and hospitable and they make sure they look into all your needs. The service is very satisfactory, you won’t have to wait too long for your orders.
  5. Its very reasonably priced. You get a lavish dim sum brunch with 9 varieties of dimsums, a soup, main course, dessert and a drink for Rs 1295AI

Now coming to my experience of food, I simply loved it. Siu Mai Chicken, Spicy Chicken Dumpling, Chicken & Coriander Dumpling, Banana Leaf & Sticky Rice Minced Chicken & Fish Tausi, made for the non-veg variety. The chicken dumplings were more than perfect, I personally loved the Siu Mai Chicken the most. The Banana Leaf Sticky Rice Minced Chicken was simply out of this world, somewhat like a Sushi, yet very different in taste and presentation. This one is highly recommended because one doesn’t get to eat this variety of dims normally. And now coming to the star dish, it was the Fish Tausi, I have no words to explain this one, all I can say is don’t miss it any cost, its totally worth it. Tender pieces of fish topped with black bean sauce and aah my mouth waters while writing about it. The vegetarian dimsums were no less, Spinach & Mushroom Dumpling, Spicy Veg Dumpling, Hargao and Siu Mai. Out of these I loved the Spinach & Mushroom and Spicy Veg Dumplings.

To go along with my dimsums, I ordered a Chicken Manchow Soup, which too was amazing. For drinks I tried the Water Melon Cooler, Virgin Mary, Virgin Mojito and Tokyo Cobbler. While the drinks were good, the most surprising one for me was the Tokyo Cobbler because it was the first time ever when I enjoyed a rose flavoured drink. Most of the times rose drinks are too sweet and overpowering, but this one was extremely refreshing.

Coming to mains, I loved the fact that it didn’t  include too many choices, because after enjoying a bowl full of soup and so many dimsums, a little bit of main course is more than enough. Mao’s Chicken, Chilli Garlic Fried Rice & Mandarin Noodles made up for the main course. I thoroughly enjoyed it as the Mao Chicken was done extremely well, and the gravy went well with Garlic Fried Rice. Noodles is something I can eat anytime and hence enjoyed this too. The tastes were very authentic and I can vouch that the overall preparation of the place is very good. And hence not just the brunch but you can enjoy an excellent oriental meal at Chi Asian Cookhouse.

Darsan, the crispy fried noodles with Vanilla Ice Cream and Ice-Cream Trio were the dessert choices and I liked them both. Darsan is an authentic oriental dessert whereas Ice Cream Trio allows you to enjoy three flavours of ice-cream topped with sauces.

I really loved my culinary experience at this Dimsum Brunch and I am sure you would love it too, and now the next Sunday being the beginning of the year, make it more special by visiting Chi Asian Cookhouse, as you would be tired enough with the previous night party to cook anything on your own. So wake up at ease, freshen up and head straight for this Dimsum Brunch, sit back, and enjoy good food and drinks!

 

Chi Asian Cookhouse Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

New Menu Launch at The Grill Mill, Cyber Hub

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

The Grill Mill at Cyber Hub recently launched a new menu with few more dishes finding their way in the existing menu. I was invited to witness the same by Blue Beans Foodies Meetups. The place was bustling with people and it was a chance to meet up fellow foodies as well. There were about 14 dishes included in the menu, though all were starters and just about 2 desserts. There were no mains.

The dishes that I tried were:

Water Melon with Danish Feta & Green Black Olive Dust- The water melon with feta cheese and olive dust was really refreshing. Also the vibes around the place overall felt very festive and this dish in particular looked very Christmasy to me, because of the colours Red, White and Green.

Mint Paneer Walnut Ki Tikki- This was nice and crispy on the outside and extremely tender on the inside, but somehow I could not relate it to the fact that it was made of paneer. I could not taste paneer at all, but it was nice.

Mushroom Crostini- A toast topped with mushrooms tossed in creamy sauce, these made for a nice snack and definitely a delight for vegetarians. I personally love mushrooms and hence it was a delight for me too.

Sea Food Ceviche with Baby Rocket- This was like a sea-food salad served in a shot glass. It was delectable.

Puff Pita and Chicken Chettinad- I somehow didn’t like this one much. Chettinad chicken placed over a pita puff, it definitely looked tempting but didn’t taste the same. For me the Chettinad chicken didn’t score too well.

Keema Kaleji with Maska Pao- This was was the sure shot winner of the evening. The keema placed on top of a maska pao was delicious. The keema kaleji was perfectly spiced and the maska pao can never fail. What I loved the most about this dish was it being bite sized, I mean one bite that explodes flavours in the mouth. Must try for sure.

For drinks I settled for Fruit Punch & Water Melon Cooler and both were good.

The desserts got too delayed and hence I had to give them a miss. The Chef there also gave a live demo of preparing a pepper sorbet and it was really nice. All I can say is that go and try for yourself, the new items of the menu and I am sure you will like them. Enjoy!

 

The Grill Mill Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

The Masala Trail by Osama Jalali, the amalgamation of street foods of India

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Kolkata Ke Puchkas, Bombay Ki Pav Bhaji, Mysore Ka Vada, Chennai Ka Masala Dosa, Delhi Ki Chaat, we all are well aware of these amazing street foods we get across the length and breadth of our country and sometimes we just wait for our travel plans to materialise so that we can savour these delicacies in their whole authenticity. Because sometimes we don’t get everything in our own cities or even if we get most of the times the authentic flavours are missing. But not anymore because Osama Jalali along with Keventers brings The Masala Trail to Delhi which not only boasts of street and regional foods from across regions under one roof but also infuse complete authenticity in the tastes.

To begin with we were served Tower Chaat, layers and layers of yummy dilli ki chaat presented in a tall glass. This one is surely a must have. Pakora Basket and Samosa Chaat were served next. The pakora basket had assorted pakoras and is totally worth it. Crunchy & crispy pakoras with green chutney make for a perfect evening snack. The samosa chaat too was good to taste. Banarasi Tamatar Chaat was something I had not tried before and hence found it very different, but could not acquire the taste for the same.

Moving on from North, we tasted some Western delicacies, Panki, a Gujarati snack prepared with rice flour between banana leaves was served first. Though it tasted nice, but it wasn’t something that I would fancy much otherwise. Dabeli Pav, again a traditional Gujarati dish, it is made with mashed potatoes tossed in masala toppings and sandwiched between grilled pav. This was definitely worth trying and I am sure you will like it. Mumbaiya Pizza Dosa and Chowpaty Pav Bhaji was something we tried next and both of these things were simply outstanding. I have always found a challenge with restaurants serving pav bhaji without the authentic taste, but here it was exactly the way its found in Mumbai and the same was with Pizza Dosa, it reminded me of the famous stalls near Mithibai College in Mumbai that serve these dosas. Even the Vada Pav was as authentic as it could be, retaining the original taste, your search for vada pavs could definitely end here.

Mysore Vada from the south and Kolkata Puchkas from the east were next, the vadas were nice and crispy but because I am not basically fond of South Indian food, I just tried these for namesake. Though the Masala Dosa looked tempting enough.The Kolkata puchkas were a bit of disappointment because I found them to be a little dry, the filling could have been better and even the masala water.

For mains we settled for Amristsari Kulchas and Dal Makhani with Naan. The Amritsari Kulchas were simply amazing, I loved them and one must surely try them. The Dal Makhani was easily one of the best I had eaten in recent times and you cant afford to miss it.

Another thing that you shouldn’t be missing is the Kesari Lassi and Matka Kulfi to complete your meal and it will be one soulful journey of food that you will end up experiencing at this place. I am very sure that this restaurant is going to give all vegetarian restaurants a run for their money, so don’t think much and visit asap.

 

The Masala Trail Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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