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Tag: Best Food Blog

Not Just Paranthas… Seriously.. its not just about paranthas…!!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

We Indians remain Indians at heart no matter where we live or what we do, and some places just reflect this emotion perfectly. And especially when it comes to food, we end up choosing Indian cuisine over and over again even after exploring and relishing other cuisines off and on. I mean who can do without a butter chicken and paranthas, no amount of sushis, pastas, burgers and noodles take place of our very own food, and trust me Not Just Paranthas is just about that. The place is Indian all through, its so Indian, that they don’t have forks and they encourage using hands to eat food, I mean you can be your nasty self here, the same person who relishes dal chawal with hands at home, can relish tearing away paranthas with hands and dip them in curd and slurp them away!

I have been to this place long ago and was quite a regular then, as my office was very near to it, but then as I left my office and moved on, I somehow did not go to this place also since years and just recently after approx 3-4 years I went again and was so happy that they have held on to their quality of food well, its still as good as it was.

In fact the ambience is much more refined now and they also have live music performances which add more to the charm. So you will surely enjoy some retro bollywood music as you relish the food.

Now coming to food, we ordered Cheezy Chooza and NJP Special Mutton Seekh as non-veg starters and Dahi Ke Kebab and Galoti Kebab with Varki Parantha for veg starters. Must say that all four dishes were awesome. The Cheezy Chooza is for sure a dish that you must try. A beautifully done chicken tikka loaded or rather wrapped in cheese, it was delicious. Mutton Seekh was nice and tender. Dahi Ke Kebab is again a delicacy you must try here, they weren’t the usual type, in fact they were very different and really nice. Though they were slightly sweetish in taste, I liked them for their difference. The Rajma Galotis were nice too.

These starters really were very heavy and we were already feeling so full, but how can one not have a parantha when at NOT JUST PARANTHAS 🙂

So we ordered a Chur Chur Chicken Do Pyaza Parantha and Mughlai Pocket Parantha along with some Dal Makhani. Uff, the Chur Chur Chicken Parantha was mind glowingly delicious, you cannot ignore it and if you are a Punjabi, you will love it even more because its drizzled with the makhani gravy on top. Simply yummylicious.

The Pocket Parantha was very different in comparison yet equally delicious and one can try a lot of variety as per taste and choice. Actually thats with every kind of parantha, the menu is so elaborate that at times it leaves you confused. One of the easier ways is to leave yourself in the hands of their ever hospitable staff and they will guide you to the best of their dishes. Don’t forget to enjoy some Kullad Lassi and Chaach along with your paranthas, they are almost mandatory 😉

Coming to the star dish of the evening, it was the dessert, the Meetha Parantha, its heavenly, its delicious, its outstanding. You cannot cannot miss this one. Ask the staff for their special meetha parantha and they will serve you just right.

I thoroughly enjoyed visiting this place again and now look forward to being a regular again, and for a family like mine who craves Indian food and good music, this is just the place to be.

 

 

Not Just Paranthas Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Indigo Delicatessen- A delicious experience!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

This place truly offers an authentic and delicious food experience for European and Continental Food. The place exuberates class and premiumness in both their ambience and the quality of food. Yes you might find it a little expensive as you glance through the menu, but trust me, when you order and the food comes on your tables, half the battle is won, and other half you won’t even think about once you taste the food.

Now coming to what I tasted, I tried the Deli Cubano- Deli Classic Burger and it was yum! Pulled pork with some special sauce, it was sweet, hot, tangy and everything else at the same time. I simply loved it. The pulled pork was so tender and juicy that it almost melted in the mouth and I highly recommend this one.

Creamy Chicken Salad Sandwich was my next pick and I was extremely happy with my choice. Truly creamy chicken, with some veggies and roasted pineapple in 1000 island dressing, grilled to perfection, this one was a sure shot winner.

Chicken Caesar Salad served as a perfect accompaniment , crunchy with croutons, chicken chunks and lettuce leaves.

For the mains, I settled for Deli Roast Chicken and believe you me, roasted chicken can’t get better than this. Served with mashed potatoes and a mild gravy, the chicken was so juicy and delicious that words really can’t justify.

My friends also tried Seriously Sloppy Joe Burger, Falafel Wrap, Eggs Benedict, Roast Beef and Salmon Steak and they were all praises about every dish. This place is a food lovers paradise and you should not miss it at all.

Even the desserts are commendable especially their home-made ice creams. Mocha and Caramelised Banana, Belgian Chocolate Truffle, White Chocolate and Cherry, Dulce De Leche and Roasted Hazelnut are the must tries. Also don’t miss the Creme Brulle, I am sure you will love it.

I know that I am visiting Indigo Delicatessen very very soon because I can’t get over that pulled pork burger, and what are you waiting for.. please do visit and enjoy a mean worth all the money and effort.
Indigo Delicatessen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Garnet Glow Gourmet Tea- Product Review Powered by Food Bloggers Council India

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

I have never been a tea drinker, but since last 2-3 years I have taken a conscious shift towards green teas and flavoured teas. I still can’t have the typical ghar ki chai or the masala tea, but green tea, lemon tea, black tea and other flavours are something that I sip on a daily basis. I recently discovered Garnet Glow Gourmet Teas, as these were sent to me by the Food Bloggers Council India for sampling, and since then I have been hooked. Garnet Glow has a huge range of flavoured teas available and they are even into customised teas. They allow you to use your tea base, then flavours and fragrances and boom.. you have a pack of your own customised tea just the way you want, and I think it also makes for an interesting gift.

Well from their pre-mixed range, I tried the Vanilla Black Tea, Jasmine Green Tea and Coconut Darjeeling Tea and must say that these single serves were amazing. Tea leaves looked and smelled absolutely fresh and the aroma was very turning on, while I was making the tea. My personal favourite out of this was the Vanilla Black Tea. The taste of Vanilla wasn’t over powering at all and this is what I really loved about it.

One must definitely try these gourmet teas and I am sure you will fall in love with them. So as I head to sip my next cup, why don’t you order some tea for yourself http://bit.ly/2nO1XAM

 

Chai Di Party at Tea Lounge, Eros Hotel, New Delhi

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Aren’t we all so used to seeing our family members gather around a specific time in the evening to have tea, and generally its like a small ritual at everyones house. Mostly its like a small get together, where tea is just an excuse, but the chit chat, the gossip and munching snacks becomes the main focus at a later stage. This is exactly what you feel when you attend the Chai Ki Party at Eros Hotel. Its home away from home like feeling. Nothing fancy about it, just a regular homely way of enjoying tea with regular snacks included in the menu. Yes of course, in each of the dishes you will find signature touches of Chef Nikhil Rastogi which are always a welcome change, but more or less the authenticity of each dish is well maintained.

We tried Bhujiya Ki Bhel served in Papad Cones, it was a spicy delight and keeping that in mind, chef made it special by keeping Gur Paras’ along with it. Aaloo Matar Samosa, which had some mawa and roasted dry fruits was awesome and the small size of the samosas made them look guilt free. Adding the chef’s touch again, these samosas had a ring of namak paras’ which were crisp and nice.

The CDP platter which included Kanda Bhajiyas, Mirch Pakodas, Paneer Pakodas and Aaloo Rolls was a perfect accompaniment to the Ghar Wali Masala Chai. Each and every item was commendable.

But the most amazing things in the entire menu were the Jalebi Ki Chaat and Bun Maska. Just imagine, Jalebi Ki Chaat, I mean kudos to the chef for thinking of such an item, yes it was a maida jalebi which wasn’t dipped in sugar syrup, but served as a crispy substitute to papdi with curd, saunth and green chutney, just like the normal chaat, and it was awesome. Really loved it.

Similarly the bun maska wasn’t regular at all, in fact it was coated with nice sugary coffee powder and served with whipped cream, maple syrup and some blue berry sauce. One bite into it, and I was transformed into another world, it was heavenly.

Though I am not a tea fan, but this Chai Di Party was thoroughly enjoyable. And also keeping the heat in mind, amazing cold serves were there which included Jamun Thanda, Adraki Sharbat, Sambharam, Coffee Batida and Jaljeera. I personally loved the Sambharam which was a Chaas with South Indian flavours, Jaljeera and Adraki Sharbat were refreshing too.

For me going to Eros, every time is an experience I can’t get over so easily and I can never stop praising the hospitality of the place. Chef Nikhil (Executive Chef), Umesh (F&B Head), Harpreet (PR Manager), Sanjeev, everyone is like a great friend and I love spending time with my family and friends here with this extended family at Eros. The festival is on till 30th of April, so make hay while the sun shines.. and enjoy!!

New Summer Menu at the Civil House, Khan Market

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

A place that is bustling with people on a weekday afternoon, speaks volume about its popularity anyway and trust me when I stepped into Civil House around 1PM on a weekday, I was taken by a surprise with so much of crowd.

They are in process of launching a summer special menu and I settled down to explore the same with some of my foodie friends.  We tried the following dishes from the new menu:

Stuffed Mushrooms with Quinoa Salad with Cheddar- a beautiful preparation, the crunchy quinoa filling in the mushrooms, made them taste so different and nice and topped with cheese, this dish definitely needs a place in their permanent menu.

 

Crispy Fried Quinoa Cake with Hot & Spicy Tomato Dip- I think the more I try quinoa is different avatars, the more I fall in love with it. Its healthy for sure and its so adaptive that one can really play with flavours and spices to make it taste different each time This fried quinoa cutlet was extremely delicious and I loved it.

Harissa Marinated Chicken with Root Vegetables and Salad- The glaze on top of the chicken is reason enough to make your mouth water and it tastes as awesome as it looks. This surely is a must try. For me it was one of the best dishes of my lunch that day.

Vegetable Timbale- A very authentic French dish, this had mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, goat cheese in creamed tomato sauce wrapped in layers of green and yellow zucchini. Taking a full bite of it gives you foodie experience that you cant afford to miss.

Homemade Spinach and Broccoli Fettuccini with Bell Pepper Cream Sauce- This dish is definitely a must try and you just cant miss it. The green coloured spinach fettuccini not just looked amazing but tasted amazing too and the bell pepper cream sauce enhanced the taste so much, that its worth drooling.

Raw mango Risotto with Pine Nuts- Truly a summer special, the taste of raw mango chunks mixed with Risotto is an innovative and delectable dish and highly recommended. Its an outstanding combination of flavours.

Homemade Chilli Linguini with Minced Lamb- This was another delectable preparation, though after trying the other dishes from new menu, my expectation of innovation was raised and hence found this dish as a regular one, but no compromise taste wise, the taste and flavours were more than perfect.

Quinoa and Fresh Avocado Burger- A delightful preparation and surely a must try, I can easily say that one of the best burger that I have eaten in recent times.

From the existing menu I tried another two dishes which were awesome, and I regret not trying them earlier.

Beetroot, Feta and Walnuty Burger with Homemade Hummus, trust me when I say you would have not eaten anything like this before, because the beetroot cutlet is just marvellous. It looks appetising and tempting and tastes equally good. I could have gorged on and on, it was so delicious.

Pan Seared Sea Bass, Mixed Greens Risotto with Fennel Butter, another winner dish and words cant really explain this entire foodie experience. Each and every dish was commendable and one really needs to visit this place soon and try them all.

For desserts we tried the Vanilla Panacotta, Orange and Pink Pepper Corn Gastrique and OMG, this was an out of the world experience, I mean seriously, such a summery and refreshing dish that you must must try it out. I have never been fond of Panacottas but this truly changed my mind forever. This was one indulgence that I cant get over and I am going to go after this one every now and then. There was Dark Chocolate Fondant with Ice Cream as well, but for me the Panacotta’s taste lingered on.

As part of the summer menu, there are some amazing drinks too on the offer and the best part about these drinks is that they do not contain any added sugar or artificial flavours, thus making them a healthy option too.

Avocado and Chocolate Smoothie, Guava Mary, Orange Cinnamon Ice Tea, Strawberry Coconut Mojito, Green Vegetable Juice(spinach, brocolli, apple), Pineapple Strawberry Smoothie, Oatmeal and Almond Milk Smoothie(vegan) and Homemade Ginger Ale . Out of these Avocado and Chocolate Smoothie was awesome, and the taste was simply unmatchable. Next I loved the Green Vegetable Juice, which was so so refreshing and is perfect for summers. The other drinks were good too and I am sure will be loved by all.

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This summer menu at Civil House is available from 1st April onwards and this is one thing that you should definitely be trying this summer, because even I didn’t know that summers could be so cool.

Civil House Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

California Boulevard- Restaurant Review

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

California Boulevard is a hollywood themed restaurant situated in sector 29 of Gurgaon, but please mind it, its not in the popular sector 29 market of Gurgaon thats flooded with restaurants and bars, instead, its situated near the IFFCO Chowk Metro Station and is away from that hustle bustle. So if you wanna spend some quality time enjoying good food in a great ambience, this is the place. The ambience is very premium and classy and of course very English, with hollywood movie posters and name stickers of famous movie stars placed on the floor. The huge red coloured tram looking bar is definitely a highlight.

Coming to food, all I can say is that each and every dish was awesome and this place is highly recommended. Some of the dishes that I tried and loved included Khumb and Singhade is Galauti, trust me you won’t even know its veg, there is just no difference in the taste, it was so awesome. Then I had Mutton Kakori Kebabs, soft, succulent and very tender, this again is a must have. Cottage Cheese Tai Chi, Crispy Nachos and Peshawari Boti Kebab, Kafir Lime Chicken Tikka are another set of recommended dishes. With all these appetisers I was so full, that I skipped the main course completely. My son for sure tried the Dal Makhani with Butter Naan and was extremely happy with it. For dessert we tried the new entrant in the menu, the Bolivian Cocoa Walnut Pudding and it too was amazing. It was a sinful indulgence for sure, but totally worth it.

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Relive School Moments @ The Classroom, Sector 29, Gurgaon

Posted on by Sunil Malhotra

The Classroom at sector 29, Gurgaon is definitely a walk down the memory lane.
As one enters the first thing that hits you is Nostalgia, as the name suggests the restaurant decor is around classroom.One is transported back in time to the school going days and that itself is a very pleasant feeling. I mean we all still have that child somewhere in us, those numerous memories of school days and in this fast paced life, that’s one place we now seek revisiting the most. Though nature doesn’t allow us to go back in time, but all thanks to places like Classroom, we can at least relive those moments and refresh our most cherished memories.

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The restaurant boasts of a 400 cover spread over three floors.They have a really exhaustive menu both for food and beverages.
Very interesting snippets and photographs adorn the walls.
The classroom effect is very much visible in the lovely decor right from blackboards with some amusing messages to the books used as lampshades, very innovative really. They even have a recreation zone complete with snooker, foosball, darts, and even some swings.

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For Starters we had Palak Patta Chaat, crisp fried palak well mixed with yoghurt and sweet saunth chutney and some green mint chutney.

Club Wellington Eggs Kejriwal, a simply awesome butter toasted bread with cheddar cheese, mushrooms and eggs sunny side up done to perfection. The Lukmi, a Hyderabadi recipe, crisp patty filled with flavoured mince.
The Classroom Maska Chicken served with a rumali, a superbly done tandoori butter chicken in a very innovative style, please don’t expect the typical gravy butter chicken, it was truly different and highly recommended. Really an awesome creation.
The chicken Momos were well done but nothing exclusive really.
For the main course we had The Andhra Chicken which was mildly spiced but with the right authentic flavour. The Keema Ghotala, a really mouthwatering lamb mince with egg and served with really soft maska buns, a real treat.
Meen Moilee a real delicacy of sole fish made in Malabari curry very easy on the palate and left a lingering taste.

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Not to forget the Cocktails n Mocktails.

Couple Chemistry was an interesting mix of Vodka,Pineapple Juice and Beer, and served in a very unique manner,by way of presentation. Year Repeat had a great mix of Vodka, Apple and Peach syrup topped up with Sparkling Wine.
Also had the house brew of wheat beer an absolute delight. Sweet Like You and Outstanding Kick made for some interesting Mocktails.

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The staff is most courteous and eager to serve you with a smile. Superb Food. Excellent Service. Great Ambience. This is a place to visit again and again.Highly Recommended.
The Classroom Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Niche- Good Food, Great Ambience , a Perfect Place to Hang Out..!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Niche is casual dining/lounge & bar  located in the ever bustling outer circle of Connaught Place and as the name suggests , it has created a niche for itself. The moment you step in, the ambience and the interiors of the place bowl you over. Though the space is for casual dining, but every inch of it speaks of opulence, luxury and premiumness, which is class apart. We were a happy bunch of foodies dining together and hence we got to try a lot of things, taking bites from each other’s plates 🙂

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To begin with we ordered Palak Pasta Tartlets, Feta Ki Potli, Paneer Dum Ka Roll, French Onion Soup Rings in veg and Chicken Khurchan Tacos, Pappu Chicken, Asian Spiced Chicken, Pesto Fish Tikka, Achari Mutton & Bread and Lal Mirch Ka Chicken Tikka for non-veg. The Palak Patta Tartlets were just amazing, presented with some nitrogen smoke, and on a bed of grass, they looked awesome and tasted even better. Feta Ki Potli and French Onion Soup Rings too were good, but here the winner was Paneer Dum Ka Roll, it had a sweet and sour kind of a taste, but was very different and tasty. Surely one of those dishes which must be tried.


In non-veg section the Pesto Fish Tikka and Chicken Khurchan Tacos were the best for me, more especially the tacos, I just loved them. The Achari Mutton & Bread also needs  a special mention as it was really a well prepared dish, pulled lamb in pickled spices served on a toasted bread, nice and flavoursome.


For the main course we tried Fish N Chips, the Lamb Burger and from the Indian Cuisine we settled for Butter Chicken, Mutton Rogan Josh and Dal Makhani. We also tried the Amritsari Kulchas and they were fab, very filling and delicious. A word of caution there, try sharing, its quite heavy for one person.

Fish N Chips and the Lamb Burger were both amazing, the fish was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside with perfectly balanced spices, the lamb burger was really juicy and delectable.

The Butter Chicken & Dal Makhani won us over, as they were perfectly done. The chicken was neither too sweet nor spicy, it had balanced flavours and the dal was creamy and the texture 7 consistency was perfect.

For desserts, Cheese Cake was a clear winner, there was Brownie as well, but somehow I did not find it gooey enough, but the cheesecake was fabulous, so much so that one of my friend in spite of feeling so full, ended up polishing off an entire piece all by herself ;).

I have a special mention for the drinks, I tried a drink called True Blood and all I can say is there can be nothing better than this one, it is a must must try for everyone, if you don’t like alcohol, go for the virgin version, its so refreshing and tasteful, that you will relish it like anything. The other drinks too looked very inviting as the presentations were really good.

I had a fantastic time at Niche, with my friends, and I am sure you too will love it, the live music added a lot of value to our experience as while enjoying great food we enjoyed some great music too!


{Niche} - Cafe & Bar Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

U.S. Premium Agricultural Products Supported the Mixology Competition at AAHAR 2017

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

As part of the several activities happening at the AAHAR, there was also a grand competition of mixology where in reputed chefs and mixologists competed for top honours with their innovative creations. They were given a fixed set of ingredients to create their drinks along with the best quality US Premium Agricultural Products such as U.S. Cranberries, California Walnuts, USA Pears, Washington Apples, and U.S. Pecans. While as attendees we got to witness the highest quality products and services from the food and beverage industry, the winners of the Culinary and Mixology competition were chosen by a panel of esteemed judges including members of the organizing committee, reputed industry & USDA representatives.

It was fun to watch some of the aspiring chefs to come forward and use their skills to create outstanding mocktails that got points on taste, but also on the presentation.

Through participation in trade shows, competitions and various engagement activities, the idea is to reach out to the influential trade personnel (i.e. importers/distributors, food/beverage manufacturers and processors, bakeries, hotels, restaurants etc.) and introduce them to the freshness and taste of U.S. premium agricultural products.

Madaari- The New Hot & Happening Place in Model Town

Posted on by Ikreate Passions

Madaari is a new hot and happening place in the ever evolving Model Town and its a theme based bar and pub. So as the name suggests Madaari typically means a person who takes control of the monkeys and engages in a fun tamasha. So the moment you enter Madaari you are bound to see a lot of monkeys, also a monkey wearing a headphone at the DJ console, kidding, not the real ones though, but yes the theme reflects the rawness of that tamasha and is loud on music as well.

So its a generous 10/10 on the ambience and music.

They have an array of drinks and the bartenders surely know their jobs well as they swing around one after another great drink and not just the taste but even the presentation has been taken great care of. Each drink is presented in a unique way making it a visual delight as well.

Coming to food, we tried the Cumin Chicken, Malai Chicken Tikka, Galauti Kebabs, Kurkura Paneer Tikka and Multani Paneer Tikka. Cumin chicken, serve it in a small tandoor(very classy) and it tasted perfecto. Malai chicken tikka, soft and juicy, it just melts in your mouth. Galauti kebabs served on top of small parantha were amazingly delicious and this all comes in a truck, yes a very interesting truck shaped serving dish. The Kurkura paneer tikka and Multani Paneer Tikka were both yummylicious, especially the multani paneer tikka, creamy with multani masala.

Deep Fried Prawns with Sweet Chilli Sauce, I never had such perfectly cooked batter fried prawns but this place mastered it. Crispy Lotus Honey was another dish that I had not eaten before, its unique and a must try. Honey Chilli Potatoes were perfectly seasoned and had an interesting way of presentation. Also tried the Lemon Grilled Fish and I have just one word to describe it- Smooth.

Coming to main course, we settled for the regular dishes Dal Makhani, Butter Chicken and Rogan Josh with one exception of adding Pad Thai Noodles. The Dal Makhani was creamy and certainly appeared and tasted as if a slow cook. Butter Chicken was perfect, full of cream and neither too sweet nor too tangy and hence a perfect balance of flavours. As for Rogan Josh, I am a little touchy about mutton, sorry but if is mutton, it has to be no less than perfect, I found the gravy fine, but the mutton a little undercooked, may be it was a bad day for the Bakra 😛

As for the Thai Noodles, I would give them a 10/10 for presentation but just about 5/10 for taste, as I found them too cheesy.

For desserts we tried Brownie with Ice Cream which was nice and shexy.. and also the Moong Dal Halwa which was hot and delicious. Loved it.

Madaari definitely is a fun place to hang out with your family and friends and as I stay close by, I think I will be visiting again soon, you too must give it a try.

Review Credit- Shikhar Arora

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

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