Tag: Food Blog

Mesmerised at Dezert Fox..!!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

I recently visited Dezert Fox, which is a upmarket dessert parlour. They currently have about 3 outlets in South Delhi and are looking at expanding their reach to the other parts of the city. Now being a baker, I know that it takes much more than ingredients when it comes to preparing desserts, it takes a lot of patience, love and passion and one look at the display at Desert Fox and you will know exactly what I mean.

Every dessert was a work of art, I mean the desserts at this place are so gorgeous looking that you would actually end up staring them for a long time and would not even want to eat it, but just keep looking. I was completely mesmerised!

They have awesome play of both colours and flavours in their desserts and after tasting a few of them I can easily say that the desserts don’t only look good, but taste amazing as well.

Here is a glimpse of what I experienced.. I am not explaining all the flavours and tastes here, because this truly is one place which you should visit and experience on your own..till then here is a visual delight…!!

My recommendations for must haves:

The Cheese Cake

Lime Banana Manjari & Raspberry Rose Chocolates

Caramel Cara Eclair

Matcha Chio

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

A delightful gastronomic experience @Gastronomica Kitchen & Bar

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Culinary journeys across places always interests me and when something turns up near to home, its even wonderful. I recently headed out to this amazing place Gastronomica Kitchen & Bar tucked away in the ever hustling bustling GK 1, M Block Market.

The place has a very vibrant appeal to it and yet is cozy and warm. The staff is extremely hospitable and completely aware of their own brand, their recommendations and knowledge impresses you.

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To begin with we ordered, Quinoa Bhel, Ratatouille Cigars, Mascarpone Chicken and A+A+A Pizza. The Quinoa Bhel was outstanding, Quinoa which has risen sharply in recent years is considered a very healthy and wheat-free alternative, which is a great resource of protein, fibre and iron. But the moment we thing of healthy things, we assume that the taste will be compromised, but this treatment of Quinoa where in for not even one moment you realise that you are eating something different, the way the Bhel taste was infused using Quinoa was remarkable. I simply loved it and for me it was one of the best dishes of the evening.

Ratatouille Cigars were good too, but may be because the Quinoa Bhel still had a lingering taste, I could not appreciate them much and went on to munch some more bhel. The A+A+A Pizza was really nice, very unusual topping of green apples, apples and pineapple, this one will surely delight your taste buds.

The Mascarpone Chicken was another highlight of the evening, I simply could not resist this wonderful dish. Loaded with cream and cheese, this was an orgasmic experience, it just melts in your mouth. Worth drooling over and over again, don’t miss it.

Moving on, we tried Wasabi Fish Cake, Chicken Sliders, Bagels and Pizza Pazza. I am not a Wasabi fan and hence did not like the fish cakes much, as I find the wasabi flavour too strong.

The Chicken Sliders were good, juicy and tender chicken cutlets in small soft buns served with potatoes, it made for a wholesome dish.

Pizza Pazza was again a delightful pizza with chicken topping, thin crust and well done. Bagels though on a sweeter side, because they had a filling of apples, were nice and unusual.

Coming to the main course, we ordered Cottage Cheese Steak and Chicken Milanese. The cottage cheese steak was just about ok, nothing too great but nothing bad either. Chicken Milanese, a spaghetti with two big chunks of chicken in a red sauce was bit spicy but delectable. I simply loved indulging in it and surely makes for an impressive main course.

Beetroot’s Halwa and An Evening in Jaipur comprised of our desserts for the evening. The beetroot halwa was good, but something that needs a taste development, might not be likeable in one go. An evening in Jaipur were basically Malpuas dipped in a sugary syrup, they were crisp and nice, but too sweet for my liking.

They have a wide and a very unusual selection of drinks and cocktails especially. Very presentable and different flavours infused together always make for a surprise. Recommended- Charcoal Martini, Paan Mojito, Bubblegum, and Tiramisu Margarita.

 

Overall I had a very pleasant experience at Gastronomica and I really look forward to a visit again. The ambience, the food, the drinks, everything was great.

Gastronomica Kitchen & Bar Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

8 Stalls serving awesome regional food at Dilli Haat- Be the tourist in your own city..!!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Exploring regional food is always an interesting thing to do and when you get a chance to indulge in some awesome regional food from across regions under one roof, with a great ambience and loads of shopping options, its a pure bliss. So head straight to Dilli Haat and you get to do all of this, and here is handy list of 8 stalls that you should not miss..

Read More…

Grills on Fire @ The Ancient Barbeque

Posted on by Sunil Malhotra

The Ancient Barbeque hosted a preview of their Grills on Fire festival specially curated by Chef Ashish Massey, Director, The Ancient Brabeque, along with Rohini T Chawla, Masterchef top 12 contestant, Sadaf Hussain, Masterchef , Top 10 contestant and Majid Khan, Biryaniwala discovered by HT City.


Held on the terrace on a warm winter afternoon the setting was absolutely right for A Fiery Feast of Barbeque delights. The entire space was filled with mouth drooling aromas, I mean you just could not ignore it and felt automatically hungry.
There were 26 starters both Non Veg n Veg to be savoured along with some wine and beer and each one of them was a delight. Practically it won’t have been possible to try all 26 of them so we ended up tasting most of the non-vegetrarian variety.


They started with the Brazilian Churrasco Chicken which was grilled to perfection with a right balance of spices.
Then there were the Murg Asafjahi, Mexican Chicken Wings with Hot Sauce, Butter Biryani Chicken and all of them were absolutely delicious. My mouth waters even as I write about them.


Then there were the Mutton Galouti with Ulta Tawa Paratha which were simply mind blowing. Really soft and juicy.
The Mutton Barra was a real treat. The chops were tender and a superb marination enhanced the flavours.
The Kasundi Mahi Tikka, Patrani Machi, Drunken Fish and Prawn Verde were a gourmet’s delight. After trying so much I really could not figure out which one ended up being the best, because all of the dishes were one better than the other.
Tandoori Chicken Momos were another fine creation. Each and every dish served was just simply awesome.


Kudos to all the Chefs, they did a fabulous job with food, their hard work was visible and definitely paid off.
A special mention on the Veg staters which we tried, Brazilian Churrasco Pineapple, Dal Harimirch ki Shammi and Tandoori Chinese Dahi ke Sholey were extraordinary. Even the Tandoori Bhutta looked so tempting.

This entire experience was not just a foodies delight, but to say the least, it was a visual delight too, in fact it evoked all the five senses, the visual beauty, the tastes, the aromas, the sizzles and the warmth.. truly everything was beautiful.

They also served a superb Chicken Biryani and a specially made Chicken Korma which were superb.

The service by the ever smiling most courteous staff was something out of this world.

The Ancient Barbeque deserves a visit over n over again for their mouth watering delicacies and efficient service. We are really grateful to Neha Bahl from Qube Communications to have invited for this culinary experience and also Chef Ashish Messy for his warm hospitality

Rush! Rush!Rush!
Not only for Grills on Fire but anytime you want to relish good food, drinks and an ambience of its own with a smiling cheerful staff who really are efficient.

Oriental Pavilion at the Fortune Select Hotel, Sohna Road

Posted on by Ikreate Passions

Oriental Cuisine is one of my all time favourites and I can literally have it continuously for days without feeling bored and when you get a chance to visit one of your favourite places to explore the same, its a win win situation. It was a pleasure to be back at the Fortune Hotel after a grand Lohri Lunch at the Zodiac Restaurant, this time it was the Oriental Pavilion, their roof top restaurant this time around .
The restaurant claims to be a roof top restaurant but alas there is roof on the top and contrary to expectations is not open air.
A touch disappointed but all the disappointment disappeared once the ever courteous staff served the Starters.

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Wok fried Tofu in Cilli Basil was a superb treat with chilli and basil in just the right proportions.
Spinach and Corn Crystal Dumpling and the Thai Vegetable Spring Roll were a veggies delight both crispy n done to perfection.
The Chicken Sui Mai, Chicken in Hunan Style and The Pan Fried Fish with Kaffir Lime were a gourmet’s delight.
All three dishes with their very own distinct flavours and tastes.
The Mizotaki Soup was simply superb.

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In the Main Course they served Chicken in Oyster Sauce which was simply out of this world and The Sliced Fried Fish in Chilli n Cilantro was another delicious offering. For the veggies Vegetable in Thai Green Curry and Oriental Greens With Golden Garlic and Sesame were absolutely fabulous.

To go along with the mouth watering main dishes were The Chilli Garlic Noodles, Vegetable Fried Rice and Steamed Rice.
The Vegetable Fried Rice and Chicken in Oyster sauce made an awesome combination As did the Noodles and Sliced Fried Fish.

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The complete spread of Starters and Main Course was most appetizing and delicious. One of the best and authentic offering.

For Dessert there was the Tempura Fried Ice Cream which was a bit of a disappointment. But the food served is a worth a visit over n over again. The service and ever courteous smiling staff deserves a special mention. All in all a most wonderful gastronomical delight.

Review Credit: Rani Malhotra

 

The Oriental Pavilion - Fortune Select Excalibur Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Koshur Saal @Holiday Inn, Mayur Vihar- Celebrating Kashmiri Cuisine!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Koshur Saal, truly meaning authentic and quick Kashmiri Recipes was also the name given to the Kashmiri Food Festival hosted by Holiday Inn, Mayur Vihar at one of their restaurants Cafe on 3. Along with the executive Chef Suprabhath Roychowdhury, Mrs Rajni Jinsi, a home chef discovered be Suprabhath, brought to us a specially curated Cuisine of Kashmiri Pandits (1st to 12th Feb). Rajni is a home chef and has mastered the skills of Kashmiri Cuisine because of her background, she hails from the land of Kashmir and belongs to a Kashmiri Pandit Family. In her early years of age, she showed keen interest in cooking under the influence of her mother. Kashmiri Pandit’s basically all Saraswat Brahmins are followers of Shiva, and refrain from using onions, garlic and tomatoes while cooking. Now to come up with a mouth watering dishes inspite of not using onions, garlic and tomatoes is a big task and Rajni emerged as true winner in the same. She not only prepared the authentic Kashmiri Cuisine but also paid attention to the minutest details and made the whole foodie experience so flavoursome.

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There was an extensive spread starting with the Live Counter which offered the Kabargah, a signature dish of flattened lamb ribs deep fried. Simply awesome.
The other dishes were Gadh Pakoir, Aloo Mondi And Nadru Tikki. All deep fried and delicious quite similar to the pakoras we have. There was that supremely delicious Gucchi Shorba along with the starters.

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The main course offered Neni Yakhni, lamb braised in yoghurt gravy, Murgh Kailya, chicken in a typical Kashmiri yellow curry
Mujh Gadh, fresh river fish curry with radish. Lyodur Chaman, cottage cheese cooked in Kashmiri yellow curry, Choek Wangan, Moej kailya, Nadur Yakh, Dama Oluv, Haak, Rajmah goagj, Baatha, Steamed Rice, Modur Polav, a sweet rice pilaf rich in dry fruits. To accompany were a variety of breads Sheermal, Laws se, Tillwurr, Katlam, Ghee Roti, Baqarkhan, Kulchae.

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To sum up the cuisine it was simply mouthwatering authentic Kashmiri Pandit food at its best.
Desserts was another excellent offering of the day, Firun, Rice n Milk pudding, Shufta, an exotic dessert of dry fruits honey and saffron, Simply Superb. Also on offer were Shier Chay and Kehwah.

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I really thank Holiday Inn, Mayur Vihar to host such a beautiful festival and discover gems like Rajni Jinsi who not only showcase their love for food and their culture but also showcase what the woman of India can do independently. The food was of superlative quality though it may take sometime to develop taste buds for the same, but it should definitely be given a shot, its totally worth it.

A must try for food lovers.

Cafe on 3 - Holiday Inn Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Tasty Thursdays- Valentine Special Recipe by Chef Karthik Krishnamurthy

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

So Valentines is approaching and we look forward to cook something special for our loved ones and think of Valentines and heart shaped, red coloured goodies start coming to your mind and most of the times, chocolates, cakes and pastries is all we can think of, but here is the twist. We bring to you a yummy Iddly recipe, yes you read it right, Iddly recipe for valentines.. so read on, enjoy and surprise your loved one this Valentines!

RED VELVET IDDLY

Recipe by Karthik Krishnamurthy

Iddly Faktory

Chef/Founder/CEO

 

Iddly is considered as one of the most comfort and healthy food for all Indians.

Mr. Karthik Krishnamurthy, Chef/Founder/CEO, Iddly Faktory said, “Over the years, traditions, customs, clothing, approach and eating habits have changed drastically. People are getting into healthy eating and drinking. So for valentine’s day, we at Iddly Faktory came up with the idea of making red velvet iddly without breaking the concept of healthy eating and also making our customers happy.”

INGREDIENTS

  • Whole White Urad Dal – 1 Cup
  • Iddly Rice – 4 Cups
  • Fenugreek seeds/Methi Seeds – 1 tablespoon
  • Salt – 1 tablespoon
  • Beetroot – 1 small

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Wash and soak urad dal and iddly rice 3 to 4 times and soak them separately for a minimum of 3-4 hours. While soaking urad dal add fenugreek seeds to it.
  2. Clean the wet grinder before every use. After 4hours drain out all the water from urad dal and add it to the wet grinder. Once you start grinding add half a cup of water. While grinding urad dal add the water slowly in regular intervals for two to three times. The urad dal will not fluff up, if you add all the water at once. The dal should fluff up and fill the grinder. It should have increased about 8-10 times of its original volume. It should come out as butter. Grind for at-least 30 minutes. Once done, transfer the mixture into a bowl and set aside.
  3. Now grind the soaked and drained rice until smooth. Add just enough water while grinding. The consistency should be medium. Once ground, transfer the batter to the dal mixture bowl and mix well.
  4. Add salt to the batter before fermenting in summers and add it after fermenting in winters. Usually the batter needs to ferment for 5-6 hours depending upon the weather.
  5. Once the batter is nicely fermented, take a ladle and mix it well. Your batter is now ready.

Red velvet iddly mixture:

Grate half a beetroot and squeeze it well.

Add the squeezed juice to four scoops of iddly batter. Mix it well. Your mixture is ready.

For making soft red velvet iddly:

Pour some water in an iddly vessel and put it on medium flame. Oil the iddly plate and gently fill the rounds with the red velvet batter. Put it inside the iddly vessel and let it steam for 10 minutes. Do not allow it to over-cook as it might become hard and dry. Just keep an eye and remove the iddlies after 10 minutes. Do not remove the iddlies immediately as it might stick. Allow it to rest for another 4-5 minutes and then spoon it out. Once removed use heart shaped sandwich cutter/cookie cutter to get heart shape iddlies. Serve hot with your favorite chutney or sambar.

Important NOTES

  • Drain the water completely from the ingredients after soaking.
  • While grinding urad dal and rice ensure that you do not use a lot of water.
    You can always adjust the consistency of the batter later if it is too thick. You cannot do anything if the batter goes runny.

Lemon Drops-Restaurant Review

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

G0od Vegetarian dine-out options are few and less and the ones with a good ambience and even scarce. Lemon Drops, at Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj is such a relief when it comes to a great dining experience with great vegetarian food. On the lines of Haldiram’s Lemon Drops also has a variety of cuisines with a great emphasis on street food of Indian regions. From Bhalla Papris to Golgappas and Pav Bhaji to Dosas and Idly, Chowmein to Dimsums, you name it and they have it.

To begin with we ordered the Street Food Platter, the Chinese Platter and the South Indian Platter, all three of these are totally worth it as you get to try smaller quantities of a variety of things, Like the Street Food Platter consisted of cholera bhature, dhokla, pav bhaji, dahi bhalla and a gulab jamun. Frankly speaking its more than enough for one person, but as we were a group of foodies exploring this place, this helped us in deciding which cuisine and what to order next.

Next we ordered, Pav Bhaji, which was one of the best dishes I tasted that afternoon and is a must try. The Raj Kachori too was good, and so was the Bhalla Papdi. The Pain Puri or Golgappas were another favourite amongst everyone and should surely be tried.

We also tried the Veg Spring Rolls and Veg Pizza, the pizza was great, soft and cheesy and perfectly made, the spring rolls were just about ok.

The paneer tikka was the only disappointing factor in the entire array of dishes as it was too spicy but I am sure the management will take our feedback and improve upon the same.

Also tried the Sweet Corn and Tomato Soups which were both delectable. For the mains we tried the Dal Makhani and Butter Naan Combo which was simply amazing and also the Cheesy Macaroni was scrumptious. Bedmi Poori is another must try, it was extremely delicious.

For drinks try out their range of milk shakes and some mocktails, they are really nice, especially the Banana Shake.

 

Moong Dal Ka Halwa brought my foodie exploration to a sweet end and should be on your must try list.

Overall I loved the vibrant ambience of the place and whenever you find yourself strolling in the Ambience Mall, think no more and head straight to this place and otherwise make a special effort and try it out, you won’t be disappointed.

Lemon Drops Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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