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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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Tasty Thursdays…Select Recipes from Indo-Japan Food Forum

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Recently the first ever Indo- Japan Food Forum took place at the Assocham where in collaboration of Japanese food in India was the highlight. As everyone cant be a part of such events, we bring to you some of the selected recipes that were created specially for the event which have an essence of both Indian and Japanese Food. Enjoy

And here is a little about the people behind these amazing recipes..

Zariya Fest, Select City Walk

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Elite Delhi schools have a general perception of creating spoilt children who dwell in mal-influence. However, who go unnoticed, are the children who use their resources to bring change. Rajavi Mishra, Hanssa Jain, and Sharanya Khemka, students of Step by Step School, founded ‘Zariya’ in 2016. In collaboration with the NGO ‘Samarpan’, an initiative to provide a caring home for orphaned children, Zariya aims to fight child abuse and neglect that takes place in New Delhi. Its first ever endeavour was to develop a sense of achievement among such children. This was done by organizing an 8 month long vocational skill building programme: Kala Ki Pehchaan.

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To showcase their progress and raise funds for the cause, Zariya organized a fest on 20th March at Select CityWalk, which featured performance by the children of Samarpan NGO, concerts, stalls and fashion show. www.foodcloud.in had signed on as the official food partner for the event. They intended to come forward with other inspiring projects to serve the cause.  Many home chefs who are associated with food cloud showcased their culinary skills at the event and sold their deletable food. From Thai to Lebanese, Continental and some amazing desserts, there was something for every tastebud to savour. Akanksha Goel, Arsh Khetan, Soven Soni, Ranveer Singh Aujla,Malika Thakur, Shivank Sareen, Sachi Sinha, Utsav Maheshwari,and  Dhruv Narula, students from Step By Step School and Sanskriti School played a crucial role in making this show a success. It was a great event and I had a lot fun visiting the same.

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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

Yin and Yang Food Festival at Empress of China, Eros Hotel

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Yin and Yang theory is based on viewing things in a relation to its whole.The theory is based on two basic components: yin and yang, which combine in a complementary manner and form a method for explaining relationships between objects. Yin and yang are represented by many tangible dualities, such as  male and female, light and dark, fire and water. It is believed that everything has both yin and yang aspects, every object, every person has both these attributes of positive and negative, its just that which of the attributes manifests more strongly than the other. Yin is represented as the feminine, passive, dark, cold, while yang is represented as masculine, active, light, warm.

This philosophy plays a very significant role in the Chinese culture and especially in the Chinese Medicine and Food. Chinese people believe that the balance of Yin and Yang food can really help a person’s physical health to remain fit. Most foods are either predominantly Yin or predominantly Yang and sometimes the combination of Yin and Yang also helps creating a balanced food. Foods with higher water content are usually Yin, as they are cooler and those with high energy or fat are Yang. Most Fruits and Vegetables thus are Yin and Duck, Beef, Alcohol and Warm Spices are Yang.

At Empress of China, Chef Nikhil Rastogi brought in this age old theory of Yin and Yang and created a beautiful food festival out of it. Two separate pantries representing and showcasing Yin and Yang foods respectively were created and one had to pick up ingredients of choice and give it to the chef behind the counter to prepare a dish out of it. Basis selection of foods the dish could be only Yin, only Yang or a combination of two.

To begin with we had Asparagus, corn and mushroom salad (YIN), five Spiced marinated asparagus and corn with sweet chilly dressing, this was a very crunchy and refreshing salad.

Crispy Noodle Salad with Spicy Tamarind Dressing was a Yin and Yang combination dish as the presence of spicy tamarind dressing added the Yang attribute to the otherwise Yin noodles. This one was a beautiful preparation indeed, the taste was perfect, I personally loved it the more than the Asparagus salad.

Lohan Dimsum and Chicken Dimsums were the next two dishes that we relished like anything. The cristal veg dumplings were so tasteful and juicy, a Yin preparation and the chicken dimsums were steamed as well a bit roasted and that itself was the highlight of the dish. I simply loved these both.

Vegetables Salt and Pepper on Skewers tossed with fresh greens and peppers was an amazing preparation. I specially liked the idea of vegetables being on skewers rather than served as a whole dish. Sichuan Chicken, going by the name sounds like a common Chinese dish, but trust me you have to try this once at Eros and you will know the difference. Such authentic pepper flavours gave completely new dimension to the dish.

Steamed Prawn brought in as individual servings were great too, I am not too fond of prawns but this one was truly amazing and its taste lingered on in my mouth for a long time.

For main course I settled for Chicken Pot Sticker, which was an amazing Yang preparation, with minced chicken on a bed on pan fried noodles, mild sauces not overly spicy, it was a perfectly balanced dish and I strongly recommend it.

The dessert which looked like the Yin and Yang symbol was a combination of dark and white chocolate mousse which was delicious. The mousse had a mild flavour of jasmine, which enhanced the overall taste.

I simply loved witnessing this festival and learning so much about the Yin and Yang theory of food from the chef. Its always a pleasure dining at Eros, the people are so warm and hospitable that what more can you ask for. Perfect food, company of Chef Nikhil and F&B Manager Umesh and Harpreet who handles the PR at the hotel, is always an added value to the whole foodie experience. I enjoyed myself completely and I am sure you too will enjoy, so don’t miss the festival, its on till 23rd, so still 2 more days to go..!!

 

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

Tasty Thursdays- Bhang Ki Thandai- Holi Special

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Here is another Holi special shared by Rohit Tokhi, Executive Chef, Leela Ambience Convention Hotel. Bhang Ki Thandai is to Holi just like colours and water are attached to this festival.

So prepare, slurp and gulp.. enjoy..!!

INGREDIENTS QUANTITY
Milk, boiled 1 Litre
Almond 100 gm
Char magaj 50 gm
Poppy seed 50 gm
Sunflower seed 50 gm
Rose petals 5 gm
Fennel seed 15 gm
Black peppercorn 15 nos
Green cardamom 15 nos
Nutmeg powder 1/4th tsp
Sugar 150 gm
Saffron 1/2 gm
Rose water 20 m
Bhang leaves 2 1/2 tbsp

GARNISH

Saffron, soaked in hot milk

Pista, chopped

METHOD

  • Pick, wash and drain the bhang leaves.
  • Dry roast all fennel seed, black peppercorn, rose petals, saffron, poppy seed, sunflower seed and char magaj and keep aside.
  • Balanced and peel almond.
  • Now soaked all the ingredients in the milk for 1 hour and keep it in a freezer.
  • Now make a fine paste, stain, garnished and served in purvas.

 

 

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