Goa, India

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Tag: Food Review

This TREND is here to stay..!!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Trend is the newest entrant at the recently reopened and established Ansal Plaza and this TREND is here to stay for sure. Brought to us by Gundeep Anand, Jaideep Anand, Himanshu and Vidit Gupta who also have brought alive brands like Tamasha and Cafe Dalal Street earlier, this one adds another feather to their cap.

Designed in a chic and classy way, it has a rustic yet modern appeal to it. Its a perfect example of cross bid between fine dining and casual dining. The cuisine is Modern Indian and focuses on the authenticity of flavours inspite of being modern. As discussed with Chef Jiten Shah, the aim of the restaurant is to provide unique foodie experience to their customers but at the same time, they don’t want to create confusions with fusions.

And now after having the food at Trend, I can vouch for it. They truly are serving different food, which you won’t find elsewhere and yet the flavours aren’t overplayed.

Now coming to what I tried and recommend, to begin with we ordered Mutton Vada Pao, Mozzarella Bread Pakoda, 3 Cheese Soufflé in Potato Cup, Chutney Chicken Seekh and Rechad Masala Rawas from the Small Plate Menu and believe you me, each and every item was delicious to the core.

The Mutton Vada Pao, was definitely one of the best I have ever eaten. The mutton inside the pao was done perfectly, it was a minced meat cutlet which was fried and yet it tasted very different, the pao was extremely soft, and for me each bite into it was a  heavenly delight.

The Mozzarella Bread Pakoda, was an amazing modern take on the traditional bread pakoda. It was stuffed with potatoes and had an amazing cheesy filling which made it taste so different and yet appealing to the taste buds. Its a great dish for vegetarians but even the non-vegetarians cannot ignore its goodness.

3 Cheese Soufflé in Potato Cup is an amazing dish and paradise for cheese lovers, just dig into the creamy cheese and balance its taste with roasted potatoes. Blissful.

Rechad Masala Rawas,  crispy fried fish fingers, with the fish marinated in the hot recheado masala, which is a goan special masala. The fish was perfectly done and I loved the presentation too. The Chutney Chicken Seekh also was very different from the regular seekh, it was made of thick mince and the flavours of the chutney really stood out well.

Next we tried Chicken Tikka Trilogy, which comprised of Mustard Based Chicken Tikka, Regular Chicken Tikka and Chicken Malai Tikka, and each one of the varieties of tikka tasted awesome. Though I am not at all fond of mustard flavour, but this mustard tikka was outstanding, the flavour was surely there but wasn’t overpowering at all.

Roti, Chatni, Achar is another very unique dish, which serves an assortment of 3 different types of rotis and an array of chutneys and achars, a great idea indeed. I ordered for the non-veg version which had pre-baked khasta naan, missi roti, masala bread along with chettinad mutton pickle, fig chutney, kingfish pickle, mint chutney and onions. It was an amazing tray of various flavours. I loved the fig chutney the most. This surely is a must try dish.

Mutton Gilawat Croquette was the another dish we ordered, and for me this was the most average , may be because my expectations by now were sky high. It wasn’t bad at all, but personally speaking I did not like much as I found it a little dry for my liking.

For the mains we settle for Dal Makhani served with Chur Chur Naan, Mysore Mutton Thali, Quail Dum Korma and Corn Fed Char Siu Chicken. The Dal and Naan were a perfect combination, with right taste and textures. A typical udupi masala roast mutton served with malabari parantha is a delectable dish and surely a must try. The Quail Dum Korma, needs a special mention as this is one dish you shouldn’t miss at all. Very rich and authentic flavours and soft and tender meat of a quail, what more can one ask for. Siu chicken is perfect to satiate your Asian hunger, its a char chicken glazed with celery root sauce with some sautéed greens and mushrooms and makes for an exciting dish.

Don’t forget to indulge in the desserts, you will love them. I strongly recommend Shahi Tukda and Holy Coconut. Both of them were simply amazing and I won’t spoil the surprises by spilling more details. You really have to try them.

As the place still awaits its liquor licence, make most of the amazing mocktails and drinks available. I recommend Indore Lassi, Tiramisu and Eden Iced Tea. They all were remarkable, but the best was the Indore Lassi, perfectly balanced taste, neither two sweet, and nor too thick, its was yummy and must be tried.

A special mention for the hospitality of the place, from Chef Jiten himself to the entire staff, everyone was extremely friendly and warm. The service was upto the mark and like I said the taste of food and presentation is of superlative quality. You should definitely pay a visit soon.

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

Monsoon Mania at Chaayos

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Chaayos has been my all time favourite place, it has such a cool and amazing vibes that I love spending time with family and friends, catching up over a cup of tea and some lip smacking snacks. Also I love the fact about Chaayos that they keep experimenting with their menu, and hence every visit is full of a surprise. New items are kept added to keep the monotonous away whereas the hot selling dishes are always retained.

Over the weekend, I went on to explore the current rage, the Monsoon Special Menu and it was totally worth it. The new dishes added in the menu are apt with the theme and each one of the items taste awesome. You will have a tough time choosing which to have and which to let go, I suggest go with a bigger group of friends and get your hands on everything 🙂

Bund Samosa, a very typical old Delhi charm and a popular street food that finds it place even in homes especially during monsoons. Yes we may not typically have samosa in a bun, but samosa wrapped in bread slices is a common thing. Here at Chaayos, the same home like flavours were beautifully crafted in a soft bun stuffed with a crisp samosa and dollops of chutneys and it surely made for a delightful preparation.

Masala Kulcha with Kulhad Chicken was another amazing preparation, loved the presentation and also the taste. The kulchas seemed freshly prepared and were really soft, the chicken masala was a well cooked, loved the thick tomato gravy.

How can one not have pakodas with tea and that too on a rainy evening, or afternoon, or any time of the day for that matter, the pakodas platter at Chaayos is just amazing. Loaded with Kanda Bhajiyas, Paneer Pakodas and Mirch Pakoda, its a true monsoon delight which you can’t afford to miss.

The other two things that I totally got bowled over by were, Loaded Chicken Open Parantha and Kadhai Chicken Sandwich, both these dishes were remarkable. The open parantha was absolutely delicious and I regret not having it more. I really could have digged in for a couple of pieces more, but nevertheless, now I know what i have to go back here for. Words can’t justify this dish and hence you have to go and figure out for yourself, if you don’t eat it, you surely are missing something.

The Kadhai Chicken Sandwich was a unique preparation where in kadhai chicken was stuffed in soft bun bread and this one again is worth relishing with a cup of tea of your choice.

You must try their Shahi Chai, which is a special monsoon edition, its not like a regular tea, in fact its a thick custard like version of tea made with condensed milk, and can be enjoyed like a dessert after the savouries.

Also don’t forget to indulge in some piping hot Jalebis, crisp, tiny jalebies served in a kulhad are worth every calorie.

My love for this place can only keep increasing, so all I can say is, just got for it and experience it for yourself.

Hotness at Hotmess..!!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

So when a person like me visits Hotmess in CP, its called Hotness in Hotmess 😉

I happened to indulge in a nice lunch with some foodie friends recently and quite liked the place. It has a lounge type ambience, cool and comfortable and just apt for spending some cosy time with friends or family. The food and drinks served also good and here are my recommendations

  1. Chicken Steam Momos- really nice and juicy ones. I quite liked them.
  2. Foreign Cheese Pizza and Italian Cheese Pizza- nicely done, thin crust pizzas, perfectly spiced, and the toppings too were good. I enjoyed the chicken one a lot.
  3. Middle East Bites- a platter that comprises of falafel, hummus, lebneh, fattoush, pita and mukhalal was totally worth indulging in.
  4. Rogani Seekh Kebab- tender and juicy mutton seekh kebabs, topped with a cheesy sauce, they were delectable.
  5. Mexican Jalapeno Pop- a must try dish, very cheesy and tasty, these will be loved by everyone.
  6. Dahi Kebab Drumsticks- dahi filing like  bread rolls is how I can define these nice and delicious dahi kebabs. Vegetarians can definitely enjoy this.
  7. Cheesy Macaroni Veg Pasta- a typical mac and cheese, this was nice, but could have been spiced a little more, as I personally found it too bland for my liking.
  8. Dal Makhani and Butter Naan- good old favourite, as I was already too full with the starters, I just gobbled a couple of bites from this, but can say that the dal tasted perfect.
  9. Puppy Grilled Chicken- this was a very nicely done chicken. The flavours were perfect and must try this one.
  10. Double Dense Chocolate – its a perfect dessert for chocolate lovers. A dense and moist chocolaty cake served with vanilla ice cream.

The drinks too were good and they have good options in both mocktails and cocktails. Try the LIT Khamba, Whisky Sour, Watermelon Mojito, Summer Directions and Rang De Basanti.

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Overall it was good fun indulging in food and drinks at Hotmess, and you must give it a try.

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

Goa Comes to Delhi with Lady Baga!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Even after visiting so many top class restaurants in Delhi NCR, I rarely come across places that are too perfect. Lady Baga was one such perfect experience for sure, rare but true. The ambience, the food, drinks, hospitality, everything was great. The vibrancy hits on you right from the entrance and the vibes are just too great. They have given it a rustic Goan shack feel and it yet has a classy appeal. The 270 degree projection, with beach scenes playing on the screen, and the seating with benches that even has sand underneath gives a beachy feeling, the other side has comfortable couches and on the second level, they have even recreated Goan lounge type seating. The Goan lounge seating is perfect to spend some long hours relaxing and enjoying good meal and drinks with friends.

Now coming to food, I am just naming the dishes I had because to explain each of them I will fall short of words. All I can say is that each and everything was simply great. Not even a single dish was one bit less than the other. Fish Recheado Masala, a typical Goan masala, prepared with red chillies, and other spices along with 2 main ingredients, coconut vinegar and coconut fenni, without these 2, the recheado masala won’t taste as it should. The fish was delicious to the core.

And whats a Goan food without the very famous Chicken Cafreal, a traditional Goan dish prepared with green masala made with green chillies and coriander. This too was amazing, and it tasted as good as it does in Goa.

Try the Light My Fire Masala Chicken and it will truly light your taste buds. Also go for the Platter De Friar, which includes some gherkin and jalepeno chips, piri piri paneer, recheado stuffed mushrooms( they are to die for), and potato wedges. This one is a must have for vegetarians, though being a non vegetarian, I thoroughly enjoyed relishing it.

For the mains we settled for Old Fashioned Fish N Chips, Chicken Lickin and Lamb Kheema and I can say that try any of these and you will love it. Each of the dishes was so so scrumptiously delicious.

Drinks at this place are a highlight, again ask the beverage manager for their specials, or tell them your choice and they create it. I personally recommend Fisherman’s Tonic and Baga Bong for alcoholics and Maiden’s Prayer and Gauva Marry for non-alcoholics. Finish your session with Have A Cigar, shot and you will go gaga over Lady Baga, trust me. A coffee based shot, on the lines on Baileys, but they have made their own liquor and its totally worth indulging in.

Reserve the best for last definitely applies to the desserts at Lady Baga, I tried 4 of them and they were of superlative quality. I haven’t eaten better desserts than this place in a long long time. Blindly order any and you cannot have enough of them.

Bebinca, Sticky Fingers, Brownie and French Banana, I tried all of these and trust me I am still drooling over the thought of having them again. All of them were too good and but the French Banana deserves a special mention, I haven’t eaten anything like this before and kudos to the chef for creating this magical dish. Must try. French toast, caramel, banana, chocolate-peanut butter mousse, vanilla ice cream, what more can you ask for in a dessert.

I am totally bowled over by this place and once again cheers to AD Singh for always coming up with the best possible restaurants in the country. Way to go!
Lady Baga Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

The Bandstand Experience!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Located in the Aurobindo Complex, Hauzkhas, this place has by far one of the best terraces that I know of. Once you climb up, trust me you don’t want to leave. The view is just awesome and even when its hot out there, they have amazing mist fans, that make you feel as if you sitting in a hill station.

Coming to food, they offer European and Continental food with main focus on finger food and smaller plates and burgers, pizzas, hotdogs make for the mains.

We started by ordering Thai Style Chicken Wings, Spicy Kafir Lime Fried Chicken and Sichuan Style Gyoza Dumplings. The wings were nice and juicy and I really liked them. The Kafir Lime Chicken was overpowered with the kafir lime flavour and spices, and hence I did not like it much. The dumplings were good, but I wish the filling was spiced a little better.

Followed this was the Chicken Caesar Salad and Roasted Beetroot, Pumpkin, Rocket Leaves & Feta Salad and both the salads were awesome, especially the Beetroot salad, absolutely refreshing and flavoursome.

Next we settled for the Mezze Platter, both veg and non-veg and both were delicious. BBQ Ribs and Sichuan Pepper Pork Bao with Green Apples, these both were the winner dishes. You really can’t miss them. The Ribs were so delicious and juicy and so was the bao. The green apple added a different layer of flavouring to the juicy pork, which was a nice change.

We tried a half and half pizza with Double Pepperoni and Bolognese Smoked Cheese and also the BBQ Chicken Pizza. The pizzas were superb. Thin crust, crispy and the toppings were great. I loved all three flavours and its hard to choose which was the best, but if I have to be partial even by 1 percent, it would be the BBQ chicken pizza. BBQ Chicken, Caramelised Onions and Blue Cheese, made for a deadly combo.

For burgers, we tried the Pulled Tandoori Chicken and Bacon Burger & the Pulled Pork Khao Suey Burger. I was personally a bit disappointed with the tandoori chicken burger, as it did not meet my expectations. Can’t say that it was bad, but somehow it did not gel well with my taste buds. The pork burger was definitely a good one. Even the vegetarians have the Beetroot burger to look upto, my friends said it was awesome.

 

For drinks I tried the Spicy Mango, followed by a Water Melon Mojito and both were really good. For desserts we tried the Poached Pear and Apples with Rum Soaked Sultanas, Raspberry Puree and Ice Cream and also the Bandstand Chocolate Brownie Sundae. Both the desserts were nice but could have been a little better. The Poached Pear dessert was definitely more innovative and tasty than the brownie sundae. The brownie sundae wasn’t bad at all, but it was just a regular dish.

This place surely calls for a visit if you haven’t been already, and a visit again, if you have been there before. I thoroughly enjoyed my time here and especially the ambience was so good at the terrace that I wanna go again soon. Bandstand also keeps bringing great artists from time to time, so if you love music, this is the place for you.

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

Hangout- A perfect place of amusement for both children and adults

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Come summer vacations and parents start thinking of places to amuse their children and give them some entertainment value, and I am no different. I always try to explore some new places where the child can have fun to the fullest and also we as adults can spend a good time and Hangout is definitely one such option.

With 6 different segments, it has something to offer to all age groups, whether its a kindergarten , a teen ager or an adult. There are enough gaming options to satiate different needs. Also the sports diner gives a chance to indulge in good food and drinks for everyone and more especially the adults can relax over a drink or two while the kids try their hands at different games.

The 6 different segments making this very unique Family Entertainment Center, The VR Zone-brings in a 360 degree turning roller coaster that replicates a real rollercoaster. The VR Roller coaster simulator is full motion cockpit, where riders can program their own journey by selecting track pieces. Every loop, leap, and lunge is seen on huge HD projection screen. The VR Zone also boasts of the VR shooting a 360 degree head turning shooting game & a 6-seater VR ride with the Virtual glasses, bringing virtual reality into the entertainment industry & more virtual games & rides under one roof. In addition to this The Sports Diner has the 1st black light arena bowling with UV lights, neon balls, black light reflecting carpet, lanes, capping, side painted walls to give you the 1st of its kind neon bowling experience as its 2nd segment called the Hi Lanes Bowling, with 4 lanes each catering to 6 players with full seating capacity & service & party area. We ourselves had a lot of fun enjoying a couple of bowling games, it was after years that I played it again, and I thoroughly loved going back to it.

The Private party & Pool table area is the 3rd segment where interestingly the pool tables convert into dining tables if your requirement is not to play, with choice of games like beer pong, beer buck it, electronic darts, you sure can have a party for grownups here while the kids have a separate floor upstairs on the 4th floor called Hang Out kids.

The fully stocked bar made of individual wine corks and changing LED light pillars adds character to the place with its high tables seating is a perfect place to grab a bite or catch the happy hour. The dining area has 6 seater family booths promoting mealtimes with family and friends. The game room at the SD is different from the a-typical HangOut kids these games are selected keeping the grown-ups in mind, with bar stools and drink service in the game room we saw many grown-ups enjoying playing to win the prizes at the Winners Corner. The Winners corner has prizes to be won ranging from pens to a steam iron, power banks & you may even win an I-pad too, all you need to do it get lucky on those games. The staircase separates and segregates and yet connects the Hang Out kids upstairs a full floor catering to 10 and under with games, rides, playgrounds and lots more which is again is carefully selected keeping their tender age & requirement in mind.

My son enjoyed games like Slot Machine, Spinning the Wheel and Claw Machine. What he enjoyed most was winning tickets with each game, which could later be redeemed for exciting gifts. He collected around 2800 points and redeemed it for a magnetic dart board and a fidget spinner. I personally think that this concept attracts kids a lot.

The food at sports diner was also commendable. We tried a variety of things and in starters I would like to recommend the non veg platter and the chicken dim sums. They were really nice. For main course my recommendations would be the Mutton Burger, and Mutton Lasagne, Keema Pao and Butter Chicken.

Completing the Entertainment needs and living up to its promise of ever evolving & bringing in the newest there is to offer in terms of technology and entertainment Hang Out yet once again opened doors to  2 floors, The Sports Diner & Hang Out kids offering a one stop shop in Entertainment.

Mango Mania at Imperfecto

Mango Mania at Imperfecto

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Come summers, and almost every restaurant comes up with special menus, and we surely need them, because we need a reason to celebrate summers, and what better than food. When talking of food and summers, its difficult to ignore mangoes, and keeping this combination in mind, Imperfecto came up with an AAM Menu.

 

To try this menu, I went to the Sector 38 Noida outlet, and first things first, you cannot ignore the ambience of this place. Right from the moment you step into the restaurant, the spaciousness, the decor, everything takes on you. Explore the place which is spread across almost three floors, as the terrace itself as two levels, and what a terrace, words cannot justify the beauty of this place, you really have to visit and see for yourself. Lush greenery, amazing artistic pieces, comfortable seating and a great view, it has all.

Now coming to the food, the mango menu, had a great mix of salads, appetisers and main course dishes along with specially curated cocktails and mocktails.

To beging with the 3 course meal, we first tried the salads,  Alphonso Mango Salad and Street Cart Mango Salad. The alphonso mango salad as the name suggests was prepared using alphonso mangoes and was on a sweeter side because of the obvious reasons, but was very refreshing. It had some apples too. Having alphonso mangoes is always a treat and I really enjoyed this creation. The Street Cart Salad, on the other hand was sweet and sour, striking a balance between flavours especially with the presence of capsicum slices in the salad the taste was well balanced. I enjoyed both the salads to fullest.

 

I enjoyed these salads with a glass of Mangoberry, which was an amazing mocktail made with fresh mango pulp, mint and a hint of lime.

 

Coming to the appetisers, its really difficult to say which one was the best, as each one of them was amazing and trust me I mean it.

Mango Chicken Tikka was simply delicious, chicken tikka grilled to perfection with a nice tangy mango sauce, an unusual combination but amazing tastes. Both the tandoori flavour of chicken tikka and sweetish tanginess of mango complimented each other.

 

Grilled Chicken with Mint Sauce was one of the best dishes I have eaten in recent times, such tender and juicy chicken chunks with dollops of mango sauce and green chutney, it was more than delicious. The sweetness of mango sauce, the spiciness of green chutney and the juices of grilled chicken, overall made it melt in a mouth experience.

 

Stuffed Chicken with Mango was another flavoursome dish and I really liked it. For vegetarians, there was Stuffed Cottage Cheese with Mango and Grilled Paneer with Mango Chutney, I tried a bit of both of these dishes, and they were amazing.

 

 

For the mains, we had Malaysian Style Mango Chicken Noodles and they were amazing. Though the mangoes were really sweet in themselves, but the overall spices balanced the taste well, and not even a single dish looked or tasted a forceful fit of mangoes.

Then we also had the Chicken Mango Rice, Yan Chow Style, which again tasted really good, and I again have to say that the mango wasn’t a force fit, the dishes, the spices, and presence of mango really complimented each other and that was the best part. Even the vegetarian varieties, were great to taste

 

I wish they had included some desserts to this AAM Menu, but sadly there weren’t any. Nevertheless, this mango menu trial should definitely be on your list and its available all across the Imperfecto outlets. So hurry up, offers valid till mangoes last!

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

Scooter Scooter on the Wall…!!

Scooter Scooter on the Wall…!!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Scooter on the Wall, as amusing as its name, is a cosy and comfortable cafe situated in the ever bustling SDA market. Though they don’t have much of space, but its really a chilled out place to spend some cosy time. I loved the seating, ambience and decor of the place. Along with couches, they some typical jhoolas, both single seaters and sofa type swings, and they really make for an interesting seating option.

The place is really vibrant and so is their food. To begin with I ordered, American Fries with Tandoori Dip, served on their signature scooter, the tandoori dip made all the difference to the regular fries. They were as yummy as they looked. Chinese Bhel was next, though the taste and flavours were great, I wish the noodles were a little crispier, or may be because of adding sauces it turned soggy too soon, so that was a bit of draw back.

 

 

Shishtouk was up next and I quite enjoyed relishing it, the pita bread was soft and the chicken really juicy and tender. Also tried the Kung Pao Chicken, which was nice but a bit spicy.

 

Mewari Papri Paneer was a delicious preparation, coated with crispy papads, it was both crispy and crunch on the outside, with soft paneer inside. Lahori Kebab Chaat was a unique preparation of seekh kebab and chicken tikka tossed in masala curd sauce just the way regular chaat is done, it was nice and different, I quite liked it. The taste was fresh, and for me it gelled well with the seekh and chicken tikkas.

 

Chicken Burra, Black Pepper Fish, Butter Chicken Kulchas and BBQ Hot Garlic Wings were all great delightful preparations, I loved each one of them. The chicken burra was juicy and perfectly spiced, the butter chicken kulchas are definitely a must try. The BBQ wings too were great to taste and I loved the fish, it was so tender and tasteful.

 

 

For the mains, I tried the 3 Musketeers, a platter of sliders, 1 chicken, 1 lamb and 1 veg and trust me all of them are great. I personally loved the lamb slider the most, it was so so juicy and nice, that I really could go on and on with it. This is a must try.

Desi Ride with Kukkad Pasta, was another delectable dish and it was something I did not try before, pasta in butter chicken sauce, desi twist to the age old Italian favourite, it was delicious. Though I was reluctant to try, but one bite into it and I could not keep my fork off it.

 

We also tried the Mutton Maratha, Palak Corn, Malai Chaap and Dal Makhani, and again all of them were delicious. The mutton was perfectly cooked and I loved its thick masala. Palak corn is surely a good option for vegetarians, and Dal Makhani of course was great. Perfect creaminess and texture. Enjoyed these amazing dishes with some assorted breads like the Onion Tandoori Roti and Mirchi Parantha, and it truly made for a scrumptious meal.

 

Now coming to the best part, the desserts, you simply cannot afford to miss them. Chocolate Walnut Pie was definitely one of the best desserts I have eaten, the pie crust was so soft and perfectly baked, unlike mots places where the curst is so hard, this was really nicely done, easy to break into and bite. I loved it. The Chocolate Truffle with Vanilla Ice Cream was another dessert and a great preparation indeed. Warm chocolate truffle crumbled and served with vanilla ice cream, it was a perfect combination of tastes and textures and even temperatures.

 

 

Also at Scooter on the Wall, you cannot ignore their awesome shakes, they are a true delight. Amazing flavours and presentation make them drool worthy and they are totally worth the indulgence.

 

 

I loved my experience overall at Scooter on the Wall, and really look forward to visiting the place again. If you haven’t visited yet, what are you waiting for..?
Scooter on the Wall Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Sixth Empirica- Restaurant Review

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Sixth Empirica, the latest connoisseur of multi cuisine food abodes the Main Club Road, Punjabi Bagh. Spread across two floors and a beautiful roof-top, 6th Empirica, the brain-child of the brother sister trio- Ankit Kapoor, Ekta Chhabra and Shweta Sehgal presents forth a lavish space for family and friends to enjoy a gala time.

I recently went to this place, though it was very far from my place, but as I missed attending the launch party, I thought I might at least go post launch for a food review session.

To my disappointment, the beginning was at a wrong note as the service was too slow, we were served the drinks and starters almost after one hour of wait. This is something I really want them to improve big time. This kind of a delay that too when not too many tables were occupied is not expected from a restaurant of this stature and should be rectified without a doubt.

Now coming to food, I was served Chicken Manchow Soup to begin with, along with an array of mocktails to taste. The soup was really nice and I loved their garlic chilly sauce which was served along with it. The mocktails too were nice, I personally liked the Kiwi and Strawberry one.

For starters, It was the Lebanese Platter, The Tandoori Non Veg Platter and Black Bean Fish Kebab for non vegetarians and Empirica Tandoori Kacha Aaloo Al Ankat, Empirica Paneer Tikka Parmigiana and Veg Kalmi Vada Kebab for vegetarians. The Lebanese Platter had 3 different types of chicken shish touk and the entire platter was good. The non veg platter had fish tikka, chicken malai tikka, chicken seekh kebab and chicken tikka, the chicken malai tikka and fish tikka were the best amongst all, did not like the seekh kebab much as I expected them to be really tender, but they were not. The chicken tikka was normal. The Black Bean Fish Kebab was just about ok, again I expected it to be really different and great, different yes it was, but not too great. In the veg selection I tried the kacha aaloo, which was actually too kacha, it was so difficult to break it even with a knife, I don’t know if oven baked potato is meant to be so hard and raw, at least for me, it doesn’t work.

The main course was better than the starters for sure and it is quite unusual for me, because at most places the starters top the chart. We tried the Gosht Nihari, Chicken So Changezi, Paneer Mughlai Lajawab, Veg Biryani and Dal Makhani, and these dishes were good. I specially liked the Chicken Changezi and Nihari in non veg and Dal Makhani in veg.

The Pineapple Halwa, which was served for dessert was definitely the best dish I that day. To conclude I would say that the food is average and can be improved and service like I mentioned needs a big time boost. They have ample space to cater to large groups and n number of customers, but without these improvisations, the decor and space won’t matter. I wish them all the best.

The Masala Trail Experience at Ansal Plaza

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

After a successful restaurant at CP followed by presence in the food court of DLF Mall of India, Noida, and a couple of other places, The Masala Trail by Osama Jalali found its foothold in the revamped mall of Ansal Plaza. Having tried food at both CP restaurant and Mall of India, I was fully aware of the speciality regional food that it offers and also certain what to order and what not to orders.

This time I started my culinary experience by ordering Amritsari Paneer Tikka, Mumbai Ka Ragda Pattice and the tried and tested Tower Chaat. The Paneer Tikka was nicely done, and I liked it. I ordered Ragda Pattice because I have been missing Mumbai food, though nothing can ever match that local taste, but this Ragda Pattice was quite nice. The spices were perfect, it was tasteful and delicious. The Tower Chaat undoubtedly one of the best dishes on the menu. We also ordered Spring Rolls, but I found them too oily so gave a skip. You can try the Vada Pao though, its nice.

Another regional food that I had been looking forward to try since long was the Bihari Litti Chokha, so I thought why not give it a try. To be honest, I found the taste of mustard too overpowering for my personal liking, though I loved the Chokha, but those who have the taste for mustard, admired it a lot. So if you don’t have an issue with the mustard taste, go ahead and try this one. Recommendations came in very strongly by my friends.

One of my friends ordered the Banana Poori, for me it was a dish probably I won’t have ever ordered myself, but I would have certainly missed something good if I didn’t. Thank god for my friend, she ordered, I tried and loved it. The Banana Pooris, with a hint of sweetness were so soft and good, that I did not even feel like trying the sabzi along with it, the poori in itself was more than sufficient.

A fantastic and must try dish that I discovered this time was the Triple Sack Rice, I mean it was a winner dish for that lunch. Three layers of goodness, crispy noodles, manchurian gravy topped with fried rice, it was a delightful dish and I personally recommend trying it for sure. Hakka Noodles were good too.

We also tried the Mumbai Tawa Pulao, which again was nicely done, but after having this Triple Sack Rice, nothing else could hold my attention.

For desserts, we tried one of their best, the Matka Kulfi, and also the Haji Ali Fruit Cream, which too was nice.

Overall I can once again say, that if one wants to try different regional food, Masala Trail is definitely the place where you can satiate your different cravings under one roof.

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

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Goa, India