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Tag: Places to Eat

Satiating Italian Food Cravings at Amalfi..!!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Italian food is typically very common one when come to think of, because all we relate Italian food is to Pizzas and Pastas, but true authentic Italian Food is way beyond all this and also amazingly delicious.

Thankfully, I have an option to taste the goodness of Italian Food, just near to my home at Amalfi. Amalfi is an authentic Italian restaurant situated in the M Block Market of Greater Kailash-2.

To begin with I opted for Insalata Mista al Formaggio, Insalata typically means an Italian Salad. Mix Lettuce, Green Apples, Asparagus tossed in Agro Dolce Dressing with Crumbled Feta and Walnuts is what comprised of this amazingly colourful looking and delicious salad.

For Antipasti, which means first course of the Italian meal, we opted for Souffle Alla Gorgonzola, which was served with Porcini Mushroom Sauce. I can easily say that it was one of the best cheese souffle I have ever eaten and I can really go back for it anytime. It was so so delectable, that knowing the calories, I could not resist myself from indulging in it. We also had the Pollo Al Pesto, pan seared chicken tossed in pesto sauce and served with lettuce leaves. This too was good, but the taste of Souffle just lingered on.

For Primi Piatti, which includes Pizzas or Pastas for the first course, we opted for Pizza Basilico E Bocconcini, a thin crust pizza topped with homemade tomato sauce, bocconcini, jalapeños, olives, sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan cheese and also the Affumicato Pizza Di Pollo, a thin crust pizza with mushrooms, smoked chicken and cheese. Both the pizzas were delectable, though I preferred the non-veg one.

Then we opted for Scottato in Padella Basa Con Marinara, Risotto Con Misto Funghi, Spiedini Di Pollo Alla Pancetta and Tiger Prawns in Lemon Parsley Sauce. The pan seared basa in marinara sauce served with mashed potatoes and sautéed vegetables was amazing, subtle but very nice taste. The Risotto cooked in white wine and mushrooms was another splendid dish and I loved it. I did not enjoy the prawns much but the bacon wrapped chicken skewers with honey prune chilli sauce was the sure shot winner dish for that evening. It was flavoursome and delicious. And my plate looked so so tempting with all these amazing dishes, that for sometime, you just wanna look at the food and not even eat it. Wines to go with the palate were served alongside and it made the foodie experience even more enriching.

To bring our culinary journey to a sweet end, we indulged in Tiramisu, the traditional Italian dessert and also Fondente Al Cioccolato. Both of the desserts were outstanding, I loved every bite of them truly could keep on and on, especially the Tiramisu. Overall, I had a great experience, the only disappointment being slow service, which I am sure they can improvise upon.

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

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

Smaaash Sky Karting and Pit Stop Brewpub- An enthralling experience!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Adrenaline pump, technological excellence and unexplainable thrill is what you get when you go sky karting at Smaaash. Equipped with the best in line technology, this sky karting is as thrilling as it can be but also at the same time, its extremely safe. Shaped like a canter, it excites you even before you enter this place. Its so wonderfully done.

The best of technology being used in the carts has been imported from Spain. These carts are all electric, top of the line and offer superior acceleration as compared to engine powered carts.Not just that, being electric also means that these carts are  noise, vibration and pollution free. Also the design and technology are so simple that those who have zero driving experience can also glide their way smoothly.

The racing track has been designed and executed by Germany based Protex Karting. The track features dramatic elevations meant to be battled with karts that are equipped with exclusive speed control. The Protex barriers instead of the old tyres which usually form the boundaries of the tracks have been deployed to give better and great safety to the karters. These barriers are spring loaded and shock absorbing which makes things more safe and sound.

I loved the fact that safety has been given utmost attention, making it a great experience especially for kids. Otherwise also, they provide everything thats required to make the karting safe, crocs, hair caps, helmets and neck rest and that too without any extra charge. They also ensure that when kids are karting, no adults are allowed, in order to avoid any rash encounters or bumping etc.

After a thrilling 5 minute lap, I settled down to watch the kids going for rides over and over again and enjoying themselves thoroughly.

We came down to the PitStop Brewpub after this fascinating experience to satiate our hunger pangs and I must say that the quality of food and drinks served at this place is just awesome. We tried Chicken Tikka, Oriental Chicken Basket, Tempura Stuffed Mushrooms, Beer Batter Fish N Chips, Galauti Kebab, Burrah Chop Adraki and Gosht Seekh Kebab and I must say that each of the dish was fantastic, no complaints at all. In fact I strongly recommend Stuffed Mushrooms, Seekh Kebabs and Burrah Chops, as they were outstanding.

Coming to desserts the PitStop Rush Sunday is a must have, and you can also try the Red Velvet Cheesecake and Brownies.

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Overall it was a great experience, full on thrill and entertainment and tasteful meal, what else can one ask for.

PitStop BrewPub Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Kolkata Food Festival at The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel- Khoob Bhalo!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

As part of the Grand Trunk Culinary Journey, Kolkata Food Festival is being hosted at the Leela Ambience Convention Hotel. Its the last stop of this journey which started from Amritsar and made stops at Old Delhi and Banaras. The food festival celebrated cuisines from across the NH1 (Grand Trunk Road), bringing to you mouth-watering dishes from various cities that came along the way.

 

To bring out the authentic flavours of Kolkata, Chef De Cuisine Ashwani Kumar Singh travelled to the City of Joy to gather the secrets that lie hidden amongst the busy lanes of a city famous for its indulgent variety of Bengali cuisine.

The food festival aims at recreating the culinary delights as well as the ambience of Kolkata and brings together its culture and music for an unforgettable experience.

Within this culinary journey our first stop was the Cutlet/Chop/Bhaja counter which served a wide variety of fried fish, chicken cutlet, mutton chop and Vegetable Chop and trust me words can’t do justice to such an elaborate spread. It was awesome, crispy fried fish, some small, some big, some like cutlets and some like fingers, it was a treat of tastes. I personally loved the prawn cutlet and fried fish.

And how can one ignore Jhalmuri and Puchkas at a Kolkata Food Festival, and I have never ever tasted Jhalmuri earlier because I don’t like the taste of raw mustard oil, but this was awesome. Crunchy, crispy and flavoursome. Also the puchkas were fantastic, the water was just perfectly spiced.

The main course again was an elaborate spread and consisted of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies. Bhekti Paturi, Kachu Pata Chingri Vapa, Lau Ghanto, Galda Chingri Malai Curry, Chittal Peti, Kosha Mangsho, Murgi Jhol, Chicken Vorta, Sukto, Aloo Posto, Lal Saag, Paneer Er Rosha, Chollar Dal, Kacha Lemon Moong Dal, Kichuri, Bhaat, you name it and it was there and that too in all authenticity of the tastes and flavours. Kudos to chef Ashwani Kumar, that he left no stone unturned to bring in the actual flavours by using best of the ingredients and some of those were directly sourced from the city of joy.

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The Achar counter was one of the highlights for me, I simply relished all of them. Gondhoraj Ghol, which was basically ber done in a sweet and sour way was mind blowing, Pineapple Chutney, Tomato Chutney were two other things I loved, and you know usually they are eaten after the meal in order to increase appetite so that one can then savour the sweetdishes.

And who can beat Bengalis when it comes to sweet dishes, I mean these sweet dishes have just no comparison at all. Sondesh, Nolen Gurer Rosogulla, Kamala Bhog, Malpo, Sita Bhog, Pithas, Mihi Dana, Dimer Halua, Payesh, Mishti Doi.. OMG my mouth waters even as I write about them. The platter that we were served was so tempting that I can’t tell you, and it was such a great sugar rush, that even though were were full, it was difficult to resist the temptation.

Trust me when I say that this is one festival you should not miss, because we often don’t get to satiate our cravings for Bengali food, so while its there, make the most of it. You still have about 4 days, as the festival is on till the 16th April, so waste no more time and head straight to Leela Ambience Convention Hotel and enjoy this feast of Kolkata Food. I had a great time indeed!

 

 

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

Zaffran- Restaurant Review

Posted on by Sunil Malhotra

Tucked in Star Mall, Sector 30, Gurgaon, is this restaurant called Zaffran. Zaffran, is a kind of saffron found in Kashmir, and the restaurant projects itself for Authentic North Indian Cuisine.
To say the truth, couldn’t agree more with them.


We ordered the following dishes and there is a special reason why I am not describing each dish separately, read on and you will know it..
For Starters

Vegetarian
Kalyani Paneer Tikka
Khumb Nawabi
Dahi ke Kebab
Tandoori Broccoli &

Non Vegetarian
Murgh Malai Tikka
Murgh Chilli Milli
Jhumta Kukkad
Raunaq e Seekh

For Main Course

Paneer Lababdar
Dal Makhni
Chicken Boti Masala
Rarra Meat


If I were to sum up the presentation, the taste and the service I would in one word say everything was AWESOME!!!! and this is the reason I didn’t describe each dish. Everything was so perfect that its beyond words, you just need to experience it.

Their claim to serving authentic North Indian Cuisine is 100% validated.

Truly speaking each and every dish served was a masterpiece on its own with the right mix of spices, tender meat and superb presentation in a quite ambience which can also boast of ever smiling and courteous staff.

The one standout dish that needs a special mention is the Jhumta Kukkad,marinated in rum, which had a very distinctive taste of the marination and cooked to perfection.


A real must if you want to savour some authentic North Indian Delicacies at its best. Sweeten your taste buds with a dose of Gulab Jamuns and you will be sorted even more.


The right place to spend a quite evening with your family and friends and relish some extremely good authentic food.
Zaffran Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

The Orb @Radisson Blu Plaza, Delhi Airport, truly celestial!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

True to its name, the moment you step into Orb, you feel the celestial vibes, it feels like a heavenly body, or may be just another planet, but for sure there is something magical about the place. You feel transformed into another world and it also stands true to its name in other way, that it is a circular shaped bar with a huge centre piece of lighting and circular shaped seating around it. The beautiful ambience is marked by the dim blue and pink lighting and with some live DJ music thrown in, it becomes one of the hottest party destination in Delhi. It really makes for the perfect place to hang around with your friends over drinks and music.

Coming to food and drinks, they are as rocking as the ambience of the bar. The bartenders are extremely friendly and they really turn around things to serve finest and most intriguing drinks. When you visit, you ought to try their signature cocktails, they will just blow you over. Khopdi is one such fascinating drink, the process of making it is itself so interesting that yo cant help but keep looking at it for a long time.

Other amazing drinks were Orange Caprioshka, Chilli Chocolate Bunny, Apple Cinnamon Punch, Pale Lady on the Beach and many more..

Finger food to go along with drinks is pretty good too. We tried the Bruschetta, Orb Special Pizza, Achari Fish Tikka and Prawn Tempura. The Bruschetta was really good and so were the Prawns, but I personally loved the Pizza and Achari Fish Tikka the most. The fish was crispy on the outside, perfectly spiced and tender from the inside. The taste of roasted garlic and basil pesto on the pizza was just amazing, I loved it. Chicken Tenders and Cottage Cheese Tikka was good too.

The desserts were the highlight, I tried the Oreo Cookie Baileys Cheese Bar, which was simply awesome. I normally don’t like cheese cakes but this was really nice. Next I tried the Hazelnut Mousse Fudge, which too was nice, but there is a scope for improvement in this one, as I found it a bit dry.

Overall I spent a great evening at Orb, with my friends and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, it would be evident if you see the pictures below 😉

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The Orb - Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Let Loose and unwind from your day at Hang Out !!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Hang Out introduces its all new cocktail and bar snacks starting this month

Relish the Aranchili bar snack with Enchanted Forest, a refreshing new cocktail being served this weekend all day long

at

Cyber Hub, Gurgaon

Cyber Hub: 9560700811/ 9821496971

Now Open from 11Am – 12Am

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enchanted-forest

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