FITNESS

Once Upon a New Year in 2016

POST DATE – 25 July 2016

Giving It A Go @Pinkathon Bangalore – Jan 2016

I registered for this run on a whim to see if I will actually go ahead and do it.

Mud Therapy @ Wicked Slush

In addition to the fun factor an obstacle race is also about physical strength as well as mental grit.

Pics courtesy : Fit I Am and Flash Bulbzz Photography

Run for the Ladies @ Contours Women’s Day Run

This crowd was a mix of students, college goers, housewives, working women with an age group ranging from 18 to 70 years.

As usual there was a mini zumba session but this time Bhangra style which got the runners pumped up.

First Night Run @ Nirbhaya Midnight Marathon

So I have been hitting the roads a bit more regularly in anticipation of the upcoming TCS run and decided why not try a night run for the heck of it!

The venue was KTPO Whitefield and the arrangements were a bit off with the parking a bit too far for the 4 wheelers.

Posted on October 19, 2016

How I Started Running

My blog till now has been more focussed on my love for Food with interspersed posts on my runs.

One thing I realized is that I can now run almost 25-30 mins on the treadmill continuously but when I tried to do that during my actual run events I struggled after 10 mins. I do realize that weather conditions and elevation has a lot to do with road running when compared to treadmill running but it does lower your spirits quite a bit.

An important thing is to remember not to push yourself as this can lead to injuries and I say this from personal experience. I jumped from a 5k to doing a 10k in a span of 3 months with limited training and landed up with tendonitis.

Finally motivation is important so go on and register yourself for your first run and push yourself to train with the run in mind.

The feeling of crossing the finish line on your first run is unforgettable and will ensure you to keep going!

Boost Your Workout with Zago Body Buddy

For a long while I have been on the lookout for ready to drink protein shakes and I recently came across a brand called Zago which makes protein drinks called Body Buddy. Since I am lactose intolerant, the first thing I looked up was if it was lactose free and I was quite happy to know it was not only lactose free but also gluten free, soy free and most importantly sugar free. I am glad to notice that the brains behind this drink acknowledges the disadvantages of sugar in such drinks and has eliminated the use here.

A little reading up about the product provided me with the below information,

In 2017, I have upped my races to 10k and though it has been a struggle initially as the months go I feel better with every race. My gym workouts have also improved and I can feel the changes in my body with respect to my muscles. I still haven’t achieved my dream body and I know it is going to be a long and probably never ending road but I’m getting there one day at a time.

Being a food lover and now a food blogger, my relationship with a healthy lifestyle is a 2 steps up and 1 step down process, but I do not intend to give up and know I have it in me to keep going.

Do check out more about their products below-

Twitter- https://twitter.com/zagolife 

PRODUCT REVIEW : Athlos Raglan T-shirt

Runners do not need much to get them going but now there are some good tshirts out there which are quick dry and comfortable for long distance runners too.

Being someone who doesnt take much care about the clothes worn and are more into the runs or workout, I recently came to conclusion that whatever I do the clothes will be soaked with sweat after a run / gym session. The worst part about this was the fact that many times in combination with the deodorant there would be an unpleasant odour.

Athlos active wear is made to keep the user comfortable, odour free and promote environmental responsibility by using natural materials.

PRICING:

FIRST GLANCE: 

The t shirt was well packaged with a small note on their brand and a personal hand written note. These personal touches are nice to note and I do hope they continue.

This is a tee with a specific purpose hence I liked the fact the designer has kept it simple except for a small design (3 lines) on the shoulder and the brand name on the back.

MY 2 BITS: 

Posted on November 29, 2016 

Follow me on Bloglovin

in Others on November 7, 2016

Chemmeen Peera / Prawns with coconut

• Prawns – 1/2 Kg (cleaned and deveined)

• Coconut shredded – 1 large coconut / 1 1/2 small coconuts

• Turmeric powder – 1 tsp.

• Kudampuli (Fish Tamarind) – 3 to 4 medium pieces (cleaned)

1. Clean, devein the prawns , cut them into small pieces (1 inch) and keep aside.

2.  Wash and soak the kudampuli in water for 8-10 mins.

7. Ensure there is a little water in the dish as it will become dry once it cools down.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

Tata Hexa – New Showstopper in Town

What does one think when they hear the name TATA – Trust is probably the first thing that pops in my mind. Tata has in the past delivered some successful and some not so successful car models and they are on the threshold of launching their SUV – Hexa in India.

Tata Motors have indeed outdone themselves with their new SUV and lifestyle car. The Hexa that packs quite a punch be it the stylish exteriors, sophisticated interiors or the smooth driving experience.

EXPERIENCE CENTRE:

Lets start with the Tata Hexa Experience Centre. The venue was White Orchid Convention Centre adjacent to Manyata Tech Park. Being part of the Indiblogger community I already had my Indipass and was directed to the IndiBlogger counter where I was greeted by a bunch of enthusiast team members.

Features in a nutshell:

• Attractive shades – Arizona Blue, Tungsten Silver, Pearl White, Platinum Silver and Sky Grey.

• Seat Belt for all seats

• ABS with Electronic Brake – Force Distribution (EBD)

• Rear AC vents

• App Compatible Navigation

This particular area was meant to be the highlight of the experience and the wait for our turn was worth it. The off road experience was to showcase the capabilities of the car through all kind of obstacles with an off road track.

We were taken through all the obstacles and off road track by an experienced car expert who took time in explaining every feature of the car along with on hand demonstration of the car’s capabilities and use of the different driving modes.

Hill Descent Control – This is another excellent feature which on a steep descent ensures the vehicle does not go faster that a preset speed allows the driver to let go of the accelerator and brake and let the vehicle take you down the descent.

Traction Control System – This feature helps the vehicle hold on slippery and wet terrains and we had a first hand experience on how well this vehicle manages to avoid slipping.

Cake Art & Christmas Cheer @ 42nd Annual Cake Show, Bangalore

By rohinijames in Events, Home on January 5, 2017

To be truthful I have never attended a Cake Show in Bangalore ever and would have not given the article in the newspaper a second glance if not for the interest showed by my kids.

• The show was designed and conceptualised by 76 year old Mr. C. Ramachandran and his team. Mr.Ramachandran is a veteran cake artist and baker.

• He was supported by Manish Gaur – Director, Institute of Baking & Cake Art, a pioneer in Baking, Confectionery and Cake Art Technology.

TANJORE PAINTING:

• Weight : 50 kilos
  Time taken : 30 Days
  No of people involved: 3

COOKIE DOLL HOUSE:

Weight: 35 kilos
Time taken : 35 Days
No of people involved: 1

CHRISTMAS CHEER CAKE:

Weight : 70 kilos
Time taken : 25 Days
No of people involved: 2

PEACOCK :

Weight : 25 kilos
Time taken : 25 Days
No of people involved: 3

CHESS CAKE:

Weight : 40 kilos
Time taken : 15 Days
No of people involved: 2

WEDDING CAKE :

Weight : 25 kilos
Time taken : 25 Days
No of people involved: 2

OTHERS:

IMAGES

Coffee Experience Of A Different Kind from Oh My Goodness

From 1996 CCD and Barista’s introduced the concept of iced coffees into the Indian market, nowadays Starbucks and even McD are continuing the trend of these ever popular iced coffee beverages.

Coffee brewed and then chilled with ice is essentially Iced Coffee. However when you have it at a cafe it is easy to ensure the dilution levels of the coffee and the ice but as a packaged drink, I think there is a lot of extra process involved to ensure that the coffee flavour is maintained as well it remains chilled.

Their iced coffees contain no preservatives, artificial colours and have only natural ingredients hence reducing the shelf life of the product. They are to be consumed within 21 days from the date of bottling hence their tag line THINK FRESH, DRINK FRESH!

The entire process from sourcing the ingredients, to grinding, brewing and delivering them is taken care by the team at DropKaffe.

They have also launched a range of Fruit-based smoothies in the market.

WEBSITE / ORDER PROCESS :

The bottles delivered to me where in good condition with no spillage or tampering of any sorts.

MY EXPERIENCE: 

So if you are keen to give them a go, do check out their products.

Give them a holler on their Facebook page.

Value for Money – 4.5/5 

NOTE : The above mentioned beverages were sent as a trial to offer my feedback and suggestions and my blog post is my unbiased review.

Chocolate Paan from Maazana, Mapro

For a chocolate and paan lover, this is a dream come true hence I recklessly picked up 2 packets of the same.

These small little yummy treats are brought to us by a well known brand Mapro Foods under the name of Mazaana. Mapro has been known in the market for its fruit jams, fruit beverage concentrates and fruit bars. A little in depth reading into their brand and products lead me to understand that the Mazaana range of dark and milk chocolate coated nuts have been available in the Indian market since 2012.

Priced at Rs.99/- per 80 gms pack the product is slightly on the expensive side but considering the cost involved in packing and quality, it is worth it.

They are also available online via their website Mapro Online Store as well as Amazon, Zopnow and local supermarkets.

Cooking Made Simple With TTK Prestige Cookware & Masterchef Shazia Khan

If you have been living in India, especially South India then you would definitely be familiar with the brand TTK Prestige. Started in 1928, this brand is considered to be one of the oldest business in India. I am quite sure there is no household which does not at least one appliance from the brand and hence I was quite glad to witness a cooking session by Masterchef Shazia Khan using TTK Prestige cookware.

My usually dull monday morning was transformed into a blur of activity to get ready and reach The Oberoi, Bangalore where TTK group had organized this event. A sensible location at the heart of the city making it convenient for food critics, bloggers and the press to reach.

A smart move by the company was to rope in Chef Shazia Khan who shot to limelight with Masterchef India. Though not an avid watcher of Masterchef, I had heard of Shazia Khan and I was glad to meet the very elegant lady in person. Though she was quite busy in prepping before the event, she obliged to a photo to every person who requested.

For the audience, the organizers had provided a list of the dishes which she was going to prepare using TTK Prestige cookware but what came as a surprise to me was that she was going to get all of it done within a span of one hour.

Grilled Figs with Almond crumble and Vanilla Mousse : 

Cuban Chicken Skewers : 

They understand the consumer’s gifting needs thereby specializing in flowers, cakes, chocolates, personalized products, festival merchandise, kids, home & living and fashion categories.

A very interesting point to note is that they ship orders to 150+ countries (including USA, UK, Australia, Canada etc) and 7,000+ pin codes in India and also has the same-day delivery network in 300 cities in India.

Pamper Yourself with Bomb Cosmetics @ Body Craft Spa & Salon, Bangalore

Bodycraft had its beginnings in 1991 started under the able hands of Ms Manjul Gupta, a protégé of the legendary Shahnaz Hussain. Since its inception, they have grown exponentially and now offers more than 400 services across salon and styling, wellness, skin care and cosmetology categories.

They currently have nine unisex salons in Bengaluru and caters to approximately 25,000 clients every month. The company, has more than 500 professionals trained by international experts from Wella, Sebastian, SP, Dermalogica, Ainhoa and EZFlow. They also retails more than 185 of its products.

After the usual process of cutting and cleaning the nails, a scrub was used to clear away the dead skin. A mask was applied for my hands and feet and kept on for 10 mins. The mask contains essential oils which help keep the skin soft and nourished.

The mask is then removed with a hot wet towel and at the end a Bomb cosmetics cream along with soya oil from the candle is massaged into the hands and feet.

I have had many manicures and pedicures done here and by far this is one of the best experiences specifically due to how soft and revitalized my hands and feet felt after the service.

So do yourself a favor and try out their Bomb Cosmetic services.

Gifting At Your Fingertips @ IGP.com

They understand the consumer’s gifting needs thereby specializing in flowers, cakes, chocolates, personalized products, festival merchandise, kids, home & living and fashion categories.

Do watch this video to know more about IGP and to understand what they have to offer, Click Here to watch.

Indian Gifts Portal is a one of the very few online gift shops that I have come across and can be a considered as a good choice to send gifts to your loved one’s in India as well as internationally. I would definitely recommend you give them a try.

Insure Your Hair With Olaplex @ Body Craft Spa & Salon

By rohinijames in Home, Product on April 26, 2017

Olaplex is a bond multiplier invented by Dr. Eric Pressly, PHD and Dr. Craig Hawker, PHD, a nationally recognized and well-respected scientist who was focused on molecular engineering. When your hair goes through chemical treatments of any kind, the sulfur bonds in the hair split and turn into sulfur hydrogen which eats away at the hair protein. In simpler terms, your hair gets extremely damaged, dry, and hay-like. However, if Olaplex formula is added to the treatment, it prevents splitting by linking broken bonds in your hair. Olaplex bonds and seals the hair.

Olaplex repairs even the most bleached and frazzled locks and restore them to their former glory.The wonder product works from inside out to condition and strengthen your hair whilst reconnecting any broken hair structure and existing damage to your hair bonds. It will benefit chemically coloured hair as well as dry and damaged hair from numerous other services including thermal (permanent straightening) and mechanical (blow drying, ironing and tonging).

“Olaplex aims to help buffer and protect the hair during a colour or straightening service.”

Olaplex No 3 “Hair Perfector”– This is an at home maintenance treatment, which will help sustain hair’s colour as well as strength and integrity of the hair until the next salon treatment as it continues to link bonds within the hair. It can be used as a pre-shampoo treatment every 7 to 14 days between salon visits. It is not a conditioning treatment intended to be left on the hair.

HOW DOES OLAPLEX WORK?

USING OLAPLEX AS A STANDALONE TREATMENT:

This is a great treatment that can be used whether you have had a chemical service or not. The Bond Multiplying system can be used as a reset button for your hair and by doing so allows you to rebuild the strength, structure, and integrity to the point where a color or chemical service would then be feasible once again. This treatment may be done before and/or after a chemical service/ thermal service. It’s a great way to help sustain the structure of the hair and leaves hair feeling soft and manageable. Compatible with all hair types from virgin to extremely damaged hair.

I am writing this blog two weeks after the Olaplex treatment at Bodycraft Salon & Spa and after a week visit to Maldives where I have put my hair through snorkelling, scuba diving, laps in the pool and excessive seabreeze and sunshine.

I noticed that after every wash (which was twice a day during the trip) somehow though I was expecting the worst, my hair seems to be soft and there is almost no breakage or hair fall.

“Salon industry professionals call Olaplex hair insurance because of its ability to repair broken disulfide sulfur bonds in the hair “.

WILL I USE OLAPLEX AGAIN?

From my experience, definitely a YES. Olaplex treatment may not provide any visible physical effects on your hair but in the coming days and weeks you will witness a vast difference in your hair texture and improved elasticity.

Exclusive Culinary Workshop of AXN Top Chef Dishes by Chef Abhijit Saha @ Godrej Nature’s Basket

I was recently invited to a cooking demonstration by renowned Chef Abhijit Saha where he recreated dishes from the cooking show AXN Top Chef. The event was sponsored by Godrej Nature’s Basket and the event was held at their premises.

Image courtesy : http://www.axn-india.com

Though I love food and cooking (latter to some extent!), I have never had the time to watch any cooking shows except for maybe occasional episodes of Masterchef. This invite got me curious about the show Top Chef and hence I landed doing the expected i.e. digging up a little about the show and its history. For those who are as ignorant as me I have put together a little info about the show incase you would be interested to give them a peek.

I have a soft spot for this store as they stock some items which are impossible to find in regular stores across Bangalore such as Borges Fusilli Durum Wheat Pasta, Borges Extra Light Olive Oil and Hintz Cocoa Powder.

I do know a little bit about Chef Abhijit Saha as I have visited his restaurants Fava and Caperberry in UB City.

It was a pleasure not only to watch his cooking but also his way of presenting every dish. A well organized event which I hear would be happening in other cities across India in the coming days at Godrej Nature’s Basket.

World On A Plate @ VR Bengaluru Year One Celebrations

By rohinijames in Events, Home on June 8, 2017

Gold Rush Entertainment is an idea house that provides end to end brand and event solutions. In the past, Gold Rush has churned a number of exciting projects and activations across various cities in India including The George Calombaris – India Tour and the of course the most remarkable one being the 1^st edition of World on a Plate in Bangalore. 

This year they announced the launch of the World on a Plate Academy supported by Gary Mehigan. The WOAP Academy aims to be a finishing school for young culinary professionals and food entrepreneurs. Kiran Soans, CEO, Gold Rush Entertainment, said “We wanted to close the gap and give aspiring chefs and food entrepreneurs in India the opportunity to learn the latest skills from the best in the world and have access to the best ingredients and technology.”

India’s favourite chef Ranveer Brar said “This is an extraordinary food festival bringing together some of the world’s finest chefs. I am sure good lovers in Bangalore will be taken on a whirlwind of flavours at the World on a Plate 2”.

Chef Ranveer Brar’s “Cured Salmon & Chilli Compressed Melon and Ice Apples”

This edition of World on a Plate 2 was a culinary extravaganza where the chefs took the city’s food lovers through exclusive Master Classes creating their signature dishes. This was followed by an exclusive tete–a– tete where the chefs will shared their personal experiences and moments. The event ended with Master Chef Live where the chefs tasted and judged 25 of city’s best restaurants to award them the titles of World on a Plate “Best Restaurant of the year”, “People’s Choice Award” and “Best Dessert”. 

A big shout out to Mr.Deepayan Roy for the invite and congratulations to the well deserved success of this year’s WOAP!

Exploring The Food Scene Inside Kempegowda International Airport

Our first stop was La Tapenade at the International Departure area.

As the name suggest this is a Mediterranean Cafe located a little away from the duty free shops giving passengers a relaxing and quiet area to unwind before their flight. The seating area is spread over a large area from high stools to comfortable lounge chairs for those in for the long haul.

This restaurant is a pleasure for the eyes with its traditional decor and dressed staff. They have maintained the atmosphere one can expect in those old South Indian homes right down to the steel plates with banana leaf.

Being a true South Indian, this place would be an ideal choice to savour some South Indian favourites before heading off.  Their menu is spoilt for choice ranging from idlis, vadas, bajjis to even full fledged South Indian Thali.

After a fulfilling meal of snacks, we headed for a small walk over to the Italian restaurant – Alta Vita. 

Our guide and chef Mr.Murali gave us a brief about the dishes selected to be part of the menu here with emphasis on the efforts taken to ensure all the dishes are made from scratch every day and that reflects in the food served to its patrons. The elegant yet subtle decor adds to the warmth of the restaurant making it an ideal stopover if you are craving Italian food.

Our last stop was the Puro Gusto which is essentially a cafe of sorts which is the usual place you would see in most airports across the world. The menu at Puro Gusto is simple with salads, sandwiches, paninis, croissants, juices, coffees and more.

After all the food we had at our earlier stops, we decided to try the salads including a fruit salad.

Women Blogepreneur Workshop with Priya Shiva

By rohinijames in Events, Home on July 22, 2017

Though this post is more of a personal one, I am quite excited to share a wonderful experience. Recently I received an invitation for a blogging workshop and I wondered if I truly need to attend one and what would I learn from it. But a small nudge from the lady who was conducting this workshop made me attend and I must say it was a Saturday well spent.

About the Speaker: 

Though in the food blogging arena for a while now, I am more of a restaurant and product review blogger and I have not ventured into the recipe creation space of food blogging.

During this day long workshop the attendees were given guidance and directions to help them set up their first blog.

Subjects covered included setting up a blog, blog design, creating great content, structuring blog posts, understanding social media and its advantages,photography and branding. 

This workshop was not about far fetched ideas, complicated suggestions or making you figure out things for yourself instead she was ready to guide everyone present there every step of the way.

Face-to-face workshops are a great opportunity to share thoughts and ideas and this workshop allowed me to share my experience about blogging journey and how I balanced everything along with my family.

Success does not happen overnight but it needs hard work, passion and consistency.

A special mention to the hospitality partner of the event – Hotel Royal Orchid where it is always a pleasure to return to. Their staff were always at hand and a thank you for the interesting lunch spread at their all day dining Cafe – Limelight.

Pizza Hut Celebrates The Spirit of Womanhood With “Start-Up Hours”

Pizza Hut, the world’s leading affordable casual dining and delivery restaurant brand recently announced the launch of an entrepreneurial assistance campaign “Start-up Hours” in association with a start up platform, Chatur Ideas. The campaign is aimed mainly at aspiring women entrepreneurs in Bangalore offering holistic start-up services to empower women in their journey to build a profitable and innovative start-up.

Pizza Hut with its presence in over 100 countries is one of the flagship brands of Yum! Brands Inc. Pizza Hut’s trademark dining experience has been recognized by Brand Equity to make it the ‘Most Trusted Food Service Brand’ for 11 years in a row. They were also awarded with “Food Service Retailer of the Year 2016” by Franchise India.

Their organization firmly believes in supporting and encouraging entrepreneurs and they aim to be able to provide this guidance to every part of the country.

Women entrepreneurs availing ‘Start-up Hours’ will also have an access to Chatur Ideas eminent mentor panel which includes industry stalwarts like Google, JP Morgan, Religare, Facebook etc. The panel along with imparting domain specific knowledge will also leverage their network to provide the right guidance to the aspiring entrepreneurs. Chatur Ideas will also offer social media services at a subsidized cost to the women entrepreneurs.

TRAVEL BLOG POSTS

Heavenly Monserrat – Catalonia

Snapshots | Road Trip | Bandipur National Park & Ooty

By rohinijames in Home, India, Snapshots, Travel on February 7, 2017

Bandipur National Park established in 1974 as a tiger reserve under Project Tiger is a national park located in the south Indian state of Karnataka.

We occupied the Windflower Suite and the room was huge, sufficient for a family of 2 adults and 2 small kids.

Since the resort does not have any TV’s and internet connectivity, they provide various indoor and outdoor activities and facilities.

• Yoga classes

• Hole in one putting

• Jungle safari (extra charge)

BOATING AT OOTY LAKE

Jade Garden Restaurant

Garden at the Hotel

Travel | Glimpse Into India’s French Aura | Pondicherry

Most of this city was planned during the French rule and the perpendicular streets and pattern of arrangement are credited to their times. The town has 2 sections – French Quarter or White Town and Indian Quarter.  Many streets throughout the town still retain the French names and it is a common sight to see many menus and signs in French even now.

White Town is the popular tourist area and has the rows of colonial styled villas and houses many of which have been preserved in the form of boutiques and restaurants.

• Auroville

• Promenade Beach

Eglise de Notre Dame des Anges:

AUROVILLE:

BEACHES:

Promenade Beach

The property includes a outdoor swimming pool, spa and wellness centre and fitness centre. They have 2 restaurants – Open House Coffee shop and Gardenia which serves Indian, Chinese and Continental cuisine.

As a food lover, I did get the opportunity to visit some well known restaurants and the below are not to be missed,

• Kamatchi

Stay tuned for a snapshots of my food journey in Pondicherry.

Travel | Places to Eat | Pondicherry

BAKER STREET – French Delicacies Store

Baker Street is a popular French style bakery started in 2008.  As Pondicherry is known for its French connections, this bakery was initially started for its French tourists and it’s originality and authentic French breads and pastries has made it one of the go to places for all tourists and residents.

All their food is homemade and range from simple breads, such as Baguettes, multi-grain loaves, whole wheat loaves and dinner rolls to pastries, sandwiches, pizzas, quiches and homemade chocolates.

LE DUPLEIX  – Quaint French Charm

White Town is one of the most sought after locations in Pondicherry and is a great choice for travelers interested in history, architecture and of course beaches. Le Dupleix, a designer hotel is one of the best hotels in this area and houses the restaurant – The Courtyard. 

This restaurant serves Indian, European and French cuisines. The ambience is a elegant and classy and the service is impeccable.

CAFE XTASI – Best Pizzas in Pondicherry 

This pizzeria is quite a nondescript kind of cafe which offers 60 different pizzas of various sizes up to 25 inches, more than 15 kinds of pasta and salads. The rush outside this cafe is a sure indication of the popularity of this place with residents and tourists. Their open pizza kitchen at the entrance is a sight to watch as the pizzas are made with such speed and expertise.

COST: ₹ 1000 for 2 people 

BAY OF BUDDHA – Romantic Rooftop Dinner  

COST: ₹ 1500 – 2000 for 2 people (without alcohol)                                                            

HOURS: 7 pm – 11 pm. 

HOTEL SRI KAMATCHI –  A Touch of Local 

HOURS: 12.00 – 4.30 pm ; 6.30 – 10 pm. 

LOCATION: 5, Labourdonnais Street, Near Old Law College, White Town, Puducherry. 

Travel | Hotel Radisson Blu | Coimbatore

Coimbatore has always been a flash trip as we only stop over in this city on the way to Kerala for a lunch or a snack. Though I have lived in Chennai for 23 years, I realize now that I have never visited this city till I moved to Bangalore. Hence this trip we decided to halt at Coimbatore and spend an entire day in this city.

Coimbatore also known earlier as Kovai is the second largest city in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu and known as the Textile and Engineering City of Tamil Nadu. This city known for its industrial set ups and textile mills is emerging to be the distribution hub of Tamil Nadu.  Though traditional in its roots, this city is diverse and cosmopolitan. The bustling city of Coimbatore has many attractions such as the Nilgiris Mountains, Marudamalai Temple, Thirumoorthy Hills, and waterfalls like Kovai Kutralam, Vaideki, and Isha Yoga by Sadhguru. 

Though having a side entrance and not a direct one to the front of their hotel it is still quite impressive and eye catching. Designed to welcome business and savvy travelers the ambience is quite breath taking with high ceiling lobby, contemporary designs and elegant interiors. 

ROOMS:

Additional features provided by this hotel are their accessibility features such as Wheelchair-accessible lobby, public entrance, public restrooms and restaurants which is a welcome addition and in my opinion a necessity. 

DINING: 

In the evening hours, the kids wanted to use the pool and it was nice to see a kiddy pool along with the infinity swimming pool. One thing I noticed was there is no constraint for space in this hotel and even the pool area had adequate area for those wanting to relax or get a nice tan by the pool. 

We also used their spa services with my hubby deciding to go in for a relaxing massage to unwind after the long and tiring drive here. Their spa menu is quite impressive offering various services including beauty services. 

RADISSON BLU, COIMBATORE: 

No. 164-165, Avinashi Road, Peelamedu
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641004
India

FOOD BLOGS

Taste of Malabar – Malabar Bay

By rohinijames in Food, Home, South Indian on July 26, 2017

Though mentioned BTM, it was located very close to Forum Mall. The restaurant has a non-conspicuous entrance especially from the outside and only once you enter you realize how spacious the place is with two floors of seating. The ground floor caters for breakfast, students, bus crowd and the evening crowd all who want to grab a quick bite. The first floor is divided into 2 areas, one for the office crowd who expect quick service and a separate area, which is for more leisurely dining.

A quick walk through the first floor would bring a smile to your face as every turn would remind you of Kerala and that is the intention of such decor.

Some of the starters I recollect from memory were – Prawns Tawa Fry, Malapuram Chicken, Avoli Thawa Fry, Mutton Liver Roast, Mutton Roast, Koyilandy Chicken Fry, Malabar Mushroom fry, Chemmeen Kondattam, Kozhi Thullichathu, Duck Mappas, Vazhi Thirinna Kozhi Fry.

For those not familiar with Malayalam these dishes would sound very weird but if you are lucky enough to have a Mallu friend then I suggest you take his/her help in ordering. As is noticeable from the above list, we tried everything from Chicken to Mutton to Mutton liver as well as seafood.

Finally coming to dessert, which I could only nibble into due to the large amount of food I gorged till now. My bravehearted friends ordered for Biscuit Pudding, Kairali Jamuns, Banana Toffee Ice Cream, Phirni and Shahi Tukda.

I tried them all, though I really took a liking to their Biscuit Pudding which I landed up ordering 2 nos. as a takeaway to relish at home.

Food Taste – 4.5/5

Beverages– 4.5/5 

Royal Dining Experience @ Delhi Highway

One such restaurant I have come across is Delhi Highway. Though I have passed this restaurant numerous times in the last year and visited all other restaurants around it, I really never thought about trying them out. 

An opportunity came my way recently when I had to meet some friends who were mainly vegetarian and the meet up was convenient for all in Indira Nagar. It was a weekday dinner and we were all meeting after office hence it was around by the time all of us got together. Being located on the busy 12th Main Road they have valet which is a plus. 

The prices are a bit on the higher side and I am sure that mainly due to the kind of ingredients used and the quality of food served to their patrons.

We had a lot of fun at the get together and I am glad to say that our choice of restaurant and food made it a memorable one. Delhi Highway is one of the few vegetarian restaurants which has left a lasting impression and is a great place for friends as well as family.

Quantity/Quality – 3.5/5

Value for Money – 3.55

Reflection Into The Soul Of Ramzan – Sharing Of Food & Love

A picture speaks a thousand words and I would like to dedicate this post to the amazing food I had a chance to taste and shoot during my walk around Frazer Town during the Ramazan season in June 2017.

I did a little research before my food walk and visited only a few selective restaurants serving their food outside their restaurants but managed to tick off all the dishes I wanted to try out. Some of the dishes I tasted were – Bheja fry, Keema Pav, Chicken Kebab, Mutton Seekh, Prawn Skewers, Fried Crab, Stuffed Chicken Breast, Paya, Haleem, 4-5 types of Biryani, Shahi Tudka, Khubani ka Meetha and many more.

In addition to prayers, after all, this is what this season is all about Food & Sharing.

Timings : 6 – 11 pm

Suited for: Vegetarians (Egg), Non Vegetarians (Including Beef and Camel)

6 Years & Going Strong – The Biere Club

On the occasion of their 6th year anniversary, a bunch of us got together to try out their new brews as well as their new menu on a fine Saturday afternoon. Their location is smack in the middle of Lavelle Road which makes it quite unmissable and the crowd I saw at 1 pm would vouch for the popularity of this place. Spread across 2 floors, the decor is simple yet comfortable as it is meant to be a lounging spot where you spend a few hours relaxing over a few drinks.

Among the first few to arrive, my friend and I decided to go ahead and the bartender brought us their beer sampler which consisted of Ragi, Mango,English Porter, Lite Lager and Belgian Wit.I have come to love some craft beers over the last few years of being introduced to it but I have never tried Ragi biere and though more interested initally in their Mango biere which is seasonal, I was taken aback with the great taste of their Ragi Biere. Being no expert in this area, I realized I should have listened to my friend who kept raving about their Ragi beer from the beginning. Being health conscious, this biere made from millets is indeed quite a pick and I loved the taste of it being just the right amount of bitterness. So I finally settled in for my very large mug of Ragi biere to keep me company for the rest of my meal while others tried their other biere’s as well a very interesting looking mocktail – Strawberry Virgin Mojito.

Thanks to the never ending discussions on beef in India, it was a pleasure to see them serve up a lip smacking Roasted Tenderloin Fillet which tasted even better thanks to the Horseradish Gravy served with it. 

Never one to miss out on any prawn dish in the menu, I loved their version of Grilled Jumbo Shell on Prawns, Hot Garlic Butter. 

Service/Hospitality – 4/5

Food Taste – 4.5/5

Spice Route Food Festival @ Aloft CBP

Aloft Cessna Business Park’s restaurant Nook brings to you flavours from different countries across the globe and this June they are hosting the Spice Route Food Festival showcasing the journey of flavours from Yemen to Gujarat. The festival is ongoing from 12th -23rd June 2017.

The Food festival features a combination of what the spice route is known for from their Haleem to sumptuous kebabs, tikkas to very interesting desserts and unique mango based cocktails.

The main course was also a large spread including gravies such as Bohra Murgh Badami Korma, Gosht Darbari, Fish Nirdrish, Murgh Reshmi Biryani, Khatta Mitha Dal and Kefti Dal.  There were as usual too many dishes on the menu hence I tried small portions of all the dishes to taste them all. I loved the mild flavours from the Biryani as well as the Fish Nirdrish.

However the showstopper was their Irani Ran which was served in a large plate in tradition with the usual way the food is supposed to be eaten. The meat was soft and just melted in the mouth. The gravy provided along with the dish was delicious and went perfectly with the raan.

Service – 4.5/5

Food Taste – 4.5/5

Mango Mania @ Farzi Café

Summer being synonymous with mangos, Farzi Cafe was not far behind in curating a mango based menu for food lovers in Bangalore to feast on.

I landed up visiting on a weekday afternoon with my mother in tow. I was not expecting a crowd since it was bang in the centre of the week but it seems like the office crowd in UB City are regular patrons of this establishment.

Another interesting dish we got to taste was the Roasted Fish Tacos and not being a Taco person, I could just give it a bite, though my mom did like the stuffing and the mango salsa added that extra zing to the dish.

An array of starters followed – Ghee Podi Idlis with Raw Mango and Cashewnut Masala, Tandoori River Sole with Kacchi Ambi ki Chutney and Spiced Chicken Meatballs with Raw Mango and Cheese Core. Idlis have a special corner in my heart and this dish reminded me of those good old days. I would never expected an establishment of this stature to serve food so simple!

We ended our meal with excellently plated Vanilla pod Cheesecake with Kesari Aam Ras and Baileys Lollypop. 

Though not my first visit to Farzi Cafe, second time turned out to be quite interesting and for those of you who love anything to do with mangoes do visit them before the Mango Mania food festival ends.

Barrels of Beer @ District 6

Once settled in we had a taste of the brews available and for some reason I was more in the mood for a cocktail and settled for the Espresso Martini and a Watermelon Mojito for the hubby. Both drinks were well prepared and if you are coffee lover then the Espresso Martini is a must try! 

For starters we tried the Sriracha Prawns, Korean Beef Tenderloin and Chilli Butter Garlic Prawns. We love our starters and as usual the order for 2 would seems a bit overboard. The Sriracha prawns were absolutely yummy (for loss of a better word!). The dip provided with it made it even tastier. The Beef Tenderloin was a bit under done hence do put in a word for it to be well done while ordering. Nevertheless the beef did taste good and the portions are good for 3 persons. Since we really enjoyed the Sriracha Prawns, we went for another prawn starters - Chilli Butter Garlic Prawns which turned out to be very different from what we expected. This was more of a indian version of prawns with chopped onions,garlic and green chillies tossed in butter. 

Authentic Pan Asian Flavours @ Misu

There's always a new place in town but if it is anything to do with Asian food then I definitely take notice. Though I am not a regular to St.Marks road except for the occasional lunch, I am yet to visit The Open Box which have rave reviews. Misu is located on the same floor as The Open Box and I was surprised to hear it is the same team which runs the show. 

The latest entry into the Pan Asian restaurants, Misu is a 45-50 seater charming and chic little gourmet haven located right in the heart of Bangalore on St. Marks Road. The restaurant while being pan asian does dive right into the flavours of Asian cuisine including Japan, China and most of South East Asia.   

Moving on to some sea food appetizers were the Tempura Prawns which had just the right amount of crispness and with the chilli paste makes it a great appetizer with your drink. 

An interesting starter was a banana leaf wrapped Indonesian grilled fish called Ikan Pepe and the flavours of this simple dish with ginger and chilli was absolutely spot on. 

After all these starters, I was craving for a lighter dish and was served the Bok Choy and Mushrooms which turned out to be well prepared though I felt the Bok Choy was completely shadowed by the mushroom and sauces. 

While we took a break from all the above dishes, we tried a few more beverages from their interesting range of cocktails, mocktails and iced teas. The Kampai "Cheers" , a signature blend of vodka, lychee and lime was light and more of day drink in my opinion. 

The Wok Fried rice was light and soothing way to end your meal. 

Though we had no room for any more food, we knew we had to give in to a dessert and ended our meal with their special Singapore Style Ice Cream Sandwich.  Though not a first for me, I did like their use of Lemongrass and Green Tea flavours in the dessert. 

Food Taste – 4.5/5

Beverages– 4.0/5 

Rahhams – A Taste You Will Never Forget!

Bangalore has many options for this dish ranging from the posh restaurants to the simple roadside biryani joints. However I truly found a great destination for biryani only after a recommendation by a family friend and this was way back in 2010.

I only know that the place was called Richies and after a lot of searching I finally realized that Richies and Rahhams were one and the same. My first visit was on weekday afternoon at their Frazer town restaurant and we were a bit late, past the usual lunch hour and were flabbergasted to see the restaurant packed at 2.30 pm. Luckily enough, we got a table pretty quickly and though it was many years ago, I recollect that was turning point in my search for good biryani. Fast forward 7 years later and I still head here when craving for a biryani.

Do note, if you come after 12.30 pm or after 8.30 pm on weekends for take away for biriyani, it will be over.. That’s how popular this place is!

So, if you have been on a search for good biryani then this is the place to head too.

Quantity/Quality – 4.5/5

Value for Money – 4.5/5

Have A ‘Whale’ Of A Time @ MobyDick

The cafe is inviting with a board kept outside for passerby’s to note the specials for the day. A friendly staff members welcomes you in and though a cafe the place seems huge especially considering their prime location. Since I was the first to arrive I looked for a cosy yet central table and got myself oriented with the place which is a must for me nowadays with the food blogging and all.

It turned out to be one of my lucky days as the owner was in and he gave a small rundown about the cafe and turned a blind eye to the crazy number of pics I kept clicking away.

There is no way we were heading out without trying some of their signature desserts and I managed to take a bite of their Baked Rasagulla, Sizzling Brownie and Mississippi Mud Pie. The Baked rasagulla is a very innovative and quite light on the tummy.

The brownie is a touch and go mainly because it needs to be eaten right away and I generally do not like hot desserts.

Service/Hospitality – 4.0/5

Food Taste – 4.0/5

Mother’s Day @ Barbeque Nation

Barbeque Nation is a name everyone is quite familiar with. They brought the concept of unlimited grills to Bangalore and there has been no turning back since 2007.

I still recollect their first branch in Indira Nagar where I had my first meal at their restaurant with a few good friends and we ate for 3 hours! This was a few years ago and since then they have now have around 9 branches in Bangalore alone. In addition they also have their presence all across India.

For main course, the buffet spread consisted of dishes such as Hyderabadi Kachhe Murgh ki Biryani, Bangalorean Fish Curry , Bade Miyaan ke Rolls at a live roll counter and a chat counter as well.

Our meal ended with some lovely desserts such as Truffle Pudding, Kiwi Pastry, Chocolate brownie, Mango Shrikhand and a delectable range of Kulfis at the restaurant’s Kulfi Nation counter.

Ambiance – 3.5/5 

Service/Hospitality – 4.0/5

Goa With The Flow @ Fisherman’s Wharf By rohinijames in Cocktails, Drinks, European, Food, Home, Indian, North Indian, Quick Review, South Indian on May 20, 2017

Fisherman’s Wharf has been on my radar for a while now and this blog post is coming in quite late though I managed a 2nd visit within a span of one month. The first visit was intentional and I made time to specifically visit them for lunch as I had heard a lot about their food. The second visit turned out to be a birthday dinner of a close friend.

However I really did like some of their main course dishes which I assume is changed on a daily basis. Their chat counter was also quite well done.

The dessert spread was not too many but enough to keep most patrons satisfied after a heavy meal.

Both visits, were enjoyable in its own way, one with hubby and the other with friends. The food may not be exemplary but no doubt tastes good and their buffet is definitely a big hit with the office goers in the area.

Quantity/Quality – 3.5/5

Value for Money – 3.5/5

Unlimited Pizza Fridays @ Pizza Hut

They are well known for their Italian-American cuisine menu including pizzas and pastas, as well as side dishes and desserts. The company has more than 16,000 locations worldwide and is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., one of the world’s largest restaurant companies.

For this event we visited the new outlet in Phoenix Market City, Whitefield. I never realized there was any area left on the 2nd floor of the mall to accommodate another food outlet and I was quite surprised to see a reasonably spaced stand alone outlet opened up here. The decor is as in most of their outlets, all about their pizzas, simple and minimalistic.

Gorging away

No one is giving up easily

Terms and Conditions:

• Offer valid per person and sharing is not allowed.

• Offer is valid for a limited period only.

Winning Moves @ Dice N Dine

4 comments

Sometimes a place beckons you with its catchy name and being in the popular food destination “Koramangala” in Bangalore definitely adds to the curiosity.

I love games of any kind and thereby a self proclaimed geek hence my eyes light up at the spread of games here and I couldnt wait to get my hands on them. They do have an awesome package of Rs.200 per hour where you can order your food and beverages within that amount.

Since I was one of the first in my group to arrive, I had enough time to get to chat with a pleasant gentleman who approached me as I was busy clicking away pictures which is the norm for me nowadays. The gentleman turned out to be the new owner and thats when I realized that Dice N Dine is an old cafe revamped under new ownership. Although the cafe has been popular for their game and eat concept, the new owner wanted to ensure the patrons gets unique and of course easy to eat dishes (so they can play and eat) which tingled their taste buds to come back for more.

CHEESE STUFFED ONION RINGS: Everyone’s evening snack onion rings is not easy to pass off as a starter even though its a cafe. But add a bit of cheese and fry to perfection then you definitely have a winner on your hands. A must try here.

EMPANADAS : 

DICE N DINE PIZZA: Keeping in mind a gamer’s mindset this pizza was evolved thereby making it easy to dig in and keeping playing at the same time. It may not looking very interesting but hands down one of the tastiest pizzas with the simplest of ingredients used.

MINCED MEAT LOAF:  Very similar to the mozarella garlic loaf however with delicious shredded meat inside and of course loads of cheese too.

COUSCOUS WITH LAMB SALAD:  This salad though looked a handful was not too much to my liking. Being a bit health conscious the couscous definitely was a must try for me but the lamb was a bit disappointing being cooked a little too much.

BROCCOLI AND SHRIMP SALAD: A simple seafood salad with a dressing which leaves a lingering taste long after.

DESSERTS:

Though we were dessert lovers, most of us were too stuffed to order any particular dessert and hence was lucky enough to get a taste of all their desserts in one platter. We tried the Fried ice cream, Brownie, Blueberry cheesecake, almond and caramel granola, Death by Chocolate cake. I really enjoyed the fried ice cream and definitely trying a normal serving of this one on my next visit.

Food Taste – 4.5/5

Beverages– 4.5/5 

Indulge Yourself @ Atty’s Bakery

Being a part of the foodie circle in Bangalore, I have been hearing a lot about Empire Group’s new venture into bakery and confectionary products but still my usual misconceptions about such outlets stopped me from trying them out.

Recently I received a hamper from Atty’s Bakery from a friend and though sceptical I decided to dive in and check out all the well packed goodies in it.

I kept the Carrot cake as the last item to try not expecting much as it was after all just a carrot cake. However it was so soft and the flavour from the carrot and cinnamon was delightful making me want to finish the whole thing by myself ( I did share just a few bites!).

Atty’s Bakery menu also comprises of dry fruit cakes, cookies, buns, savouries, muffins and cupcakes in addition to the above mentioned items. They have an in house well experienced team which make all the ingredients including the flour mixes. Their products are supposed to be chemical free, preservative free and alcohol free. They also take orders for customised cakes and special occasions to be made in advance.

Good Times @ Hoot Cafe & Brewery

A very unassuming building opens into one of the largest microbreweries in Bangalore spread across a whopping 40,000 sq ft which can supposedly accommodate 900 people.

There are 3 floors including an open air seating surrounded by coconut trees and water bodies if you are more of a one with nature kinda person. Luckily the weather was accommodating and the lovely breeze and the occasional drizzle made way for a lovely evening here.

Being a microbrewery, I did notice the tanks behind the bar counter for their different brews located on the ground floor.

As expected the crowd here is quite young but I was surprised to find one or two families with kids and babies which was a pleasant surprise.  The music played by the DJ on the ground floor is absolutely foot tapping with a mix of the latest chartbusters interspersed with some good ol’ oldies.

Among the non veg starters I tried – Multani Fish, Chicken Potli Takatak, Tempura Prawn and Hot Pot Lamb Chops. Once again, all the starters ordered we very well prepared and enjoyed my group as well as me.

I would definitely recommend trying their Multani Fish and the Lamb chops.

Ambiance – 4.5/5 

Service/Hospitality – 4/5

Live Grill Experience @ Absolute Barbecue’s

When AB’s first opened its doors in Bangalore with its concept of a wish grill with different exotic meats I could only think of Khublai Khans Mongolian Barbecue restaurant I visited in Glasgow. They have the same concept of serving exotic meat such as Crocodile, Wild boar, Zebra, Kangaroo and such. I was quite surprised that a place like AB’s was allowed to flourish and that it did with huge crowds flocking in day in and out especially the young crowd from the surrounding offices.

My first visit a few years ago left me quite disappointed as the restaurant was over crowded and the emphasis seemed more of quantity rather than quality. Hence I was quite hesitant to visit it for the next few months but recently decided to give them another chance this time with my family.

They have special counters where one can go and choose the item such as their Chaat counter which serves pani puri, pre-prepared papdi chaat and other chaat items.

IVE GRILL COUNTER:

SALAD COUNTER:

MAIN COURSE:  

If you have a large party to throw and are in the vicinity then do head over to AB’s to gorge and hang out with friends.

Ambiance – 3.5/5 

Value for Money – 4/5

Food | Delhi 6 Food Festival | Aloft CBP | Bangalore

By rohinijames in Cocktails, Cuisine, Drinks, Food, Home, Indian, North Indian on April 19, 2017

We also had the bartender send our way some whisky and chocolate based cocktails. The Espresso Old fashioned was a great drink which was reordered by many!

Move over to their starters which reminds you of your dilli visits such as Boti kebab, Gosht kakori kebab, Paneer mewa ki khurchan and many more. The variety of kebabs were quite good ranging from Dahi kai kebab, Bherwa galouti kebab, Gosht Kakori kebab and Boti kebab. I really liked the Gosht Kakori Kebab as the meat was soft and literally melted in my mouth.

A taste of Gola was mandatory even it if there’s no space to have it! A perfect ending to our meal.

The Delhi 6 Food Festival is on from 10th-21st April 2017 for lunch and dinner and priced at Rs.1099/-.

Highway Hangout @ The Terminal

A few months ago, a new restaurant cum lounge opened up on Old Madras Road which brought a smile to my lips due to its proximity to my residence. Though I said it is close by, it is located on the Bangalore Kolar highway and is actually 14 kms from my residence but due to the highway and good roads it is reachable within 15 mins.

The place is quite unmissable as it is in the shape of a Terminal similar to the one’s you see at the airports worldwide and this itself would make you stop to check the place out to satisfy your curiosity.

BEVERAGES:

Coming back to the theme, all their cocktails have distinct names ranging from Mile High Madness, Cruising Altitude to Sky Miles. Since we were a boisterous group of friends, we tried a lot of them but some did stick to having their usual beers too.

The menu at The Terminal is quite a spread ranging from Quick bites which are available all day in the form of sandwiches, short eats, burgers, katti rolls, coffee, tea and coolers. The lunch and dinner ala carte menu has a lot of choices from North Indian, Continental to Chinese.

APPETIZERS – VEG:

APPETIZERS – NON VEG:

Golchonda Chicken: Chicken spicy enough to match the name given. This one’s for the spice lovers!

MIXED PLATTER : The platter consisted of a mix of Chicken Tikka, Mutton Kebab, Fish Tikka and Saffron Prawns. Easy choice of a starter for a large group.

MAIN COURSE:

I love biryani and especially in a large group of friends, there is always someone who loves it as much as you. The biryani was made a bit of the traditional dum style and mildly flavoured making it a perfect ending to my meal.

DESSERTS:  Not one to miss trying a few desserts, these below desserts are out of the ordinary and if you have a sweet tooth, trust me it’s worth driving down here just for these! 

Food lovers in Bangalore would hesitate to travel 30 odd kms for a meal, but I would ask each and everyone of you to give this place a try keeping in mind that it would be a half a day trip to come here, enjoy your meal and head back.

A great highway hang out spot especially if you come with a large group of buddies.

Quantity/Quality – 4/5

Value for Money – 4/5

Experience The Joy Of Italian Cuisine @ Toscano, Bangalore

Though located inside the mall, once you enter the restaurant you do not realise what lies outside. Their classy yet laidback ambience helps you settle you in for your meal. As expected their service is prompt and courteous, giving enough privacy just when you need it.

It is not possible to start a meal in an Italian restaurant without ordering drinks and here goes our order.

Chilled Tomato Gazpacho: For a change, we had a Spanish soup chilled and made with tomatoes, peppers and herbs. A good option for the summers.

NTIPASTI / APPETIZERS :

Chilled Prawn Cocktail: Another soothing starter for the summer. As simple as it sounds, it isnt the easiest to make and I really appreciated the sauces used to make this a wicked little dish!

Spinach, potato, spaghetti & walnut croquettes: Crispy breaded croquettes stuffed with spinach served with finger chips, mixed greens & aioli.

Citric fruits and Feta salad:  A delicious medley of sliced fresh oranges, grapefruit segments, cucumber, shaved apples, carrots and red onions topped with Feta and house dressing. A summer salad if I may say so.

Pugliese classic: An Italian classic made of marinated cherry tomatoes, buffalo Bocconcini, kalamata olives, roasted bell peppers with basil pesto. I absolutely love bocconcini and this dish was heavenly thanks to it.

Vegetable Burger– I normally would not associate burger with an Italian restaurant but I guess this has been added to the menu to please all patrons. Served with French fries and coleslaw.

Chicken de Toscano– This is one of those dishes I have had many times at their Whitefield outlet and it never ceases to disappoint. Spinach and ricotta stuffed sage infused chicken breast served with bean ratatouille, roasted potatoes with their special in-house gravy.

Traditional Crème Brule – Though a French original, one cannot ignore a perfectly caramelized crème brule served with chocolate biscotti and caramelized sugar.

Chocolate éclair with ganache and ice cream: A perfectly plated dessert , simple yet fulfilling.

Warm apple crumble– Good old apple crumble with the pastry chef’s special touches of  cinnamon, raisins and strawberry coulis served with vanilla ice cream.

Toscano is definitely one of the authentic Italian restaurants in Bangalore and offers one a perfect meal be it a casual lunch with friends, an office get together or a romantic dinner with your loved one.

Quantity/Quality – 4.5/5

Value for Money – 4/5

Burgers, Subs & Coffees @ Bean Flickers

Bean Flickers does not have an elaborate menu and stick to what they know best – Burgers, Subs, Coffees and Shakes. The pleasant and ever enthusiast owner was at the cafe that day and hence we had a lot of assistance in ordering our beverages and food.

BEVERAGES:

SHAKERATO:

Another suggestion to try one of their specials turned out to be excellent. This is one of their special ice brew coffees which has a distinct flavour of cinnamon.

THAI ICED COFFEE:

After a deluge of different coffees, I decided to get a Mint Lemon for myself. A very light and refreshing drink perfect to down with my food.

BURGERS : 

SPICY SRIRACHA LAMB BURGER:

Very similar to the Pan asian veg burger but with a Lamb patty. A point to note is that all their patties are prepared in house hence the taste is very different from what you get in other places.

SUBS: 

DESSERTS:

We were forewarned the desserts are in the form of subs!

CLASSIC CHOCOLATE PEEL:

A choice made mainly due to the name turned out to be a little too sweet for my liking. But I do not have much of a sweet tooth so go for it if you love something sweet after your meal.

Bean Flickers also has some healthy options in the form of Quail Egg and Mushroom Subs and Detox juices. They have 3 types of detox juices made from Broccoli, Beetroot and Corn. Each of these are in turn mixed with some fresh fruit juices to make that special Detox juice. I did not get a chance to try these out and I am definitely returning for these.

Quantity/Quality – 4/5

Value for Money – 4/5 

Explore Asian Cuisine Through 48East

Though I have heard a lot about this food delivery they do not deliver to my residence and hence I thought I would give them a try whenever I visit their area of delivery. Luckily I received an invite to visit them at their Indira Nagar kitchen.

48East currently operates two kitchens in Indiranagar and Marathahalli and the orders can be placed via their own websiteas well as on Zomato and Swiggy.

APPETIZERS:

SPINACH, CHEESE & GOLDEN GARLIC DUMPLING: 

These translucent dimsums filled with spinach, golden garlic and cheddar were beautiful to look at and equally pleasing to the palate also. These are served with their signature sauces. Definitely a must try for vegetarians and non- vegetarians too.

I love dumpling and have had my fill of them during my Asian trips and there are only select restaurants in Bangalore which serve authentic and well prepared dumplings.

These little translucent chicken dumplings flavoured with thai herbs were absolutely delightful and excellently prepared.

SIDES:

Of course, salads have always been an integral part of the menu and I was glad to notice that they did have some wonderful salads for the health conscious. Though most of the food in their menu is not essentially unhealthy, it is still nice to have the option of such salads in the menu.

MALAYSIAN CORN & BEAN SALAD :

Water chestnuts are hard to come by in Bangalore and hence it only at certain restaurants we get to taste and savour dishes prepared with water chestnuts. We were served crunchy water chestnut tossed with colored peppers and onion in smoked chili sauce which were a runaway hit among the foodies present for the meal.

INDONESIAN CHICKEN SATAY: 

ASIAN LITES:

After the veg falafel, I knew the chicken bao was not to be missed and though I do not care too much for mayonnaise this particular bao was very good with the almond and khoya marinated chicken cubes imparting a wonderful flavour.

MAIN COURSE:

POK-CHOY MUSHROOM WITH MOON FANN (RICE):

BURMESE VEGETABLE KHAUSUEY:

Being a malayalee, I have had my fill of coconut milk curries and dishes and hence I was not too keen to try this dish. But the foodie in me had to taste it and it is as close as one can get to the original dish. With its veggies, noodles and coconut curry this is definitely a all in one meal.

DESSERT:

A very unassuming dessert with little parcels of chocolate filled dumplings served on a bed of honey fried noodles is what you see. But when you put these dumplings in your mouth the burst of chocolate oozing into your mouth on first bite is a memory you will cherish and make you return for more. Easily the best dish of the whole meal for me.

THAP THIM KROP:

Hence it is with great joy that I can say that 48East is heaven sent and a boon to the food lovers of Bangalore and I wish them the very best!

Delivery – NA  

Dial Into the Vibe @ Koramangala Social

By rohinijames in American, Cocktails, Cuisine, Drinks, European, Food, Home on March 13, 2017

A long pending post for a lunch visit to the then “new Social” in town. Church Street Social set the trend in hangouts spots in Bangalore for youngsters as well as the young at heart with their unique and fun lounge. After their success in Whitefield they finally opened their social in the food hub of Bangalore – Koramangala.

Their menu is varied with choices from Social Special Signatures, Classic Cocktails, LIIT’s, Sparklers, Shots and many more.

Only one of us decided to brave a Strawberry Margarita which was quite mild perfect to suit an afternoon meal.

Among the other starters, the Old School Chicken Tikka though looked a bit less in quantity made up with excellent taste. Prawns Sesame on Toast was an after thought and turned out to be the most unique among the dishes ordered. Every bite gives the taste of prawn flavour and the sesame seeds on top made it crunchy.

We had a vegetarian in our group, hence the order for a good ol’ Paneer Tikka which was soft and had some mild flavours, a bit on the bland side.

Zatar Fish with Kimchi Fried Rice- The choice of a seafood lover who was a bit overwhelmed as the dish at first seemed to heavy for a single person to finish. However the soft melt in the mouth fish had many tasters ( read ME) and was over within no time. I must mention that the idea of Kimchi Fried rice is again an excellent idea and balances out the dish very well.

DESSERT: 

Since this is a pending post, I hope I have got the names of the dishes right and by now I am sure they have added many more new items to their existing awesome menu.

I was not a big fan of the “SOCIALS” but after a visit though a subdued one during the day I must say they have found a fan in me. I look forward to visiting them at night as I have heard their DJ plays some kick ass tunes.

Quantity/Quality – 4.5/5

Value for Money – 4/5 

Taste of Authentic Karnataka Cuisine @ Rayaru’s Kitchen

Being a part of the food circle in Bangalore, it is but often I come across friends discussing or sharing experiences of different restaurants via social media and Rayaru’s Kitchen is one such restaurant that I recently heard about.

I am a true South Indian at heart and I love tasting each regions cuisine hence an invite to taste authentic Kannadiga food was accepted with much anticipation. I decided to take my hubby with me for this meal as he is a born and bred Bangalorean aka true Kannadiga and I knew he would enjoy this experience.

We were served initially with a soup called Leg Soup which is essentially cooked in lamb leg. The flavours are spot on with pepper adding that zing to the soup.

For starters we tasted the Chicken Paddu and Chicken Koliwada.

Just when I thought I ended my meal on a great note, we were served with a simple looking dessert called Coconut Lappa which is grated coconut and sugar sandwiched in a thin layer of parotta. Sounds simple enough, but sometimes its these simple dishes which are outstanding and we loved it.

I come away from my experience at this simple restaurant with great memories with a definite intention to return here, this time with my father in law who loves Kannadiga food.

Quantity/Quality – 4/5

Value for Money – 4/5 

The Truck Stops Here @ Dhaba By Claridges, Bengaluru

Currently there are six restaurants in Delhi (2), Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Chennai and their most recent one in Bengaluru.

Dhaba food is more popular in North India and hence Dhaba food is synonymous with Punjabi food. Initially started with the intention of serving hungry and weary truck drivers between their stops their version of food has become very popular and I have personally been to many such Dhaba style restaurants over the years.

BEVERAGES:

GULABO:  This drink was a suggestion by one of the Managers and I must say it was excellent. This cocktail is the Indianised version of a LIIT made with Kala Khatta.

PAAN MOJITO : I did mention desi cocktails in the beginning of this post and one of the cocktails served to taste was a mojito served with paan flavour. If you love paan, then this is a must try.

My friends tried a few mocktails – Ganne Ka Sa ras, Rangeela and Shikanji. Among these, the Ganne Ka Sa Ras was the crowd favourite and was reordered by some.

Non Veg Starters:

GALOUTI KEBAB : Every food lover knows a gelouti kebab and the minced lamb kebab served here was mouth melting.

MUTTON SEEKH: Another dish available in most Punjabi restaurants but the Chef special touches are quite visible with the use of some special homemade spices.

Veg Starters:

VEG GALOUTI: After tasting their non veg galouti, I almost skipped this dish till the server insisted I try a piece. Their veg version of the famous galouti is pretty good especially the use of cinnamon and cardamom.

Non Veg Gravies:

BALTI MEAT: I was told this dish is one of the speciality dishes served in all their restaurants. This is supposedly very similar to the lamb gravy sold on the highways. A gravy with loads of flavour perfect to be had with their Dhaba di Roti.

BREADS:

They serve a variety of breads such as Dhabe Di Roti, Amritsari Kulcha, Garlic Naan, Missi Tandoori Paratha to name a few.

Address : 618, 2nd Floor, Above Chicco, 12th Main, Indiranagar, Bangalore.

Contact: 080 49652541

Alcoholic beverages – 4.5/5 

Quantity/Quality –  4.5/5 

Savour The Culinary Flavours of Kashmir at the Wazwan Kashmiri Food Festival @ Nook, Aloft CBP

A little about Aloft CBP – Launched in 2014, the hotel features 191 spacious, loft – like rooms, an urban design aesthetic, live music performances and an active social scene. Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park caters to the next generation traveler and is considered to be among the best hotels in Bangalore.

I was invited to savour some of the dishes specially curated for their Kashmiri Food Festival by Chefs from Kashmir.

All the dishes were specially prepared by Chefs Abdul Halem and Chef Reyaz from Kashmir under the able guidance of their Executive Chef Sandeep Kumar. 

APPETIZERS:

Tasaman Paneer Tikka – No meal is complete without a Paneer creation by the Chef and we were not disappointed. Soft cottage cheese lightly marinated and grilled. 

Chicken Tikka – By now I knew this was not a simple Tikka and once again I was not disappointed. Soft succulent grilled chicken just disappeared as quick as it was served. 

BEVERAGES:

We were served with a variety of cocktails and mocktails. I was given a lemon and ginger mocktail infused with bits of mint – a perfect drink to digest such a large spread. 

Among the non veg gravies, I was surprised that my pick was the Rawagan Gad (Fish) as I am more of a Chicken person. The spices used in this dish combined with the fish blew my mind.

The other non Veg gravies Gosht Mirchi Korma (Mutton) and Murgh Dhaniwal (Chicken) were also worth trying for their unique flavours.

Zarda Pulao – Yes, a Pulao for dessert. It is a light saffron sweet rice which is perfect to end your meal. 

Shofta – A lovely light dessert with fruits and custard served in small bowls. 

Phone Number: +91 80 4510 1010
Website: Aloft Bengaluru CBP

Ambiance – 4.5/5   

South Indian Comfort Food @ Currylicious

By rohinijames in Cuisine, Food, Home, Indian, South Indian on February 18, 2017

I have always had a go to place when in dire need of some comfort food especially on low days and it seems like that I have found a new place to appease myself. I say this as I have now visited this restaurant twice in the last 2 weeks, one being an invite and another being a self paid visit.

The decor is simple as mentioned before with snippets of the different cuisines showcased via the illustrations on the wall, map of south India, different items used in preparation of that particular cuisine and not to forget the lighting draped in saree material specifically from South India.

Their menu is also kept simple with a handful of dishes in the veg and non veg starters, curries from the 4 different areas, accompanying breads, biryani, thali and desserts.

APPETIZERS: 

KAPPA CUTLET – Being a malayalee, Kappa (Tapioca) is a commonly made dish at home but this was a first time I was having it in the form of a cutlet. I must mention, this is an excellent way of serving it. The heart shape is a nice touch too.

VAZHAIPOO CUTLET –Banana flower is commonly used to make Thoran which is a dry vegetable with grated coconut. Once again brilliant idea to make a cutlet from Banana flower. Point to note, banana flower dishes are tasty but the preparation is very time consuming. This cutlet was my pick among the veg starters.

CHICKEN PEPPER FRY- Another Chettinad special with chicken tossed in a spicy pepper masala. The dish is a bit semi gravy similar to prawn ghee roast and can be had as a main course also.

KERALA CHICKEN ROAST – As the name says it, a kerala specific dish made with onions and tomato. Different parts of kerala prepare their dishes very differently and this is something I got to taste here especially with this dish.

MAIN COURSE: 

MIXED VEG MALABAR CURRY- A very different tasting Malabar dish. Probably it is because it is vegetarian. A dish to be had with Appams and Parathas.

KERALA EGG ROAST – This was the best dish of the meal for many of us so much so we ordered another plate of the same. The masalas used in the onion and tomato mix was absolutely delightful and I enjoyed the roast with Neer dosa and Appam.

ACCOMPANIMENTS : 

All the above dishes can be had with Neer Dosa, Sannas, Appams and Malabar Parathas.

2 visits in 2 weeks, need I say more! Do give Currylicious a try.

Ambiance – 3.5/5   

NOTE : The above mentioned first visit was an invite to offer my feedback and suggestions and my blog post is my unbiased review.

Delve Into The Comfort of Papa John’s Pizza’s

By rohinijames in Cuisine, Fast Food, Food, Home, Product on February 14, 2017

The decor is all about their main colour Red and kept simple with wooden decor everywhere along with brief history about the outlet lining the walls.

KIDS ZONE :

A few new things on their menu is the addition of Haagen Dazs. Being a recent addition it is currently available only at their Malleshwaram, JP Nagar, Bannerghatta and Marathahalli outlets. I think this is a good move as Haagen Dazs ice creams are gaining popularity in India and having it served under the same roof is smart strategy.

PJP’s BEST SELLERS: 

NON VEG PIZZA 

SPICY PEPPER ROAST : Though I would normally not order for an Indianized pizza, this looked pretty good when served at the next table and hence landed up ordering one of these too. The chicken tikka is probably as Indian as it can get and topping a pizza with it made sense especially for those who like that Indian touch to their food.

In my household, no pizza order is complete without a pepperoni pizza. I have never tried the ones here and I must mention the quality of the pepperoni used here is excellent. This is one of those pizzas where there is only one main ingredient – pepperoni and it is crucial to have good quality ingredients in such cases.

A mouth watering pepperoni pizza that one must order if you love pepperoni. While I love pork pepperoni, it is unfortunate that they do not serve Pork items hence we must make do with Lamb pepperoni.

CHOCO MOUSSE CAKE: A simple mousse cake nicely layered with good amount of chocolate.

MOLTEN LAVA CAKE: A spin off from the ever popular choco lava cake in a different avatar.The lava cake actually resembles a lava mountain and once heated it oozes chocolate.

Quality / Quantity -4/5 

Value for Money – 4/5 

Mixing It Up GLOकAL Style

Though it is hard to miss Gloकal Junction on 12^th Main Indira Nagar, I have always thought it is one of those places trying to fit into the current theme of things and thereby avoided visiting till recently.

On my visit, I had the opportunity to have a look at their menu and did find it to be very interesting which seems to provide the experience of global cuisine with local touches and vice versa.

One of the unique feature of this place is their cutlery housed in an aluminum tool box setup with eating tools comprising of forks, spoons and knives having spanner, wrench and pliers on the other end.

The bar at Glocal Junction has an interesting menu keeping in mind the fact that people nowadays are looking for something different but are still local by heart and enjoy that desi/global twist.

Smoreass: A cocktail which looks deceptive but packs quite a punch with its concotion of whisky and baileys, with addtional touches of banana, chocolate dust and burnt marshmallow.

Mirage: Another vodka based cocktail served in a neat looking pineapple jar more on the lemony side.

MOCKTAILS:

They also have a pleasing selection of mocktails to choose from and the among below options the Kokum Desi Cooler is a must try.

Disco Anda Pav –  A local touch to the appetiser menu, though a bit on the spicy side.

MAIN COURSE:

Moroccan Baked Fish – Another interesting twist to a fish dish and I really liked the whole idea of serving coriander flavoured rice. One of those Gloकal dishes!

VEG:

DESSERTS: 

I have heard about their interesting desserts and I am thrilled to say they did not disappoint!

Call it casual, all day dining, bar, night club – what impresses me the most is taste be it the beverages or the food and this all in one resto bar has definitely created a lasting impression.

Gloकal Junction are here to stay and I look forward to more from these guys in the coming years.

Quantity/Quality – 4.5/5

Value for Money – 4.5/5 

Kopper Kadai Welcomes 2017 with Menu 2.0

Their focus is mainly to serve authentic North Indian dishes where a lot of care and effort is taken starting from ingredients to the final presentation.

Since this visit was specially to taste their new menu for the New Year and we were lucky enough to regaled with stories behind the idea behind many of the drinks and dishes.

APPETIZERS:

Limca Bhel:  With the beverages we were served with a very street styled chat filled with unique flavour of lime with tinges of spice though a little acerbic.

Masala Pappad Cornette: Another one of those quickie starters which do not seem like much but is light, crunchy and likeable.

Hariyali Macchi Tikka: Well marinated and soft fish prepared just right.

Gobi Chicken Mussallam:  Not a fan of Gobi, I was not too keen to try this dish but a foodie friend happily offered me a taste and I must say the combination of chicken with gobi is very appetising. I would recommend to try this dish if you are Gobi / Chicken lover.

This restaurant is not for those health conscious freaks out there but if you love rich, scrumptious food, then this is the place to head to.

Beverages – 3.5/5 

Quantity/Quality – 4.5/5

A Memorable Gourmet Theatre Experience @ Broadway, HSR

Considering they have named their restaurant Broadway with an additional Gourmet Theatre tag line, expectations are quite high when it comes to presentation.

The ambience speaks of an understated elegance combined with a feel of a casual dining experience at the same time.

A common enough soup available in many restaurants but served in an unique way. Porcini mushroom being served in India is quite surprising as it is quite expensive. The soup consisted of Porcini and Button mushrooms smoked to add flavour to an already delicious soup.Served with a fish finger.

TOMATO TEA : 

SOUPS:

BEVERAGES:

LEMONGRASS VODKA:
They have just procured their alcohol license hence their bartender decided to try their in-house signature cocktail which turned out to be excellent.

GINGER CRUSH : This mocktail was prepared using the baby ginger used in the Sushi preparations and I must mention this drink was soothing and not strong especially for someone who does not like ginger.

SUSHI / SASHIMI :

California Maki – A very interesting maki made of crab sticks and avacado sprinkled with tobigo (fish egg). One of my favourites in this platter.

Nigiri is a type of sushi where a slice of raw fish is pressed over a ball of rice. Nigiri can be made with only seafood such as oyster, squid etc. I tried their Salmon Nigiri and Tuna Nigiri which were very good.

The dish is an entire chicken cooked in spices covered with banana leaves and clay. The final dish and its opening is where the drama lies as it is broken with meat tenderiser. The aroma is absolutely mouth watering and a very different tasting chicken dish.

OLIVE NAAN WITH SALAD AND TOMATO MAKHNI:

LIVE TEPPANYAKI EXPERIENCE:

JAPANESE FRIED RICE : 

An egg preparation made as a part of the Chef’s parlour tricks. 

DESSERTS:

Though I have been invited and personally visited many similarly themed restaurants in Bangalore and abroad, this has been one of my most memorable visits.

It has been only a week since I visited here and I am gung ho to take my entire family to experience this restaurant and its dishes. I would also recommend to visit here for dinner as it seems to an ideal place for a romantic dinner.

Alcoholic beverages – 4.5/5 

Quantity/Quality – 4.5/5

Chetty’s Coffee – A Must Visit Breakfast Joint

Not being a regular to this area I was surprised to see the number of restaurants and food outlets that have cropped up on now a very bustling and busy 80 Feet Road on New BEL Road.

Inspite of this, it was not too difficult to locate this outlet thanks to a good number of people as well as bikes parked outside this joint.

SHAVIGE BATH : This is a common and popular breakfast and tea time dish in Karnataka. A simple enough dish for a quick breakfast and the one served here was seasoned perfectly.  A light breakfast item which is healthy too.

GHEE UPMA: I am a fan of upma but never tried an upma with ghee hence was a bit apprehensive when I saw this dish. But I was completely taken aback by what a little bit of ghee can do to the flavour of a normal upma. A must try here!

DOSA VARIETIES:

They specialise in 4 types of dosas-

LEMON TEA : My way of washing down my food and was a perfect way to end the meal.

CHETTY’ SPECIAL COFFEE : I could not leave this place without a sip of their special filter kappi and I would suggest if you love coffee then do try their coffee and you would be back for more.

Service – 4/5

Food Taste – 4.5/5

Comics & Brekkie @ Cafe Terra

Want to unwind on a lazy Sunday morning for a slow and relaxed breakfast then this is the place to head too.

Cafe Terra is new to Indira Nagar and after pleasing the taste buds of foodies in Koramangala then have recently opened up in the quiet sidelanes of Indira nagar.

I dropped in here with a friend and we ordered for Full English breakfast and Moroccan Chakchouk.

The English Breakfast was loaded with eggs (scrambled), bacon, sausages, grilled tomato, baked beans, hash browns, mashed potato and toasted bread.

Cafe Terra is one of the nicer places in Indira Nagar to drop in for a hearty breakfast and of course your dose of comics!

Ambiance – 4.5/5 

Start 2017 With Juices From Health Juice Centre, Bangalore

By rohinijames in Cafes, Drinks, Fitness, Food, Home, Quick Review on January 2, 2017

2016 was my year to get Fit and I stayed true to my endeavours however one thing lacking in my food habits was good and healthy fruit and vegetables juices. I have many excuses to avoid making them at home ( lack of time, laziness etc) and have even more excuses to prevent me from buying it from outside such as water contamination, cleanliness of the fruits and vegetables used and sugar levels.

HEALTH DRINKS:

KALA KHATTA – Another interesting juice with that expected tangy flavour.

KING BLOSSOM – Combo of strawberry, Pineapple and bit of Rose syrup.

1. Sitaphal / Custard apple Milkshake

2. Gulkand Milkshake ( Gulkand is made from the sweet preserve of Rose petals)

Pahadi Grill Sandwich – The best sandwich of the lot and finished in a jiffy. I was told by my friend that it matches what they serve in Mumbai with regards to the taste.

The foodie in me made me ask a lot of questions to the guy at the counter who was quite forthcoming and enthusiast to answer my numerous questions. I understand that all the drinks served here do not contain water, preservatives and sugar. That last one – Sugar was very surprising as I thought I tasted many drinks which are a bit sweet. However it seems they have their in house mix of syrups which are sweet and when added to the drinks gives the sweet taste in the case of some of their drinks.

Food Taste – 4.5/5

Juices Taste – 4.5/5 

Celebrate Christmas and Welcome 2017 @ Flechazo

Flechazo is one such buffet styled restaurant but with a nice twist where the customer is not only meant to enjoy their meal but also partake in it. 

Love at first sight maybe the true meaning of the word Flechazo but as a food lover I prefer to think of it as ‘Love at First Bite’. 

Coming to the vibe, the place is buzzing with an energy which is quite unexplainable and though packed to the brim, one is still able to enjoy their meal as the staff is right at your beck and call and tending to your every request.

FOOD SHOTS:

Surprisingly I loved the Veg starters more than the non Veg ones and that’s something coming from a hard core non vegetarian. 

BEVERAGES:

I was more interested in their counter termed ‘The Big O’ which is an area where you can prepare your own Pizza and also bake it. This was an enjoyable experience and I am sure a hit not only with kids but adults also. 

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL:

The Main course is placed right below their open kitchen consisting of salads, rice, Veg and non veg gravy options and some Asian as well as Indian dishes. 

Since I was already quite full, I tried their Biriyani and Rice and Dal. Both these dishes were well prepared and I intend to try more of their main course in my coming visits here. 

Their Santa food fest is running from 21st Dec to 1st January 2017 and block your tables coz they are packed with waiting time extending upto 2 hours and more. 

Veg – INR 500 ++

Pizzas, Moods, Stories @ Oven Story

The folks at Oven Story believe every flavour tells a story and hence the name.

Their concept revolves around cheese bases which sound very interesting. Each of these cheese bases supposedly is chosen to match one’s mood and here are the options of the 4 Signature Cheese Bases –

MY EXPERIENCE:

Ordered for 2 Pizzas – One Non Veg and One Veg to try their different bases. Each of their Pizzas is 9 inch, thin crust and is perfect for 2 people.

VEG PIZZA : Peri Peri Picante 

The Peri Peri base was surprisingly not spicy and all and I wondered if I did get my order all mixed up! The pizza on the other hand was a delight to look at loaded with bell peppers, onions, olives and paneer chunks.

Delivery – 4/5

Packaging – 4/5

Good Times Spill Over @ Bottle & Glass

in Cocktails, Drinks, European, Food, Home, Indian, North Indian, South Indian on December 20, 2016

B & G is the latest addition to the pub scene of Indira Nagar and I must say they have got themselves an awesome location in the middle of 100 Feet Road!

The decor mainly is a mix of wood, scrap metal, iron and steel which gives one a wear and tear yet classic finish.

From steel to rusty furniture to a roof filled with wooden sticks this place would surprise you in every corner.

I was here as part of the FBAB gang meet up and also landed up being the birthday of one of the members.

COCKTAILS : 

Here’s a snapshot of the Cocktails we tried – some we liked and some were different from the usual!

FOOD : 

PIZZAS : 

All the pizzas were thin crust just the way I like it.

The veg biriyani was passable but the chicken tikka biriyani was well prepared and that ended up being my best main course.

The Cambodian Style curry was quite different from the usual asian curries I have tasted. Between the veg and non veg, I definitely prefered the chicken curry.

DESSERTS :

Ambiance – 4/5

Service/Hospitality – 3.5/5

Vroom into Chug “The Garage Bar”

Theme pubs are the in thing in Bangalore and the owners of Chug – The Garage Bar have smartly taken up the Bikers theme.

Thanks to the showrooms opened by Royal Enfield, Harley Davidson, Triumph and many more the biker community in Bangalore is thriving and many biker gangs have been established over the last few months.

DRINKS :

The Bar menu was true to their theme with their cocktails and mocktails named after commonly used words in Biker terminology.

Thanks to their enthusiast Bartender we tried a lot of their cocktails and also managed to get an idea on that special touch behind the taste of their cocktails.

FOOD :

The Bacon Wrapped Prawns and the Green Chilly Beef were the show stoppers from the Non veg appetizers spread.

MAIN COURSE : 

A very different and interesting range of dishes were served ranging from Pizzas, Risotto, Mac N Cheese to Basa Fish.

DESSERTS: 

They also have a large open area which houses the DJ Console as well as a make shift dance floor. They host fairly unrecognised music bands to play at their venue over the weekends.

Being located close to Manyata Tech Park, they cater to the office crowd and are open to hosting corporate events.

Food Taste – 4/5

Alcoholic beverages – 4.5/5 

Image courtesy – Ms.Manisha Dhingra ( Bacon Wrapped Prawns, Green Chilly Beef, Eggplant Parmigiana, Wild Mushroom Risotto and Basa Fish)

Premium Fitness Food @ 75 in a BoX

I have been doing runs (5k and 10K) for the last 12 months and also into strength training with the intention of staying fit. However my love for food has got me into food reviewing and there doesnt go a week where I haven’t over indulged.

Hence I jumped at the opportunity when 75 in a Box offered me a trial of their fitness food with an option of a tailor made package to suit my needs (toning).

FOCUS : 

1. Fat Loss

2. Lean Gain

MEAL OPTIONS :

SEAFOOD

MY TRIAL: 

DAY 1 : Chicken Spinach Roulade with Brown Rice, Mushrooms and Potatoes. 

SERVICE : 

SUBSCRIPTION & PRICING : 

Each customer would have an option to choose anywhere between 1-3 meals a day and top-up with snacks.

MY VERDICT : 

I did like all the three different meals and as expected they are a bit low on the flavour factor but their freshness combined with various options provided, I think for me was the most surprising element. In addition, each meal may not look large in quantity but they were very filling.

Images Courtesy (except My Trial images):  75 in a Box

Chaat Cravings @ Yumlok

Chaats used to be a favourite savoury snack during my college days.  Due the dearth of good and hygienic chaat outlets, I have not had the opportunity to try out some authentic chaat items for a long while now.

I recently heard about Yumlok from fellow foodies who met up here but unfortunately I could not make it that time. The name is definitely catchy though in this case I assume the owner was referring to the yumminess of his chaats!

DAHI PURI CHAAT 

Simple yet refreshing with all the flavours hitting the right note.

PAV BHAJI

Simple enough snack but they have smashed the bhaji which adds so much more flavour to it and the extra dollop of butter makes it perfect.

Ambiance – 4/5 

Service – 4/5

Say Cheese with Go Cheese and Chef Ranveer Brar @ Biere Club,Bangalore

Mondays are boring as we all know it but the Monday of 5th Dec 2016 had in store for Bangalore something exciting in the form of good old cheese!

An evening of Cheese tasting with fine wine, lesson on pairing the two and some tips on gourmet food with cheese awaited the Food and Cheese lovers of Bangalore.

Image courtesy: http://www.paragmilkfoods.com

In addition to an interesting piece of news that Go Cheese is the largest manufacturer of cheese in India, he did go on mention some informative tit bits about their company, farms, quality of milk used and the growth of dairy industry thanks to cheese. Go Cheese currently offers three kinds of cheese – Colby, Cheddar and Gouda. The company though established in 2009 is currently one of the best manufacturer of excellent quality cheese specifically made in India.

Though I have been using Cheese on a regular basis I must say such sessions can be very eye opening and I for one would definitely look out for these cheese next time I head to the supermarket.

This session was followed by a one on one session with the Chef at each table coupled by a lot of selfies and group pictures!

During the beginning of his session, we were served with Krsma wine ( Red and White ) along with a Cheese Platter consisting of Orange Cheddar, Gouda and Colby Cheese with accompaniments such as Green and Black grapes, Dry apricot, Fresh figs, Green lettuce and Cracker biscuits.

To end the night, we received a small hamper from Go Cheese which was welcomed with open hands by my daughter who is a cheese lover in the making!

As much as I enjoyed the evening in the company of fellow foodies and friends and not to forget the handsome and charming Chef Ranveer Brar, I must say the Cheese stole the show and I for one look forward to using their cheese in my kitchen moving forward.

The Local – One Of My Favourite Hangouts!

PARKING – No valet service. 2 wheelers available. Cars need to locate parking on the side road or main road.

CUISINE – Continental, Finger Food.

Grab A Quickie @ Wok Paper Scissors

What a name Wok Paper Scissors, it does grab one’s attention along with the bright orange colour and corner location.

Though a regular in this area, to save my life I cannot remember what used to be here before but now this outlet occupies 2 floors of the corner area.

Step 3 – Obviously the sauce makes all the difference and they have some mild, medium and hot options.

After going through the entire process, I ordered for 2 large containers – one with noodles and the other with rice. For the noodles, the additions were tofu with all the veggies and teriyaki sauce. For the rice, tried out chicken and veggies with Crispy garlic sauce.

Ambiance – 3.5/5 

Service – 3.5/5

Pancakes Festival @ Cafesta

Forum Value Mall used to be my usual place to head to for a movie as well as for some Fitness clothing.

Though I have been to their food court numerous times none of the outlets there have caught my attention enough for a second visit and my kids and I normally head to KFC or McD.

They serve 3 pancakes in each plate and mine looked absolutely yummy.

The pancakes were soft and with the choco sauce was perfect for my mid morning snack. Surprisingly the chocolate ice cream which was served with the pancake gelled well with the flavour of the pancakes.

Oh before I forget they also make cakes and can deliver within Whitefield.

Oh before I forget they also make cakes and can deliver within Whitefield.

Food Taste – 4/5

Quantity/Quality – 4/5

Sawadee Bengaluru @ Tom Yum Thai

Thai food is essentially a combination of sweet, spicy, sour,salty and sometimes bland flavours which are quite dependent on the occasion and the type of meal. A lot many Thai dishes are seafood dependent and due to their Buddhist background the meat they used is normally shredded or minced. Some of the more common ingredients used in their food are lemongrass, galanga, coconut milk and peanuts.

A normal Thai meal is normally a blend of all the flavours – sweet,  spicy and sour is meant to be equally satisfying to eye, nose and palate. The meal would normally consist of a soup, fried dish, salad or a curry dish teamed occasionally with sticky rice or noodles dish and is served all together to enjoy the different combinations of flavours of different tastes.

The restaurant offers 2 areas – an indoor seating area with/without AC and an outdoor seating area which is a closed roof top yet perfect to enjoy Bangalore whether its rains or shines!

Though simplistic they have done up their interiors with Thai Decor such as the Thai Temple, Muay Thai, Tuk-Tuk’s, King of Thailand wall art and paintings.

SOUPS: 

A simple and healthy clear soup without coconut milk yet having the unique flavours from lemon grass and galangal. The mushrooms are a welcome addition and adds a wonderful flavour to the light soup.

APPETIZERS: 

SEA BASS FISH WITH SWEET CHILLI 

So by now, we had covered dishes which were salty,spicy and I knew the sweet was yet to come. The Sea bass fish on first bite would give you a sweet taste but will end with a spicy ting. Again this is an acquired taste and may not suit all.

RAW PAPAYA SALAD

The salad was light and though not a peanut person I did enjoy the crunchy feel of the peanuts with the papaya.

MAIN COURSE:

RED CURRY – CHICKEN / PRAWN 

The red curry was more suitable to our Indian palate and well liked.

DESSERT:

GADBAD

In addition to these icecreams they also have some Thai delights such as Kaffir Lime Sour Cream, Galangal Honey Blancmange and  Tender coconut fluff.

Food Taste – 4.5/5

Alcoholic beverages – 4/5 

Gaelic Lunch Deal @ The Irish House

What one expects in an Irish Pub is some interesting decor and a fun ambience and these guys do not disappoint!

Its all about the Beer for the Irish and the decor bears witness to that!

The Irish House serves typical Irish fare such as Fish & Chips, Murphy’s BBQ Chicken Sandwich, Grande Nachos and many other interesting dishes.

They also serve a wide range of beers including pints, craft beer, draughts as well as some quirky cocktails and excellent wines.

One can pick an Appetizer, Main Course, and Side Dish from the below choices,

APPETIZERS: 

• Veg Crostini 

• Jalapeno Popcorn

• Chicken Popcorn

• Herb Crusted Fish Fingers 

• Pickled Veggie Sandwich 

• Grilled Cottage Cheese Sandwich 

NON VEG:

• Spaghetti Bolognese

• Pan Seared chicken with Funghi Rice 

SIDES – Choice of any one – Chilled House Coleslaw, Crispy Fries or Potato Wedges, Cheese Garlic bread, Grilled Veggies or the Creamy Potato mash. 

GRILLED CHICKEN SICILIAN + CHICKEN INVOLTINI WITH POMODORO SAUCE AND HERB RICE + CHEESE GARLIC BREAD

This appetizer was soft and the marination was perfect. Though not my meal, I flicked a skewer since it was so good. The main course was good with a nice sauce to go with the chicken but the Herb rice was a little too dry. A suggestion would be to provide a little extra sauce on the side. The cheese garlic bread was simple and light.

• ‘Best Resto Bar’ – Times Nightlife Awards for the second time in a row

• ‘Best Restro Pub’ – Indian Restaurant Awards

Food Taste – 4/5

Alcoholic beverages – 4/5 

Endless “Pastabilities”@ Pastaroma

This love for Pasta started after having my fill of them for days on an end in Rome. Now we all know there is no one to match the Italians when it comes to Pasta nevertheless I have always been on the lookout for a good Pasta restaurant in Bangalore.

We are aware that pasta is made from a simple and basic pasta dough and the shape it takes after this makes all the difference to how it’s served. Who would have thought that with a twist, roll and tuck, followed by boiling or baking that a completely different kind of dish will emerge!

CLASSIC / CLASSICO PASTA : 

FUSILLI – SPAGHETTI 

TAGLIATELLE – RIGATONI 

Tagliatelle – Long and flat pasta commonly mixed with Bolognese sauce.

Radiatore – Pasta in the shape of squares which look like radiators and blends well with thicker sauces.

Chilli Fettuccine – Fettuccine means “little ribbons” and these flat, thick noodles shaped made to look like ribbons.

• Tomato sauce combines well with thicker pastas as the thicker sauces have the better ability to cling onto the holes and openings of short, tubular, twisted pastas.

In addition to the above choices, there is the option of adding extras such as roast veggies, sundried tomatoes, paneer, chicken, cheese, sauces and garnishes.

MY EXPERIENCE :

SPAGHETTI MEATBALLS  – The spaghetti was a little too thick for my liking and I am not too sure if this is how it should be. The sauce tasted very good but I would suggest them to provide a small container with extra sauce as it was a bit dry towards the end.

FUSILLI BOLOGNESE – CHICKEN – The fusilli was the best pasta and my kids walloped it in a jiffy! The sauce was excellent and in combination with the minced chicken did wonders.

DESSERTS: 

Currently they have only one outlet in RMZ Infinity on Old Madras Road with plans of expansion in the coming months.

Ambiance – 3/5 ( Attached to Food Court) 

IMAGE CREDITS:

Pasta types – Images from the internet.  

Pastaroma menu – http://www.zomato.com/bangalore/pastaroma-old-madras-road/menu

Posted on December 1, 2016 

Unwind the Hawaiian Way @ 3 Dots and a Dash

There is no dearth for great ideas in the restaurant business and a Bar based on Tiki Culture is one such recent development for the Tiki cocktails lovers in Bangalore to rejoice.

Three Dots and a Dash, Bangalore is an exotic Tiki Themed Bar and Restaurant offering a glimpse of Polynesia including the Tiki cocktails served in unique ceramic mugs depicting Tikis hence aptly named Tiki Mugs. As is the trend nowadays, a welcome addition is their Hookah offering.

Located on the busy 100 Feet Road in Indiranagar their entrance is interesting with the bamboo setup. They have an indoor non smoking seating on the first floor and the more popular open smoking area on the roof top.

DARK & STORMY

A simple mix of Gosling’s Black Seal Rum, Lime juice and Ginger beer, this drink was one of the drinks of the night for me. The kick of the rum was subdued by the ginger beer.

Well I love Cointreau and this drink was a mix of Cointreau,Campari, Dark rum, Lime juice, Orgeat and Spiced simple syrup.

Not my kind of drink, this drink is for those who like their cocktails to have that bitter aftertaste.

ROB’S MISTAKE

This cocktail is meant to be very similar to the original Tiki cocktails with a blend of Light rum, London dry gin, Lime juice, Passion fruit puree, Frangelico, Pineapple syrup, Grenadine, Dark rum.

Dont miss their mocktails as they also have some very refreshing and light mocktails.

APPETIZERS:

CAESAR SALAD – VEG / CHICKEN

Once again a light yet very crunchy and tasty salad. Definitely a must for the health conscious!

CALIFORNIA SPUD – VEG / CHICKEN

A bit complicated looking appetizer which I found not only a bit difficult to eat but had a little too much potato.

MAIN COURSE:

QUESADILLAS VEGETABLE / SPICY CHICKEN

Again not a big fan of quesadillas but the spice added to the chicken filling did wonders for this dish.

VERACRUZANA CHICKEN

A layered chicken dish well presented.

Alcoholic beverages – 4.5/5 

Quantity/Quality – 4/5

Grills Galore @ Pindi

I visited this restaurant a fortnight back with fellow foodies to try out their food specifically their grilled appetizers.  I am quite new to this part of Bangalore city namely HSR but it was simple enough to locate them as they are on the main Road though by the service road. They are located on the 3rd and 4th Floor and parking is available at the basement of the same building.

Since I was among the first to arrive I did a bit of research and understood that though they are fairly new to Bangalore they are part of a chain of restaurants first started in Delhi in 1948. Coming from Delhi, they mainly specialize in North Indian and Mughlai cuisine. They have now 5 outlets including the Bangalore one.

I ordered for a Shirley Temple cocktail which turned out to be baby pink in colour very surprisingly! The drink though was well prepared and tasted good.

In addition, I also had a mocktail – Virgin Mojito which tasted refreshing and chilled thanks to a lot of crushed ice.

Tandoori Chicken, Chicken Seekh Kebab, Mutton Seekh Kebab, Fish Tikka, Tandoori Prawns. 

Most of the grilled items were well marinated though it was a bit cold by the time we got to eating them since we were busy with taking pictures of it all !!

The Dal makhani was thick topped off with a dollop of cream and taste wise it was quite good!

Both Biriyani’s tasted quite different from the regular biriyani which I am used to, though I must say it was quite flavourful and light on the stomach.

Food Taste – 3.5/5

Quantity/Quality – 4/5

Grill with unlimited Draught Beer – Rs.1099 / 1199.

Grill with unlimited IML Drinks – Rs. 1299/  1399.

Fine Italian Cuisine @ Chianti

Considering the number of restaurants which have popped up over the fast few years this place has managed to maintain their customer base as well rope in many others with their flawless service and excellent food.

This restaurant being close to my office has been my destination for many a client lunch / dinner.

APPETIZER:

CROSTINI DI VERDURE 

This simple appetizer was perfect to start our meal with the bread toasted to perfection and the toppings adding the perfect crunch.

BEVERAGES 

Being a working lunch, my colleague and I decided to stick to mocktails for our meal.

VIRGIN SANGRIA

VIRGIN MOJITO 

MAIN COURSE:

GAMBERI ALLA GRIGLIA 

PIZZA DI VERDURE

SALMONE ALLA GRIGLIA

Grilled Salmon with a lemon butter sauce served with spaghetti aglio olio peperonico was the dish our server suggested as one of their Signature dishes.

The salmon was buttery soft though a little bland on the flavour but the lemon sauce provided along with the spaghetti made the dish quite interesting.

LASAGNE AL FORNO

DESSERTS:

TIRAMISU 

PANNA COTTA 

CIOCCOLATO ALLA NOCCIOLA MOUSSE

A Hazelnut chocolate mousse with an impressive sounding name was my dessert. The mousse was excellent, though I did not like the hazelnut base too much.

Having had original Italian cuisine in Rome and Milan, I can definitely say that Chianti is probably one of Bangalore’s best Italian restaurants.

Leisure Breakfast @ Muffets & Tuffets

Since it was a working day there was almost no crowd except for another occupied table. Considering this, the service was painstakingly slow with only one person to clean up and serve and another person to take our orders.

Coming to the food, we ordered for a Meat Jagger Breakfast Meal and a Chicken Ham & Cheese Omelette.

All the food on my plate was cold when served. I had specifically informed that I wanted regular white bread and both our food came with brown bread which we returned.

Inspite of all the above misses, I settled in to enjoy my breakfast and to my utter disappointment the salami and ham tasted old and definitely not grilled. The scrambled eggs, sausages and hash browns were very good.

No complaints on the taste front though!

ORANGE FETISH 

Posted on November 8, 2016 

Box Full of Surprises @ BOX 8

With the onset of many food delivery start ups, I have been keen to keep trying all of them in the hope I can find one thats suits my taste and of course my mood!

Every once in a while it is nice to order a roti and a separate gravy but how feasible does it work out in cost if you are one person ordering. The cost would be high as well the quantity too much for one person to complete.

Keeping this in mind, Box 8 has “All in One Meals” where you get a good choice between Vegetarian and Non Vegetarian and is provided all in one tray which is easy and convenient. In addition, they also have Wraps, Sandwiches, Salads as well as Ala Carte items.

ALL IN ONE MEALS :

VEG EXTRAVEGANZA MEAL 

PANEER MAKHNI MEAL

CHICKEN OVERLOAD MEAL

PANEER TOSSED SALAD

This salad was a hit among the group as it was light, fresh and crunchy and was over in a jiffy!

BOMBAY SPECIAL SANDWICH

This sandwich had a nice ring to it hence decided for the heck of it to try it. Turned out to be a good decision as it was packed with yummy veggies including corn and a nice subtle sauce.

TANDOORI PANEER WRAP

DESSERTS:

MOONG DAL KA HALWA 

CHOCO LAVA CAKE

BEVERAGES:

ICED TEA

As my friends put it, it was a simple yet a great meal and I echo the same sentiments. My experience with Box 8 was excellent and I hope they continue to serve us for a long time to come.

Posted on November 2, 2016

Specialities of Punjab @ Punjab Grill

The night saw a mix of different people from food and fashion bloggers to expats make their way to bring in the celebrations and enjoy the food Punjab Grill has come to be known for.

To start our night, the cocktails menu was an interesting mix with a definite Indian twist. There were around 5 cocktails in the offering and I personally went for the Kahwa Iced Tea

KHUMB PALAK AUR CORN TIKKI – A simple looking dish with a load of flavours especially the palak.

PAKORAS – Mushrooms served with a citrus sauce.

PATHAR KE GOSHT- Meat prepared to melt in your mouth. 

SOFT SHELL CRAB – I personally love Crab and this dish with its rush of different flavours did not disappoint.

PAAN KULFI

To end the meal, we were served Pan Kulfi with Gulkand Chikki which was absolutely wonderful especially for those whose love their Pan.

3B’s – Beer, Breakfast & Banter @Bak Bak Bar

A group of foodies were invited to try out their Beer and Breakfast offerings on a reasonably early but fine Sunday morning.

Bak Bak Bar is located at a great location near Sony Signal in Koramangala on the top floor of the Croma building. They have ample parking for 2 and 4 wheelers.

JUST SAY CHEESE OMELETTE

AKURI

This Parsi dish was a first time for me and it definitely was a different twist to the otherwise boring scrambled eggs.

SHAKSHUKA

SURAT EGGLESS MASALA BURJI 

FULL ENGLISH BREAKFAST 

CHILLY CHEESE TOAST 

INDIAN

KUZHI PANIYARAM 

IDIYAPPPAM WITH PANDI CURRY

ALOO PARATHA

All the Indian breakfast options were good with a special mention for the yummy Idiyappam and Pandi curry!

CLASSIC HERB WAFFLES

CLASSIC PANCAKES

A nice way to end the meal with simple Herb Waffles and soft melt in the mouth Pancakes!

Fresh Food With A Wordly Touch @ FreshMenu

Fast forward to 2016 where their zeal to come up every other day with new ideas and dishes has not dimmed but actually has grown to the extent they had a group of food crazy bloggers meet up at their office to taste their dishes and share our views on their food.

It is always nice to meet the team behind the magic of great food and I had the opportunity to meet the team at FreshMenu which is a young vibrant group headed by Ms.Rashmi Daga, the founder.

SALADS

SMOKED SALMON WITH ORANGE SALAD

APPLE AND PEAR SALAD WITH GOAT CHEESE

APPETIZERS

STEAMED EXOTIC VEGETABLE AND TOFU BAO

The Vegetable Bao was quite tasty and though not much of a Tofu person, the combination of chopped veggies with tofu was very good.

PAN FRIED OYSTER CHICKEN BAO

Pan fried Bao is a great idea to the normal steamed Bao’s and the filling with the chicken was tasty. The dips added a bit of added flavour to both the Bao dishes.

ASSORTED LEBANESE PLATTER

SRIRACHA PANEER SKEWERS

MAINS

CHETTINADU CHICKEN BURGER

GNOCCHI WITH CHERRY TOMATO IN ARRABIATA SAUCE

Gnocchi has always been a personal favourite especially having tasted the original dish in Rome. This dish with the Arrabiata sauce was a good try but a little heavy on the sauce.

HONEY GLAZED DUCK WITH MASHED POTATO AND SAUTEED BEANS

Now where do you find a delivery menu with an option of duck? The duck was prepared with a perfect blend of honey and served with mouth melting mashed potato.

PAN SEARED SALMON WITH CITRUS BEURRE BLANC, PEA POTATO MASH AND SAUTEED VEGETABLES

BLACK RICE RISOTO WITH BROWN BUTTER VEGETABLES

DESSERTS

Now I am a very choosy dessert person and would only order a dessert if it comes served to my table at the end of my meal and not as a delivery.

We were served the below desserts and I was completely awed by the Cranberry and Pure Dark Chocolate.

SALTED CARAMEL JAR WITH PEANUT BUTTER AND TOFFEE BANANA

ASSORTED PREMIUM DESSERT TASTING PLATTER

(Pistachio Olive Oil Cake/ Fig, Cranberry And Pure Dark Chocolate, Mini Lemon Cream And Berry Tartlets)

Delicacies of Middle East @ Karama

When I hear the name “Karama” the one thing that springs to my mind is this small residential locality in Dubai I visited, which is home to Indians, Pakistanis and Arabs,a wonderful close-knit community living in peace and harmony together.

Maybe Karama means dignity as per the actual Arabic translation but in my opinion this restaurant aims to that bring together the best of the Arabic, Karachi and Indian cuisine in similar harmony under one roof for us Bangaloreans.

They have 2 floors of service where the ground floor caters mostly to large groups or families with the traditional Majlis where cushions are placed on the floor and the entire group sits together on these cushioned areas and have their food together. They also have large tables with regular chairs and a sofa area to accommodate those who prefer to have food the usual way. The top floor is absolutely a delight especially for a first timer as the hanging lamps and glass wall décor makes the place look like something from a different region altogether.

BEVERAGES :

What we call soups they call Shorbas were next in line. We were served Yakhni chicken, Tomato dhanya and Dal Shorbha. All the Shorbas were served in nice looking bowls though not necessarily soup bowls, it was nice to see the effort put in by their team in trying out different things. Though I liked all the shorbas, I personally liked the Chicken Shorbah which had yummy small pieces of chicken and was not too filling.

SALADS:

This is one course, which absolutely cannot be missed and is always eagerly awaited.

Since we had a good mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian foodies, they served a combination to suit both.

SPICY POTATO

NON VEGETARIAN STARTERS

Being a hard core non-veggie, I did have all the non veg starters with the top stars going out to the Rubiyan Meshwi as I am a prawn lover and of course the Al Faham chicken.

MAIN COURSE:

The Murg gravy was also excellent and a great combination with the Karachi Naan

Other breads served were Alu Kulcha and Kheema Naan. Both breads can be had as standalone items or with any of the gravies mentioned above.

DESSERTS:

No meal however rich or filling is complete without atleast a bit of something sweet and they did not disappoint.

Posted on October 12, 2016

Wild Wild West @ Big Pitcher

Big Pitcher with its unique combination of different floors of themed restaurants caters to almost everyone’s need, which quite obviously varies from one individual to the other.

Floor 4 – Sizzling Streets – Live Barbeque themed restaurant, very bright and colourful.

Floor 5 – Studio 4121 – Kept aside for live artists/performances as well as for private or company events.

The management seems quite passionate about their venture and took time to show us all the different floors as well took us for a walkthrough of their Microbrewery and explained their brewing process.

Speaking about their Microbrewery, they have some unique names given to the 6 types of Beer they brew namely Kingslayer, Sarava, Czech That Pilsner, Special Beer,Hopwitch and my personal favourite in terms of name – Adjust Maadi.

2.  Long Island Iced Tea – No complaints here coz it tasted pretty much the usual.

MOCKTAILS:

With its unique name, I did expect a lot from this dish and it did not disappoint. The dish consisted of batter fried veggies which were well presented and nice and crunchy.

FIRST BITE CHOMPS

The fish was prepared as an Oriental dish with chilli, garlic and soya and was quite soft and tasty.

SANTA’S CHIMNEY 

Batter fried corn mixed with hot and sweet sauces and served with fried Spinach. 

MAIN COURSE:

Another unique and well thought out idea they have come with is their Trolley Buffet wherein the guests are served the food at their table. This comes in handy for large groups and to also minimize crowd flow.

A great destination to suit your different moods be it Beer, Western cuisine, Oriental cuisine, Live grills or somewhere to take your date for a wonderful romantic meal. 

When You Are Hoppi & You Know It @ Hoppipola

Hoppipola makes you forget your mobiles and other worries and brings out that competitive streak you forgot you had in you!

Though they have been around for sometime now in Indiranagar, I never got an opportunity to visit them there. Finally managed to visit them when I heard about their newly opened Kalyan Nagar branch.

RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE

The Rumble was a bit too strong for my liking and unfortunately the dry ice had not yet come in for the day.

The Chiseled prawns marinated in basil and chilli were excellently prepared with a soft melt in the mouth feel and amazing taste. Served with a great tasting dip.

HARISSAN PANEER

As usual we ordered too many starters hence went with just the Peri Peri Chicken Biriyani. The dish was quite different served with an omelette on the biriyani and hung curd. The chicken was perfectly done and the biriyani was so different in taste but great.

The music was good with the latest numbers as well as some good oldies being played.
The service was prompt and attentive with good knowledge on their drinks.

Beer Makes Me Hoppy @The Beer Cafe

Pop into any one of the many pubs and be served the usual beers! Now you can ditch that and head on to The Beer Cafe which has only one agenda to serve you an excellent range of beers from across the globe.

I had only one question when I heard about The Beer Cafe, why call it a Cafe? I guess the idea is to keep the ambience and the feel of the place casual so that anyone will feel comfortable to step in and have a beer.

We drink them but do we know them? Here’s what I know about Beers and do excuse if it is incomplete!

TYPES – Ales, Lagers, Stouts, Porters and Malt

LEFFE BLONDE – Belgium

TSINGTAO – China

The corn bhel was made very well and had the right punch as an accompaniment to the beer.

CHICKEN TIKKA

A small peek into the Beer and Food pairing they suggest.

SOME TOILET BEER HUMOUR

Buckets of Booze @Hangover

12th Main Indira Nagar, a quiet residential street not long ago has become the Eat & Drink Street of Indira Nagar.

This bar seems to have drawn their ideas mainly from the Thailand where booze flows pretty much on the street.The cool Volkswagen Matador located on the terrace of this bar can be seen from the street and is a great way to get the crowd in.

BEVERAGES:

SAFE SEX ON THE BEACH

Good old Margarita with a lemon base.

GOLD LONG ISLAND ICED TEA

PORK BAO

Bao’s I have ordered normally are bite sized hence ordered 2 plates. Needless to say their Bao’s are humongous with one Bao perfect for one person. Their Bao’s are yummy but a little too spicy having jalapenos as well as green chillies.

FRIED CALAMARI

The Calamari was very well prepared and tasted good. Sometimes if you fry calamari too much it becomes rubbery and this was prepared just right.

GOLDEN FRIED PRAWNS

Crunchy and mouth watering prawns.

Excellently prepared pizza with a paper thin crust and loads of cheese and pepperoni.

A small suggestion – Please do include more desserts in the menu.

Taste of Korea @ Thran

I have been meaning to visit this restaurant for a long time based on the reviews and the interesting menu. This was my first Korean experience and I landed up with the entire family including kids.

The ambience is as expected – small, clean and simple. We were a group of 6 and got an inside room all to ourselves.

MOMO HOT POT 

Momos are quite common but a Momo Pot soup sounded very interesting. The pot was filled with momos, mushrooms, vegetables all neatly placed. It was a bit too watery but nevertheless a good soup.

SIDE DISHES

Side dishes are a major part of Korean cuisine and the freshness of the vegetables is quite amazing.

A Class Apart @ Windmills Craftworks

Whitefield is home to many fine dine restaurants and lounges but what sets Windmills Craftworks apart is that they have managed to subtly combine fine dining experience with a microbrewery, restaurant, jazz theatre and a library.

They are the brainchild of the Green Builders – Total Environment Building Systems Pvt. Ltd who is one of Bangalore’s Premier Builders.

I knew I didn’t want to have beer today but the reviewer in me just had to taste it. They normally have 5 Brews but today only 4 were available – Hefeweizen, India Pale Ale, Stout and the seasonal Mango Ale. My personal choice was the Hefeweizen.

CHOCOLATE COCKTAIL

HOT CHILLI PRAWNS

I knew it would be a bit bland when I ordered it, but the mild dressing made it just right.

DESSERT
STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING

Not my kind of dessert but my hubby said it was a perfect ending.

Fun & Frolic @ Loveshack

Finally I landed up here on being invited with fellow foodies / bloggers for a Ladies night.

Located in Domlur opposite Embassy Golf Links on Intermediate Ring Road this lounge has a distinct advantage. They are part of the group, which also manages Dishoom (same building) and Loft 38 (Indira Nagar). Though they are located on the top most floor of the Maruthi Showroom building, luckily enough they have ample car parking (done via the Valet).

Coming to the beverages there was a lot to choose from this night and I started with the cocktail called 18 till you die which is mix of vodka, tequila, Cranberry, Orange and ginger. I did like the whole mix except for the ginger but it was not too overpowering hence it was an okay drink. This was followed much later by a Wrong Island Iced tea, which is a twist to the LIIT having Whiskey and Ginger ale. This drink was very good and though LIIT would remain a favorite, this drink is must try at least once.

MOCKTAILS:

CHILLI PANEER

A nice mix of chilli and soy with good quality paneer.

A similar combination to the paneer except with chicken and still a great spicy starter for drinks.

COORGI PORK

THAI RED CURRY – I love Thai curries but never had the heart to try out vegetarian when non-veg is around. Hence my surprise at the wonderful flavour of this dish especially from the zucchini. This was served with rice.

SHACK STYLE COUS COUS – Not a big fan of cous cous but the sides (grilled paneer) added good flavour to the whole dish.

DESSERTS:

CREME BRULEE

This was by far the best dessert for me and I dug into it!

CHOCOLATE TART

Overall, a great party place and hangout and definitely a must visit on Ladies and Karaoke nights!

Posted on August 23, 2016 

Discover the Flavours of Punjab @ Kopper Kadai

I did expect this restaurant to be a fine dining experience but the attention to detail given to the interiors is spectacular. Once you enter the first seating area it is difficult to miss the many large spoons (142 nos.) hung on the ceiling. The reason for this is the 142 spices the chef uses in their dishes. They have arranged the seating such that families as well smaller groups can be accommodated i.e. chair and sofa seating including large seater tables.

Not to forget their kitchen is massive in size almost double the size of the restaurant seating area. This shows the dedication to their craft in this case the ingredients, the area for cooking and presentation. This kitchen is run under the able hands of Chef Tourej Khan. Point to be noted that all their dishes are prepared from scratch and hence normal serving time would be anywhere from 15-25 mins.

1. CHATMOLA FATAFAT – This is a cola which is khatta metta with a bit of lime and jaljeera with the right amount of tanginess with a cola twist. They served it with bottle containing the drink overturned into a mug.

2. KIWI AMBI PANNA – As the name suggests, I did expect the gooseberry flavour but the addition of raw mango and green chillies made it absolutely refreshing that we landed up ordering for more. This is a must try here!

1. CHALLI KOLMI KEBAB

Excellent dish made of corn and potato made to look like drumsticks though vegetarian served with chutney. Point to be noted the stick which holds the dish together is edible and this is one of their signature dishes. While I was relishing this dish I noticed it at 2 other tables hence proving my point!

4. ROYAL KEBAB PRESS

This is one of the best presented dishes of the visit. It was served in an antique charcoal iron box. The kebabs were a mix of chicken, mutton and fish. Personally liked the chicken the best.

Butter chicken with a Delhi twist. Flavorful yet different from the usual Butter Chicken.

2. WARQI DAL-E-DASTAAN

This creamy dish is actually is one of their signature creations and an off-take from Haleem containing mince mutton and urad dal. Point to note, this dish is a bit on the heavy side hence one is more than sufficient for 4-5 persons.

All the above side dishes were served with Butter Naan and Kulcha.

This was the better of the two as I cannot ingest milk based products. This is a new twist to choco lava cake where the choco is replaced by nutella and the cake by dodha burfi muffin. It can be a bit too much after a heavy meal hence advised to be shared by 2-3 persons.

MY 2 BITS:
A very eye opening and enjoyable lunch.
Definitely a great restaurant to take loved ones and family for a wonderful dining experience.

Treat Yourself To An Interesting Tea Journey @ Tea Trails

It was a long day at work and I was at my wits end when I finally managed to make it to this café.
I was invited to be a part of their little tea tasting along with a group of fellow foodies.

The Cafe is quite bright and has a cheerful look in both the open area at the entrance as well as the air conditioned inner area.

Olive and Green Tea Bruschetta – Again a normal looking bruschetta but the tea infused in the dish gave it a completely different taste with a feeling of wanting more.

Marble tea salad – A very interesting looking salad containing whole eggs boiled in tea infused water. The eggs definitely had an interesting taste but this was a one good looking salad.

Better Wife – This drink brought a smile to my lips for its quirky name. This is a blend of fruit juices, herbs and green tea which gives your taste buds a feeling of really not knowing what you are tasting. Maybe that’s the reason for this name! Very interesting and enjoyable drink.

I did get a chance to taste their Tea pancakes which was very good and also Egg Kejriwal which had all the right flavours, but a bit too spicy for me.

Come on over to Kapoor’s Cafe for Authentic Punjabi Cuisine

I am passionate about food and trying out different cuisines and thereby restaurants across Bangalore and wherever else I travel.

Been invited to join the Food Bloggers Association of Bangalore (FBAB) for their meet up was when I came to know about  Kapoor’s Cafe.

Next came the French Fries Punjabi style. Now I can be a bit critical when one takes western dishes and tries to pass them off as something different. But I must mention that this Punjabi twist which was nothing but simple day to day ingredients such as chilli powder and fried coriander leaves added to good old french fries and garnished with fried green chillies is a brilliant idea. Kudos to their team for their out of the box thinking.

Then followed the Paneer Pakoras. This is a simple enough appetizer/snack sold in many restaurants. I had this at a restaurant recently and was not too happy about it. Hence I tried one paneer pakora with not much expectation but it was so soft inside and perfectly crispy outside that I dug in for more. This was served with mint chutney similar to the pataka balls.

From my above experience, it is very obvious that the owner ( and wife) has put a lot of their time and efforts in setting up this cafe and their actions speak in the food served and the service provided ( with a smile always).

Overall, a simple no frills restaurant serving authentic veg Punjabi food with a pinch of love!

Growing Younger @ TILT Gastro Lounge

The area of the lounge can be described in 2 parts – one is the outside seating which is airy and pleasant and the other is an inside area which houses 2 first floor areas on either side of the DJ console and a bar in front of which is a small dance floor. The inside area is bit dark but suits the discotheque effect they are trying to portray. The only grouch I have about the first floor area we sat in was that the AC was definitely not enough for the area it was covering.

Moving onto the drinks, I knew about their cocktail menu and we landed up ordering the below :

APPETIZERS: ( 2 plates each)
1. Cycle Jacksons Onion rings – This dish was too batter fried. We could not finish even one plate.
2. Garithes ma Harisssa  – This is a prawns dish suggested by our server. The prawns were very rubbery  ( either over cooked or old). A thumbs down for this dish!
3. Oh Fish – This is nothing but Fish fingers. This dish was well done and well liked by the group.
4. Smoked garlic and cheese fries – You cannot go wrong with fries unless of course you overfry them. That is what happened to our first plate of the fries. Since we mentioned this they ensured the second plate was prepared right.
5. Calling it Maari – Again a new name for Calamari rings. By now, I should have realized not to order anything batter fried here but since my hubby likes this dish, I landed up ordering it. The calamari luckily was fresh but the batter was too much and calamari too less hence a disappointment.
6. Murgh Rakabdar tikka – This was the best dish of the night. Succulent,well prepared and well presented. But there were exactly 6 pieces which in my opinion is too less for a dish costing Rs.260 per plate.
7. Old time machas favorites – Baby corn manchurian – This dish was good and went well with the drinks.

DESSERT:
1. Shake well before use – This is a new twist to Tiramisu but in my opinion it was the worst twist to Tiramisu I have tasted.
2. 007 &  1/2 – Ordered 3 nos. of this. – This was liked a lot by the group hence ordered 3 nos. Its called 007 coz they serve chocolate rolls which look like a cigar.

Posted on July 20, 2016