Unforgettable food experiences!

I have been writing about my various gastronomic journeys for some time now, and its time I put together some of the unforgettable experiences, that stimulated my taste buds to remain engraved in memory ever since.

Best Soup: Pumpkin Soup, Olive Beach, Chankayapuri (This particular outlet is closed down, but Olive is very much there in Delhi)

Soups are my favourite ... in a restaurant, you'd always find me experimenting with the choice of soup, whatever the cuisine may be. 

On a fairly hot afternoon, at Olive Beach, the chef recommended his signature soup to my friend and me - a pumpkin soup. Both of us were skeptical, as pumpkin is not a vegetable we exactly like, but the chef assured us that we would like it. 

Indeed it was wonderful, it had a subtle taste, enhanced by black pepper sprinkled over it. 

Best South Indian Meal: Kausstubh, Saket District Centre

Foodie that I may be, my taste buds are inclined heavily towards non vegeterian food. So when my friend wanted to go to a strictly vegeterian place, I was initially unwilling. However, with some coaxing, I went - and had one of the most wonderful expeiences.

For one, the best of each South Indian state has been brought under one roof. I could never imagine there could be so much variety. Did you know there are numerous varieties of rasam and dosas?

Writing about this meal would be incomplete without mentioning the "1 metre Coffee"... a coffee that is blended in two mugs held at a vertical distance of 1 metre. 

Perky Non Vegeterian Snacks: Punjab Grill

I am fond of non vegeterian snacks that are cooked on charcoal, are barbequed and have the perfect balance of spices. I fell in love with the presentation of mutton in a model of a charcoal iron - it had a lovely smoky taste as well. On the right hand side image, you can see chicken minced up and tossed with the spices to make a tasty snack.   

Innovative Non Vegeterian Main Course: Le Meridien

If we are to talk about innovations in food, I can only think of Le Meridien - the chef is always willing to innovate and brings out the true essence of the ingredients. He served us a twin flavoured chikken tikkas - the ingredients come in layers for you to mix and enjoy. The prawn comes in its true form dipped in tangy sauce and basil leaves. And the biriyani is prepared in the serving bowl - it comes covered, and when one opens it, the aroma mesmerizes him.

Japanese Cuisine made Fun: Yum Yum Cha, Select City Walk Mall

This is again one of my discoveries. Attracted by the colourful decor, we stepped in this cosy outlet, and came out with a lovely experience. Some of the items in the menu have been brought to India for the very first time, so you must try this place. The items that swept me off my feet are: sea food salad - a cold salad of diced crab; sushi platter and Takoyakioctopus dumplings.

Best Dessert: Brownie and Tiramisu, again at Olive Beach

You are full, yet, your taste buds crave for something sweet to complete your meal. Chef Sujan at Olive Beach tossed up two perfect desserts for us - the perfect proportions, and so well presented. The tiramisu had a teasing coffee flavour to it, while a chunk of vanilla ice cream complemented the chocolate soaked brownie. For once, we simply forgot all about the calories!

Have I got your mouth watering?

__

Photos courtesy: Atul Tayade, Angon Bhattacharjee, Self

Fun & Food @ Yum Yum Cha

Loitering around lazily on the 2nd floor of Select City Walk Mall, my eyes were attracted to the newly opened Yum Yum Cha. Against a serene backdrop of white, what attracted me was the abundance of fun shapes such as umbrellas, flip flops and various fun objects in vibrant colours. See for yourself how exciting an ambience the colours create!

 

 The staff were very friendly when we admitted that the menu was too tempting to choose from. Many of the dishes were brought to India for the very first time. Some items you cannot afford to miss, and I'll personally vouch for are

• Sea food salad - a cold salad of diced crab on cucumber
• Sushi platter - which is wonderful even if you've never had sushi before 
• Takoyaki Octopus dumplings  

And the pleasure doesn't end there! We tried the hot pot of Ramen and pork - it comes in a paper bowl placed over a tiny fire- so it remains hot. We tried sizzling rice -it comes with the ingradients neatly arranged on rice, but to have it, you'd have to mix it all! It is placed on a stone wok, and it crackles to increase your apetite!

We were too full, but for me, even a small bite of dessert is essential. So, between the two of us, we ordered just one espresso creme bule - and it would have been a big miss had we not tried it. You may try the other desserts on their menu, but make sure you order this one too!

Come, discover "Little bundles of Joy - Huge Bowls of Happiness" in Yum Yum Cha, a new presentation from the owners of Yum Yum Tree.
__
Photos courtesy Angon Bhattarcharjee, who shares my immense appetite for good food.  

Summer Menu - Perfect for this Season!

Its that time of the year in India which most of us hate - Summer. It rains once in a while, but it makes the weather all the more unbearable. As humdity weighs our spirits down, what happens to us, the foodies, who want to eat out but the idea of oily preparations make us sick?

Chef Sujan has come up with a perfect menu for this season at Olive Qutub, Mehrauli. Its tasty, its light and its refreshing. Even after a long day at work.

So much attention is given to detail, that you shall simply love digging in. It maybe a simple watermelon terrine, but it is coupled with greenapple, avocado and mint to enhance the taste.

The season demands more salads than anything else, and thus, the new menu offers variety of light salads- nutritious, but feather light. The chef offers you a light soup, and then brings in his master stroke : Lamb rump - a non vegeterian's delight!

For those who have a sweet tooth, do not forget to check out the Tiramisu - its teasing coffee flavour, heightened by a biscuit like texture.
__

Photographs: Team Olive. Mine are on the way.

"Chakhna Menu" - bringing back yesteryears

Having heard much about the "Chakhna Menu" at Punjab Grill, my husband literally dragged me with him to try it. I am in a non alcoholic phase, and my focus was primarily on what this new menu offered.

We were lucky to meet Chef Gurpreet, the mastermind behind this innovative idea. Young men, just on the verge of adulthood, would have alcohol with street side snacks, sometimes its simple scrambled egg, or keema, or fish tikkas.

The food is served in innovative ways: the mutton comes in a charcoal press model for its cooked on coal. The alcohol is served with a desi flavour too: the Punjabi's love their whiskies in weddings, so a small horn is placed in your single malt: the staff shall blow it once before they serve it to you. :)

 There's more to discover waiting to be discovered by you... so check it out soon!
__
Photos courtesy: Punjab Grill 

South Indian Food beyond the Usual

"So you like Dosas?", I asked my friend when he said he loved South Indian Food. 

"Or Uttapams?", I offered, upon getting a frown.

"There's more to South Indian cuisine than those", said my friend and literally dragged me to Kausstubh in Saket District Centre, near DLF Place Mall. It was a peaceful place, with a simplistic design and wooden furniture.. it seemed peaceful and generated hunger pangs in my stomach.

We started with a traditional rasam and papad. That reminds me, do you know there are numerous varieties of rasam? And if you are interested, you may visit Kausstubh when they host the "Rasam Festival". 

Food from all states of South India was available - we had Fried Cocktail Idli, Cheese Kuzhipaniyaram, Keerai Kuttu and Butter Milk for starters. It was spicy, yummy and very innovative.

I wanted to have the traditional dosa, so the staff suggested we try Chettinad Plain Dosa and Garlic Dosa, along with the usual one. Note the unique presentation style?  

My friend was still hungry, so we ordered the Thali and Appams. With multiple dishes served in small bowls, came a Malabar Paratha and Idiyappam.

We finished our super heavy meal with "1 metre Coffee"... a coffee that is blended in two mugs held at a vertical distance of 1 metre. 

The restaurant serves North Indian food too, but I'd recommend you try their South Indian menu only. 

__

Photocredits: Atul Tayade

Hyderabadi Food Festival

 Window shopping at Ambience Mall, Gurgaon my friend and I stopped in front of a banner announcing the "Hyderabadi Food Festival" at Zambar, a restaurant on the 3rd Floor. Our stomachs and tongues yearning for a taste of the new menu, we dropped our shopping agenda almost immediately.

We were greeted by Chef Arun, a man with a broad smile who adds a personal touch in the food he serves to his guests. And tiny elements add to the ambience: banana leaf shaped plates, portrait of a Kathakali dancer on the wall, and more.

We are served with a small amount of Rasam, and traditional papads. But what is a hyderabadi food festival without kebabs and biriyani? The chef smiles at our query and serves his select few - aloo ke garlay (vegeterian), Shikampuri (mutton) and Chicken tikka (with a strong garlic flavour!). Served with a green chutney, the kebabs just melted in our mouths.

Moving on to the main course, he served us a delectable platter of achari chicken (yummy), nawabi kofta curry (meatballs), fish curry made in nuts and a vegeterian dish made with chillies.

Next came the biriyani, which is served only after the personal approval of Chef Arun. It was too good, and we had so much of it that we had to quickly proceed to the desserts. Needless to say, they were unique and superb too.

All you foodies out there, do remember to check out the Hyderabadi Food festival!

Savouring Winter Menu @ Olive Beach

Innovations in food - that is what I would call the new menu at Olive.

Having heard about it a lot, I walked in with lot of expectations... and was met by a smiling chef. He sat with us, and shared with us his experiences from his long stint abroad. And he jokingly remarked that the new menu he has launched this winter had to be "Indianized" to match the spice loving taste of his country-men.

Although it was late winter, he offered us two of his special mocktails which were full of ice. All my apprehensions were discarded when I sipped in the green drink, called "Avalanche" - made with mint leaves. The orange one was a fruity concoction. He offered us choice of platters, but we surrendered to his will, for we wanted to taste the best. Here are the appetizers:

Confit Duck Legs - soft meat made into a dumpling, 

Pumkin Soup in Espresso Style, sprinked with ground pumpkin seeds

Cheese Balls

 Then came Round 1: Duck leg, with a burnt texture, coupled with turnips marinated in orange juice and dressed with plum jam. Coupled with warm bread and rosemary dip, it was too good. To top it all, came Goat cheese with beet, and walnuts - never knew beet and walnut tasted so good together!

Chef Sujan also treated us to Red Snapper fish, and informed us that he always used fresh fish, and not the usual frozen stuff available in the market.

He wanted to treat us more, but we were too full. So we went on to the desserts after a refreshing green apple sorbet, an effective palate cleanser. Don't the brownie and tiramisu look sinful?

It was a great experience for the foodie in me. I am usually very critical, but in this case, I could not even find a single suggestion to provide.

So next time you are in Chanakyapuri, make sure to check out this cozy joint in the ground floor of Hotel Diplomat.
__
Photocredits: Chef''s: Team Olive, Rest: Atul Tayade 

Christmas & Wine

This Christmas, a friend had brought a bottle of wine over in the party at my house.

"Perfect wine for the Barbeque", he said, handing the package to me.

While serving, I was awed by the ruby red colour and fruity aroma. It seemed thicker than usual. When I mentioned this to my buddy, he said, "Shiraz is a full bodied wine, so it appears like that. However, you would like the taste."

The first sip had me wincing. I thought it had too much tanins. Seeing the grin on his face, I tried another. After which, I just fell in love with it. It is a taste that you have to get used to. Its smooth, and lingers in your tastebuds even while you munch your food.

Later, I found out that Ritu Wines, the export version of Four Seasons has recently won six medals in the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Competition!

__

To know more about this wine, click here.  

Uzuri - bringing Europe and Africa together

Wandering in M Block Market, Greater Kailash II, my husband and I were looking for a cosy restaurant to relax, when we chanced upon Uzuri.

The unique name caught our attention - and we walked in. There are two levels - The friendly and courteous staff showed us both - the comfortable dining area and the open air deck (which is perfect for a winter afternoon). We chose a comfortable corner in the lower level, overlooking the greens.

There's something unique about the decor - there's leopard print on the walls and furniture, the artifacts are rustic and have a tribal feel. They have been imported from Africa, we were told.

In fact, "Uzuri" means wellness in Swahili, the indigenous tribal language of Africa (Kenya to be precise). The cuisine is European, which is inspired by Africa. Thus began our gastronomical journey:

What you see above are two unique mocktails - Uzuri Fresh made from fresh mandarins, mint leaves and Apple Tango made from fresh apples and cinnamon powder! We were served cinnamon bread with beetroot jam topped with goat cheese in a cute little bottle. The mustard lamb shoulder and Cape Malay fish cakes just melt in your mouth. Making out that we were very hungry, the staff recommended few dishes:

The pork belly in fennel and grilled vegetable ratatouille are dishes whose tastes are as unique as their presentation. The sinful chocolatey desert with semi frozen trufles filled us to the brim.

 

The food was exquisite and very very unique - its almost experimental, but very tasty. Upon enquiry, I was informed that most of the staff have international experience - great people have together to launch this new venture.

I'll give it 4.5 stars out of 5 overall. Do check this place out, and tell me what you think!

Pasta and Pizzas at Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut has been a household name in India for some time and has been dominating the market because of their constant endeavour to customize their menus as per the local tastes. At least, that's what I think - for I have seen stuff titled "Punjabi Mania" in North India, where people love spicy stuff.

 

The latest innovation from them is introducing pastas in their palate - they have tied up with Barila (international pasta brand). Chef Arjyo Banerjee of Pizza Hut and Chef Luca Ciano of Barila came together in a very lively and interactive evening and shared with us tips and recipes of preparing various dishes. Do you know there are more than 100 types of pasta shapes available in the world?

Both Arjyo and Luca served us personally the dishes they had made and took note of our observations. There were some unthinkable improvisations - like using fried brinjal skin as a dressing!! Of course, the traditional pizza and dessert were also included!

 I returned home with the tastes lingering in my mouth!

Girls Day Out at Cafe Ludus

My buddy Sushmita and I, met up last Saturday afternoon at MGF Metropolitan Mall and decided to check out the newly opened Cafe Ludus. We were pleasantly surprised at the spacious layout! There are cosy corners for small groups- be it in the book/ magazine corner, or near the bar as well as large clusters for a gang of friends - each space adequately separated. Greeted warmly, we were offered to check out the outdoor terrace.. it is indeed lovely!

 However, we chose to sit inside as it was hot and sunny outside. I really loved the contemporary design elements that have been used - funky, yet subtle.

The lighting was perfect and music to set the mood. There's provision for a loud party, gaming consoles and all sorts of modern gadgets!

We ordered two coolers (Soft Sangria & Skinny Pinacolada) to refresh ourselves - as we were exhausted after shopping.

The staff were smart, cordial and helped us choose the starters and main course. We ate so much that the chef came to meet us! He shared two of his signature dishes - Stuffy Mushrooms & Chicken Casanova.The food was awesome and sumptuous!

Add Cafe Ludus to your must-check-out list in this mall - it is right next to escalators on the second floor. There are new initiatives up their sleeves, such as an European fine dining restaurant (open air) and mid night deliveries.

Just Chill !! And yes, read Sushmita's views too!

Excellent Wine for You

That's what I thought of the wine, when I tasted the Merlot - a red wine from Four Seasons. 

Are you surprised? Some of you who know me personally are aware of the fact that I stay away from alcohol in most cases. But when offered a taste of this ruby red wine (its a bit darker - close to the garnet stone), I decided to try it.

We were at a friends' housewarming party, and the menu for dinner was a platter of attractive Mughlai dishes. While I was appreciating the aroma that filled the dining space, my friend grinned and said, "The secret ingredient is the wine you are holding."  

Believe me, the food tasted awesome. Conventional, but hinting at something that enhanced your experience.  The wine tasted perfect alongside - there is a strong fruity flavour in it which lingers in the aroma as well. 

Do try this flavour and relish the experience! 

To know more about this wine and others, visit the Fourseasons website. 

Ordering food in minutes

On my marriage anniversary, our guests were surprised to see the file containing menus of various restaurants maintained meticulously by my husband. He let everyone choose what they wanted to eat for dinner.

After a while, almost everyone had selected mutually exclusive items from various sources and it seemed practically impossible to place and track so many independent orders.

Suddenly, I recalled a website called Foodpanda, which is the heaven for foodies. You can select your city and locality, and all major restaurants which have tie up with the website, are listed! One can browse through the menu card of one, select items from different outlets, place the entire order at one go, with a few clicks of the mouse, without investing much time, money, fuel or effort! The page also indicates the minimum order value, delivery charges if any and approximate lead time. The best part is that you pay for everything at the end with your credit/ debit card and your order would arrive together, piping hot!

Check this website out and subscribe to their e-mail alerts. Often there are movie tickets, vouchers and other goodies on offer upon placing an order. What more could you ask for?

Naughty@ Dirty Martini

Do you remember your college days when drinking alcohol in public was a taboo? Think of the 1920's then - those were different times, when codes of conduct were much stricter. Dirty Martini, Olive Qutub recreates the yesteryears perfectly in this 1920 themed pub. 

Beer is served in paper bags. Gin is camaflouged in tea cups: with a hint of mint and lemon, its a drink they have named "South Side". What is more vodka is served in the jelly form shaped like fruit slices: the water melon and yellow melon forms that you see are anything but fruits: they are called shots. And they are yummy.

The decor is also old fashioned - and the ambience is heightened by a live opera performance by a lady in an old fashioned gown and furs. 

Photocredits: Mukta Varma, Sangeeta Khanna

Brunch @ Cheri

Multiple breads

Relishes and jams
Live Salad Counter
Massive vegeterian counter
Equally massive non veg menu
Live Pizza Counter
Live Kababs and Grill
Live Pasta and Risotto
Dessert

Loads of good food and unlimited drinks. What else can you ask for??

Go for the Brunch at Cheri One Qutub, Mehrauli on any Sunday. Start your winter morning with friends and family in the outdoor courtyard, with live counters cooking awesome food and filling the air with exotic aroma. Walk in the interiors to check out the cold buffet and deserts. Be invited to the open terrace by a teasing play of light and shade created by shadows of plants and winter sun. 

The staff is cheerful, and would happily assist you if need be. Chef Raman may also hang outside, to share his secret tips with you. 

Believe me, you should try it atleast once.. and you would keep going back!

Photocredits: Sangeeta, Sushmita and Me

Merry @ Le Meridien

"It's all about the experience" is the motto of Hotel Le Meridien. Your journey begins right at the moment you look up at the huge glass building that soars 20 floors above the ground. There are multiple entrances, and each creates a different impact on you. We were invited to Restaurant Eu de Monsoon - upon entry is a reception desk in front, a dining area on your left and a lounge on your right. The scale of the double height space draws you in; and as you glance around, you spot your destination.

It seemed like a completely different world from the hot afternoon outside. The dark brown panelling, the perfect ambient temperature of airconditioning, seemed to rejuvinate us as we sipped our cocktails and spoke to each other. Mine was fresh cucumber juice minus the vodka (so it was actually a mocktail), and it did wonders to me.

The hotel staff, irrespective of designation or stature, mingled with us cordially and invited us in the wine chamber, just preceding the dining area. There were floor-to-ceiling refrigerators with various wines from different countries kept at the correct temperature, lit so that light does not fall on the wines and a table where a guest can taste some wines before choosing the perfect one to pair with his meal. The sommelier, Sameer, was polite and answered all our queries.

Gradually we stepped towards the dining hall where a plate with three sets of forks and knives awaited us, quietly hinting at the various courses we were about to have! Some brand presentations were made, which are usually quite boring - but these were engrossing. For example, I did not know Le Meridien was owned by Starwood, whose forte was not owning the hotels, but the brands. Also, the hotel had been redone to create contemporary style of interiors, mixed with the original traditional elements. Sure enough, the ceiling above us had lights that seemed to have belonged to a Nawab's palace rather than a 5 star lounge. The edges were again adorned with modern lights. [ I can't stop blabbing about the architecture and interiors, it seems!]

Chef Dawinder Kumar, who had been with the hotel since day 1, joined us to tell us what he would be serving us. It was a sampling menu with small portions, named "Degustation". What followed afterwards was an interesting stream of dishes served in an unique way - the dishes would come pre-arranged in a plate, and once you have eaten it, a new dish in a new plate would replace it. The opening item was an Asparagus Cappuccino - weird it may sound, but was nice: hot at the top, cold at the bottom, served in an ice-cold glass cup, to be consumed in one shot. That's your appetizer. Next comes something named a Deconstructed Samosa: the constituents of a samosa served in a plate. A twin flavoured chicken tikka followed, and a prawn dipped in tangy sauce and basil leaves. The vegeterians got their equivalents in paneer and brocolli. A basa fish preparation and a chicken dish came next. Some lovely white and red wine was served alongside these dishes. Now, as we had finished the first round, we were offered a sorbet with a unique mix of lemon and ginger that cleansed our taste buds and prepared us for the upcoming Biriyani. It was baked in a bowl covered with atta, so the smell was retained till we opened it. We were quite full by then, and most of us could not do justice to the lovely preparation.

Magandeep Singh, a well known wine enthusiast, had cropped up midway between our meal, and he served us a wine called "Desert Wine", which is completely different from the usual wines we have. We were also served some award winning coffee (that's rated best among all Le Meridien hotels). A deconstructed Dosa had come, but we did not taste it, as we were too full. A sorbet came next, this time with an acidic taste of pomegranate and a hint of guava. The desert, titled "Discovery" came next which was an assortment of mango soufle, chocolate and coconut. What I must admire here is that apart from the great food, their presentation plays a key role to the experience of dining at Le Meridien.

Our enjoyment continued as we were taken to the 20th floor to take a look below, and indeed, the paving pattern of the atrium, surrounded by the red carpetted floors was an unique view. We also ventured around to catch a glimpse of the Rashtrapati Bhawan, North and South Blocks. On our way back, we were gifted a box of chocolate and a pot of wheat grass as a souvenir of this lovely afternoon.

Do be at Le Meridien whenever you can for an experience you would cherish and thank me. The experience shall continue even in the washrooms! An insider tip for you is that do not have anything lined up after this; for you would enjoy being there so much that your timelines are bound to get stretched!

This was organized by Team Blogathon.
Photocredits: Sushmita, Myself.