Desi Klub - As desi as it gets!

There is a lovely buzz feed about Desi Klub. The place screams loud of the full on larger than life culture of Bollywood and there is a lot of colour and spice associated with it. The food is predominantly good ol Indian food mostly from the Northern side including the most loved street goodies infused with a native flavour and local touch.

The ambiance is bright and replete with colours, wall arts and sign boards depicting the glory of Bombay. It isn't a very big place but there is enough seating arrangement made available for large gatherings. The kitschy scooter placed at the entrance is a give away of what to expect with the decor and set up which is bindaas in every way.

The menu runs into a number of sub sections and it's their starter and short eats fare which is not only catchy to the eye on presentation but also great for the taste buds. First up, gulped the Bubble Gum shake which entices child hood memories. This one gets the flavour spot on and this pinky drink which is placed with a piece of gum on the top was a flashy way to begin proceedings.

The starters virtually all that we tried hit the bulls eye but however there was one clear man of the match which outshone everyone else. That was the roller coaster panneer. Presented in immaculate fashion in a rotating ferris wheel with a dip placed in between, the layered rectangular panneer rolls consisting of a non spicy pasty mix with essential ingredients was just arresting to taste. The cheese corn masala balls had a jaw dropping spread inside those soft pressy breaded balls and was lovely to consume with the tartar based dip. The Chennai se China Tak wasn't bad either. This was idli in a redefined avatar. Fried and tossed with capsicum and green chillies this was more in the line of a manchurian.

In the main course section titled Bhara belly, we had the Pasta Desi Ishtyle. These macaroni conch shells were bathed in a lip smacking delectable makhni gravy making this Italian wonder undergo a brief makeshift change to an Indian style curry delight. Dressed up with oodles of cheese and accompanied by a maska slathered bun, this one was melted to make you drool. And the finale was grand with the Chole Te Bhature. You would just love the way this one is presented in a cycle carrier with the seating space containing the bhatoore's and the holder in the form of a local large sized tea glass consisting the brown chole gravy. The Bhatoore's were soft and it was great to munch them with a generous spread of the chole which was so flavourful. This Chole Bhatoora was easily one of the better one's I've had anywhere in the city.

The service was speedy with hardly any waiting time in between the dishes. The prices turn out to be slightly expensive more so with all the taxes added around. I enjoy local Indian street food and Desi Klub is a nice little place to feast yourself to the best of delicacies that the city of Mumbai has to offer with a drum beat abashed atmosphere with feel good Hindi music playing in the background.

Nostalgia Revisited at Eden's Harrisons

The Eden at Harrison's is a perennial favorite and rekindles a lot of good old memories. Years back when Chennai didn't have a siege of restaurant's as how it is today, this was one good place for fine dining attracting numerous customers. Even now despite other options and the apparent competition, Eden still has it's legion of fans. Take my word it is one good restaurant to take your family and friends and it's highly unlikely that you will end up being disappointed.

This outlet is situated on the 3rd floor in Harrison's hotel located on the way towards Chetpet main road. It is well lit and bright and the tree top artifact on the roof gives it a nice touch. The decor is nice and cozy comprising of Ivory colored cushions and virtually everything about the place has remained the same since it's inception dating back to the 90's.

The menu is a very simple 2 pager and it has been virtually the same for a decade with nothing new added along the way. You might wonder that they haven't evolved but the fact is they know what they are good at and play the A game to the 'T'. Knowing well their strengths perhaps they never found the need to venture into newer territories and here it's about playing their cards close to the chest and they do a good job at it.

Though the spread here is continental, tandoori and a skosh of South Indian, it is on the continental where they count the shots. This is perhaps one of the first places I have tasted Lasagne and baked dishes. I loved it then and I continue to enjoy their lipsmacking baked to perfection dishes even now. Another area where they walk the talk is on the appetizers. Just love whatever they have to offer here whether its the corn on toast, Bharwan paneer, veg cutlets, tangy aloo and many more. Their north indian stuff is also pretty good but somehow I have had better stuff elsewhere and in relative terms with the continental i feel they fall way short. The bit of south Indian is just to add the numbers. Never really tried much of them. They also have a separate single dessert page with sundaes, shakes and ice cream and their most popular item here is 'When was the last time i checked my waist' which is a dessert suffused with chocolate in abundance.

The rates have been hiked up over the years but well within the norm keeping the inflation factor. You wouldn't really complain much especially after gorging some of their delicacies. The service is really quick and the food will come to your table faster than you expect. Valet parking is very much available as it's situated inside a hotel.

Eden holds good on most grounds and has kept it's charm intact over the years. Restaurant's may come and go but this Eden restaurant at Harrison's will always hold a dear place in the heart.