Damu's Heritage Dine - A unique culinary experience!

To be honest, our over all dining experience at Arunachal Pradesh was nothing much to write home about. That was until we came across Damu's heritage dining which kind of blew us apart. This indigenous dine in housed almost in the middle of nowhere nestled somewhere along the interiors of the charming Chug Valley simply won our heart's over.

This fine dining restaurant prides on artisanal Monpa cuisine which is largely cultivated in house and consists of a pastiche of items made from millet, barley, buckwheat et al. The food is served as a set course meal and for once being vegetarian didn't make you feel out of place. The food tasted fresh and felt totally organic. The ambience gave a very radiant and colourful swirl. It was a boutique style restaurant housed across 2 floors with one of the floors making you witness the fresh greenery at the outset whereas the upper floor had a better design but was within a closed frontier.

We chose the open green space and began our foray with an item termed as 'Phursingh Gombu' which is a traditional dish made from corn flour dough shaped like tartlets with a juciy black lacquer overflowing over it. The black liquid tasted a bit bizarre but felt very unique and kind of medicinal. I guess you need to get acquired to such a taste but nevertheless it was quite an experience.

Next up we devoured a delightful green soup made up of tonnes of herbs where we could literally see swoons of those greeny leaves engulfing our liquid soup. This one felt extremely soothing and comforting being so rich in taste. On the main course section we also got to try a noodles made out of buckwheat. It almost appeared like being crusty on the outset but was anything but that. It was flavourful and went well with the accompanying salad.

The 2 dishes which were outright standouts happened to be the millet based momos and the green leafy tacos submerged with kidney beans aplenty. Both these were simply lip smacking awesome and felt so nice on the palette. The spinach effect pulverised it to a notch high above everything else.

We were also served rice which appeared a little thicker than normal which went well with the kidney bean lentil gravy. We were given a similar version of the rice as a sweet laced with a touch of jaggery. Apart from this we also had a shot of millet based pancake with sweeteners dolloped on top.

More than the taste of the food, this fine dining escapade was more to do with the experience which just hit home and felt so comforting and heart warming. We were taken care of magnificently well and explained about the finer points of each and every dish along with also knowing about the history and tradition of such a cuisine. On the whole it was a delectable experience which one should not miss especially when traversing across this neck of the woods.

Bar Italia - Truly Italian!

Bar Italia is located right at the heart of Dublin city center and sees it's existence dating back to the previous century. It is one of the few ventures which has seen it's light being prevalent right since 1999 onwards and you would see the proud display inscribed in white text with below quote "Open 7 days for lunch and dinner since 1999". This and the popular Italian eatery joint Toscano are the 2 restaurants in Dublin which have now been serving customers for around quarter a century.

As the name connotes it's pretty to surmise that this is a restaurant which prides on Italian fare with a variety of pasta and pizza options along with samples of antipasti on the board. It was however very limited on the vegetarian side of things and I just had couple of items to choose from on the pasta or pizza menu.

For starters, I went with Rosemary Potatoes. They were large chunks of pieces shaped like a spiral and slathered with garlic, oil, butter and flourished with seasoning. They felt good on the mouth and it was nice consuming these giant sized juicy potatoes.

On the main course, I decided to go with Pasta and I literally had just 2 items to choose from one being ravioli with mushroom stuffing and another being a cheesy pasta sauteed with pepper in what you call a cacio de pepe pasta. I chose the latter and it was brought in a big 2 tier bowl with the upper end being garnished with parmesan cheese and the bottom portion were the rolled up pasta infused with cheese and a dash of pepper. It was quite lovely though for the Indian palette of mine felt a bit too bland lacking the masala you're so used to but nevertheless the tinge of cheese and pepper worked really well and it was flavorful on the whole.

The place gives a rich appeal with a black carved theme with dim lights associated. You have the bar right at the entrance and a row of seating to go along once you get inside. The service was crisp and on point. There was hardly much waiting time and you got your stuff without any delay. It's definitely a good spot to dine out however being a vegetarian options felt a bit too limited and will certainly be helpful if they have little more items in the fray. The two items which I had set me back by about 23.5 Euros with the pasta costing 19 and started about 4 and half Euros. Pricing seems par for the course and on similar lines to other places. Overall a cozy smooth dining place at Ormund Quay right around the corner of Dublin city center.

C Salt - Coastal Cuisine by the sea shore!

         

C Salt is a fine dining restaurant predominantly serving South Indian cuisine and located as part of the sprawling Sheraton Grand resort. You could see patches of greenery all around with the main entrance being constructed under a thatched roof like setting. It gives a laidback atmosphere and the blowing of the breeze from the beach side from just across the corner gives it the much needed tranquil environment. Sunday drives in Chennai to the serene beaches and hogging along some glorious cuisine is surely a great getaway to spend the weekend and C Salt amply caters to that requirement.

The menu is well rounded bringing the curated best of South India from 4 coastal regions covering the belts of Malabar, Konkan, Coromandel and Andhra. These areas are known to dish out supreme stuff making primary use of coconut and the aroma can be inherently felt as you step in. It is largely a limited menu comprising of an interesting array of small plates, a few combo based meals and a few mains to go along with side dishes.

Even before we could set the ball rolling, we were served some crunchy tapioca chips to go along with delightful cilantro and lemon dips. We started our foray with the button cakes which were fluffed up pieces of idly generously topped with abundant pieces of podi masala topped with layers of chilies and curry leaves for that enhanced zing. It was absolutely delicious and dwells up as a superlative cocktail based appetizer. Next up from the starter section we had a droolworthy malai brocolli. These florets were drenched along with the rightful dose of cream to get the ammunition soaring and came along with pink onions and a dollop of soya sauce. The pieces were just about perfect both in texture and taste.

                                       

In the main course section, we chose to have a combo meal in the form of a rich creamy gravy comprising of cashew nuts, asparagus and potatoes simmered in a coconut cream avatar coming along with couple of chunks of Aki Roti. It had a wonderful effervescence with the dreamy gravy being suffused with a beautiful blend of coconut cream and going along perfectly well with the rice breads made famous in Karnataka. One minor blip in the gravy was the fact that mix of the ingredients making up the curry seemed a bit one sided. An abundance of cashews made up almost a whole of the mix relegating the potatoes and asparagus to play a distinct second fiddle. Just felt the combination of the three could have been a little more judicious thus avoiding the over powering of cashew nuts in the overall scheme of things. Apart from this we also tried a paratha infused with cheese to go along with a tangy egg gravy mingled with spices aplenty to get a signature taste. The parathas were nice though not dolled up with that much of cheese and also being a little too hard on the surface. The egg curry hit all the right spots on every angle with all the add-ons elevating its taste to another level. Only gripe that was felt was on the quantity which seemed a little less from the bowl being served. We skipped having desserts as there wasn't really more space to take in any further intake.

Overall it was a relaxing meal soaked on a smooth Sunday afternoon setting with the sound of waves providing for some great company to go along with the food that was largely wholesome on substance and flavours. The service was apt and we were helped with some wonderful choices to go with. Time taken for the food seemed a bit on the longer duration but it didn't matter much as we were anyway here to just kill time and enjoy the calmness of this sea side resort. Rates seem fair for the course and definitely in line with what is served at a 5 star property. On the whole, if you're looking for a well deserved yearning weekend afternoon in Chennai wanting some unbridled peace and food to relish, you don't need to look much beyond C Salt which is certain to ensure meeting expectations with aplomb.

Cafe De Bangkok - Inviting Travel Vibes

Bangkok is a known to be a foodie's paradise apart from being a frequently hunted travel destination. It is known for it's mélange of cuisines ranging from Pan Asian and spreading across to continental, Pizza's and a host of bakery products.

Cafe De Bangkok is a new venture bringing the best of the world of Thai to the shore lands of Chennai. The place is located on a main road and the ambiance depicts a swirl of Thailand drawings with a diaspora of cute flower bouquets for infusing the vibration. Palettes of white and blue mostly adorn the surrounding.

The menu boasts of a mix of varied cuisines. I began proceedings with a broccoli soup encapsulated with shrivels of cheese which seemed to be a pretty good way to start on a cold evening. For the starters we tried the loaded fries which was basically potato fries topped up with salsa and cream. The fries were crunchy and the texture was just about right and it went well with the mix up. We also tried a bao in the form of cottage cheese & sundried tomato. This was one of my favorite dishes with the buns being juicy soft and stuffed inset were spicy rectangular chunks of paneer and dried tomatoes with the combination working very well. Another cottage cheese starter was attacked this time in the form of a skewer. This was of the Cajun variant and the pieces were fresh and somewhat in line with the traditional Indianized version of paneer tikka just that it was served in a different format. We also had a shot at the Thai spring rolls which went jocularly well with a lively tangy dip.

On the main course front, we went with the double cheese margarita pizza. I wouldn't say this was top notch. It was decent enough but somehow not melt in the mouth stuff that I expected it to be. The khow suey however was well dished up having a lovely aroma inherent to it. All the condiments added on made it quite an item to remember. This apart, a pink sauce penne pasta was also attempted. This one was creamy with the right stuffing and seemed well cooked and also tasted yummy.

They do not have too many options on the dessert front as of now. They had a chocolate danish and a blue berry cheese tart which seemed strictly average at best. I believe this is an area they are still working up to stack more options in the fray.

Overall it was a pretty pleasant experience. The waiters were friendly and the items were brought in at regular time intervals. The pricing seems par for the course. The ambiance and vibe works quite well especially if you're the kind who is looking forward to a pleasing experience. This cafe can definitely be tried for it's diverse epicurean cuisine.

Black Orchid - The Bustling Black Beauty!

Black, beauty and buzz are perhaps the 3 keywords adorning this place. The color black infuses royalty and a svelte like class about it that exhibits beauty in all it's aura and the buzz it creates is a sparkling spectacle. Black Orchid is a fine dining cum resto-bar restaurant located in a sprawling constructed property in R A Puram.

The place is abuzz with flashy decor, blooming lights and crafty woodwork. It's a three tiered massive structure with the basement allocated as a party hall, the ground portion consisting of a fine styling restaurant cum bar and the upper stair case portion leads you to a permit room where you can eat and drink to your heart's content with easing lounge style music.

We were here on a weekday evening and the place instantly spiraled it's atmosphere as set foot inside. It is more of a casual dining outlet but they have brought in some interesting features to differentiate itself from the crowd. It brings Japanese cuisine such as Sushis and Tepanayaki which gives itself a unique signature and apart from that you also have portions comprising of North Indian cuisine, a bit of continental and also Italian.

The appetizers form a major part of the menu and overall the food was very well curated and we had a ball of a time. We began our foray with a mixed veggies Tepanyaki. This one was grilled well with a variety of veggies giving us a crunchy beginning to our proceedings. The grilled panneer with peppers served in the form of skewers were amazingly flavorful and went very well with a barbecue sauce which had a mild sweet tinge to it. The lotus stem starter was perhaps the best of the lot as it had everything going for it on the taste angle and it was jocularly good to polish them with the creamy mayo and soya accompaniment that came along with it. The cassawa rolls which resemble sweet potatoes also was very good with the chilli dip enhancing the flavors all the more. We also had to try a sushi considering it's their specialty and hence we attempted the Greenland Maki one. It was dressed up royally in yellow consisting of veggies interspersed inset.

On to the main course, the corn and pepper bake was excellent. It was extremely cheesy and coated up with a smoked baked dressing. It was overflowing with goodness and ended up being such a toothsome delight. The vegetables in curry with saffron pilaf also turned out to be a sure shot winner. The curry made in coconut cream was esculent and the saffron flavored rice complemented it really well. Apart from this we also tried a bit of Indian with Tawa Paratha and Panneer Mutter Masala. The gravy was rich and creamy and it was nice to consume with the Indian breads.

The dessert section saw us having a crack at the Black Orchid cheesecake. It came with a fleck of gold foil and was very mushy and mellow consisting of a dense chocolate taste. It felt more like a rich mousse cake as cheesecake is normally associated with a biscuity crumb holding it which was missing in this case. The chocolate in a jar rum was also had and this concoction worked really well with the taste of rum being evident in each spoonful and the combo of rum & chocolate did indeed prove to be magical. Another thing to note here is they have some really unique but limited ice cream choices. We went for the lemon grass and enjoyed every smack of it. The slithery hint of lemon grass was felt in every bite.

The service was fast paced and we got all our items in quick intervals of time. The staff were also friendly and provided some valuable suggestions helping us order the right stuff. The prices seem up market but competitive considering they are setting the bar high.

All in all, Black Orchid happens to be a fascinating new addition to both the restaurant as well as the pub scene. The ambiance is serene and the atmosphere is electrifying. There is a lot you can indulge here apart from taking a bunch of happy memories. Can easily be classified as a fantastic option for food & drink.

The Cycle Gap - Instantly Buzzing!

Adyar has a lot going for it but one striking missing link was that it was devoid of a hep and happening resto-bar. The Cycle Gap however fills the void with it's grand opening in a big complex right in the middle of LB road. The place instantly ignites a buzz feel about it with lot of local swag and designs with the color yellow coming out rather predominantly.

The music is hard hitting and it gives quite a fizz about the atmosphere. It just invokes the feel that will be enjoyed by youngsters who can congregate and drink to their hearts content with plenty of food by the side. The music also rekindled the good ol growing up days of 90's and it was a lovely little experience going back in time hearing the vintage classics which one has grown up and been associated with.

Their drinks menu is stacked up pretty well and they have a bar right at the center which is where all the action happens. The seats are all laid out particularly for large sets of groups to come in. They have lots of imported based stuff also on the attic which adds to the proceedings. We were here to thulp and see how their liquor fares out and overall it was more than impressive. The drinks had really interesting Chennai based local names and a number of them had interesting concoctions intertwined in them.

On the food side of things, we had some crispy and crunchy corn minced with chinese spices to begin our foray. The chinese tinge continued with a succulently delivered spicy panneer. To add some sweetness we also tried the Panneer tikka with slices of pineapple laid in between. The Hara Bara Veg kebab were decent and the Vol-au-vents which are basically puff pastries intermingled with cheese & mushroom were delightful to consume. One of the stand out appetizers happened to be the Chilli Bhajji which looked as local as ever but bulky in size and inset containing a delicious layer of potatoes and cheese and along with the red chutney it was simply jaw dropping in taste.

In the main course, I quite enjoyed the pizza's. They are all made in house and both the plain margarita as well as the one topped with veggies set our taste buds tingling. We also had a try at an Idiappam Parotha which was well made but the sterling stealer of the show was the beautifully made Vegetable Pie. A circle of cheese swarmed over the dish and as we unleashed the layer, the juicy cheesy vegetables were indeed spectacular. The desserts were also interesting and the fusion of mixing traditional Indian sweets with ice cream worked wonders.

The service was friendly and ever willing to help. The rates seem par for the course. On a holistic view, they've got the drinks side of it quite well in place with truckload of varieties and really interesting options. The food also is taking up shape with lot of interesting options muddled in.  On the whole, The Cycle Gap has all what it takes to attract. Though it's still very early days, one can well and truly expect them to see a surge in customer base very soon.

P.S : Review of Anna Nagar Outlet
Anna Nagar is flooded with cafes, restaurant's and eateries but one major missing link was not having a good resto bar. Cycle Gap however fills the void with it's presence in the by lanes of the Anna Nagar main road. Its situated in a complex and occupies the upper floor. The place instantly has a buzz feel about it with lot of local swag and designs with the colour yellow coming out rather predominantly.

The music is hard hitting and it gives quite a fizz about the atmosphere. It just invokes the feel that will be enjoyed by youngsters who can congregate and drink to their hearts content with plenty of food by the side.

Their drinks menu is stacked up pretty well and they have a bar right at the center point which is where all the action happens. The seats are all laid out particularly for large sets of groups to come in. They have lots of imported based stuff also on the attic which adds to the favours.

We were here as a big gang to thulp down and see how their liquor fares out and overall we were quite impressed. The drinks had really interesting chennai slang based names and a number of them had interesting concoctions intertwined in them. Even the beers were not your usual KF's and Brititsh empire but they also possessed Corona, Hoegarden etc which was a plus one.

On the food side, I just felt they were little short on few of the items. Their menu is still being designed and worked out but the vegetarian side of things didn't really brim upto expectations. They had aloo tikki, onion rings, sauteed baby corn, potato wedges, panneer tikka, veg tempura, veg nachos, veg tempura, creamy cheesy brocolli et al. Though no real complaints, they were a drift away from being extraordinary. The best of the lot was easily the cheesy cauliflower & brocolli. I wish they come out with interesting signature starters of their own than the usual run off the mill items.

On the main course, I quite enjoyed the white sauce pasta. It had the necessary ammunition to hit the bulls eye. However exact opposite was the curried pizza which was a complete damp squib. It lacked any sort of flavours whatsoever and came across as bland. The curried hot balls and rice were passable. We didn't try much of desserts.

We ended our sojourn on a high note with shots of baileys and tequila. This was the star piece of the whole afternoon and it was a euphoric way to finish proceedings. The service was amiable and ever willing to help. The rates seem par for the course. On a holistic view, they've got the drinks side of it quite well in place with truckload of varieties and really interesting options. The food however can be spruced up a wee bit. Once this combination takes shape, they'll surely be a fantastic resto pub to reckon with.

Aadhirai - Shining South Indian!

Aadhirai is a new restaurant which has cropped up in a quaint location off Nungambakkam constructed out of a olden day vintage property. The first thing that strikes you is that it infuses the homely feel evidently. The handicrafts and wood work largely give it a very regional as well as authentic feel. The cuisine is largely South Indian and predominantly bordering into Chettinadu.

We were here on a weekend afternoon to soak in some of their special offerings. We started our foray with a delightful thirst quencher in the form of a Panagam Granita. The icy instincts didn't condense the taste one bit and this sweet traditional drink was as delicious as ever with the ice essence just adding an extra twist to this ever popular summer special. I had portions of the drink all through the meal and it acted as the perfect beverage.

On the soup side, the Malli Rasam soup was delightful. It had a subtle hint of flavours which worked very well. In the starter section, we were served a yam loaded nachos. To be frank I'm not a fan of Yam but this was done up in a renewed manner with salsa sauce and cream in the form of a nachos. It was bang on crispy and turned out to be a great opener. The karuvepillai panneer was simply sterling. This one was tossed and diced up in this traditional leafy powder and the essence it brought out was sensationally slithering.The Gobi ghee roast was again quite an eye turner. The pieces of cauliflower were cooked in ghee and a chilli based masala and were served on thin coin like pieces of paratha thatched with a touch of honey to slightly lower down the spice content. If you're a spice lover you'll love this and more so some of their special offerings loaded with abundance of chillies and spices. The Vazhapoo Vadai was one more starter which we tried. This was however more of the usual stuff and the paruppu flavour out did the vazha poo. Nevertheless it was crispy and bitesome.

In the main course we tried paratha with a well made up panneer peas combo gravy. Apart from this we had a crack at the trademark pulliyodhare which they served us tied in a green leaf potalam. The aroma and smear of this Puliyodhara is something I tell you. It was simply a delight to just feel the flavours hitting on you as it's slitheringly opened up from the green leaf enclosing. The Thogaiyil just enhances the taste. Seldom have I sampled a lovely version of this temple delicacy served in any restaurant.

The ending was in the form of a bucketful of desserts served in malayali style Nair wala tea glasses. 6 slurpy mousy desserts that simply butterly dutifully induces the instincts to dig in
1) Pomegranate Payasam
2) Coconut Souffle
3) Falooda
4) Kubani Ka Meetha
5) Black Forest Akkarivadasal
6) Karupatti Panacotta
Each of these not only looked appealing but had a lissom lusture to it and riveting in taste and texture. Such toothsome delights in small portions were indeed the perfect meal-ender enabling our sweet tongues to punch in pure excitement.

The service was quick with the items reaching our tables at regular intervals. The staff were very courteous explaining each dish in detail and also helping us with our orders. I must also mention the vadam which they serve with 4 different side dishes which complements so well namely a tomato thokku, mirapakaya pachadi (green chilli infused), Avakai Mayo and a garlic dip. From a holistic picture, if you're looking for exquisite south Indian cuisine done in traditional style yet throwing up innovations but not compromising on the taste, you should certainly check out Aadhirai for a rich home grown South Indian meal.