Padmashri Foods is tucked in a small lane in CIT Colony, Mylapore. CIT colony has a see saw of lanes and it may be difficult to find the place but maps should definitely aid the process and make your work easier. It is located in the basement of an apartment. They specialise in a bunch of assorted short eats ranging from variants of cakes, short eats in the form of mini pizza's, puffs and sandwiches and a whole lot of cookies and home made chocolates.
It was a rainy evening and I was craving for some munchies when I remembered this place and decided to get some shorteats from here. Ordered the following stuff - 2 Mini veg Pizza's, veg puff, Swedish Tosca, Cashewnut Brownie, Banana Walnut Muffin, Mississippi Mudpie and an Irish Coffee cake and all of them together costed a shade under 200 bucks.
Make no mistake, all of them tasted really great and score high on the value for money factor. Special thumbs up especially to the Tosca and the mudpie which were ever so mouthwatering. Am personally delighted to have found this little hidden gem. I am surely frequenting this outlet more often to have a repeat of some of what I had and also to savour some of their other cravings they have on offer. Highly recommend for some enjoyable evening quick bites.
Saturday, October 31, 2015
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Absolute Barbecue - Get Set Go G(D)rilling!
I have been to Absolute Barbecue many a time in it's 1 year of operation in the city. But, I am going to place focus specifically on 2 of my visits - My first sojourn when AB's just started it out on Oct 2014 and my recent outing in Oct'15 as part of a team of bloggers for the 'Al Karamba' Caribbean festival where we were served some special offerings from the island nation.
After a being a thumping success in Bangalore & Hyderabad, the Chennai crowd has well and truly lapped up the brand of Absolute Barbecue's. It has been a runaway blockbuster hit and continues to attract the houseful board and if one has to attribute 2 reasons for its super success, one is the wide variety of food on offer and the second being the superlative service. AB's has always been a step up on the ladder and its clearly visible with all the extra efforts taken by them to enhance the customer experience.
T Nagar seems to be the preferred location for Barbecue restaurant's in the city and this one's located in GN Chetty road somewhat in the adjoining space between Accord Metropolitan and Residency. From the outset you just see a board and there is nothing spectacular about the building hosting this place but the real surprise is when you step into the 3rd floor to get inside the restaurant.
The place is cool,chic,stylish and really happening. The design is done up tastefully and feels like it can accommodate hordes of people. It is well lit up and glistens with an interesting palate of colors. Seems even quirkier seeing the waiters dressed up in bright yellow shirts normally and on festive occasions you witness a change according to the 'T'. There is loud old english music playing in the background giving a buzzing atmosphere overall.
To say that there are plentiful items in store to satiate your appetite is really an understatement. The spread is so gargantuan that even an ogre would not be able to do complete justice. In the veg buffet starter barbeque section there are usually versions of Grilled kababs, Panneer, Potato, Mushroom, American Cheesy Potato and Crispy corn. Behold these are just the items mentioned but apart from that they happen to be very magnanimous and also provide extra's such as Grilled Cauliflower , Barbeque / sliced Pineapple's and Barbeque Watermelon. The barbeque's are cooked to perfection and tempered with the right juice and punch giving a flavorful feel to the mouth. And for the Caribbean festival, they tweaked quite a bit of their signature starters to bring the flavors and taste of the West Indies.
If you thought this was all in the starter's part wait till you hear this. They have a unique concept called the 'Wish Grill' where you get to make and eat them ad-lib style. It is a 4 step process where you first get to pick your veggies or meat (Everything you name and more is there). Secondly you get to top your ingredients with rice or noodles and once this is done you get to check with the chef for the choice of sauces (You are allowed to taste sample's for your preference) and on top of the sauces (so many choices) you get to load them with condiments comprising of Chilli flakes, oregano, thyme, rosemary, basil etc. And voila you watch your taste wish get fulfilled. I really loved my wish grill which was nicely cooked and tender with the right blend and mix.
Once you are done with the Barbeque's and Wish Grill, you really wouldn't have the wherewithal to try anything else. However, the main course is in no way any lesser as you have a wide oeuvre here too. From the little I tasted found the AB's special Dal to be simmeringly delightful and the Paneer sheesh mahal with a coating of spinach inside oval shaped cottage cheese to be delectable. They also have a host of other gravies and curries to go along with their Veg Dum Biriyani, plain rice and Indian Bread. And you always have a soup which is decent and to boot some accompanying salads. Also you get a mocktail to choose from a span of several of which i chose the Black buck - a blackcurrent based drink on my first visit and a pineapple passion on my recent foray which came delightfully in a decorated real pineapple with a straw inserted at the side which tasted absolutely ravishing.
They also have a truckload of desserts with live counters of Indian sweets and a number of pastries to choose from. And on the ice-cream front they make you coldstone icecream of your choice of flavor and topping. It was really a sight watching them make it in front of you dashing them in the cold stoned rectangle and regardless to say i loved my ice-cream which was soft , mellow and meltilicious.
It turns out to be an absolute wow barbecue experience every time you come here. You have plethora of food erupting like a lava making you pack your stomach to the rafters. It feels as if you've had 3 meals in one go pampering and spoiling you like crazy. Go give your decadence a Hi-5. Such is the variety and quantity of food in store that if you start to explain each and every item it would very well end up being a dossier.
The waiters are very prompt and the chef is very sweet in personally coming and asking for feedback and taking suggestions of how to further give their best. It really feels like they value customer feedback seriously.
There is hardly a negative bone at AB's. Its heartwarming to see that they have continued to maintain their service and quality over the past year attracting more and more customers and building up a huge fan base. Here's wishing them well to assert their supremacy further as they head into their second year. Go Grilling!
P.S: Sharing below my second review to this place as and when it opened its doors in Velachery.
Absolute Barbecues entry to Chennai with their T-Nagar outlet hasn't been anything short of path breaking with record crowds thronging the outlet time and again like a deluge. It has seen phenomenal rise over the last 2 years and is one of the unprecedented success stories witnessed in the food scene of Chennai.
After regaling and enthralling the barbeque lovers, it was time to expand the radar and they have now opened their second outlet in the Taramani Link road en route to Velachery. Strategically this is a brilliant choice for location as the surrounding area is in close proximity to a glut of IT and business parks and a ginormous amount of folks work right round the corner. They have essentially placed themselves easily accessible to the Corporates and it's a given with AB's reputation already soaring high that this will be lapped up with open arms.
We were here on an invite on a Saturday evening and it was no surprise that it was completely packed to the rafters. There is an inherent buzz about the place and the atmosphere is electrifying. There is always some sort of action happening at AB's and the pulsating vibe here is pretty infectious. You will see the servers on their toes converging the area acceding to customers requests. The rumbling sound of the utensils, the constant chatter amongst groups of people, moving about in a helter skelter manner to refill your plate, the loud music playing at the background et al add to the experience of dining at AB's.
AB's is one restaurant which is designed to showcase your gluttony instincts to the fore. Their starters are a class apart tempered with the right texture and punch and it's hard not to gobble them up piece by piece and repeat the same again and again. You never really get bored of their grilled stuff and they also innovate by bringing newer things to the table adding to the excitement. In the veg category, you usually have your panneer, mushroom, babycorn, potatoes, pineapple etc. They also have special starters directly served and is amazing how willing they are to provide you with a largesse fest. On this occasion we got the delightfully soft beetroot cutlets and the honey pineapples pierced right in front of us from a giant sized pineapple fruit. The wish grill is another sphere which entices the customers as this is based on the ad-lib style of choosing your ingredients from a mass list and adding your sauces and sprucing up the masala to create something of your own.
These kind of grilled based restaurants work on the pareto analysis of roughly 80-20 portfolio with 80% occupying the barbeque starters and perhaps 20% making up the main course and desserts. However on quantity main course is pretty widespread standalone. But it's just that you won't be having the wherewithal to try your hand too much at these considering you're already detonated having stuffed yourself to the brim with the starters. From whatever little I tasted though, they seemed to be pretty good. The desserts section has a mix of western pastries and Indian sweets with ice cream to boot.
It's really hard to pinpoint issues at AB's because they happen to be so bloody good and they virtually ensure that all bases get covered. They have played it safe here and seem to follow the path of the former AB's in T Nagar to the 'T'. There isn't anything off the cuff or radically different and it makes sense because you don't try to fix something which is already running super smooth.
The service was exemplary as usual with the staff at your beck and call and taking all efforts to ensure we have a good time. Though our encounter was over an 'on the house', the pricing can be termed reasonable for the mind blowing feast on offer. Other factors like valet parking is rightfully available which is a plus one.
It's always a pleasure to dine in at Absolute Barbecues and our recent visit was no different. It was a fun evening of food and frolic. This new Absolute Barbecues at Velachery has already embarked on an earth shattering start and you have to be a brave man to bet against it soaking in record breaking crowds going forward.
After a being a thumping success in Bangalore & Hyderabad, the Chennai crowd has well and truly lapped up the brand of Absolute Barbecue's. It has been a runaway blockbuster hit and continues to attract the houseful board and if one has to attribute 2 reasons for its super success, one is the wide variety of food on offer and the second being the superlative service. AB's has always been a step up on the ladder and its clearly visible with all the extra efforts taken by them to enhance the customer experience.
T Nagar seems to be the preferred location for Barbecue restaurant's in the city and this one's located in GN Chetty road somewhat in the adjoining space between Accord Metropolitan and Residency. From the outset you just see a board and there is nothing spectacular about the building hosting this place but the real surprise is when you step into the 3rd floor to get inside the restaurant.
The place is cool,chic,stylish and really happening. The design is done up tastefully and feels like it can accommodate hordes of people. It is well lit up and glistens with an interesting palate of colors. Seems even quirkier seeing the waiters dressed up in bright yellow shirts normally and on festive occasions you witness a change according to the 'T'. There is loud old english music playing in the background giving a buzzing atmosphere overall.
To say that there are plentiful items in store to satiate your appetite is really an understatement. The spread is so gargantuan that even an ogre would not be able to do complete justice. In the veg buffet starter barbeque section there are usually versions of Grilled kababs, Panneer, Potato, Mushroom, American Cheesy Potato and Crispy corn. Behold these are just the items mentioned but apart from that they happen to be very magnanimous and also provide extra's such as Grilled Cauliflower , Barbeque / sliced Pineapple's and Barbeque Watermelon. The barbeque's are cooked to perfection and tempered with the right juice and punch giving a flavorful feel to the mouth. And for the Caribbean festival, they tweaked quite a bit of their signature starters to bring the flavors and taste of the West Indies.
If you thought this was all in the starter's part wait till you hear this. They have a unique concept called the 'Wish Grill' where you get to make and eat them ad-lib style. It is a 4 step process where you first get to pick your veggies or meat (Everything you name and more is there). Secondly you get to top your ingredients with rice or noodles and once this is done you get to check with the chef for the choice of sauces (You are allowed to taste sample's for your preference) and on top of the sauces (so many choices) you get to load them with condiments comprising of Chilli flakes, oregano, thyme, rosemary, basil etc. And voila you watch your taste wish get fulfilled. I really loved my wish grill which was nicely cooked and tender with the right blend and mix.
Once you are done with the Barbeque's and Wish Grill, you really wouldn't have the wherewithal to try anything else. However, the main course is in no way any lesser as you have a wide oeuvre here too. From the little I tasted found the AB's special Dal to be simmeringly delightful and the Paneer sheesh mahal with a coating of spinach inside oval shaped cottage cheese to be delectable. They also have a host of other gravies and curries to go along with their Veg Dum Biriyani, plain rice and Indian Bread. And you always have a soup which is decent and to boot some accompanying salads. Also you get a mocktail to choose from a span of several of which i chose the Black buck - a blackcurrent based drink on my first visit and a pineapple passion on my recent foray which came delightfully in a decorated real pineapple with a straw inserted at the side which tasted absolutely ravishing.
They also have a truckload of desserts with live counters of Indian sweets and a number of pastries to choose from. And on the ice-cream front they make you coldstone icecream of your choice of flavor and topping. It was really a sight watching them make it in front of you dashing them in the cold stoned rectangle and regardless to say i loved my ice-cream which was soft , mellow and meltilicious.
It turns out to be an absolute wow barbecue experience every time you come here. You have plethora of food erupting like a lava making you pack your stomach to the rafters. It feels as if you've had 3 meals in one go pampering and spoiling you like crazy. Go give your decadence a Hi-5. Such is the variety and quantity of food in store that if you start to explain each and every item it would very well end up being a dossier.
The waiters are very prompt and the chef is very sweet in personally coming and asking for feedback and taking suggestions of how to further give their best. It really feels like they value customer feedback seriously.
There is hardly a negative bone at AB's. Its heartwarming to see that they have continued to maintain their service and quality over the past year attracting more and more customers and building up a huge fan base. Here's wishing them well to assert their supremacy further as they head into their second year. Go Grilling!
P.S: Sharing below my second review to this place as and when it opened its doors in Velachery.
Absolute Barbecues entry to Chennai with their T-Nagar outlet hasn't been anything short of path breaking with record crowds thronging the outlet time and again like a deluge. It has seen phenomenal rise over the last 2 years and is one of the unprecedented success stories witnessed in the food scene of Chennai.
After regaling and enthralling the barbeque lovers, it was time to expand the radar and they have now opened their second outlet in the Taramani Link road en route to Velachery. Strategically this is a brilliant choice for location as the surrounding area is in close proximity to a glut of IT and business parks and a ginormous amount of folks work right round the corner. They have essentially placed themselves easily accessible to the Corporates and it's a given with AB's reputation already soaring high that this will be lapped up with open arms.
We were here on an invite on a Saturday evening and it was no surprise that it was completely packed to the rafters. There is an inherent buzz about the place and the atmosphere is electrifying. There is always some sort of action happening at AB's and the pulsating vibe here is pretty infectious. You will see the servers on their toes converging the area acceding to customers requests. The rumbling sound of the utensils, the constant chatter amongst groups of people, moving about in a helter skelter manner to refill your plate, the loud music playing at the background et al add to the experience of dining at AB's.
AB's is one restaurant which is designed to showcase your gluttony instincts to the fore. Their starters are a class apart tempered with the right texture and punch and it's hard not to gobble them up piece by piece and repeat the same again and again. You never really get bored of their grilled stuff and they also innovate by bringing newer things to the table adding to the excitement. In the veg category, you usually have your panneer, mushroom, babycorn, potatoes, pineapple etc. They also have special starters directly served and is amazing how willing they are to provide you with a largesse fest. On this occasion we got the delightfully soft beetroot cutlets and the honey pineapples pierced right in front of us from a giant sized pineapple fruit. The wish grill is another sphere which entices the customers as this is based on the ad-lib style of choosing your ingredients from a mass list and adding your sauces and sprucing up the masala to create something of your own.
These kind of grilled based restaurants work on the pareto analysis of roughly 80-20 portfolio with 80% occupying the barbeque starters and perhaps 20% making up the main course and desserts. However on quantity main course is pretty widespread standalone. But it's just that you won't be having the wherewithal to try your hand too much at these considering you're already detonated having stuffed yourself to the brim with the starters. From whatever little I tasted though, they seemed to be pretty good. The desserts section has a mix of western pastries and Indian sweets with ice cream to boot.
It's really hard to pinpoint issues at AB's because they happen to be so bloody good and they virtually ensure that all bases get covered. They have played it safe here and seem to follow the path of the former AB's in T Nagar to the 'T'. There isn't anything off the cuff or radically different and it makes sense because you don't try to fix something which is already running super smooth.
The service was exemplary as usual with the staff at your beck and call and taking all efforts to ensure we have a good time. Though our encounter was over an 'on the house', the pricing can be termed reasonable for the mind blowing feast on offer. Other factors like valet parking is rightfully available which is a plus one.
It's always a pleasure to dine in at Absolute Barbecues and our recent visit was no different. It was a fun evening of food and frolic. This new Absolute Barbecues at Velachery has already embarked on an earth shattering start and you have to be a brave man to bet against it soaking in record breaking crowds going forward.
Sports Cafe US101
US 101 is a chic sports pub located at the GLM Meridien hotel in T Nagar. It is designed on the theme of sports and you find a lot of material backing the same in the form of wall paintings of sportsmen, vintage collection of framed sporting memorabilia, scarfs of popular football teams hanging across, artifacts and portraits of sporting movies and quotes of motivations, pillow covers depicting a sporting avatar, boxing punching bag, T shirts of popular sportstars with their numbers disclosed and the bar side is enveloped with great sportsman in their respective field. It is sporty and invokes the sporty side in you.
The ambiance feels all dark and noisy with loud music playing at the background. The decor comprising of sofa seating feels comfortable and laidback. They have a number of television sets all playing you guessed it right sports channels. You can see the attention to focus on the 'sports theme' and in a large way they have succeeded in getting it right.
We were invited as part of a bloggers meet to check their new offerings. A set menu was handed with options of both vegetarian and non vegetarian on the foodie side of things. For drinks, we had a shot of some of the mocktails and must say they all tasted great. There were some like the Choco punch which stood out having a punchy chocolate taste over a strawberry puree. Even liked the Blue breeze which was a lovely thirst quencher in a concoction of red bull and blue curacao with a dash of lime juice and mint thrown in. Even the other ones which I mildly tasted were decent enough.
On the starter section, we were served the following:
Cheese balls - One of the highlights of the night with the balls being extremely soft loaded with gooey cheese and flakes which went perfectly well with the chilli mayo dip. Took repeat quite a few times.
Nachos - It was passable but wasn't great. A portion of it had all the toppings whereas some chips were alienated. It was decent enough but lacked the zing.
Chilli Jalapeno's - This too was pretty nice though a long way off from being mindblowing. Resembled the cheese balls in size and texture but felt short of it on the taste front.
Button Mushrooms - This won brownie points. Felt it went along jocularly well with the Balsamic browm butter sauce. The mushrooms were big in size and cooked to perfection. The second best starter following the cheese balls.
Main course followed with the items mentioned:
Burritos and Enchiladas - Both were ok and especially the accompaniment part was good however they were very hard to break and it didn't gel well with the final package.
Baked Eggplant - Very okayish with a layer of cheese on top and an overdose of tomatoes for decoration. Not bad at all but a distance away from anything to rave about.
Spinach and Feta cheese Pasta - This was quite a disappointment and was very bland in taste. Except for the lavish coating of cheese, the dish overall lacked bite.
Cottage cheese steak - Tasted much better than the other main course dishes. The cottage cheese as such was a bit raw but it went well with the tomato basil sauce. And with corn, spinach and baby potatoes to go as sides it was a win.
Overall the drinks and the food were a mixed bag. The choices available and the taste of drinks were excellent, the starters especially some of them were really good but the main course ended up being rather disappointing. The service was prompt and friendly. Only grouse was the extra time being taken for the main course which was just taking way too long. The prices seem apt for pubs of this genre in general and one wouldn't be complaining too much on this area.
There are drawbacks yes, but this is one chilled out cafe to hang out and have some fun amidst the music, sports, food and drinks.
The ambiance feels all dark and noisy with loud music playing at the background. The decor comprising of sofa seating feels comfortable and laidback. They have a number of television sets all playing you guessed it right sports channels. You can see the attention to focus on the 'sports theme' and in a large way they have succeeded in getting it right.
We were invited as part of a bloggers meet to check their new offerings. A set menu was handed with options of both vegetarian and non vegetarian on the foodie side of things. For drinks, we had a shot of some of the mocktails and must say they all tasted great. There were some like the Choco punch which stood out having a punchy chocolate taste over a strawberry puree. Even liked the Blue breeze which was a lovely thirst quencher in a concoction of red bull and blue curacao with a dash of lime juice and mint thrown in. Even the other ones which I mildly tasted were decent enough.
On the starter section, we were served the following:
Cheese balls - One of the highlights of the night with the balls being extremely soft loaded with gooey cheese and flakes which went perfectly well with the chilli mayo dip. Took repeat quite a few times.
Nachos - It was passable but wasn't great. A portion of it had all the toppings whereas some chips were alienated. It was decent enough but lacked the zing.
Chilli Jalapeno's - This too was pretty nice though a long way off from being mindblowing. Resembled the cheese balls in size and texture but felt short of it on the taste front.
Button Mushrooms - This won brownie points. Felt it went along jocularly well with the Balsamic browm butter sauce. The mushrooms were big in size and cooked to perfection. The second best starter following the cheese balls.
Main course followed with the items mentioned:
Burritos and Enchiladas - Both were ok and especially the accompaniment part was good however they were very hard to break and it didn't gel well with the final package.
Baked Eggplant - Very okayish with a layer of cheese on top and an overdose of tomatoes for decoration. Not bad at all but a distance away from anything to rave about.
Spinach and Feta cheese Pasta - This was quite a disappointment and was very bland in taste. Except for the lavish coating of cheese, the dish overall lacked bite.
Cottage cheese steak - Tasted much better than the other main course dishes. The cottage cheese as such was a bit raw but it went well with the tomato basil sauce. And with corn, spinach and baby potatoes to go as sides it was a win.
Overall the drinks and the food were a mixed bag. The choices available and the taste of drinks were excellent, the starters especially some of them were really good but the main course ended up being rather disappointing. The service was prompt and friendly. Only grouse was the extra time being taken for the main course which was just taking way too long. The prices seem apt for pubs of this genre in general and one wouldn't be complaining too much on this area.
There are drawbacks yes, but this is one chilled out cafe to hang out and have some fun amidst the music, sports, food and drinks.
Themed to Excellence Gusto Cafe!
Gusto cafe has class written all over it. It is designed to excellence and the architecture and aesthetics gone into developing the different themes speak volumes of the work undertaken. The interiors are tastefully done up and the color palette has been carefully selected in adherence to the themes on display. It could very well be categorized as Chennai's first Cinema based cafe.
You have the 'Whiplash theme' with lots of music driven related things such as radios, discs, vinyl's, drumrolls and a host of other stuff with a massive roof portrait of Bob Marley at the background. Then there is 'The Godfather theme' that gives a dark sober tinge with a poster of the eternal classic situated in a round table with the picture of the fire chimney also. The 'Gallery theme' is all sports related with elevated stands made to resemble a playground with artifacts of popular football clubs submerged around. There is cricket also thrown into the equation with an official scorecard of a particular match and a wall painting depicting the logo of the 2015 cricket world cup. There are also miniature and antique versions of helmets, footballs, cycles, the Olympic 5 ring replica etc perfectly in sync to showcase the sport bastion.
The main and biggest portion of the cafe highlights the Egyptian theme highlighting the Mommy theme with Pharaoh's, pyramids and cave paintings signifying an olden day touch. It's more of brown and gold here to be in tune with the desserts and Egyptian diaspora. On the parallel side you have a Texas fiesta in the form of a Cowboy theme depicting caricatures like Bull horns, cowboy hats, tall stools et al typical of the lifestyle of a Texan and bringing to light the movie Indiana Jones.
Further downside the cafe you get to encounter the romance theme with '500 days of Summer'. Appropriately in line with the theme, you find a lot more color and vibrance here with lanterns, tree wall with flowers in abundance and an aerial view of a spot overlooking a number of buildings but torn down by plenty of parking lots much akin to what is witnessed in the movie. And talking about romance how can one leave Romeo & Juliet out. This theme is for the eternal lovers having a vintage touch with a beautiful balcony setup, a rickety bicycle, hanging umbrellas etc. The brick walls with lamps and the mushrooming of greenery through plants adds warmth and gives a lovely old world charm in line with the lives and times of Romeo Juliet. You also see the place laden with big sized graffiti's adding to the cool and chic factor.
Talking about food, it offers what a usual cafe gives. You have starters, burgers, pizza's, pasta's, main course and your share of coffee's, shakes and desserts. We began our sojourn through the Potato cheese balls. They were nicely made, deep fried and came about 10 pieces with a reddish paprika dip. We also had another starter viz Veg Croquets. These were 3 in number more like a triangular shaped cutlet containing mostly potatoes and carrot and went well with the mint chilli dip. For mains had a veg burger which was well stuffed up and tasted more than decent. Also came with quite a handful number of fries to boot. We also attempted the Veg Grill Pizza which I really enjoyed. It was thin crust, cheesy and loaded with an assortment of exotic veggies and was wonderful. The size though could have been a wee bit bigger. They also had a unique omelette platter of cheese, mushroom, masala and chicken. Liked the former 3 which I had a bite and more importantly none of them tasted alike which was good. We were however not in the mood for desserts and hence refrained from having them. Though we tasted only a smidgeon of their spread, nothing really disappointed and everything bordered on the good and above. Definitely interested to try more of their stuff on subsequent visits.
The service was amiable with friendly smiling waiters ever ready to help us out. The food also was brought to the table in fairly quick time. The pricing seems apt and par for the course. For an upscale area like Nungambakkam, one wouldn't really term the rates as too expensive. One gripe however was not giving us regular water and forcing us onto having water bottles which I hope will be rectified soon. There is sufficient space available for parking and even without valet facility shouldn't be much of a hassle. The small lane of Jagannathan road has been witness to quite a number of restaurant's off late and with the emergence of Gusto Cafe, it's value has risen to an all time high.
Overall, Gusto cafe is a fantastic addition to the list of cafe's in Chennai. It sparkles with amazement and leaves you wondering on the amount of efforts gone in to orchestrate this brilliantly good looking cafe. It elevates the hegemony of Nungambakkam as the 'Numero uno supremo of the restaurant market' a further notch.
Gusto Cafe radiates with energy and exuberance. There is no doubt that it will be one of the go to places in days to come. An absolutely wonderful cafe to indulge in some food and confabulation. Go check this one out. It has 'WIN' written right royally around it.
You have the 'Whiplash theme' with lots of music driven related things such as radios, discs, vinyl's, drumrolls and a host of other stuff with a massive roof portrait of Bob Marley at the background. Then there is 'The Godfather theme' that gives a dark sober tinge with a poster of the eternal classic situated in a round table with the picture of the fire chimney also. The 'Gallery theme' is all sports related with elevated stands made to resemble a playground with artifacts of popular football clubs submerged around. There is cricket also thrown into the equation with an official scorecard of a particular match and a wall painting depicting the logo of the 2015 cricket world cup. There are also miniature and antique versions of helmets, footballs, cycles, the Olympic 5 ring replica etc perfectly in sync to showcase the sport bastion.
The main and biggest portion of the cafe highlights the Egyptian theme highlighting the Mommy theme with Pharaoh's, pyramids and cave paintings signifying an olden day touch. It's more of brown and gold here to be in tune with the desserts and Egyptian diaspora. On the parallel side you have a Texas fiesta in the form of a Cowboy theme depicting caricatures like Bull horns, cowboy hats, tall stools et al typical of the lifestyle of a Texan and bringing to light the movie Indiana Jones.
Further downside the cafe you get to encounter the romance theme with '500 days of Summer'. Appropriately in line with the theme, you find a lot more color and vibrance here with lanterns, tree wall with flowers in abundance and an aerial view of a spot overlooking a number of buildings but torn down by plenty of parking lots much akin to what is witnessed in the movie. And talking about romance how can one leave Romeo & Juliet out. This theme is for the eternal lovers having a vintage touch with a beautiful balcony setup, a rickety bicycle, hanging umbrellas etc. The brick walls with lamps and the mushrooming of greenery through plants adds warmth and gives a lovely old world charm in line with the lives and times of Romeo Juliet. You also see the place laden with big sized graffiti's adding to the cool and chic factor.
Talking about food, it offers what a usual cafe gives. You have starters, burgers, pizza's, pasta's, main course and your share of coffee's, shakes and desserts. We began our sojourn through the Potato cheese balls. They were nicely made, deep fried and came about 10 pieces with a reddish paprika dip. We also had another starter viz Veg Croquets. These were 3 in number more like a triangular shaped cutlet containing mostly potatoes and carrot and went well with the mint chilli dip. For mains had a veg burger which was well stuffed up and tasted more than decent. Also came with quite a handful number of fries to boot. We also attempted the Veg Grill Pizza which I really enjoyed. It was thin crust, cheesy and loaded with an assortment of exotic veggies and was wonderful. The size though could have been a wee bit bigger. They also had a unique omelette platter of cheese, mushroom, masala and chicken. Liked the former 3 which I had a bite and more importantly none of them tasted alike which was good. We were however not in the mood for desserts and hence refrained from having them. Though we tasted only a smidgeon of their spread, nothing really disappointed and everything bordered on the good and above. Definitely interested to try more of their stuff on subsequent visits.
The service was amiable with friendly smiling waiters ever ready to help us out. The food also was brought to the table in fairly quick time. The pricing seems apt and par for the course. For an upscale area like Nungambakkam, one wouldn't really term the rates as too expensive. One gripe however was not giving us regular water and forcing us onto having water bottles which I hope will be rectified soon. There is sufficient space available for parking and even without valet facility shouldn't be much of a hassle. The small lane of Jagannathan road has been witness to quite a number of restaurant's off late and with the emergence of Gusto Cafe, it's value has risen to an all time high.
Overall, Gusto cafe is a fantastic addition to the list of cafe's in Chennai. It sparkles with amazement and leaves you wondering on the amount of efforts gone in to orchestrate this brilliantly good looking cafe. It elevates the hegemony of Nungambakkam as the 'Numero uno supremo of the restaurant market' a further notch.
Gusto Cafe radiates with energy and exuberance. There is no doubt that it will be one of the go to places in days to come. An absolutely wonderful cafe to indulge in some food and confabulation. Go check this one out. It has 'WIN' written right royally around it.
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
The new Coco Jaunt 1728! @ Teynampet
It's been a short stint for Coco Jaunt 1728 of less than a year but within this space they have created quite an impression already. They are unique, willing to experiment and have put the daring steps forward. I really appreciate the fact that they are very willing to offer something different to the table and in a large way have been successful in achieving their goals.
Having forayed into the market via their Anna Nagar outlet which was launched just half a year ago, they have opened their 2nd outlet in the quiet street of Sriram Nagar in Teynampet. And from hearsay it looks like more outlets are going to crop up in other areas across the city very soon.
This one is a bakery cafe trying to bring the best of both worlds. In essence the quintessential bakery products in addition to the stuff you usually get in an upscale cafe. Another positive factor is that all their products are made in house and there are absolutely no preservatives. They are hard bound on this and it's really appreciable that all the things right from scratch are all made in the kitchen rather than depending on the outside market for stuff. Yes, your food takes a little longer time than usual but factoring that everything is made 'in-house', one shouldn't complain as what you get is virtually equivalent to a freshly home cooked food experience.
We as a group of bloggers were invited to check out their new Teynampet outlet. This one's a little smaller compared to their Anna Nagar joint and is stationed across 2 floors. The basement comprises of your usual bakery products along with a couple of chairs and tables ideal for a quick bite whereas upstairs is the fine dining bigger enclosure showcasing the class of this place through it's lovely artifacts and travel embossed theme with a significant splash of their official color yellow which is predominant and in your face visible. The ambiance is quirky and has a nice feel good factor about it.
One thing I was delighted to see was that a host of stuff had been added to the menu. In my earlier visit to Anna Nagar, options were few and far between but now they have all kinds of items ranging from beverages, toasties, fries, sandwiches, bunny chow, wrap, pizza, pita pilaf&potatoes, salad and desserts.
We visited them for a pre dinner meet at around 6ish. A set menu was given to us and our quest began with a couple of quenchers in the form of Green Apple Granita and Blue bay curacao. If you like your drinks to be icy and considering the heat this is an ideal foil. Liked both of the drinks with more pointers for the green based one which had a nice punch to it. Those averse to the icy drinks were given hot chocolate as substitute. Next was the turn of french fries. You might think what is there to rave about fries - I tell you it is their dips. They complement the fries so well and their different variants ranging from peri peri, onion&herbs, mexican and mayonnaise will ensure that your taste buds have a field day smacking their lips with excitement. Then we went on to the official starter section and were served paneer tikka garlic bread. I have tasted garlic bread of so many kinds over the breath of the country but this was the first time I was having them in a paneeri avatar. Needless to say I loved having a crack at those long layered panner slices tossed up with the requisite masala and finely chopped chilli's grated over with melted cheese on top and the peri peri dip matched the spice levels perfectly.
We then headed on to the main course and first on was the peri peri panneer sandwich. It wasn't spectacular by any means but liked the big fat chunky pieces of cottage cheese interspersed in between the bread. Then it was time to attack the pizza's for which we had 2 choices in veg - vagabond and Alphagama Feta. Both were thin crust and lovely. The former was filled with an assortment of veggies and had a nice crunchy taste to it but it was the latter which blew us away being the perfect amigo for the Italian pizza loving aficionado. It was greenish with a pesto sauce base and filled with olives and feta cheese. Just had the right amount of juice in it to be endorsed by the excitingly craving mouth. It was different and truly worth it. After that was the turn of something usually unheard of called the Bunnychow. It has it's roots in South Africa where you are served a filling inside a piece of stuffed bread bun. The stuffing for us was a panneer masala. I kind of enjoyed having it. Best to eat with your hands and make them dirty. The masala makes the bread soggy and it's a delight relishing the soaky bread with gay abandon. Kudos again for trying something way off key and bringing to light a dish from the African safari.
Next, we had a bunch of desserts to round off the evening. The platter consisted of a German chocolate cake, bitter and blanc with vanilla sauce, a cookie and a caramel based chocolate. On the liquidy side we had our hands and mouth full with Brownie shake and the Nutty caramel shake. They all tasted great but somehow I didn't get the same taste and feel as I got in the Anna Nagar outlet. It could also be that I was too stuffed with all the food not really having the wherewithal to do a proper justification of the dessert spread.
Overall, it was a definite win. It's heartwarming to see Coco Jaunt raising the bar and from the looks of it they will continue to garner and foster praise by keeping up their creative ideas and love for food intact. For me personally, it was a wonderful fun filled evening enjoying the food fiesta with like minded fellow foodies.
Having forayed into the market via their Anna Nagar outlet which was launched just half a year ago, they have opened their 2nd outlet in the quiet street of Sriram Nagar in Teynampet. And from hearsay it looks like more outlets are going to crop up in other areas across the city very soon.
This one is a bakery cafe trying to bring the best of both worlds. In essence the quintessential bakery products in addition to the stuff you usually get in an upscale cafe. Another positive factor is that all their products are made in house and there are absolutely no preservatives. They are hard bound on this and it's really appreciable that all the things right from scratch are all made in the kitchen rather than depending on the outside market for stuff. Yes, your food takes a little longer time than usual but factoring that everything is made 'in-house', one shouldn't complain as what you get is virtually equivalent to a freshly home cooked food experience.
We as a group of bloggers were invited to check out their new Teynampet outlet. This one's a little smaller compared to their Anna Nagar joint and is stationed across 2 floors. The basement comprises of your usual bakery products along with a couple of chairs and tables ideal for a quick bite whereas upstairs is the fine dining bigger enclosure showcasing the class of this place through it's lovely artifacts and travel embossed theme with a significant splash of their official color yellow which is predominant and in your face visible. The ambiance is quirky and has a nice feel good factor about it.
One thing I was delighted to see was that a host of stuff had been added to the menu. In my earlier visit to Anna Nagar, options were few and far between but now they have all kinds of items ranging from beverages, toasties, fries, sandwiches, bunny chow, wrap, pizza, pita pilaf&potatoes, salad and desserts.
We visited them for a pre dinner meet at around 6ish. A set menu was given to us and our quest began with a couple of quenchers in the form of Green Apple Granita and Blue bay curacao. If you like your drinks to be icy and considering the heat this is an ideal foil. Liked both of the drinks with more pointers for the green based one which had a nice punch to it. Those averse to the icy drinks were given hot chocolate as substitute. Next was the turn of french fries. You might think what is there to rave about fries - I tell you it is their dips. They complement the fries so well and their different variants ranging from peri peri, onion&herbs, mexican and mayonnaise will ensure that your taste buds have a field day smacking their lips with excitement. Then we went on to the official starter section and were served paneer tikka garlic bread. I have tasted garlic bread of so many kinds over the breath of the country but this was the first time I was having them in a paneeri avatar. Needless to say I loved having a crack at those long layered panner slices tossed up with the requisite masala and finely chopped chilli's grated over with melted cheese on top and the peri peri dip matched the spice levels perfectly.
We then headed on to the main course and first on was the peri peri panneer sandwich. It wasn't spectacular by any means but liked the big fat chunky pieces of cottage cheese interspersed in between the bread. Then it was time to attack the pizza's for which we had 2 choices in veg - vagabond and Alphagama Feta. Both were thin crust and lovely. The former was filled with an assortment of veggies and had a nice crunchy taste to it but it was the latter which blew us away being the perfect amigo for the Italian pizza loving aficionado. It was greenish with a pesto sauce base and filled with olives and feta cheese. Just had the right amount of juice in it to be endorsed by the excitingly craving mouth. It was different and truly worth it. After that was the turn of something usually unheard of called the Bunnychow. It has it's roots in South Africa where you are served a filling inside a piece of stuffed bread bun. The stuffing for us was a panneer masala. I kind of enjoyed having it. Best to eat with your hands and make them dirty. The masala makes the bread soggy and it's a delight relishing the soaky bread with gay abandon. Kudos again for trying something way off key and bringing to light a dish from the African safari.
Next, we had a bunch of desserts to round off the evening. The platter consisted of a German chocolate cake, bitter and blanc with vanilla sauce, a cookie and a caramel based chocolate. On the liquidy side we had our hands and mouth full with Brownie shake and the Nutty caramel shake. They all tasted great but somehow I didn't get the same taste and feel as I got in the Anna Nagar outlet. It could also be that I was too stuffed with all the food not really having the wherewithal to do a proper justification of the dessert spread.
Overall, it was a definite win. It's heartwarming to see Coco Jaunt raising the bar and from the looks of it they will continue to garner and foster praise by keeping up their creative ideas and love for food intact. For me personally, it was a wonderful fun filled evening enjoying the food fiesta with like minded fellow foodies.
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Memories of Viru!
Virendar Sehwag played the game his way and the only way he knew right from the beginning to the very end. He put paid to his own downfall many a time but here was someone who didn't care for glory or reputation. All he knew was attacking batsmanship which brought glory to the fans watching him bat and reputation to Indian cricket for having produced their most destructive batsman ever.
It's still a mystery how he survived so long in test cricket and made runs all over the globe. The transition from a part time batsman who could bowl a bit to moving to the top of the order scoring over 8000 runs with an average of close to 50 speaks thunderous volumes of this Nawab from Najafgarh. Indian cricket history has had many opening batsman but the greatness chapter closes with just Sunny and Viru's names. And mind you Gavaskar was a proper technical gnaw who played the game how the text book demanded unlike Viru who re-wrote the textbook via his own style.
Once labeled a Sachin copybook, eventually you saw even Tendulkar change his game according to the times but Viru continued his aggresive streak not backing down one bit for anyone and being his own usual domineering self. He was an epitome of confidence and his self belief and no nonsense spirit was really admirable.
It was truly a sight watching him in a belligerent mood traumatizing international level bowlers of yore by swatting and making mincemeat out of them. Cricketers will come and go but there are few special one's who remain close to our heart and Virendar Sehwag was surely one among them. Thanks for all the excitement and entertainment of watching you all these years. Your presence on the cricket field may have vanished but the memories will forever live on!.
It's still a mystery how he survived so long in test cricket and made runs all over the globe. The transition from a part time batsman who could bowl a bit to moving to the top of the order scoring over 8000 runs with an average of close to 50 speaks thunderous volumes of this Nawab from Najafgarh. Indian cricket history has had many opening batsman but the greatness chapter closes with just Sunny and Viru's names. And mind you Gavaskar was a proper technical gnaw who played the game how the text book demanded unlike Viru who re-wrote the textbook via his own style.
Once labeled a Sachin copybook, eventually you saw even Tendulkar change his game according to the times but Viru continued his aggresive streak not backing down one bit for anyone and being his own usual domineering self. He was an epitome of confidence and his self belief and no nonsense spirit was really admirable.
It was truly a sight watching him in a belligerent mood traumatizing international level bowlers of yore by swatting and making mincemeat out of them. Cricketers will come and go but there are few special one's who remain close to our heart and Virendar Sehwag was surely one among them. Thanks for all the excitement and entertainment of watching you all these years. Your presence on the cricket field may have vanished but the memories will forever live on!.
Saturday, October 17, 2015
25 years of a Magnum Opus - Michael Madana Kama Rajan (MMKR) ★★★★★
There are only some movies which can claim to be downright rib-ticklingly funny on so many counts. Michael Madana Kama Rajan (MMKR) is one for the ages and can never be replicated.The kind of all round performance on virtually every front makes it firmly etched as one of Tamizh cinema's greatest creations. Seldom have films been so everlastingly entertaining and MMKR rightly falls into the place of all time great cinema.
It's been a quarter century since its release on Diwali day - 17th October 1990 but even to this day references are made with regard to the characterization's and dialogues. MMKR chestnuts are one of a kind and every now and then you would inevitably associate a fleeting presence of this movie in some form or the other sometimes even acting as an ice-breaker.
There are just too many things to marvel about MMKR ranging from the spectacular performances, timed to perfection dialogues, scintillating screenplay causing confusion aplenty, story with plethora of twists and turns, direction at pace with the events and the brilliant music and BGM. The subtlety and poise in each of the quadruplet roles portrayed by Kamal is breathtaking and each of the artists induce so much life to the characters and add to the fun quotient. The humorous dialogues and wordplay never ceases to invoke the funny bones, remember - Yaarukku kalyanam? Nekka? Nokka? Nekkum nokkumaa?, Indha Avinashi oru visuvaasi, Thripurasundari illai thiruttu sundari nee etc to just name a few. A pulse racing story line backed up a gripping screenplay and deftly handled direction causing nerve wracking excitement to go along with the pot boiling mixture of chaos, mayhem and hullabaloo over mistaken identity. And what fabulous array of songs in different dimensions making it such a memorable soundtrack and one cannot shy away from mentioning the precision of the re-recording which reigns supreme in elevating the scenes to a higher pedestal. It's seriously hard to pinpoint one flaw.
The synergy effect works perfectly in Michael Madana Kama Rajan where every individual in the movie is a hero but the movie ends up becoming the biggest hero of em all. A comic caper catering to the masses and the classes and to the young and old, this one's a cult classic in every way. Many of us grew up in the 90's with this film and for many of the movie buffs this laugh riot remains one of the most watched movies ever. One won't be surprised even if it has been seen over a triple digit times as it offers so much unlimited entertainment guaranteed.
25 years has passed since the saga of Michael Madana Kama Rajan and it's place as one of the undisputed comical giants of the silver screen will forever remain. Remembering everyone's favorite MMKR for completing a landmark silver jubilee. There are great movies and there is Michael Madana Kama Rajan - a riveting laughathon like never seen before and perhaps never ever after!.
Some tit-bits & trivia on MMKR:
● It was the second association of the Kamal Hassan and Crazy Mohan combo after the immensely successful Apoorva Sagotharargal (1989).
● MMKR was a Diwali release of 1990 and incidentally there were 5 other films releasing the same day with Ilaiyaraaja as the music director - Amman Kovil Thiruvizha, Mallu Vetti Minor, Puthu Paattu, Chatriyan and Sirayil Sila Raagangal
● Sundari Neeyum song was picturized by playing the song at twice the original speed in order for Kamal and Oorvasi to lip sync correctly.
● The song Sundari Neeyum was supposed to be sung by KJ Yesudas but dates played foil eventually leading to Kamal singing himself. Infact in an interesting tale, YG Mahendra actually congratulated Yesudas on the song and when KJY quipped that credit should go to Kamal, it left the former completely stumped.
● MMKR was perhaps the first Tamil or even Indian Film to feature a laptop as early as 1990.
● It was the first film to have 'Face Morphing Technology' in Tamil Film Industry.
● The Bheem boy character who is the body guard for Kamal Hassan is played by Praveen Kumar Sobti, an Indian athelete who was 6'7" and a Double gold medalist in discus throwing in the 1966 and 1970 Asian Games.
● There were 2 songs in the movie which were not shot but part of the audio records viz Aadi Pattam Thedi sung by Mano, Chitra & chorus and Maththa Poovu Oru Penna rendered by Chitra, both penned by Vaali.
● It was the second association of the Kamal Hassan and Crazy Mohan combo after the immensely successful Apoorva Sagotharargal (1989).
● MMKR was a Diwali release of 1990 and incidentally there were 5 other films releasing the same day with Ilaiyaraaja as the music director - Amman Kovil Thiruvizha, Mallu Vetti Minor, Puthu Paattu, Chatriyan and Sirayil Sila Raagangal
● Sundari Neeyum song was picturized by playing the song at twice the original speed in order for Kamal and Oorvasi to lip sync correctly.
● The song Sundari Neeyum was supposed to be sung by KJ Yesudas but dates played foil eventually leading to Kamal singing himself. Infact in an interesting tale, YG Mahendra actually congratulated Yesudas on the song and when KJY quipped that credit should go to Kamal, it left the former completely stumped.
● MMKR was perhaps the first Tamil or even Indian Film to feature a laptop as early as 1990.
● It was the first film to have 'Face Morphing Technology' in Tamil Film Industry.
● The Bheem boy character who is the body guard for Kamal Hassan is played by Praveen Kumar Sobti, an Indian athelete who was 6'7" and a Double gold medalist in discus throwing in the 1966 and 1970 Asian Games.
● There were 2 songs in the movie which were not shot but part of the audio records viz Aadi Pattam Thedi sung by Mano, Chitra & chorus and Maththa Poovu Oru Penna rendered by Chitra, both penned by Vaali.
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Amazing Amadora!
Amadora has been on my wishlist for a very long time. Glad I was finally able to make it here. We headed here after finishing our dinner duty at the nearby Delhi Highway. The place is located in a secluded lane off KNK. On a cursory glance, the area feels quite dark and lonely but alas only for a wee bit and your perception changes immediately seeing flocks of people and sprangling vehicles move in and around this small street.
Amadora is a house converted into an ice-cream parlour. This one's a little different from the usual run off the mill ice cream places which you associate to be splashed with lots of color and feeling very play schoolish. It is muted in terms of color but has it's own charm. Walls decorated with sweet quotes, blackboard drawn with colored chalks highlighting the special stuff for the day and the elevated chairs with jigsaw shaped tables give it a unique touch. The desserts on display already give an indication of the goodness to follow.
They have loads to offer making your sweet tooth crave for some indulging decadence. We were 4 of us and ordered the following items: a scoop of caramelised white chocolate and jaggery each, a lemon ginger popsicle and an underbaked cake with 5 bean vanilla ice- cream. Both the white chocolate and jaggery had strong flavoring and were ravishing to say the least. It was a delight to suck every spoonful joyously. I am a fan of popsicles and I couldn't but wait to lick that whitened stick of sweet enigma. The ginger aroma was inherently prevelant and my childish insticts were in full fore enjoying this lipsmacking icy delight. And boy oh boy awesomeness reached a new level as soon as I donned one spoonful of the scintillatingly mouth wateringly brilliant underbaked cake. Ah, it felt like attaining nirvana and with the 5 bean vanilla ice cream to boot, this was one jaw droppingly gyrating dessert. No exaggeration, taste it for yourself and you would know.
The rates are pretty much on the higher side but considering the output that went into the mouth, you surely wouldn't cringe as you would have seldom tasted such delicious desserts. I am sure coming here again to attack more of their stuff :).
Amadora is a house converted into an ice-cream parlour. This one's a little different from the usual run off the mill ice cream places which you associate to be splashed with lots of color and feeling very play schoolish. It is muted in terms of color but has it's own charm. Walls decorated with sweet quotes, blackboard drawn with colored chalks highlighting the special stuff for the day and the elevated chairs with jigsaw shaped tables give it a unique touch. The desserts on display already give an indication of the goodness to follow.
They have loads to offer making your sweet tooth crave for some indulging decadence. We were 4 of us and ordered the following items: a scoop of caramelised white chocolate and jaggery each, a lemon ginger popsicle and an underbaked cake with 5 bean vanilla ice- cream. Both the white chocolate and jaggery had strong flavoring and were ravishing to say the least. It was a delight to suck every spoonful joyously. I am a fan of popsicles and I couldn't but wait to lick that whitened stick of sweet enigma. The ginger aroma was inherently prevelant and my childish insticts were in full fore enjoying this lipsmacking icy delight. And boy oh boy awesomeness reached a new level as soon as I donned one spoonful of the scintillatingly mouth wateringly brilliant underbaked cake. Ah, it felt like attaining nirvana and with the 5 bean vanilla ice cream to boot, this was one jaw droppingly gyrating dessert. No exaggeration, taste it for yourself and you would know.
The rates are pretty much on the higher side but considering the output that went into the mouth, you surely wouldn't cringe as you would have seldom tasted such delicious desserts. I am sure coming here again to attack more of their stuff :).
North Indian at Delhi Highway, Nungambakkam
The best plans are made impromptu. There have been so many occasions on which I've been wanting to experience the Dilli ka khana but for some or other reason it wasn't materialising. And finally am relieved that Delhi Highway has been finally ticked off the list.
It's located in the ever happening Khadar Nawaz khan road and the place is crowded with a heavy influx of predominantly the northie crowd. It works on the system of first come first serve and thankfully we were allotted a table within a waiting time of 10 minutes.
From the name, you can easily figure that it's a place serving out and out Tandoori fare. They also have some chaats added to the mix. The ambiance is a touch predictable and the creamy and brown shades give that mild mughlish durbar feel and the gloomy dim light's make it quite visible that you're in a North Indian restaurant.
We began our course with a Dahi papdi chaat and a couple of starters. The chaat was pretty standard and that extra I was expecting was surely amiss. And the tandoori front started with the Achari Paneer Tikka. The reddish chunks of cottage cheese were soft and nice but way off from being exceptional. It was certainly nice but that zing of wallowing a succulent piece of my ever favorite panneer wasn't felt. The other one, Tandoori Aloo with grated cheese lavishly coated over the oval pieces of boiled potatoes was quite decent.
On the main course we had 4 versions of Indian bread - Butter Naan, Garlic Naan, Aloo Kulcha and Rogani Roti. And for the curries we went with Paneer Lababdar and Veg Kohlapuri. The Indian bread were quite substandard to be frank. Some of the pieces were so hard and the fluffiness was just not there. The Paneer gravy was quite nice cooked on an onion gravy but the veg Kohlapuri at best could be termed ordinary. We decided not to have any desserts.
Overall the food was just bordering along the average and it was a bit of a disappointment especially because the expectations were set much higher. Though nothing could be termed downright bad, I didn't get the feel of relishing some good ol North Indian khana.
The service was pretty quick with the items being brought and served to our table in quick fashion. The quantity served was quite a let down and the abominable pricing makes it all the more worse. At best, this dine out experience left a lot to be desired.
It's located in the ever happening Khadar Nawaz khan road and the place is crowded with a heavy influx of predominantly the northie crowd. It works on the system of first come first serve and thankfully we were allotted a table within a waiting time of 10 minutes.
From the name, you can easily figure that it's a place serving out and out Tandoori fare. They also have some chaats added to the mix. The ambiance is a touch predictable and the creamy and brown shades give that mild mughlish durbar feel and the gloomy dim light's make it quite visible that you're in a North Indian restaurant.
We began our course with a Dahi papdi chaat and a couple of starters. The chaat was pretty standard and that extra I was expecting was surely amiss. And the tandoori front started with the Achari Paneer Tikka. The reddish chunks of cottage cheese were soft and nice but way off from being exceptional. It was certainly nice but that zing of wallowing a succulent piece of my ever favorite panneer wasn't felt. The other one, Tandoori Aloo with grated cheese lavishly coated over the oval pieces of boiled potatoes was quite decent.
On the main course we had 4 versions of Indian bread - Butter Naan, Garlic Naan, Aloo Kulcha and Rogani Roti. And for the curries we went with Paneer Lababdar and Veg Kohlapuri. The Indian bread were quite substandard to be frank. Some of the pieces were so hard and the fluffiness was just not there. The Paneer gravy was quite nice cooked on an onion gravy but the veg Kohlapuri at best could be termed ordinary. We decided not to have any desserts.
Overall the food was just bordering along the average and it was a bit of a disappointment especially because the expectations were set much higher. Though nothing could be termed downright bad, I didn't get the feel of relishing some good ol North Indian khana.
The service was pretty quick with the items being brought and served to our table in quick fashion. The quantity served was quite a let down and the abominable pricing makes it all the more worse. At best, this dine out experience left a lot to be desired.
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