Shere Punjab @ Kalkaji

Located in the busy hustle and bustle of KalkajI market, is located this pretty old restaurant serving Indian and Mughlai food. Owned and managed by a Sikh Father Son Duo, this small little place has been serving it's patrons consistently

I have noticed this quite looking place many a times during my visit to the Kalkaji market, however today was one of the days, when I felt like having some hot and crispy tandoori rotis and digging them into a spicy gravy

Normally I am a big fan of tandoori food  ( Tikkas, Tandoori chicken and barraas, are pretty much my thing) not so much for healthy reasons, but more so for the romance that the smell of a nice tandoori food does to me. The sensitivity of my nose to the smell of a tandoor in its full glory, is far greater than that for any other ordinary smell / odour

Having said that, I had been longing for a while to savour some real stuff. Piping hot, Crisp and fresh rotis, out straight from the tandoor, along with some "khada masala" based spicy chicken curry

We decided to order the staple chicken masala and chicken curry, which is generally the best selling item on menu for a Punjabi restaurant. I was pretty much transported to my college days , when restaurants would also sell chicken or mutton dishes by Quarter of a dish / half dishes as well, unlike and pretty much the etiquette of the fine dining plush restaurants, that strictly serve you a full dish only, for reasons of cost and economics purely

The Quarter dish concept worked very well for students and early jobbers, who are usually on a tight budget , at the same time want to enjoy a wholesome meal..The chicken masala, comes with  boiled eggs and a thick gravy.The gravy is made out of a base of " khadaa masalas" and gives you a very robust, fullsome and aromatic flavour and being straight from a punjabi restaurant, is not modest or conservative with the grease

All in all, a great lunch with the Hot tandoori rotis, Dhaba style spiced up chicken and " lachcha onions"..No frills, no fancy seating , basic stuff with a clean and hygeinic food,having personal involvement of owners




Do visit when in a desi mood...pretty reasonable for the pocket as well

Chaayos....Experiments with Chai.....

A nation which lives to drink Chai at home and coffee outside of home.Long before coffee drinking became the "cool" thing to do, Chai held centerstage in our lives.The Famous Bengali "ADDA" is incomplete without  Chai and Gupshup....So Coffee is about Conversations and chai Is about Gup Shup and the works.
Celebrating Indias love for Chai and bringing it alive in a refreshing retail concept is Chaayos..Started in 2012 by 2 IITians who quit their high paying jobs to offer us a unique tea drinking experience..

Chaayos. ..Experiments with Chai, stick to their basic concept and go all out and present the ever so common, humble, almost plebeian, Chai in a refreshingly cool, modern and trendy Avataar...Move away from the boring Peach and lemon iced teas that you could manage to get in Coffee retailers..They have more than 25 varieties of Chai which can be custom made in more than 12000 different ways..The flavours used are "desi" but somehow best kept as ingredients in kitchen and not to be flaunted like the way these guys have done.....adrak, elaichi, cardamom, saunf, lung, kali mirch, tulsi, ajwain, moti elaichi...With variants like Sulemani chai (black tea), Irani chai( more milk), Cutting chai, Kullad wali chai...

The food menu is intelligently made with focus on lite and quick bites..The idea to build on some of the local street food is interesting..Vada Paav, poha, bun maska,  egg buns, sev n buns, keema pav...I was not very impressed with the food in terms of taste and authenticity..However the great flavours of tea, the ambience and setting make up for the lacklustre taste of food..Some of the wraps I have heard are decent but did not try..The vada pav, Bun maska were pretty average

However do visit this place for its great Tea and find your "meri wali chai" that's what their punchline is..The food needs to evolve over a period of time , but full marks to the experiment....happy chai drinking

The Brown Box

Writing a foodie blog after a really long gap. The reasons for the gap have been plenty ranging from personal to professional to even abstinence from the carnivorous stuff for almost 3 months..all that is  ow a thing of the past and hope to continue fishing out small jewels located in corners and by lanes of Delhi NCR...

The Brown Box is one such place located in a Quaint, peaceful almost derelict and dilipidated Panchsheel DDA market..The place is ideal for those who want to savour decent cuppas of coffee and tea at the same time don't want to pay obnoxiously unjustified money like in case of Starbucks, CCDs and the likes. .Moreover the Starbucks and CCDs of the world have mechanised and corporatist the coffee drinking experience confining it to a closed machine like existence. ..THE Brown Box challenges the very notion and makes you sip your Tea and coffee the way it's supposed to be savoured...In a serene setting, surrounded by greenery, not many souls to bother you, and surely saves you the trouble of forced ear dropping on the "enlightening conversations" of the umpteen teenagers..

The Brown Box sticks to the basics..A patisserie specialising in Coffee, select pastries , sandwiches and cookies...The Blueberry cheese cake is as good as the best in town when it comes to texture, freshness..The Masala tea is a real hit here,  again pretty much a contrast to the pathetic mild teas served by the CCDs..The Sandwiches are really decent.Since they don't work on bull volume and a factory line like system, things are freshly made...

A Great experience to hang out and relax.there is a huge open space and thanks to lack of occupants in the DDA market , there is ample space for kids to chill and run around..Visit the Brown Box,  not just for coffee..but to sit and relax in the midst of greenery

Brunch Buffet at Khidmat- Kalkaji

Khidmat -- Literal meaning - "At your Service" - Khidmat has been serving foodies in Kalkaji for over 5-6 years, atleast that's what I have been able to keep track of for sometime now -- They are one of the earlier restaurants in Kalkaji, serving Alcohol as well. In fact the ambience is just right for a "Resto Bar" -- They have off late ventured into the Buffet Offerings - which they Proudly promote as "Brunches" - Looking for a Brunch filling myself on a lazy Sunday afternoon, I set out to explore the eateries in Kalkaji --- Being a Foodie & a Marketer, an Interestingly done "Point of Sale material" - a banner announcing the Price , caught my attention & I decided to venture inside - wife & kid in toe

This one is a big 100 seat restaurant, with an dark ambient setting - Perfect for a Day time drinking session with friends or colleagues...We ordered for 2 Buffets -- The Buffet line up was reasonably well done & especially for the Price Tag - 599 /= - No reasons to complain - 3 starters in Veg & Non Veg Both & Soups

The Tandoori stuff in starters was what I enjoyed the most - especially Chicken Tikka & Paneer Tikka - The Chinese version of the starters was not that great - Both Chicken & Cheese Chilly ---- The Mutton Seekhs , were well balanced in spices --

In the Main Course, the spread was -
Indian :
2 Non Veg dishes : Butter Chicken & Mutton Shahi
Paneer Kadai, Dal Makhani, Aloo Gobhi,
Breads
Chinese : Noodles, Manchurian
Live Pasta counter

The world may keep raving about "Dal Bukhara" at ITC & their so called Legendary fan filled tales & continue fleecing us for a dish, that is at best average ....I feel, a Good Punjabi Chef, can cook the Dal Makhani, just as well ---- All you need is lots of love & great butter !!! The Dal Makhani at Khidmat
is just outstanding & is any day better than your "Dal Bukhara"

The Mutton Shahi - was simply scintillating & tantalising for the taste buds ----- Mutton was yummy, really soft & despite being immersed in the delicious gravy, I could clearly feel the taste of the Mutton dish --- that's what really sets mutton apart from Chicken --- Chicken is too bland - Mutton has its distinct flavour

 

Chicken Today

Chicken Today - is part of the Alcheimest group - The promoters of "Republic of Chicken" - They seem to have taken their Chicken Concept -( from offering, Frozen, pre packed & ready to eat Chicken) to the next level in form of the "Chicken QSR" & seem to have done a decent job .. strangely the manager didn't allow us to click pics of the store from inside - some strange understanding which people seem to be having these days

The Outlets are pretty nicely done -- spacious seating area ---- The outlet at New Friends Colony is located on 2 floors, with seating for about 35-40 people in the restaurant ------
The Highlights :
The Bengal Mustard Tangri & the Bengal Mustard Chicken Burger ---- These were the 2 best items of the evening for me --- Bengalis mustard burger, something really refreshing & different, tried in a really long long time The mustard flavour was subtle without being too overpowering or killing the other flavours...

The Bengal Mustard Tangri was also quite decent --- Pretty different from the usual coal char grilled flavours of the tandoori chicken -- this was quite a treat to the taste buds .......

Their Green Dip is something to die for - absolutely "lick a licious" sweet tangy cold & refreshing - The Chicken Ajwain roll was average - Their meal combos are pretty decent too ---- served with Roomali rotis & Dal Makhani ---quite decent

Are you in the mood for "Chicken Today"

Namche Bazaar

http://www.zomato.com/ncr/striker-namche-bazaar-kitchen-bar-golf-course-road-gurgaon

My Office is Located next to the Global Foyer building on the Golf Course road in Gurgaon -- Have heard a lot about the various plush eateries & pubs in the Global Foyer , Namche bazaar is one such Restaurant located here ... Being Touted as the Corporate Lunch destination - This place offers customised "eating solutions" - "Since this is Corporate, hence the Corporatised Jargons " - basically Lunch packages & value meals

The seating is a mix of A la Care - Table , Chair set as well as one of a set laid out low height sit down sofa sets -- Ambience is quite relaxing, especially if one walks in from a full on heat & Light blast - reasonably dim lights add to the relaxation -
The buffet spread is reasonable & not too lavish, which works just fine , as Lunch Buffet should be lighter than the standard Dinner Buffets ---

Salads
There is a spread of 3-4 Salads -- My personal favourite was the roasted Chicken Salad mixed with Pineapple -The Russian salad, another of my all time favourite -was quite nice

Sides
They also served Gol Gappas with 2 varieties of the spiced water, which we so lovingly relish & shamelessly cant stop asking for more at the roadside Gol gappe waala

Main Course
They had a very decent mix of the Main Course - with 3 Non Vegetarian & 3 Vegetarian dishes +1 Daal +1 Noodles -- My personal favourite was the "Oriental Fish Curry" --- soft, fresh, succulent & retaining the perfect flavour of fish

The Mutton gravy, was the Other dish worth trying in the menu -- Normally I hate restaurants, who try & put you off their mutton dish by cooking it in too much oil - so people try & avoid mutton dishes --- But this one was just the right taste -- not too oily, neither too greasy ---not too heavy on the palate

For The Dessert, they serve Shahi Tukdaa, & Ice creams

Price - I don't know, as I did not pay the bill -- and as they say " There are no Free Lunches" - This time I managed to have one

Bikers Cafe

 

Having heard & read tons of raving reviews about this cool & happening, through various mediums & forums, especially my latest association with the Zomato team, which have had huge reviews mentioned about this cool little joint located in Vasant Vihar, I decided it was time to have my first hand experience of this Outlet

 

 

Located in the tiny, almost derelict Vasant Vihar market, this outlet has a fantastic approach from the main road - The striking, almost inviting sign board (done on a wooden frame)a cool and nicely done, liittle patio just outside the restaurant- inviting you inside the waiting arms of the little café - add to it, Bikers, Harley davidons, Royal Enfileds, have a certain machismo built as a halo around them - so may be this outlet invites you to unleash the machismo within

 

Inside, the outlet is pretty neatly done, and pics of Legendary Bikers adventures, the next biking destinations & journeys - it immediately sets you off to a cool & casual setting - The staff, suits the mood & ambience of the café - relaxed & casual  - They also have interesting concept of renting out games on an hourly basis - Like Ludo, Scrabbles etc - to keep the chit chat & discussion going forward

 

The food is more of Continental & Italian - Understandably, the Breakfast options are what are the best sellers in the Café -- Their all time hit , is the Bun Maska & cutting chai - reminiscent of the Streets of Mumbai - We ordered for , what turned out to be the signature sandwich of the Café (Bikers Café Special sandwich) --- A triple decker sandwich loaded., with Chicken ham, shredded chicken, generous spread of ,Mayonaise , stuffed with Fried Eggs & served with Coleslaw & French fries -- Looking at the Portion, you will be convinced , that its good enough for a BBB-BIG BIKER BOYS

 

The Other breakfast dish we ordered was the Chilly Garlic Cheese toast - The Garlic flavour was subtle & not overpowering - with just the right amount of melted cheese -- we washed this down with Cups of Masala Chai & Cappucino

 

A heavy breakfast, which saw me through pretty late in the day -- a satisfying breakfast -- going there for more ... On my Car, if not the  Bike

 

 

 

 

 

Sagar Ratna Kalkaji

Being the 1st one writing the review for Sagar Ratna, Kalkaji

for Zomato---- At the Onset, I must say that with the Change in the ownership at Sagar ratna, while there seems to be a rapid expansion in the number of Sagar ratna outlets, the important piece to watch out for, how the quality is being maintained --- "Quality & Service" being the 2 hallmarks on which Sagar Ratna has built its envious brand presence in Delhi --- Quality South Indian food was synonymous with Sagar ratna, for the Delhi wallahs

The Outlet in Kalkaji, by most Sagar outlets standards, is by far the most spacious , well laid out & very brightly lit --- The interesting twists being brought about in the menu, is also something to watch out for -- While the Sagar Ratna team, has introduced varieties in the north Indian fare - namely - Paneer Tikka, Dal Makhanni Combos - Their Rs 39 - starter pricing is pretty attractive as well & is being very well received in the restaurants

Rs 39 - 2 piece Paneer tikka , 1 Piece Dahi Wada / Dahi Idli, Spring Rolls
Dahi Idlis - I am the biggest fan of Dahi idlis outside the whole of south india --- Soft Idlis, served in a bed of Ice Cold , sweet dahi, flavoured with fried rai seeds - just the perfect snack -- Even the Paneer Tikkas is superb --- served with an Ice Cold Mint Chutney - The tikkas are roasted to Perfection in the Tandoor - Soft, succulent cubes of cottage cheese, roasted in a perfect tandoori marinate --- Perfect for a south Indian speciality restaurant

I did find a bit of difference in the taste of the Masala dosas - The ones served earlier, under the previous management, were a bit oily & a soft masala stuffing - the current ones, were a bit crisper, & stuffing was tad bit dry -- The Chutneys - Coconut, Green Chutney & the Tomato Chutney - were just perfect

Great going Sagar Ratna -- Keep expanding the Outlets ----- & keep delivering the taste

Fidahh - Epicurea Food Court, Nehru Place

Vow !!! I will be the 2nd Person to write a review on Zomato about this new kid on the block, Fidahh - & the 1st reviewer being the Zomato Delhi Connoisseur, Desmond john & I agree , its a pity that no one has either explored it so far, or written about it

Located in the Now ever becoming popular, Nehru place Metro station Food Court, Fidahh, is a Lebanese food joint, that sticks to its basics & is doing a good job out of it .. The Outlet has a decent range of Lebanese food dishes - I am sure people have heard about the ever so popular Shawarmas -- There is a decent range of Hummus, Falafels, as well - The Babbaganoush, The tzaatki dips, which are ever so popular - We ordered the Chelo Kebabs, which seemed an all time hit at the restaurant, along with the Grilled Chicken (Rosemerire herbs ) The Chelo kebabs & the grilled chicken were served on the fresh & warm, pita breads ---- I loved the Pita breads, they were thinner than the usual fat dough one gets fed in most restaurants

The Dips were ok --didn't set my taste buds rolling - I have had better tzaatki dips in other shawarma outlets - actually most Lebanese outlets I have eaten at seem to have a great variation in the taste of this particular dip

The Grilled chicken was quite nice - although it was very mildly spices - but I could enjoy the real flavour of the soft & succulent chicken - induced by grilling along with the skin --- The Chelo kebabs were better spiced & did pack a punch & was refreshing to eat, inspite of being right spiced

The staff courtesy was exemplary & the service as expected to be in a food court, pretty fast .All in all , a good experience in Fidaah - I am going there again, for a bigger fill of the Grilled Chicken

 

Zomatos foodie meet- Smoke House Delhi, Hauz Khas

Having been Invited for a Zomatos foodie meet, is probably one of the baby steps in the direction of creating a name in the Foodie circle of Delhi - Critics, Bloggers, Restaurant reviewers & critics, Chefs, Bakers & the ever growing community of Zomans , as they call them -- Zomans refers to the Zomatian community - employees, customers, reviewers - Not wanting to miss this opportunity to interact with the foodie community, I was well set to go , the venue helped seal the decision faster

The Venue - Smoke House Delhi, Hauz Khas Village - An Upmarket, Restaurant specialising in the Grills & Continental fare, Oh so European - The location, adding greatly to the overall experience - Situated opposite the Hauz Khas, Lake - yes there is a lake, which runs across Hauz Khas - many of us in delhi, may not even have heard about it, not to mention seeing & experiencing it at all --- Our Hostess, Prerita Chugh, a bright, young lady, who later it turned out, was quite an impressive foodie, herself - tackling the meats, & cuts, quite much like pro --- With the formal introduction & meeting up with the other foodies, we took our seats, in a specially reserved enclosure, for us, the Zoman foodies

The Start off with a Bread Basket, with Butter & Pepper Cheese - dashed with Mustard oil- was a good start for the conversations to begin --- Breads, Butter, some conversation & more ---We had the youngest foodie & reviewer, I have known in a long time, Ulhas- all of 20 years old, and a forcibly converted vegetarian (for reasons bets known to him)

Then we had the First course of Appetisers, comprised of the following :
"Balsamic Beetroot + Feta Salad with Guava Emulsions" -
 Not a great Veggie salad lover, this was all lettuce, plain cheese & the guava, added to sweetness - which didn't go too well with me -- an extra dash of sauces,  would have added the zing to this sweety of a salad - Not my personal favourite

Chicken Satay+ Green Bean Salad --- A better upgrade of the Veggie salad, with one satay - I always believe, that Non Vegetarian Salads, should have bite sized chunks of the meat thrown in evenly, rather than having single pieces - which need to be torn, broken or shared - as once the Satay is over, all you are left with is lots of Lettuce, again with mild spices - The Satay, however was quite nicely done, tender, nicely smoked & chewy

Smoked Chicken + Goat Cheese Tart - This one took the Cake for me - The best starters for the evening ..  Perfectly, thin, crisp & crusted tarts, loaded with a nice filling of smoked chicken, melted cheese & infused with Herbs, spices & baked to glory --- The perfect starter for me--- & Like Lays, No One can have Just One


We then headed to the Bar for a drinks session - Basically this, helped couple up as a smoke break as well -- The Conversations were in full flow by this time, with another Zoman reviewer, Vigya, mentioning about her foodie experiences - She seemed, quite a foodie, of a different genre, than yours truly --- more of High end & fine dining restaurant reviews, while yours truly is more of a street food, QSRs, light on your wallet , food exploration - I ordered the Green Apple, Martini, which was too sweet for my tastes & having recovered from the sweet punch, I ordered for the Orange Capriojka, which turned out to be a better Cocktail ---- fresh chunks of Orange, placed in the base

There was another dish - which was Chicken steaks, dipped & loaded with Green sauces -- The Satays, were soft, juicy, tender, perfectly spiced & chewy - Great appetiser

Now was time for a Main Course ---- While we had a variety of options to chose from in both Veg & Non Veg --- I ordered for the "PeriPeri rubbed smoked chicken + Smoked Pimento Redux with Saffron Potatoes" - For Godsake don't ask me, what a Pimento Redux means, as I was a bit high to ask the waiter myself for that --- However, the PeriPeri chicken, was just right for me ---- I like my meat to be a bit chewy - too soft is quite a put off for me - The Chicken bites, had the perfect juice, spice & moisture, in each of the bites --- The Potato served as a good condiment for the spicy boneless chicken


I also tried, the Marinated Roast chicken with Sour cream potatoes -- While the Chicken again scored in terms of being tender & juicy - The sauces , added somewhat of a fusion taste -- the sauce tasted more like a strong Garam masala flavour

Overall, a great experience at Smoke House Delhi. To sum it up, a motley group of strangers, from different walks of life, different paths, different destinies, but one Common passion - Love of Food & taking the pain to write about that food ---

Thanks team Zomato for this Opportunity --- Let the Zomans rock

 

Binge - Bakery in Gurgaon

My Bakery & Sandwich fascination continues --yet another Bakery, this time in Gurgaon, which has tickled my taste buds for some time now ..Located in the Sec 44,Market, Binge is a Cool Upmarket Bakery shop, being promoted by 2 young Sikh guys -- The thing that strikes you about Binge, is its neatly & smartly done Interiors - An amazing & wide range of Pastries, cakes, savouries, Tarts, Cupcakes, Pastries, Sandwiches, Rolls, Pattice, Salads - Fresh Breads & lots & lots of Cookies

There is a small seating for about 5-6 people in the bakery - My favourite is the chicken cold sandwiches as usual - may be the European in me, is it ???? People find it strange, But Cold sandwiches, is something I can have for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner - Not a fussy eater, at all .... The Chicken Tikka Sandwiches & Chicken Coleslaw sandwiches are a staple for me -- On your way back home from Office - this is a very good option for a quick bite to satiate the hunger demons for a while

The Cakes here are quite popular, going by the no of Orders for Cakes which one sees getting packed every day in the Evening

Nice ambience, chilled out place, great sandwiches, delicious desserts, Breads to take home & not to forget the free sampling of the various cookies , which is there for the Guests, every evening - if that's motivation enough - Do visit - If you are a sandwich & bakery lover