Flavors

Flavors - One of Delhis favorite places for having Italian Cusine...although Delhites may swear  over The Big Chill for the Hip & Happening place for Italian Cusine - there is a marked difference between the 2 restaurants though both serving same cusines ... Flavors to me is more classy & the atmosphere is little somber compared to a Big Chill ...Located Just after Andrews Ganj Flyover, South Delhi

 I went there Last week to celebrate my very close buddys birthday ...Obviously as one grows old, Birthday bashes are not anymore about being brash, getting drunk & behaving rash..Its more of a sombre affair. with People going out with Families, spouse etc..So we also went with our respective spouses



Minerstone Soup & Garlic Bread was yummy

I have almost reached a conclusion that Soups in Italian Cusine may not be too tantalising for our Taste Buds .. The Minerstone soup just failed to Impress, with absoultely lack of spices, richness or any great taste or character in the soup...Quite ordinary... The Garlic bread was very nice ..The Garlic was light & subtle & not atall over done in the flavor..nice crispness

Grilled & Herbed Chicken ..Entree

The Grills are one of the Highlights for the Italian Menu here at Flavors...I ordered the Grilled Chicken with herbs - 1 Piece Chicken Leg, 1 Piece Chicken Breast & 1 Piece Chicken Lollypop - along with Stir Fried Vegetables .. the Chicken was very mildly spiced, with light aroma --- The smell quite good enough to raise the appetite but not too strong enough to overpower the other aroma ... Chicken pieces were nice, juicy & chewy ..Not the melt in your mouth sorts, but something which you can bite into ... Top it up with Oregano spices, Chilli Flakes, Tobasco Chilli Sauce, Dash of Lime Sauces ........and quite a decent bite

All Chicken Pizza....Thin, Crisp

Next on the Menu was the Flavors Special, All Chicken Pizza ..again Lightly spiced, with lot of veggies, good dash of Cheese .... The Pizza base was maidaa, but carrying a Thin Crust -- Veggies were fresh & not too heavy on the Palate

Veg Pizza with Goat Cheese

Being a Strict Non Vegetarian, Its against my principles to touch Vegetarian Food during meals outside...But being a Foodie, its bad to discriminate against Vegetarians, so I end up having bites of Veg stuff as well just to have some idea of the taste..... The Goat Cheese had quite a rich texture, Little salty, quite rich & creamy in taste..

All in all, a great Experience & a great Dinner .... But being a Birthday, How can we leave withouot Giving a Birthday gift befitting for this occassion ..... Here is a Sneak Preview of the Gift that the Birthday Boy Got....

Land Rover........

Dominoes Pizza

Even Though Dominoes prides itself of its extremely unique positioning plank of extra ordinary service & Logistics management, by building an entire organization on the Positioning of excellence in Customer Service (30 mts delivery, In a County Like India, where neither the traffic nor the Roads can be relied upon, is a great lesson)

But last week, I was pleasantly surprised with the brilliant ambience & décor that was built up in the Restaurant considering that Its supposed to be a Home Delivery Pizza Chain….. Just have a look at some of the pics showing the ambience of the Restaurant

Excellent ambience in Dominoes

We order the Paneer Pizza on a Thin wheat Crust & Garlic Bread ..

Colorful Pizza, rainbow on my plate

Garlic Breads...all time hit......hmmmm

I read one interesting Catchline on  a Poster in the Outlet, which suggests that Pizzas are best had with Hands…This is very unlike the Fine dining tags which seem to be attached with a Pizza… Almost all decent restaurants are promoting the Pizza as the symbol of  Fine dining experience….good to see Pizzas being promoted in this manner by Dominoes…….

Dominoes also seem never running out of excellent & innovative ideas to promote & take pizzas from the level of Fast food & junk food category, and now almost as an alternate cusine…”The Khushiyon ki Home Delivery”, is a fantastic campaign & we see the Pizza as now an almost accepted form of food, especially for small celebrations .. Pizza has now almost become a Happiness food…. Especially the home delivery food….

The Big Chill Cafe

Quite a few delhites would have had their share of romance with the Harbinger of Calssic Italian Dining in Delhi, The Big Chill Cafe... Started off with their Main Branch in East of Kailash, in the Lap of the Hot & happening , Greater Kailash Market...Big Chill Cafe, is easily regarded as One of the Best Places Offering Italian Food, that too in the most Classic Manner. Th Restaurant has an  almost Retro, rock feel, with posters & pictures of Old Hollywood Classics adorning the walls, giving it a Larger than life, retro chic kind of a look

The wall adorned by Posters of Hollywood Classics

Just the Perfect Chic & Retro ambience

The Food arguably is supposed to be one of the best in Italian Cusines & so are the desserts... We Order the Chicken Pizza, Galic Breads, & a Veg Pasta to begin with..... The staff is quite friendly & keeping in line with the ambience of the restaurant is quite cool & on the job...We get the Order in 15 minutes, which is a pretty fast turn around time ,considering that the Cafe is jam packed on most evenings (Weekends especially) I have not been to Italy ever, but I am sure the Pizzas, would be only marginally better than the one we had... Absolutely thin Crust, wheat based, The Pizza bread was perfectly crisp, light, & the chicken in the topping was perfectly juicy, rightly spiced, & the melted cheese, juicy chicken & crsipy bread, was just an awesome blend..difficult to explain in words, & difficult to stop eating as well...Have a Look for yourself

The Fantastic Pizzas, Crisp & Light

The Garlic Bread, was also quite a mouthful & handful...Loaded with Cheese, the soft bread, with a mild garlic flavor, was quite a delectable treat...Very Cheesy, very creamy, not the stuff you want to eat on a diet or if you want to live long....But if you live to eat, then take that bite.....

Creamy, Cheesy & Sinful Garlic Bread

Next on the agenda was the Pasta - The Original Italian "Maggi"....The Pasta was a Vegatable & Tomato Sauce, wheat Pasta..The Sauce was quite nice, Fresh & slightly tangy & had a rich & nice orangish color...served along with a Bread, the Pasta was quite refreshing to taste.. aroma of herbs, olives, spices, adds greatly to the taste - The basil flavour stood out



Tomato & Olive Pasta

We polish off the meal, with a nice Capuccion Coffee & a Tiramisu Pastry.... Great Taste of Caramel, Butter, right amount of sweetness..Just have a look...isnt it awesome

Do Visit The Big Chill for a Relaxed Evening with Friends...An amazing experience awaits you

Taste - 8
Hygiene - 9
Ambience - 9
Value for Money - 7

Delhis Nirulas

Nirulas - Speak to any Delihite, who has spent his growing up years in Delhi,about his memories & experience of Nirulas, and you are bound to evoke many emotions. Started Delhis First Fast Food restaurant in Connaught place in 1977... Any body who has grown up in Delhi from the late 1970s, will have great & fond memories of the Nirulas …

For many Delhities, Nirulas would have served as the rendezvous of their first date, for many it would have been a place to impress their Clients, some would have concluded their pre marriage meetings here, Many a school kids have flocked Nirulas after every Exam drenched them of their energies & vigor, just to rejuvenate & come back again, Probably your First big Birthday treat, when especially the Guest List would boast of beautiful girls from School / College , theres a good probability that Nirulas would have hosted many such Birthday treats

Simply because, till late 1990s, if there was anything that gave Delhites, a close look, touch & taste of the ever so enchanting western cuisine, it was Simply Nirulas…. If way back in early 90s, if your ostentatious aunt, would come down from the kanedaa (Canada)…..and worry about their Little kids lack of the favorite junk food, then Nirulas was your only bet to make them feel at home – as this was the only place serving Americas favorite food back then – Burgers, Fries, Foot Longs,Pizzas





Juicy Mutton Burger

Chees Garlic Toast

Well Nirulas has come a very long ways since then & been keeping up & survived against the onslaught of the all Powerful American Chains Like McDonalds, Pizza Hut, KFC – all taking the fast food quick service Restaurants & Indian Consumers eating out experience to the next level

Nirulas has done quite a bit of revamping ever since the entry & meteoric rise of Chains Like McDonalds, Pizza Hut etc… One of the Nice Nirulas Outlet, apart from the Immensely Popular, Connaught Place is the One at East of Kailash . I have been a regular here at the East of Kailash Outlet & have witnessed many a Revamping & renovation, to suit the tastes & moods of the fast changing & emerging Young Indian Consumers Lifestyle

Last Sunday Lunch was a feast at the Nirulas, East of kailash with the family….. The All time hit & Popular Pizza is the Cheese, Capsicum, Onion Pizza .. Basic, Simple but very effective in engaging the taste buds….Its something, your mom can probably cook by now in the Oven….& The Nirulas Pizaa has a nice home made taste …. The Mutton Sausage, again was pretty delightful … pretty different from all Sausage Pizzas ever eaten…Nicely spiced,, The Sausage qty on the pizza looks pretty decent for me, loaded with Plain Cheese .. quite yummy ….. The Mutton Keema Pizza, is also one of the hot favorites among students..I remember, in School days, it used to be my favorite as well .. The Mutton Mince put on the pizza is nicely cooked in spices (Lot of Garlic, Onion, Tomatoes , Garam Masala) & then the mince is placed on the pizza … that’s why the Topping has a nice well cooked spicy flavor….One thing you will realize as you dig into the pizzas, is that the Pizza Base @ Nirulas is one of the best you will get….Even the Regular Pizza base @ Nirulas, is thinner than the Thin Crust Base at some of the MNC pizza Chains , & its also quite crisp & light, unlike the dough filled pizza bases of other chains







The Delicious Indianised Keema Pizza



Chilly Chicken Pizza

     

The Chicken Chops at Nirulas, again take the Cake….. One Medium to Large piece of Chicken Breast, Golden Deep Fried, & served with fresh home made Coleslaw & a Bread …. The Chicken Chop reminds one of the unique continental flavors, that one associates with English food & Cutlettes…..The Mustard sauce also greatly enhances the taste of the Chicken Chop…I strongly feel that the Mustard sauce , served at Nirulas is one of the best in Delhi, very strong, Pungent, Tangy,,, great to go with Continental & Italian Food

The Chicken Big Boy Burger, is a must must try .. Its divine & also quite heavy & fattening …. Served with Chips & Hashbrown, The Patty is a golden deep fried piece of fine minced chicken, & has all the wonderful continental flavors, nicely spiced served along with a Crisp, Lightly salted Hash brown – makes for a great snack

The Chicken wings, were probably the surprise pack of the meal…. 6 Pieces of chicken wings,,, sauted very fine with a wonderful Bar be Que sauce…. The Bar be Que sauce, has a nice sweet, spicy & tangy flavor, pretty nice & crsip

I have tried the Nirulas Kathi rolls also & was quite impressed .. Perhaps that’s the only item on the menu which is priced at Less than 50/ & is a nice bite …… One Egg beaten on the Bread Roll on the pan,,,,, Topped with Onions, spices & the Chicken Masala filling ,.. served with Onions, an amazing Fresh Mint chutney, the Kathi roll, has an amazing & refreshing taste…..& not too heavy like the Conventioanl Kathi Rolls

Desserts is the forte of Nirulas ---- When it comes to Desserts, Ice creams, very few can match the range, variety & the richness that Nirula offers.. Be it the Hugely Popular Sundaes, Hot Chocolate Fudge, or the Naughty Banana Split, Mango Tango or simply the Scoops in Cup, Cones or Waffles… Nirulas Ice creams are just as relevant & popular as they were 30 years ago.. while the Popularity of Sorbets, Gelatos, Low fat Curds, Ice creams is on the rise, especially with the Health Conscious Young & Old Indian, But a Dash of the Old fashioned 2 Scoops of Rich, Thick, Creamy, made from Full Cream Milk, Ice Cream with Loads of Sugar, Butter & Calories, is always welcome, as you can diet another day

Do try their Indian Cuisine, and Kabab Platters as well . Amazing Range & variety of food

Taste – 9



Value for Money – 6.5



Hygiene – 9



Ambience - 8