Food Review: 6th Street Yogurt, Breach Candy

I went to 6th Street Yogurt and came back with a case of ‘haath ko aaya moonh na laga’.

Frozen Yogurt is the in thing and it’s natural to encash on something that has a ‘bikta hai’ tag on it. So the announcement of new yogurt store in Breach Candy didn’t come as a surprise. Their menu also mentioned waffles, smoothies and parfaits. Excited at the thought of a late breakfast I went all the way to breach candy from my office.

It’s a small shop in the corner but can be spotted easily, thanks to the huge board. There’s no place to sit inside. So, I wondered where I would eat my waffles only to find out that the store was serving only yogurts for now. The menu hung pretty on the wall and kept enticing me. Disappointed I ordered a plain frozen yogurt with blue berry puree, black berries and dark chocolate toppings. The guy at the counter fumbled with the names of the toppings and in the confusion forgot to tell me that they have strawberry and raspberry flavored yogurt too. The frozen yogurt was tasty and I ordered a second one with strawberry and chocolate sauce. I am a chocolate lover so the latter interested me more.

The store has numerous toppings of fresh fruits, purees, poppers and chocolates and a small cup of yogurt without toppings is priced at Rs. 40. With no signature flavors and Yogurtbay in the same vicinity to compete with, 6th Street Yogurt will definitely have to work hard or launch the breakfast menu soon.

For those who want to visit the store, my suggestion is that you wait for 10 days and let them settle down. They are supposed to serve waffles and smoothies from Friday onwards and I'll happily give them one week’s time before giving out a verdict.

Food Review: A Belgian Affair

Taj Mahal Palace Hotel is hosting a Belgian Food Festival for 8 days. Krutika Mody and I were invited for a media preview of the menu and here’s what we think of it.

The image that popped up in our heads when we heard of Belgian food was of chocolates; dripping on the fruits, stacked in bowls, melting everywhere. So, before heading to explore this new cuisine we decided to do a little Wiki check on the Belgian food. It said, ‘French food in German quantities.’ Still clueless we scrolled down further to check out the dishes. The names were alien but the wide choice of meats and seafood made me happy. Krutika laid her hope on the only vegetarian dish she could find in the list; French fries.

As we entered the venue the buffet was set. We quickly said our hellos, exchanged cards and headed to fill our plates and stomachs. I stacked mine with all the non-veg dishes namely fillet of chicken; fish with endives; roast beef, pickled potato gel, green beans; smoked eel, apple jelly lime, herb, salad and salted salmon. Krutika focused on the vegetarian side which included poesti, spinach, Champigno De Paris; asparagus flamande; bake lettiuce chervil, picle and French fries.

The food was mostly bland with very little flavor in it. My chicken had some sweet stuffing in it which wasn’t quite up to my taste. Fish with endives was something that stood out and was worth a second serving. From the veg section Krutika liked the mushroom salad (bake lettiuce chervil, picle).

Before moving on to the desserts the food animator Mr. Eric Boschman made us taste a Belgian beer calle Geuze which had a bitter taste. So if you are someone who prefers his Kingfisher mild, this stuff is not for you. We also tasted the best Belgian chocolate made by Pierre Marcolini with a fine white wine. The pure dark chocolate had a honey filling inside and was absolutely divine.

For the desserts we had petit four carnello which included chocolate éclairs, macaron, pastry etc. Contrary to our expectations they weren’t as delicious. The chocolate in the desserts was very ordinary and was nothing like the glorious Belgian chocolate. Carmelo was a kind of pastry which tasted more like snickers.

If you are a lover of tikkas and tandooris its best that you stay away from the festival. For those who would want to indulge in the authentic European cuisine and don’t mind the occasional bland food can definitely try this out.

Food Review: Trikaya, 7 Bungalows

The Pan Asian restaurant in Versova that opened shop on 13th of Jan, hosted a media preview on the 11th. Krutika Mody and I attended the event and had a *happy* time exploring their exotic bar menu.
 
After opening the first branch in the sprawling 20,000 sq. ft. area in Pune, the three partners (Kunal Deshmukh, Sahil Saigal and Shiraz Patel) decided to open Trikaya in Mumbai. Inspired from Buddha the name Trikaya is a concept concerns three levels of Buddha hood.



The restaurant is not hard to locate given to its white sail like shades at the al fresco. This area has 6 big tables and is softly lit. Juhu-Versova Link Road is not a very busy road hence you are saved from the traffic snarls and honking. However, the owners need to add smaller tables for couples if they want to attract diners. The interiors of the air conditioned section too are inspired from Buddhism. A huge tree like pillar stands in the centre and spreads at the top to blend with the ceiling. According to the owners the inspiration comes from the Bodhi Tree.




While most part of the restaurant has neutral colours, the bar area is colourful and we can imagine why. The extensive bar menu designed by Valentine Barboza boasts of serving only premium brands. The cocktails are prepared with fresh fruits instead of syrups and flavours. For the first round I ordered a passionera (vodka blended with passion fruit, cloudy apple and lime juice) while Krutika went for a watermelon and chilli Collins (vodka mixed with diced watermelon, lime juice, soda and infused with chilli). Our picture perfect drinks arrived and for a while we kept contemplating whether to drink them or just watch them. I found my drink a little too sour initially but when stirred well it gave a nice sweet-sour flavour.  The watermelon and chilli Collins was refreshing. Krutika took her own sweet time in drinking it all, but based on her experience, you should finish the drink before the ice melts and dilutes the alcohol.



The perfectly balanced and vast food menu made my vegetarian friend happy since it had as many veg dishes as the non-veg ones. We were served chicken yakitori, basa in 5 willow sauce, red pumpkin green peas’ drops and goat cheese & mushroom spring rolls for starters.  The presentation of each dish was impressive. Being a fan of sea food I focused more on the basa and chicken couldn’t catch my fancy. The cigar like mushroom spring rolls won over Krutika’s heart. They are ideal as finger food and would be a perfect accompaniment to your drinks. The floor manager offered to surprise me for the second round of drinks and he surely did. The bartender conjured up an espresso martini which was literally an eye opener for me after a long day at work.



The main course menu included herbed mushrooms, Cambodian Khmer vegetable curry, green Thai prawns curry and chicken & mushrooms with Korean Kim-chee with burn garlic jasmine rice. Thai curry was a good blend of herbs and coconut and had chunky prawns in it and with garlic jasmine rice for company, it made for a perfect meal.  The Cambodian Khmer vegetable curry was delicious, the herbed mushrooms, not as much.

We also had the privilege of meeting Chef Nilesh Limaye who was happy to talk to us about food and also allowed us to visit his extremely organised kitchen.  Looking at my love for sea food he made a special oyster-tequilla shot for me which was in one word, outstanding.

The dinner ended on a sweet note with red velvet cake and cinnamon kulfi for dessert. Yes, they make their own desserts! We were hoping we could try some classic pan-Asian desserts like trio of Asian sweets but they weren’t in the preview menu that night. The cake though was served with ‘rambutan’ a Malaysian fruit. The fleshy ‘hair’ growing on rambutan’s skin makes it look like a wilder version of its cousin, litchi. Despite the decoration (edible glitter) on the cake, the cake itself couldn’t convince us enough.  Kulfi on the other hand was impressive and was a light dessert after a heavy meal.



As a new entrant in the fine-dine genre Trikaya looks promising and inviting.

On the burp scale: 4/5

Food Hunt: No breaking the fast here

Is breakfast the best meal of your day? Then you wouldn’t want to ruin it. I am here is here to save you from a bad breakfast. Here's a list of joints that go clumsy when it comes to that perfect first meal.
 
EATC, Bandra 

Earlier known as JATC, this joint was a favourite amongst the college kids. But somehow the management didn’t like the idea of people just hanging around and not eating much. So they kicked out the ‘just’ and rebranded it as Eat Around The Corner in 2010. The famous salad buffet went out of the window and was replaced by small portions.

Coming to their current breakfast menu it has two options for the non-vegetarians and one option for the pure vegetarians. So, if you don’t eat egg you are stuck with a choice of bread with either cut fruits or a fruit juice. The American/British breakfast comes with a choice of eggs, bread, bacons/sausages, hash browns, baked beans, and baked tomato with tea, coffee or fruit juice. The menu looks good on paper but the goodness doesn’t translate in the taste. The masala scrambled eggs have no masala apart from the onions and few tomatoes thrown in just for the sake of it. The best option is to go with sunny-side ups since it’s hard to go wrong with them. The bacons are served cold and are a challenge to your jaws. Overly sweet baked beans completely lack flavor and tennis ball sized baked tomatoes are unappetizing. Pancakes with maple syrup are just about average. The dessert section is exciting but select carefully or you might just end up with a stone hard cheesecake.

Candies, Pali Hill, Bandra (W)
Candies is one of the most favourite hang-outs for college goers and localites. But if you are thinking of going there for a relaxed breakfast on a Sunday morning we would suggest that you change your mind. The place is a bit unorganized and super chaotic in the mornings. The servers don’t pay attention and the crowd gets unmanageable. Even after shouting at the top of your voice and shuffling between the counters it might take a long time before you manage to place your order. Food is decent; they have salad counter, sandwiches, croissants, quiches, eggs and various types of bread on the menu. But it’s not worth the effort that goes in to get it on your plate. Heading to Mocha Mojo or The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf would be a better option.

McDonald’sThey took a big leap by launching their breakfast menu in India but the decision fell flat on its face. With no egg-bacon McMuffins, bagels, McGriddles and ham the choices are very few. The limited menu has veg and veg supreme McMuffins which has a flavourless aloo patty in it. Hot cakes are decent but the quantity of maple syrup served with them is so measly that it gets over even before the first bite. For non-vegetarians there is chicken sausage (with and without egg) and egg n cheese McMuffin. It seems like they don’t have enough buyers for the totally pointless hashbrowns hence they give it away complimentary with any and every meal. It’s high time that they bring their International menu in India or just get back to serving chicken McGrill and maharaja Mac.

Gloria Jean’s Coffees, Goregaon (E)

Gloria Jean’s came as a big relief in a suburb that is starved of a decent breakfast joint. But since it’s located in Oberoi mall it didn’t open before 11am. Still, it was a decent place for a late breakfast serving great coffee, sandwiches, croissants etc. Indian flavours took over the International ones, the crisp spinach and corn sandwich turned soggy and paneer went rotten. Despite its perfect location and good coffees this place is a big no-no for your morning meal.

Subway, Carter Road,Bandra (W)
This outlet was never famous for their generosity but they went a step further with their breakfast menu. You have 4 bland options to choose from; cheese & egg, western egg, chicken ham & egg and bacon & egg. The meat/egg is placed in the bread with no sauce and no vegetables. For the same price I would rather pick a Sub of the Day than opting for the breakfast one.

Hotel Review - Le Meridien, Coimbatore

If you are surprised what this French brand is doing in Coimbatore, don’t be. The city is on its way to become an IT hub in South India and truly deserves five-star luxury. It’s also in close proximity to Chennai (about 8 hours), Bangalore (about 6 hours), Kodaikkanal (about 4 hours) and Ooty (about 2 hours) and with Le Meridien opening here it’ll soon become a favourite weekend destination. The hotel has hosted numerous corporate events within a year since it started operating in phases.

The hotel is around 3.5 kms away from the airport and it took us about less than 10 mins to reach there. A modest entrance decorated by a pond led us to the concierge where smiling staff welcomed us with eye-opener shots that left our insides burning – a spicy mango and peach drink.

Lobby – The hotel lobby has a grand décor and works as an interaction point for the guests. A 28 mtrs long chandelier hangs in the centre from the eighth floor. It is handmade by the University of Milan and is the biggest in Asia. If you look closely, you will see a white line going through the lobby floor. This is the latitude. Interestingly, Coimbatore is on the same latitude as Washington, the head office of the Starwood group.

The Lobby

Chandelier

Rooms – We were settled in a beautiful room which had chic and modern furniture. It was equipped with spacious wardrobes with a locker, a study table, couch, an LCD and a comfortable bed. The luxury bathroom had a bathtub, shower cubicle and was separated from the room by just a glass wall.
There are suites for families as well as single female travelers. But the highlight is the Tamil Nadu Suite. It has carvings on the door like the ones you see in South Indian temples. Interiors and furniture are done up with carved mango wood. There is a jhoola in the living area, a dining space, a small room for meetings, a royal bedroom, a walk-in closet and a spacious bathroom.

Room

Room

Tamil Nadu Suite

Tamil Nadu Suite

Restaurants – The hotel houses an all-day diner called ‘Latest Recipe’, a Pan-Asian restaurant called ‘Ponzu’, an Indian restaurant called ‘Peacock’, a pool-side Italian restaurant called ‘Favola’ and a cafe ‘Illy’. While Ponzu and Favola have not yet opened, the other two were up and running. ‘Latest Recipe’ had a huge breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet with live kitchen and a wider dessert counter. A cast-iron gazebo stands in the centre of the restaurant and looks beautiful when lit up. A mix of Indian, Japanese, Italian and Chinese cuisines was interesting but the food was average. Desserts were something that caught our interest.
‘Peacock’, which serves Indian food has a traditional décor with brass goblets and old-style furniture. A peacock made of marble greets you at the entrance. The restaurant has a corner dedicated for live musicians. ‘Ponzu’ was opened for the party and served some great Mongolian and Teppenyaki food.

Gazebo in Latest Recipe

 

Latest Recipe

Peacock

Pool side

Bar/pub – ‘Latitude 11’ is cozy bar with a lounge feel. Adjacent to it is a Cigar Lounge which stocks cigars from all over the world, especially Cuba.

Latitude 11

The room service was good but not flawless. The call for water and iron board went unnoticed. But given the launch party stress, we believe that it was just a one-off case.

Le Meridien has also focused on art created by the artists who are part of their Unlock Art Program. Under this program Le Meridien has collaborated with artists from all over the world to create artwork for their hotels. The entrance has beautiful carvings depicting the culture of Tamil Nadu. Even the key cards are painted by these artists. The one I got had a painting by Hisham Bharoocha. In Coimbatore, Le Meridien has partnered with the Contemplate Art Gallery to create paintings and art installations in the hotel premises.

Food Review: Manchester United Cafe & Bar, Malad (W)

As we were beginning to think that Malad was getting super crowded and Jughead’s got jam packed on weekends, the suburb got a breather. After successfully operating in Lower Parel and Mulund the Manchester United Café Bar opened its gates for the suburbanites a couple of months ago. We hopped in the new drinking destination and came out buzzy…err...happy.

After struggling to find the elevator in Infinity Mall we finally reached the food court and headed towards the mezzanine floor where the Manchester United Café Bar is located. A glass window separates the Bar from the chaos on the lower level.

If you are a true Soccer fan (read Manchester United fan), you will definitely love the interiors with all the members of Old Trafford smiling at you from the walls and Manchester United merchandise on display. If not, don’t be disheartened because the bar doesn’t miss on playing any big cricket match on its numerous large screens.

The décor is dominated by red and black and the lights are just good enough to help you read through the menu. Music adds to the ambiance and the DJ knows what people want once they are couple of drinks down. The evening started with commercial numbers and slowly graduated to Bob Marley, Eric Clapton and Pink Floyd.

The bar menu is extensive and offers a great mix of Indian and international beers. We however, gave the beer a miss and ordered a long island iced tea and a mojito. If you are in the mood to experiment try the Jager bomb (Jagermeister infused in a glass of red bull) or whiskey with beer, if you are brave enough. Sit at the bar and the friendly bartenders will make sure you have a great time while they mix your drinks.

Since it’s a bar we didn’t expect the food to be great but to our surprise it didn’t disappoint us. For starters we ordered spicy pepper wings, Mangolian satay chicken and Greek salad. Being in the true sports’ spirit we ordered a BBQ chicken pizza with broccoli and crunchy apple. The thin crust freshly baked pizza made us want to order some beer but we resisted.

With beer, chicken, great music and sports at one place this Café Bar, as they like to call themselves, is on its way to give a lot of drinking joints a run for their money.



On the burp scale:
3.5/5

Dining with the Chef: An evening with the Italian Chef

Nothing big or absolutely crazy but Yes, I had this small dream of eating in a restaurant by a lake or sea while a Chef cooks for me. Well, it came true when I went to interview the Italian Chef Vincento Zizza in Fratteli Fresh at Renaissance, Powai. Those who are well versed with Mumbai suburbs might know that Renaissance Hotel is located by the beautiful Powai Lake. From the restaurant, all you see is a green patch of dense forest and a quiet lake. As I sat down to chat with the Chef I didn't know that a great evening was in store.

After a brief round of Q&A Chef Tony asked me if I would like to try few dishes from his new menu. Gladly, I said sure. Chef took me to his open kitchen were he had already prepared few dishes. I watched him at work while he cooked mozzarella and ham in carrozza.The cheese was soft and fresh and so was the bread. The tangy sauce made from tomatoes and onion was a perfect accompaniment.

As I sipped on a glass of Pinot Grigio the second course came in. Per carlo (chicken stuffed with artichokes and seasoned with wine and herbs) served with asparagus, porcini mushrooms and baby potatoes. The chicken was tender and artichokes gave the dish a nice sour flavour.

For desserts I had Passione (meaning passion) which is red berries and raspberries cooked in wine and topped with cream blended with brandy. It made me forget the regular tiramisu or any other chocolate based dessert.


The scrumptious meal ended with some Limonchello which helped me digest all the cheese.

An evening well spent with great food, wine and lovely company. And...yes, I did hug the chef for feeding me so well.

Follow the link to read the Chef's interview; http://know.burrp.com/food-dining/inside-an-italian-chef's-heart/25639