Delhi Food Walks

Posted on May 17, 2015

Sunday brunch at Oasis, Vivanta by Taj

By Anubhav Sapra

Surajkund, as a destination is famous for its annual fair which promotes Indian traditional handicrafts and handloom. I have been to the fair only once, certainly not for the handloom or handicraft but for the food. I remember having extremely palatable Pakistani food especially the chapli kebabs two years back at Surajkund fair when Pakistan participated as a partner country. Since then, I could not find any other reason to travel to Surajkund all the way from Delhi. However, an invite to visit Vivanta by Taj to savour the Sunday brunch dishes at Oasis restaurant provided a tempting reason to pay visit to this place again.

The major highlight of the Sunday brunch at the Oasis, Vivanta by Taj at Surajkund is live counters for Japanese, Indian, Chinese and Italian appetizers. An important element of a live counter is the interaction with the chef while he/she cooks right in front of you. The other highlights are the lavish buffets which include cold cut counters, salads and Indian section.

I started my food journey with Sikandari raan, tandoori sabut murgh and baked whole snapper with kasundi, peri peri chutney, beetroot chutney and kachumber. All of them were marinated just right and grilled to perfection with the chutney and kasundi perfectly complimenting the meat dishes.

The zenith of the brunch was Chicken Kabsa, a delicious mix of rice and chicken, commonly available in the Middle East and regarded as a national dish of Saudi Arabia and is very closely similar to our own chicken pulao. Executive Chef at Vivanta by Taj, Mr. Joshi gave a detailed explanation of how the dish is prepared. The commonly used spices in preparing chicken kabsa are cloves, cardamom, saffron, cinnamon, black lime, nutmeg and black pepper. Rice is flavoured with spices, onion rings, slices of tomatoes and whole green chilies. Later, pieces of roasted chicken are mixed in to the rice. What makes it distinctive is the tomato base that gives it a light flavor and other aromatic spices mixed with whole spices. It was truly delectable. I enjoyed having it with Mutton chaap and Saag mutton both of which were thoroughly and wonderfully cooked to the core with the meat effortlessly falling off the bone.

The day I went to Surajkund coincided with Mother’s Day celebrations and I met a few Bengali families celebrating the occasion. I got to taste the Bengali sweets, rosogulla and sandesh and I ended my meal on summer coolers- smooth and creamy, pistachios and almond kulfi faluda with kiwi and apple toppings.

Vivanta by Taj, Surajkund runs another restaurant by the name of Pandara that serves Punjabi style dhaba cuisine. With this said, I believe, the association with Surajkund is going to continue!

Address: Shooting Range, Surajkund Faridabad

Sunday Brunch Timings- 12:00 Noon – 3:30 PM

Cost- Rs 1800 + tax (includes food and mocktails)

Rs 2300 + tax (includes food and sparkling wine)

Rs 3000 + tax (includes food and champagne)

Posted on May 16, 2015 May 16, 2015

Mamagoto

Mamagoto celebrates its Five Year Milestone with New Additions of the quintessential Asian staple “The Dumpling & Chinese Bread”

By Aishaanyaa Tewari

On my way to Mamagoto in DLF Promenade, Vasant Kunj I wondered what do you get if you cross oriental with western? Once inside the restaurant I realized there were a lot of possibilities. Eloquent walls washing the place with exuberance were painted with geisha cartoons and bold red stripes of sun rays. An assemblage of white cycle wheels stood one on top of the other from the ceiling to the floor acting as a partition, creating a snug space for a more personalised experience. This open parlour was decorated with vibrant wall designs of sprawling and crouching tigers.

As all the food enthusiasts and critics sat themselves, they were welcomed by the team. And right after, we were drowned in the aroma of oriental sauces and the flamboyant texture play. If I were to give a word to the experience, I would say it was: overwhelming; both in the positive and the negative sense. When presented a fusion: one expects, the unexpected with the comfort of some familiar ingredients from different cuisines. Here is an account of how much this newly introduced ‘dumpling menu’ balances and daringly experiments with.

Every dish we were presented had a vegetarian and non vegetarian counterpart. The first dumplings preparation we were offered was the Traditional Peking Dumpling which came snug in a deep wooden bowl drenched with a sweet sauce made of Chinese vinegar, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, red chilli and sesame oil. The green skinned vegetarian dumpling was soaked in this overpowering sauce and hence lacked the suppleness one expects in its skin. The dumpling was filled with an assortment of chopped water chestnut pieces, shitake mushrooms, button mushrooms, Chinese cabbage, etc.

Next, arrived a dish with a very creative take on Mantou bread where it was given a metropolitan fast food twist. This Tokyo Metro Mantou was a sandwich/burger where the non-vegetarian counterpart came with chicken sticks between the white Mantou bun while the vegetarian dish came with fried aubergine. Aubergine which by nature is sticky, despite being covered with bread crumbs lacked the much needed crispiness which would have contrasted with the fluffiness of the bread. Though the wasabi mayonnaise and bulldog sauce gave it a strong mustardy flavour and provided an interesting experience. The non vegetarian Tokyo Metro Mantou, lacked an assertive play of spices unlike its vegetarian counterpart, and the texture became boring since the dry fluffiness of its Mantou bun clashed with the plain chicken.

Next came the Chinese puffs which were satiating. The vegetarian puff seemed like an oriental and more fattening version of the croissant. This preparation was a dense pastry showing clear traces of generous amounts of butter and oil gone into baking. Stuffed with a rather sweet and little tangy paste of soya and gluten, this preparation would have been wonderful if not dominated by the oiliness. A hint of some spice should have gone into its making which would have complimented the subtle sweetness and butter, making these puffs something to look out for. The non vegetarian puffs on the other hand were too salty and the crust lacked the crispiness of its vegetarian counterpart

The Old School Gyoza was the next preparation. This dish was a regular pan fried dumpling with shitake mushrooms and other chopped vegetables dressed with chilli oil. The non vegetarian counterpart was again more muted in terms of spices and coriander seemed to dominate the preparation. Jungle Veg was the next arrival, stuffed with vegetable and heavily dressed with ginger, mint and soy sauce. A bold dish with strong scents, it is not for the faint hearted. Before wrapping the session with the dessert, we were served the Street Style Spicy Dumpling. The vegetarian preparation of this recipe had fresh crunchy bits of what tasted like fresh vegetables. With tofu/paneer inside and red hot chilli sambal sauce, this was an absolute delicacy. The non vegetarian counterpart was filled with tangy minced chicken and one could get fresh waft of coriander. All in all both the Street style dumplings were a fresh welcome.

In the end we were served a much needed pudding that worked as a fantastic palate cleanser. Served in a martini glass it was a preparation of sago with coconut cream topped with freshly cut mango. The best part about this dish was the fresh mint leaf topping which provided a breezy lightness to the dense sago texture and complimented the fruit. With every spoon one could expect the natural sweetness of the season’s produce of mangoes. A suggestion to make every spoon wholesome is if only mango and sago are not layered one on top of the other in the pudding. On the contrary, they can be mixed together so that the end of the dish does not become an endeavour of bearing gooey and lightly sweet sago remains.

All in all, I felt like the New Mamagoto Dumplings menu does push the limits of experience of one’s palate. It does try hard to create new textures and flavours. And rather than saying it succeeds in some places and fails in some, let’s just say that it overindulges its preparations with the sauces and undermines the simplicity of a single and assertive spice.

Posted on May 11, 2015

The Taste #TheTasteOnTLC

EVERYTHING IS ABOUT THE SPOON- THE TASTE SEASON 2, TLC!

By Shreya Chowdhury

There are times when you feel like leaving everything and just setting off on a journey, travel and see the world! But most of the time, it is not possible. This is where TLC comes in, bringing Wanderlust to you on your television screens. Food and travel go hand and hand in this beautiful journey, and TLC is all about this journey. Hence, how can one not expect a wonderful experience when they spend an evening with TLC!

On the 7^th April, 2015, Delhi Food Walks was invited to the much-coveted Bloggers’ Meet, for an exclusive preview of TLC’s THE TASTE Season 2, at the Olive, Mehrauli. The sneak peak of one of the most favourite culinary shows was exhilarating! The charming and elegant ambience, a glass of beautiful wine, Nigella and Ludo inspired snacks, and the lovely people made the evening complete.

THE TASTE Season 2 premiers on Monday 11^th May and will air every Monday-Tuesday at 9 PM on TLC. This season, acclaimed Swedish chef of Ethiopian origin, Marcus Samuelsson joins Domestic Godess Nigella Lawson, the Indiana Jones of the food world Antony Bourdain and Ludovic Lefebvre (fondly referred to as LUDO), in the epic battle of ingredients, of pots and pans, of technique and ultimately of “the taste”, because at the end, “ everything is about the spoon”.

Food is a journey. And as we tread on a bylane in this journey in the form of THE TASTE, we share our lives with people (although only virtually) from all over the world, connecting us with an intimate bond, which is the love for food. This love is clearly felt in the very first episode, and we are excited to embark upon this culinary virtual adventure with THE TASTE in the upcoming weeks.

Posted on May 9, 2015

Desi Roots

By Anubhav Sapra

There are very few restaurants in Delhi which have a “pull” factor. Desi Roots seems to be one of them. It is delightful how the dishes are experimented with and yet have their “desipan” intact. Its ambience which has already been talked about a lot is worth mentioning here for its creativity and how it instills a re-learning of the childhood days. It does make you observe how things have changed since then.

Here, you will be greeted with the relaxing sound of a bell. The ambience reminds you of your past especially if you were born in the late ’70s or the ’80s. The wall is painted beautifully with children’s games – which today seem to have been lost somewhere – like lattu, kancha, stapu and many others. I can associate with this very well; I remember how I used to play lattu the whole day under the scorching sun outside my house. Another corner of this place has a trunk that consists of comics like Champak and Chacha Choudhary. Reminding me of my early days again, it gives me immense pleasure to share it here that I had a large number of comics which I used to lend to my friends. I acted like a little librarian, keeping records in a notebook. On the other side of the café, are big milk cans, a sewing table, a coal iron, a headlight of “Humara Bajaj” scooter- all bound to make one nostalgic.

Coming to food, Desi Roots has an interesting desi menu with a modern twist. The guests are treated to a complimentary medu-vada, which is a dal pakoda served with coconut and mint chutney. It is important to mention here that the staff was very welcoming. Personally, what matters to me more than the food is the warmth with which it is served. On the recommendation of the chef, I started with lamb galauti paate with ulte tawe ka parantha. The galauti kebabs are grounded in to a spreadable paste. Galauti which means ‘melt-in-mouth’ comes with a twist where you relish a ‘bite-sized ulte tawe ka parantha’ with its pate and mint chutney, topping it with some spiced onions for an extra edge.

After this I had chipotle chicken tikka with avocado raita. The dish was served over a smoldering bed of iron. This was simply delicious; succulent pieces of chicken were perfectly marinated. This was served with thick avocado raita. I was amazed to see ‘kulle ki chaat’ on their menu. This chaat is an Old Delhi specialty and you get it only at a couple of places in Chawri Bazaar, the most famous ones being Hira Lal Chaat Corner and Jugal Kishore Ram ji Chaat Corner. I had the kulles of cucumber and watermelon which were no less than the ones you get in Old Delhi. The kullas were filled with masaledaar chickpeas; the tinge of lemon juice to it was just perfect. I also had deconstructed samosa with aam papad chutney, served with a golgappa. It had four layers of papdi filled with cooked potatoes, dry mango sauce, sev, yoghurt and pomegranate seeds. However, I did not like this dish much.

In the main course, came a mini toy truck loaded with Ambala Cantt. mutton curry accompanied with tikona parantha, mukka pyaaz with lemon and kumquat achar. I was disappointed with the quality of the mutton since it was a bit chewy for me. However, the curry was flavorful and the paranthas were amazing with their apparent soft and triangular layers. In the vegetarian section, the chef served four different varieties of khichdi – classic, juvar, quinoa, and bajra, in small clay pots and mini pressure cookers. All of them were mild in flavor and tasted more like ghar ka khaana. It was delicious!

In the desserts, I was served “Jamaulddin ki kheer” famously known as “Bade Miya ki kheer”. Every morning, kheer is sourced from Jamulddin’s shop in Lal Kuan to Saket and served cold. Another dessert which had a nice twist to it was badam halwa– baklava with shrikhand. Shrikhand was sweet and sour in taste and went well with the badam halwa.

Overall, it is a great place to be at where eating is such a visual treat. Treat yourselves with Ambala Cantt. mutton curry, chicken tikka, and the varieties of dishes along with the ambience which is ought to take you down the memory lane.

Address: G-16, Ras Villas Mall, Saket.

Meal for two: ₹ 1200.

Posted on May 5, 2015 May 5, 2015

Wendy’s

Wendy’s is in Town

By Shreya Chowdhury

Wendy’s, one of the world’s largest restaurant brands, is finally arriving in India, in Gurgaon Sector 29, on 6^th May, 2015. We got a little sneak peak on 3^rd May in a Bloggers Meet Event.

If you love good quality food which does not burn a huge hole in the pocket, Wendy’s is the place to go. The little bit extra that you might be paying; it would be for the overall experience. No more standing in long queues, waiting for your paper-wrapped burgers. Now, you will be served in porcelain with proper cutlery on your table via a table locator. The urban décor, the attentive staff and the ambience enhances the entire burger-eating experience.

What sets Wendy’s apart, is not just their delicious square-shaped burgers, but also the variety. Their vegetarian menu is extensive, ranging from the spicy aloo crunch to the Ultimate Paneer. That does not mean the non-vegetarians are left out. Wendy’s offers all kind of choices for meat-lovers as well, from chicken, chicken with bacon to mutton burgers. Hence, at Wendy’s, you are spoilt for choice!

For hard-core non vegetarians, their double-baconator is ultimate bliss! Two layers of perfectly cooked chicken patty with a generous helping of bacon along with two slices of cheese, explode in the mouth, creating magic. The bacon gives it a slight crunch. The meat, the cheese and the sauces together make a great combination. They also have the Jr.Chicken, the chicken cheese melt, the classic chicken, smoky chipotle, the ghost chilli, the barbeque bacon club, which are all delicious.

For vegetarians, they have chilli cheese melt, spinach n’ corn, cheese mushroom, paneersalsa, ultimate paneer. For people who like to experiment, the Greek Falafal is a must-try. The combination of crunchy peas patty, pickle, tomato and tzaziki sauce is simply wonderful, making it a nice and tangy mouthful. However, the star of the menu is the Spicy Aloo Crunch. Baby potatoes crushed with the skin on and fried, along with spicy sauce, onion and coriander, it is a storehouse of flavor. It is Crispy! It is Juicy! It is Spicy! It has everything you want in a burger. They say all good things come in small packages. This burger is the best example. Do not go by its looks. It is absolutely lethal!

Wendy’s sides are also very nice. The chicken chilli is delicious. It is a signature dish, made of beans, minced chicken, and coriander. It is spicy and full of flavor. The bacon and cheese fries are also good. The natural cut fries, crispy bacon and melted cheese make a good combination. Wendy’s also has salads, the Paneer Pesto Salad and the Chicken Ranch Salad.

The food journey at Wendy’s ends on a sweet note, with their Banana and Caramel Frosty. Creamy vanilla ice cream, with caramel sauce and a nice banana flavor makes it a perfect ending to a lovely meal.

Posted on May 5, 2015

Lutyens Cocktail House

The British experience in the capital: Lutyens Cocktail House

By Aishaanyaa Tewari

Entering the chic interiors of Lutyens Cocktail House (LCH) at 22, Janpath, right opposite Le Meridian Hotel, brings a lot of promise of a luxurious dining experience. In a space set away from the bustling inner circles of Connaught Place where restaurants and cafes are fighting it out in a constant battle to win over palates, LCH is strategically positioned away from this competition telling its own story of British sophistication and elegance, serving the Delhi powerhouse comfort food and a fine dining experience.

Sitting with a bunch of other food reviewers on a sunny Sunday, one gets to hear stories from history that have found their narration in the designing of this dining house. Named after the British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, the restaurant is the brainchild of Priyank Sukhija and has been created with impeccable artistic care. The big hall that the place flaunts has been studded with circular mirrors on one wall that highlights the modernity interspersed with framed plans of the architecture of the Rashtrapati Bhawan and bird’s eye view sketches of different buildings and areas designed by Lutyens. From the teak panelling to the chairs bearing a wooden radial for a back rest is a tribute to the architect’s work and speciality.

The open square bar station smack dab right in the middle of the hall highlights what LCH has the best to offer ‘infused cocktails’. Having tried two out of the seven to eight bold signature cocktails from the menu, I personally found the Perfume working for me more than the Citronus. The former was a fragrant refreshment with a peach ice sorbet fused into rose wine with a hint of cardamom; the sweet heaviness of the wine that needed light whirring brought a cooling sweetness to it as the sorbet melted into the drink. The latter, however, was a tangy beverage with a sharp prick of vodka overridden by an overpowering infusion of syrupy orange candy and mace, garnished with lemongrass.

_MG_8904

Chic and minimal hanging glass fixtures and sunlight filtering through massive windows run the length of one wall overlooking one of the most posh areas in the heart of Delhi. They prepare this place not only for a sober brunch or formal luncheon during the light of the day but also add playfulness to the place in the evenings making it a fun bar and a venue for flamboyant cocktail parties. Visiting the place late in the morning, I opted to taste the special brunch menu. Eggs Benedict was my first order which is prepared by adding an egg in a cup to a pot of hot water and some vinegar. The poached egg is then put aloft a thick slice of crispy and sweet English muffin or bread, and topped with Hollandaise sauce that seeps right through the sponge, giving it a buttery and creamy texture throughout. The brilliance of the dish is in the simplicity of the taste, although Eggs Benedict is bound to leave you unsatisfied if you do not accompany it with a salad or a side dish. A bowl of Caesar salad that had been ordered by me earlier tempted me to be tried out along with it. The salad had less crunchy leaves of romaine and iceberg lettuce than I expected, with meagre shavings of Parmesan cheese underdressed by olive oil.

With an exotic music selection ranging from Spanish vocals being strummed to the guitar to Middle Eastern tunes lurking softly in the background, I waited rather long for my dishes to come and longed for the manager or the chef to accompany me on this visit and tell me more about the preparations, the unique techniques to make them if any, and why they tried certain textures and aromas together, one of them being mushroom risotto which hits you unguarded with an overwhelming, smoky, and strong flavour of mushrooms which may be unpleasant to some. Made with three kinds of mushrooms, namely button, porcini, and shitake, the stock prepared with the latter two seemed to be less flavoursome than the mushrooms themselves, and the rice undercooked. To try out another similar recipe I ordered beetroot risotto which was a cheerfully red and pink steaming preparation garnished with roasted beetroot pieces, asparagus, and a crispy beetroot cracker, which added a crunch to the well cooked Arborio rice. It was a great treat that left me craving for more.

The next dish that I tried was a sweet pancake with fresh cream and sliced bananas topped with icing, which was pretty leathery and dry while chewing and one would expect a more generous helping of cream with it. Following this, I tried chicken pancakes. The chunks of chicken were a bit hard to chew and were prepared simply with almost no spices, and hence lacked aroma while keeping its flavours light for brunch. The servings were enough for one to fill his or her stomach comfortably during that time of the day.

Right before the dessert course, my eyes caught the Lutyens pie in the menu which proved to be a wonderful last minute decision. The dish comprised of a marinated paprika chicken leg snuggled in a bowl with a layer of tastefully salted and roasted potato mash. The flavour of garlic and a lingering presence of cheese added to the pasty texture of the mash. It also magically aided me to savour the extremely well-cooked, soft and delicious meat. I would personally suggest a drink with the dish, not because of any dryness in the meat but rather to round up the experience this pie brings.

The desserts to my surprise were a winning bet, freshly prepared at their bakery in The Warehouse and not bought or ordered from other bakeries or makers. The banoffee cheesecake was a creamy and dense delight with a layer of walnuts accompanied with the rich flavour of coffee, caramelized bananas, and balanced by a finishing of toffee sauce and cherry. It is one of the best preparations in the menu as one can have to put a perfect end to the dining as it has this quality of making one feel of having indulged themselves. The tiramisu also proves itself to be one of the winners as it leaves your taste buds craving for more. The deliciously moist sponge adorned by a rich layer of cream was truly delectable, hiding away a tucked layer of coffee-flavoured cream.

Wrapping up the brunch, I took another look around the place which was adorned with coffee table books and travel guides; picturesque and pleasant to look at with its old clocks and miniature models of iconic cars. Remembering my LCH culinary journey on Robert Welsh cutlery, I set off wondering that although appetising, the food lacked recall value. With the brilliance and boldness that it shows in its desserts and cocktails respectively, LCH needs to adopt the same style in order to be able to improve its shortcomings in culinary preparations as well as the efficiency of its general services.

Posted on April 30, 2015

Mamagoto

The Buffet that is “Anti-Buffet”

By Shreya Chowdhury

Mamagoto, the pan-Asian restaurant chain has decided to break from the monotony of pre-cooked, non-customized buffets and has brought an innovation to the table, in the form of the “Anti-Buffet”, at their Gurgaon outlet, available from Friday to Sunday. In today’s world of packed and processed food, one has forgotten what it feels like to have freshly cooked food, prepared there and then in front of their eyes. As the name suggests, they are against the idea of a traditional buffet. Their buffet gives the customers the luxury of choosing what they want and how they want it, with their assortment of fresh vegetables and different kinds of meat.

The ambience of the place adds to the entire dining experience. Though the restaurant is small, it is lively. Their décor is as funky as their other outlets. The staff is very attentive and the service is good.

We begin the food journey with the oriental soup, which comes with chicken as well. It’s a good item to begin with, especially for those who love their greens. It is a wonderful concoction of broccoli, mushroom, pokchoi, with perfect seasoning. For starters, they have momos. The chicken momos are amazing! The chicken is well- cooked and smells heavenly. The veg momos are decent. The accompanying sauce is spicy and compliments the momos very well.

The Anti-Buffet has a live Robata grill. The chicken satay is slightly on the sweeter side, but goes well with the peanut sauce. The veg satay has broccoli, bell peppers and tofu. The combination works well together and has a very typically oriental taste. The java fish comes wrapped in a leaf, giving it an authentic look. It is well cooked and goes well with a dash of lemon.

For the main course, one is spoilt for choice. They have a variety of meat and vegetables and a number of sauces. One can let their imagination run wild and try different sorts of combinations, a luxury which only Mamagoto provides in a buffet. We tried the fish in chilli hoisin sauce. It is a wonderful spicy combination, which goes really well with their fried rice. For Thai lovers, the chicken in red curry sauce is a must-try! Creamy, with a subtle taste of coconut, it is delicious. The shrimp in schezwan sauce is a personal favorite. The spicy sauce and the shrimp together create a magical, flavourful mouthful. It tastes great with chilli garlic noodles as well as the fried rice.

The best part of the meal was the dessert. Their dessert menu is to die for! The coconut ice cream just melts in your mouth. It is creamy and coconut-y and not too sweet. It has the perfect balance of all the flavours, which makes it a great way to end the meal. Their Banoffee pie is another beauty. The layers of cream, banana and pie together form a lethal combination which just explodes flavour in the mouth. The caramel sponge cake is a plain cake which turns into a magical dish when you drizzle some of the caramel and coffee sauce, along with ice cream. Their homemade chocolate cake is heavenly. The moment it enters the mouth, you can feel the chocolate melt. The icing on the cake is divine! Mamagoto certainly knows how to end the show on a high note. All the desserts are stunners!

Posted on April 26, 2015

TYPHOO

TYPHOO Introducing Environment-Friendly Tea Drinking

By Shreya Chowdhury

21^st April, 2015, Delhi learnt about drinking tea in an environment friendly manner. Typhoo, UK’s premium tea brand brought to India by ApeejaySurendra Group, bearing the prestigious Rainforest Alliance seal, launched a plethora of new products for the Indian Tea market.

The four Rainforest Alliance Certified Tea launched by Typhoo are 24 Carat Leaf Tea, Gold, Classic Assam and English Breakfast.The Gold is a lovely, golden- liquored, flavorful tea which can be relished anytime of the day. The English Breakfast is classic! Light and flavorful, it is perfect for breakfast. For health conscious tea lovers, their Decaf is a must-have. You can enjoy that beautiful cuppa without having to worry about the caffeine.

The Green Tea products of Typhoo are extremely interesting and a personal favorite. The most fascinating flavor is the coconut green tea. When you take the tea bag out of the pouch, the creamy coconut-y aroma fills the air around you, and when you take the first sip, it feels like you can almost taste the coconut, but it is light and refreshing, like all their other green teas. The masala green tea is also very nice and different. It smells exactly like the masala chai you get in any tea stall in India. So, you get the best of both worlds, the aroma of the masala chai and the health benefits from green tea. The traditional Tulsi, the Moroccan Mint, Lemongrass and Jasmine flavours of green tea and their Green Tea are all brilliant! Typhoo has a great range, catering to the tastes of all kinds of green tea lovers.

Typhoo also has a variety of flavoured tea bags. They have the quintessentially Indian Adrak Chai, Elaichi Chai and Masala Chai. Now all you need is a tea bag, some milk, sugar according to taste and you have the perfect cup of tea! They also have the Earl Grey and the Lime and Lemon tea, which are refreshing brews.

The most exciting teas are the caffeine- free fruit infusion flavours. The orange spicer is an absolute hit! It is a delicious concoction of orange, hibiscus, clove, cinnamon and ginger. The Blackcurrentbraser and the Lemon and Lime Zest are fruity and fresh and are best served as ice teas, perfect for the summers.

Typhoo has introduced a new kind of tea drinking in India. They have not only produced an assortment of teas, they also offer customers the environment-friendly choice, which may be small, but, is a crucial step towards sustainable development.

Posted on April 24, 2015 April 27, 2015

Guppy by ai

KONNICHIWA JAPAN!

By Prakriti Bhat

Apart from its technological prowess, Japan is also famous for The Hanami Festival. This festival celebrates the ephemeral season of cherry blossoms. Guppy by ai recreates the magic of the Hanami Festival through its dishes by introducing a special menu that captures its essence. The name comes from ‘guppy’, a fish.

It all began with ai, which was a Japanese restaurant cum lounge in MGF Metropolitan Mall, Saket that was shut down due to certain reasons. Guppy by ai was launched in August 2013 in Lodhi Colony and has since received rave reviews. Guppy by ai runs under the patronage of AD Singh along with other restaurants within the Olive brand such as Olive Bar and Kitchen, SodaBottleOpenerWala and Olive Bistro.

The interiors are reminiscent of the original Ai with red hearts all across the walls. The place also seems to have been heavily influenced by the anime and manga culture which is quite evident from the walls and the few books that are kept on the window-sill. The Olive brand has a tradition of having a courtyard-like area in all its branches and Guppy by ai is no different. It has a separate patio which also acts as the smoking area.

I was greeted by Mr. Nishant Kr. Gaurav, the assistant manager who gave me a brief history of the place. Also, he was very patient with my incessant questions about each dish. Chef Saurav Sharan was kind and courteous as he introduced dishes from the special and the extensive regular menu. The kitchen is spearheaded by Chef Vikram Khatri who has won numerous awards for his culinary expertise.

Gari Punch is a mocktail made with mint, sugar, lime, ginger ale and the main ingredient, Gari which is the Japanese ginger. Gari is pink in colour and that is where the colour of the drink comes from, by muddling ginger in the muddler and shaking it with ice. Akane is a drink made with pomegranate, orange and mint. It has a very sharp, citrus flavor. I had asked for Miso soup, it being one of my favourite Japanese delicacies and it was made well with tofu.

Next came Edamame, a dish of steamed soyabeans tossed in sea salt. This was probably the only dish which I did not enjoy much. Tofu and water chestnut Motoyaki was very appetizing and reminded me of our Shahi Paneer in a peculiar way, even though both are quite different. It was baked well in an umami rich sauce. Assorted vegetable Tempura had an array of batter fried exotic vegetables like bell peppers, baby corn, potatoes, onions served with Dashi and spicy mayonnaise.

Next up was the much anticipated sushi- California Roll packed with crabmeat, cucumber and avocado. All the dishes were served with requisite sauces and dips. The California Roll came with wasabi and soy sauce. Prawn Gyoza and Exotic Mushroom Gyoza may look like innocent dumplings but are bigger, juicier and generous in their fillings. These were served with chilly Ponzu sauce, though one can eat them just like that to enjoy the taste of tiger prawns and the mushrooms and avocadoes.

In Salmon Nigiri, a small piece of salmon is placed on a tiny rice ball. One of the waiters flamed the salmon right in front of me. It looks so heavenly that one just can’t stop admiring the detailed designing on the rosy salmon. Salmon Tartare was a vibrant combination of avocadoes between two layers of salmon served on a carpet of cucumbers! The Chicken Udon Noodles were well spiced and had big chunks of chicken along with mushrooms. Among the desserts, I tried Apple and Prune Tart and Blueberry Crepes, both of which ended the meal perfectly.

Guppy by ai keeps the spirit of Hanami alive with its sakura inspired dishes. The detailing and hard work put into each dish is quite visible. However, everyone may not savour this cuisine because unlike Indian cuisine it is not laden with oil and spices and is comparatively quite bland. But for the rest, this is one place you must visit especially during the Hanami Festival to enjoy their special menu. The festival goes on till mid may.

What are you waiting for? Pick up those chopsticks and say sushi!

Address- 28, Main Market, Lodi Colony, New Delhi

Contact no. – 01124690005, 9650185005

Cost for two- Rs. 3000

Posted on April 20, 2015 June 7, 2015

Shiv Food Point

Amritsari Kulcha

By Anubhav Sapra

It is good to be connected with your old colleagues. Some of them are foodies and may also guide you to new places. I received a call from one of my ex-colleagues, Azad, few days back. He told me about Amritsari Kulcha Joint in Rani Bagh which was started by his colleague’s father. It was Baisakhi and I thought celebrating it with Amritsari kulcha would be a pretty great idea. I called him back for the directions and landed up in the afternoon to savour the Amritsari kulcha. This time, I took my mother along with me.

The name of this place is Shiv Food Point, and it has two outlets in Delhi. The addresses are – shop no.12, Shiv Mandir Market, Sant Nagar Road, Rani Bagh; contact numbers – 9891874446 and 9310199945, and shop no. G-1, Vardhman Crystal Plaza, LSC, CD Block, Pitampura; contact numbers – 9953399357 and 9953399367.

The place is owned by Rajesh Sharma who had a chemical business in Rani Bagh. Due to the government’s new pollution control policy, he had to close down his chemical business. Hailing from Amritsar and a food lover, he started Amritsari Kulcha Joint three and a half years back in Rani Bagh, and later renamed it to Shiv Food Point as it is close to Shiv Mandir in Rani Bagh. Although I am a regular at Kulcha King, Sarojini Nagar, the quest to find out the real Amritsari Kulcha never ends.

Rajesh ji described the making of Amritsari kulcha from the first step of kneading the dough to baking it in tandoor. The dough is made by kneading white flour with milk and ghee. Ajwain, jeera, dhaniya, kasuri methi, kali mirch are added to the dough, more so, in layers. Then the dough is cut with the help of a knife in small pieces, later stuffed with cauliflower or paneer. The same is flattened using both the hands. Ghee is applied to one side and later baked in the tandoor. The owner also explained how ghee makes the kulchas crispier inside and out. They offer a variety of stuffings – Amritsari aloo kulcha (Rs. 80 for 2 pieces); gobhi, aloo pyaaz, and aloo pyaz gobhi mix (Rs. 90 for 2 pieces), veg keema (Rs. 100 for 2 pieces), paneer (Rs. 110 for 2 pieces).

The kulchas are served with chana, spring onions submerged in tangy tamarind chutney, and raita. Chana are cooked without ghee, garlic, and tomatoes. However, even without these, chana had a nice flavour. The masalas used in kneading the dough for kulchas are used in cooking the chana as well. The same is cooked over low flame on the tandoor. The tandoor plays a pretty important role in retaining the flavours, I am sure. The tamarind chutney served with spring onions also had a nice tangy taste. Raita was cold and fresh.

All the kulchas were excellent in taste, and were slightly thick, yet crispy. They were laden with oodles of butter. I did not like the taste of butter, though. I am a big Amul fan. If you are a Amul fan too, do not forget to ask for it. I called my ex-colleague back to thank him for the wonderful recommendation. But, as I said, the quest never ends.