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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.

Vegetarian Jungle DumplingsEvery 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

Old School GyozaThe 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.

Jungle Shrimp Dumpling     Char Sui Puff

Anubhav Sapra
Anubhav Sapra is an avid foodie! He is a Founder but proudly calls himself a Foodie-in-chief at Delhi Food Walks. He is also a street-food and Indian regional cuisine connoisseur and loves to write about street-food.
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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.

shrimp in schezwanFor 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.

coconut ice creamThe 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!

chicken in red curry            momos

Anubhav Sapra
Anubhav Sapra is an avid foodie! He is a Founder but proudly calls himself a Foodie-in-chief at Delhi Food Walks. He is also a street-food and Indian regional cuisine connoisseur and loves to write about street-food.
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Cocktail Magic at Mamagoto

September 20, 2014

Cocktail Magic at Mamagoto

By Aisha Bhattacharaya

A warm September evening, good company, food and innovative cocktails in glasses crammed with ice cubes. That’s when you realise that life is good. This was the scene last evening at Mamagoto in Khan Market.

As a brand that is associated with fantastic food and has been around for 4 years already, it is safe to say that Mamagoto is here to stay and has plenty of tricks up its sleeve. They are well known for the wide spread of Asian food that is always cooked to perfection and maintains a consistency of standard. To add to this they are now experimenting with various new cocktails. I was lucky enough to get an invite for a Bloggers meet to try out their exciting new cocktails and give feedback.

There are 5 new cocktails on the menu:

1. Mama Gymkhana (359): honey, fresh ginger, hazelnut essence and orange juice mixed with blended scotch (Black & White)

2. The Botanist (399): Gin (Tanqueray), light coriander, muddled cucumber with sugar and lime

3. Oriental Pop (359): basil leaves muddled and balanced with white chocolate syrup, white rum (Bacardi), sugar and lime

4. Ohjay (359): cinnamon essence, spiced rum (Captain Morgan’s), orange juice, orange chunks and lime

5. Passion fruit mojito (359): the classic Cuban cocktail of mint, lime chunks, sugar and white rum (Bacardi) gets a nice tropical twist with some passion fruit puree

Mamagoto - OhjayThe first drink I tried was the Ohjay – the idea of Captain Morgan’s spiced rum with orange and cinnamon was rather exciting. The drink is visually appealing and was served in an Old Fashioned glass on ice and was garnished with a lovely orange spiral. Initially, I couldn’t get a strong enough flavour of the spiced rum and the orange juice was overpowering mostly because of its typical Real packet juice flavour. I felt the rum travel down my oesophagus and leave its distinct burning trail but other than that it didn’t pack a punch. The marketing manager for Azure hospitality, Priyanka Shangari was present at the event and came over to me and asked me what I felt. I told her and she called the bartender and asked him what could be done to make the drink more suitable for me. He asked me why I didn’t like it and I told him I prefer the taste of fresh OJ over tetra-pack OJ. He offered to remake the drink with fresh orange juice and I agreed. The fresh orange juice version of Ohjay was absolutely delicious! The fresh orange juice enhanced the cinnamon flavour which in turn added to the spicy flavours of the rum. This version hit all the right spots.

The second drink was the Mama Gymkhana – I was very interested to see how hazelnut would pair with honey, ginger and blended scotch. First off, visually similar looking to the Ohjay in terms of the glass and colour but on closer inspection you see the ginger slices on top. This drink is well blended and extremely smooth. If I didn’t know there was supposed to be hazelnut I wouldn’t guess off-hand that there was any. One of the other bloggers got his drink changed and said it was better with more hazelnut and less honey. I liked it anyway. It’s a brilliant drink and would go down well with men and women even though most people think women don’t drink scotch.

Next we tried the Oriental Pop – here again some interesting combinations of basil leaves and white chocolate syrup. I tried some of the syrup separately and it was pretty good. Visually the drink looks like Limca with basil leaves. The taste is interesting. A little sweet for me and the Bacardi has a strong hit. But an innovative concoction deserves credit and they’ve managed to pull it off.

The Botanist was being served to someone else and it looked good. Similar to the Oriental Pop in terms of colour but the clear distinction of the coriander leaves was there.  So, I asked if I could try some and a sip was had. Not much was clear in that one sip. A very light flavour that is quite neutral. Maybe more could be done to the drink in terms of giving it that extra punch but I’m not so sure. I didn’t have enough to judge it in a real sense.

Mamagoto - Passion Fruit MojitoLast but definitely not the least was the Passion Fruit Mojito – unlike any other mojito you’ve ever had. The first mix they gave me was sharp, sour and the Bacardi was overpowering. The passion fruit and lime accentuated all the sour notes of the drink and the Bacardi being particularly strong just made it very hard to drink. I walked up to Priyanka and asked her if some changes could be made and she kindly agreed. I asked the bartender to go easy on the lime and put a little extra sugar syrup and to add some of the fresh orange juice that had been squeezed for the modified Ohjay. He topped the drink with Soda this time and Wow! The right balance was needed and this went straight to the top as my favourite of the 5 drinks on the new menu.

Mamagoto has been in a constant endeavour to give people a fantastic food experience and that achievement has led to the quiet incorporation of an innovative drinks menu that will give your taste buds a real kick and get the party started for you whenever you want. The new cocktails are tasty, innovative and definitely worth a try. Another thing which should be mentioned is that they are not stingy with the amount of alcohol in their cocktails. You can taste the liquor and you know you’re paying for a worthy drink. Their ability to take feedback and implement it immediately is amazing. Most places say, “It’s made like this here”. But not at Mamagoto, if they can make something better and improve your culinary experience they will. This is not to say that every person who says something is bad just for the sake of it will be accommodated but to say that if you have a genuine problem they will try their best to sort it out for you.

Anubhav Sapra
Anubhav Sapra is an avid foodie! He is a Founder but proudly calls himself a Foodie-in-chief at Delhi Food Walks. He is also a street-food and Indian regional cuisine connoisseur and loves to write about street-food.
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Mamagoto

Mamagoto

By Akshita Singh

Sought for its wide array of Asiatic cuisines, Mamagoto has brought in another fascinating element to its miscellany, centering around the Vietnamese Banh Mi. In the sultry, near searing early monsoon afternoons, multiplicity and diversity in breads and beverages is precisely what we all yearn for. In light of this, it won’t be wrong to say that Mamagoto has brought in the right variation at the right time. Walking into Mamagoto is synonymous with walking into a pool of vibrancy and radiance. Thankfully, a late afternoon visit toned down the hustle and bustle to the level at which neither were we disturbed by the usual clamor nor were we dulled by the relative quietude.

An ensemble of mocktails – connected by the common thread of two fruits per drink and a strong flavor of tea – arrived with loads and loads of ice cubes. The multitude of ice, which is quite appropriate in this heat, literally made it impossible for us to stir the drinks! Beside that, the mocktails were generally refreshing and the mint helped a lot with that. Every sip had an initially fruity succulence to it that quickly vanished so as to be replaced by the longer lasting tea flavor. Tropical Twist, a mango and pineapple blend with the usual tea, was a stimulating drink which fell short of perfection by the overpowering tea blunting the sweetness of mangos and pineapples. This drink, which is a mutated version of ice tea, had a stinging bitterness  which should be looked into. Lesser tea, shorter brew, a milder version and many other little changes could help with that. The presentation could have been much more impressive. A thin slice of mango, hastily pushed into the mocktail, wasn’t that engaging a sight. It merely camouflaged with the rest of the drink so you could just barely see it. A more craftily cut mango or pineapple, induced on to the rim would have been much more interesting and noticeable.

Banh Mis, or the Vietnamese baguettes, served with a plethora of different stuffings, was a truly novel experience in itself. The symmetric display of all the various kinds, amusingly contrasted with the heterogeneity in the surroundings. Little bowls of mango salsa, chili sauce and a salad along with potato wedges served with all the baguettes provided the compelling consistency.

setosa island subThe vegetarian segment, in particular, was possibly an untested experiment by Mamagoto as well considering vegetables seldom find their way into Banh Mis.With regards to that, it is all the more laudable that they tried making a decent number of vegetarian choices available to their customers. The first of those to come our way was the the Santosa Islands Sub. You can only speculate that this bread is a delicacy in the Santosa Islands. A largely shiitake mushroom filling, typical in East Asian nations, along with caramelized onions, red bell pepper and a mint layering was a delightful melange. Its appreciable that they were careful to choose the specific variant of mushroom that is eaten in the Asiatic part they represent. Eating the bun could be a task altogether, what with all the shiitakes slipping down and jumping off the bread from all sides. If thats an issue, then a similar salad that they prepare, by basically parting with the bread and keeping the rest of it about the same, could be a better alternative. The multi grain bread was another good effort on their part to make the meal healthier. Now, how healthy it actually is, hinges on how much oil is spread on the inside and on how many potato wedges you gobble down. This sub was on the spicier side so if you want to alleviate that spiciness, dip the bun further into the mango salsa and keep the sauce aside for the wedges. Oh, and about the mango salsa – trying it without anything at all is terrific idea. The fascinating piquancy, along with the little bits of mango themselves was an amazing thing in itself.

Veggie Thai Balls SubThe next vegetarian sub was the Veggie Thai Ball. The balls were anything like the rougher, hurried takes at corn and Paneer Koftas or the vegetable manchurians. That said, this surprisingly was a very agreeable dish! Whether or not it blended well with the usual mango salsa, chili sauce or the salad in debatable, but just the bun with the kofta- like stuffing was a delightful merger of two unlikely components. The salt was on the higher side but the the mintiness of the interior came out stronger and better. The basil, like in the thai herbs previous sub, kept the Thaish chunk of the baguette alive.

An attentive bunch of stewards and pretty quick arrival of drinks and dishes made the experience better. The chef attempted and almost  succeeded in answering our queries about the ingredients . One slight error on  part of  one steward – his calling the Veggie Thai Balls the Santosa Islands Sub – was quickly corrected by another stewardess. Entertaining conversations transpired with the Managers all through the course of the meal – concerning Mamagoto, its food and numerous other things. They extended genuine interest and concern toward our intermittent, impromptu feedbacks and offered to interact with and take suggestions from any dissatisfied customer.

A compact seating arrangement, like in many other Khan Market joints, was made captivating with the eclectic graphics of and from different Asian people and cultures. There was a poster of someone like cheerful Japanese wrestlers on one side, striped tigers on the other, Vietnamese women on another and playful Thai girls on yet another. The sunglow yellow internal partition and the electric crimson walls complemented the rest of the colorful artistry. Some nagging flies, circling every glass and bowl that was placed on the table, were the only obstacles to an otherwise perfectly well kept place. The reddish shade emanating from all side, in the dim lit restaurant could provide for a very romantic dining experience for couples.

Mamagoto’s innovation is a nice effort that has a few rough patches presently which could disappear soon enough, to pull off a fantastic food adventure for all those who try banh mis. One visit to Mamagoto, and one try at both the Banh Mis and the tea flavored mocktails, is highly recommended. A new effort definitely merits another chance. So, go there and mamagoto – play with food!

Anubhav Sapra
Anubhav Sapra is an avid foodie! He is a Founder but proudly calls himself a Foodie-in-chief at Delhi Food Walks. He is also a street-food and Indian regional cuisine connoisseur and loves to write about street-food.
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Sub or Salad?

Which way do you swing – Sub or Salad?

By Aisha Bhattacharya

How do you say something new about a place that has been around for 4 years? Simple,” Mamabuns”.

To bring in their 4th Birthday, the latest offering from Mamagoto has everything you could want and more. The menu is peppered with heaps of options for their new Asian sandwiches. This includes subs, burgers and for the health conscious an option to turn your sub into a salad. Just look for the asterisk next to the name of your desired sub and it can be made the salad way. It’s a veritable playground for non-vegetarians with various combinations of meats and dressings. There are prawn, chicken, lamb, pork and fish options. And yes a substantial vegetarian selection with Tofu and Mushrooms among other things. We were lucky enough to be invited to the outlet in Khan Market to sample this menu and I have to admit that I’m now an even bigger fan than I already was!

Asian porky dorkWe started with the ‘Cheeky Seoul Pork’ which I chose to have as a salad instead of a sandwich because, like every other girl my only aim in life is to eat what I want without getting fat. Unfortunately, my body doesn’t grant such wishes so salad it was. The pork is marinated in a Korean style chilli marinade and is cooked to melt-in-the-mouth perfection. The salad is a combination of fresh lettuce, caramelised onions and succulent pork bits. In a city where I have never found really well cooked pork in a restaurant, this Korean style pork was a revelation. It is a generous portion of salad that would make for a perfect guilt-free lunch.

The next dish to arrive was the ‘Singapore University Canteen Chicken Burger’. A burger is not a burger till there is a bun and I succumbed to the idea of a juicy chicken patty sandwiched in a bun. The patty is juicy and lightly spiced. The buns and patties are made at Mamagoto and taste absolutely fresh. It is such a relief to get a burger bun that is made in-house. The taste and texture are definitely well worth the extra effort.

‘The Asian Prawn Cocktail’ came highly recommended and did not disappoint. This was another sub turned salad that we ordered because it just sounds better as a salad. The prawns are steamed and tossed in a chilli mayo dressing. It was mildly flavoured and very light on the stomach. The salad leaves were a mix of Rocket leaves, Iceberg lettuce and Green leaf. The rocket leaves were a tad bitter but the salad was pretty good overall.

setosa island subOne of us was vegetarian so we ordered the ‘Sentosa Island Sub’ for her. I had a piece and it was delicious. Filled with sautéed mushrooms – shitake and button mushrooms mainly. Beautiful flavours that brought out the goodness of the mushrooms and the Asian inspiration behind the dish. The mushrooms are chopped so it is a little messy to eat. But, that shouldn’t deter you because it is definitely worth a try.

All Mamabuns come with Chilli Mayo, Potato Wedges, Mango Salsa and an Asian pickle.

Mamagoto has also introduced some new flavoured iced teas and we tried a few – the Blood orange was not available so I opted for the Easy Peezy Strawberry. A strawberry and kiwi infused tea that is refreshing on the palate. The only curious thing about it is the mango yellow colour. The restaurant uses Basilur tea leaves for the decoction, a premium tea from Sri Lanka which lifts the flavour of the entire drink.

I ended up ordering dessert as well because it was offered to me. I know, I shouldn’t have but, this is the only life I get and I don’t want to live regretting that missed opportunity. The ‘Crunchy Nutella Mousse’ is oh, so good! It hits all the right spots and makes you discover new ones. Not overly sweet and a portion just right that leaves you feeling satisfied.

A lot of thought and experimentation has gone into creating this new menu. The team travelled to Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam for inspiration that is displayed clearly on the plate. If you love Asian food, this is a must-try menu for you!

P.S: Mamagoto has a competition on Instagram: Take a photo of your Mamabun before you start eating. Use the hashtag #Mamabuns and tag @mamagotofunasian. The best photos will get 50% off on their next bill. Hurry up!

 

Anubhav Sapra
Anubhav Sapra is an avid foodie! He is a Founder but proudly calls himself a Foodie-in-chief at Delhi Food Walks. He is also a street-food and Indian regional cuisine connoisseur and loves to write about street-food.
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Play With your Drinks

April 19th, 2014

Play With your Drinks

By Aisha Bhattacharya

mamagoto 1

 Hello Boozy Birds,

I love impromptu invitations to tastings of new drinks menus (alcoholic). I mean, who doesn’t? I was fortunate enough to have received a fun invite to Mamgoto in Khan Market last evening. Now, when someone tells me to play with my drink, I’m not quite sure what to make of it? Because we were told as children not to play with our food, so this concept unsettled me.

I reached at 7 pm and was sent to a table reserved for a Bloggers meet at the terrace. I was the first person to be seated and had to wait for all the other fashionably late Delhiites to arrive. The event started at about 8 pm. One of the Co-founders Rahul Khanna introduced himself and the concept of ‘Play With Your Drinks’. Mamagoto will let you be your own bartender for the night, bringing out the hidden mixologist in you. This interactive bar allows the consumer to choose from a massive spread of alcohol, mixers, glassware and garnishes to help you make your own unique Cocktail. The best part is you even get to name your cocktail. Hence, the Play part of the theme for the evening.

We were divided into teams of two and each team had to make a cocktail. Rahul was watching every step of what alcohol base we used, whether a fresh fruit was being used or just Monin’s syrup, if we used herbs in correct combinations and how the drink was served. He then tasted each drink and scored each team. A winner was announced at the end of the event and the two boys who won got a Goodie bag each of Mamagoto merchandise.

Rahul Khanna is a Mixologist and spent the better part of the evening helping the rest of us get acquainted with what goes into making combinations while mixing drinks. For e.g. Don’t use crushed ice in a shaker as it dilutes the drink, when you muddle ingredients don’t transfer them to another glass but make the drink in that one itself and other such important tips. I noticed everyone listening eagerly while eating huge portions of their dinner that followed. Anything I say about their food, doesn’t do it enough justice. I just know that when in doubt, a bowl of Chicken broth for the Hungry Soul can do wonders or some Rock Shrimp Tempura with a couple of chilled beers on a warm sultry evening will hit all the right spots.

An exciting concept for those who don’t want to drink a cosmopolitan or an LIIT every time they go out, ‘Play with your Drink’ gives you the opportunity to think out of the box and have whatever combination comes to mind, provided they have the ingredients. The only downside being that if the drink tastes terrible, you only have yourself to blame. So, be wise while playing with your drink and have a good evening for just 315++ per drink! If you’re not feeling too adventurous and want to play it safe ask the in-house mixologist to create something for you or order a Cinnamon Whiskey Story pitcher and watch others make newbie mistakes. So bring a couple of friends and come ‘Play With Your Drinks’ at Mamagoto.

You already know what to do on Facebook so take photos of your drink and tag them. Also on Instagram – @MamagotoFunAsian or Twitter – @MamagotoFun. You could also use their hashtag #mamadrinkup

 

 

 

Anubhav Sapra
Anubhav Sapra is an avid foodie! He is a Founder but proudly calls himself a Foodie-in-chief at Delhi Food Walks. He is also a street-food and Indian regional cuisine connoisseur and loves to write about street-food.
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Life is too short, Eat dessert first

   

                               Life is too short, Eat dessert first  

Mamagoto. What a fun name! Its literal translation is ‘to play with food’; a Japanese social experiment of sorts, involving infants to use their senses to understand the textures and shape of food. Indeed, a playful atmosphere is created by the kaleidoscopic set of imagery that is omnipresent in the restaurant. The illustrations on the walls to the detailing on the cushions really set up a very young first impression in your mind, which is full of energy and enthusiasm. The range of colours used is very wide, yet it does not hurt the eye. Therefore the flamboyant ambience of the place is definitely its unique selling point and is worthy of a 9/10 rating.

Seeing the paucity of authentic oriental cuisine restaurants, and exploiting the same as a lucrative opportunity, childhood friends, Kabir Suri and Rahul Khanna, the co-owners of Mamagoto, have made the idea become a real brand in no time. Mamagoto started its fruitful journey from its most popular branch located in Khan Market, in 2010, and has expanded since not just in NCR, but also has set foot in Mumbai. The restaurant was the first of its kind in terms of attractive and affordable destinations that could compete with the high-end long standing options of Taj and ITC Maurya. The menu is a fine blend of contemporary Thai and Japanese, with some original twists.

This particular dessert property that we went to review is called ‘Mama’s Sweet Spot’. The 4 desserts that we tasted are as follows:

Smoking Panda’s Lemon and Coconut Tart

Undoubtedly the best out of the four, it is an invention of Mamagoto. Its presentation is quite unique and the taste is unlike that of the standard desserts that are so popular in the market. Flakes of coconut whipped with lime, warm and crusty! The breakfast sugar seen in the corresponding picture has been removed from the dish now. Sourness and sweetness are balanced in an appropriate ratio, resulting in a one of its kind, pleasurable experience. The taste of coconut is carefully monitored, thereby preventing it from being overpowering. The outer layer is very crisp. Coconut flakes placed around the dish give it a beautiful appearance. It is definitely recommended to those who like to experiment with tastes.

                Price(Rs)            Presentation               Taste
               175+taxes                  8.5/10                9/10

Mama's Sweet Spot-05

Country Style Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Peanut butter and brown sugar set with chocolate and cream. This dessert consists of 3 layers. The top layer is that of chocolate; the middle and bottom layers contain peanut butter, crackers, assorted butter, different types of cheese and almond essence. The bottom layer is harder and has a stronger flavour of peanut butter as compared to the middle one. Slicing the cheesecake vertically and then having it would make you realise how the taste of chocolate is lost, how it is engulfed in the peanut butter taste of the second and third layers, thereby making it almost non-existent. With consequent bites, the peanut butter taste grows stronger .All this results in a bit of disappointment for the customer as there’s not much speciality in this dessert for which he’ll be willing to pay about Rs 250. However peanut butter lovers will like this dessert for sure.

 

                Price(Rs)            Presentation               Taste
               245+taxes                  7.5/10               7/10

 

 Mama's Sweet Spot-03

 

Crunchy Nutella Mousse

 

As the name describes, the dessert is a blend of ingredients mingled in three layers, comprising of classic nutella hazelnut and chocolate sauce with biscuit crumbs and praline. Presented in a bowl, with nuts sprinkled on top, encompassing bifurcation of the three layers, easily visible to the eyes, the dessert tastes surprisingly salty in the first bite. However, as one moves on to finish the first layer, and pulls out a major chunk of the second layer, which is predominantly nutella, the dessert turns “too sweet” for the taste buds. The top most layer, boasting to be crunchy, loses its aura as it amalgamates with the nutella portion in the adjacent layer. But again, the astonishing part is the third layer, which also is in the same amount of contact with the second layer as the first one, remains as crunchy to the expectations of the brawling menu card. Having fiddled in with the intrinsic details of the constituents, the dessert includes within itself Amul milk chocolate, Philadelphia cheese, cracker, dry nuts and predominantly the before mentioned ingredients. . The dessert is undoubtedly a change from the routine affair that you’ll come across in various places, giving a somewhat justification to the unique conceptualized sweet eats, introduced by Mamagoto. However, if asked to choose among the four options when I visit again, this wouldn’t be topping my cloying craving, for the price portrayed doesn’t seem economical with the quantity offered.

 

                Price(Rs)            Presentation               Taste
               175+taxes                  7.5/10               7/10

Mama's Sweet Spot-04

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Soft, smooth and dwindling as you take a bite, within seconds, like a molten lava cake. Yes that’s the classic chocolate brownie winner for you! A necessity that every bakery showcases, this dessert is definite yes for those who like to play safe when it comes to relinquishing their taste buds. Chocolate brownie cake sprinkled with chocolate chips, is a classic favorite, enjoyed by all. However, to add a bit of difference to it, a scoop of ice cream, chocolate leaves (as portrayed in the picture) or whipped cream can be included. The price, being not justifiable to the quantity offered, could be reduced catering to the simplicity and normality in taste. Overall, the cake does taste flawless, if not flourless!

                Price(Rs)            Presentation               Taste
               175+taxes                 8/10               8/10

Mama's Sweet Spot-02

Apart from the desserts, we also tasted few of their starters and mocktails. Both starters, Bite Size Corn Fritter Balls and Hot Basil Chicken Cups were a class apart. Hot Basil Chicken Cups is a masterpiece pulled off in a blend of lettuce, bird eye’s chili and crushed pepper, is a non-veg starter to die for. The decoration is beautiful and unique in the form of cups cut out of lettuce and stuffed with a delicious mix of the aforesaid ingredients, on the spicy side though, but with a unique crunchy feel to it. Bite Size Corn Fritter Balls, the vegetarian starter was an absolute delight, with the crisp outer layer of the corn balls and an array of droolworthy sauces/dips that came along with it. The quantity was good, more than what is normally expected of a starter. Our joy was further enhanced by the accompanying mocktails, ‘Kiwi+Mint Collins’ and ‘Watermelon Beach’, to name a couple. The colour of both the mocktails was gorgeous and very attractive. Refreshing, delicious and of suitable quantity, the mocktails are sure to leave you in a state of ecstasy.

                Taste            Presentation         Value for money
               9.5/10                 9/10               8.5/10

 

So Mamagoto is a fun place for sure; even though the desserts disappointed us at some level, the amazing starters and mocktails more than made up for them. They are going to launch 4 new desserts in the coming time and surely the launch is awaited by us!

Ayushi Teotia and Gopal Seth,Foodie Correspondents

16th August,2013

Anubhav Sapra
Anubhav Sapra is an avid foodie! He is a Founder but proudly calls himself a Foodie-in-chief at Delhi Food Walks. He is also a street-food and Indian regional cuisine connoisseur and loves to write about street-food.