Road to Baluchistan–Review of Food Festival @ Baluchi

What happens when star chefs from five properties gather to create a food festival at one location? That too, in our city, Bangalore? You can expect plenty! A few foodies and bloggers were invited to a preview of the ‘Road to Baluchistan’, a food festival currently running at Lalit Ashok Hotel, Bangalore.

Conceived by Chef Suvaranjan and Chef Bharat Kapoor of Baluchi, Bangalore, the Food Festival brings signature dishes of the participating star chefs of each Baluchi restaurant, a few forgotten dishes, and then some modern interpretations of Indian cuisine.

Chef Mumtaz from Baluchi Mumbai, set the mood for the evening with an elegantly plated Subz Gullar Kabab. The kabab, unusually shaped like a samosa was silken smooth on the tongue. Its richness grew on the palate before unleashing the spice and heat within! Perfectly balanced in texture and flavour, this amuse bouche certainly had us all looking forward to the next course.

I next chose a vegetarian platter of starters while the other diners were offered vegetarian or non-vegetarian platters according to their choice. Sheer morsels of delight, the Mushroom ki Galouti and Malai Artichoke (by Chef Satyabir, New Delhi) were absolutely brilliant! The galouti was unbelievably velvetty on the tongue. The Malai Artichoke had me eyes closed and savouring the lush cream offset by the saltiness of the fleshy artichoke. The Rajwada Paneer Tikka (by Chef Zainul Abedin, Jaipur) scored well on flavour, however the paneer was a tad chewy. Palak ki Nazakat (by Chef Bharat Kapoor, Bangalore) went down reasonably well. I enjoyed the tomato relish on this kabab better than the kabab itself. Plated with pomegranate molasses, balsamic reduction, and pineapple relish,  the presentation and the taste had everyone nodding happily in approval. The surprise churan powder and gold dusted green olive on the platter had all of us in ‘oooohhs’ and ‘aaaahs’.

Note the elegant plating, don’t miss the gold olive either!

The Baluchi, Bangalore has introduced a Naanery coupled with unique chutneys and paired with an interesting wine list. On offer that evening were Baqarkhani (a Kashmiri roti fragrant with saffron), Besan ki roti (crisp and spiked with ajwain), Pheni Paratha (flaky, rich, crisp, and topped with sesame seeds), and Gilafi Kulcha (stuffed with cheese and peppers), teamed with interesting chutneys such as Raw Papaya chutney, Carrot chutney, Radish chutney and a sweet-spicy Tomato chutney. The wine list includes whites from Vina Esmaralda, a Sauvignon Blanc from Honig, and reds from Brancaia TRE 2012 and KRSMA 2014.

This Naan-wine pairing is sure to pique the interest of discerning gourmets in this city.

The main course, aptly named ‘Dawat-e-Lazeez’ arrived soon after. As a vegetarian, I chose to go along with suitable menu options. The Bhindi Singhada, a smart stir fry of fresh Bhindi with crisp water chestnuts tossed with fresh spices won my heart for it’s uniqueness and real-fresh spice flavours. I enjoyed the Paneer parcha mutter, prepared by stuffing a ground green pea mixture inside parcels of soft paneer and simmered in an onion-tomato gravy. This gravy had an interesting texture and gutsy flavours. The Dal Baluchi was superlative in aroma. Silken-creamy on the tongue, smoky aroma, each spoonful was eaten joyfully. The Jodhpuri Gatta Subzi had a hearty, spicy gravy to its advantage, while the Gatta could have been improved by soaking for longer in the gravy. My search for the perfect Rajasthani Gatte ki Subzi continues.

Served with more hot Naans, rotis, and assorted breads, and an excellent array of pickles, namely, Kathal ka Achar, Aam ka Achar, Hara Seb ka Achar(outstanding), the main course left me heaving under its array.

A refreshing Pineapple Jeera Granita was welcome as a palate cleanser. A good thing too, for we were presented with a superbly aromatic, unusual ‘Paan Biryani’. Delicately flavoured with Paan leaves, cooked on Dum, and served with Burrani Raita, do not miss this!

All good things come to an end. We came to a sweet ending of this mighty repast with bowls of Gulab ki Kheer, Malai Kulfi, and hot Gulkhand ke Gulab Jamun! If Gulab (Rose flavour) dominated the dessert options, I did not complain! Of the three, I feel partial to the succulent Gulkhand stuffed Gulab Jamun. Depsite not being a fan of Gulkhand, I could not resist polishing off this hot Jamun.

If you are a fan of North-Indian food, if you enjoy a carefully curated menu in a soothing ambience by courteous and attentive staff, if you do not want to miss the offering of the some of the best chefs in the country, you should reserve your table at Baluchi, Lalit Ashok, Bangalore. The festival is on till the 20th of March. Open for lunch and dinner with a la carte menu offered. Costs approximately Rs.3000 for two.

Awadhi Food Festival @ Feast, Sheraton Bangalore

What’s in an Awadhi food festival for a vegetarian like me? This was my query when I was asked to review the Awadhi Food Festival running currently at Sheraton, Bangalore. After being assured that I would not suffer for lack of choices, I agreed, with residual misgivings though.
I need not have worried. The entire F&B team at Feast along with Visiting Chef M Rehman, had plenty in store for all – vegetarians and the non-vegetarians alike.
The Dal–Dalchini Shorba set a good expectation of what was to come. Delicately flavoured as a good shorba should be, with just that edge of cinnamon to whet the appetite. Starters followed soon enough. One with paneer and another with potato as main ingredients, finished to doneness in the tandoor. Good but not spectacular. However, the Veg Seekh Kabab was extremely well done. Fragrant, flaky, evocative of Nawabi cuisine. The Badam Doodh was refreshing, with ground almonds and notes of honey.
A basket of the amazingly fragrant Sheermal Roti and Awadhi Naan arrived. Hot, flaky, fragrant, they were delicious. It seemed a sacrilege to combine the roti with any other main dish. The Sheermal begged to be enjoyed as is.
Of the mains, I cannot talk enough about the merits of the Nawabi Baingan Bharta. While the greenish golden hue piqued my visual sensors, the sublime flavours had to be savoured to fully appreciate this masterpiece. Are you surprised that I mention elegant, sophisticated and brinjal in the same breath? Then you must try this Nawabi Baingan Bharta and you would not be! The Dal Makhani only shared its name with the famous Punjabi version. The texture, aroma were quite unique. Quite unlike any I’ve tasted so far. Another dal made with whole white urad was creamy and interesting too. The Paneer Begum Bahaar looked elegant but did not appeal to my palate. The Subz Dum Biryani was refined as well. Deft layering ensured it delivered wonderfully on flavours.


Shahi Tukda and Anjeer Halwa were among the other Awadhi special desserts of the day. At the risk of sounding redundant, I have to mention that the Shahi Tukda was distinctive.
The Awadhi Food Festival is on till the 19th of October at Feast, Sheraton Bangalore. #sheratonbangalore This food festival runs along with the restaurant’s standard buffet. Coupled with the exemplary hospitality offered by staff of Sheraton, this royal feast will pamper all your senses. Be warned that all your weight loss plans will go for a royal toss. There is nothing in it for the calorie conscious. However, if you are in a mood for celebration or indulgence, would like to feel like a Nawab, do visit for this gustatory experience fit for the kings.

Spaghetti Kitchen’s Gusto d’Italia ~ Review

Italian cuisine is a hot favourite in our home. Last week, I received an invite to review the new lunch buffet menu at the Spaghetti Kitchen and agreed with great pleasure.
The restaurant has introduced the ‘Gusto d’ Italia’ – a scrumptious lunch and dinner buffet. The festival has come to Bangalore starting September 25th, after seeing great success in Chandigarh where it was first launched. The invite proudly stated that “Spaghetti Kitchen has bagged the Times Food Award in Best Italian Restaurant at Kolkata and Bangalore 2011”. This sounded promising, and I was eager to sample the newly launched buffet menu.
Overview
The buffet menu is exhaustive. With three rotating menus and great options to choose from each, one can truly indulge in plenty more than pizzas and pasta. At prices of Rs. 399 for the vegetarian and Rs. 449 for the non vegetarian lunch buffet, and with slightly higher prices for the dinner buffet, this is a fabulous Value For Money option. I have reviewed only the vegetarian menu.
Non–vegetarians do have ample choices from the menu. I found an equal distribution of vegetarian and non-vegetarian selection


Location and Ambience  10 /10
The Spaghetti Kitchen chain has secured a great location opposite the Forum Mall at Koramangala. Once inside, the large windows, cheerful home-like decor, and airy ambience look very inviting.





Upon Arrival  9 /10
Fresh ciabatta bread with dips and olives set the ball rolling. The smoked tomato soup with basil was just perfect. Diners have the option of custom-assembling fresh salads from the salad bar. I loved the freshness of the salad veggies and the choice of dressings on offer. I also enjoyed the fresh Caprese salad served at the salad counter.




Drinks  7/10
With the on-going Martini Festival, and Millers Time Bonus (ask your server for ongoing offers), tipplers have a choice. There were good mocktail options as well. I sampled the Orange and Peach Virgin Martini – fresh flavours and an unusual combination! Surprisingly, I could not locate a wine list.


 
Antipasti  8/10
Among the starters, I sampled the Parmesan Cream cheese potatoes, the Sicilian Garlic Cottage Cheese and Eggplant Parmiggiana. The Eggplant Parmiggiana was clearly the best. Nothing extraordinary about the potatoes or the garlic cottage cheese. I missed out sampling the risotto; well, reason to visit again!



Entrees  9 /10
I had thin crackling crust pizza served fresh at the table, by the slice – great when we do not want cold pizza slices waiting for their turn!
I was spoilt for choice with Fettuccine Pesto, Penne Arrabiata, Veg Lasagna and the Chef’s signature Penne Vodka (from the special cook-off held on that day), and sampled them all. It was difficult to pick a favourite from these dishes. In this four-way tie, the Fettuccine Pesto would win for the freshness and flavour of the pesto! Spinach and cheese stuffed ravioli in a tomato sauce was delectable too.



Desserts  6 /10
With each course outdoing the previous one, I had great expectations from the dessert menu! Too bad, only the Gelato and the Cassata lived up to my expectations. The Brownie was decent, not the best I’ve had; and I’ve been lucky to sample much better Tiramisu elsewhere.



The Cook-Off
The highlight of the day was the cook off by Chef Bill Marchetti.
Chef Bill Marchetti, previously with the ITC Group, has been the mastermind behind the Italian menus at Spaghetti Kitchen. He has lavished great attention to detail and opened up Italian cuisine far beyond Pizzas and Pasta for the Indian diner.
The Chef livened the scene with his humour, candour and enthusiasm. In what seemed like child’s play, he demonstrated three dishes – Spaghetti Amatriciana with Bacon, Fettuccine con Pesto and his signature Penne Vodka. All through the demo, the Chef was generous with his cooking tips and advice. ”Start with boiling pasta correctly. Use 1 litre water and 10 gm salt for every 100 gm dry pasta. Boil until al dente, drain, and do not rinse the pasta.” And more …
I sampled the Fettuccine and the Penne – both were outstanding! The fresh basil, fragrant extra virgin olive, toasted pine nuts and the Parmesan in the pesto gave the pasta a fresh flavour!




Why Go To Spaghetti Kitchen?

• The spread of Italian Cuisine in Bangalore (or probably in India) cannot get better!
• Unbeatable prices for the awesome buffet spread.
• A great bonus is the wide vegetarian choice in the menu. Nowhere through the meal did I feel deprived of delectable vegetarian options.

Score card – On a scale of 1 to 10
Hygiene  9 / 10
Food  8 / 10
Service  8 / 10
Value for Money  10 / 10
Suggestions

• Please keep the good work going.
• Would love to see dessert choices that live up to other courses in the menu!

Location
Spaghetti Kitchen - At Hosur Road, Opposite Forum Mall at Koramangala.
Also at: 100 ft Road, Indira Nagar in Bangalore.
Special Thanks
Chef Bill Marchetti, for the lively cook off, for spending time with us and answering our queries on Italian cuisine patiently.
Sonia Praveen from PR Pundit for organising the day and helping with pictures too!

Coffee Bean And Tea Leaf - Review

 

Cosy, homey, warm, comforting – are all words that come to mind when I think of the Cafe chain, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. Celebrating it’s Golden jubilee and running strong in India since 2008, the cafe chain has plans for expanding further too.

The first thing that caught my attention was the ambience. With options of plush seating aided by soft lighting inside and a bright naturally lit ‘outdoor’ space lined with cafe table, chairs, the place looks cheerful and inviting.

The Coffees – I was informed that ‘only Arabica beans’ are sourced from East African, Latin American and Pacific regions. CBTL did not disappoint on the quality of coffee. Their mocha cappuccino was smooth, frothy, delivered the right coffee flavour with just a hint of chocolate and cinnamon. It was outstanding as was their caramel flavoured coffee. Others tried their “ice blended” Hazelnut and Double Chocolate coffees too.

Teas –  CBTL sources only whole leaf teas from across the world to ensure best flavours. They offer a  whole variety – Black, Flavoured, Green, Flavoured Green, Herbal Infusions and Fruit Infusions (whew – so many categories).

Quite a  choice, I’d say. – I tasted the Swedish berries – iced tea, (not really tea, rather a fruit infusion). It was very refreshing, aroma of fruits and berries wafted through, no mouth feel of artificial flavours, smooth aftertaste.

We witnessed the brewing of ‘The Jasmine Dragon Phoenix Pearl’ – quite a sight to see the ‘pearled’ leaves uncurl in the hot water, and infuse the brew with it’s ‘jasmined’ tea aroma! The tea was an olfactory and gustatory treat! The jasmine did not overpower the tea flavour, instead, upon drinking, the tea induced a immediate stress-free, relaxed feel! ( Is it watching the almost magical uncurling of leaves playing on my mood?)

I sampled the Moroccan mint (Flavoured Green Tea) too. Invigorating, refreshing, great pick me up on tired days, I quite liked this one.

Choice of Menu – A new ‘Healthy Menu option’ launched to coincide with CTBL’s 50th year includes Banana Muesli, Oats and Cranberry Bars (mildly sweet, chewy, super yummy), egg white omelettes, multi grain croissants. A good choice of Low Calorie drinks such as the iced teas allow you to mind your calories and indulge at the same time. I saw Decaf coffees and teas on the menu card too.

Did I mention that their range of Sandwiches, Salads, Pastas are super scrumptious?

I sampled the  Roast Vegetable Sandwich with hummus, Seasonal Vegetable Lasagne and The Three Cheese Ciabizza. The lasagne was the best I have had in Bangalore so far. It was appealingly served with two garlic bread wedges. The sandwich did not speak much of ‘roast vegetable’, but tasted good with nice balance of creamy hummus and aubergines. The sandwich was served with fries and a tiny portion of salad. The Three Cheese Ciabizza is truly drowned in  gooey melty cheese. While a super calorie dense dish, this could be the  cheese lover’s ultimate delight. Any of these snacks, coupled with a drink could become a filling meal.

Interesting dessert options like Blueberry Cheesecake, Banoffee Pie, Philadelphia Cheese cake, Oreo Cheese Cake, Brownies help you to round off the meal, should you be in the mood for some indulgence.

In keeping with the norm of international coffee chains, CBTL has special flavour additions like French vanilla Sugar, and Dutch mocha at no extra cost, to help customers, customise their drinks.

Why go to CBTL?

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is a good choice for people to meet for business, for friends who want to catch up over (what else?) a great cuppa, for tired shoppers, for young couples who need some undisturbed space, for busy folks who can work away happily charged on caffeine (or decaf) and free Wi- Fi, for folks seeking a quiet spot to catch up on reading, for those looking for a hot or cold beverage, for a meal anytime, or just for some great coffee too!

Vegetarians have good  menu choices too.

Location – I visited the Cafe at 1, MG Road. This is in the thick of the business district and augurs well for the both cafe and customers. Other locations in Bangalore are at 7th Block, Koramangala, Inorbit Mall, Whitefield, Phoenix Market City, Whitefield, and the  Bangalore Airport.

Suggestions –

• More outlets are surely welcome!
• Menu could include more fresh salad options (found only two in the menu).
• Offering baked vegetable wedges, such as potato or carrot wedges, instead of fries as accompaniment to sandwiches would make it healthier.

Special thanks -

Mr. Md. Zameer Ahmed, thank you for coordinating our afternoon, answering our queries patiently, and taking us through the nuances of coffees, teas and CBTL.

Score Card – On a scale of 1 to 10

Location – 10

Ambience – 10

Hygiene – 9

Food – 9

Choice for vegetarians - 9

Beverages – 10

Value for money – 10