Big Chill, Select City Mall, Saket, New Delhi

I have heard a lot of good things about Big Chill and obviously that's where I wanted to eat while I was in Delhi over a weekend.

This outlet of Big Chill is built over two floors.  While the ground floor is narrower and has no seating area,  the first floor seats guests and usually has waiting.  

The ground floor houses the kitchen and displays the baked delicacies one can order!  The interiors are done up in warm wood colour and jazzed up by movie payers and hand written menu on a blackboard!

We didn't wanna wait and hence settled for the first available place - seating space on the ground floor built under the escalator!  This compact space has 4 tables and offers little privacy,  but then again we didn't want any privacy! 

The staff is quick in handing out the huge card board menu cards, partly out of the hospitality they offer or mostly out of ensuring quick service and hence faster turn around time at the table!  What ever the reasons,  we were happy!

Armed with the menu card began the tough task of what to order! While one is spoilt for choice (appetizers, pizza,  pasta,  mains,  shakes,  smoothies,  coffees), the illustrations of old English movies make it harder to concentrate on deciding the order!  Hence we asked for recommendations and were surprised at the puzzled look on our waiters face!  He made a good recommendation for a sundae (chocolate,  coffee and fudge combo - about INR 250).  Other two things (irish coffee INR 180 and Chicken in red wine served with pasta and bread INR 470) we ordered on our own.

The drinks came by quickly.  The irish coffee was served in a cappuccino cup instead of the tall glass serving we expected and the taste was quite forgettable!  The sundae was a stark contrast! It looked amazing,  the portion was huge and it was sinful!  Definitely to be shared with someone if you hope to have stomach space to sample other food!

They served us the Chicken halfway way through our drinks and conversation.  The chicken was yum, the gravy was brown and the wine and mushrooms gave it a balanced yet rich flavor!  The pasta they served with it was barely luke warm and lumpy, bread complimented the gravy better.

The staff was sweet enough to let us sit for a good 15 minutes post finishing our food and paying the bill.  They even clicked pictures for us!

The above mentioned prices are approximates only and taxes are levied over and above them! I don't even know the overall damages as my friend was sweet enough to treat me!

Overall I do think the place is a bit over-rated but if you have a sweet tooth this is where you should head!  (*drools over memory of a gorgeous looking blueberry cheese cake at the counter! )

A revisit to Kalaghoda Cafe

Well well a thumbs up to Kalaghoda Cafe for consistently delivering fresh food with robust flavours.

- The Belgian hot chocolate was sinful
- Parnesan tomato pesto sandwich was rich in flavour

Tomato and Parmesan goodness

- Scrambled eggs and omelette were good too

Good old scrambled eggs

- We also tasted a lemon mint drink which was surprising subtle in flavor,  yet packed punch.  

a Minty-Lemony drink - very refreshing

Despite all the good stuff i have spoken about, every place needs a little tweaking with the menu to keep a regular interested and this cafe is no different.

(Damages for the meal were about 270 per person)

The cafe also plays a huge role in helping artists advertise their shows and events,   photographers showcase their photos as  installations on the café walls and encouraging cycling in Mumbai by offering free coffee to cyclists on Sundays.

Belgian hot chocolate with a cause

I was also pleasantly surprised to find the hot chocolate decorated with "save water", a good way to support a Noble cause!

However, what truly made my re-visit perfect was free wifi and a chance to download upgrade for apps!  Cheers!

Making the most of free wi-f9

Lagerbay, Waterfield Road, Bandra

Lagerbay located at Bandra was on my yet-to-try list for far too long.  On a random Thursday night me and a couple of friends ended up here to catch up over a beer or two.   Needles to say the choice was good.

A doze of food, music and booze!

Lagerbay has a feel of an old world pub yet the choice of the music they play makes it lively.   Also, the wall decorations are really fabulous.

Quirky collectibles lining the walls

At Lageybay, you can choose to sit at the high stool by the bar,  regular wooden chairs with tables (some with funky table tops!) or lounge on the sofas.   Irrespective of where you sit,  you won't be far away from a TV - and that my friend is a Brownie point for Lagerbay given that IPL 6 has just begun.

Piano table - at the far end of Lagerbay

The place was quite full for a week night (thursday) but not bursting at the seams.  While the staff is plenty,  they seem to disappear and one has to wait alot to place their order.

We were about 7 of us and our order comprised of:

1) Chilli potato - this dish was very well prepared with the right amount of heat and tanginess to the potatoes, also the potato was neither to crisp nor limp!  

2) Parmesan crusted grilled chicken - the chicken was tender yet crusty on the outside, the sauce could have had a little more heat,  it was sweeter than I liked. The mashed potatoes on the side and grilled vegetables made this dish wholesome.

Parmesan crusted grilled chicken

3) Veg lasagne - though my friends liked this dish,  I found it passable. 

Lasagne

4) Chicken quesedila - quantity was too less, also the quesedila could do with more stuffing but it was awesomely buttery and crisp. 

5) Tiramisu - milky and lacking balance of flavours,  the cake was too little and coffee was light.

too milky!

6) Lava cake with vanilla ice cream - eggy! Even dominoes does better! 

too eggy!

7) Hazelnut chocolate mousse cake - the saviour and delicious! 

by far the best dessert

8) Chicken burger with fries on the side - I didn't taste it but they are supposed to be good at burgers.

Overall a mixed bag for food!

Other than the food we ordered a mixed bag of beer and cocktails. The cocktails looked plain yet were refreshing.   The beer menu was expansive and did not disappoint.  

The damages were INR 7,000.

Overall an expensive place but the ambiance won me over and of course,  the company.

Breakfast at Kalaghoda Cafe

Synonymous with bustling art scene and a steady stream of crowd, Kalaghoda also boasts of many eateries, some large, while some, small in a charming way; just like Kalaghoda Café (‘KGF’).

Non-descript arrival!

A non-descript board overshadowed by branch of a tree welcomes many a hungry soul, a steady stream of foreigners, the odd-couple looking for a place to relax and the art lover.  This café houses 4 to 5 tables on the ground level and a large table with big black couch at the attic level lined by the perfect white walls, a large painting and a notice board promoting art exhibitions and galleries.  On a regular day, many people must be rediscovering coffee and themselves at KGF, but the Sunday we chose to head to KGF was anything but regular.

The Café was overflowing with people.  Though we found a place to sit, on a table wedged between the cash-cum-order counter and the back-door at a right angle, it was not the best table to have.  The best table was the one in the attic, where dim orange lights set a perfect mood for a foreigner to indulge in some travel reading over a cup of coffee.

Another let-down was a large group of noisy grown-ups. They occupied most of the café, hogged the attention of all the three staff members of KGF, spoke incessantly of food while ordering and eating everything on the Menu and perhaps off it.  Luckily, they offered a lot of entertainment and eye candy!

  

As we settled down, I observed the hand-written board announcing today’s speciality – some sandwich, coffee, juice and a dessert – nothing to exciting. The menu card, with a plain brown cover page is also a drab.  Their menu is sparse and includes basic breakfast items including but not limited to eggs (in 5-6 varieties), cereals, waffles (3 variations), sandwiches (6-7 types), coffees, juices and some bakery/ dessert items.  We settled for one portion of cheese straws (kept in a large clear glass jar at the counter and yummy to look at!), one plate of Akhuri (parsi egg bhurji), Cheese omllette, pesto cheese tomato sandwich, chocolate waffle and one mug of hot chocolate.

We waited ten minutes, until we reminded the staff to serve us the cheese straws which were crunchy, had the perfect balance of cheese and body and a nice start to our breakfast.  Next came the chocolate waffles (I know, odd to eat them before other savoury items!), which were eggier than I expected but definitely better than a lot of waffles I had eaten, the choclate service in a small bowl was exceptional in quality!

Our savoury breakfast took forty-five minutes to arrive.  In between we discovered that the noisy bunch were part of a facebook group/ page called Pet Pujaris*.  Incidentally, we were supposed to join the same noisy Pet Pujaris to have breakfast at Suzette (Nariman Point), but we changed our mind and headed to KGF.  Maybe we were meant to meet the lively bunch headed by Sushil!  After a small introduction with the group and the usual exchange of pleasantries, we dove straight into our food.

 

  

The Akhuri was fluffy and perfectly flavoured, while the cheese omllette was too buttery, but tasty nevertheless.  Both these dishes were served with toasted bread, two halves of grilled tomatoes and a roundel of unsalted, grated potato.  The sandwich was barely warm and could do with a little more pesto to lift the flavour.  The hot chocolate (recommended by a friend), was my favourite.  I’m not a big fan of hot chocolate, so much so that I hardly think its worth ordering.  However, I may change my mind after enjoying the rich, dark flavour of the hot chocolate they served.

 

Overall, I recommend this place for the ambience (ensure it’s not crowded!), the good coffee (which I intend to try in my next visit) and friendly foreigners (one asked me if I would ask them for money If I took their pic, to which I replied, well, not every Indian is so weird!).  But when it comes to food, I would recommend Café Churchill, Moshes and Mondy’s, all located in the vicinity.

The breakfast for 3 set us back by Rs 750 (including all taxes) and a good two hours.  Go here with an open mind, a good book and lots of time in hand.

* Pet Pujari is a facebook group which meets thrice a month to try food joints across Mumbai. They do two dinners, one fatka dinner (expensive) and one kadka dinner event (meals under Rs 300).  Recently they had their first breakfast events at KGF and I believe thats going to be a regular event as well.

Konkan Cafe - Taj President, Cuffe Parade

Having run out of restaurants that weren't already booked for lunch on the glorious Christmas morning, we settled for only one that offered us a table for ten in fifteen minutes flat - Konkan Cafe at Taj President Cuffe Parade. 

Needless to say, the Italian serving Trattoria and the Thai Pavilion at Taj President were our preferred choice to ring in my aunty-uncles wedding anniversary. However, a quick meal was on the agenda and reluctantly we walked into the dimly lit Konkan Cafe.

The decor is earthy, full of wood and bordering on boring. The antique fan is a nice touch and the boring bar can be done away with! However, the saving grace is the fascinating collection of antiques lining the wall and the shiny beaten copper-cum-silver dinner set and cutlery. Though a very well done replica of a Konkani verandah/ home, the place could do with a dash of colour.

The table was well laid and the basket of papads, fried stuffed-chilli and the choice of chutneys was welcoming. So was the staff in their beige uniforms and pretty good marathi!

I was surprised to find such a crisp menu, 4 pages and that was it. The dishes on offer were a fine blend of traditional Maharashtrian usal and some signature vegetables, sea food in Konkani, Goan and Malvani style and accompaniments ranging from Malabar paratha, rice, dosas to fluffy appams.

Sol-kadi (a combination of kokan and coconut milk) is traditionally had after meals. It helps to digest and tone down the spices in the food. But we decided to begin our meal with Sol-kadi and papads. While the sol-kadi was delicately flavoured and creamy, the papad added a nice crunch.

We then had a course of starters – Bhajleli paneer, thechyachi zinga (prawns), Tawyache bombil (Bombay duck) and Meen Pullichatu. Except for the bombil, the other three preparations were stellar. The crunchy prawns, the perfectly roasted and flavoured paneer were fanastic, though next time around I would ask for mild spice in the prawn as it takes away from the inherent juiciness of the prawn. Everyone’s favourite was undoubtedly the meen fish, flavoured with onions and tangy tomatoes and steamed in a banana leaf wrapping.

For the main course we ordered fish curry in tamarind sauce, Malabar crab curry, Haldi Pomphret and a combination of appam, Malabar paratha and ambemohar rice to accompany them. The fish curry was runny, yet packed a punch of flavour which amazed us. The crab curry was thicker and slightly sweet with some dry fruits thrown in which perfectly complimented the taste of crab meat. The pomphret can be skipped, the appams aren’t as good as I ate in Kerala was 1/7^th the price, but the Malabar parathas are a must try, so is the rice which has such a wonderful smell.

After the meal, the staff brought in a cute square cake to ring in the good wishes for the happy couple. The cake was a small, but just enough to tickle our sweet tooth as we were all stuffed and had a silly, content grin on our faces.

The meal was certainly heavy on the pocket (INR 1200 per person after a 15% discount!), and strictly an indulgence to be remembered until the next meal there which should be quite an experience as the chefs at Konkan Café variate the menu with the changing season.

As an afterthought, despite the drab décor and the not to appealing cuisine (except for the die-hard sea-food fans!), the USP of Konkan Café is the well preserved recipes, a daring-crisp mix on the menu, freshly ground spices and the warmth of the staff; a true signature of Tata hospitality!

Overall

Food: 9/10

Decor: 6/10

Staff: 9/10

Price: 1200-1400 per person (without drinks!)

Happy BUN Day

Suddenly bread is the new cake and it is chic to be baking a fresh loaf or fluffy buns.

I remember visitng the Wibbs White Bread Factory at Vishakhapatanam back in 1996 from s school trip. The whole process of baking bread fascinated me. While people only talk about the wholesome smell of freshly baked bread, I even pride in the punch of yeasty dough.

My happy snacky memories revolved around eating bresh white bread with amul butter, enjoying bread with sugar & malai, a basic grilled cheese sandwish or jam bread.


A couple of years later, mom made her first home made batch of buns, breads, stuffed buns, dinner rolls and it left me wanting more. Finally a good 10 years later I baked my own batch of buns with moms recipe. I even taught a friend along my experimental Happy Bun Day.

I used maida, dry solid yeast, little baking powder, salt and warm water for the dough. For the stuffing i used the all time favourite grated tinned cheese, onion and capsicum.  A slight challenge was ensuring the stuffing get evenly coated with dough. However, the buns turned out better than I expected.

Mad Over Donuts

My first memory of a donut was eating fried donuts dipped in melted milk chocolate/filled with a sour fluffed cream at the local bakeries.

Mad Over Donuts (M.O.D.) has been in India for quite a few years now.I vaguely remember seeing an M.O.D.outlet at Breach Candy about four years back. But I first devoured the perfect round delicacy when M.O.D. opened a branch at Colaba.

From the orgasmic chocolate, to fruity flavours to the nutty or the good old basic donut to go with a cup of tea/coffee, I was amazed at the array of flavours offered. There was something to tingle the taste buds of every age group and pallette.

I have a prominent sweet tooth and hence the partiality towards donuts filled with chocolate (milk/dark) and smothered with chocolate again. You may call it chocolate overdose but that's how I like my donut. The more chocolaty, the better.

M.O.D. outlets are vibrantly done up. The decor is basic. I love their baloons. The tall swivel chairs. The warm yellow/orange walls. It makes me a kid again. 

M.O.D. has great offers when you order 5 or 9 donuts at one go. Their coffee combos are worth it too. Overall very fresh donuts. Good array of choices. Friendly staff. And the urge to keep coming back!

To find a M.O.D. outlet near you, go here.