Ramada – a Bengali fare hits and misses

The Bengali new year was just around the corner and Cafe Rouge had hosted a Bengali special Sunday brunch. In addition to the regular fare of museli, fruits and a medley of Continental and Oriental options, the also had the traditional luchi bread, Kosha Mangsho, Ilish curry, Kolkata traditional biryani, mix vegetables Bengali way and a variety of the humble aloo.

We started with some of the salads and cold cuts – even though the amount of options they have is pretty decent but the quality could do with a lot of improvement. The hummus was not as fresh and creamy and the cold cuts needed to be a lot fresher to cast an impact.

Starting off – salads, hummus

They also have live counters with street food options – think classic choley kulche, idli, vada, sambhar; these options of course change weekly. We tried the Vadas with a medley of chutneys which were really fresh but the vadas lacked the crunch and freshness.

Vadas and chutney

The appetizers served on the table included – chicken tikka, fried fish, soya chaap and chilly paneer. Absolutely loved their appetizer section, succulent tikkas, freshest meats and flavors on point. The main course had a lot of Bong favor – Kosha Mansho (the traditional mutton curry cooked in mustard oil) , Ilish Mach (made with Hilsa fish, one of the most celebrated yellow curries) , Kolkata Biryani (made with mutton, onions, hints of saffron and the humble potato), Luchi (much like a poori, but made with maida) and an array of potato dishes. The Bengali selection honestly had potential but was not quite complete in terms of flavors and authenticity. The mutton needed to be much more succulent and the biryani much subtle with the play of spices.

The lunch plate

The desserts again had some hits and misses the caramel custard and phirni, are a must try though. The buffet at Cafe Rouge has potential but is not quite there yet. I would strongly recommend their North Indian fare.

Where? Cafe Rouge, Ramada Central, Gurgaon

Price for two – 2500INR for brunch

Cuisine – Multi-cuisine

Raise the Bar to Gurgaon

Raise the Bar remains the talk of the town post their launch party a couple of weeks back. With a drop dead gorgeous view of the concrete jungle, Raise the Bar sits on the sixth floor of the Clarence Hotel and the bustle of Gurgaon draws you in. They have a LIT bar, nitty gritties everywhere and comfortable couches to chill in this winter season.

We started with some of their classic drinks – Roaring Twenties, Hiss in the dark and Jazz. The drinks are a perfect, perfect balance between all the ingredients and the liquor content. The Hiss in the Dark was my favourite – a variation of espresso martini and is absolutely lip smacking with coffee liqueur and vodka.

Roaring Twenties

Hiss in the dark

Jazz

As for the grub – Chicken bacon roll – roasted chicken wrapped with smoked bacon served with creamy carrot mash and chargrilled asparagus. The chicken bacon rolls are tantalizing to the core accompanies perfectly with greens and mashes and a dash of whisky sauce. Balinese chicken skewers – juicy chicken satay served with raw papaya salad and peanut sauce.

Chicken Bacon Roll

Balinese chicken satay

Spaghetti in Alfredo sauce with chicken – spaghetti done al dente tossed in a creamy cheesy sauce, topped with black and green olives, basil and smoked chicken.

Spaghetti in alfredo sauce

Persian lamb chops glazed with garlic butter and served with a smoky BBQ sauce. Indian lamb chops, braised with garlic butter and drizzled over with a sweet barbecue sauce and some fresh rosemary sprigs. The lamb chops are tantalizing to the core, but the chops seemed like loners in need of some creamy mash and tossed greens to complete the dish.

Persian lamb chops

We ended the meal with a Coffee Cheesecake – cream cheese infused with coffee beans, kahlua, topped with caramelised popcorn, salted caramel and chocolate sugar works. This was the cherry on the top, the salted caramel sugar works were the most tantalizing bit of this dessert.

Coffee Cheesecake

Raise the Bar is quite literally raising the bar in Gurgaon with their fine cocktails and Continental offerings. To top it all the cheesecake.

Where? Raise the Bar, Clarence Hotel, Sector 29, Gurgaon

Price for two – 2500INR approx

Cuisine – Continental, Cocktails

#HiddenGem Caddyshack- Cafe by the Greens

It was one of those days which were meant only for good food, lots of sunshine and after literally an hour of contemplating where to head to, we came across this gorgeous place on Zomato. A gorgeous cafe located inside a Golf Course with an Imperial style menu and beautiful rustic ambiance. Red brick walls, golf clubs, books and board games and the lush greens of the Golf Course, dine at this quiet and quaint Cafe.

We started with a Smoked chicken, basil pesto, cherry tomatoes and cheese mini flat bread – a thin crust flat bread with a layer of fresh pesto, smoked chicken bits and a hefty spread of cheese. The light crust and chicken makes for a delicious bite. 

Pesto, smoked chicken and cheese mini flat bread

Penne with smoked chicken and seasonal vegetables – penne cooked al dente, cooked in a thick tomato sauce, fresh veggies and smoked chicken bits, topped with fresh parmesan cheese and fresh dinner rolls. The flavorsome pasta is absolutely delicious with fresh vegetables and the well done chicken.

Chicken arabiata

Dal Meat – mutton slow cooked with chana dal and served with paranthas. The succulent mutton is simmered and cooked with dal making it a very interesting curry. The mutton is absolutely tantalizing and not something available at a lot of places.

Dal Meat

Lamb chop

They also have a good deal of coffee with Blue Tokai Roasters and the cappuccino was pretty darn good.

Cappuccino

Nutella Shake

Caddyshack is a must, must visit for a quiet day out and their dal meat is an absolute delight.

Where? Caddyshack – Cafe by the Greens, CK Farms, Sector 23 Gurgaon

Price for two – 1200INR approx

Cuisine – European, Italian, Indian

Hogging Favourites from Gurgaon – our top picks

Gurgaon has been, well sort of a home for about fifteen months. And like every phase, it did fade out too but not before we were well versed with the dwindling roads, after we found out ten thousand roads connecting to the same point and used to the mind boggling traffic. Like everyone, we had our favourites and we visited some places one too many times. Our top picks in Gurgaon for hanging out, a quick drink and favourite order ins –

Cocktails and Dreams, Speakeasy

Cocktails and Dream, Speakeasy run by Yangdup Lama, is off the charts of Sector 29 and Galleria. Tucked away in a small market of Sector 15, Part 2, this Speakeasy is a tough site to find and the underground pub is a true ode to the American Prohibition. The huge bar, Jazz nights and delicious bites made this out go to place for many a nights. Sit on the bar, groove to the tunes of Speakeasy boys and their happy hours that go on till 8.00PM make this place a haven. Our favourites here – Mai Tai, Onion rings and Pigs in a blanket.

A glass of classic Red

Mai Tai

Pigs in a blanket

Feel Alive

This Karaoke bar, has Japanese favourites, Mughlai and stellar cocktails by Vasul Chauhan. Burn Bourbon Burn is absolutely delicious, and so is their sangria. Try their Copper favourites too – the burger is HUGE and their mashed potatoes are a must have. And to top it all, Happy Hours till 8.30PM.

Darbar Food Place

Located in Sector 15, this Dhaba is almost always full post sunset. One decent meal for two costs all but 350INR. They have decent Dhaba style kebabs, curries and have also started serving the street fare – tandoori momos, rolls and pav bhaji. The chicken do pyaaza is creamy and so very flavorsome and of course, a favourite. Their dal makhni too is super yummy.

Chicken do Pyaza, butter naan

BEEER

Wherever else do we get full beer mugs and freshly brewed beer towers. Sector 29 is a hub of fresh brews and hops. Factory by Sutra is my go to place on Thursdays for their feet tapping Sufi nights. After Stories – apple cider beer and their incredible fusion bites. After Stories boasts of good food and nothing else. The classic wheat beer at Takamaka, is absolutely lovely with just the right brew.

Deliveries

Lastly, Gurgaon boasts of innumerable delivery only outlets and they are so, so many options to choose from. I have exhausted quite a lot, the whole list can be found here. But there are two, that I would especially like to mention. Naashta Gourmet – this breakfast delivery brand is absolutely ravishing, they have complete meal options, customizable to your needs and very wholesome. Expect a fresh juice/smoothie, cookie, salad and complete with cutlery and mint. TWIGLY – they have taken the world by surprise by their sandwiches, pastas and even pizzas. On countless occasions I have chomped on their sandwiches and enjoyed it to the core.

Chicken sandwich box from Naashta Gourmet

Amritsari chicken tikka sandwich

Gurgaon was fun, but I am a Delhi girl through and through and no city would match upto this kooky city. Even the one, that practically grew out from it.

34 days to a New Year, lots more left in store for this year. 🙂

Raise, The Bar

Clarens hotel has been attracting a lot of attention over the period of years due to its prime location of being in a corner and having the view of the city on 3 sides. Top floor was originally a rooftop pool which is now a smashing bar called Raise, The Bar.

It actually is a very vibrant place chilled out atmosphere, a huge space with couches, high chairs, a well-lit bar that ties it all together and experienced bartenders that will make sure that your drink is according to your palate.
This is a place in Gurgaon, Sector 29 that enjoys breathtaking views of the city on 3 sides which on an evening filled with boozy cocktails will be one to remember. We attended the Launch Party which was an experience in itself, EDM music, cocktails & straights pouring from the bar, live grill on the rooftop and plenty of memories.

Watch this video to get a feel of the ambience at Raise, The Bar!

Coming to the cocktails, we had a Old Fashioned which was served in a short glass but the classic combination of Jim Beam, Sugar and orange had crafted beautifully by the bartender. They also have Bira on tap which can actually be a pretty good option when here for a casual evening.

The Tapas were pretty amazing too, we had a limited selection for the evening which included some chicken skewers, Lamb ribs, Cheese and Chilli bites, all three were great.
Another cocktail that was nailed was Espresso Martini, A vodka based drink instead of the usual Gin with espresso shot and baileys, another one in the book nailed to perfection!

Raise, The Bar has proved that it’s here to give you an experience like no other and with the right attraction it will surely be your next party place!

Creative Cover image courtesy: Raise, The Bar Facebook page.

 

Warehouse Cafe for Kahlua and comfort curries

My very first memory of warehouse cafe is when they had a calendar themed menu with a special deal on each day. So there was an element of surprise each time you visited. This brewery is a more mainstream version with a lot of desi tikkas and decent beer. With framed construction site shots propped on red brick walls, Warehouse Cafe has pretty cool Theka deals that you can pair with the desi grub.

We started with the malai chicken tikka, chilly chicken and chilly paneer. Malai chicken tikka – succulent bits of chicken topped with thick cream and served with mint chutney. The chilly chicken and chilly paneer both tossed with chilly sauce, onions, tomatoes and bell pepper, ideal bar bites. Peri Peri Chicken Wings – the Portuguese spice rubbed juicy wings topped with mayo and served with garlic bread. Now this was an out rightly weird combination, but the garlic bread in itself was well made and the wings were pretty delish too. Pocket parantha stuffed with paneer cubes and a tomato based masala, and served with a drizzle of spicy mayo, it tasted like a very desi version of a quesadilla and didn’t make quite the impact. Quattro Formaggio kulcha – a fluffy kulcha stuffed with cheese, garlic and seasoning, it is impossible to get the taste of four kinds of cheese and feels more like mozzarella but makes for quite a tantalizing bite.

Malai chicken tikka

Paneer tikka

Chicken tikka

Peri Peri chicken wings

Pocket Paranthas

Quattro formaggi kulcha

Mains included the tried and tested butter chicken, dal makhni, shahi paneer, roti and rice. Heavily dowsed with cream and slow cooked in masalas, the curries were pretty decent and counted for comfort food but cafes really need to experiment more even with the Indian curries.

Butter chicken and laccha parantha

Dal makhni, butter chicken and rice

Warehouse Cafe serves just about average beer but their Dark Knight with kahlua and dark rum is a must have.

Where? Sector 29, Gurgaon

Price for two – 1500INR approx

Cuisine – Indian, American, Cafe

Nagai – for a piece of Japan in Gurgaon

Sleek lines, minimalism and an authentic menu, Chef Reina Nagai has incarnated Japanese Culture in this building of Gurgaon. You can feel the change of energy as you step into this artsy place with gorgeous life size installations, a classy basement and open spaces. They also have a beautiful outdoors with lush greens and tree lights, ideal for a cozy tête à tête. Chef Reina brings to life a lot of Japanese classics with modern splashes inspired from her travels – the menu comprises of a lot of signature dishes with Thai, Mediterranean and Mexican influences.

They also have a Sake bar and we started off with some signature cocktails – Kyoto Martini – vodka, shochu, jasmine tea and raisins, the martini was absolutely refreshing and topped with the signature Japanese distilled shochu. Mogami – Bourbon, Sake, mango puree and honey water – with the Japanese wine sake, this one was a tad on the sweeter side – a superb infusion of whiskey and and Japanese wine concoction.

Kyoto Martini

Mogami

Kyoto Martini with shochu and jasmine tea

Course 1 – Miso soup with tofu – the traditional soup using miso paste, steamed vegetables and tofu – a broth that is sure to workup your appetite.

Miso soup

Course 2 – For appetizers we chose Caramelized lotus roots with sesame and soy – this subtle dish really brings out the root flavours – thinly sliced lotus stem, caramelized to a slight sweetness and topped with sesame seeds, this crunchy entrée is great as a bar bite. Chicken Gyoza – thin skinned dimsums stuffed with savory chicken and pan fried to a slight crunch. Slump the dimsums in soy to enjoy these masterful delicacies.

Caramelized lotus roots with soya and sesame

Chicken gyoza

Course 3 – Dragon roll – King prawn tempura, roasted eel and avacado – shaped like a dragon, the gorgeous looking sushi has the finest crunchy prawns. I especially enjoyed the fresh avocado with the sushi. Salmon Carpaccio – carpaccio is traditionally thinly sliced or pounded thinly and served as an appetizer. The salmon carpaccio is a piquant dish with delicious smoked salmon served with a chilly, pomegranate sauce.

Dragon roll

Salmon carpaccio

Course 4 – Famous Japanese Stewed Pork Belly Nagai Style – slow stewed pork belly with daikon (radish) with cinnamon and ginger sauce and topped with zucchini and carrot tempura bits. The slightly sweet sauce teamed well with the sticky rice and the pork belly obviously was immaculately grilled and so succulent. Chicken Yaki Udon noodles – Japanese style noodles with tossed with lots of vegetables, bits of chicken and soy.

Pork belly with Daikon in Cinnamon and ginger sauce

Chicken yaki udon

Course 5 – Dark Chocolate Semifreddo – Semifreddo is a kind of semi frozen dessert, somewhat like a frozen mousse. Belgian chocolate semifreddo with dark chocolate bits and chocolate cream – this delish chocolate overload with a smooth texture is simply heavenly. Coconut Panna Cotta – coconut panna cotta served with fresh mango pureé and homemade ginger jam – the intermingling flavours together are brilliant and so exhilarating.

Dark Chocolate Semifreddo

Coconut Panna Cotta

Nagai is THE pick for Japanese, gorgeous flavors and don’t forget to chomp on their sushi, pork belly and coconut panna cotta.

Where? Sector 29, Gurgaon

Price for two – 3500 INR

Cuisine – Japanese

Wai Yu Mun Ching – Chinese comfort food

Chinese food is always equivalent to a good batch of comfort to me. A nice noodle bowl and dimsums to go along side always make for a good deal. Wai Yu Mun Ching is a pretty cool faux Mandarin anagram – and operate as a delivery/ QSR module.

Chinese comfort food

I started with chicken dumplings – OBVIOUSLY – thin skinned nicely done dumplings with flavorsome chicken and served with a hot sauce. Stuffed with succulent meat, the dimsums are decent and make for quite a bite. Grilled chicken lemon dry – grilled chicken, what felt more like juicy poached chicken instead, tossed with a spicy sauce with bell pepper and spring onions. This was insanely good.

Chicken dimsums

Grilled chicken lemon dry

Cantonese Noodles – pan fried noodles served with Cantonese sauce with bell pepper, babycorn and cabbage. The slightly sweet sauce is delightful and a refreshing change from the regular fusion saucy ones. Vegetable Chopsuey – fried noodles served with a sweet saucy chopsuey sauce. The fried noodles needed to be more flavorful, the sauce too was a little of saucy and needed the right balance between sweet and saucy.

Cantonese noodles

Veg Chopsuey

Wai Yu Mun Ching for decent Chinese comfort food and chicken dumplings.

Where? Star Mall, Sector 30, Gurgaon

Price for two – 1000 INR

Cuisine – Chinese

Me-Bo – Chill and Eat Meal in a Bowl

After I get back from work, the most dreaded task is to do the dishes post dinner and clean up the mess of the delish meal. It kind of takes away the satiation of the meal for me. This is what made me fall in LOVE with the idea of Meal in a Bowl – eat you full meal in a bowl which can easily be disposed away. They however just wanted to give all those who want to Netflix and chill another reason to enjoy their lazy days in bed. They have curated some amazing meal bowl options – healthy, desi and continental and are creating lots of buzz.

Love their packaging, because duh YELLOW!

Smoothie Bowls – they have a range of super healthy smoothie bowls perfectly balanced with crunchies and munchies. Since all of their bowls have bananas to make them more creamier, and I have the biggest aversion towards bananas (don’t judge pliz) they custom created a blueberry smoothie bowl topped with pomegranate seeds, grated coconut, almonds. The creamy bowl is delicious and packs so much good health.

Buddha Bowls – I tried the Zoodles Buddha Bowl – Zucchini and carrot ribbon fettuccine, bell pepper, aubergine, roasted tomato sauce and topped with sunflower seeds and basil. This too is a super healthy bowl with the goodness of crunchy vegetables and a flavorsome sauce.

Zoodles Buddha Bowl with roasted tomato sauce

Spaghetti Meat Ball Bowl – Spaghetti cooked al dente with a roasted tomato sauce, juicy meat balls topped with parmesan cheese and sauteed crunchy bell pepper, baby corn and broccoli. The meat balls are very nicely bound and very juicy, it is a tad risky to eat these directly from the bowl though.

Spaghetti meatballs bowl with sauteed veggies

They also have quite nice iced teas and coffee options – the iced cold pressed coffee was pretty refreshing.

Iced Latte

Finished this healthy spread with a Rose Panna cotta dessert jar – the slight sweet panna cotta jar, spiked with a slight rose twinge.

Rose Panna Cotta Dessert Jar

Me-Bo offers delicious meal bowls with Asian, Continental, Indian and Super healthy Smoothie and Buddha options. Top it with refreshing coolers and dessert jars and you have a new favourite delivery place.

Where? Delivery module in Gurgaon

Price for two – 700 INR

Cuisine – Meal in a Bowl/ Healthy bingeing

Punjab Grill – the fine dine experience

Punjab Grill epitomizes fine dine and takes the classic take of a typical North Indian fine dine restaurant complete with courteous servers, finely dressed table and a general air of comfortable family places. The chef has taken the classics and created them beautifully and has thrown on some excellent fusion additions.

Start by a papad basket, masala onions and a welcome drink – a fusion of masala lemonade and mint mojito.

We started our gluttonous meal with the Dilli favourites – aloo chaat and chicken chaat – the chicken chaat with a slight cool palate, sweet and spicy dressing with peanuts and lettuce made it for a great start.

Aloo chaat

Chicken chaat

Paneer tikka multani, Murgh tikka Punjab Grill and Raunaqueen Seekhan – we started off with the paneer, cut and lined with coriander masala and sealed back together with cream and grilled, the paneer need a tad more dressing to make the mark. Murgh tikka was nicely dowsed with spices and grilled to yumminess. The Raunaqueen Seekhan however was the star of the appetizers – mutton seekh with masalas, distinct flavors of onions and tomatoes and a creamy topping leaving a lacey after taste.

Paneer tikka

Chickentikka

Punjab grill special mutton seekh

All plated

The main course was extensive and the curries were all simply impeccable! Dal makhni, kadhai paneer, murgh makhni, Meat Punjab grill, garlic naan, laccha parantha and tandoori roti. All the curries were so well prepared, what stood out was the murgh makhni with its gravy just the right potpourri of sweet, masalas and creaminess. The mutton again was so well done – topped with ginger juiliennes, the sapid mutton makes the meal all the more gratifying. And not forgetting with breads – the garlic naan topped with fresh garlic chunks and lightly buttered has to be declared by fat THE BEST EVER.

The mains

Meat Punjab Grill

The SWELL plate

We finished with phirnee and gulab jamuns – both the desi desserts were well prepared and I was especially diggin in the gulab jamuns.

Phirnee

Gulab Jamun

Punjab Grill for a gorging on meaty fare and a perfect place for a family meal.