Benjarong- Meal in a Tiffin box...

The new trend is to have set menu, the corporate/executive lunches... And so jumping on this wagon, but doing it in style, Benjarong has launched tiffin box meals.. It is probably the only restaurant I go to for Thai food and so this concept is a cool addition to their hat. 

So, if two of you[ friends/ family/colleagues/etc] are heading out for lunch, all you need to do is order yourself one of these and voila, your meal arrives piping hot, packing in a traditional yet contemporary tiffin box and you dig in...  

It contains a starter, a Salad, Rice, Noodles, a side dish and the dessert is served separately. The portions are good enough for two, and it comes fresh off the stove. Reminding us of the days when we used to get hot lunches at school, this tiffin box has a dash of nostalgia element to it as well. The only catch/point to be noted is both of you need to be either Veg or non veg.. You cannot get a mixed box, kinda complicated to put together, right? 

All this is priced at Rs899 plus tax.. Quite a steal for amazing food..

The Fatty Bao - Asian Gastro Bar

Over the past few months, i knew several new restaurants had come up in Chennai , most of which am yet to visit. But wait, I was in Bangalore, a city that had far too many restaurants/pubs if you ask me and I have been to just a handful of em. 

Via Malaysia Ramen

Thai Green curry with rice

Salt & Pepper shakers.. how cute, :O

Japanese Cheesecake

So this visit, a meeting was fixed, but then after a bit of deliberation, we zeroed in on a venue- The Fatty Bao. I had heard about this place, but had no idea what to expect. The minute I looked up the address, I gave out a huge sigh [ not of relief, but Oh gosh, not again], cos it said "12th Main road, Indira Nagar". That street is packed tight with eateries, pubs, and stores and I kinda sorta wasnt a big fan of the area. But oh, well, never pass up an opportunity to try a new place and ofcourse meet someone sweet & dear.

Made my way from Ulsoor towards this part of town and well, nothing seemed familiar. I spotted the Sony store, but then the map asked me to go across from it. Oh well, looks like this was the other side of 12th Main road. I thought to myself "Maybe the other stretch is so full, restaurants are spilling over to this side".. lolz

Found the restaurant on the left, and noticed a sign saying it was on the 3rd floor. Got out of the elevator, and lo behold, it felt like I had been transported to somewhere in the South east. Dark lights, kitsch colours on the walls, panda, cute faces and what not, and then there was the eclectic furniture, and light fittings. There was also a Christmas tree of sorts right in the middle with colourful ornaments hanging from them. We chose the table just beyond it and thus began what was a fun rendezvous.  

Since both of us were vegetarians, I thought "well, this should be a breeze", but oh boy was I wrong. They had quite a lot of options, and after going to & fro, we went with the Spicy Mushroom Bao, Thai green curry with steamed rice, and Via Malaysia Ramen bowl. 

The bao was simply divine. It was literally melting in our mouths and was polished off in a jiffy. My friend has never had a bao, not even heard of one plus she had just come back after a medical check up, was quite ravenous... 

The Via Malaysia Ramen bowl was beautiful. Loved the subtle flavours in the broth that went well with the noodles, tofu and veggies. We did add a bit of Sriracha to take it up a notch. 

The Thai curry and rice was yummilicious. If I was dying and you had to feed me a spoonful of my favorite dish, this would be it.. Am not a fan of the red or yellow curry, remember that, alright? Here it came in a tray accompanied by some rice crisps, golden fried onions and few other condiments.. Loved it.. 

And what meal is complete without a dessert... After a few second deliberation, we both opted for the Japanese Cheesecake that was served with a sweet crumb and tart berry compote. Looked beautiful and tasted even better. My friend mentioned that most of the cheesecakes she has had have been sweet, which was quite surprising!! 

This is a fun place to hang out in, catch up with friends or just tuck into the Pan asian dishes on the menu. Fairly quiet, so you can hear yourself/have conversations and simple in terms of decor and ambiance. We spotted only two staff members who ran around attending to the tables, but they were efficient and prompt... 

This meal for 2 worked out to Rs1675/- [incl GST and Service charge]

Address:
610,3rd Floor,
12th A Main Road, off 80 feet Road, HAL 2nd Stage, Indira Nagar, 
Bengaluru  560008

Disclaimer: The reviews posted on this blog are based on my personal experience. Also remember these were just my views!! Remember, no two palates are the same. Bon Appétit :-)

The Wharf 2.0, Radisson BLU Temple Bay, Mahabalipuram

As we drove into the large gates, I was filled with memories from the earlier visit. That was a day trip with friends, we had just decided to get on the road, ending up here at GRT Radisson Blu, Temple Bay in Mahabalipuram.. Walked around for a while, had a lazy fun lunch at the Wharf and drove back to the city.

This time, I was here to do something similar, except it would be visiting the newly revamped Wharf, aptly titled Wharf 2.0, a refreshing new version of something familiar...  The restaurant is situated right next to the ocean, with open views all around. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, I chose the outdoor especially since the weather was fabulous, it had been drizzling that morning.  The lovely canopy provides just the right amount of shelter , the new metal chairs were quite comfy and the green was a colour that stood out against the brown sand and blue waters.

We got to interact with the team at the restaurant, who spoke with such pride and drive, it was endearing.. The chef told us the menu was based on the elements of the planet- earth, wind, fire, water and air, which extended to how their menu was laid out as well. You won't find "starters", "soups" but instead you find "earth", "air" etc..  Now, since it is situated along the ocean, a big chunk of the menu is seafood/non veg based, but they do have a good selection of food for us veggies [which is such a relief to see and it is not all about paneer] :)

The afternoon was lazy, relaxed and packed with some yumm food, starting with the interesting cocktails, moving on to starters, main and the show stopper desserts.. Come join me on this journey, 

The view from our table..

 The two drinks to kick off lunch - Above Sea Level [berry based with a thin sugar sheet on top] and Sunkissed [ gin, tender coconut water and vettiver] 

Amuse bouche.. while we waited for the soup..

 Thai matcha soup - the broth had thai flavours fused with pumpkin puree and it was sinful.. esp since I love thai cuisine!

Aloo shakkarkand aur chilgoza ki tikki [Inspired by earth]- it was melt in the mouth delish and that dip was perfect..

 Crumbed olives  with Blue cheese &paprika dip [Inspired by Earth]- it was heaven, every bite was sinful.. the olives were super fresh and that blue cheese dip, well i would be happy with just that.. 

Paneer Ghee Roast [Inspired by Earth]- paneer slices packed with a milagai podi of sorts and cooked in ghee- it was surprisingly light and well, quite yumm.. Chef recommended we try this with plain rice and it was a good combination indeed.  

Dastaan-e-kumbh [Inspired by Fire]- Stuffed mushrooms served with green chutney and peanut sauce. It had pomogranate seeds inside two mushrooms...  WOW!

Makkai ki tikki- cooked on the tandoor, these were also good , simple sweet and light.. 

The main dishes - There was the bread basket with an assortment of naans, Mushrooms cooked in chettinad style, Dal makhani and Paneer sabzi. Apparently the cutlery used to serve dishes has also changed, gone are the ceramic pots and in came the traditional vessels, which I think is quite a neat touch... The starters were wow, and the mains were the usual line up of dishes... 

Eggplant Zucchini layered baked Casserole [almost like a diff version of the ratatouille]

   

Hard surprise- the ultimate show stopper of a dessert , you should watch the drama before it becomes what it is on the plate... It had a thin outer chocolate bowl, filled with everything from mousse, cake, fruits, compote, and more... 

Gulab Jamun Cheesecake topped with sugar candy- again it involves some amount of drama.. Loved this dessert as there was the perfect balance between sweetness of the Gulab jamun with the cheese cake & the berry compote sitting on top 

It had been a good 4-5 hours by the time we had polished of f the desserts and my oh my, was it one hellova afternoon or what. It is the perfect setting for a group to come chill, have a few drinks, nibble on the various dishes and have a good weekend afternoon at.  So, next time you are looking for an option for a relaxed weekend lunch, head out to the Temple Bay property and you are in for a treat.. We told ourselves that we needed to walk for a while before heading back to the city, and so the walk from the restaurant to the main lobby was what we did... :D

The cottages we passed by looked so inviting.. Maybe next time should combine a weekend stay and lunch..


Disclaimer: The reviews posted on this blog are based on my personal experience. Also remember these were just my views!! Remember, no two palates are the same. Bon Appétit :-)

Bombay Salad Co, Mumbai

After a few hours exploring the lanes of Bandra, some shopping and chai, we were all set to head over somewhere for dinner and wind up the long day. A bit of deliberation, some options thrown out and then voila, we had decided where we were going.. It was going to be "Bombay Salad Company", on Linking Road in Bandra. 

That particular day the traffic was mad, and we noticed there was some repair work going on that street, so we got off and walked it down.. It is a fairly large space, with both indoor and outdoor seating. We chose the indoors, and the 1st thing you notice when you walk in is the large salad section on the right side. Tonnes of containers with various vegetables, sauces, toppings and more. Quite a range, I was overwhelmed. And then came the menu, damn they sure had a gazillion salad options- from make your own to pre designed Salads. I did quite a bit of playing around with the choices, till I finally settled on the Avocado and Feta Salad.. 

The others chosen were The Farmer and Bombay salad, while for the kid we ordered the three cheese sandwich. The portions are huge and quite filling. All the elements in the salad were fresh and had a lovely bite to them as well. I went ahead and got myself a Fresh lime soda salt as well.. Apart from Salads, they have a small selection of sandwiches, wraps, beverages and desserts.. 

This is one of those places with no fancy decor or seating, but the food speaks for itself... 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bombaysalad/

Address:

Bombay Salad Co.

#340, Near Mini Punjab Hotel, 16th Rd, Bandra West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400050

Chaayos, Mumbai

After an hour wandering about Bandra, the lanes of Ranwar village and the fort, we wanted to grab some chai and maybe something to eat as well. Friend's son chose Chaayos and that was that.. We headed to their outlet in Bandra. 

The place has a certain charm to it, it is not fancy, it does not have any fancy decor or seating but then it was quirky in its own way. The lights instantly caught my eye. It was a set of tea glasses in their 6 tea cup stand with a bulb in it. That apart, the tables and chairs were in an interesting arrangement. Some were long, some were for 2 and then there was the long slab with high chairs overlooking the road. Oh and they had outdoor seating as well. We looked around and decided on the high chairs near the entrance, mind you these are comfortable high chairs, not the ones where a butt is hanging out or you are worried you might fall and break some bones..  Oh and must mention the murals on the wall- so eclectic and simple, they were almost all black & white sketches, funky ones at that. 

When it came to orders, we went over to the counter and checked out their menu. Friend suggested I try their cold chai, and so i went with her option and ordered a Cold Masala Chai.. Along with it, I wanted something to eat. Pav bhaji and Spinach chaat was the selection made by friend. And boy oh boy they were yumm. The pav bhaji portion was huge- there were three sets of buns  and two kullad [terracota cups] with Bhaji in them. Hot tea came in a taller kullad. Friend told me that you could take these back home if you wanted to. Mine came in a take away plastic container.. sigh~  Apart from these, we also ordered two slices of cakes- a Date & Fig, and a Chocolate slice. My Date & Fig slice was heaven, esp since it was served hot. 

The food was divine, the drinks were refreshing and the place was fun. It was their 5th anniversary and so the place was packed with white and green balloons.   I noticed some folks on their laptops working away, others holding a meeting of sorts and some just sipping on tea and reading a book. Looked like a good place to chill at.. 

They also had these juice carton kinda boxes of sorts for take aways [4-5cup capacity].. so if you are in a hurry, grab and go~ After about an hour here, we finally headed out, and were all set for a round of shopping before dinner time..  What fun it is to travel to a different town, you discover so many amazing places... 

Lets millet..

If you’re into healthy eating, chances are you have heard of millets like Thinai, saamai, ragi and others.. But then the one word that many seem to be chanting these days is "quinoa". Well, for those who are clueless what we are talking about, it is "Millets".. 

They are coarse grains and a repository of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. They include jowar (sorghum), ragi (finger millet), foxtail millet, kodo millet, saamai (little millet), bajra (pearl millet), proso millet and barnyard millet. While the practice of consuming millets as part of the daily diet is not new to India, it had gone missing for a few decades and has now made a re-entry. So much so that every other person you meet is talking about how they have stopped eating rice and shifted to millets. For some it is about healthy, but there are a few who are doing this just to stay in "trend" .. 

Few days ago, I got a call inviting me to an event at Prems Grama Bhojanam, Adyar where Sri Krishna Byre Gowda- Minister of Agriculture, Karnataka would be coming .. He was here in his endeavour to promote millets and for the upcoming Organic & millet trade fair [Jan, in Bangalore]

The meeting with the Minister and few others from the group was very interesting and insightful. I learnt about how millets have always ruled over rice in some parts of Karnataka and how they are so different from rice, in every aspect. 

1. Require lesser water for cultivation

2. Don't require any/little pesticides and so is good for the environment as well

3. They grow in any climatic condition [worked in times of drought ]

The restaurant where the meet was happening - Prems Grama Bhojanam is one I have been to few times earlier and love their food. Infact I know of quite a few who went on my reference and enjoyed their menu.  The menu is mainly millets and offbeat items like Neer dosai which we dont get too much here in Chennai. One other dish that stands out from here is their Black rice puttu.. It is divine!! you need to try it to believe me... 

The Minister also told us that many farmers would rather not cultivate anything during drought season rather than switching to millets. He said it would involve changing mindsets of not only the people but also the farmers. 

When questioned about the high price of millets, his response was again to do with the yield being low and in only in some pockets. 

Just like everything else, it requires effort from people to be open to trying new ingredients, understand their value+health benefits and start making the shift. [While millets take longer to cook than rice, they hold off hunger longer because they are low in GI. ]

Different kinds of millets..

[Image courtesy- https://www.pinterest.com/pin/327566572876033801/]

Minister Sri Krishna Byre Gowda

 Mr Krishnamoorthy of Prems Grama Bhojanam

The food served at Prems Grama Bhojanam that day was phenomenal, as always. Started with Mudakathan keerai vadai and a cup of Mushroom+banana stem soup. They were both sinful and we went for a 2nd helping of the soup. 

Following this came the thali 
Sambar rice, rasam rice, curd rice, lemon rice, [except there was no rice, they were all made with different kinds of millets- saamai, thinai, guthirai vaali and one other] moong daal halwa [with palm jaggery], kara kozhambu with ragi & red rice balls. And along this was Beetroot kari. 

The next time you are looking for something different to try, do head over to Prems Grama Bhojanam.. It is a small non descript place, tucked away behind a bunch of stores, but well worth a visit~~  Do meet Mr Krishnamoorthy if he is there, he is such a treasure chest of information..

Address:
Prems Grama Bhojanam
#19/90, Sardar Patel Road, 
Beside GRT store/Jalpaan, 
Gandhi Nagar, Adyar, Chennai - 600020

Interesting articles

7 Amazing Benefits Of Millet

Celebrations galore at Flying Elephant, Park Hyatt, Chennai

Bring on the Anniversary Celebrations... 
Bring on the party for the "Alcohol is back" news.. Yayy!! 

At Flying Elephant, they do it in style, with a difference.. They have gone all out and introduced a new menu, almost 75% of the dishes in the old one have been replaced with some amazing new dishes, many of which would be like a live station, except right at your table...

Chef Balaji and Chef Teku have come together and whipped up some interesting dishes on this new menu.. Here is a sneak peek to what lies in store,

Singapore Slow- A crispy crunchy salad that the chef put together at our table had all the flavours I love... 

Tandoori Tarbooza [Watermelon] - Oh this was all sorts of wow.. You would not know its watermelon till you bite into it. Even then the head is trying to wrap itself around this dish. The outside masala is a lot like the one used for Paneer tikka/chicken tikka but the inside is sweet and juicy... It is brought to the table sizzling on a small tandoor and served with the traditional green chutney. We were more than wowed by this, the biggest surprise being there was no water leaking from the fruit, even though it sat on the grill a good few minutes.. Chef Balaji has quite a few tricks up his sleeve is what we gathered based on the discussion we had on this dish :)

Tofu in a sauce- I loved this- it had tofu bok choy, broccoli and few other veggies, with a sauce that was simple yet yumm

Mushroom Risotto.. While the non veg got Ossobucco [lamb on saffron risotto]this was mine.. All mine. The mushrooms were beautiful, the risotto still had a bite to it and it was one bowl that I could happily dig into anytime of the day

 Ginger flower- Not a dish, but chef showed this to tell us about the ingredient and how it added flavour to a few of the dishes. It was beautiful, we did have a tough time trying to place the aroma/taste, but soon I kinda figured it was like a torn betel leaf..

 The new decor is quite neat.. There are black boards with stylish typography on them across the restaurant, the new pizza place looks swanky and the lights,well I loved them..

 Black forest- with a twist.. It had berry compote, sorbet and crunchy crumble beneath it while the black forest was light airy and delicious . I personally loved the tart of the berry with the richness of the chocolate, perfect combination!

Soft baked brownie served with peanut ice cream. Well, if you are allergic to peanuts, stay away.. more the merrier for the others.. The brownie was fudgy, gooey and hot while the ice cream was singing with peanut flavours.. 

To experience more from the new menu, head over to Flying Elephant, order a pint or a glass of wine and enjoy the evening!! 

Address:
Park Hyatt
#39, Velachery Main Rd, 
Velachery, Chennai - 600032
Phone:044 7177 1234

Disclaimer: The reviews posted on this blog are based on my personal experience. Also remember these were just my views!! Remember, no two palates are the same. Bon Appétit :-)