Pre-Independence Chinese restaurant

For the records, this restaurant has been in existence since 1945, serving authentic, now Indian Chinese, to its patrons. When it started it was closer to the Gateway of India, though not far now but behind Regal Cinema, Lings Pavilion is a place we went to ring in our Diwali holidays.

The egg shaped entrance, opens with a sliding door and your greeted to a small bridge, over a pool having lots of real fish. We preferred to climb up on the mezzanine floor to get a top view of the entire restaurant. As we sat down, the over enthusiastic captain who has served the place for decades dawned on us and started suggesting us what to eat. He was very clear that we (Indians) will not like the authentic Chinese, in his words it is all steamed and no spice used. No choice left we went by his suggestions, hot and sour soup for two of us and chicken meat balls for starters. For my vegetarian friends they ordered Imperial rolls, made of potato and shallow fried, went well with chilly chutney.

As for the main course we wanted to order kun pao chicken but the captain (remember the over enthu one), said we should try the Red Cooked Chicken. It is a combination of egg fried rice and lot of schezwan cooked shredded chicken gravy. The vegans ordered American Chopsey. The egg fried rice was good and so was the gravy. However, the chopsey which was served was steamed vegetables, it was immediately returned, for replacement came the Hakka noodles. It made for a good meal.

The serving was quick, i guess Chinese food is anywhere served quickly so no points for that. The USP of Ling's is the dark China World ambience's, quality of poultry and food. I am told the things to eat is sea food and Pork. But since we don't have those taste buds we stick ed to poultry.

The show stopper, was the mud cake, a gooey chocolate caked served with vanilla ice cream. We liked it so much that we ordered one more. If we had ordered the third one am sure that too would have melted inside within minutes.

My verdict----Go there with an empty stomach as they have huge portions. Price is reasonable and it also serves alcohol. They have a special dessert but the guy making it is on long leave so, try your luck.

 

More Indian than you think

Last year on Dussehra, my wife invited her ex-colleague, working in a Global News Corporation, for lunch. The middle aged business editor lived in Bandra west, while we lived two stations down, at Santacruz. As decided he was too come around 1 pm for lunch, so i called him to given directions but instead he replied he will be there on time, using Google maps. I was pleasantly surprised, as my present residence is in a crowded area and often my relatives need detailed directions, to reach. However, around half an hour, after the call ended, our guest landed at our door step.
Lunch was not something special, but what we Indians eat on Dussehra day, lentils, mashed potato, roti, rice and Shrikhand for desserts. Our guest, eat all with curiosity and did not mind eating somethings directly from the bowl, as we do many times at our homes. The London manners of new cutlery for every food item were not seen in our guest, he quite adjusted to our living. As for the taste he liked the food a lot and especially the home made shrikhand.
After tea our guest announced that he wanted to go and see the burning of Ravan, near Khar masjid and he and my wife again following Google maps, reached the place where the effigy was to burn. Later i was told that he enjoyed the sounds of Nashik dhol, people playing with gulal and the crowds spirit gathering at the burning area. Overall it was a very different kind of an experience, completely unexpected from an born and brought up in Londoner.  

All Day Goan Bakery

Beef Cutlets, chicken burger, Mince rolls, Irish Coffee and many more delicacies, surround you while you sit to eat at Infantaria. An all day eatery near the Calangute beach. On my recent visit to the State, several people and websites suggested me to must visit this joint. After shopping in Mapusa, we rode back to Calangute. The eatery is next to a play ground and the road going to Baga beach. The Ground plus one bungalow type eatery is open all day and especially well known for breakfast. The decor is simple but very classy and laid back. Imagine sitting next to a well, or to a food display  counter. If your hungry, you will like to eat it all but the rich food the eatery serves doesn't allow you to do so.

 As we sat i felt i was in one of the Bakeries in Bandra, Hersch or Andora. We had gone there for tea and evening snacks. So i ordered for a chicken burger and prachi called for a cheese croissant. The burger unlike of having a patty and slices of onion and tomato, had sliced chicken pieces. Though a different take on burgers but it was really delicious. The croissant was fresh and filling.

Infantaria is as old as Goa, the locals throng this place for snacks. But the publicity it has got over the years, ensures Indian and foreign tourist fight for space. The place also promotes local artist. On evenings a show is held where local artist display their talent. When we visited there was to be a show by a local band.

A small but very satisfying eatery, the pleasing staff and ambiance makes me say to you..Its a must visit if your in Goa.  

Mum's kitchen, Goa Kept Alive Here

When in Goa, especially in Panjim, many restaurants and tots will display boards of serving authentic goan cuisine. Of course everyone does serve, Vindaloo, Xacuti and Cafreal but that's not the only food that falls in the Goan category. Goa the coastal city which has heavy traffic and a few traffic signals have been installed is over populated says locals. In this begining of chaos a visit to Mum's kitchen is a must do.
Located on the road parallel to Madovi river, near the Miramar beach, this bungalow type resto is not easily to be found. I used hummit to search, but Goggle Maps helped. The reason its a bit difficult to find is because there are no big banners or signage put up to indicate the name, the concrete name block is not well light. But once you find it, walk up the aisle with water flowing along and surrounded by bamboo trees. The ground plus one eatery welcomes you to the old tandoor kitchen looking bar with artefact's and a pleasant staff.

As we sat inside, our curiosity overtook us, though having read several post on line about it, I requested the manager to run us down with the history of the place. Mum's Kitchen, is 17-year-old, it sources recipes from Mothers in Goan villages. This their menu card says is to retain the authenticity of the goan food and to bring to the table some old forgotten dishes.

As we sat for the dinner after a long day of visiting Dona Paula, fort aguada, the pleasant staff suggested us to have the coconut Fanny, with the Komdi Sukhem as starters. The chunks of chicken, marinated in tangy gravy once put in the mouth tastes a bit dud. But chew on and the real flavors of the masala make the chewing delightful. My wife prachi ordered prawns with mustard, she tells me, they were fresh and tasteful. For the main course we placed an order for egg curry rice. If at another place the staff may not have said that one would be enough for both of us. This we felt was a good gesture.

The attendant told us the place receives a lot of foodies from cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Pune. While we waited for our food to be served two middle age person walked in. The manger who had received them during lunch hour was surprised and happy to received them again. The duo announced they were from Managlore and the taste of lunch remained with us all day thus bringing us back for dinner.

My conclusion is the same, once eaten at Mum's kitchen the taste tends to linger on. As for the cost a meal for two with alcohol will damage you by Rs 2,000 without alcohol will be around Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,300. As for the ambiance, the coloured table tops and pleasant lighting brings in positive energy to the place.

Big Bang sky is the roof

Big Bang bar and cafe on twitter says the Sky is their roof and this punchline really works out for them. As you enter the cramped make shift elevator to reach the third floor of a mall cum commercial premise located in the KFC lane, next to natural ice cream, you just hope of being in a nice place. When the door opens your welcomed or questioned actually by North east attendants who most probably stay in Kalina and work in several restaurants and pubs in Bandra, Khar area. They seem to be least bothered with their duties as few are on the phone, don't guide your properly or are simply not enthusiastic about their job profile.
After the bad welcome you step into the Bar and cafes AC section by pushing aside a big wooden door. The LED panel behind the bar reads Red Bull with bar chairs and big tables around it on weekends it also facilitates as a dance floor. The pub has two open areas which are the most occupied ones. As i sit with my host who is ringing in her birthday, i am told the bar has several one free on two drinks offer. That's a nice way to have patrons keep coming to you. The open section i mostly thought would be used by the smokers but the next table was occupied by a bunch of ladies who came to let their hair down. Then a group of friends who came to have breeze rs. The entire area was filled by middle aged patrons who spoke softly drank their own stuff and did not disturb others. Another factor that works for Big bang is that seating is thoughtful, it caters to couples, large groups and those preferring corners.
The food is good quality and value for money. The service is quick and personnel are attentive and polite. Big bang is a good place to have a drink and starters as most of the tables around us simply left after doing that and looked happy.   

gourmetitup.com...wonderful wesbite to book food experience

This post is only to praise the services offered by a restaurant reservation website Gourmetitup.com. Though this has not changed they way in which i hog around at restaurants but it surely has given me an option to book an A Grade restaurant on line and be assured that i get the top class services and food.
I has a long time ago just for the sake of it registered myself on the website which also provide concierge services for reservations. It was on May 3 that i tried to opt for their services. Since i wanted the reservations at the eleventh hour i called up the concierge. The woman on the other line was travelling i believe in a local train. Though she answered my call we couldn't complete our conversation due to bad network and she told me to send me my details. I did send it to her and sought a reservation of the table at Bandra, Mainland China within a short deadline of half hour. As i sat on the table and ordered the drink i asked the captain to check whether the reservation was done and i could experience the four course meal offered at a pre decided price.
I was surprised to know that the booking was done and then started the four course meal, beginning with soup, four types of veg and non veg starters including fish, main course comprising of noodles, rice and lamb and chicken stew. Deserts including honey noodles, ice cream and coconut dumplings. Phew with a lovely wine to go with the meal was too much to handle. We wasted a lot of food even though we asked for small portions as we really could gulp it down. However, if we wanted to order for more of any food we could call for in the same price.
After the meal i messaged a thank you to the concierge girl. Though she did not reply to me i sensed that she also might have been smiling for the job well done and appreciated. Henceforth i recommend people to do look up the website gourmetitup.com

Dhaba feel in bandra

The older eating plaza of Bandra, Pali Naka has several multi-cuisine restaurants, most are Italian or continental servers. Among the few Indian food eateries is Papa Pancho, DA Dhaba. Located opposite gold's gym the Punjabi joint which i am told is run by a popular city celebrity.

Papa Pancho

 The interiors are old rustic somewhat made to feel also but it does give you a dhaba feel. With tiffin boxes made of aluminium put on with lamps to give a Punjabi style look works well. The non air-conditioned sections have a section with khatiya type tables and with chairs having cushions with bright coloured sheets. I have visited the place several times, yesterday i went there after a long tiring day. More importantly i wanted to eat good non-veg food.

rustic decor

Pancho serves a form of meal which includes, the dish you order (i called for chicken bhuna) along with a bowl of masoor daal and bowl of curd. Paratha or rice is optional. The food takes some time to come but its cooked well and more importantly the parathas are warm when served. As i munched into the chicken it was soft and juicy while my partner had daal khichdi. The servings are done in copper coated plates and bowl.

Food served in brass coated plate and bowl

The quantity is huge and sufficient technically for two urban eaters with average appetite. lassi. As for the cost a meal for two could cost Rs 1,000 but you would not be disappointed.     
The only discouraging thing is that leg room between the tables is very less. Don't forget to have the glass of lassi.

old charm table/chairs with bright decor giving a dhaba feel 

Birdsong Cafe

Waroda road in bandra has been the residential for Christians with their small row houses and buildings. The road that leads out to the St Andrews Church is a thoroughfare for traffic, vehicles popping out from small by lanes. In this traffic busy street is the quaint Birdsong Cafe which boats of being completely organic. As we enter the cafe we are greeted by our attendant Deepak. The cafe is very simple on decor, with not much paintings or antiques in place, bulps hanging from the ceiling and wooden tables with steel chairs, gives it a good feel. There is a mezzanine floor also if you don't find a table downstairs, but for that you have to climb a steep ladder with the help of a rope hanging by the side.
As we scan through the menu card which you either see it on the black board wall behind the counter or they hand out a small menu card. I wanted to eat a Chicken Mayo sandwich between two of us but it would have been much less so i requested to add an omelet to it and convert it into a club sandwich. Deepak readily agreed to it with the reply that it would be charged extra.

Cookies at the cafe

As the sandwich came in multi-grain bread it looked superb and tasted also, but the spraying of chocolate syrup on the side of the plate was complete no no. The ketchup also tasted as the ones you get in Zaveri Bazaar at the road side sandwich stalls but it went well.
The deserts i was told are the USP of the place, so we tried to order their walnut cake but unfortunately it was over so we ordered a banana walnut cake, it was OK. So was the coffee and Assam Tea. Idling around for over an hour, we see through the large glass windows, is a man standing outside his house, wearing a blue shirt and bermudas, some youngsters with fishing rods, woman going to the market. When the bill arrives we are charged Rs 425, for the club sandwich, does it cost that much at Tea Centre in Churchgate i don't think so. Rest of the beverages and desert were reasonably priced. Over all it was an experience to have, the Birdsong cafe is surely a visit once without fail.  

Pizza Express hits the right taste buds

This post is written by my wife Prachi 

More than a decade ago, for me, a splendid evening meant couple of vodkas and the most awesome garlic bread followed by a pizza at the Pizza Express (no, not Jazz by the bay or Pizzeria, they are different) near Marine Drive, at Churchgate Mumbai. It wasn’t just a pizza place. It was simple yet elegant, with a single dahlia flower placed on each table, nice chequered tablecloths and very less crowd.  A fine dining, for pizza. Awesome. 

Then it disappeared and I rediscovered it in the UK, where it started in the first place in 1965. http://www.pizzaexpress.com/about-us/ an interesting story there. Anyway, so even as I continued to miss the freshly made thin crust pizzas(though many others have started offering that in the meanwhile), to go with good wine, whisky or vodka (you know poisons too can change…) , I spotted one at BKC while on a bike ride with my hubby, the author of this blog.

Pizza 

Soon, I made plans with my foodie friend for a generous dose of heavenly carbs and girltalks! We started with the dough balls with garlic butter (what’s not to like there), followed it up with rosemary pizza bread (rosemary, garlic, extra virgin oil, chilli flakes) and a glass of wine and a tall glass of diet coke.
Our server was very interested in suggesting delicacies and main course orders (or was he enjoying our animated gossip?) and he got us a combo pizza Padana and Giardiniera – one with goats cheese, caramelized onions, spinach, mozzarella and the other with mushrooms, artichokes, olives, cherry tomatoes and what not. 

Wine Glass

Although we didn’t seem to have any trouble stuffing it down, there is no denying that our tummies were full but taste buds craved for more. I resisted the temptation of another wine and dessert. The bill was a little over Rs 2000 and fairly reasonable given the quality and quality.
BKC now houses some of the best fine dining places and amidst all the options this may well stand out for its good food and decent pricing. The only glitch we had was with a huge family seated behind us constantly monitoring a young couple seated in front of us ( we are guessing they were trying to fix an arranged marriage)… fun for the first few minutes then slightly annoying with children running around from one table to the other. 

rosemary pizza bread

And I missed those single dahlia sticks neatly adding to the pleasantness of earlier pizza express. But I am so happy to have a nice outlet close to my house. And I have a complimentary coupon for dough balls and chocolate something… So another trip can’t be too far away. See you there.

Maharashtrian food at Tambe's Dadar

Tambe Arogya Bhavan is a known restaurant to Mumbaikars, cherished for its authentic Maharashtra food---Missal pav, batata vada, Pohe, Kanda Bhaji etc. For a long time while passing the Dadar Kabootarkhana area i have had a glimpse of it but recently my father-in-law suggested that i get pure ghee from there. So we went one Saturday afternoon in the crowded Dadar market  area.
Tambe Arogya Bhavan has been in business since grandfather's age (sorry i did not ask the foundation day), it mostly caters to the lower middle and lower class and connoisseurs of food. Tucked behind an footpath where hawkers don't give space to walk for pedestrians, this unappealing eatery serves hundreds of hungry stomachs everyday. The wooden table and bench type sitting is comfortable and cosy, it readies you to a delightful ride on freshly made food.
After work today i went to this place to have my dinner and it was my first time that i had entered the resto. On the last occasion when i had gone, i was waiting for prachi to get the food parcel. Today as i entered the resto, first thing i saw was a board announcing that this Wednesday it would be open for patrons, yes Tambe is shut every Wednesday's.
I sit on my table and glance through a small menu card which is printed on both sides, one side is dedicated to snacks with the time servings would be done. The flip side is for food, with a TIP---Lunch and Dinner is the best time to have food. They also have menu as per day wise, so one vegetable which they serve on one day wont be another day. This i thing is to add spice and give a change to the daily patrons. So i order potato vegetable and roti, mind you the onion pieces comes with chili chutney and the combination goes well. For sweets i order Gajar ka halwa, it is good but not warm. IN sweets there is also dudhi halwa and piyush and karvas. These are traditional drinks---sweetened curd. Then i call for the bill an it is to my surprise Rs 76. i thought i over eat and here i shell out just over a dollar, for my meal. Pheww i instantly liked Tambe.
PS: A must visit to eat authentic Maharashtra food.  

LPQ for good ambiance and food

Frankly speaking i did not know about this eatery until they started their shop in my office building premise, Le Pain Quotidien in short LPQ. The open space eating area in the office building was inviting but with the rates having been put up on a board--Rs 150 for lemon juice, i couldn't get the encouragement to approach the counter. However, it was February 14, Valentines Day, me and wife wanted to have a quite dinner, it could have been in the bustling suburb of Bandra west which offers a large number of eat outs. However, with our last years experience of a long wait at Main Land China, we wanted a distant place. 

Thus we went to the BKC branch of LPQ, its housed inside a huge corporate complex, as we entered the place, without reservation the attendant told us to wait for sometime. But we were lucky and got a table. Being Valentine day the place was bustling with couples and the table had rose petals on them. The long table which is central to LPQ states that the owner of LPQ, years ago had purchased a table made from a railway foot board and thus the center table tradition. 

We ordered Chicken Stroganoff with saffron rice, bruschetta (tartine) and wine, my stroganoff came inside a brun paav (wow) that was the best idea to have food in. The shredded chicken was superbly marinated in gravy and the filling was decent for my hungry tummy. The sangria went well with the food. After the food which we had for over an hour, since we chatted so much we wanted to have the red velvet pastry, but unfortunately it had been unsurped by the patrons. So the lovely evening ended on rich belgian chocolate cream cake. While leaving since they ran out of roses my wife got jam tart it was tacky in a heart shape. The BKC outlet has an outdoor seating area and i am told several persons visit there after work for a coffee and conversations. 

As for the price the food is good and yes it is an international chain so a bit on the higher side, but worth it. So LPQ is for a good evening with friends or family can be only for coffee also. 

ps: The attendants are pleasant and happy to help.       

sassanian turns 101...we hope its continues forever

This post is written by my friend Dilnaz Boga...

The first time I visited Sassanian was when I was in college in the mid-nineties. Forced by friends who were craving for Parsi food, I finally relented after minutes of cribbing, saying I'd had enough Parsi food at home. After our visit, my taste buds were enslaved. Trust me, the taste of salli chicken hasn't changed since then, and my periodic craving keeps me coming back for more.

For young Zoroastrians who have no idea what Iran looks like or those who feel uprooted from their blissful seventies life in Tehran, this joint is the perfect place to reconnect. The concept of a lost homeland and the optimism of visiting it someday is reinforced in your memory thanks to the photographs in the restaurant.

Also, it's the the pace in the restaurant that one treasures. It's quite unlike other restaurants that are evenly priced that cater to the masses. A good break from the hustle-bustle of this monstrous city.

If you are in the mood for stand-up comedy and excellent Parsi food, Sassanian near Metro Cinema is the place to be. An added bonus: their Boulangerie. 

The restaurant is timeless. With photographs from Iran adorning the walls, the restaurant has remained unchanged for decades. With attentive waiters and an amusing patron who cracks jokes from behind the counter, Sassanian resembles a regular bawa household.

Dhansak, sali chicken with pau, patra ni macchi, murghi na farcha and cutlets and patties are just some of the items on the menu that have been tried and tested and have secured 10/10 in my book. 

Anytime is a good time to visit this joint - breakfast, lunch or dinner. But make sure you have enough room in your tummy for the delicious deserts from the boulangerie next door. And wait a minute, it gets better. You can even buy a sponge cake to take home with you for your midnight hunger pangs. 

All in all, this is one of the last authentic Parsi joints left in this ever-changing city…one of the last ones that has defied time. On it's 101 anniversary on 21st of March, we wish the patrons all the luck and thank-yous a thousand times over for the good ole bawa food and the impeccable Parsi humour that brightened up our days. 

Awadhi food once was for the Nizams

As i enter the star rated Hotel Sarovar Premier in Goregaon, where Awadhi (Lucknowi) food festival is going on i am greeted by the Master Chef Mujeeb ur Rehman who hails from Lucknow and specializes in the food which was made for the Nizams. The gentle and soft spoken Rehman is a connoisseur of Awadhi cuisine and has been associated with several star rated Hotels and start ups in promoting the cuisine.
The food he says in these days has seen a lot of change mostly due to people been exposed to several cuisines and of course fast food. So the cuisine has undergone changes, reduced fat, use of oil and butter. What remains is the superb TASTE of the Awadhi cuisine.

Be it the galloti kebabs, Shirmans or figg roti's the live counters are the most visited at the festival. As we dig into the soft kebabs we are told that Lucknowi, Kashmiri and Hyderabadi have a lot of influence of Moghals who brought the rich cuisine into India. As they travelled and due to tropical conditions of the local area the cuisine underwent changes.
Rehman attributes changes simply to people created their own taste with the spices they could procure easily. The shirman which is a speciality bread with saffron sprinkled is the superb to eat and very rich. The main course is a mix of vegetarian (Prepared for the diet conscious and Jains which make a large part of eating outers) and Non Veg. For me i eat the three different kinds of chicken dishes along with the Shirman, and rotis. But still the Kebabs is what i crave for.
As for deserts there is a large spread, from Sheer Khruma, Dudhi Halwa, Paneer ka Meetha,  to cakes. But if it is Awadhi food festival then except the cakes i eat all. When i am saying good bye to Rehman i ask him the most trending question prevalent in these days. Which wine goes well with Awadhi food. He says "I have not tasted alcohol, internationally that's is the trend but what i promote is the food and not the wine." That in a way assures me that the cuisine is in safe hands and look forward to enjoy it few more times.  

Loved the Kabini River lodge

This post should have come last year when i had been to the Kabini River lodge in September 2013. But time constrain is an excuse which is non questionable so i give that as mine to share this belatedly.
It was my first marriage anniversary on September 17 and we thought of finishing the southern part of India escapades with the Karnataka. Two days at the Nagarhole jungle, then Coorg, Mysore, Bangalore.
So the bookings began and emails between the Karnataka state tourism department and us began. They said they had the river facing rooms available for our schedule dates but wanted the money in advance. Being a mumbaikar i did not want my money to not earn me more money by allowing the tourism department to take it months in advance. So i resisted but they made it clear that it was their policy to take the full amount in advance and so we had to give in.
It was a package deal for us, including stay, food and safari's. So we were excited to spot some predators.
From Bangalore, to Kabini takes around 4 hours by road, passing Mysore on the way. Till the time you enter the Kabini forest area the road  is a delight but then for 8 km the road is under construction. So be prepared to puke if your a weak guy like me. As we reached the Kabini River Lodge a property of the Jungle Lodges and Resorts Limited of Government of Karnataka, we were welcomed by the naturalist Prasanna who told us there had been a tiger spotting in the morning safari. That lifted our spirits. Then the attendants gave a brief description of the Nagarhole forest and Kabini Lodges. After which we proceeded to our river facing room. It was lovely accommodation with a king size bed, divan and most important no television.
The afternoon safari was at 3.30 pm so after a great lunch buffet at the dining area which included veg and non-veg menu we took our first safari. After returning we were our tea vendor would be waiting outside our room to serve us tea and coffee. There he was with a huge umbrella waiting with a basket. The next day after morning safari which starts at 6 am, we were welcomed to a lovely spread of breakfast (They make best sheera). We ordered a anniversary cake which was got for us from a neighbouring private resort. The person was helpful and he clicked pictures for us while we cut the cake.
In the afternoon me and wifey proceeded to explore the place. The kabini lodge is actually a huge estate which was owned by the Nizam of Mysore and he along with the Britishers used to come to the forest for hunting. It a huge property including Maharaja Palace and several other cottage rooms. The most i liked though was their bar with an outdoor seating area overlooking the huge garden and the bungalows. Kabini river lodge is the only authorised resort in the forest to conduct safaris so it helps to stay with them as you get preference over others.
PS: We had an lovely anniversary in the forest with all the city amenities at a reasonable cost.

Hyderabad House at Nagpur

Before i start on praising this resto. I have to confess here i did not pay for the food, it was a treat from a friend who is a big fan of this place and is a regular order er. It was my second day at the wonderful city of Nagpur staying at the Hotel Heritage i did not miss on the free breakfast that comes with the stay. I hogged myself on a sunny side up egg, uthapas, veg sandwhich and a cup of tea, this was at 10 am.
Then we drove to our friend Jaideep's house where we chatted a lot till 2 pm. Then stepped out for lunch. Jaideep an avid animal lover, a journalist to the core, is a foodie himself and one of his favourite hangout is Hyderabad House.

There is no fancy to this resto, its purely for those who love the cuisine. Housed inside a residential building, this two gala resto has two entry doors. Full ac restaurant serves the most delicious food. In all we were seven adults and two children. So we started with starters, malai kebab, lamb seekh kebabs, and veg seekh kebabs. The lamb kebabs were authentic, this i can say because they were reed in color and its melted in the mouth. Then if you are at a Hyderabad house, one cannot do away with eating lamb biryani. So we ordered a family size biryani serving, to be eaten among the four of us.

The biryani without POTATOES is what authentic biryani is. It is in West Bengal and Bohri style biryani's or the north indian biryani's which have POTATOES. Trust me its a show spoiler. The biryani rice was perfect, lots of lamb and deeply cooked flavours that made the biryani rich.
A friend of ours Satish who is a vegetarian challenged us to finishing the serving and we four took to it and showed him the empty bowl. After that came the khobani ka meetha and kesar firni. The sweet was the perfect end to a sumptuous lunch. After that we couldnt walk a push from somebody to me and i would have fallen. My wife prachi then took me to a sweet shop Nand Bhandar at Dharampet and she kept on telling me to try the sweets and i said, sorry i am standing with my back to the shop and please finish the shopping quickly.

PS: A nagpur visit wont be complete if you haven't visited Hyderabad House. 

South Indian Food at its best at Indian Coffee house Nagpur

INDIAN Coffee house in Nagpur on Sadar road housed inside the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) building is one place which citizens of Nagpur the central place of India relate with. Few years back this small eatery where there is no waiters but share holders was a topic of discussion even among the Congress Top brass who were flooded with request to waive of the steep rental charges levied by the public undertaking.

Indian Coffee House a cooperative society has been in the business for decades. The small company resto serves excellent south Indian food, be it their crisp Onion Uttapa, medu vada's or the superbly delicious Veg cutlets. At my recent visit to Nagpur, a local friend who has grown over the resto by sipping its coffee and cutlets invited us to meet over there.

In Nagpur there are five outlets of Indian Coffee house, all off them are all the times flooded with people. From the lawyers, journos, theater, film personalities or just the locals. The one i visited is close to civil lines on the busy Sadar road near Tulli International hotel.
We were a bunch of six to eight persons, to start with came the Onion Uttapa, then medu vada, dosa, veg cutlet, toast butter, rounds of coffee and a bill of Rs 800. Of course by mumbai standards for me it was cheap comparing it to the quality stuff we got to eat. The only thought to my mind that came is why is this place not in Mumbai, cant the udipis learn a bit or two from ICH.
Anyways, leave that for them and mumbaikars who seldom enjoy food flavors. I just know one thing that when i visit Nagpur again, find me at ICH.

PS: Don't be surprised if you see the waiter who served you ride a scooter or bike back home after work.