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Showing posts with label best restaurants in Bangalore. Show all posts
Showing posts with label best restaurants in Bangalore. Show all posts

Saturday, October 31, 2015

10th FBAB Meetup ( @ The Great Indian Thali, Kormangala )

What can possibly be common between the Chinese philosophy of 'yin and yang' and Ugadi pacchidi, a finger licking dish from Andhra. Actually not much apart from the fact that both signify a beautiful balance between opposing elements. And balance is the first thing that came to my mind when I had the chance to lay my eyes upon this awesome thali offered by 'The Great Indian Thali'.






Honestly speaking, I am not a great fan of the thali meals. Have tried out some monsterous thalis with 30-35 items on the menu such that one ends up skipping half of it. I find it to be waste of money. At other times, I have found it to be a mismatch of North Indian and south Indian dishes that end up irritating my taste buds. Such experiences made me look up this restaurant's menu on the net before I dared to try out their offering. And as it later turned out, I was in for a most pleasant experience.

It was just another Sunday evening and we had gathered at TGIT, Kormangala for yet another FBAB meetup ( 10th one ) and the food tasting that goes with it. Though I was there for the first time, I had no difficulty in locating the restaurant as it is situated at the very popular Sony World junction. If you happen to be travelling from Indiranagar, you need to take a right at this signal. The restaurant is located on the 4th floor of the 3rd building to the right.

















Stepping into the place, I found it to be somewhat smaller in size than what it appeared in the photos. But the sitting arrangement looks good and the lighting is quite ambient. Decor is kept to a minimal and is tasteful. The first thing that arrived was the watermelon juice which was a tad too sweet for my taste. But it was more than compensated when the golgappas arrived next. Fresh and crisp with a delicious filling, and with an awesome spicy 'paani' ( there was a sweet one too but I do not prefer it) to go with it, it was the best I have had in a while.












































The next thing to grace the table was some yummy dahi papdi and a few varities of starters like the paneer tikka ( good flavour but not that soft) and the potato kebab (quite good). And finally the most awaited thali arrived. There was the subzi meloni, aloo bhindi, karela kurchan, kadai paneer, dal makhani, pindi choley, dum aloo with a selection of four kinds of Indian bread and 3 varieties of rice. My favorite turned out to be Dum Aloo (just the right amount of tang), Dal makhani (not too buttery but with a delicious smokiness to it) and the subzi meloni. The Kadai paneer also deserves a mention as it was good but just too spicy for my personal taste. Loved the bhatura and the delicately flavoured veg biryani.

The desserts were excellent. Hats off to the Moong dal halwa which got a noteworthy makeover. Loved the tomato twist to it. Even the rasgulla, the gulab jamun and the shrikhand turned out to be scrumptious.

Overall, it was a great thali which had accommodated the most popular North Indian dishes in it but without making it too overwhelming. And at Rs 489/-, it is well priced. Go for it !!


The Great Indian Thali Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato



Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Restaurant Review: Barbeque Factory, Indiranagar ( For the 7th FBAB Meet-up )

"Sheekampuri ke sikhaye,
 Nalli ke Nihare,
aur Palak to palkon pe bithaye,
ek ehsaas ko hum review mein utaren !!"

Excuse me for the bad poetry but good food can do a lot of things to one. And as you see, in my case, it has aroused the slumbering poetess in me.





























Stepping into Barbeque Factory for the 7th FBAB meet, I could not help but notice the warehouse like interiors with wiring running all over the place and those over-sized overhead lamps. We were among the first ones to step into the restaurant. It was raining quite heavily and hence most folks were stuck in the traffic. After being greeted most warmly by Ajay who owns the place, we were given the table with the best view (the perks of being a food blogger). The restaurant front is open and the shades had also been pulled up and the fresh air felt quite soothing. It was the prefect setting to introduce the food bloggers and reviewers to their new menu.

Suddenly I spotted some kids with cotton candy. Walking around the place, I found that they had installed a machine for it and a few kids had gathered around it. Feeling rather excited, I got one for my son who duly refused to pose with it (din't I say that being a Mum is a thankless job) !! Slowly everyone started trickling in and the starters were served.





























The very first dish which came in was their signature Shikhampuri kebabs with honey paratha and 4 awesome chutneys. Apparently there is a signature style of devouring it too as demonstrated by our host. And what a dish !!! Totally blown away with those flavours...the chicken, the saunth, the chili, the coconut and quite a few other ingredients coming together in a beautiful way.































This was followed with chicken tandoori, chicken wings, golden fried prawns, fish tikka, tandoori mushroom, tandoori achari paneer, palak kababs, dahi kebabs and seekh kebabs, the usual suspects that one finds in any barbecue place. While all of them were quite good, it was the Basa fish tandoori and the palak kebabs that left me in a drool. Have never tasted a more flavorsome Basa preparation !!
And the bits of papad (or was it something else like chana jor garam) embedded in the palak kebabs took it to just another level. Don't miss it for anything.

















Most of us were feeling a bit full by the time we ventured for the main course. I spooned some peas pulao with some dal makhni and dal tadka onto my plate and was rather enjoying the simple stuff when the Biryani came in. One of their signature dishes, it turned out to be quite delicious with lots of flavors going into it. But having sampled atleast 20-25 types of biryanis ranging from the Southern varieties like Hyderabadi, Andhra & Ambur to the North/East ones Lucknowi, Kolkata & Sindhi,  I can tell you that it is among the heavier ones. Biryani lovers should try this atleast one.

















But there was something else in the main course that took me my surprise. The Nalli Nihari which turned out to be just my types. With places like this, the main focus usually remains on the starters and the main course can be quite boring. But here I had a totally different experience. The meat was soft and ready to fall off the bones while the rich gravy has a silken feel to it and continued to tickle by taste-buds for a very long time. The spices were minimal and the flavor of meat was demonstrated in full glory. This is the best Nihari that I have ever had till date.

















And of course there were these oysters too !!

















Finally when it came the desserts, I decided to go for just one thing. And after much deliberation and consultation with the in-house folks, I picked up the coffee icecream. Low on sugar and just the right note of bitterness, this turned out to be a delight !!

Overall, it turned out to be great evening with a awesome spread and some great conversation. And the best part is that you get to enjoy this experience at just Rs 729 bucks which is a steal deal. 


Barbeque Factory Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Taste of North Indian Tadka in Bangalore !!!

North India food is nothing short of an entire gastronomic voyage that spans various states and even smaller settlements that would be tough to locate on a map. Whether it is the chaat, tikkis, choley or even the parathas of Chandni chowk, the various non vegetarian delights of Lucknow ( the Tunday Kebabs merit a special mention here ), the legendary Butter Chicken or the Sarson da saag of Punjab, the sweet sour spicy Gujrati/Marwari fare (Oondhiya happens to be a personal favorite) or even the Dal-Bati-Churma from Rajasthan, one is spoilt for choice. Even when one happens to be in Bangalore.

On the days when I am looking for some good old traditional Gujrati/Rajasthani thali ( which I invariably do when I have lost a few pounds ), Rajdhani at UB City is the place to be. It is one of the best restaurants in Bangalore given the amazing food and the rooftop dining experience. Though it lacks that rustic /traditional feel which is standard issue for most restaurants in Bangalore that serve North Indian fare, the food and the ever helpful waiters more than make up for it. Bajra roti, Dhokla, Dal Bati Churma, Gatte ki subzi, Surti Dal, Kadhi, Lasun ki chutney along with a variety of sweets that include Rabdi and Halwa are included in the Rajdhani thali.

Pic courtesy : chefatlarge.in

















Though it does not serve non vegetarian fare, one will not be dejected by the bountiful menu. The manner in which these guys keep heaping food on guests' plate is reminiscent of what a real Rajasthani host is expected to do. The moment one walks in with a kid, a high chair is laid out for the young guest. And if your little one fancies a bit of running, the open spaces and the fountains adjacent to the dining area are more than helpful.

On celebratory days however, I prefer to stick to a hardcore non-vegetarian offering. If it is on short notice and we do have any reservations, we prefer Aangan in Bellandur or Punjabi Tadka in Marathahalli. While Aangan offers the most authentic Butter Chicken that one can find in Bangalore, Punjabi Tadka is a frequent haunt for bachelors given the budget friendly menu which also score a perfect 10 on taste.

Pic courtesy: mon-chef-de-cuisine.restaurantemploi.com

















But when it comes to something special like an anniversary or any other milestone, we prefer the Royal Afghan (ITC Windsor). If you are looking for a fine dining restaurant experience, this is one place that one should try. Imagine a candlelight dinner by the poolside with that someone special.

Pic courtesy : Tripadvisor.in

















However it can get somewhat awkward with kids trying to get into the water ( unless that are incredibly well behaved ) so plan in advance for a baby-sitter when you make the reservations for this place. The food is delicious, especially the juicy Kebabs and the creamy luscious Dals ( though I never use those adjectives to describe my lentils, in this case I am lost for words ). And I have to admit that even though I visit this place for its non-vegetarian fare, I can hardly find any fault with the vegetarian section which is just scintillating .




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