Event Update: 'Jamva Chalo Ji' - Parsi Food Festival @Cubbon Pavilion, ITC Gardenia, Bangalore

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Food festivals are the best way to experience great food and learn about their culture. With the Parsi Food Festival on at ITC Gardenia's Cubbon Pavilion, I looked forward to the Parsi food on offer but also learnt that -

(1) Parsi food is a mix of Persian food influenced by Gujarati style of cooking.

(2) Fish is a symbol of good luck and is always a dish at celebrations and feasts.

Seated on a designated table, we walked around to explore the buffet which was expansive not just in terms of the dishes but also the cuisines and courses.What centered the buffet and remained my focus was the Parsi food which had various vegetarian and non-vegetarian classics as a part of the spread. 

Parsi Food - Vegetarian Spread

Parsi Food - Non-Vegetarian Spread

For starters, there was 'Paneer Akuri' and 'Bharuchi Akuri / Egg Akuri' both eaten with bread. There was also the wonderful 'Patra-Ni-Machhi' and 'Prawn Kebabs' in starters for the non-vegetarians. What I loved about the 'Patra-Ni-Machhi' was that the fish wrapped and steamed in banana leaf parcels was the ever fabulous white pomfret. The marinate of coriander and mint successfully soaked in the flavor of the banana leaf which in all completeness paired beautifully with the perfectly steamed fish.
Caution! Not being a fillet, do expect bones as you eat.

Patra-Ni-Machhi - In the steamer

Patra-Ni-Machhi - On my plate

Prawn Kebabs

For the mains, there was 'Salli-Ma-Murgi' and 'Mutton Dhansak with Dhansak rice, kuchumber and meat balls'. 'Salli-Ma-Murgi' - spiced chicken garnished with finely sliced fried potatoes (Salli) is best enjoyed with Indian breads (Rotlis to be specific). 

Salli-Ma-Murgi

Mutton Dhansak is a whole meal by itself. Traditionally, Parsi families assemble their Dhansak on their own to suit their taste buds and that's how it is served here as well. Mine was fully loaded with rice,  mutton meat balls, mutton dhansak (lots of mutton) and kachumber salad to top it all. I liked this preparation - the meat balls and mutton were delicious and the daal added to the flavor. For me, the only weak-link in this otherwise wonderful dish was the kachumber. I've known kachumber to primarily include slivers of onion (if not only onions) but here it was chunks of carrots that drove the show.

Mutton Dhansak with rice, kachumber & Mutton meat balls

For the vegetarians, there was a veg. version of dhansak (with out mutton) and the 'Tarkari-Nu-Kebab' taking the place of delicious meat balls. There was also 'Kharo Papeto' and more but my focus for this dinner remained the non-vegetarian food.

Being a part of the buffet; in addition to the Parsi section, there was a whole range of cuisines spanning the globe wide horizon right from Japanese to the American with a whole lot in between. In terms of courses, there were soups, breads, Anti-Pasti (cute little mono-portions of salads and meat), starters, mains, desserts and tea/coffee to finish with.

It is believed that no Parsi meal is complete with out their signature dessert - Lagan-Nu-Custard and 'Yes' it was there. This was my first taste of 'Lagan-Nu-Custard' and I loved this dessert. The sweetness and flavor of the cardamom was really well balanced and the texture was smooth and fluffy right in between the consistency of jelly and mousse.

Lagan-Nu-Custard

Don't remember the name of this dessert

With Chef Parvez Patel of Ideal Corner, Mumbai at the helm of things - the Indian section of the buffet at Cubbon Pavilion has been taken over to represent the wonderful Parsi cuisine for the remainder of this week. So 'Yes' each night for dinner; on till the 21st of September, the buffet at Cubbon Pavilion, ITC Gardenia will feature Parsi cuisine along with its standard elaborate offering at the regular price of Rs. 1600 plus taxes.

Address: No. 1, Residency Road, Bengaluru - 560025

Phone Number: +91 80 2211 9898

Youngest of the Aloft in Bangalore - Aloft Bengaluru CBP

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A little over a month ago, I was invited to a launch party of a new and vibrant hotel property. With a couple of properties already to their name in Bangalore, this brand was all set to launch yet another property in the very hub of Bangalore's IT corridor.

It was a long drive for me to the venue which is well nestled inside Cessna Business Park (CBP) which is at the heart of Marathalli - Bellandur ring road. On arriving; the very instance I realize - how wonderfully this hotel has secluded itself from the hustle-bustle of the business park and the surrounding IT hub.

As I moved further to the entrance, I knew this was one fabulous launch party that had been organized and it set the complete tempo on for the rest of the evening. I was welcomed to this wonderfully done lobby which doubles up as a lobby cum lounge. 'How Cool! A lobby that doubles up as a lounge' was the thought running in my mind. The place seemed quite vibrant and tech savvy with Re:Mix Lounge integrated as a part of the lobby, ticker boards displaying news and social media updates of #AloftBengaluruCBP. The bar was wonderfully set up and had an over head stage set for live performances. Walk in after a hectic day, grab a drink,  lounge at the lobby and call it a day.

Photo Credit: Aloft Hotels

Photo Credit: Aloft Hotels

The party does not stop here, I headed to level 2 which houses a wonderful pool open to the sky. The DJ kept churning out music while there were fire and water acrobats at play. Thinking beyond the party, the pool was fabulous and also makes for a perfect stress buster at the end of the day or a refreshing start to any working day of the week.

Photo Credit: Aloft Hotels

Photo Credit: Aloft Hotels

Playing perfect host to its guests, Aloft offers various amenities which include hotel wide free wifi and wired internet access, well equipped rooms to retire for the day, gym to Re:Charge, W XYZ Lounge for a couple of drinks, various dining options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and any meals in between, speedy checkout terminals; the list goes on. 

Photo Credit: Aloft Hotels

The ambiance is vibrant at the same time welcoming. With all of this and the proximity to the IT hub around Aloft Bengaluru CBP makes for an ideal stay in that part of the city. A weekend at Aloft is surely on my list of things to do and when I do, I promise to post a detailed review of the hotel, the amenities and the experience of staying over.

Cheers!

Address: Cessna Business Park, Sarjapur–Marathahalli Outer Ring Road, Kadubeesanahalli, Bellandur Post, Bengaluru - 560103

Phone Number: +91 80 4510 1010
Website: Aloft Bengaluru CBP

Event Alert!!! Citi Chef's Table Week 2014 is Back, Bangalore

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It's that time of the year when Citi Chef's Table Week makes a comeback. This week long festival features Chef's 6 course tasting menu at 10 of the city's (Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi finest restaurants. This format works wonderfully as it not only facilitates you to savor the signature dishes from Chef's kitchen but also prevents you from the hassle of deciding what to order. Of course your dietary preferences are well cared about.

Citi Chef's Table Week is a dinner only event and will be on from the 14th to 20th July. Reservations open on 9th July and guess what? It is 9th July meaning, reservations are Now Open.

One cuisine just doesn't work for me and it is a joy to see the diversity of cuisines on offer which is evident from the restaurant listing. What's also nice is that I have visited 5 of the participating restaurants and each of them cover a very distinct cuisine ranging from Italian to my West, Indian/Lucknowi at the epicenter to Japanese on the extreme East. Here's sharing with you a list of participating restaurants from Bangalore that I have visited:

1. Blue Ginger, Taj West End

Having celebrated its 10th anniversary this Vietnamese restaurant is known not just for it's ambiance, service and food but also for holding the title of being the oldest Vietnamese restaurant of India. I have been here a couple of times and undoubtedly this restaurant figures as my best Vietnamese dining experience. 

Leaving you with some images from my dining experience here and also a link to the reservations page.

2. Dum Pukht Jolly Nabobs, ITC Windsor

A power house of indulgence, exquisiteness, extravagance and elegance, Dum Pukht Jolly Nabobs is an experience to be lived. Serving the finest of the Lucknowi cuisine in a setting that's  unmatched thus far, Chef's Table Week is a perfect time to make a visit to this restaurant that is housed in ITC Windsor Hotel.

Again, some images from my dining experience here and also a link to the reservations page.

3. Edo, ITC Gardenia

Edo the fabulous Japanese restaurant at ITC Gardenia is an institution of sorts for Japanese cuisine. The resident master chef 'Sensai Kikuta San' lays high emphasis on procuring ingredients fresh and of the highest quality and this emphasis is clearly evident from its taste. The interiors here are really simple yet very elegant and make for a wonderful dining experience. Japanese food paired with their tradition drink 'Sake' only completes the experience of dining at Edo. I cannot think of a better time to make a visit to this restaurant.

4. Ottimo - Cuicina Italiana, ITC Gardenia

Translating to 'Excellent' in english, Ottimo is the most recent restaurant offering from ITC Hotels in Bangalore. Resident Chef Vittorio Greco of Italy, takes centre stage in the kitchen of Ottimo. Inclined towards traditional Italian cuisine, Chef Greco at Ottimo offers a rare fusion of traditional Italian with emphasis on both nutrition and fresh ingredients which are sourced both locally and internationally. While maintaining simplicity and keeping food at its authentic best, plating of food at Ottimo is exquisite and in true sense signifies 'food porn'. 

Leaving you with some images from my dining experience here and also a link to the reservations page.

Yauatcha, 1 MG Mall

A London based dim-sum tea house serves up the finest dim-sums I have had thus far. Be it their Chicken and Prawn Shui Mai, Crispy Prawn Cheung fun, Crispy Duck Rolls, mains, or the Raspberry Delice for dessert - This place has stolen my heart. 

Leaving you with some images from my dining experience here and also a link to the reservations page.

What I look forward to from this event is being able to visit at least one of the remaining 5 restaurants that I have not paid a visit so far:

Alba, JW Marriott Hotel Bengaluru

For me, it has been Italian cuisine for quite a long time. Having eaten this cuisine extensively I only geo fonder of the same with every passing day. I'm definitely spoiled for choice and am only curious now to see if Alba; housed in JW Marriott on Lavelle road makes it tougher for me? Yes, it is a speciality restaurant of one of the worlds most famous cuisines - Italian and here's the page I'd go to for a reservation.

Oko, The Lalit Ashok
Off lateA Pan-Asian restaurant close to home is nestled on the roof top of The Lalit Ashok. The food and ambiance are much spoken about and is on my list of places to visit.

Rim Naam, The Oberoi

Known to be one of the oldest Thai restaurants in Bangalore, Rim Naam is not only famous for its delicious and mouthwatering food but also very popular for its alfresco dining set up. If you love Thai food, Rim Naam is surely a name that instantly rings the bell. If you wish to reserve the table I'm sure you know where to click.

Riwaz, The Ritz-Carlton

On my wish list? Of course it is. The food of the North-Western Frontier has always intrigued me. It has the appeal to get me hungry even after a really satisfying meal. Is it because of my love for food or the character of this cuisine? I don't know myself. Anyway, Riwaz at the much spoken about The Ritz-Carlton serves up exactly the cuisine being spoken about. Looks like now's the time to make a visit.

Zen, The Leela Palace

I've been to Citrus at Leela a couple of times and en route to Citrus have spotted this wonderful looking restaurant that serves Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Korean cuisines in a setting that is heavenly. A restaurant that needs no introduction, is a place I look forward to visit and experience the goodness that has been doing the buzz. 

This specially crafted tasting menu is on offer at Rs. 2000 plus taxes and charges in Bangalore at each of the above restaurants only from 14 July to 20th July, 2014.