Navroz Dronu at SodaBottleOpenerWala

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Navroz Bhonu is a feast of traditional Parsi food that the Parsi community / families feast on as they mark the start of a new year. At SBOW, there are 2 variants – Vegetarian and non-vegetarian and each can be upgraded to be enjoyed with unlimited cocktails and sangria. This Bombay-Irani café and bar from AD Singh and team was conceptualized to pay tribute to the Parsi community and to retain the dying legacy of the bustling, chaotic, quirky, colorful and eccentric Irani cafes of Mumbai. For the past 3 years, SodaBottleOpenerWala has been much adorned for being able to create the vibe a Bombay-Irani Café is known for.

Keeping with the tradition of Navroz / Parsi New Year, celebrated on August 17^th, marking the first day of the first month of the Iranian calendar, SBOW now offers the Navroz Bhonu till the 24^th August for both lunch and dinner. We got a sneak peak of the Navroz Dronu’ and here’s how it looked like:

The non-vegetarian Bhonu comes plated with mackerel fish fry, minced chicken pattice, Jardalu Ma Murgi, Mutton Pulav, Sarai, butter phulkas, Masala Ni Daal, classic kachumbari and a lovely Gajar Mewa Nu Aachaar. On the vegetarian bhonu, the non-vegetarian dishes are replaced with the likes of Vegetable cheese pattice, traditional Bhindi dish, Vegetable Pulav, and Patra Ni Paneer. Basically, what you get to feast on are traditional dishes and recipes which usually pass down through generations of Parsi families.

Non-Vegetarian Dronu

Vegetarian Dronu

While we awaited the arrival of our bhonu, we sipped on some mocktails and cocktails. In picture below is the lovely ‘Greater Than’ Gin based cocktail and the shikanjee (mocktail). What we also enjoyed was the classic Parsi drink ‘Raspberry Soda’ (no picture though).

The dronu with unlimited cocktails and Sangria comes prices well at Rs. 1200 plus taxes and charges which is a steal and the Navroz Drone without alcohol comes at Rs. 700 plus taxes and charges. Available for both lunch and dinner from August 10^th till the 24^th of August, go feast away the Parsi way while sipping on some of the unique cocktail recipes curated to go along with this wonderful Parsi cuisine.

When: August 10^th to August 24^th, 2018 – Lunch and Dinner

Wallet Factor: Rs. 700 ++ for the Bhonu; Rs. 1200 ++ for Bhonu with unlimited cocktails and Sangria

Address: 25/4, Lavelle Road, Opp. Harley Davidson Showroom, Bangalore

Contact: +91 70222 55299

New Menu Introductions 2017 - Smoke House Deli

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It's a new year, it's a new menu.. lots of interesting flavors, textures and ingredients. It's not just food but also some interesting cocktails and infusions. Experiencing this menu was joyous yet a task and believe me when I say that for the sheer count of Nee dishes we tried on this lunch table specially curated for media. 

Without much ado, let's get started with as it's aptly called 'Starters' / 'Appetizers'. We had 4 of them on the table with each very distinct from the other. My pick of them all was the prawn fritters tossed in spiced mayo and the Kashmiri Chili and cottage cheese flatbread from the vegetarian menu.

Drinks flowed in with each course. To start was a concoction of whiskey, angostura and orange bitters, Cherry liquor and a dash of lime. 

The roasted corn soup arrived with a dollop of sour cream and drizzle of truffle oil. I missed the flavor of truffle oil, and the sour cream missed marring well with soup which was otherwise good in both taste and consistency. Salad was refreshing with an assortment of lettuce, tomato, boconcini and dressed in a pesto vinaigrette. Like always I've always enjoyed salads at SHD and this time was no different; unfortunately, don't have a picture to share.

Cocktails on the new menu are concocted from house infused liquors like rum and gin. I tried the SHD Collin contained gin infused with kaffir lime leaves, lime wedges and peel; SHD spiced Apple daiquiri was concocted with both rum and Apple juice infused with cloves, star anise and cinnamon and finally SHD Cosmo which was made with gin infused with dill leaves. 

SHD Spiced Apple Daiquiri

Coming back to food, I loved the slow roasted cauliflower and mascarpone risotto in comparison to its counterpart Black pepper crusted chicken risotto. The former opens up in flavors as you chew it and progress with eating this dish. Another one from the menu I really enjoyed was the potato gnocchi stirred in a 3 cheese sauce with roasted vegetables. 

Rissotto

Gnocchi

As if this was not enough, next arrived the mains followed by dessert. For the mains, my top picks were the rosemary roast chicken which leads the way from an erstwhile menu signature I loved - half roast chicken and the perfectly pan grilled bhetki fish fillet, generously portioned with a crispy skin to crack through. One was a hearty portion of chicken, mashed potatoes, sautéed mushrooms with a poached egg drizzled with a jus flavored with rosemary while the other came served with a subtle jalapeño corn sauce creating just the required flavor profile. Between the chicken and the fish, it's just the need of the palate that can define the better one. 

The slow braised Belgian pork spare ribs lost out on 2 counts - the ribs could have been chunkier and fall off the bone and the bacon around the accompanying pork meat parcel should have been crispy. flavor wise, no misses here. 

Desserts were fantastic, be it the white chocolate cake with a lemon molten cake, prune crumble tart with dark chocolate mousse or milk cake dressed with toasted hazelnuts. They were rich, decadent, came with distinct flavor profiles. 

It was an enjoyable afternoon over good food from the kitchen of Chef Saurabh Arora and catching up with friends and I do look forward to getting back to Smoke House Deli for these new introductions and some classics; available at both their outlets in Bangalore - Lavelle road and Indiranagar. I urge you to do so too. An average meal for two will be Rs. 1500++; additional for cocktails.

Cheers!

Address: 
Ground Floor, No. 52 & 53, Lavelle Road, Bangalore 560011
and
No. 1209, Ward No. 72, Hal IInd Stage, 100ft Road, Indiranagar, Bengaluru 560038

Phone Number: +91 80 4051 5151 



Note: This visit to Smoke House Deli was on invitation but the opinions expressed are solely mine and are absolutely unbiased nor influenced by the brand in any way.

Made In Punjab - Extravagant Punjabi Fare

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Coming from the celebrated family of Kalra's the launch of Made In Punjab was much awaited and when it did it was with all pomp and show in true Punjabi ishtyle. Invited to experience the offerings from their menu, a friend and I headed one evening for some hearty Punjabi fare.

We started off with the legacy tandoori champ which were succulent lamb chops in a special house mix of spices. The evening surely did kick start on a really high note. Soon giving us company on our table was 'Bhatti  Ka Murgh' which was perfectly spiced tender chicken leg.

Appetizers continued to flow in with a melt in mouth 'Paneer Barrel Tikka' which as the name goes resembled barrels with an in between filling of spinach and cheese. Not usually a fan of mushrooms, the restaurant staff did insist we try 'Jau Mushroom Chakli' and it sure did have us asking for more. It was deep fried parcel with a filling of barley, minced mushrooms mildly seasoned and came served with a mustard-garlic chutney.

Punjabi evenings are never sober and hence the liver got it its fair share of job to perform. We had some interesting cocktail concoctions which had fancy Punjabi naming conventions. In order of preference I loved the 'Nayaa Zamana' which was MIP's take on the classic 'Old Fashioned' cocktail which concocted with a base of bourbon whiskey, caramel, citrus and apple. This was closely followed by 'Nashili Chai' a concoction of various white liquor and in house tea infusion.

Nayaa Zamaana

Nashili Chai

Heading to our next course 'Main Course' I had to have the much talked and heard about 'Nalli HardKaur'. It was a visually pleasing sight and even more enjoyable to eat; all the way through the last morsel of the intense lamb shank and finally sweep clean the plate to not leave a drop of the silken curry. The meat was cooked to fall of the bone consistency and exuded intense flavors.

I can go on about 'Nalli HardKaur' but let's move on to 'Luxury BC'. Let's cut the thinking, this is the luxury butter chicken; succulent chicken chunks in an ultra rich and delicious gravy. Both the dishes were best enjoyed with the traditional Punjabi breads like butter naan, paratha, tandoori roti and likes.

Finishing with a dessert, we tried the dates Rasmalai. The dates added a nice flavor to this dessert but for me this dessert lost out on the texture for it was too spongy unlike the traditional rasmalai which usually just melt in mouth. As I said, "this did not work for my palate but my dining companion relished this dessert."

An average meal for 2 at MIP will cost around Rs. 2000 ++ inclusive of food and a beverage each. I know I'm going back here often for delicious Punjabi fare and kick-ass cocktails. The menu is vast with some extravagant offerings and apart from repeats I look forward to trying more off their menu.

Address: Made In Punjab, UB City, Bengaluru - 560103

Phone Number: +91 81309 55899

Note: This visit to Made In Punjab was on invitation but the opinions expressed are solely mine and are absolutely unbiased nor influenced by the brand in any way.

Bangalore's 1st Bombay Irani Cafe - SodaBottleOpenerWala

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Even with a little over 2 months into operations in Bangalore, the buzz around SodaBottleOpenerWala does not seem to die down. SBOW (is the way I will refer & mention henceforth) continues to be flocked by families, couples, friends, work associates and the likes. Open all day, it does not get easy to get a table especially during lunch and dinner hours. Many find the wait for a table worth every minute spent.

This Bombay Irani cafe and Bar had created a strong buzz much before its opening all thanks to it's earlier outlet from different cities in India; not to mention, the legacy of good experiences earned by AD Singh and team. SBOW itself is a tribute to the Parsi community and a concept created to retain the dying legacy of the bustling, chaotic, quirky, colorful and eccentric Irani cafes of Mumbai.

Full of vibe, this Bombay Irani cafe offers an interesting menu which includes the typical/signature Parsi delicacies and some Irani specialties. The menu stretches to Irani bakery stuff and Parsi inspired alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, full-fledged bar menu, teas, coffees and a lot more. Being an all day diner, it's a place you can visit for lunch, dinner or in between for drinks or quick snack with a cup of chai or coffee.

I've been here twice to date and want to go back to try stuff I still haven't been able to get my hands on. Before getting there, here's what I've loved from my previous visits -

'Spicy Mushroom on Khari' - a twist to the popular khari biscuit that comes topped with mushrooms, chili and cheese,

'Eggs Kejriwal' - egg on toast with cheese in between and a generous sprinkling of cheese; a dish made famous and originated in the Royal Wellington Sports Club of Mumbai,

'Kolmi fry' - a simple dish of prawns fried with onion slivers/ rings around it. Mope it up with the mint chutney and it seals the deal,

'Bohri Style Keema Pav' - Everytime I visit SBOW, this dish will surely make it to the table. It's mildly spiced but really rich in flavor mutton keema served with pav made in the in-house bakery. I don't know if this qualifies to be in the starters though as it is a meal in itself and enough for me make a meal out of this.

'Mutton Dhansak' - Comes packaged in a tiffin box with 3 containers. One contains the mutton Dhansak and the other holds caramelized rice and kachumber. Nice, but not the best Dhansak I've eaten.

'Berry Pulao' - This comes in veg/chicken/mutton variants. I personally love both chicken and mutton but given my meat preference, will recommend the mutton berry pulao. Berry pulao is fragrant rice and meat combination topped with fried onion and berries. The fried onions and berries add a nice hint of sweetness to this preparation but the flavoring is really elegant to allow for the sweetness to take over.

'Parsiana' (Cocktail) - A connection with Bangalore indeed. Old Monk based rum cocktail with plums and orange muddled in. A very well concocted drink indeed.

'Caramel Custard' - I love caramel custard and this one surely leaves it' mark. You've gotta try this.

Perfect for the chai time or an evening snack are also 'Vada Pav', Shrewberry biscuits, Mumbai special 'Kandha Bhajji' in the company of some 'Irani special chai' or 'Masala chai' from the Irani Chai Bar menu.

In all, SodaBottleOpenerWala has an all day dining menu with something suiting the time and purpose of your visit. The beverages are very competitively priced and the food for two will cost an average of Rs. 1300 plus taxes and charges.

I have been here twice so far and will surely go back to get my hands on the 'Bacon Keema Macaroni', 'Irani Falooda', 'Sali Chicken / Mutton', 'Bheendi Bazaar Sheek Paratha', 'Mawa Cake' and more.

Note: All pictures in this post are representative and only tasting portions. Actual portions served are much larger and hearty.

Address: 25/4, Lavelle Road, Opp. Harley Davidson Showroom, Bangalore

Phone Number: +91 70222 55299

The Shiro Collection - DimSum Festival, Bangalore

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Some of the top brands of restaurants, pubs and lounges are an offering of JSM Corp. Right from Hard Rock Cafe, to Ginger Tiger, California Pizza Kitchen, Shiro are just to name a few. DimSums are my favourite and it's rarely that I make a meal out of dimsums. On till the 7th of July is this lovely showcase of 'The Shiro Collection' of DimSums.

With over 40 DimSums on the specially designed menu, there is a plenty on offer for both vegetarian and non-vegetarians. Elevating the experience is the beautiful setting/ambiance, service and the variety of tea served complimentary. The evening for us was an elaborate affair that started with two wonderful variants of the mojito; one was orange and the other was fig mojito. At first I was skeptical to try a variant for previous not so good experiences around Bangalore but here, both the mojito variants were really refreshing, no bottled flavors were added and the marriage of the flavors was beautiful. These are a set of cocktails I will definitely repeat on my future visits.

Shortly arrived two baskets of assorted dumplings - one vegetarian and another with non-vegetarian dumplings. It was a great way to go ahead with tasting the offerings on the menu. The non-vegetarian basket came with the following dimsums -

 - Chicken Gyonza: Lovely stuffing of minced chicken and herbs offering a mild flavor enough to really savor this classic Chinese preparation.

 - Har Gao: Simplicity is at the heart of this har gao; good chunks of prawns and brilliantly light and translucent casing to hold them all together. The prawn filling was perfectly cooked and filled in good measure to allow to be eaten in one go.

 - Chicken & Sichuan Pepper  Dumpling: Clearly the Sichuan pepper was the star addition to this dumpling giving it the a nice lingering after taste of the Sichuan pepper. 

 - SuiMai: Prawn Sui Mai was delicate and flavors were well balanced. The filling was fabulous and generous.

 - Prawn & Asparagus Dumpling: This was a very light and refreshing combination with both the prawn and asparagus adding a nice crunch to the delicate texture of the dimsum wrapper.

The flow of dimsums didn't seem to end but at this time we thought of pairing them with Sublime tea which has partnered with Shiro in curating a wonderful Yum Cha experience of sorts. Brilliant aroma on the nose, crisp notes and a lingering finish were traits of two varieties (Rose in Bloom and Jasmine Mandarin) of Sublime tea that we sipped for the rest of the evening in the company of more dim sums. I loved the tea and have ordered my quota of the tea bags from Sublime's website.

Our date with dim-sums continued with the arrival of some new entrants- 

 - Phoenix Eye Dumpling: A classic prawn dumpling seasoned with chilis and fish sauce and topped with Edamame. 

 - Prawn Nest dumpling: It was art on a plate that required the technique, talent and skill to prepare. The casing was like fibre; a result of the use of potato and starch fried with a prawn filling. This was really heavy and I could not afford another one for the sheer spread of dim-sums that were yet to arrive. The XO sauce came as a condiment which was well prepared too.

 - Chicken Pearl Dumpling: This was a chicken dumpling flavoured with the five spice powder and oyster sauce. Rolled as a ball with Sticky Jasmine rice, this was my least preferred dumpling by taste due to the over powering essence and taste of the star anise and the missing flavor of the oyster sauce that I love.

To my surprise, the vegetarian dumpling too had a host of selection to choose from. From the various we tried, what my dining companion enjoyed the most were-

 - Chi Chow Fried Dumpling

 - Pak choi & Water Chestnut Dumpling

 - Vegetable Nest Dumpling

Our evening continued with 3 steamed delicacies- 

 - Silken Tofu with Mustard XO: Steamed slices of silken tofu topped with a delicious mustard sauce was a delight combination of texture and flavor.

 - Prawn with Thai herb sauce: The succulent prawns were steamed in and quoted with a Thai herb sauce. Indeed succulent and flavourful.

 - Pork ribs with sweet chili and black bean sauce: Easily the best pork ribs I have ever eaten. The pork itself fell of the bone without second thoughts. It was so soft that the bone remained clean and clear effortlessly. The smokiness of the pork married fabulously with the sweet chili and black bean sauce.

Not very fond of desserts that too after a scrumptious dim-sum meal we were in no mood for desserts  and instead continued to sip the 'Jasmine Mandarin' offering from sublime tea. It was a meal that had us really content and left us feeling easy even after an overload of dim-sums. The menu also includes steamed fish wrapped in lotus leaf, steamed bao and the likes.

For those who'd love to try a varied range of the dim-sum offerings at Shiro can go in for a basket of 9 varieties of dim-sums which is priced at Rs. 1900 plus taxes and charges. The portion is good to be shared between 2 - 3 diners and can be enjoyed with portions of Sublime tea which come complimentary to complete the Dim-Sum experience. On till 7th July, do head here if you'd love to have a YumCha experience.

Address: UB City, 4th Floor, Piazza Area, Lavelle Road, Bangalore
Phone Number: +91 80 4173 8861