Kinbuck2-Delhi’s First Roman Bistro

Kinbuck 2

Kinbuck2 is a gorgeous eatery joint standing like a Victorian-era diva in the heart of Connaught Place, New Delhi; the state capital’s first-ever Roman bistro. As the name suggests, this place flaunts rich taste of interiors coupled with delightful food for your palette and extremely humble hospitality. Drawing inspirations from the historical elements of Kinbuck in Norway, this restaurant flaunts aesthetic essences from this region. In one line, I would define this place as an epitome of great food, pleasant music, signature drinks and a one-of-a-kind concept in the city.

Kinbuck 2

Inspired by the beauty of Roman world, best known for its artistic architecture, this restaurant transmits you delicately in a dreamy world as you step inside; especially, when you move upstairs on the open dining area. The striking dome-like structures, arches, graffiti art on the walls, wine cellars and more makes this place a perfect blend of old-world charm and contemporary décor notes. Dominating colors like red and grey rein the décor palette. The rooftop, outdoor area is contoured by beautiful green patches of creepers; this alfresco and minibar is certainly the highlight of the terrace area. It also has a private PDR to host party enough for 30-40 people. Apart from this, Kinbuck2 also houses a private mezzanine floor.

Kinbuck 2

Coming to the most important aspect of this place, the food—my experience was very overwhelming. The head Chef, Anay Mukherjee’s passion for cooking reflected in each meal that he quipped for us. Their menu portrays a sincere attempt to house global delicacies and they are always thriving to inculcate more innovations in their kitchen. From American classics to Lebanese delights, Mediterranean cuisines to European flavors and lastly, mouthwatering Indian food ensures every guest has an amazing culinary experience here.

Kinbuck 2

I had a host of dishes—cream of mushroom soup, Romanian bread basket, shrimp cocktail for salad, fattoush salad, Al bondigas, chicken sausages and pineapple skewers, chandni paneer tikka, dhengre mushroom gallouti, veg salt and pepper, veg porpiech, eggplant schezwan, mutton seekh kebab, chilly chicken and Beijing chicken. This list comprised of the appetizers. For main course, we indulged in some delicious porkchoy mushroom in oyster sauce, garlic noodles, chicken roulade, cottage cheese steak, and chicken steak and lastly, the most flavourful chicken biriyani. Lastly, for dessert, I savoured upon some delectable chocolate tart.

Kinbuck 2

The food was downright heavenly; the right amount of spices cooked to perfection left a happy tingling on my taste buds for the rest of the evening. The thing that touched my heart the most was the humility every person garnered; from the chef to the staff, everyone wore a big smile on their faces at all times and everyone knew what went into making of each and every dish! So very impressive, I must say. So, I would urge each one of you to visit this place for a memorable experience.

Desi Roots – Progressive Indian Cuisine

Desi Roots

Décor: Desi Roots, a brand new café nestled in Saket, New Delhi is one of the very few restaurants that brought back fond memories of childhood in mind, as I walked in for lunch on a balmy Sunday afternoon. The first instinct was a happy feeling—colours like warm orange, dull beige, bright turquoise, royal violet and more popped out from different corners only to make you feel like you have stepped into a cheerful space. This restaurant has taken ‘quirky’ to a whole new level; the décor proudly flaunts pieces like—a sewing machine turned into a table, almost-vintage Bajaj scooter headlights acting as lamps and more.

Desi Roots

Also, the chosen interior had strikingly contrasting aesthetics; for instance, a royal chair with bright cherry colour was spotted accompanying a super quirky teapot printed chair. The bar area was mostly radiating pop-culture vibes; vintage posters with an amazing sense of humor was placed on walls facing the arena. My favourite poster was of an Indian lady, precisely from the sixties, sitting with a newspaper in her hand, clad in the most traditional way and waiting to sip some beer from a mug kept in front of her; now this is called ‘chilling like a villain’!

Nehari Kulcha a la Oudh with Salgam and black carrot achar

Food: The menu captures essences from regional kitchens across the country. This restaurant is on an expedition to revive those long lost desi elements through their food. I ordered quite a few number of dishes from the menu and absolutely traditional ones at that—but I was taken to surprise by the way good-old food was contemporized. Presentation gets full points here and the best part is that the character of the food remained unaltered. Today’s foodie looks for international gastronomical features in every dish that they dig into. Be it a simple Galouti Kebab or a Soda Shikanji—modern way of presenting mouth-watering food has become a major criteria. However, you are not allowed to compromise on the joy your taste buds used to experience when you ate the same dish in its most traditional avatar.

Desi Kurchan Tacos- Pulled Kathal

I started with the Kasaundi Fish Tikka with Babloo Sauce; delicious, succulent and mildly spicy, these fish cubes were an instant hit. Thereafter, I rejoiced upon some Kulle Chaat—an Old Delhi speciality made with watermelons, boiled potatoes, cucumbers, pomegranates and some secret black masala. Post this, we savoured upon some warm lamb Galawati Pate—this was my favourite starter. Super soft, almost-melting, warm kebab served in a small glass jar was definitely a first. The taste reminded me of lanes from Lucknow, where kebabs are the order of the day and the presentation was simple yet so innovative. For the main course, I started with the traditional Daal Baati Choorma with methaniya chilli salsa. This was followed by Mutton Kuttu with Malabari Poronta and Onion Pachdi—once again a delicious dish. The best part was that, this rich looking curry was not overtly oily; it had a diverse flavour thrown in by a gamut of regional spices. Finally, the last main course comprised of Ambala Cantt Mutton Curry with Tikone Parathe and Kumquat Achaar—it had the perfect desi tadka to it combined with carefully balanced spices and modern culinary practices. I loved every bit of it.

Chipotle Chicken Tikka with Avocado Raita

Finally, the dessert comprised of Cream Cheese Boondi Brownies and Jamaluddin Ki Kheer from Badal Beg Masjid, Old Delhi. What a delight it was. The first dessert came in a closed glass jar—soft chocolate brownie, warm and moist was blended with cream cheese and boondi; this is perhaps the best example of modern culinary concurrence. And the later made me feel like I had died and gone to dessert heaven. There couldn’t have been a better ending. So foodies and restaurant junkies please visit this place with your friends and family because the food is great, presentation even better and as they say it ‘celebration’ is their middle name!

Some chocolates for Easter?

L’opera Easter Collection

This year, L’Opéra brings you auburn delicacies for your Easter-time enjoyment. During this festivity, celebrating the resurrection of Christ, you can enjoy one of the world’s most beloved ingredients—chocolate in three different flavours, laid on a lovingly platter in adorable shapes and sizes. In line with the traditions surrounding Easter, chocolates have been prepared as chickens, hens and eggs. Gifting eggs is a very old tradition that symbolises, in line with the resurrection, a rebirth and represents renaissance and revival. For this reason, a suitable Easter celebration is in order. Chocolate lovers will have plenty to celebrate, with white, milk and dark chocolate options available.  Also, L’Opéra’s Chef Amit Sinha has made a special effort to create a delectable chocolate and pear tart, bringing together the sweetness of the fruit with  smooth, velvety taste of chocolate.

L’opera Easter Collection

“Well-sourced chocolate is one of my favourite things,” says Laurent Samandari, co-founder and Managing Director of L’Opéra.   “Having aesthetically pleasing shapes just makes the whole experience much more special. Such an important celebration merits a fitting premium, fine product and L’Opéra does it best,” he admits.

L’Opéra launches an impressive selection of Christmas delights

L’opera X’mas special

L’Opéra has created a remarkable assortment of Christmas products, including Bûche cakes and festively decorated Gingerbread biscuits. They have also created tempting orange ginger breads and Christmas butter biscuits.

L’opera X’mas special

The most important celebration of the year in France and many other countries, Christmas means family unity, a time for solidarity and, of course a time to savour succulent, festively decorated desserts. “Lemon and Raspberry, two of my favourite fruits are beautifully married in our Citrus Raspberry Bûche (Yule Log). This colourful delight is a tangy and sweet treat—a perfect taste for a festive gathering!” says L’Opéra Executive Chef, Lionel Villaron.

L’opera X’mas special

The Passion Fruit Cherry Bûche, with a mix of the exotic taste of passion fruit, and the classic, delectable taste of cherry is also part of the assortment. “With the Mixed Berry Bûche, a delicacy for lovers of forest fruits, the Ambassador, a mousse-based, eggless Chocolate creation, the irresistible Coffee Bûche and the creamy, nutty Vanilla with Chestnut Bûche, all tastes will be satisfied this Christmas,” exclaims founder and Managing Director, Laurent Samandari.

L’opera X’mas special

But Christmas wouldn’t be the same without biscuits. In addition to the traditional, festive shaped butter biscuits, the egg-less Orange Gingerbread and Gingerbread Biscuits are much cherished bites for this season. “There’s something magical about the use of Ginger in wintertime. It reminds me of Christmas back home in France, warming up by the fireplace with the whole family,” Laurent recounts.

Kylin Premier—an exclusive appetizing travelogue

Kylin Premier

Ambience- As I stepped into Kylin Premier at Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj, warm hospitality and pompous ambience blanketed me with much love—a perfect ending to a rather hectic Friday! Me and my partner were guided to the rooftop of the restaurant, wherein small cabana-sort setups, placed neatly in sync with the layout of the floor awaited us. We chose a corner for us—lit by a candle and enveloped by pristine white drapes. The area was well lit, with balmy breeze adding on to the romance quotient. Music was varied; genres like, house, lounge, soft trance and techno were floating in the backdrop in subtle tones.

Kylin Premier

What I loved the most about this place is the copious presence of greenery. Small pots, nestling plants of varied kinds were settled affectionately at every nook and corner of the space; thus, enhancing its prana. Overall, it was a visual delight for me. As I waited for my steward to arrive with the menu, delectably delicious aromas of sundry cuisines filled me up with layers of gastronomical expectations.

Kylin Premier

Hospitality- Special mention has to be given to the hospitality department at Kylin Premier. Not only were they warm and spontaneous, they always wore a comforting smile on their faces, ready to be at your disposal at the drop of a hat. Not overtly persistent, they knew the thin line between being there for you and giving you your space to have a fine dining experience. My experience was memorable.

Crystal Dim Sums at Kylin Premier

Food- This place serves Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, and Thai cuisines. I love Sushi; so the first thing I ordered was a couple of Crabstick California Rolls, made to perfection. This was followed by Chicken Crystal Dim sums. Now, this was a first for me. The name ‘crystal’ intrigued me to order this dish and what can I say—I reached to gastro heaven and back. The dim sums were super soft; the coating was almost feather-like light in texture, the filling had the right amount of spices and it just melted in my mouth. Sigh.

Clay Pot at Kylin Premier

Further to this, we laid hands on the Yakitori and Robata Grill’s section. After much thought given to the rather sumptuous menu, we zeroed down upon Chicken and Leek Yakitori and Chicken Wings. Double thumbs up to the Chicken and Leek Yakitori. Now, for the main course we opted for a bowl meal, called Bang Bang Angry Chicken that comprised of piping hot spicy chicken with peanuts, spring onions and lots of hot chilies served on a bed of sticky rice. This was simply delicious. The chicken was soft and the gravy was slightly spicy—apt for a Bengali palette. Thereafter, we indulged in a Lamb Clay Pot. This is an ancient Oriental cooking style, wherein the lamb is cooked with radish, root vegetables, lotus stem, mushrooms and potatoes. The cooking process is slow and ginger, garlic, sesame oil, hoisin, star anise and rice wine are the key ingredients that make the dish so gratifying. This was accompanied by rice.

Hong Kong Style Mushroom Bay at Kylin Premier

Finally, dessert comprised of chocolate fondue that had hot molten chocolate sauce coupled with fresh fruits, marshmallows, warm and spongy chocolate brownies and some ice cream, placed adroitly in a platter. I loved every bit of the interesting mélange.

Kylin Premier

Recommendations- Do try out the bowl meals and the clay pot range for main course. And, don’t forget Sushi and Crystal Dim sums.

Menu @ Kylin Premier

Kylin Premier, T-302, 3rd Floor, Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi.
For reservations, call- 011-33105340
Meal for two costs about Rs 2000 for two people (approx.) with alcohol

Barrels – Where food, art and music reside peacefully in chaos.

Barrels

Barrels came into being out of sheer passion of five friends, who have no background in the gastronomy industry. I love it when people turn their passion into reality and take their fair share of risk. In the end, you have to love what you do! Priyanka, Amar, Debashish, Keshav and Akshay have built this space to crystallise what they all stand for—downright foodies! A space housing interesting graffiti work, 3D sculptures, great music and a very diverse culinary platter, I’d say, you must step into Barrels for some eccentric dining experience.

Barrels

Décor- On a sunny, rather scorching Delhi afternoon, I was quite relieved to step inside Barrels—darkly lit, with hints of pop art here and there, this place is not for the mellow lot. What caught my attention the most was the unusual 3D art installations—a half body of a naked woman purging out of a wall, overlooking a dinner table with a Mercedes logo engraved between her breasts and to top it all, she sported handcuffs too! Kinky, eh? Well the idea, owners actually want to convey is—women’s liberation.

Barrels

The place brought forth splashes of neon palette placed in a chaotic manner on all the walls. For me, chaos means energy; so I quite like to be surrounded by pop-coloured messy walls. Not to forget the random messages, written here and there on the walls; for instance—‘Chase a dream not a girl’, ‘Corruption?’ etc… The interesting part was the smoking area; completely hand painted in a very edgy way by one of the owners, Priyanka Sharma, this place was all about hilarious one liners, hanging ashtrays, and streaks of shocking pinks, oranges and greens. Lastly, the washroom took me by total surprise. As I walked in, a gorgeous man, confined in a huge poster (almost half the size of my body) stared right back at me. And the man was Richard Gere. Need I say more ladies? *Sigh* that was quite heart-melting.

Chicken Malai Tikka

Food- I tried a couple of dishes; what really lingered on my mind till late evening were, the achari chicken, cigar rolls (stuffed with corn and cheese), cheesy potato balls, and the super delicious tandoori Pomfret. A special mention has to be given to the Pomfret as it was served with a very quirky dip—mayonnaise blended in mustard. Being a Bengali, I love mustard (kashundi– as we call it). Main course comprised of chicken biriyani and raita—it was nothing extraordinary. However, the desert had a twist to it—vanilla ice cream was served with dollops of chocolate sauce and a hot gulab jamun. I loved the way they bended genres.

Tandori Mushroom

The menu is very diverse and cuisines range from Asian, American, and European to African. The owners have hand picked their army of chefs from different corners of North India and they are doing a pretty good job.

Menu at Barrels

Alcohol- They are pretty well-stocked with the beverages bit. As the name of the restaurant suggests, beer options are galore. However, I never really developed a taste for beer, so I laid my hands on a couple of cocktails. Interestingly, few of the cocktails are named after the owners; for instance, my first drink was called ‘Akki Mashed Up’ named after, Akshay Ohri (one of the five owners). In fact, this drink was quite nice; it comprised of vodka, tequila, rum, gin, ginger-ale, grenadine and lemon. I also tried, ‘Cashew’s Nut’ that had dark rum, tequila, absinthe, triple sec and tonic water mixed in an interesting way. This was a very very strong drink. And since I am a big fan of absinthe, I give this cocktail a full ten on ten.

The music corner at Barrels

Special pointer– This restaurant gives budding musicians/bands a platform to showcase their talents. I love the concept of advocating fresh talent. Also, they have a huge bank of music videos starting from classics to rock, retro to EDM and more. The best part is, on a Sunday afternoon, I was quite happy listening to Pink Floyd and watching their live concert videos on one corner.

A meal for two should cost about INR 1800/ (Inclusive of two drinks)

Address: Barrels, 1st Floor, Building No 5, Basant Lok Community Centre, PVR Complex, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi | Phone: 011-41075881

 

Nordic Kandie Magic – A royal Estonian treat

Nordic Kandie Magic

Set up in Mumbai very recently, Nordic Kandie Magic redefines the whole concept of marzipan. Nordic Kandie Magic’s range of luxury handmade marzipan delicacies are for a discerning audience that appreciates an exclusive gourmet experience. Made with the finest quality of ingredients, sourced from world over, Nordic Kandie Magic introduces the Indian market, for the very first time to ‘Gourmet Marzipan’.

Thea Tammeleht, Founder & Director, Nordic Kandie Magic

The heart and brain behind this luxury treat is the Estonian expatriate, Thea Tammeleht, who has used her family’s traditional recipe to create her labour of love, ‘Nordic Kandie Magic’, while her family, back home, has been making marzipan from a traditional family recipe for generations—NKM was setup only last year by Thea’s husband, Thomas Abraham and her in the European Union.

Nordic Kandie Magic

In India, they began setting up in the second half of 2013 and have launched their product in the first week of February 2014. After moving to India, they had difficulty in locating and procuring true gourmet marzipan. Indeed there were some popular mass market imported marzipan in a few stores, but getting the real deal seemed truly difficult. With each passing day in India they felt the growing need to share this ancient family tradition with gourmet food lovers in India and the rest of the world.

Nordic Kandie Magic

Hence, Neel Sutra Bridal Lounge – an offering of all under one roof – from services ranging from bespoke bridal trousseau, jewellery, wedding décor, luxury invites, food consulting, to wedding photography, makeup artists and made to order marzipan—this place will hence forth house ‘Nordic Kandie’ at Khan Market.

Nordic Kandie Magic

Elegantly packaged in royal blue and gold, Nordic Kandie Magic’s marzipan, makes for a perfect gift to accompany wedding invites. Available in 16 flavours like mint, chocolate, strawberry, orange, almond, anjeer and cinnamon, this gourmet treat is 100% vegetarian, cholesterol and gluten free.

Designers Nitin Chawla, Asa Kazingmei and Ujjawal Dubey presented diverse collections at Lakmé Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2014

Theorem by Nitin Chawla

‘Richard’s Diary’ by Nitin Chawla – A visually stunning and highly imaginative story of a man who worked at a railroad union in Pennsylvania in the 1800’s came to life with Nitin Chawla’s collection ‘Richard’s Diary’ at the Jabong Stage during the fashion week. The collection for his label ‘Theorem’ comprised of silhouettes for both men and women, focusing on the style and cuts from that era along with practicality and personal style of the 21st century.

Theorem by Nitin Chawla

Dresses, coats, trousers, jackets, blazers, jumpsuits, shirts and separates took to the ramp in elegant, durable and heavy fabrics like tweed and leather. To add a hint of modern edge, the designer used digitally printed and brushed fabrics with stud detailing along with checks and pockets for a balanced appeal. Patchwork and layers further worked their magic on each piece in shades of dark blue, chocolate and red.

Asa Kazingmei

‘Changvei’ by Asa Kazingmei– Known for his raw and edgy take on fashion, Asa revealed a new collection inspired by the shield used by Naga warriors when at war. The silhouettes were almost armour-like, form fitting at the top so as to ‘protect’ one’s body. Exaggerated necklines and shoulders structured to mirror ‘self-expression through restriction’, was a concept derived from the boundaries and strife witnessed by the Naga warriors.

Asa Kazingmei

To balance out the range, feminine, free-flowing skirts, corsets and gowns, reflected the beauty and elegance even in tragedy while the outfits tailored for men included jackets, pants and shirts with controlled forms. The designer used embellishments and layers along with pleats, metallic studs, chains, rivets, leather piping and zippers to further strengthen the outfits for an ‘appliqués for weapons’ train of thought.

Antar-Agni by Ujjawal Dubey

‘The Otherside’ by Ujjawal Dubey’s – His collection ‘The Otherside’ from his label ‘Antar-Agni’ showcased a wide spectrum of emotions – raw and unaltered by using silhouettes for a canvas. Using fabrics such as linens, heavy and hand-woven cottons, cotton jacquards and chambrays, the designer made sure his ‘body art’ was deliciously decadent and functionally fashionable.

Antar-Agni by Ujjawal Dubey

Kurtas, dresses, trousers, coats, crop tops, tunics, jackets, blazers and kaftans made their way onto the runway in easy-to-wear shades of smoky grey, tin, brown, burnt beige, night blue and charcoal black. An outfit which stood out within the collection was an elegant cloud grey suit with double pockets paired with dhoti pants that gave an Indo-chic vibe. The collection, which was aimed at both men and women incorporated leather, piping, gathers and textured detailing that added to the allure of the collection, giving it an edgy and intriguing Indo-traditional appeal.