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.

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.

The Ancient Barbeque (aka TAB)—serving delicacies in a loving platter

The Ancient Barbeque

Situated at the heart of Noida, The Ancient Barbeque aka TAB, serves a delectable assortment of American, Mediterranean, oriental and Desi cuisine. And let me tell you one thing—if you like the idea of buffet, this is your go-to option!

The Ancient Barbeque

Ambience: As we entered the restaurant on a rather balmy Sunday afternoon, I was much taken by surprise to see the bustling crowd. Birthdays were being celebrated at one corner; groups of women laughed together, while sipping onto their mocktails, youngsters savored upon a rich assortment of kebabs and skewers, and colleagues sat together extending friendships beyond workplace, dipping their fingers in rich curries with much joy.

The Ancient Barbeque

Décor: The décor was a beautiful mélange of rustic and contemporary notes. The area was huge; it could probably house 100 people at one go. The tables were neatly placed in a linear order. Charcoal fired grills were mounted on each table for the starters. And one of the walls flaunted a huge map that looked ancient and worn-out – going perfectly well with the embodiment of the restaurant.

The Ancient Barbeque

Food: The food was undoubtedly mouth-watering. The buffet menu was varied and brought forth a blend of Indian and international cuisines. Although, the menu is fixed, they keep bringing in daily specials to keep you interested! I relished upon the live-grill serves that also come with an assortment of sauces to suit different palettes. The murg tikka surkhlal, tawa macchi, paneer tikka Jalandari and subj malai kurkuri were notably delicious. However, I would like to make a special mention here—the mutton burrah they served is by far the best I ever had; it was soft, succulent and down-right delicious.

The Ancient Barbeque

Now, they had a wide range of vegetarian and non-vegetarian salads and soups; but, like I said, I literally relished upon the starters way too much. So, I decided to move directly towards the main course section. Over there, I can promise, you will be spoilt for choice, which in turn leaves one hungry and confused. After much scrutiny and eyes rolling, I finally decided to try Hyderabadi chicken biriyani, mutton kundan kaliyan and paneer rara multani; they were truly magical. Lastly, my day was made after I tried the beetroot ka halwa—it was warm, slightly moist, dark red in colour with a sticky texture and it melted in my mouth, lovingly.

The Ancient Barbeque

Verdict: I absolutely loved the food; but most importantly, the warmth and hospitality of the staff made my dining experience an interactive one. The service was prompt and they never really stop getting those starters!

Address: H- 27/1A, Sector – 63, Noida

Meal for two: Rs.1000 approx.

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