Foodhall @ Palladium Welcomes Holland in Mumbai

Dutch Pancakes

Dutch food may not be as well-known as French or Chinese cuisines but it is worth experiencing the delight at least once. Foodhall, India’s premium lifestyle food superstore is kick-starting a week-long festival ‘Holland Meets Mumbai’ – enabling its patrons to experience the culinary flavours of Netherlands.

Dutch Apple Tart

Dutch cuisine has gained popularity amongst food connoisseurs across the globe owing to its simple and straightforward flavours. This food festival will take you to the orange land with some of its most enjoyable savouries such as Stroop Waffles – a waffle made from thin layers of baked dough with a caramel-like syrup filling and world famous cheeses such as Edam and Gouda. The fiesta ends on June 6, so all you food lovers in Mumbai, rush now!

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.

Pizzas just got better!

World Pizza Journey

The Restaurant: If you are an ardent pizza lover, then leave everything aside and head to WPJ- World Pizza journey—a brand new place that serves pizza in all its avatars. Now, if you still have time to read this entire piece, let me take the leverage to discuss in details my experience with you. Located in Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi, this place is meant for foodies who connect with the whole notion of global gastronomy. Name a country, and this place will serve you a pizza that has authentic flavours of your chosen destination. Be it pizzas from Italy or Hawai, India or America—options are galore. The best part is that they have even listed down complimenting alcohol that will satiate your taste buds even more. Pizza from your favourite country along with the best suiting drink is equal to party in the palette.

World Pizza Journey

The Décor: WPJ is a global pizza café in an urban casual dining setup. Sit back in its cocooning space and view the candy painted, bright walls, holding with much love, vintage posters, funny quotes and some interesting photographs of happy faces. Amidst lemon yellow, parrot green and bubblegum pink walls, pristine white table and chairs have been kept orderly. Old-school gramophones are placed occasionally on some tables, which add to the quirkiness of this restaurant. This bistro style outlet is a brainchild of Ankit Tayal and Abhishek Mathur who combined their efforts, experience and passion to bring forth a destination that offers pizzas from across the world in their most authentic form. The carefree, easy-going ambience is perfect for brunches with the girls, or night-out with the boys.

World Pizza Journey

The Food: The dough is made daily; it’s fresh. Also, this is the only place in Delhi to have wood fired oven pizzas and conveyer belt pizzas. The place brings to you specialties from Italy, Malaysia, Moscow, France, South Africa, Turkey, South America, Thailand, Greece, Egypt, Brazil, Chicago, Hawaiian, Britain, China and more. So while the country’s best get the space here in the menu there are many chef creations like ‘An Original Pepperoni’, ‘Falafel Pizza’, ‘The Mediterranean Pizza’, ‘Nacho Pizza’ and more. They also serve a variety of fresh salads for the health conscious lot—Mexican corn salad, House Caesar salad, Thai green papaya salad, Rocky Balboa, Green Gourmet Salad, and Californian greens are few options on the menu.

World Pizza Journey

I tried a portion of Hawaiian pizza- Aloha; served in less than 15 minutes, this pizza came with a small flag of its nationality. Being intrigued, I asked the manager its significance and he stated they ensure they serve all pizzas with a small flag of its originating country to remind the customer, what they have asked for. Very interesting indeed. I opted for a thin-crust pizza; it was delicious. Pineapple slices, onion rings, ham, cheese and jalapeño melted in my mouth and I savored upon all six slices. I also tried a pizza from Florence, called, Florence-The Renaissance (thin crust) Pizza; it comprised of Parma ham basil leaves with chunks of mozzarella cheese. It was like, gastronomy heaven.

World Pizza Journey

Now, coming over to the drinks section, they have a well-laid bar menu. Also, mixologist Viju Raj has conceptualized the menu that has very interesting and innovative concoctions, which includes drinks like Chicago Orange brandy, Californian Whiskey sour, Russian bride, Monte carlo Hibuscus sour, Sicilian kiss, dutch botanical mule, Apretivo venom, New york Collins, Safran lemonade, Beit Moussallem, Chelada, Mogi Das cruzes, Khus Madira and more. So head over to WPJ to enjoy great cocktails with best of pizzas.

L’Opéra launches ‘Salon de Thé’

L’Opéra launches ‘Salon de Thé’

Décor: One of the very first French pastry and bakery enterprises in India, L’Opéra, brings forth the brand new concept of Salon de Thé to its Epicuria outlet at Nehru Place, New Delhi. I went there on a very cold afternoon and a cup of warm cappuccino, served as soon as I reached the eatery, comforted me deeply. Salon de Thé means the tea room; and with all its whims and fancies, this place looked like a page from Alice in Wonderland. Quaintly cornered, with pistachio green chairs placed contouring a patch of moist green lawn—this place was so soothing for the eyes. A transparent sheet outlined the space to give it a private feel and cut it off from the rest of the food mall. A staunch Victorian lamp stood with much pride at the centre of the outdoor area and a romantic Parisian terrace blanketed us with much French concoction. The setting only got dreamier, with classical French music floating in the backdrop. Basically, the ambience and décor had me at hello!

Cheese Croissant at Salon de Thé

Food: Apart from its array of mouth-watering cakes and pastries, this outlet serves light meals and assorted bite-sized pastries and snacks. These include the well-known Vol au Vent, flaky pastry enveloping delightfully fresh ingredients such as chicken or assorted vegetables, with France’s much-loved Béchamel sauce or the similar Feuilleté, filled with select cheese. I loved the quiche that they served; crusty pie with a filling of chicken and cheese. There Feta cheese salad served with toasted homegrown bread with a touch of fennel was another super hit!

Vegetable Quiche at Salon de Thé

Also served on L’Opéra’s toasted house bread, is Brouillade, the velvety, buttery, French version of scrambled eggs, which will give you a taste of food from authentic French Provence region. For those looking forward to binging on light snacks, try their Croque Monsieur; it is toasted house bread with ham and melted cheese—elegantly delectable. Also, its fried egg version, called the Croque Madame is equally worth lusting for. All dishes are served with fresh salad.

Mixed salad at Salon de Thé

Lastly, what left me drooling was Café Gourmand, a selection of bite-size signature pastries and snacks served with a brewing cup of hot coffee. The assortment of mini pastries was like celebrating a mélange of flavours. They also serve select fruit juices; the sparkling apple juice was very refreshing. Also, they have a meticulous choice of selected aromatic teas to soothe your soul. Be here for a sophisticated French high-tea experience! The ambience is unhurried and food is impeccable.

Dine the ‘Nawabi’ way at MoMo Café, Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon

Nizam-e-Nazakat

With festivities and celebrations being at its peak, MoMo Café at Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon brings forth Awadhi food festival in a lovingly platter. The festival offers some of the most regal delicacies that will take you to a gastronomical journey back in time.

Paneer delicacy

Upholding the quintessential spirit of royal flavours and culinary legacy of Awadhi delicacies, this food fiesta commenced on October 4 and will end on October 15. From a variety of kebabs to Mughlai curries, I suggest, you must indulge in the pleasures of Awadhi cuisine.

Chef Amit Dash

Executive Chef, Amit Dash and his well-trained army has recreated the royal cuisine’s true flavours using magical mélange of spices. The slow fire cooking with all its harmonies will treat your palette majestically. Chef Dash has mastered the art of Nawabi food over years, he says, “Awadhi cuisine is delicately prepared with rich spices added in precise measurements in a slow cooking process that delivers authentic royal flavours.”

Non-vegetarian delicacy

The menu spread comprises of an elaborate array of Awadhi delicacies, like, Nalli Nihari, Murgh Awadhi Khorma, Mahi Anarkali, Lalla Gosht, Murgh bagdadi, Dum ki Macchi Murgh Dum Biryani, Raan-e-Awadh, Keema kaleji and more. Also, vegetarians can binge on Paneer Nasheman tikka, Dahi ke Kebab, Zamikand ki Shammi, Nadru ki shammi, Thickey matter ke kebab, Paneer Nasheman, Palak potli curry, Badal jam, Paneer kundan khaliya, Dal Peshawari and more.

Thande Gulab ki kheer

Special recipe of ‘Thande Gulab ki Kheer’ by Chef Amit Dash:

Serving Size: Four

Ingredients: Rose petal (80 grams), milk (200 grams), sugar (80 grams), rose water (40 grams), sweet attar (100 grams) and pista (100 grams).

Preparation Method:

• Reduce milk to a thick consistency

• Add fine shredded rose petal, sugar, rose water and sweet attar

• Cook the mixture for 10 minutes on slow flame

• Garnish with pista, rose petal and serve chilled

Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon

Where: MoMo Café, Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon, Sushant Lok – 1

Date: 4th – 15th October, 2014

Time: 6.30 PM to 11.30 PM

Price: Food buffet @ INR 1550 plus taxes per person

Unlimited IMFL Alcohol @ INR 850 plus taxes per person

For reservations, please call: +91 124 488 8245

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.

‘Tilt All Day’ launches a new Corporate Menu

Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Roasted Garlic

Bored of meeting your clients in an office environment? Break the cycle by visiting Lower Parel’s charming ‘Tilt All Day’. This modern, all-day dining restaurant, is now serving a specially designed menu, catering to office going professionals, who are seeking good food, at affordable prices, in a short period of time.

Fettuccini Putanesca

This contemporary menu, offers European and Continental cuisines, with vegetarian, and non-vegetarian options to select from, across soups, salads, appetizers and main course. You can also opt for an option with/without a drink.

Sticky BBQ Chicken Wings

Drawing cues from his immense experience working with modern and classical flavours and techniques, the chef’s menu reads like any foodies’ delight, ranging from dishes such as pulled chicken salad, quinoa tabouleh and lamb kibbeh, to favorites such as, roasted pumpkin soup, BBQ chicken wings, margarita flatbreads and more.

Burger and fries

The main course option features, eggplant parmigiana, polenta, and vegetarian lasagna, complemented with non-vegetarian options like, grilled chicken breast, beef burger, and grilled basa as choices. You can also choose a two course meal including soup and salad for Rs 250 or appetizer and main course for Rs 350 and a three course meal that includes soup/salad, appetizer and main for Rs 450. Beer or Red Bull will be at an additional cost of Rs 100.