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.

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.

The Townhouse Café: Food Review

Town House Cafe

Décor: Restaurateur Priyank Sukhija with Akshay Anand bring forth the latest uber-chic restaurant in town—The Townhouse Café. Standing at the heart of Connaught Place with much poise, this restaurant flaunts luxurious décor. Vintage inspiration runs through the place and makes the entire atmosphere very classy. The bar is one of the largest in New Delhi and the fun part is that—you can hop on to the bar and don the hat of a mixologist; yes, you are allowed to make your own cocktails.

Town House Cafe

Reflecting aesthetics of Gothic architecture, this restaurant looks old school but very plush. Décor elements like moldings, carvings, cast iron and rich velvet have been inculcated to cast a royal appeal. The eatery is spread across an expansive space; one whole stretch has black leather couches kept neatly; while, another section has been turned into small compartments with oxblood red velvet walls and dim lamps hanging above lazily, painting the dining table copper-ish. The furniture used are rusted or withered, which strikingly contrasts some very polished stuff to radiate an imperfect sense of style; perhaps things which are too perfect, might not be beautiful anymore. I certainly find beauty in perfect imperfections.

Town House Cafe

The lounging area is so comforting; Chesterfield’s leather and some animal prints are thrown in to create a contemporary style statement; soft textured wood-work has contoured the whole length of the flooring to give it a royal feel. The ceiling is tall and arched with mirrors placed in strategic locations to magnify certain décor elements.

Town House Cafe

Food: This restaurant brings to you a joyful ride of culinary atlas! Name a place, and they will serve you the specials. The lounge and café opens for you a whole new world of some scrumptious platter. The menu offers you to choose from best of authentic oriental delicacies, continental selection, nutritive salads, soups, spicy Indian, Italian pizzas, pastas and more. The bar flaunts some of the world’s finest spirits. The wine boasts of some thoughtfully put together names, along with an excellent range of whiskey selection.

Town House Cafe

I started with the mouth-watering cheese croquettes, it was crispy and well-fried, and it broke into molten lava of cheese; pure deliciousness! Also, this was served with cocktail sauce. I also ordered a portion of ajwaini fish tikka—it was served with mint sauce and onion rings. However, my favorite remains the mutton galouti kebab; mouth-melting baby kebabs served on mini Malabar parantha. For main course, I tried their grilled fish steak with lemon caper olive; it was served with house mash and lemon on caper sauce—an absolute gastronomical delight! I must say hats off to chef for this one.

Town House Cafe

I would recommend this place to people who love dining with panache. This place has a rustic yet opulent sense of eccentricity and is sure to create buzz amongst food lovers. You can find them at N Block, Outer Circle, Connaught Place, New Delhi.

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.

Vault Café—Redefining British Raj Era

Vault Café

Ambiance: Nestled in the heart of Connaught Place, New Delhi, this brand new eatery joint resonate a certain industrial ambiance that will remind one of a store house of British East India Company. Dark emerald, teal, brick brown and red dominate the colour palette of this place. Leather and velvety seating arrangements placed spaciously across 6000 square feet area makes this place a party paradise.

Vault Café

Like the name suggests, the entrance of the restaurant is like a huge vault. The classy décor elements only add to the vintage vibe of this thematic space. The notion of dine and party inside the vault was customary in the past of the Queen’s nation, which acts as the core mantra of this restaurant. The rustic undertones of the interiors have transformed this café cum lounge bar into a colonial space with influences from the British Raj era. Interestingly, classic vintage note has been subtly blended with concoctions of grunge finishes; for instance, exposed iron bracing, non-processed cement walls, occasional patches of distressed walls, raw wooden effigies and more.

Vault Café

The lounge bar also has an attached terrace where you can sit and enjoy some unusually splendid flavored hookkas. This area overlooks Connaught Place and Palika Bazaar; and it is quite a visual delight. Plus what makes a lunch better on a winter afternoon in Delhi! Overall, this place made me feel adventurous at some subconscious level; maybe because looking at the vaults and chambers (small cubicles of seating areas recreated inside mini vaults) made me feel like, I am on some sort of a treasure hunt.

Penne bacon and mushroom

Food: The menu housed dishes from many different cultures. It was a very impressive spread. I started with some Pokchoi and Water chestnut dim sums. These delicate little dumplings of joy were mouthwatering. The flavour was new to my palate and the concept even newer. The coating was crystal-like gentle and the stuffing was moist and velvety. After this, I ordered for a serving of extra spicy chicken wings; and boy-o-boy, was it smoking hot or what?! The chicken wings were six in pieces and I wished they made it eight because it was so delightfully spicy with subtle hints of sweetness. I love hot, spicy sauces and this particular ‘extra spicy’ sauce made the meal apt. And oh, it went well with my second serving of sweet, crimson sangria. Post this, I opted for prawns red chili; it was spicy as expected and the prawns were soft and well-cooked. Lastly, my super appetizing ‘starter’s’ expedition concluded with a serving of traditional fish fingers.

Mint and lemon chicken

Moving on to the main course, I ordered for a nice serving of grilled chicken breast with mushroom and peppercorn sauce. The chicken breast straight out of a charcoal grill was crisp on the topmost layer and juicy in the center. This was accompanied by a small portion of grilled seasonal veggies and cheddar mashed potatoes. I thoroughly enjoyed the meal. The lunch ended on happy, wintry notes with a large slice of tiramisu cake. Did someone say #awsomesauce? Well, I did!

FIsh and chips

Recommendations: The crew here is extremely polite and well-versed with the menu. Ask them for specials or maybe let them know your ‘taste’ and they sure will help you zero down upon the best delicacies the restaurant has to offer, suited best for your palate. Also, if you are a fan of seesha, ask your steward to guide you with the flavours available. Personally, I would recommend a rich and mild blend of paan masala and green apple. This place has something for everyone—be it brunch with the ladies or a bachelorette party, a boys night out or lunch with family, you will have a great time; I can vouch for it.

Find them at: F 60, Connaught Place, New Delhi

Call them at: 011-33105674

 

 

Summer House Café—For a Soulful Dining Experience

Summer House Café

Ambience: Located in Aurbindo Place Market, Summer House Café is a statement in its self. Serving cuisine from world over, this standalone café has a certain noir element to it. Conventional wooden décor sets the mood on an eccentric level. The restaurant has two seating areas—a rooftop, open air seating arrangement and a customary closed setup downstairs with a huge open space, accommodating a house full of people dancing to techno, house, lounge and psychedelic trance music.

Summer House Café

As far as I am concerned, I love open air setups; especially during winters. After reaching the venue on a packed Friday evening, I was given a choice to sit anywhere I wished to by the very polite manager. Like I mentioned, I chose the terrace. Soft tunes of trance floated in the air as I got comfortable on a low-base sofa. The crowd was bustling; people wore happy smiles on their faces, which only made me more intrigued to find out more about this place.

Summer House Café

We sat on a quaint corner overlooking a terrace bar that looked like a small, fun truck serving beverages of all kinds. As I browsed through the menu card, one of the stewards got us a standing angithi (brazier) and placed it lovingly next to our table; it felt enchantingly warm and sultry—perfect for Delhi winter evenings.

Summer House Café

Food: I started with some appetizers—non-veg mezze platter, buffalo chili fries (veg), and some smoked chicken wings. My evening started to get better! The food was scrumptious and the portions were even more generous. However, extra credit should be given to the chef for mouthwatering food presentation skills! Now, special mention must be made for the hummus—it was gorgeously grainy, yet had a smooth texture and the olives on it seemed deliciously dark and soft. I relished upon it.

Summer House Café

The starters were accompanied by a couple of Sangria servings. The wine was sweet and crimson and the floating fruits were cut in small, cubical shapes—all equal in sizes. Quite impressive, I must say. Moving on to the main course, I ordered myself a basil pesto chicken with parmesan sauce. The succulent chicken breasts were marinated in fresh pesto before being grilled to perfection. This was served with thick, creamy parmesan sauce that melted in my mouth like molten sunshine. And of course, grilled seasonal veggies and mashed potatoes sat on the plate like stiff-lipped custom. (P.S- Not a big fan of mashed potatoes; they rather make me feel dull). Overall, the chicken was heavenly; every bite was worth it.

Summer House Café

The meal concluded with a large slice of carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. It was soft; tasted like fresh homemade cake and the frosting made it all the more sinful. My evening indeed, ended with a happy winter cake. I would recommend this restaurant to everyone who is looking forward to an easy-going, fuss-free dining experience.

Recommendation: This place is soulful. The décor could be simplistic but the ambience is Boho. The food might sound extravagant, but its very essence will soothe your palate—a perfect home-style casual café for Delhi-ites. Also, this place houses many live performances and gigs on selected days. So have you planned your Friday already?

Find them at: 1st Floor, DDA Shopping Complex, Aurobindo Place, Hauz Khas, New Delhi

Make reservations at: 011 33106147

Sunday Brunches at Aqaba

Pizza Rucola at Aqaba

Aqaba invites one and all to spend balmy afternoons, brunching from 12 noon to 4 pm! So eat, drink and make merry in the backdrop of soothing live music, by entertainer extraordinaire, Azin Printer and his band ‘The Printers’!

Melon Ginger Lemon Crush Martini at Aqaba

Every Sunday the venue will provide sporting and indoor entertainment for kids, allowing adults to sit back, relax and enjoy the mouthwatering brunch menu and cocktails on offer. Kids would be entertained with face painting and movies too.

Mezze Platter at Aqaba

Head chef, Anuj Thapar has curated an exclusive menu of global brunch dishes, to be enjoyed by the most discerning customer. The menu includes breakfast options such as Poached Eggs, Huevos Racheros, Peanut Butter Waffles, Choco Chip Pancakes, Mezze’s and a whole lot more! The cocktail menu, boasts a refreshing variety of sangrias, wines, beers and signature cocktails, perfect for wintry afternoons.

Melon, Ginger and Lemongrass Martini at Aqaba

Come sample this all-you-can-eat buffet menu, at INR 1,400 for food, and with an addition of INR 800 there is an unlimited amount of cocktails, from 12 noon to 4 pm. Kid’s menu will be priced at INR 800 (all prices are excluding taxes). This restaurant is located at Club House, Level P5, Peninsula Business Park, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai. For reservations, call at 6151 2222