Eau De Monsoon at the Meridien

Eau de Monsoon is Le Meridien’s attempt at bringing together traditional Indian dishes, and modern Indian cooking (popularised by restaurants like the iconic Indian Accent) is a single menu.

Located at the lobby level, the restaurant done up in muted shades of browns and greys, which could be depressing during the day but did very well in the dim lighting of night. Our table was located next to the long glass windows overlooking Janpath and the green façade of the hotel, and the view was very pleasing to the eye.

We visited as part of the Citibank Restaurant Week and the food itself was a mixed bag of hits and misses. The amuse-bouche was a shot of lovely cauliflower cappuccino which went down very well indeed and whet our appetites for things to come, The appetisers included Dosa mille feuille, coconut jelly, curry leaves dust, tomato chutney, where the coconut jelly was conspicuous by its absence (though there were two pyramids of some sort of chalky cheese) and the rest was simply a very tasty masala dosa which was served slightly deconstructed and stacked up like pancakes. The other starter Banana leaf wrapped paneer, chilli coriander pesto, sun dried tomato coulis disappointed by its total lack of flavour (I have achieved similar results by simply grilling the paneer at home, cooking it in banana leaf imbued no flavour whatsoever) and originality (the chilli coriander pesto was more of a simple chutney) So while there was nothing really wrong taste wise, the oomph that the dish promised was completely missing. The starters were followed by a delightful, light lynchee sorbet as a palate cleanser that we enjoyed more than the preceding course.

The main course included a Chettinad spiced char grilled cottage , asparagus poriyal, bar-be-que sauce. Let me sum up my disappointment by saying that in terms of flavours this main course and the starter mentioned above were absolutely identical! There was no Chettinad flavour infused in the cottage cheese at all, it was yet again good quality paneer that had been grilled. Similarly substituting asparagus (in rather minute quantities) for the traditional beans in the poriyal, did not add anything to the dish. The Mushroom Strudle with Cilantro pesto, tandoori crushed potatoes, smoked curry sauce was more of a conical puff pastry (than strudel) with a mushroom filling. The flavours could have still been nice if the mushrooms has not been over salted. We went with the server’s recommendations in breads, a garlic naan (outstanding) and olive naan (innovative and very tasty). Mains were followed by another nice palate cleanser, a mixed fruit consommé with kiwi.

Desserts were definitely the stars of the meal. My personal favourite was a divine Gulab jamun malai cheese cake, Chandan ice cream, Red fruit compote. Each and every element of this dessert was outstanding including the innovative and absolutely delicious chandan ice cream (never thought that sandalwood could taste that good!); the cheesecake which was not just perfection in itself but also included very good gulab jamuns (a rare occurrence in fine dining establishments, frankly it is only quality halwais who know how to get gulab jamuns right, but this version was spot on) and the refreshing fruit compote which was perfect and summery. The Chocolate pave, kulfi, pistachio snow, berry compote also provided a sweet surprise after the disappointments of the previous courses.

The meal ended with a shot of liquid paan which was absolutely brilliant in recreating the taste and texture of a regular paan and a piece of silky smooth chocolate.

A word now on the service, it was absolutely impeccable, always attentive but never obtrusive. Our server was knowledgeable and we did not regret going with his recommendations on the right breads to complement our food etc.

Overall the nice ambience and perfect service was let-down by the food which had an equal number of hits and misses. Eau De Monsoon is a valiant effort by the Meridien, but I don’t think Indian Accent or Varq have anything to worry about just yet.

Food: 3.5/5

Ambience: 4/5

Service: 5/4

 

Chez Nini is a No-No!

I’d been reading glowing reviews about Chez Nini for a while now, and was quite curious about just how well one of New Delhi’s first non-Five Star experiments with French food had turned out? So a bunch of us trooped in on a Saturday night eager to have our taste buds tickled with some va-va-voom cooking. Blah blah boom would be a more accurate summation of our dining experience, with dish after dish upping the disappointment quotient.

The only redeeming feature of this small (less than 10 tables), cosy restaurant in Meher Chand Market, Lodhi Road was the ambience. The simple wooden tables were offset by the bright red chairs and the interesting roof with an artificial tree spreading out its branches twinkling with small fairy lights added a touch of drama. However the ambience and the efficient if uninspired service was let down by the dull as dishwater food and unimaginative wine list. The evening started on a happy enough note with the complimentary bread (their take on focaccia with a much stronger dollop of caramelized onions) which was très good , even when eaten sans the usual accompaniments of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The drinks menu is quite limited (wine and beer only) and the selection of wines consisted primarily of bland plonk which should not feature on the menu of a restaurant with pretensions of being a fine dining establishment. To give him, his due, our server was quite patient as we tasted and rejected wine after wine (revolting bouquet, insipid taste) till we finally settled for the only sparkling wine available (drinkable but just about).

The appetizers included a ‘New Delhi’ French Onion Soup (house made melba toast and grilled cheese) which any self-respecting Dilli ka foodie would disown without a moment’s hesitation. It was unexciting and tasteless without any of the depth of texture and flavour which, from the right kitchen, makes French Onion Soup an amazing culinary experience. The crispy soft poached egg (nugget potato salad, green and white asparagus) whose merits a certain newspaper critic had waxed eloquently about, was okay but not exceptional. The potato salad was nothing more than lashings of mayo and dill mixed in potatoes and the white asparagus was conspicuous by its absence! However the green asparagus was done just right and sadly this simple accompaniment was the star of an otherwise unexceptional dish! Nini’s Poutine was equally disappointing, with French fries covered over with a bland, brown sewage consistency, caramelized onion gravy with small dollops of what the menu stated and the server insisted was homemade cheese curd. However one bite was enough to convince us that it was nothing more than good old paneer! This dish was exceptionally disappointing since the chef-owner Nira Singh was born and raised in Montreal, the capital of Quebec (French speaking Canada) where poutine originated.

The main of Vegetarian chilli and house made cheese curd (roasted pine nuts, toasted bread cream and rye melba toast) was nothing more than ‘rajma’(minus our delicious masalas) cooked with minced soya nuggets, with the occasional piece of carrot or zucchini and the pine nuts completely absent. The accompanying toasted bread cream looked like baby puke and had all the taste and flavour of a dish of liquid concrete. (For more about how even fast food chili can taster sooo good read the previous review of Chili's)  One thing you can say about this establishment is that they are 'equal opportunity  horrific food creators! My non-vegetarian dining companions were as luckless as me in this evening of culinary misadventures! The only saving grace of this lack lustre dinner was the dessert of lemon meringue which had a lovely sharp tangy taste and the pistachio churros (dark chocolate, coffee and vanilla ganache) which were pleasant but not great and which again left me wondering what was yet another Mexican dish doing on the menu of a French restaurant?!

Overall a visit to Chez Nini is to be avoided, the food is insipid, the prices are steep and the experience on the whole is profoundly unsatisfactory.

Ambience: 3/5

Food: 2/5

Service 3/5

Value for Money: 1/5

Cost of Meal for Two (With Alcohol): Rs. 4000-4500

Patience

Hello!

I am in the process of migrating posts from my other blog url, its going to take some time and I won't be blogging there anymore but promiiiiise to be as regular here so please be patient.

Cheers!

Chili's

I’m usually not a fan of food chains because in my experience there are invariably those few outlets where the food and/or service sucks leaving one (often literally) with a bad taste in the mouth. However Chili’s is one restaurant which I would definitely say lives up to its name and is smokin’ hot be it in terms of great food, prompt friendly service or value for money.

Chili’s is an international chain serving Tex-Mex dishes, with a presence in more than 30 countries. In India, in addition to the Delhi operations, the chain has outlets in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai The Delhi outlet opened its doors in December 2010 and has been doing roaring business ever since(with repeat customers like me undoubtedly contributing a not inconsiderable amount to the total profits). Though vegetarian options are limited vis-à-vis the non vegetarian menu, the food is almost uniformly good and almost always excellent value for money.

One of my favourite items on the menu is a vegetarian (I suspect made-for-India) version of the traditional Chili Con Carne or Chili for short. The vegetarian version uses tomatoes, black beans (or good ol’ rajma) veggies like carrots, zucchini etc, assorted spices and I suspect strong lashings of cheese. The result is a thick gooeeey soul satisfying mass of goodness. Amongst the starters, the vegetarian nachos are a good option. Don’t expect TGIF style nachos heaped tall with salad veggies and cheese. The Chili’s version consist of individual nachos baked with oodles of cheese with an ornamental jalapeno slice providing just the right amount of bite to the dish and a sweet-spicy dip complementing the whole rather well. We also tried fried jalapeno and onion rings which were nothing more or less than jalapeno pakodas and onion pakodas, crisp crunchy and filling! A real value for money option are the bottomless party chips, bowls of crispy tostada served with a lovely refreshing salsa and repeated as often as one desires. One of the few dishes on the menu which actually disappointed were the veggie and cheese quesadillas. The quesadillas had a filling of spinach, sauted mushrooms spring onions and cheese but all that one could taste was overwhelming quantities of cheese drowning out all the more delicate flavours.

While the quesadillas disappointed, the burgers definitely did not. The stars of the menu at Chili’s, each one is more mouth watering than the last. My personal favourite is the vegetarian Mushroom Swiss Burger, a mouth watering concoction of a southwestern soya patty, sauted mushrooms, sliced Swiss cheese, tomatoes, pickles ( gherkins not 'achar' :)) and mayo in a sesame seed bun. If mushrooms are not your thing or spicy is what you crave, then try the Jalapeno Burger which teams the southwestern soya patty with mayo, tomatoes, shredded lettuce, jalapenos, cheddar and fried tortilla strips. Yummmmmy though the southwestern patty is, it does have a slightly ‘mock meatish; taste which may not appeal to some vegetarians. For them I would recommend the Bombay Burger. At the heart of the Bombay Burger is a well seasoned potato patty made with carrots, peas and beans. This is brought together with a supporting cast of pickles, shredded lettuce, tomatoes and onions to create a deeply satisfying burger.

A word now on the desserts and that word is scrumptious! One of my pet peeves with the dining scene in New Delhi has been the lamentable lack of establishments capable of serving up even a semi-decent cheese cake. The cheese cake at Chilli’s is definitely not semi-decent, it is absolutely DELICIOUS and served with a fabulous strawberry sauce, once cannot help gorging right to the last mouth watering morsel. The molten chocolate cake topped with vanilla ice cream is decadent and one bite is enough to convince you that sometimes sinning can actually be sooooooo good for your soul. The fried banana fritters actually tasted more like the banana pancakes which were once so ubiquitous in every self respecting Chinese restaurant serving ‘Sino-Ludhianavi’ cuisine. However they were quite nice on the whole.

I would also like to mention the service; it has been uniformly good with staff who are attentive but not overbearing and friendly but always polite. Chili’s is no fine dining establishment, but definitely a great place to enjoy a relaxed evening with family and friends without burning a hole in the pocket. Watch out TGIF, there’s a new kid in town and he’s definitely a lot hotter than you!


Food: 4/5
Service:4/5
Ambience: 3/5
Average Cost of Meal for Two: Rs. 1200

Smokehouse Deli

It remains an enduring mystery to me.

Why is it that some eateries offering great food often combined with attentive service languish whereas other rather mediocre places become the toast of the town for reasons that continue to elude me. It is to this latter category that Smokehouse Deli belongs. As an early disclaimer I did try to like the place........and I mean REALLY REALLY try (read visited repeatedly in the hope of a miracle occurring) .....and in all fairness there are some elements i.e. location and the ambience into which a great deal of thought and effort has gone in with great results. However the great ambience makes the mediocre food and the disastrous service even more of a let down.

However before I ramble and rumble on further caught up in a wave of righteous indignation, let’s begin at the beginning. The Smokehouse Deli opened in 2009 as the new outpost of the ever popular Smokehouse Grill in Greater Kailash II. Considering the consistently high standards maintained by the Grill, expectations were understandably high and the Deli does not disappoint at least so far as the decor is concerned. Diners have the option of choosing between the indoor seating and alfresco dining and the indoor area is quite inviting with white seating, black squiggles on the walls providing slightly kitschy appeal and sunlight streaming in through the French windows. But it is the outdoor area with its covered awning which shelters from the rain while letting cool breezes tickle you which is the real winner. Ideally suited for lazy brunches in the warm winter sun or leisurely dinners in the unusually mild April evenings we are currently blessed with in New Delhi; it remains a feasible dining option even in the sweltering heat of the summer months due to the thoughtful provision of air coolers and spray machines. The decor again is predominantly white and for those inclined towards an 'Evening in Paris' kind of experience, the water fountains facing the deli also burst into a periodic sound and light show (yes yes I know it is NOT the 1960's but is still retains a cheapie kitschy sort of charm :))

However while the decor never fails to charm, the food seldom impresses. One of the few strengths of the deli are its salads and one which I would definitely recommend for its interesting interplay of flavours is the pear and artichoke salad. The artistry unfortunately does not extend to the main course with even a basic ravioli dish proving to be a big disappointment served as it was with rubbery pasta and a supremely uninspiring spinach filling and tomato concose. In fact messing up the basics seems to be the signature move of the Deli with a cottage cheese burger (and really do you get any more basic than a burger?!) proving to be quite disappointing (for my money some of the best vegetarian burgers in town are to be found at the News Cafe located 2 floors above Smokehouse Deli but more on that in the next post). Nor did many of the other dishes impress. We ordered the wild mushroom and artichoke crepes with the fontina melt and while the crepes themselves were lovely and light, the melted cheese on top ruined the entire dish. Fontina was too strong a cheese to complement the delicate taste of the crepes and the overall effect was that of an avalanche of melted cheese obliterating all delicate flavours in its path!

One of the few saving graces of the menu was the capellini with grilled vegetables kalamata olives and feta crumble. It has been one of the most interesting pasta dishes I have had in a while (I do wish more chefs would broaden their horizons beyond penne, fettuccine and spaghetti and explore pasta options like capellini) but unfortunately this dish was part of a time bound promotion and is no longer available on the menu. In terms of desserts, while the tiramisu was definitely good, the banoffee was really reaaly bad and once again left me wondering how could such a simple dessert could so wrong in supposedly trained hands.

A word now on the service....it is non-existent !!Throughout my various visits I have always found the servers to be polite but sluggish and unresponsive to simple requests. However the pinnacle of indifferent service was attained when a friend was served his pasta dish without any accompanying cutlery (this was leisurely supplied when he politely enquired whether he was expected to eat the spaghetti with his hands). Good service is one of the essentials of an enjoyable dining experience and indifferent service is unacceptable anywhere but especially so at an establishment which for all its pretensions of providing a casual dining experience has priced itself at par with several fine dining outlets.

All in all if you must visit Smokehouse Deli, do so for the ambience, enjoy a round of cocktails there and then move on to the several infinitely better dining options available in the Vasant Kunj malls now.

Ambience: 4/5
Food: 2.5/5
Service:2.5/5
Average Cost of Meal for Two: Rs. 2000

Kareem's@ Sula Vineyards, Nashik

This blog celebrates the joys of eating…..specifically the joys of eating vegetarian. Food is definitely the raison d'être for its existence. However when eating out, it’s not just food which maketh the experience……….and in some rare cases it’s really about the experience rather than the food. Of course without good food and excellent service your dining experience would be incomplete if not disastrous, but there are some destinations which either by virtue of their breathtaking natural beauty or due to the unusual experience they offer, become quite spell binding as destinations themselves where food is just one of the components of a deliciously packaged experience. The Sula Vineyards is one such destination.

The Sula Winery is located in Nashik, about 180 km from Mumbai and 210 km from Pune. If travelling from Mumbai, one can comfortably plan a day trip which apart from the time on the road will still allow you to spend a few hours in the vineyard; to soak in the atmosphere, undertake a tour and enjoy a leisurely lunch at one of their charming restaurants: Little Italy or Kareem’s. However should one want to luxuriate in the relaxing atmosphere for a couple of days, one always has the option of staying at ‘Beyond’ a lovely three bedroom villa located in the vineyards. If you chose to be a day tripper, than rest assured that all the tiredness of the drive shall melt away as soon as you step foot inside the winery. The dominant colour is one which definitely a hot favourite with all the vegetarians out there: Green! Apart from the vineyards stretching out in every direction as far as the eye can see, there are also rolling lawns with little lotus ponds dotting the complex here and there. Sounds gorgeous?You bet it is! The complex itself consists of beautiful, whitewashed buildings which fit in very well in the bucolic, verdant green surroundings. Peace, tranquility and harmony with nature are definitely some of the key descriptors of the complex. If you are visiting the complex, then a tour of the vineyards is definitely recommended. At Rs. 150 per head for the tour plus a wine tasting session, it is a steal! Beautiful though the interiors of the tasting room are, if you really want to savour the beauty of this place, enjoy your wine in the balcony of the tasting room with its panoramic view of the vineyards ringed by hills in the distance.

However let’s not forget the food, wonderful food!If you plan on enjoying a meal at Sula, you can choose between an Italian meal at Little Italy and an Indian repast at Kareem’s. We ate at the Indian restaurant Kareem’s and though I for one was skeptical about pairing wine (especially since I’m something of a white wine fiend) with Indian food, the meal definitely did not disappoint. The colour theme of the restaurant is like the rest of the buildings at the vineyards, shades of whites and browns. Quirky touches like lamps made of empty wine bottles added to the charm of the place. One of the best things about Kareem’s is that the restaurant successfully avoids the tourist trap temptation of putting a couple of the regular kababs and tikkas on the menu without any options for the more adventurous or even jaded diners. So while the paneer tikkas and hara kababs find their place in the menu, so does and absolutely divine makai malai seekh kabab whose melt-in-the-mouth goodness will have you begging for more. Another triumph on the menu is the vegetarian dum biryani where the flavor suffuses each individual grain of rice. A marked improvement indeed over the glorified pulao you find masquerading as a biryani in most commercial establishments these days. However the pièce de résistance of the menu is undoubtedly the phirni. Sinfully rich and creamy, vice was never more tempting than in the shape of the varq topped little earthenware bowls which were soon licked clean! The entire meal was washed down with their late harvest Chenin Blanc, a nice fruity dessert wine. This wine might be too sweet for those who prefer their wine to be dry……. but then again it was a dessert wine!
For all those living in Nashik, Mumbai or Pune, a day trip to Sula is highly recommended as the perfect way to unwind. Even if you are living elsewhere in the country and are looking out for a relaxing holiday, the Sula vineyards are definitely the way to go. Plan a trip pronto…….you definitely will not be disappointed

Ambience: 4.5/5
Food:3.5/5
Service:3.5/5

Café Basilico

Paraphrasing the hit from the 90's hit by the C&C Music Factory, Café Basilico is one of those "Things that make you go mmmm" because everything about this place from the location to the decor to the food is definitely mmmmmmlicious. There are actually two outlets of Cafe Basilico in Mumbai. The original outlet at Colaba which offers all meals from breakfast to dinner and the charming Bandra outlet which I visited which is open for lunch and dinner. Cafe Basilico, Bandra provides you with the option of dining indoors or outdoors. We opted for an alfresco lunch, a wise choice on a balmy January afternoon. While the cafe is cool and welcoming inside, the dining area outside has its own rustic charm with an improbable combination of purple walls, warm woody overtones in the furniture and lots of bamboo which comes together quite beautifully.

And where the decor does not disappoint, the food definitely surpasses all expectations. The menu is extensive and runs the gauntlet from soups, salads and sandwiches to heartier fare amongst the main course and desserts. All of this can be washed down with a choice of smoothies, mocktails and quite a decent selection of teas and coffee. The menu includes items from a variety of cuisines including Italian, Lebanese, Mediterranean and Thai dishes. However my favourite part is that there are plenty of options for vegetarians to choose from! Just to give you an idea, if you prefer sandwiches you can indulge yourself from a selection as diverse as Mediterranean Grilled Veggies to Pita Pockets with Falafel and Sour Yogurt to wait for it......Char Grilled Tofu sandwich! All vegetarians sandwiches are also completely eggless......even the mayo is cent percent shakahari! The selection in the main course is equally eclectic ranging from a variety of pastas to Balinese curry and Moroccan broth.

We started the meal with an Asparagus, Grilled Zucchini and Mushroom salad with iceberg lettuce and peppers which comes with a choice of two dressings: creamy parmesan or light (and healthy!) balsamic vinaigrette. I opted for the vinaigrette and I must say that the combination of fresh, crisp veggies and a near perfect vinaigrette dressing was a mind blowing combination: good for your taste buds AND waistline. Of course my pious mood of watching what I eat did not last too long.......to be precise it lasted all of five minutes until the Garlic Mozzarella Bread was put on the table. This was cheesy, decadent and delicious but I do wish they took the trouble to serve the ketchup in bottles or containers, seeing it served in satchets was SUCH a turn off. Moreover the oregano tasted more like basil: minor inconveniences but they did mar the overall experience.

The main course included Gnocchi in Red Pimento Pesto Sauce. Though not outstanding it was definitely a nice enough dish and one from which some Italian eateries in New Delhi (especially the highly overrated Italia in Vasant Kunj) could take a few pointers on how to balance the essentially bland gnocchi with a slightly sharp sauce. However the winner of the afternoon was definitely the Conchiglie Pasta. A mouth watering combination of slow roasted zucchini, garlic, peppers and sun dried tomatoes with spiced olive oil and parmesan, the effort that went into the preparation of this dish definitely showed in every scrumptious bite. Even the non-vegetarians amongst us agreed it was one of the highlights of the menu. A divine cheesecake signalled the perfect end to a near perfect meal.

All in a visit to Cafe Basilico is definitely recommended next time you are in Mumbai. And if you are living in Mumbai and haven't visited yet.........what are you waiting for my friend......rush NOW!!

Ambience: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Food: 4.5/5