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

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone!Wish everyone a herbalicious year ahead!Am enjoying an extended New Year's break in Mumbai......so few new reviews coming up :)Till then stay green and have yourself a fantabulous 2010!