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Culinary Cuts, Vadodara (2026)

15/05/2017

What happens when you get invited for dinner to a Seafood Lovers Dreamland?........... This:

On my recent visit to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, I was invited for dinner by some business friends to a place called THE UNIQUE SEAFOOD PJ23. Whats Unique one may ask....Right? Well here it goes:

Once you enter the premises, you encounter atleast 60-70 odd tables(huge Capacity). Suddenly one is drawn to the right hand side wall of the restraunt and you notice that the "Wall" is just a partition to another room which look like an aquarium. Initially, I thought it is just a part of the decor, but BOY!!! WAS I WRONG! Only when my friend asked me to accompany him to that "ROOM", I understood the actual significance of that room. The room was not just one big aquarium but 130 DIFFERENT AQUARIUMS having almost all the marine consumable species. From normal prawns to sharks. Everything!

The procedure was simple....Each Aquarium had a price attached to it. Simply choose the fish, a guy will come and pick in front of you. Choose the recipy from the menu you want your fish to be cooked into and voila....you will be treated to the freshest fish you've had in a long long time. The idea is to eat fresh and taste the local flavors in the best possible way. On chatting up with my friend I got to know that this restraunt is famous for catching 90% of their marine supplies, fresh, EVERYDAY. So, almost all of the aquariums contained the fish which had been caught the very same day. Talk about freshness.

Even the non seafood lovers didnt need to fret. Because apart from the fish they had a vast menu of general chicken/lamb/beef items to choose from. But in that as well, there were a few items which got my attention. Specifically, the items listed as "Nasi Kerabu" and "Spiced Ostrich in Garlic Sauce" were somewhat unique and boy! was I pleasently surprised. The Nasi Kerabu is a strange dish, served with Fried Chicken in soya sauce base and BLUE RICE, crackers and mango pickle. The blue rice is lightly spiced with coconut cream base with mild spices. Perfect dish to have on a rainy day. The Ostrich on the other hand was very different, having somewhat of a texture similiar to Manchurian, the taste was Sweet, Spicy and Tangy. Somewhat a little towards the UMAMI taste, but all was perfectly balanced. The meat was soft and perfectly cooked, full marks to the chef to create a perfectly balanced dish.

Coming to the fish, the recipy was chosen by my chinese friend (A Local), so I dont recall the name. Although, even the fish it was like a tiger fish but much bigger in size. It was steamed in a vegetable broth smeared with garlic butter and cooked with pokchoi, green onions, and veggies. Salty but yummy not at all spicy.

For Ambience 4/5 (Its very lively and totally informal)
Quality 5/5
Taste 5/5
Getting Spoilt for choices if you are a seafood lover......PRICELESS!
Strictly NOT FOR VEGETARIANS

06/03/2017

Walking is good for health....or thats what I heard till now...only, till the time I decided to visit this "little" expo known as the GULF FOOD EXPO in Dubai. Held at the World Trade Center in Dubai from 26th February till 2nd of March 2017, It is THE biggest expo of food and food products which attracts more than 5000 exhibitors from all around the world. With a massive footfall of more than 95000 visitors per day, this one is indeed the grandad of all the food expos.

An entry charge of AED 350 greeted me like Muhammad Ali's punch, knocking the daylights out of me, but the thought of food from all over the world under one roof still kept me in the ring. Eventually purchased the ticket and entered the Sheikh Zayed Hall ready to encounter what they call, the Foodies Heaven. Now coming back to the walking part, as understood, walking is good for health but only when you are doing it as an excercise....Not when heavenly smells of different kinds of snacks and foods enter your nose every 2 seconds.

Immediately after entering the hall you are greeted with various stalls segregagated as per their respective country of domicile. Its like entering an amusement park with only food all around which takes your senses on a psychedelic roller coaster. Sampling various chips, snacks, fruit infused waters, hamburgers, pizzas and what not you end up adding more pounds to your weight rather than finding actual FMCG corporate contacts. Spreading over 5 halls, each hall having a seperate segment....starting with Hall 1 which has general branded food products from all over the world to Hall 2 for Dairy and Dairy Products. Hall 3 was for Meat and Hall 4 for COmmercial Machineries.Dont ask about Hall 5 as did not have enough energy to remember or visit the said hall.

Hopping from one country/aisle to another you tend to discover some weird product or the other. I discovered edible packaging for bakery and confectionaries which I found quite interesting, then there was one peculiar product called LIQUID EGG which I found quite helpful. With a shelf life of 1 year, I found the product quite helpful and handy. The same comes in 3 variants, White, Yellow and Whole. Just a simple concept but worth buying. Also, the live demo counters are simply amazing, with everything from fresh hot chips to Shawarmas, Steaks, Hamburgers etc. U simply need to stand in line. Suddenly after so much eating you dont feel the pinch of the AED 350.

After pounding up certain number of extra kilos , I finished my day. With a few free cheese and snacks samples in my kitty. If you are a foodie, and happen to be in the UAE, then this event is not to be missed. BON APETIT!

13/05/2016

Review of Meraki, Alkapuri-The Restaurant One among the Many, which is actually getting it RIGHT!

I visited Meraki last Sunday for lunch, after being curious of its low-key opening. In the past I have come across numerous occasions where restaurants had a high profile opening, with chic interiors et all, but alas seldom the food served in them match up to the place. Eventually the so called high profile restaurants either close down or end up changing their name and relaunching. So it was natural for me to be curious about a place seemingly catering to the chic dine in sector. For me Food comes first, service comes second and ambience etc. comes in the last places. So eventually we decided to pay MERAKI a visit for lunch.

Located in the bylanes of Alkapuri(behind Hotel Express Towers), the location is nice, although situated amongst residential towers, hence parking can be an issue. But being a summer afternoon, parking was not a problem. What surprised me and made me more curious was the occupancy in the place. IT WAS FULL! Giving me a hint that something might be going right for this place. We were greeted by the Maitre D’ and were seated nicely to a table for two near the Window (+2 Points there!). The Place doesn’t shout out loud for attention with its interiors, in fact it is more simplistic to my liking. Comfy and accommodating to describe the best.

Enough about the ambiance and the place. Now let’s discuss the most important parts Food and Service. First the Food. The Menu boasts of being a Global Cuisine Restaurant, although most of the pages are filled with the traditional Indian Cuisine Items. A few pages enlist some Thai, Lebanese, Chinese and Italian Items under Appetisers and Main Course, but none of the cuisines cross the two item mark under both Appetisers and Main Course sections. Indian Appetisers section is more vast in its choices, hence giving me an impression that the place might be good in Indian Preparations. Another interesting thing about the menu was that they have not written the prices of the items in Numbers, in fact using words to write numbers, which eventually confuses you to make the prices less intimidating. Focusing on our though about the place excelling in Indian cuisine, we decided to make our selection from the Indian Appetisers section. We decided to start simple and ordered Dahi ke Kabab and Garbanzo Shami Kabab (Their ardent try to sound INTERNATIONAL, I believe! Replacing the humble CHANA word with Spanish GARBANZO ). Now Let me tell you about them,

Dahi ke Kabab has been a particular dish, which most of the places get wrong. The basic dish originated in Old Delhi, which has Hung Curd mixed with Awadhi spices, coated with Besan and Deep Fried to reveal a tangy, spicy and soft texture in the centre when eaten. Most of the places tend to overdo the crispiness by compromising on the original idea of the taste and texture. So we were indeed apprehensive. But to our delight, the dish was just perfect. With the right softness and tanginess in the inside and crispiness on the outside. The spices were gentle, complementing the tanginess of the curd perfectly. I would say, the last I had Dahi ke Kabab so perfect were at Punjabi by Nature, Rajouri Garden, Delhi.

Garbanzo Shami Kabab/Chana Ke Kabab (I prefer to call it that) : Happy with the first entry, we were a little let down with this. Although the cook tried his best to match the taste of Shaami Kabab with Chana instead of Keema, the texture was still a little rough. The Spices were a little heavy with black pepper dominating the platter a little more than the rest. Although the biggest put off were the small pita roundels placed below the kababs which didn’t add to the taste at all. In fact, if they do away with the Pita Roundels the Kababs will look and taste as good.

One thing to note is that they have good portions which justify the price. Hence we were quite full, with the two entrees already. But still I being the DARE TO DEFY kind, thought of checking the menu again…..and VOILA! I landed on an Item marked under Appetiser as RAAN priced at ONE FOUR NINE NINE per plate. In other words INR 1499.00/- per Plate which I misread as FOUR NINE NINE (499.00/-). WELL PLAYED MERAKI! WELL PLAYED!

Enough of my rant on the price and Back to the RAAN! Raan originally is a Full Mutton Leg marinated overnight in rich spices and cooked over Charcoal until the meat is tender enough. Hence It is something which is hard to find in most of the places, since it is tedious to make. This somewhat justifies the price tag. But I had my previous experiences with other restaurants to support my belief that I will be served something extremely customised version of the actual dish. BUT………..to my amazement, I was served a 750gms full Mutton Leg looking as exotic as it could be. Accompanied with two ghee drenched Roomali Rotis and Salad. Ok! The place had me with the Looks! But as I said earlier, for me TASTE is important. So with my first bite of the RAAN, I was in Heaven again (I’ve been there, quite a number of times now ). It was a perfect 10/10. The meat was tender and perfectly cooked, and the spices were perfect which complimented the meat perfectly. Even though I was almost full, I finished 2 roomalis and packed the rest for later eating. That says a lot about the dish . But I still did not understand why on earth they have kept it under Appetisers. The Dish is actually good for two people(like me!) to share depending upon your appetite.

In All, the place is getting it right currently with the Food. Highly Recommended.

Ratings out of 5 Stars
Food : ****
Ambience : ***
Location : ***
Price : ***
Value : ****

15/05/2015

Came across this heavenly delight called AAMPAK. The taste of fresh mangoes and mava together make the perfect summer dessert. Imagine a sweet aam papad barfi/halua made with fresh ripe juicy mangoes. Drooling??? So was I!!! Recipe coming soon.

27/03/2015

REVIEW : NATURAL ICE CREAM & COLD DRINKS, OPP KHANDERAO MKT GURUDWARA

One thing that I cannot live without is a good "dessert" after a yummy meal. Be it gulab jamuns or good jalebis...our country lives by excellent desserts. Though, I would say that among desserts , my least favorite would be Ice Creams. It is the informal nature of Ice Creams that they have never been on my "favorite" list. Although when friends ask you to come with them for ice creams on a hot night, then all you can do is agree and oblige for a quick taste. But a visit to this place called, NATURAL ICE CREAM & COLDRINKS, located right opposite the Khanderao market gurudwara made me love this simple dessert all over again.

The quality and taste that this place serves makes you forget all the Gelatos and Yogen Fruzs of the world. This is the real deal. Forget ambience, decor, presentations et all. This place has a simple rule...Home made Ice Creams with natural ingredients and no preservatives. SIMPLE, SWEET and EXCELLENT. Above all, this place, I feel is the best dessert place for weight watchers as well because they also serve small portions called "half" which is half a scoop of whatever flavour you choose. This also helps people like me to taste different flavours without getting the usual "guilt" factor. I would say BRILLIANT...and just look at the prices. I dont even remember when I had any Gelato or natural ice cream in that price range.

The flavours which won an award in my mind and love in my heart right away with their perfect taste were Gulkand and Fresh Sitafal. You can simply taste the sweetness of a rose or a sitafal(custard Apple) straight out of your spoon. For the health conscious there is a flavour called Aadu Honey(Ginger Honey) which is absolutely zingy. Has the right amount of spicyness of the ginger and sweetness of honey.

If you want to have excellent gelato or Ice Cream I would recommend NATURAL ICE CREAM, OPP KHANDERAO MARKET GURUDWARA. Take your family, take your friends....treat them to excellent ice creams without burning a hole in your pocket. Highly Recommended.

Rating : *****

07/03/2015

Try these simple vegetable tikkis with a south Indian twist for a quick evening after office snack:

Veg Tikkis

4 medium sized Pototoes boiled
2 medium sized onions (chopped)
250 gms paneer (grated)
100 gms processed cheese (grated)
1/4th cup Chana Daal (soaked for 10 min)
1-1/2 tsp garlic paste
1-1/2 tsp ginger paste
1-1/2 Tsp Red Chilli Powder
1-1/2 tsp Jeera Powder
1 tsp ajwain
1 tsp Black pepper powder
5-6 Curry Leaves

1 Cup Breadcrumbs
1 Cup Maida
Salt to Taste
Ghee for frying

In a pan heat a little ghee and put curry leaves and the soaked chana daal in. Fry till the daal turns golden. Remove from oil and set aside.

In a bowl mix potatoes, paneer, cheese, onions, fried chana daal+curry leaves and all the masalas. Mash all of them together.

In a bowl mix equal amounts of maida and water to make a pasty mixture. Add salt to the same.

Create small tikkis(roundels) of the potatoe mixture and dip in the maida paste and then roll them immediately in the breadcrumbs and cover them completely.

On a kadhai heat the ghee and fry them till the tikkis are golden crisp from all sides. Make sure you fry them on medium heat and the oil is not too hot. Otherwise they will not cook properly.

Serve Hot with Dhaniya-pudina chutney or Ketchup.

06/03/2015

Do you think your Paani Puri Waala is the best in the City? Nominate them and lets find out....Also please mention their unique thing which makes them stand apart from the rest. We will select 10 people from our members to join us on a food walk to Rate them. Come on Peeps! After all its all about food!!

06/03/2015

Hey all, Holi is a special occasion...be it for the colors, be it for the solid family time. For each one of us, Holi also brings with it some special FOOD memories.

Mine are the amazing memories of mouth watering Gujiyas that my mom used to make along with Mughlai Paranthas for Lunch to quench the hunger pangs after an active session of Holi.

Whats yours???? We all will be happy to hear about your FOOD memory related to HOLI.

02/03/2015

Mexican and Italian Express Class on 8th and 9th of March 2015. Call Now # 8866044880. Timing 6pm to 8pm.

02/03/2015

Watch my episode on Zee Khana Khazaana channel on 9th March at 1600hrs

02/03/2015

For a Quick Snack try this exciting snack. This can be made with chicken keema or soya granules :

Ghughni Rolls
1 cup - keema / Soya
1 cup - chhola
1 big - Onion sliced finely
1 - medium Tomato
5 - Green chillies
4 - dry Red Chillies
1 tbsp - Turmeric powder
1.5 tbsp - curry powder
1 tbsp - coriander powder (dry roasted)
1 tbsp - cumin powder (dry roasted)
1/4 tbsp - Cinnamon powder
1 tbsp - Ginger Garlic paste
1/2 tbsp - Sugar Salt to taste Ghee -
2 tbsps Parsley leaves -
2 tbsps A handful of Curry leaves
3 - Bay Leaves

Sauce
Mayonnaise: 2 Tbsp
Lemon Juice : 2 Tsp
Tomato Sauce : 1 Tsp
Salt to taste

For Wraps
500gms Maida
100ml Milk
Eno 1 Sachet
Baking Powder-2 pinch
Salt
Water : 2 Cups
____________
For Wraps
Mix all the ingredients together and knead into a soft dough. Cover with a moist cloth and set aside for 1/2 hour.

For Ghughni
Pressure cook chhola, keema, tomato, and parsley leaves with turmeric powder in sufficient water.
Heat ghee in a deep bottomed vessel.
Add dry red chillies along with bay leaves.
Fry for 2 seconds.
Add green chillies and onions.
Fry till translucent
Add curry leaves.
Add the pressure cooked chhola and keema mix to the onions and fry.
Mix curry and cinnamon powder, ginger-garlic paste, sugar and salt in 1/2 cup of water and add to the pan.
Dry the excess water and keep aside

For Sauce
Mix all the ingredients together

Preparation
Make small balls of the kneaded dough and make 6" flat rotis. Cook them on a tava till they are half baked. Put a little oil on the tava and fry the rotis but dont make them completely crisp.

Spread the Sauce evenly on the semi fried rotis, put a spoonfull of ghughni and roll them. Roll them in Butter paper and serve hot.

01/03/2015

SERVE GOOD...HEAR GOOD!!! SIMPLE!

Culinary Cuts

15/05/2017

06/03/2017

13/05/2016

15/05/2015

27/03/2015

07/03/2015

06/03/2015

06/03/2015

02/03/2015

02/03/2015

02/03/2015

01/03/2015

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