Lifestyle - Travels for Taste

Inito – a journey into the flavours of Indian street food in London’s East End

March 31, 2015 by manjirichitnis 5 Comments

Journey into India’s by lanes without leaving London? Yes it’s possible well at least transporting your taste buds is. Simply head to London’s east end for a treat to your senses. Located a stone’s throw away from Liverpool street, @Inito_UK has the look and feel of a really cool dhabba plus an old college canteen rolled into one.

While we waited for all our friends to arrive we were served some thick and delicious lassi, I love salted lassi and this one made me greedily want another round – it’s the kind of lassi that you will happily drink and not worry about your ‘lassi moustache’ – I almost thought I was stuck in the dhabba scene from Rang de Basanti for a minute there (which reminds me I must add a road trip to the North of India to my bucket list – with loads of stops at roadside dhabbas included and if I can do this one a motorbike – waah!!) As expected the Mango lassi was most popular choice.

We were then served Chicken Lollipop with a mini masala dosa, the chef was generous enough to even give some dosa batter away to experiment at home to one of us. Chicken lollipop is another very popular ‘item’ on the menu in India and is very popular even as a starter for parties. Dosa stalls dot streets where dosa lovers throng to eat a variety of different dosa’s with delicious stuffing , there is at least one dosa stall to be found outside every big railway station in Mumbai.

Inito served the dosa with some delicious coriander and mint chutney.

Then came Pani- Puri – the one snack that makes me go weak in the knees. Everytime I go to Mumbai I must head to Elco Pani Puri to gobble up as many plates I can possibly stuff myself with! The pani puri was ok and much better than what I have tried elsewhere in London but amongst everything we sampled that evening I would put this at the bottom of my list. This has nothing do with the what they served per se but more to do with what type of pani puri I am accustomed to having back in Mumbai.

Then came the bhel and the dahi chaat – both were excellent and the tamarind chutney was fab.

Then came a huge platter with various roti- rolls – basically loads of meat or veggies with some fresh veggies and chutney stuffed inside. I loved the chicken and lamb – the meat was cooked tender and it was what I would expect in terms of taste. Reminded me of Tibbs Frankie ummm The prawn roti roll was my least favourite – I would rather have had the prawns on their own.

We were given a selection of different dips and chutneys to go with these roti-rolls, my favourite was a chewy aubergine chutney, very good. The adventurous few can even design their own roti rolls. No wonder then the Chef Saurav Nath is an award winner – he has managed to retain the authenticity of most of the dishes while coming up with clever fusion dishes like the pau slider and roti rolls.

Then came the Tikka’s – tender and succulent portions of meat, chicken and paneer- Indian cottage cheese – marinated in Awadhi spices and yoghurt and then skewered inside a tandoor. I loved the mini pau-sliders too. Highly recommend pairing the tikka’s with Bombay Blonde a blonde beer crafted specially to compliment the complex flavours of curry and a great alternative to Indian Lagers. For those who have had Cobra beer before can order Cobra, Mongoose or Kingfisher too. I love Kingfisher especially when I am in Mumbai or Pune over summer – nothing better to help me survive temperatures upwards of 32 deg cel!

The chef then got us some curries to try and dum-biryani. While all of us went into a frenzy clicking pictures and capturing the moment when the lid was lifted off the biryani , the air filled with the unmistakable biryani fragrance of basmati rice, spices and meat The very thought of that steaming hot biryani makes me salivate even now -ummm . I had fun explaining to my one of blogger friends who had never seen anything quite like that before. Folks its worth the trek to this place just for the biryani! – Head over to my Instagram feed to check out a cool ‘biryani’ video here

The curries were delicious and I am biased in favour of the lamb. But by this point I was ready to explode and so were the others. It was good then that some jumped at the chance to take some the curries home, I would have hated to see the food go waste.

No Indian meal is complete without some freshly made pipping hot gulab jamun and ice cream and even with full tummies , everyone did justice to the sweets. I was quite delighted to hear that the ice cream was Horlicks flavoured – Horlicks and Bournvita were my favourites while growing up and made drinking hot glasses of milk bearable. The mini Gulab Jamuns were irresistible little bite sized ones in sugar syrup. (as confirmed by my friends since I did not touch them – had vowed to stay away from sweets – whyyy???!! But I just had to try the ice cream and allowed myself as teensy weensy taster)

The rasmalai was fabulous too (as confirmed by my friends) with the right consistency and topped with pistachios and cardamom floating in a sweet thickened milk.

The best thing about going for a review dinner with blogger friends is that you have great company sorted and you hope for good food and when food is fabulous it just turns into one of those evenings that you wish would happen more often. I got to meet my friends, eat fab food, discuss things food and blogging related that only like minded folks can fathom and enjoy discussing – what more can one ask for, huh?

We were served by smiling and courteous staff and sampled a large variety of dishes from the vast menu. The Chef came and spoke to us at length and I loved chatting him up in Hindi. The food is brilliant and I would certainly recommend anyone who wants to try fabulous melt in your mouth tikka’s , steaming hot biryani and tangy chaat – If the food managed to transport my taste buds to Mumbai then am sure they got that bit right!

The minimalist decor goes well with the street food theme and the bright wall art will have you clicking away to share pictures on Instagram – I did !

*With thanks to the PR Agency and Inito for the invite. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

MoBa – New Boulangerie with a French-Asian fusion menu opens in London

March 30, 2015 by manjirichitnis 8 Comments

The new artisan bakery where Bánh Mì meets Boulangerie called MoBa opened it’s doors to the public on Monday at Goodge street in London.

Before I dive into the details about their unique and well thought of menu, a bit about the background – the how’s and why’s ( humm ,maybe all those hours am spending watching House M.D have started affecting the way I think – need to know the why first..)

The Paris born founding duo – Thibaut and Theodore, met while studying Hotel Management in Switzerland and then kept in touch even when their careers took to various locations across the world. They recently moved to London with the aim of bringing a new concept of dining to London. Though they are still in their early 20’s this duo has gained lots of experience between the two of them and have been exposed to various culinary influences.

With a bold and fabulous new fusion menu this new casual dining spot promises to serve up interesting food, which like their lovely window display will change with the seasons. ‘MoBa’ an acronym for Modern Bakery aims to combine traditional French cooking with fresh and simple flavours from Asia – a culmination of friendship, passion for creativity and of course a shared love of good food.

The interiors are cool and fresh, the minimalist look adds a soothing touch while the sleek leather lined stools give it just the right edge.

I also got a feel of a bit of behind the scene the counter action – a masterclass of sorts. Thibaut Voury, one of the founders , who was managing the kitchen showed me how to make my own Bánh Mì.

Because I wasn’t too keen on a heavy lunch, the naked Bánh Mì sounded good and Theodore Charoy the other founder suggested that I choose ‘Tokyo’ because of the fabulous flavours of the Salmon gravlax. He was right! I absolutely loved this mix of seasonal veg wok, Japanese lime and garlic cream served on a bed of noodles. Not only is it light and fresh it is still full of wonderful Asian flavours.

I resisted having any beer but they have my favourite Asian beer – Asahi, while the other bloggers loved Bellerose – a blonde beer from Northern France.

I also learnt that the word Bánh Mì was born out of a misspelling for ”pain de mie” which simply means ‘sliced bread’. This sandwich dated back to the time when French colonised Indochina, a perfect example of a fusion born out of the meeting of two very different culinary worlds.

The other bloggers choose the Toulouse (£7.20) which as they described as a fabulous combination of spicy mango sauce and duck confit in a traditional baguette stuffed with seasonal veg wok. It was massive and looked very delicious , I do hope to go back soon for this one.

Apart from the fusion menu, the Boulangerie also stocks beautiful breads and some baguettes with unusual combinations like the soya-ginger baguette which I got to take home in goody bag. I was greedily eyeing the green tea croissant while photographing the place and the mango croissant looked so tempting with the beautiful glaze over it – wow – almost irresistible!

Ever since I started having my matcha green tea everyday I am totally addicted to the taste of green tea and the match green tea brownies were my absolute favourite from the sweet treats we were given to sample. Of course the fusion of flavours spills over into the dessert menu too then and the exotic sounding Zen Lightning Éclair packs a punch with a strong tangy flavour while the Speculoos Mango Cheesecake is delicious too and a perfect companion with a steaming hot latte. What I loved most is that the dessert tray came lined with the MoBa ‘newspaper’ – hot off the press!

MoBa is conveniently located a short walk from Goodge Street tube station and is a fabulous lunch option for lunch go-ers and would make for a great place for a casual catch up over dinner with friends too.

Don’t know about you but I think MoBa is going to kick off a new trend in London with their fusion menu!

*With thanks to the PR Agency and MoBa for the invite. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.All images without my watermark for ‘travelsfortaste’ are provided by the PR Agency. Kindly do not re-produce any images without prior permission.

In my Veg Box: Courgettes – Recipe Linky Challenge

March 1, 2015 by manjirichitnis 10 Comments

After a whole year am guest hosting In My Veg Box again, an event run by Vegetarian food blogger Nayna Kanabar of Citrus Spice UK. In March last year, the vegetable of choice for In My Veg Box was Cauliflower and you can view the recipes in my round up post here.

I have a long standing love affair with courgettes. Why? I think it goes back to childhood habits of eating loads of fresh cliced cucumber and in dahi raita with biryani very often. But now I am obsessed with getting just the right amount of Courgette curls for a Courgette ‘pasta’ OR even getting to bake a cake with Courgettes.

I have recently taken it upon myself to go on a weigh loss journey and in the process eat healthier, eliminate food waste and of course educate myself about the health benefits of various foods. Courgettes are very low in calories and fat, and have a high water content. 100 grams of Courgettes contain approximately only 15 calories!

Besides this the biggest health benefit is that Courgettes have anti-cancer properties and are known to inhibit cell mutations and therefore help in preventing colon and lung cancer. Not only that they contain a whole host of beneficial and necessary Vitamins – Vitamins B1, B2, B6, Vitamin K and Vitamin A. It is also a good source of folic acid, potassium, fiber, manganese, phosphorous, magnesium and copper.

They are also known to help prevent a whole host of diseases like:

Stroke
Heart Attacks
Scurvy
Multiple Sclerosois

Now with so many health benefits this delicious vegetable must form a very important part of your diet, don’t you think?

Besides I think those who are lucky enough to grow their own vegetables can enjoy amazing dishes like stuffed Courgette flowers and make the most of this summer squash . At it’s peak in July, the Courgette which is part of Curcarbita is actually a fruit and is commonly mistaken as a vegetable. Popularly known as Zucchini in America, the beautiful golden yellow Zucchini makes for beautiful salads and is a gorgeous addition to many recipes.

Rules to Participate:

Please prepare any vegetarian recipes using Courgettes and link your dish to the linky code below. You will need to enter the name of your dish, as well as the url of your blog.
Current theme is COURGETTES.
You must link your blog post to both this blog post on Travelsfortaste and to Citrus Spice UK, this is mandatory.
Use of the logo is not mandatory but it helps to spread the word if you can use it.
Multiple entries are allowed.
Archived entries are also allowed, only if they are re-posted and updated with this event link, as well as the Citrus Spice UK link.
Recipes must be added to the linky by 31st March 2015.

In the event of any problems with using the linky code, please email me your entry to fruitsnveg@yahoo.com. Please include your name, recipe name, url and an image no larger than 300 pixels.

An InLinkz Link-up

Thank you! Can’t wait to see variety of recipes that I am sure are possible with the humble cauliflower! Get Cooking Bloggers!

References: Courgette Recipes,U.K

*Disclaimer : I am not a trained health professional and what I have written about is from what I have read, please ensure that you consult a certified health professional and/ or consult your Doctor for advice relating to any serious illness, ailments, queries etc.

Chakra – Indian Fine Dining in Notting Hill

February 5, 2015 by manjirichitnis 2 Comments

I am on vacation in India but I have a bunch of passionate foodies hard at work in London, sampling the best that the city has to offer, so that you, my readers can continue to get the latest reviews, news, and views from the world of food – after all someone’s got to continue doing all the hard work while I party ;). A few days ago my buddy Harish, who is also a passionate foodie went to Chakra to sample their menu and this is what he thought. Having just returned from a two-week-long vacation in India, the flavors of my real home were ever-present on my palette reminding me of the good times spent navigating the gastronomical haunts of both Delhi and Mumbai. Expectations were thus pretty high when Flavia, an Italian colleague of mine from work, and I made our way to the swanky Indian restaurant in Notting Hill called Chakra for dinner this last Wednesday. We arrived for our 8 pm seating and were promptly shown to our table, amidst an already buzzing restaurant which clearly indicated its popularity amongst the locals. The interiors were dim, the décor modern and the music modern; all adding to the distinct vibe of this favored Notting Hill establishment. A plate of spicy mini “papads” accompanied by a sweet mango chutney made their way to our table first. The appetizer was crispy, not too oily, and very flavorful just perfect to set the stage for the meal to follow. An amuse-bouche followed the “papad” plate. Rajma Galouti – mini red kidney bean kebab with yogurt chutney. This was particularly disappointing, as it was cold and lacking any flavor. Having seen previous reviews, I knew that the dish was dressed down. A part of the meal the management team can safely omit from the offer. Appetizers followed and Flavia and I decided to get a mixture of vegetarian and non-vegetarian starters. We decided to go down the more traditional selection path and got ourselves a portion each of the Malai Kebab Ke Dande, tender chicken breast pieces marinated in yogurt and fresh cream grilled to perfection in the clay oven, Tandoori Paneer, gorgeous chunks of cottage cheese marinated in yellow masala and cooked just right and finally the Chakra specialty, The Lahori Kebab. These succulent skewers of lamb seasoned just right, just melt in your mouth and leave you wanting more. Simply scrumptious. Chakra is fairly unique in its offerings of the main course. Strangely it offers up the vegetarian options in half portions (sides) with a similar option lacking from the non-vegetarian options. Needless to say, there was plenty to be thankful for, for what we were about to be served was an absolute delight. Central to our order was a Blackened Cod Fish. Tender, well marinated, and again cooked to perfection. By the beaming smile on Flavia’s face and the mutterance of approval in Italian, I knew she was pleased. Frankly so was I. I can safely say that the tandoori Black Cod marinated with lime juice & a cracked pepper yoghurt marinade is reason enough to visit Chakra. The supporting cast to the Chakra Black Cod performed appropriately as well. The Butter Chicken (perfect blend of a delicate tomato-based gravy and shredded chicken), The Kali (black) Dal (black lentils which were buttery yet not overwhelming) Zeera Aloo (sautéed tender baby potatoes with cumin seeds, ginger, and chili), and Chakra Saag (paneer tossed with spinach, petit pois flavoured with ginger & nutmeg & fenugreek) accompanied by Tandoori Rotis (Indian bread) were just wonderful. At this point in the meal, I am usually loosening my belt, being stuffed to the brim. But somehow the meal at Chakra did not end up having a similar effect. The concept of sides is simply brilliant and allowed the Flavia and myself to experience the full spectrum of offerings at Chakra. I say we have a wined with this concept. We had eaten like royalty. The Nawab of Hyderabad himself at this point would have been twirling his mustache and rubbing his belly experiencing nothing but utter satisfaction. But no Indian meal is complete without the essential “sweet dish” (dessert). Flavia chose the Gulab Jamun (3 Indian sweet dumplings in sugar syrup, accompanied by vanilla ice cream) and I the Mango Kulfi. The Jamun’s were sensational; Piping hot with just the right texture, sugar syrup seeping through and all. They brought back fond memories of my recent wonderful trip to Delhi. That is what good food is supposed to do; excite all the senses and throw up a flashback or two, of good times, spent with those near and dear. This was the perfect end to a perfect meal. On our way out I asked Flavia what she thought of Chakra. She instantly replied “I must go to India and eat”. If this is the response that this Notting Hill establishment (Chakra) can generate from one who hails from one of the most gastronomically gifted countries of the world then I can safely say this. “If you haven’t been to Chakra yet, you must do so now”. Experience the true flavors of India, without leaving Notting Hill, London. **** In my book of great eats.

*With thanks to Humayun Hussain and Chakra for the invite. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review.

Help Action Against Hunger end world hunger and Win a trip to Spain, £300 to spend at Ibérica,your recipe on the Ibérica menu!

January 6, 2015 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

We all experimenting with various types of cuisine when we plan to go for an evening out and I love catching up with friends over Tapas as I think may of you do too. I also love making Tapas at home for fun stay at home movie evenings with close friends, it’s a great way to enjoy food and cocktails.

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That’s why I am excited with the Tapas Recipe Competition Tapas challenge hosted by Spanish Ibérica restaurant in association with humanitarian charity Action Against Hunger to raise awareness and funds. It is a great opportunity for all budding chefs and passionate foodies to work with a charity to end world hunger. Action Against Hunger works to save the lives of malnourished children and provide families with access to safe water and sustainable solutions to hunger. In 2013 they helped over 9 million people in 45 countries worldwide.

Anyone who is interested has the opportunity to have their very own tapas recipe included as a special on Ibérica’s menu between 15th Feb – 15th April 2013 at the Marylebone, Farringdon, and Canary Wharf. The winner of the recipe competition will also jet off to Asturias, Spain, where they will visit Ibérica ’s Executive Head Chef Nacho Manzano’s two Michelin starred Casa Marcial!

All you need to do is submit your own Spanish tapas recipe via Ibérica’s website. All entries must be received by 8th Jan 2015. The top five best recipes which are shortlisted will be announced on 9 Jan 2015. The finalists will be invited to attend an exclusive 1 on 1 masterclass with Ibérica’s Group Head Chef César García, to develop their dishes and ensure that they can be rolled out in a restaurant kitchen. Click here to find the Competition entry page.

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Another brilliant opportunity for the 5 finalists is at the Tapas Showdown where they will present their creations to an impressive panel of judges like The London Evening Standard’s Comment Editor and wine critic Andrew Neather , Olive magazine editor Christine Hayes to name a few.

Consumers and judges will then sample these creations at a drinks reception and raffle to raise funds for Action
Against Hunger. If you are interested to be part of this gala evening and help this honourable cause head over to the Action Against Hunger website and book yourself for only £35 – your chance to be part of a project to help end world hunger.

Sounds like a fun event to me! And the lucky winners get a whole bunch of prizes to with the 1st prize winner jetting off to Asturias and £300 to spend at Ibérica, if that is not enough also an opportunity to record a professional video for Ibérica’s recipe club ! 2nd and 3rd prize winners both get £300 to spend at Ibérica but the 2nd prize winner also gets to treat family and friends to a very special meal cooked by César García in the comfort of their own home – wow !

£1 from the proceeds of each winning dish will be donated to Action Against Hunger’s life saving projects.

What are you waiting for foodies? Put on your creative hat and get cooking!

* No monetary compensation was offered for this post. Images courtesy Action against Hunger and Ibérica.

Go Goa with Indian Zing’s Goan Inspired Christmas Menu – a Review

December 21, 2014 by manjirichitnis 4 Comments

A short walk from Ravenscourt Park Tube station, this Indian restaurant is at the end of a high street with far too many restaurants in close proximity to each other. But clearly Indian Zing seems to be favoured over the others as a few minutes after we strolled in there late on Monday evening it was heaving with hungry customers.

I was invited to review the Christmas Menu and seeing Pork sorpotel, Pork Vindaloo and a Turkey Jalfrezi on their Goan Christmas Menu, I couldn’t turn down a week day trip to a part of London that is not quite on my way back home from work.

We were greeted warmly by the maître d’ Rahul who got us a ‘welcome drink’ shortly after we were seated. This warming soupy broth of tomatoes, coriander and some other secret ingredients was just what we needed on a chilly evening.

While we selected our wine and starters, we were pleasantly surprised to have the owner-Chef Manoj Vasaikar stroll in for a chat. Like us he is a Maharashtrian from Mumbai and I guess one the reasons we immediately warmed up to him. Of course it is Chef Manoj’s down to earth demeanour that puts one at ease from the word go. The love for food and his passion to serve fresh food cooked using quality ingredients carefully sourced becomes evident as he shares the inspiration behind the new Goan Inspired menu and as we chatted away a small part of me seemed to drift away from the conversation to a pristine white sands beach in Goa.

The fact that we were seated in a restaurant which has beautiful Indian artefacts and carved wooden pillars (an extension of the influence of the Chef’s Indian background and love for things Indian) may also have had something to do giving me the feeling that I was in India not London on a cold, rainy winter evening.

First up came the starters :

Goan vegetable cutlets (Almomdegas) – Exotic vegetable with Goan herbs and spices, pan seared. Served with red Goan chutney and baby cress
Pork Sorpotel – A pork pickle mellowed with a distinct flavour of dried red Goan paste marinated in Palm vinegar. Served with sanna (a steamed rice cake).
Sun Dried Shrimps and Fish Cutlets – Small shrimps, seasonal fish with fresh herbs and spices, root vegetable with semolina seared on hot pan. Served with roasted coconut chutney.

1-Indian Zing Goan inspired Christmas Menu 17th Dec'14 Mon

One bite into the shrimp and fish cutlet had me oohing and aahing and of course greedily craving for more 😉 While for hubster the Sorpotel hit the spot. The tangy pickle flavour combined with the fiery Goan paste is cleverly balanced by the palm vinegar while the steamed rice cake – Goa’s answer to bread, manages to cut through the spice really quite nicely.

I could happily have had lots more of the shrimp and fish cutlets and continued sipping on aromatic red which the maître d’ kindly picked out for me. Cabernet Sauvignon, Les Templiers, Vinde Pays a red wine from France with blackcurrant and blackberry flavours with ripe balanced tannins – perfect match with our starters.

While Chef Manoj left to go check on his guests at his other rrestaurant Rahul continued to fuss over us and we left it to him to bring us his favourite picks from Indian Zing’s Goan themed Christmas Menu.

By now the festive spirit had us in it’s grips and hubster and me happily reminisced about all things Mumbai, when was the last time we visited Goa and other such happy memories. I was in Std 5 when my parents took my sister and me to Goa for a long vacation and I still can never forget the meal of steamed rice and the fresh catch of the day we all shared at a cute little beach shanty. Of course time has a way of erasing bits and pieces from your memories, something like old photographs in family albums that begin to fade and fray at the edges but the essence of the moment always stays captured somewhere in that picture. That is why food like what we were about to eat brings with a rush of memories, familiar sights and sounds tumble out of old hidden chests in your memory bank…

When Rahul arrived with a huge tray with 4 mains, plain naan, steamed rice and brown rice pulav we couldn’t wait to get started.

I had to taste the Zing’s Turkey Jalfrezi with Caramelised Cranberry first though and it is a fabulous marriage of east meets west with perfectly cooked diced turkey which has been marinated in a rich spice mixture served in a thick gorgeous onion, pepper and tomato gravy sauce topped with scrumptious caramelised cranberries.

Hubster on the other hand dug into the Pork Vindaloo, a traditional Goan delicacy, heavily spiced and usually fiery, this dish to me is Goa on a Plate. A hand me down from the Portuguese influence on Goan food , Indian Zing’s interpretation results in a dish of melt in your mouth soft pork dish in a rich sauce of slow cooked spices which penetrate through the meat giving it an intense depth of flavour, almost like eating a juicy meat pickle. Mop this up with plain naan – makes a superb combination I say.

Seafood lovers that we both are, we were happy that Goan fish Ambottik was part of the selection of dishes we were sampling. Best consumed with plain boiled rice this fish gravy is seasoned with kokum which gives it fabulously tangy almost sour flavour and the spices give it that familiar coastal curry flavour but with a dash of Goan red chillies. Not for the faint hearted though this is a fiery one but a true Goan dish , do not hesitate to order this. I highly recommend washing this down with several glasses of Gamay, Duboeuf Vin de Pays a Red wine from France, a lively red with a full aromatic character of crushed fresh berries, which is slightly chilled to balance spicy food. ( I noticed that the wine menu had a Sauvignon Blanc from Sula Vineyards in Nashik from Maharashtra state in India and I almost immediately wanted to order us a bottle to take home but have decided to go back and savour this wine on a relaxed afternoon some day soon over a meal of fish curry and rice – ummm)

We ate spoonfuls of Caldinho de legumes in between greedy mouthfulls of the Ambottik and rice. A green herb curry with a gorgeous combination of vegetables and mushrooms smothered in cashew nut gravy this is flavoured with a virgin extract of coconut milk and topped with wafer thin roasted almonds. Absolutely delightful this is a fabulous accompaniment to most of the mains especially the Turkey Jalfrezi. Frankly we couldn’t get enough of this green veggie coconut goodness.

While we sat down quietly trying to get all that food down into our tummies, I was reminded of how every year my father used to bring a rich plum cake which we would hungrily devour after our big Christmas day dinner of home made biryani and lots of snacks and special fizzy drinks for all the kids in the family. And if we were lucky Baba would also give us Bebinca – a sweet flour multi-layered cake, which he always got back from his frequent trips to Goa (Indian Zings menu has Goan Bebinca though I was more inclined to sample the spiced pudding so we gave it a miss)

No Christmas menu is complete without a showstopping dessert and Indian Zing’s spiced exotic Christmas pudding with spicy brandy custard is the perfect ending to a festive feast. All we needed now was a warm bed and the day off work the next day … 😉

I only wish I was going back for more of Indian Zings Goan themed food especially would love some on Christmas day but I guess my friends and me will just have to make do with what hubster and I manage to make.

If you haven’t already called Indian Zing to book a table, then grab that phone and let Rahul book you in for a feast you won’t forget.

*With thanks to Humayun Hussain and Indian Zing for the invite. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review .All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

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Zomato Meet Up at London’s answer to a traditional Munich bierhall – Bierschenke

December 14, 2014 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

Servus! An apt salute for an evening of Bavarian beer and food I’d say. The last Zomato meet up I was invited to a few weeks ago to Bierschenke, traditional Munich bierhall. Don’t be fooled by the entrance, the place is massive and though I was a bit taken aback b y the huge crowds as I entered, I found the seating chosen for us at the huge seating area downstairs very comfortable.

Curious to know what kind of beers we would be served and very curious to know if they would serve up ‘authentic cuisine’ we foodies sipped on our welcome drink Bierschenke Weißbier with a fabulously light citrus notes thanks to rare a premium Strisselspalt Hop.

Enter into the scene – Iranga – our barman for the evening, ladies and gents this gentleman with his fluent German and near encyclopedic knowledge of beer, brewing and history is who you must wish will be around to serve you on your first visit to Bierschenke.

He took us through the five different beers starting with Bierschenke Kellerbier with a spicy and smooth taste, must say I really liked this beer. Now I generally like light and sweet beers – that is -if I am drinking beer at all, don’t my choice of drink really! This was followed by Bierschenke Lager made with hard water, has lesser hops than the other beers and therefore sweet tasting and my favourite of the lot, pairs well with pork dishes. Krombacher Pils with extra hops and bitter taste – a genuine premium pilsner beer.

Followed by a dark Bavarian lager – Paulaner (Original Munich) Dunkel with chocolate and caramel notes – faint but enjoyable.

Last but not the least came a smoky lager – Schlenkerla Rauchbier. Bierschenke works with a brewery just outside of Munich to produce their own signature beers – now wonder then that Biershenke goes through 150 kegs of beer a week!

By now my head was getting heavy and I really needed the comfort of carbs and boy that platter which came our way was a huge meaty treat loaded with a large roasted pork shank, traditional German style meatloaf, bread pork escalope with creamy mushroom sauce, chips, mashed potatoes, bread and potato dumplings and of course sauerkraut.

Of course we had Bratwurst too and the most deliciously authentic Frankfurter’s I’ve eaten in London – the taste still lingers on in my mind ummm. The reason they get the taste so right is that all meat is imported from Germany and Klaus handmakes Bierschenke’s sausages, explains why customers consume 2000 sausages per week here!

I met some really cool bloggers and had a long and intense conversation about authentic Italian food from an Italian blogger who couldn’t help but moan about who much cheaper wine is in Italy and how much she missed home… …

Those are our happy faces after gorging on that huge sharing platter, highly recommend this platter to all hungry folks who land up here for a beer and end up staying for food.

As of we weren’t already stuffed , this gorgeous platter filled with cream cheese pancakes, traditional cut-up sugared pancake, homemade apple strudel served with Apple Sauce and hot raspberries.

I had a long way back home and left for home, but I hear I missed the Jägertrain! Terrible I say especially after I saw these photos 🙁

Bierschenke Beer Schnapps and Jägerbombs (Jägermeister & Red Bull) served by the lovely Caroline.

It was a fabulous evening of bier flight, traditional food imported from Germany and of course the company of the entire Zomato gang. Made very enjoyable by Lena, Iranga and Caroline, our amazing waitstaff at Bierschenke. Would definitely recommend this awesome beer hall to anyone looking for truly authentic German food and great tasting beers in London and as a bonus you will be served by the knowledgeable and polite staff who go the extra mile to make your experience special.

*With thanks to Zomato Uk and the staff at Bierschenke for a fun foodie evening. No monetary compensation was provided for this post. All views expressed are my own.

SimpleHuman 30 litre rectangular touch bar bin – from Lakeland – a Review

December 13, 2014 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

Often we ignore the importance of the most mundane of objects around our homes, especially those that we use daily and don’t give much thought to – like the rubbish bin.

I for one with my habit of scrubbing and cleaning am constantly irritated seeing that my tiny bin fills up so quickly , needs the bag to be changed often and yes the biggest issue – having to bend to throw rubbish into the bin ! Not to mention constantly cleaning the top to keep it shining. Sounds familiar ?

Let me introduce you to the SimpleHuman 30 litre rectangular touch bar bin sent to me by Lakeland. Firstly a mention about how well packaged it was sent. Even with having a rather badly inflamed muscle on my right hand I was able to easily carry the box, open the packaging and assemble it minutes.

Here is what I think are the BEST features that make it easy for you to decide why this ingenious product from SimpleHuman is a fab invention and why it is will truly become an asset to your kitchen!

Key features of the SimpleHuman 30 30 litre rectangular touch bar bin that make daily life just that much easier and less irritating:

Pedal Bins a bother ? Simple Human has an easy-open touch bar can be tapped from any angle, with your hip, knee, fingers or elbow to flip the lid which will then stay open until you are ready to close it.
Emptying the bin too often and niggly to pull the ful bag out ?? Simple Human has a robust bucket making bin emptying simple with its ‘bucket park’ which means you don’t have to lift the bucket out all the way to remove the bag and the lid lifts off easily when that time arrives. Not only this but the bag has a ‘no-hang’ fit ensuring that there is no ugly bin bag peeping out of the bin – making the Simple Human a true accessory for any kitchen – big or small
Keeping the bin clean and shining bothering you? Simple Human comes with a fingerprint-proof finish that resists smudges to keep the stainless steel shiny for longer – Lifesaver I tell ya!
Moving the bin around is a nightmare because it’s too heavy or just plain annoying? Simple Human comes with space-efficient hinges combined with nylon slider pads under the base ensure you can slide it right up to a wall or unit, keeping it neatly to hand.

I’d say it’s TIME TO TAKE OUT THE TRASH and bring in this smart- design, clever and useful product into your lives.

This product is available exclusively online at Lakeland , the 30 litre is priced at £99.99

*With thanks to Lakeland for sending me a SimpleHuman 30 litre rectangular touch bar bin for review. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Festive Feast at Bengal Quay to celebrate the launch of their New Menu

December 13, 2014 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

Last week hubster and me were invited for a preview of the new menu launch at Bengal Quay. So after work on a Monday evening we both made our way from different parts of the city to the beautiful docklands area. I had never been on the DLR before and as I saw the beautiful landscape unfold it put into a very dreamy mood, something to do with the tall buildings and the water reminded me of the amazing south Mumbai roads, glitzy five star hotels and a gorgeous coast line. I could almost feel the salty sea breeze on my face.

Situated within walking distance from South Quay station this Indian – Pakistani restaurant has a fabulous new menu, as we were about to find out.

1-Bengal Quay 8th Dec'14 - New menu Launch3

I was delighted to finally meet Asma Khan who runs the popular supper club called Darjeeling Express and also the lovely Lisa who writes guest posts for my Fiona’s blog London Unattached.

It was chilly evening so I stuck to my trusty drink of cognac with warm water – Remy Martin this time and hubster too stuck to the same, the other guests enjoyed good red and white wines while the others tripped on tall glasses of Mango Lassi.

The starters were a selection of seafood which made hubster and me very happy as you my readers know well by now about our seafood obsession! We loved the Salmon Sooa which was Scottish salmon flavoured just right and wrapped snuggly in a little portion of banana leaf, it was melt-in-your mouth soft and I would go back just for this and of course the Lamb Nihari – Slow Cooked Lamb Shank in Pakistani Nihari Curry with Onions and Lemon – though opinions over which was the best dish at the table were a bit divided between hubster and me who went nuts over the Venison and Afghani chicken – humm.

The use of cute wooden clips to secure the banana leaf, the stainless steel lemon squeezer and that tangy tamarind chutney made me feel so very much at home.

The other starters were Imli Scallops – a very different approach to spicing up scallops with Indian spices and Tandoori Monkfish which was just the right kind of flaky and went down a treat – thumbs up from both OH and me.

1-Bengal Quay 8th Dec'14 - New menu Launch

The mini seabass fillets served with tangy crispies were served with a bhel like mixture in cute cones – which are always welcome for chaat fans like hubster and me and we really liked the seabass – but clearly this not the case with the rest of the table who had mixed reactions. This unusual combination seemed to work for us and was presented very nicely too.

The mains arrived and suddenly there was no navigation space on the table and we were very- very spoilt for choice.

I mopped up with buttery garlic naan the delicious Diced venison in red wine and mushroom curry – which disappeared fast from the serving dish and as a majority vote it became the star dish of the evening. The special fried rice was great on it’s own while the pulav rice was great with the lamb shanks. The lamb nihari gravy was fabulous and the meat was cooked to fall-off-bone perfection , for all meat fans out there – this dish is something that you must not miss! Game is not easy to pair with spices and serving it up in a curry form with mushrooms seems to be a winning combination – Asma too was very intrigued and happy with this dish in particular.

Neither hubster nor me are fans of sweet or creamy gravy but the Afghani chicken was fantastic, the mild curry flavoured with saffron and cream and the delicious soft chicken was just too good to resist – the chef did something very right with this dish folks.

1-Bengal Quay 8th Dec'14 - New menu Launch1

The tarka dal was comforting and done to expected standards, which is always a good sign in any authentic Indian/Pakistani restaurant.

Expectedly we were stuffed to the gills and the prospect of consuming a selection of desserts seemed impossible. But that was only until the dessert plates arrived at the table of course 😉

The Indian in me was very happy with not one but two mango desserts to gobble – though the mango sorbet was definitely my favourite. Chocolate brownie came with a very unusual companion – a moreish passion fruit sauce which complimented the gooey chocolate taste very nicely. Again a winning combination.

1-Bengal Quay 8th Dec'14 - New menu Launch4

Nestled in the by lanes of London’s business hub and a stones throw away from Canary Wharf this is a place I would recommend you visit and do not miss the Lamb Nihari, Afghani Chicken and the passion fruit sauce and brownie and if you can allow yourself the guilty pleasure the mango sorbet too. But if you cannot visit anytime soon and spend time then you MUST take away the Venison curry to mop up with plain pulavAND some garlic naan!

It’s after such a meal that I forget that I am in London and walk out with a wide grin on my face half expecting to see a Bombay black cab whiz past, I feel I will be passing by my favourite Bombay sights and take in the familiar sounds and the magic of my darling city … until I actually step out into the biting cold and the cold breeze envelopes – but then in so many strange ways I find even this comforting as we stroll into the quiet night air, the sense of intense activity behind the deceptively quite larger than life glass mammoth buildings of Canary Wharf is obvious to the those who care to observe and the bright Christmas lights can’t help make me feel warm and fuzzy inside – a feeling I could get used to very easily.

*With thanks to Humayun Hussain and Bengal Quay for the invite. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review .All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Pomegranate, caramelised Walnut and baby Kale salad

December 13, 2014 by manjirichitnis 49 Comments

The first time I discovered Hotel Chocolat was when my friend, fellow book worm, tea enthusiast, and impromptu hogging fest companion ND and me collapsed into a warm cosy corner of the beautiful Hotel Chocolate cafe’/ shop at Borough Market ( why not read about what we did, what we ate and discover the sights and sounds of our visit with my blog posts here?)

It was love at first taste for me and ever since I have adored the fabulously creative chocolates from Hotel Chocolat. But did you know that they also make a whole range of delicious products like spreads, drinking chocolates, pasta, pesto, sauces, and even chilli oil all infused with cocoa and chocolate? There is a whole world of both sweet and savoury dishes that can be prepared by adding an extra touch of elegance and decadence with Hotel Chocolat products.

I was sent a bottle of the Hotel Chocolat Cocoa Balsamic packaged in a beautiful bag for review.

I made a filling, colourful wintery salad using some fresh ingredients and the result was this gorgeously delicious salad!

Here is my easy recipe for :

Pomegranate,caramelised Walnut and baby Kale salad with Hotel Chocolat Cocoa Balsamic

Manjiri Chitnis

Pomegranate, Caramelised Walnut and Baby Kale salad

5 from 13 votes

Print Recipe

Servings: 2 people

Course: Salad

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 small Red Onion sliced lengthwise
5 – 6 pieces Smoked Ham sliced fine
1/2 pack Baby Kale Leaves
1/2 pack Baby Spinach Leaves
1 Big Avocado
2 tbsp heaped Pomegranate Seeds
1 Samll Handful Walnuts
2 tsp Chilli Honey
Fruity Balsamic Vinegar as per taste
1 – 2 small Red Tomato sliced into circular discs
1 handful Cherry Tomatoes
Smoked Austrian cheese
1 Boiled Egg

Method

In a small vessel add enough water to place the egg into to boil
Heat a pan on medium heat, when the pan is hot add the chilli jam and throw in the walnuts and stir with a wooden spatula to coat the melting chilli jam on the walnuts
Reduce the flame to a minimum, DO NOT allow the chilli jam to smoke or burn. The caramelised walnuts are done in under a minute. Set aside to cool
Remove the egg from the boiled water, and hold it under running water, when the egg shell has cooled, peel it, halve and set aside
Chop the red onion lengthwise, and the tomato into circular discs and halve the cherry tomatoes
If the baby kale and baby spinach leaves are not washed, add them to a sieve and wash them under running tap water
Then put the leaves in a huge salad bowl and add generous sloshes of Hotel Chocolat Cocoa Balsamic
On a huge plate or platter place the seasoned leaves and then place the smoked ham and cheese slices
Then place the avocado slices, tomato discs and cherry tomato halves
Scatter the pomegranate seeds and the caramelised walnuts on top
With a wooden spatula, scrape off the remaining caramelised Gran Luchito chilli honey and scatter on the salad
Again drizzle the Hotel Chocolat Cocoa Balsamic on top of the salad and serve immediately

Feel free to substitute the smoked ham with shredded chicken or chicken sausages, for a vegetarian version why not add boiled baby potatoes halved instead of meat?

The tender roasted cocoa nibs soaked in Italian balsamic vinegar, create a rounded flavour that’s fabulous with avocado, tomatoes, smoked ham and smoked cheese. The caramelised walnuts and fresh pomegranate seeds give this winter salad a great crunch and the chilli honey plays hide and seek with your taste buds. The baby kale leaves have a mild and pleasant taste and the spinach works as the good stuff for blood purification thanks to its high iron content.

This salad is fresh, wholesome and healthy as kale is associated with a whole host of health benefits. It contains Vitamin K, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, fibre and carotenoids and 45 — different flavonoids with a variety of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

Now for the fabulously FESTIVE GIVEAWAY OF A GOODY BAG FROM HOTEL CHOCOLAT

One lucky winner gets a beautiful Hotel Chocolat gift bag with the following products:

Hotel Chocolat Chilli and cocoa oil
Hotel Chocolat cocoa pasta
Hotel Chocolat cocoa pesto

Hotel Chocolat Chilli and cocoa finishing oil

A special recipe used by Hotel Chocolat chefs in their Boucan restaurant in Saint Lucia – extra-virgin olive oil rounded by rich notes of cocoa nibs and beans, with a kick of red chilli. Shake to wake the chilli flakes, then drizzle and dress lightly over chicken, fish, pasta, pizza and roast vegetables. Try crushing the cocoa for some fabulous bread-dipping.

Hotel Chocolat cocoa pasta

Durum wheat penne with unsweetened cocoa, as made by chefs at our Boucan restaurant in Saint Lucia and recommended by Nigella Lawson. Ideal for adding a thrill to dishes both savoury and sweet. As used by Nigella Lawson in her chocolate pasta with caramel and pecans recipe, and Hotel Chocolat’s very own Chocolate Pasta with Pesto recipe.

Hotel Chocolat cocoa pesto

Outstanding with pasta, risotto, salad, blinis, crusty bread, cold meats or straight from the jar as a dip: rough-chopped basil, crunchy pine nuts, Italian cheese and nutty roast cocoa nibs. A favourite from Hotel Chocolat’s Boucan kitchen in Saint Lucia.

1-Hotel Chocolat Balsamic Vinegar salad RESIZED

How to enter the giveaway:

You too could WIN a GOODY BAG from Hotel Chocolat PACKED with exciting products from the cocoa cuisine range, all you have to do is :

Like my Facebook page and leave your Facebook name as part of your comment.
Follow me on Twitter – @manjirichitnis
Tweet out the following – #HOTELCHOCOLATGIVEAWAY #WIN @HotelChocolat GOODY BAG with @manjirichitnis, winter salad recipe bit.ly/1smP3Kv
Leave a comment below telling me which type of chocolates do you like most and your Facebook name used to like my FB page. I will find you on Twitter via the hashtag so it’s not required for you to mention your Twitter handle in the comments. Do not share your email id in the comments, please.

Please have a read through the Terms and Conditions below:

Winners will be picked using Random Number Generator.
The deadline for entering this contest is 8th January 2015 midnight GMT.
Entry is open only to residents of the U.K except for Scotland and Ireland.
All entrants must be 18 years old and above.
One lucky winner will be chosen using a random number generator.
The giveaway prize is as mentioned in the post. Neither Hotel Chocolat nor I are liable for any damage to the hamper and/or its contents in transit.
Please allow a minimum of 25 days for delivery of the prize, which may reach earlier or later. The goody bags will be sent directly by Hotel Chocolat.
The prize is as stated: no cash alternatives are available.
I retain the right to DISQUALIFY any entrant who does not complete all the 3 steps mentioned above.
The winner will be notified on 9th January 2015 on Twitter by me and here on my blog post. I shall tag the winner on Twitter via their Twitter id. If you are declared as the winner you agree to allow me and Hotel Chocolat to contact you via email id to arrange for the goody bag to be sent out to you.
If the winner fails to respond by 15th January 2015 then another winner will be chosen via Random Number Generator.

CONGRATULATIONS to the LUCKY winner of this fabulous GIVEAWAY of a GOODY BAG from Hotel Chocolat PACKED with exciting products from the cocoa cuisine range !!!

AND The lucky winner is *DRUMROLLS* …….

Mark Johnson – Twitter id @tubbyjpin

Please get in touch with me at fruitsnveg@yahoo.com

THANK YOU to everyone who participated and keep following my posts for more exciting competitions!

*With thanks to Hotel Chocolat and the PR team for arranging the fabulous gifts and beautiful Hotel Chocolat goody bag and sending me a sample of Hotel Chocolate Cocoa Balsamic for review. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. As always all opinions expressed here are entirely my own. References Wiki & Herald Tribune.

While you are here why not have a look at the other giveaways on my blog and increase your chances of winnings cool freebies!?!

CLOSED Win one of TWO Goody Bags from KNORR packed with 2x of EACH Knorr flavour pots and stock cubes to participate click here – CLOSED
CLOSED Win a box of Chef Inspirations Saveurs Du Monde Box of 16 chocolates from Godiva, to participate click here– CLOSED
CLOSED WIN 5 delicious sauces from the WORLDFOODS Asian Fusion Flavour Sauces, to participate click here CLOSED