Ponti’s Italian Kitchen,Oxford Street- review

March 12, 2014 by manjirichitnis 4 Comments

This was my favourite haunt for an after work gossip session with my best buddy from work about 2 years ago. Even if we were dog tired we managed to cheer up as soon we stepped in. In winter months especially it was brilliant to watch the flames in the huge oven licking the base of the pizza pans.

Recently a close pal of mine was in London for 2 days for a business trip, thankfully he was a short distance away from Oxford Street so I treated him to brunch at Pontis. I am so glad that they didn’t fail to impress.

He had Smoked salmon with Eggs scrambled and I have Eggs Florentine with freshly squeezed orange juice.

In the past I had a really memorable meal on my buddys birthday here are some photos from back in 2012!

They have lots of seating available and there are also tables outside – prefect during the summers, the place is ALWAYS full during peak tourist season so thats when I tend to avoid going there.

1-28th Sept'12 Niroo's B'day at Ponti's1

They have a wide variety of biscuits and cookies for sale and an ok wine selection as well. Its a family managed unit so the service is very good and friendly.

My first ever visit to Pontis though was at their branch at Wimbledon in the Food Court. They made my friend and me the fluffiest omelettes ever!

For an authentic taste of Italy in the heart of the West End , this is a brilliant option.Being family managed it is more of tradition I think to serve good honest food and over the past 2 years have since the menu change too ,so am sure there is a constant thought process behind the whole thing.Comforting to know isn’t it?

*Reviewed of my own accord.Paid for in full by me. All opinions expressed and photographs used are, as always, my own. No monetary compensation was offered or provided for a positive review.

Masemari – The Fishing – Seafood heaven in Pune City

March 4, 2014 by manjirichitnis 26 Comments

Masemari is owned by Lalan Sarang, a well known Maharashtrian Big Screen and Theatre actress and is situated in the heart of Pune city and is a fine example of Malvani, Konkani and Goan cuisine with a comprehensive menu. An ode to the finest that coastal cuisine from Konkan and Goa has to offer!

Western Indian Coastal cuisine and the way our family cooks seafood, involves the use of freshly grated coconut in abundance. We also don’t shy from using chillies lots of them red and green and freshly ground coriander chilli, ginger and garlic are used as a marinade for fish before frying. So if discerning foodies like us who know our coastal cuisine go out to eat similar food, the place better know what they are serving us! Especially if it involves travelling from one end of the city on a crisp winter morning and when we could easily have waltzed into Nisarg our all-time seafood speciality fav restaurant.

So are you ready to go on a visually stimulating coastal adventure where tall coconut palms sway in the tropical sun, the stunning western coast of India, home to the beautiful waters of Konkan? Join me on a virtual tour and an absolute treat for your senses, a tantalising deluge of spices …well then Strap on that seat belt for a ride on this fishing powerboat …no no … what the heck…just Dive right in 😉

We start the meal with Sol Kadhi (pronounced Soul Kadhee) made from freshly squeezed coconut milk and kokum (Mangosteen), said to have digestive properties and consumed as a palate cleanser between courses.

A prawn platter which is a mix of Rawa, Tawa, Koliwada and crispy prawns. (Rawa = semolina, Tawa =pan, Koli = fisherman, Wada= literally meaning a huge old-style Indian house like a bungalow, but Koliwada refers to a colony of Kolis or fishermen folk in India)

Bangda (Mackerel) Fry…I love anything served anything on a keli-paan (kela = banana ,paan = leaf)

Fish Pickle as a side

For mains, we ordered Tandool Bhakari or Indian bread made with rice flour (the white roti in the picture) , Wade – made from a mixture of 3-4 different flours and deep fried (the brown puffy puri), and Pomfret curry.

I loved the clean fresh white washed walls and huge artefacts that scream fish, fishing and fishing boats. The service is polite and quick and the fish is as fresh as the catch of the day, we went in hope of getting crabs – lots of them, alas… I live in the hope of a ”next time”

After this fine meal, I still dared to consume a gulab jamun and some more sol kadhi! I literally crawled to where Baba had parked the car and that afternoon oh boy ! Did I have a fab nap or what 🙂

*Paid for in full by me. All opinions expressed and photographs used are, as always, my own. No monetary compensation was offered or provided for a positive review.

Review – Gaylords, London (Permanently Closed)

February 17, 2014 by manjirichitnis 22 Comments

Last Wednesday I was invited by Zomato, London to join a bunch of other food blogger who are also on the board of Zomato reviewers to Gaylords in Central London. Going by the weather that day I was not very sure I would reach my destination without being blown away first. At times like this, I have a decided advantage over my featherweight foodie friends, after all, it would a rather strong gust of wind to blow me off my feet 😉

Luckily I made it to the venue alive and without getting drenched! A warm greeting later – from the ever so thoughtful staff at Gaylord’s who continued to really pamper us all through the evening – it was time for some welcome drink – a fizzy pink- Passion Bellini and an optional Virgin Tamarind Mohito for those abstaining from alcohol.

For starters we were served – Tandoori Tiger Prawns – succulent and smoked on the tandoor very juicy, Lamb Shammi kebabs – minced lamb patties with a minty yogurt dip -lipsmackin delicious,Murg Malai Tikka – Tandoor roasted mild chicken tikkas – honestly not my fav but heck nothing to complain about either , Amritsari Macchi – very delicious tilapia fillets fried in a gram flour batter seasoned with paprika and carom seeds – one word EXCELLENT!,Tandoori paneer tikka- huge chunks of cottage cheese – chargrilled with onions and peppers in a saffron flavoured marinade,Murg Gilafi Sheekh- minced chicken,smoked ,topped with bell peppers & chargrilled on skewers – all these served with 3 different types of Indian Bread – plain naan, garlic naan and mini onion kulcha.

1-Zomato Bloggers Meet - 12th Feb'14 Wed at Gaylords1

To my absolute delight we were then served some very authentic in taste Indian street food snacks in a posh and innovative way.

These pani puri or gol gappa shots were utterly glorious and made me wish I was standing outside Elco at Bandra in Mumbai eating their ice cold pani puri .If you ever visit Mumbai then this is the place to go to for the BEST pani puri in town!I loved how they were served in these shot glasses.Boiled chick peas and tiny cubes of boiled potato are stuffed into the tiny puffed savoury puri and a sweet date and jaggery thick sauce is poured into it followed up with a green liquid which is a coriander ,mint and spice mix chutney and this has to be gobbled in one go ! They explode in your mouth enveloping your senses with an unforgettable sensation of taste,spices and aroma leaving your taste buds playing the guessing game.Sigh…double sigh…

Next up – Bhel – or puffed rice spiced with chaat masala,chopped red onion tomato and a sprinkling of yellow sev or fried gram flour savoury and topped off with tamarind chutney and a green mint coriander chutney – bursting with flavour these were !Aloo Papri Chaat – spicy bite sized boiled potatoes in spices mixed with sev and served on a crunchy flat puri base.

1-Zomato Bloggers Meet - 12th Feb'14 Wed at Gaylords2

5 main courses with 5 accompaniments were to follow – by this point I was not very sure I would make it past the front door after this meal. But lucky for us the glasses magically seemed to top up each time and the conversation ,easy banter and laughter flowed almost as smoothly as the wine – leaving no room to ponder over such minor ,seemingly frivolous details or worry about the last tube back home – perfect.

Main Course favourites for me were the creamy coconut flavoured Prawn Curry which I polished off my plate with some Zaafraan Basmati – fluffy long grain basmati rice with saffron and the Chana Peshawari – chick peas cooked in their secret spice mix eaten with a steaming hot bhatura which a massive puri puffed and let me warn you has to be handled with care as it is very very hot. Now all I need to do is figure out a way to get the Gaylords chef to let me in on this secret spice mix – which I am quite sure they will never let go of , and why not , after hasn’t Coca Cola for years led us to believe that their secret ingredient is the one that has generations hooked onto their cola?Sadly, even so Coca Cola is no comparison for this Chana dish – honestly!But guarding the secret spice mix with their lives folks is serious business – after all heads have rolled and hands of artisans chopped off in medieval times to guard secrets of cuisine and architectural wonders alike! ( In her delightful and brilliant book ”Shark’s fin and Sichuan Pepper” author Fuchsia Dunlop has described how many generations of chefs took brilliant recipes to their grave for various reasons and am sure everyone has heard the myth about one of the 7 wonders of the world – the magnificent and many splendored Taj Mahal in Agra , India – that Emperor Shah Jahan got the hands of his sculptors and architect cut off after they built the Taj Mahal which was dedicated to Mumtaz Mahal – wife of Shah Jahan. It is said he did this so that they would never again be able to build anything quite as splendid as the Taj Mahal!)

The mains also included Butter Chicken – an indulgent and creamy sauce with Tandoori Chicken strips- ummm,Lamb Chops Anardana or Chargrilled Lamp chops in a ginger infused spicy mix with pomegranate seeds,Lamb Rogan Ghosh – tender lamb cubes cooked in a fiery garlic ,tomato and onion masala and of course Palak Paneer – a spinach and cottage cheese combo that would get even Popeye’s nod of approval! All this accompanied by Dal Bukhara – a traditional lentil dish from the northern most state in India – Kashmir served with an assortment of Indian breads puffy and hot off the charcoal oven – mind blowing – advance warning – best eaten by rolling up your sleeves and breaking large chunks of the naan with your hands scooping a shameless quantity of dal from your plate and shovelling into your mouth as if no one is watching – believe NO one is – when surrounded by food so good , what else can one focus on I ask ?!An innocent looking raita or yogurt flavoured with cooling cucumber and pomegranate helps do the balancing act of heat,spice and grease.

1-Zomato Bloggers Meet - 12th Feb'14 Wed at Gaylords3

Now I was supremely satiated and stuffed to the point I could explode but no self respecting foodie can resist a good gulab jamun and if that is flambeed with spiced dark rum , even the best defences shall crumble !To wash away any signs of guilt or gluttony we were served by this charming gentleman a 5 grape south african Red – a fine smooth wine ,delicious and fabulously lush – evidence of a good red I was informed is in the residue left behind in the wine glass – humm I learn new things every day 🙂

Zomato Bloggers Meet - 12th Feb'14 Wed at Gaylords4

This beautiful cocktail is called Saffrontini – a signature mix of saffron gin,cointreau,lime cordial and tonic.

As if this indulgence was not enough we were served with Malai Kulfi – an sweet frozen dessert that cements the most difficult deal and makes the grumpiest of humans grin – smothered in pistachios and cardamom it is definitely what can be described as an Indian Ice cream!

It was great to meet some familiar faces @Le__binh and @LeyLaLaa , infact I had a blast of an evening chatting up a wonderful bunch of Londoners. Loved meeting new faces – @AnomalousLondon ,@wildscribe ,@inher30s ,@LadylovesCake ,@sshaikh

Now that I think about it , @Gaylord_London was packed to the gills with hungry guests and the same team that fussed over our table, ensured our wine glasses never ran dry and explained how their chefs had expertly combined the various complex and glorious Indian spices and used them to create the spectacular special menu for the evening, the other guests seemed equally pampered, happy and errr happily tipsy to say the least! How do you do it folks ?! Keep it up! I think this is great ”Hospitality AND Food Karma” and this is very important to me when I dine out – and I suspect is the case with any discerning diner, foodie or not ! Especially since am so far away from Indian and given my regular cravings for authentic tasting Indian cuisine I am always on the hunt for the next best Indian dining experience. I would hate to have that spoilt by a grumpy staff, high handed attitude, over priced sub-standard food, or a menu which is considered fusion food but is basically authentic Indian food murdered by some nutjob who thinks they have created a masterpiece – beware of such places I’d say! All I ask for is a fabulous service and one great course after another dished out in perfect rhythm and harmony – just splendid food with a smile really.

Lucky for me Gaylords is short journey from home – Lajawab !

Zomato London and Gaylords – you spoilt us – royally! Many thanks to both parties and Of Course I would rather shamelessly like to admit that am very eagerly looking forward to more foodie meets, great food and good company! Cheers!

Yves Delorme and the Monogrammed Linen Shop Review

February 10, 2014 by manjirichitnis 31 Comments

It was on a cold but sunny winter morning that I arrived in the pretty MLS (Monogrammed Linen Shop) in the beautiful South Kensington area of London.

Occasion – I was to be ”introduced” to Yves Delorme Tea Towels and the new Spring Summer 2014 Collection at the beautiful MLS store in London.

When I received the invitation for the store visit on email I fell in love with this pretty tea towel, who wouldn’t with an embroidered cupcake ummm

Image Courtesy :Yves Delorme

But when I saw the entire collection at the store I wanted all of them especially the one with crustacean and the macaroons, I was even spoilt with macaroons from Pierre Herme’ of the very same colour!

The quaint little store has a very pretty and well-maintained garden and an ideal place to click some more photos of these beautiful embroidered beauties, I want them all! This set of six cocktail napkins is aptly called Happy Hour :). An ideal gift idea for Valentines I’d Say!

Back inside thanks to a sudden chill , I needed some more hot tea to warm my insides and ummm macaroons :).

The pretty little book in the photo below is called the Cooking Note Book – perfect for foodies like me!

I would like all my jam bottles to have these Jam Pot Covers.

Moving over to the other sections , I was quite besotted by these travel bags from which can be monogrammed with your initials, so very perfect for luxury travel , am thinking a long cruise …sighhh…

Image Courtesy :Yves Delorme

The Triomphe Pierre Alpaca Throws in pretty colours so very soft to the touch, would make an absolutely wonderful gift for someone you love, don’t you think? So good in the winters.

Image Courtesy :Yves Delorme website

Pristine white linen of the best quality and monogramming (standard and bespoke) and embroidery are a specialty.By adding a monogram to your linens, you instantly give them a very personal touch, which will give a quiet refinement to the feel of your room, bathroom or dining room. Your gifts once monogrammed will be perceived as a much more thoughtful gesture and will mean a lot more to all the lucky recipients!Smartly Tailored beautiful French Furnishings – how very apt for wedding and christening presents!

Table linen embroidered at MLS from the Spring Summer 2014 Collection :

Both Image Courtesy above :Yves Delorme

Besotted , doesn’t end here there loads more to look at if you are looking at doing up your home, special gifting ideas for Valentines,weddings, christenings or just as a treat for someone you love.

Will leave you with a beautiful photo of the beach towel range – in anticipation of sunnier climate – soon I hope.

Image Courtesy :Yves Delorme

Disclaimer: I was invited to visit and review the Yves Delorme Spring Summer 2014 Collection and the MLS in London. I was not required to write a positive review and was not compensated monetarily for this post. Like all my previous posts about events and reviews, ALL opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

The Kati Roll Company, Reagent Street, London – Review

February 6, 2014 by manjirichitnis 28 Comments

During my very first year after we moved to London I was on a spree to explore the city and of course travel around England. My first winter ( 2011) I really took my time to acclimatise and had a tough time going from one day to the other without feeling a mixture of utter boredom, gloom and loneliness ( maybe one of the reasons I subconsciously pushed myself to start blogging again after a long hiatus , my old blog started in 2006 , I abandoned for various reasons didn’t seem something I wanted to go back to…and ”sliceoffme” was born) On one such terribly cold and grey evening one of my old college mates who I found stayed in London via FB (Thank god for FB!) and me met for a drink and some window shopping. After walking all over Oxford Street we were ravenously hungry and I wanted something substantial and if possible Indian and not expensive – humm , lucky for me she really knew the area well and we walked to a tiny by lane off Reagent street n queued up inside The Kati Roll company. It was packed to the gills and is a tiny little place but very popular as I was informed by N.

The juicy and perfectly spiced pieces of meat,chicken or paneer wrapped in one of those ready to eat thick parathas (why?! well of this is NOT Mumbai is it so no chance of the REAL DEAL aka a Rumali Roti – a fine Indian Bread which is made by bravely tossing the dough around in open air and full public view and lands expertly on a tandoor – if I was to try it would probably land on my face! ) and seasoned with a spicy chutney and finely sliced red onions are so good especially when washed down with a chilled cola. I ordered two rolls with meat – but one can really fill you up if you are not too hungry.We managed to get a place to sit, partly because I hovered around a table where a group of hungry young men were wolfing down their rolls and managed to look very exhausted , hungry and in need for a place to sit – sigh… the things one has to do to get a table anywhere nice in London 😉

Last month when I was out near Reagent Street and struck by a serious hunger pang I made a beeline for The Kati Roll Company. Pleasantly surprised to find the place was not as busy and the interiors also seemed to have had a serious facelift. New on the menu was a very tempting bottle of thick mango lassi , the last one was sitting there in the fridge begging me to buy it…something about a water droplet slowly making its way from the too of the bottle along the side which was very ummm… mesmerising ? 🙂 Alas the hungry man who ordered right before I did bought it – dang!So armed with a Shami Kebab and an Unda Shami Roll (guilt guilt !) I grabbed a table before it vanished.

So I had to settle for a coke – ah well. I sat on a table facing a wall with Aamir Khan staring down at me from a movie poster of his best film yet – Lagaan. I love how the posters had been put pasted onto the wall and then run over with a roller, I suppose, making it look like the bricks had these images and had just been fitted into one another (much like the stunning wallpaper at Tartine Artisanal in Tooting – read my review here)

Several old Bollywood posters decorate the orange brick walls at The Kati Roll Company. Just then a very noisy bunch of ladies, giggling and talking all at once stepped in to get some rolls rudely snapping me out of my reverie… and here I was so far away from London, imagining I was in Bombay sitting on a wooden bench outside Bade Miya – a roadside stall probably more famous than The Taj restaurant behind which it operates. (Actually, a roadside stall is probably the worst way to describe this crazy popular ”landmark” in Mumbai, they probably are the richest operators selling kebabs in Bombay city!) I could almost smell the open-air grills giving out tantalising aromas of succulent kebabs sizzling away, the laughter of young and uppity South Mumbai crowd intermingled with the murmur of conversation from the office -goers, college students, a few tourists, and the other odd people, all huddled together in small groups around cars -or just standing around, while the super busy ”waiters” rushed around with a stub and a mangled notepad yelling out our orders to no one in particular.

Sometimes I miss Bombay so much that I have a very real physical heart-ache and it takes me several minutes to snap out of my walk down memory lane. The Kati Roll company is one such place where it is very easy for me to slip into such a state and happily so. Its only when I walked out of there and the cold afternoon January wind slapped me in the face did I suddenly realise that I was ONLY a few thousand miles away from Bade Miya and Bombay city, in London – on a cold winter afternoon…

So yes its possible to get a really decent, as close to authentic ”Indian” kebab rolls on a budget in Central London.

Should you go there ? Heck yes!

Is it on my list of favourite cheap eats around London – yes !

Do you need any more prodding ? Guess Not!

Tenshi,Angel – Review

February 2, 2014 by manjirichitnis 22 Comments

Craving some Tempura, on very cold and rather windy winter evening in London, my friend N and I found ourselves at Tenshi – a Japanese restaurant in Angel,London. Guess we were guided there by our guardian angel given that Tenshi is Japanese for an Angel 🙂

To kick the hunger pangs coming in thick and fast , after we finally managed to get a table (it’s generally busy so better to book on the weekends), we started off with Nasu Dengaku which is Seared Aubergine with miso paste and sesame – absolutely delicious and very very morish,a portion of the inside out roll – rice on the outside comes in 6 pieces and disappears really quickly but the best starter was the soft shell crab in a delicious batter deep fried – you just eat the whole crab – no wasting any part of the crustacean – quite something considering we spend hours ploughing through a regular crab for example.

Below:Nasu Dengaku

Below: Soft Shell Crab

By now I have rather quickly downed my Aloe Vera drink , while N choose to have some Japanese Beer -Asahi – a smart choice I say and great company to her main Pumpkin Korroke Curry – Pumpkin croquettes with Japanese curry and rice-served in a very generous portion size as you can see.

While I choose the Katsudon – Deep Fried Pork cooked with egg on rice , admit the pork was a bit chewy but delicious all the same.

My friend N and I were meeting after a really long time and had loads to catch up on , so being seated in a tiny restaurant with hardly any space between tables I had my doubts. But I must say that the food was so marvellously tasty and the service so good, polite and quick I am going back for certain! So if you are around Angel and looking for a a good evening eating out on a budget – head to Tenshi for some cracking tempuras and decent wine and if you want to eat on a budget then skip the starters and alcohol and order one of the wholesome mains with a beer or a soft drink and keep your bill per head under £12, not bad for an evening out on a budget I say!

*This review was written by me of my own accord . I bore the expense of this meal. All views expressed as always are my own and no monetary compensation of any sort by provided to me by either the restaurant or any other third party.All opinions expressed are valid for this particular visit. Kindly do not reproduce in part or whole any text or photographs, images, or any material from my blog.

London Review Bookshop, Cake Shop – Review

January 29, 2014 by manjirichitnis 19 Comments

Old buildings, browsing free entry museums and loosing myself in the beautiful by-lanes of London City are things I love to do. Considering that I am either doing 2-3 part time jobs at once or a very tight schedule full time project at other times, time is always at a premium so on free days I love setting out armed with my backpack with a few home made sandwiches, a bottle of water, low cal (joke!) crisps and if I am lucky then a small piece of cake. I do try and carry a thermos with hot water for making my own tea but that only in the summer when I want to walk up Box-Hill , read a book , catch a snooze and watch the clouds make funny patterns in the sky.

Now that I am blogging from home (full-time) , I have to think hard and save lots before I allow myself even the occasional treat at a quaint cafe.

On one beautiful summer afternoon last year ,when my dear ma-in-law was visiting us ,(ma – who is also a good listener and knows how to soothe frayed nerves and lighten me up when I am hyper -which is almost always), decided to go see the British Museum. With my absolute lack at being able to use the many apps I have on my smartphone (apparently even the owner has to be a tad smart- sigh..) I managed to totally confuse her and we ended walking almost for 40 minutes before we finally reached the museum. Ready to fall dead myself and with a huge guilt conscience at the torchure I had just inflicted on my poor sweet ma (who is well into her 60’s) ,I decided to treat her to some tea and cakes. Funnily enough the only other time I had been to the London Review Bookshop nestled in a lane bang opp the British Museum was when she last visited us in 2011 – weird or what!

Back then we had ma’s foodie and very sensible friend P with us who is much more intelligent than I shall ever be. So we had managed to see a fair bit of the museum and then stumble into the bookshop after a fairly short bus ride from Kings Cross.(!!! when will I learn to navigate around London using the many apps on my phone – NEVER ?!! And to think P doesn’t even own a smartphone – yet – says a lot about how smart she is !)

Anyway, by the time we sat down at the table at the Cake Shop in the London Review Bookshop, we were severely dehydrated and needed some sugar to pump some energy back into our systems.

What better way than to order one of Terry Glover’s brilliant cakes? And yes two – yes yes you read that right two pots of Tea. To say that the London review Bookshop is neighbours with Le Cordon Bleu which has its own little cafe’ attached is no small matter. I must say the Le Cordon Bleu has a highly distinguished neighbour 🙂

Cosy reading nooks

A bookshop and a cafe’ – two of my favourite places to be in

So after indulging ourselves in a heavenly pot of tea from Sri Lanka called ”chai-tea” ( I will rant about why it irks me to see 2 words with the same meaning used to name a variety of tea and fast becoming an acceptable ways of referring to Indian tea – NO folks chai is tea in Hindi – ”simples”!!) with a generous amount of honey to sweeten it , we were ready to face the world – or win a war whichever came first.

The bookshop is a treat for any self respecting book lover and a must-visit place,they have a basement reading room of sorts which is super quiet and a great cubby hole to loose yourself in. Perfect for when you want to switch off from the world outside – which I would like to very often.

So I managed to buy this book for a friend who loves and knows her tea,Tea by John Griffiths.

And ma got herself the most amazing – Sharks Fin and Sichuan Peppers by Fuchsia Dunlop- (If you love food you MUST read this book) .Really wanted to buy ,One Night in Winter by Simon Sebag Montefiore but was broke by then.

A bit of tasty tidbits about the Cake Shop owner, taken from her bio on the London Review Bookshop website :

”Her signature style fuses Japanese and French influences, clinched with a chilli kick.

Terry finds inspiration in meeting the people behind the produce – growers, suppliers or cooks – who invest love, knowledge and personality in their food.”

The perfect excuse to indulge

I love how the many floral teas are displayed in these huge glass jars in this corner , apologies to the unknown person who happens to be in this picture , I only wanted the jars but you were so lost in reading I didn’t have the heart (or the courage tehehe) to disturb you!

Cake Shop at the London Review Bookshop is another of those cafes that I would want to visit several times over and I know I would enjoy each visit like a different flavour of tea or cake perhaps.Well that’s one tick off my must see places in London for sure.

That’s ma’s happy face after her tea, by the way she has written a guest post for me in a series of posts about Irani Cafes in Mumbai,Pune and London , which you can read here and she also is the author of a blog called Retro-Reflections, which has been silent for a few months now as she had a Valve replacement Open-Heart operation back home in Bombay.She is back to her cheerful self now ,thank god and her blog will see some action real soon.

I would love to know what you thought about this review , ma’s blog and our series on Irani cafes, I love reading all comments and it makes me immensely happy to share with all of you – my love of food,travel and all the little things that make life worth while.Thanks for reading 🙂

P.S: If you are as badly technologically challenged as I am and need directions of how to get to this gem of a place click here , the website has detailed directions of how to get to cafe without breaking into a sweat after walking for 40 minutes and having to think you might actually need to dial the emergency services!

Verde and Company Ltd, London – Review ( permanently closed )

January 28, 2014 by manjirichitnis 14 Comments

What I love most about London is the abundance of quaint cafe’s , no matter which part of the city you choose to wander around in, you are certain to stumble into at least one really pretty ,local cafe that is just begging you to walk in and have a cuppa and that tempting slice of cake or two 🙂

On one sunny and wonderful afternoon last year my two foodie buddies S and N decided to wander the streets around Spitalfields after a glorious lunch at DISHOOM- Shoreditch (review to follow soon!), after a browse through the many pretty shops around we had to rest our tired feet and there it was Cafe Verde with these beautiful wicker baskets hanging on the walls outside calling us in, our feet automatically moved towards the place – honest!

The first thing I noticed when we were inside was this brilliant display of bottled jam jars and a bust with a backlight , it looked so divine…

Everything about this tiny cafe was warm and welcoming including the polite staff at the counter.I couldn’t stop taking pictures at this cute cafe with some really stunning displays!

The optimum utilisation of ever nook and cranny of this compact little cafe is really impressive

We did manage to curb our desire for more cake but it was very difficult – I mean just look at that cake !

We pretended that we were on holiday in Paris and posed outside the cafe for pictures…errmm no way ..am not sharing those pictures 😉

If you are around Spitalfields for work or pleasure and need time to recharge your batteries then THIS is the place !

Tartine Artisanal Cafe’, Tooting – A Review

January 28, 2014 by manjirichitnis 17 Comments

I love stealing some me-time at a quiet cafe’ and am always on the look out for ones that call out to me . I am quite a fan of ”Euphorium” at Angel,London but its quite far and I become very lazy in winter , so travelling far away is ruled out.Interestingly enough for the past few months on my way to Tooting Broadway where I go and buy my Indian groceries every week I have been noticing the Tartine Artisanal Cafe and silently promising myself that after am done with the shopping I will treat myself to a cuppa, but then with heavy shopping bags for company all I want to is take the next bus home…sigh…

Finally last week when I met my friend for a dosa lunch at ”Dosa and Chutney” which has somehow become our new lunch haunt , we decided to go and have a relaxed cuppa at the Tartine.

As soon as you enter through the doors the whole manic high street outside seems to disappear , you wouldn’t know after a while whether you are actually in Tooting …I love when that happens , an added impetus to dream away …

Its the kind of place where you loose track of time…

Where you can sit for hours and watch the world go by …or even lose yourself in the infinite reflections of the beautiful .soft cafe’ lights onto the street outside.

Everything about the decor is just so right – the brick wall at the counter, the fireplace, the plush brown sofa that you can sink into, the chairs with street names in a nice font, the cushions mimicking jute bags in which coffee is packed, the coffee cake placed on the cake stand with a glass dome ( I so want one for myself but simply have no place to keep it, another reason to move real soon)

My favourite bit is this wall behind the plush sofa , it has a beautiful wallpaper etched into the brick wall ,it is the kind of wall that can help one start imagining stories.Simply amazing.

I love ordering a pot of tea and since am trying hard to cut down on both salt and sugar , a Chamomile leaf tea which is fast becoming a real favourite with me was apt. But my defenses broke down at the sight of the coffee cake – we just had to share one piece 😉

I plan to come here alone one afternoon with a good book and myself for company multiple tea pots of Chamomile or maybe even one of the tempting Lunch offering from their menu sound good …I am currently in love with grilled cherry tomatoes and root vegetables…they are so good especially in the winter.

Sometimes I think I get my best ideas when I am totally relaxed ,warm and cosy in such a cafe , a part of the world , yet away from all the madness, watching the world go by from the glass windows…the window somehow managing to slow down all of that as well….at such times…time seems to stop and I can move from one plane to the other , countries even, walk through the rooms in my memory palace , savour memories of times spent laughing with an old friend ,in a simpler phase of life perhaps…

Oh and yes they have a branch in Balham too..goody !

GIVEAWAY – ONE whole month worth of Innocent Smoothies!

October 16, 2013 by manjirichitnis 14 Comments

Innocent Drinks recently concluded series was very inspiring with each evening planned to a theme and some very inspiring personalities who came and shared their thoughts with all of us food bloggers.

Innocent Inspires was a series of one-off events where people discussed and debated and were inspired by the values that INNOCENT DRINKS strongly believe in,with the help of a group of interesting people who do brilliant things everyday.Like the folks at Innocent who invented this – the Wee-o-meter *gasp* hehehe

I was one of the bloggers that attended the Innocent Inspires evening about Taste.Of the group of achievers who spoke to us , the brilliant and inspiring words by Emilie Baltz, Jellymongers – Bompass & Par and the popular Ms.Marmite – lodged themselves firmly somewhere in the folds of my grey matter. I pull out these words at will and re-live the evening in my head, it never fails to make me smile and gives me immense hope,courage and enthusiasm to keep going. No idea is too ridiculous to be ignored – better to have tried and failed than to NEVER have tried at all I say:)

Innocent a guide to good taste 138 web (Copy)

L – R :Kerstin Rodgers aka Ms Marmite Lover,Bompas and Parr,Emilie Baltz, Florence Knight, , Ollie Dabbous

Their last evening called ”Innocent inspires Creativity” had writer and dub poet Benjamin Zephaniah,world renowned graphic artist Kate Moross,DJ and founder of Bestival Rob Da Bank, writer performer and maker of his own Y fronts John Paul Flintoff and an acoustic treat from the extraordinary Nathan ‘flutebox’ Lee share their inspiring tales.

L- R :Kate Moross,Rob Da Bank, John Paul Flintoff,Benjamin Zephaniah,Dan Germain – Head of Creative at Innocent

So you were not at the evening? Well, all is not lost, watch the video below, and get a piece of the action and you might just be the LUCKY WINNER to walk AWAY with ONE month worth of delicious INNOCENT SMOOTHIES! Enter the giveaway on blog’s Facebook page.

Will YOU be the LUCKY WINNER to walk away with ONE WHOLE month worth of INNOCENT SMOOTHIES???

Easy entry into exciting Giveaway, simply do the following:

Go to my blog’s Facebook page and click on the Rafflecopter widget.
A mandatory question will prompt you to leave an answer by posting a comment on this blog post. Please tick the ” Notify me of follow-up comments via email.” while commenting so if you win I can leave a reply to your comment and you can get that on email by default.PLEASE – Do NOT skip this step, it’s one of the most vital steps towards a successful entry into the contest!
Then simply like the Innocent Drinks and my Facebook page.
Follow Innocent Drinks and me on Twitter.
Tweet the video that is in this blog post.
Share any of my recipes from my blog on any ONE of the following – Twitter, Facebook, StumbleUpon, or Pinterest and mention clearly which link you have shared and where.

All done! Now just click ENTER on the Rafflecopter widget and Voila! You ARE entered into the giveaway 🙂

The best bit is you are allowed to enter again the next day and as many times as you like – to help INCREASE your chances at winning!

(For more information on how to enter giveaways using Rafflecopter please see this short video. You can win more bonus entries by tweeting on a daily basis. It’s EASY! Rafflecopter will tweet, like, and follow on your behalf. For information on finding the URL of your tweet please see this)

Terms and Conditions:

Starts on the 17th of October 2013 and ends on the 9th of December 2013. This prize is offered by Innocent Inspires and I am hosting it on behalf of them. Please note, I am not responsible for posting the prize out or providing it. The winner will be selected at random from all correct entries received. The winner will be notified within 7 days of the closing date. The prize is as stated: no cash alternatives are available. This competition is open to UK entrants only. The winner will be selected at random by the Rafflecopter widget on my blog’s FACEBOOK PAGE and you can enter via Twitter on a daily basis to have more chances of winning.

Good Luck!

Manjiri

P.S:

I would like to Thank Karen of Lavender and Lovage who has kindly let me modify the T&C and instructions on how to use Rafflecopter from her blog post.
All images and the video in this blog post are courtesy of Innocent Drinks.

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