Category: India

bengali, India, Indian, Kolkata, sweet shop, sweets

Garam Rosogolla (Subal dar dokan, SC Das Sweets, Becharam Chatterjee Road, Behala, Kolkata)

In a nutshell:

An encounter with piping hot Rosogollas at a para (neighbourhood) shop floored me & all my co-snackers. I won’t even suggest that this is the best rosogolla in Kolkata but on its own, it is excellent to taste, especially when hot.

piping hot roshogollas

Meal for 2: Rs. 20 onwards

Cuisine Type: Vegetarian

The story:

Hot piping Rosogolla is a unique thing to have. It tastes like no other sweet – warm when served, smell & taste of fresh chhena (curdled milk) but different from just chhena. Bengalis also vouch for its medicinal properties – supposedly helps recover from bad stomach.
I got initiated to this many years back at a shop near my erstwhile office – He wud sell rosogollas during the day but the hot ones that he used to serve in the evening were way better.

the nondescript sweet shop where we had the roshogollas

As I moved to Delhi NCR few years back, I was surprised to find that people prefer cold refrigerated rasgullas. When cold, the rosogollas tend to become brittle & hence a bit chewy.

The current encounter with hot rosogollas happened by chance while I was visting a cousin’s place. I was so impressed by the hot rosogolla that I shamelessly asked for more to be told that they had got only a few. I went out to the shop immediately with everyone at his home & told the shop owner ‘ we r so impressed by ur rosogollas that we all came to eat more.

roshogolla balls made out of chhena

Continue reading “Garam Rosogolla (Subal dar dokan, SC Das Sweets, Becharam Chatterjee Road, Behala, Kolkata)”

yummraj5 Comments
India, Indian, Kolkata, Mughlai

Shiraz Golden (Park Circus – Mullickbazar Crossing, Kolkata)

YUMMRAJ Demystifies the Legend of Shiraz

In a nutshell:

A long History of excellence, sadly struggling to keep up with its earlier Glory – A lunch here left us with a cold feeling & also food that was surely lower than expectations.

the facade

Address & other details: Shiraz Golden

Meal for 2: Rs. 250 onwards

special mutton biryani @ Shiraz

Cuisine Type: Vegetarian & predominantly Nonvegetarian

Short Description – In case u r in a hurry:

Shiraz as a name rings a bell with Most Calcuttans (since the Days when Kolkata was Calcutta). I have had many good experiences in the past here like many others. Over the years I have seen a decline & had stopped going here & insead to the newly opened Arsalan. Similar experiences cud b heard from others as well. This time around I made it a point to revisit Shiraz & check it out myself…………….

Burrah Kabab @ Shiraz

There are two restaurants at Park Street Mullickbazar area. One is a few shops away from the other. The newer one is closer to the crossing & the older one is a few shops away. The newer one is swankier as well. We decided to go to the Old one.

Menu Card @ Shiraz

The old restaurant has a non airconditioned ground floor & an airconditioned first floor. Furniture, look & ambience of the first floor is much upgraded as compared to the ground floor. The look at first floor was that of an old Eightees restaurant. Cubicles made with set of sofas facing each other. Lighting was dim.

colorful picture studded menu card

The staff of this place need a special mention. Some of them seem to walk out of a 70’s movie. They have been in the same job of waiting tables for decades, have got bored enough & that shows on their face every moment, appear at the tables like robots without any facial expression & at times frown if too many questions are asked. The uniform has quite a ‘Nawabi Khansama’ look. The relatively younger Manager who I guess was the only person in suit, was also quite serious faced. He was continuing to speak to me in English even though I was speaking in Bengali. It was then that I did what I do best – mentally poke. I striked a conversation on ‘what is popular her / what is legendary her, I have come from far to eat here/ what is ‘mash-hoor’ (famous) here etc & within 3 -4 sentences each, the customer – server barrier fell apart. We were talking to each other as two human beings & the interaction was excellent since then for the rest of our stay.

mutton chaap @ Shiraz

The food is surely very good in isolation but as compared to others, this one takes a beating – Straight away from Arsalan Park Circus & surely from Aafreen, Metiabruz. We were unlucky to get stale meat in one of the dishes, very happy to get a replacement after we reported the same & even more disappointed when the replacement turned out to b stale as well.

Raita @ Shiraz

However, inspite of that, people throng to this place in thousands, more due to emotional reasons than pure culinary ones.

Continue reading “Shiraz Golden (Park Circus – Mullickbazar Crossing, Kolkata)”

yummraj3 Comments
Anglo Indian, Continental Cuisine, India, Indian, Italian, Kolkata, snack

Peter Cat (Park Street, beside Music World, Kolkata)

This is a late add to YUMMRAJ’s series called TIMELESS KOLKATA EATOUTS – reviews of Heritage Kolkata restaurants. Each restaurant has been rated as ‘Old is Gold’ or ‘Old is no more Gold’ based on the experience.

Year/decade of opening- Around Independence.

YUMMRAJ Demystifies the Legend of Peter Cat & maintains OLD IS GOLD

In a nutshell:

A retro restaurant (not by design but coz they never changed with time) with a great ambience, old school staff, good food for the prices that they charge but nowhere as good compared to the ’real thing’- be it European or Persian.

peter cat – the facade

Address & other details: Peter Cat

Meal for 2: Rs. 300 onwards

Legendary Chelo Kababs at Peter Cat

Cuisine Type: Vegetarian & Nonvegetarian

Short Description – In case u r in a hurry:

Peter Cat has been around for decades & that speaks a lot – Restaurants open very often & close down almost as often. The ones who survive the test of time surely have something good / unique to offer.

The décor as I mentioned above is retro in today’s context – red sofas facing each other & nice lamp shades above each table. The lighting is dim overall but the lamps on each table illuminate the table good enough to see each other, have a good chat & enjoy some good food. There are two floors & the way to top floor is as grand as it can get.

The dining Hall at Peter Cat & the Waiting staff in the background

Waiting staff look Grand as well, with their sherwani suits, flamboyant headgear & pointed shoes. Most of them are however quite Old School – smooth talking, knowledgeable, not overtly attentive but attentive as well, not quite warm, talks with an air of authority interspersed with some rare smiles & I guess quite bored of doing the same job for donkey’s years…… & that shows on their face. U will enjoy the evening if u think this to b a part of the package – dining at a retro restaurant & being served by people who r enacting the past:)

The food is good in general & at the prices that the food is offered, I wud say some are excellent. However, if u compare the non- Indian dishes to the original dishes the way they r, then u might b quite disappointed.

Continue reading “Peter Cat (Park Street, beside Music World, Kolkata)”

yummraj7 Comments
Delhi, India, Indian, kashmiri

Tarami (30 A, 1st Floor, Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi )

In a nutshell: Good décor & ambience, well mannered staff, overpriced food, smelly old meats consistently in all dishes, non authentic taste in general, with a few exceptions. Address & other details: Tarami Meal for 2: Rs. 1800 Tarami platter, Rs. 800 onwards for 2 alacarte Cuisine Type: Vegetarian & Nonvegetarian Short Description – In case u r in a hurry: My perception of overpriced … Continue reading Tarami (30 A, 1st Floor, Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi )

yummraj1 Comment
Continental Cuisine, Gurgaon, India, Italian

Fat Lulu’s (Ground & 1st floor, Shopping Mall, Arjun Marg, DLF Phase 1, Gurgaon)

In a nutshell:

Awesome slim pizzas at fat Lulu’s that r cheaper & much superior than the average fare served by MNC pizzawalas. I pinched myself to ascertain whether I was dreaming or awake – as the food hit my tastebuds.

Fat Lulu’s

Address & other details: Fat Lulu’s

Meal for 2: Rs. 600 onwards

Cuisine Type: Vegetarian & Nonvegetarian

Short Description – In case u r in a hurry:

Pizza is a common snack that has become almost an indian food in a decade & half of its getting popularized. MNC pizzawalas like Dominoes Pizza, Pizza Hut etc rule the market with their ‘average to good but seldom outstanding’ breaded & other pizzas, mainly due to smart marketing. Then come the expensive ‘Italian’ restaurants like Tonino, Spagetti Kitchen etc which serve good pizzas but u easily end up spending Rs. 2000+. Good Budget Pizzas were a miss in general & Fat Lulu’s has just filled the void.

Make ur own pizza @ Fat Lulu’s

Between both of us we had 3 pizzas (8 inch) back to back for dinner & we kept craving for more………………….. alas our stomach pouches raised red flags beyond 3.

The Restaurant has a tiny ground floor which is essentially a home delivery & ‘pack’ section. A wooden staircase took us upstairs. I was impressed by the simplicity of the décor & the casual ambience. On one end was the Wood fired pizza Oven & the rest of the room was dining chairs & tables. Tables are for 2 people & they were being joined in different permutations & combinations by the staff to accommodate 4 or 6 or 8 guests together.

Inside Fat Lulu’s

Each table had 3 things – chili flakes, herbs seasoning & most importantly olive oil, in addition to the usual salt, pepper etc.

olive oil on every table

The menu card is a one pager & has an interesting concept: The menu card read – ‘Pick ur base, size, topping & cheese – we wud do the rest’ or ‘choose from our selection of Pizzas’. See the picture below for understanding how the matrix works.

Pricing matrix as of oct 2012

Example. We chose an 8 inch vegetarian pizza with a choice of any 4 toppings. That made it Rs.250. We then chose 1 non vegetarian topping. Those were for Rs. 75 each. So our pizza came for Rs. 325.

As mentioned above we were shocked to find the pizzas so good. They were not gourmet kinds that u get in Hilton / Park Hotel but they were excellent.

For beverages the only option is lipton ice tea / soft carbonated drinks.

The staff members seemed to be new to the job & still learning. However, they tried their best to be helpful. The owner lady was always at the floor & constantly supervising the floor. I was amazed to see that she actually was helping the staff in relocating & re-setting the furniture as well.

Continue reading “Fat Lulu’s (Ground & 1st floor, Shopping Mall, Arjun Marg, DLF Phase 1, Gurgaon)”

yummraj4 Comments
Awadhi (lucknow Dum cooking), Delhi, India, Indian

Dum Affairs (3rd Floor, E 12, Main Market , South Extension 2, New Delhi)

In a nutshell:

Excellent décor, trained & courteous staff, some outstanding food & some just average food, at prices that are on the higher side.

The interiors of Dum Affairs

Address & other details: Dum Affairs

Meal for 2: Rs. 2200 onwards (without beverages)

Josh e nalli

Cuisine Type: Vegetarian & Nonvegetarian

Short Description – In case u r in a hurry:

If u have expat guests & want to give them a taste of good Indian food that will not give them a Delhi Belly, this is the place. If u want to go out on a date & have indian food, u might consider this. If u r thinkin of meeting friends in a nice environment with some good food , this place is a good option. A family outing to a nice restaurant for celebration – once again this qualifies. However, if u r a hardcore foodie to whom tastebuds only matter & not ambience, or to whom a dori kabab on an Old Delhi roadside amidst huge flow of human traffic butt brushing u constantly is super exciting, then this Restaurant might throw up some disappointments.

Well let me try to xplain this. There r very limited ‘excellent’ Indian food Restaurants in Delhi. If u narrow down to Awadhi cuisine (Lucknowi food), then ur options r highly limited to say the Legendary Dum Pukth, Kainoosh or say Indian accent. Indian fine dining is rare & specially if u r a fan of Dum food (slow cooked over low fire – a Lucknowi tradition).

My experience at Dum affairs was very good but has been surely better at Kainoosh, IndianAccent & the big Boss – Dum Pukth. I will happily part with Rs. 6000 for 2 at Dum Pukth but having paid Rs. 2800 for 2 at Dum affairs, I feel it is a bit overpriced. Its like a 2 hrs flight vs. a 14 hrs AC 1 Rajdhani. That is the difference.

The staff is extremely courteous & have good relevant product knowledge. They were quite attentive too, to our needs.

The ambience, as I mentioned, was very good. Nothing Awadhi about it but just plain good. Music was modern day Bollywood – I did not really get the connection of that with Lucknow.

innovative dessert

The food was a mix of outstanding & average. Authenticity did not seem to be a focus & the Chef has done a good job at doing some of the fusion cuisines. However, it wud have been good if the menu card displayed which ones r fusion & which ones authentic. For some dishes, that was obvious but it wasn’t obvious for the rest.

The first page of the menu card was a shocker to me – It had a section called ‘For the health freaks’ with salads etc. That was the most inappropriate section in a Lucknowi Restaurant – ‘healthy Lucknowi food’ is nothing short of an oxymoron.

Detailed Description – In case u have the time to njoy reading:

Continue reading “Dum Affairs (3rd Floor, E 12, Main Market , South Extension 2, New Delhi)”

yummraj5 Comments
About Food, Gurgaon, India

Mainland China (Shop 2, Ground Floor, Block A Wing, Building 9, DLF Cyber City, DLF Phase 3, Gurgaon)

In a nutshell: My favourite from a decade back (Kolkata chapter) – Re-visited the Gurgaon restaurant after many years & Loved the food overall except one. For seeing pics of food at this place, pls click here. Address & other details: Mainland China Meal for 2: Rs. 1200 onwards Cuisine Type: Vegetarian & Nonvegetarian Short Description – In case u r in a hurry: Have … Continue reading Mainland China (Shop 2, Ground Floor, Block A Wing, Building 9, DLF Cyber City, DLF Phase 3, Gurgaon)

yummrajLeave a comment
Asian Cuisine, Gurgaon, India

Mamagoto (SCO 56, City Centre, Sector 29, Gurgaon; Second Floor, DLF Promenade Mall; 2nd Floor, Select Citywalk Mall, Saket; 1st Floor, Middle Lane, Khan Market)

In a nutshell: A real fun place to spend some great time with family / friends with some food that is either average or good or very good or even outstanding – not encountered any dish that we disliked. Address & other details: Mamagoto Meal for 2: Rs. 700 onwards Cuisine Type: Vegetarian & Nonvegetarian Short Description – In case u r in a hurry: … Continue reading Mamagoto (SCO 56, City Centre, Sector 29, Gurgaon; Second Floor, DLF Promenade Mall; 2nd Floor, Select Citywalk Mall, Saket; 1st Floor, Middle Lane, Khan Market)

yummraj2 Comments
American, Continental Cuisine, Delhi, Gurgaon, India, Mexican

TGI Fridays (Ground Floor, MGF Mall, MG Road Gurgaon) I

In a nutshell: I was quite impressed with the Mexican Section at TGIF – in addition to some of my usual American favourites. Unfortunately there r not too many stand-alone Mexican Restaurants in Gurgaon who serve Great Mexican food & most of those Restaurants have very chicken heavy menu. For Lamb, pork & beef lovers, TGIF is a welcome relief. Address & other details: TGIF … Continue reading TGI Fridays (Ground Floor, MGF Mall, MG Road Gurgaon) I

yummrajLeave a comment
Continental Cuisine, Gurgaon, India, Mexican

Salsa Salsaa (1st Floor, Sahara Mall, M.G. Road Gurgaon)

In a nutshell: Very Good attempt to serve great food but not upto the mark if u compare with the Tex Mex Restaurants in the US. Not bad at all, if u do not compare with the True Blue Tex Mex restaurants in US. Address & other details: Salsa Salsa Meal for 2: Rs. 600 onwards Cuisine Type: Vegetarian & Nonvegetarian Short Description – In … Continue reading Salsa Salsaa (1st Floor, Sahara Mall, M.G. Road Gurgaon)

yummrajLeave a comment