I just hope someone opens an eatery in Gurgaon that serves such good food as Madras Coffee House, Khajuraho.
the facade of Madras Coffee House
Meal for 2: Rs. 120 onwards
Cuisine Type: Vegetarian
Short Description – In case u r in a hurry:
If u talk location in Khajuraho, nothing can get better than this – situated bang Opposite the Ticket counter of the most popular Western Group of temples. In other words, the place where this restaurant is located is like ‘the Times Square of Khajuraho’.
Outstanding masala dosa @ Madras Coffee House Khajuraho
The owner & his family stay in the same premises – in rooms besides the Dining Hall. I had a brief chat with him post I praised the taste of the food here. He said he came from Southern part of India in the 1950s, briefly ran a shop in Malviya Nagar Delhi & then moved to Khajuraho & has stayed back ever since.
The facade has not been painted quite long & the interiors are also as basic as it can get – but neat & clean.
The interiors of the restaurant – Madras Coffee House Khajuraho
The traditional food is awesome & I found it better than most Delhi & Gurgaon Restaurants. They also serve fusion food like Cheese Dosa, cheese utthapam etc , which seems to be very popular with the European tourists.
In fact, they also serve non South Indian Food like different kinds of Omelet, scrambled eggs, poached eggs, different kinds of pancakes, porridge, sandwiches, thali, South Indian curries, North Indian curries & even egg Biryani, veg chowmein & egg chowmein!!!!
utthapam @ Madras Coffee House Khajuraho
We stuck to basic South Indian food & it was awesome.
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An Italian food shop that serves better food than most Italian Food Restaurants in Delhi NCR – our tastebuds had a superb time here.
facade of the restaurant
Address & other details:Ask any auto wallah to take u to the Gol Market – Its easy to spot Mediterraneo in that super tiny market.
Meal for 2: Rs. 600 onwards
YUMM lamb preparation @ Mediterraneo, Khajuraho
Cuisine Type: Vegetarian & Nonvegetarian
Short Description – In case u r in a hurry:
This Restaurant is advertised as an airconditioned Italian Restaurant with ‘Italian Chef & Dutch supervision’. The restaurant is located on the first floor – one has to enter a narrow alley to go upstairs. As we climbed up to the first floor, we realized that the Restaurant had 3 sections in it – First was an open area with cement tables (that were smartly colored) & plastic chairs.
Open air seating @ Mediterraneo, Khajuraho
The middle section had beamed ceiling like yester-years & stone slabs atop those (in place of a ‘dhalai’ cement ceiling). Ceiling fans hanging from the beams. At the end of the room was a wood & glass showcase as is commonly seen in people’s homes – this was full of small antiquities & wooden handicrafts. The walls had beautiful rustic indian pictures & paintings.
Non A/C middle section @ Mediterraneo, Khajuraho
Towards the end, there was an air conditioned restaurant section. Since we walked in at 12.00 noon, we asked the Guy at the Restaurant to guide us to the A/C section. He said with a very polite tone – ‘Sorry sir, we have not yet opened the A/C section as it is unviable for only 2 guests. As more & more people walk in, we will start the A/C. Request you to sit in the Middle section.’ He said this in a very open & informal way, with a lot of honesty – I appreciated the same.
Wood fired Stone oven in which YUMM pizzas are baked @ Mediterraneo, Khajuraho
We sat in the middle section. Surprisingly it was good – even after 3-4 hours of walking in the sun seeing the historical monuments in Khajuraho. On a later visit, we saw a large cooler being brought in as well. The view was not bad & the place was quite airy too.
While climbing up I had noticed a washroom at the ground floor – it was however on lock & keys. I figured out much later that for using the washroom I had to ask the staff – they wud give a key & I wud have to use the washroom, lock it back & return the keys upstairs!!!
The staff was very polite & warm. I came to know that this Restaurant was started by a European lady & now it is run by one of her Indian acquaintances.
Thin crust Pizza @ Mediterraneo, Khajuraho
The food was the focus here & I was pleasantly shocked to find such good food at Khajuraho. Not too many restaurants even in Delhi can make as good thin crust pizza as Mediterraneo makes in their Wood fired Stone Oven. The pasta served here is ‘home made’ as well. Meats & Salads options r too good. For desserts in-house made crepes of different kinds hogged the limelight
We had a really good time with some good Japanese Teppanyaki that however does not qualify as ‘the best I have ever had’ – A Japanese Restaurant in Delhi that has a live Teppanyaki counter, a sushi bar & more with very warm & interactive chefs who create good food from scratch right in front of u.
A general view of the Dining Hall of Kylin Premier Ambience Mall Vasant Kunj Delhi
Situated in Ambience Mall VasantKunj, this restaurant serves Japanese & other oriental cuisines. They also have a ‘Kylin Express’in the same Mall – at the food court.
The Restaurant is very tastefully made. As u enter, u realize that the Restaurant has a dim Lighting with individual lights near tables. Amidst this dim lighting, on the right hand side is a glass box that is illuminated & hence it totally stands out –different types of visually appealing sushis displayed in it. A little further, there is the bar area & then is the restaurant area. Beyond the Restaurant area is the area that appeals to me most in a Japanese Restaurant – Teppanyaki counter (Japanese live grill).
typical teppanyaki set up @ Kylin Premier Ambience Mall Vasant Kunj Delhi
The people in the Restaurant were very warm. I indulged in a little chat with two of the Teppanyaki Chefs. They are Indians but they have worked in Japanese 5 star Restaurants with Famous Japanese Chefs. The constant interaction with the chef as he was making our Dinner right in front of us – it was very interesting & enjoyable.
fried rice in the making on teppan @ Kylin Premier Ambience Mall Vasant Kunj Delhi
For the choice of food we stuck to the Japanese section & avoided the obvious non-Japanese hits like prawn butter garlic etc. We went for two Teppanyaki dishes – one recommended by the Chef as ‘must not miss in Kylin’ – Prawn & the other of our choice – Soy Salmon. New Zealand Lamb Chops & Pork Ribs also feature in ‘Chef’s recommendation’ according to the menu card – But we cud not manage to taste those due to sheer lack of space in our stomach pouches.
Noodles being made on the teppan
As I have mentioned above, the food was very enjoyable though not the best TeppanyakiI have ever had. This however has been one of the best Teppanyaki I have had in Delhi so far.
A view of teppanyaki counter & the background from our table @ Kylin Premier Ambience Mall Vasant Kunj Delhi
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I loved my Mezze platter here after a long list of disappointments in Delhi NCR. I wud say as good as it can get on a food court by current standards in Delhi NCR.
Mezze platter @ Mezze Grill DEL 15, Food Court, Magic Moments Mall, Kirtinagar, New Delhi
Cuisine Type:Vegetarian & Nonvegetarian
Short Description – In case u r in a hurry:
We chanced upon Magic Moments Mall yesterday & were pleasantly surprised by its interiors – Huge, Glitzy, large open spaces, high ceilings & so on – much better than most Malls in Gurgaon with the exception of Ambience. The Mall hosts a Huge & spacious Reliance Retail outlet (unlike thecluttered & stuffy Ambience Mall Gurgaon one), a huge ‘More’ supermarket, loads of brands, an Ice skating bar, a big kid’s play area etc. The food court named DEL15 was a revelation to me too. I think it is worth a visit to this place even if u do not stay in this part of the city.
Inside Magic Moments Mall Kirtinagar
DEL15, the Food court, is enormous – by enormous I mean enormous. Much bigger than any food court in Gurgaon. The look & feel is new & fresh. It is a mammoth squarish hall with Food counters on 3 of the 4 walls. The furniture is smartly done, lightweight modern chairs / sofas with wooden tables. There seemd to be a planned zoning in DEL15 like in food courts in other countries e.g. Food Republic, Cityplaza,TaikooShing, Hongkong.
DEL15 – Food Court at Magic Moments Mall Kirtinagar
For buying food, money has to be paid at a common cash counter – One has to buy Coupons that can be Redeemed at shops. Quite surprisingly, the purchase of coupons is strictly against cash – no debit or credit cards accepted. Though there are some restrictions, I am sure there r ways out of this. Not taking credit card is archaic in today’s world where most office goin youngsters live on cards. I am sure that the Mall owners can find a way out of this system by talking to tax experts.
I noticed quite a few diverse cuisines at the stalls run by Karim’s, Paranthas 21, Berco’s express, KFC, Subway, Haldiram’s, Vaango etc & of course Mezze Grill.
The Guy at counter of Mezze Grill was quite knowledgeable & seemed eager to answer all my questions. Not sure if rest of the staff members are like him / how he might behave in rush hour. Must mention here that we were there at 12.00 noon & the place was quite empty.
As I was talking to him, I noticed a large number of containers on the counter with names written on each. They contained the different dips that r served with Mezz food. I asked about an unusual looking salad & before I understood what was happening, he gave me to taste the salad on a tiny plastic ‘tasting’ spoon. I was feeling a bit shy but he insisted – not expected in food court. He also told me that the Chef is an Indian who has worked in Restaurants of Dubai & learnt the ‘real’ thing.
Smart seating @ Mezze Grill DEL 15, Food Court, Magic Moments Mall, Kirtinagar, New Delhi
As we started to decide on what to have we realized that they actually have a huge Menu. We chose the Mezze grill platter as it seemed to be a little bit of lot of things – Chicken Shish Taouk, Mutton CheloKabab, Grilled Fish Kabab, Rotisserie chicken, Chicken bites – all of that served with hummus, muhammara, Tzatziki, babaganoush, rice with gravy & tabouleh salad.
Dips & salads with Mezze Platter @ Mezze Grill DEL 15, Food Court, Magic Moments Mall, Kirtinagar, New Delhi
We cud not try the usual Shawarma roll / doner kabab roll as two of us were full after eating a Mezze Grill platter. (Note – Our appetite is average)
Detailed Description – In case u have the time to njoyreadin:
My childhood favourite – Re-visited after many years & Loved the simple menu , some good & some great food at prices that surprise.
Bengal Hotel – Moton o fowl
Address & other details:Bengal Hotel
Meal for 2: Rs. 200 onwards
fish fry at Bengal Hotel
Cuisine Type: A bit of Vegetarian & predominantly Nonvegetarian
Short Description – In case u r in a hurry:
As kids we used to go to this super tiny restaurant to have fish cutlets. The ambience did not matter then coz we were not aware of ‘ambience’ in an eatery & now it does not matter to me as long as the food is superb. We used to drool over the food then & this time around I found it very good, if not as good as before.
mutton cutlet at Bengal Hotel
The owner sits right at the entrance – He handles cash & remote manages the place. There is one guy who I have seen as the manager for many years now – order taking from customers & coordinating. Food is served by ‘chhotus’.
Fish roll at Bengal Hotel Behala
The most interesting thing at this restaurant is the rate chart. The menu is printed on a board on the wall – permanent (I think it was same when I was a kid). The price of the dish is written with chalk everyday besides the description. All items r made in limited quantities & as soon as an item is sold out, the manager runs to the board & rubs off the price. Popularity still soars & by 6.30 pm onwards one by one the items start getting sold out. The shop opens at around 3.30 pm & shuts by approx. 8.00 pm.
The ‘interesting’ rate chart at Bengal Hotel, Behala
They also pack ‘fry & eat’ chops & cutlets. I have heard that NRIs carry these back home. I carry these back to Gurgaon at times.
‘fry & eat’ chops & cutlets in case u want to pack it for home
The food is Anglo Indian – Chops & cutlets that have become Bengali now & mutton & chicken curries that have a wide following in Britain these days. We tried the mutton cutlet, fish roll, fish fry & also mutton kosha. Liked the mutton cutlet, liked very much the fish roll & fish fry & super loved the mutton kosha.
Detailed Description – In case u have the time to njoy readin:
Desi Ghee bedami pooris with super hot ‘n spicy aloo that set my tongue on fire, made the traditional way – super enjoyable till the time u start thinking calories.
facade of the shop
Address & other details: Take a rickshaw from chandni chowk metro station to Maliwada on the main Chandni chowk road (after u cross parathe wali gali if walking towards Fatehpuri masjid). Enter the lane that has a board saying ‘ Moti Bazar vyapar samiti aapka hardik swagat karta hai’. As u hit the T point, turn right & u reach this shop to ur left.
Desi Ghee bedami pooris with aloo, nagori pooris with halwa & chholey Bhature the traditional way super enjoyable till the time u start thinking calories.
Japanese restaurant in Gurgaon run by Japanese National , usually full with Japanese expat guests, good service, great food – A must visit for those who have started to appreciate Japanese Cuisine.
We saw this tiny Japanese Restaurant in JMD Regent Mall on our way to the Korean Restaurant Tomato in the same mall. Daikichi looked totally different from anything around & absolutely stood apart inspite of its small size. As we peeped in thru the glass, we saw all seats occupied by Japanese expats – a view that made me think for a second that I am in Tokyo. So, decided to pay a visit to Daikichi soon & here we were in a month’s time.
the restaurant
The entrance is quite tricky. There is a traditional curtain at the entrance that was made out of natural fiber ropes. One is supposed to brush it aside before entering – unable to imagine that b4 entering, I walked past & reached the KFC door, only to realize my mistake.
The interiors are not as Japan specific as the exteriors. It cud well have been any other restaurant. However, few posters on the wall with stuff written in Japanese gave a feel. The right side had rows of tables with 4 seats each & on the left were few cubicles with 4 seats each. The dividers of the cubicles were so high that u cud not see the guys in the other cubicle.
the facade of daikichi restaurant
The restaurant has a partially open kitchen & one can easily peep inside the very neat & clean kitchen.
Shrimps in chilli sauce
The 5 page menu card is pictorial with a caveat ‘the photograph is an image & is not necessarily a true representation’. While reading thru the items, in quite a few instances I was zapped & felt as helpless as I wud feel in Hongkong in a traditional restaurant. Though everything is written in English, somewhere some things are not very clear. However, the staff is very quick to help & explain & answer patiently to all questions.
pictorial menu card at Daikichi
The service is great & what makes a difference is that the elderly Japanese Gentleman who owns the place personally comes to meet the guests , does a Namaste, a traditional Japanese bow & does a little conversation in English. His warmth makes one feel like revisiting.
Few things that we usually try in a Japanese place is sushi, sashimi, ramen (Japanese Noodle soup) & of course teppanyaki (where available). This time around we missed out the ramen at Daikichi coz its just too big & almost a meal in itself. Will revisit & keep u all updated.
stir fried pork at Daikichi
The We super loved our sashimi , baked rice & our grill ,liked the prawn in chilli sauce.
This place also serves Japanese style cutlets, skewers, salads, udon noodles etc.
Detailed Description – In case u have the time to njoy readin:
It was a Saturday morning & we were upto our customary ‘Earn ur breakfast’ – Walked 5.8 km to reach Asia Alive to enliven ourselves. Called up the Restaurant the night before & confirmed that it will b open in the morning. So we walked all the way excited to have Asian food for Breakfast – like at Sakura / Sen5es.
We were very disappointed to find Continental & Indian spread in place of an Asian spread for breakfast. In fact we were expecting live dimsum / congee / stir fry counters but ended up at a live Dosa counter!!!!!
The decor was obviously nice but nothing special to remember.
The staff members were very warm, attentive & efficient. They surely took care & contributed positively to our breakfast experience.
Food was very good in general that does not qualify for a ‘wow’ though. Loved the breakfast here – small spread, good ingredients, simple but good food without any twists / turns/ surprises. Sen5es Pullman Hotel breakfast spread beats this hands down on spread & the wow factor.
Detailed Description – In case u have the time to njoy readin:
Day 1 & Day 2: Simplicity, back to basics (Roots), a great idea, superb execution, unbelievable prices & excellent food are words that come to my mind while describing Roots café. Day 3 : Quite dissappointing & average food
It was a Saturday morning & we were upto our customary ‘Earn ur breakfast’ – Walked 4km & then renewed our energy at Roots Cafe situated in Renewable Energy park, leisure valley, Gurgaon.
Moong dal chilla @ Roots cafe
For many of us in Gurgaon, central air-conditioning, glass house buildings & high rises have become a part of existence. Lots of us have lost touch with the way we used to be in our childhood – simple fans / air coolers. Roots Café reconnects us to our roots with its basic but tastefully done décor in which almost no man-made materials have been used, the simplicity of its menu, partially open-air structure & the huge air coolers.
the interiors of Roots Cafe
The structure, as mentioned above, is of wood, bamboo & other natural materials. The roof is thatched. The furniture is all wood. The coasters are natural & so is the beautifully made cover of the menu card & the ‘cheque’ folder.
Furniture at Roots cafe
As mentioned above, there is no A/C but even in the heat of June the two mammoth non noisy air-coolers do a good job of keeping the place cool.
The all natural Menu card – only the lamination inside is plastic
Unlike in other places where the waiting staff gets the order, here u r supposed to write ur choice of food on a little ‘order slip’. Really liked this concept as that reduces chances of wrong ordering / wrong order interpretations.
A huge wall cabinet with an inbuilt refrigerator in the center
The waiting staff is very non-intrusive but well behaved & nice. Their product (the food that they serve) knowledge is good as well.
The urge & passion to serve tasty & good food (even though it is not gourmet food) is really commendable.
Detailed Description – In case u have the time to njoy readin:
