Dinner at the rechristened 'Lemon Leaf'

From being known as 'Pot Pourri' to going 'Lemon Grass' and now rechristened as 'Lemon Leaf', This eatery has held that spot at the corner of Turner Road & Ambedkar Road for many years now.

So in the last week on one humid night went here for dinner with a few close friends. As usual, The place was packed for dinner but we 3 got a table just as we entered and i guess that was the only one that was empty. The AC enclosure was filled too so we didn't have much options. The outside was in fact not bad. The coolers at the either ends did a good job.

So food was ordered - Assorted Veg Dumpling Basket, Chicken Stir Fry with Sticky Rice & Thai Style Rice with Chicken. Mind you, out of these 3 orders only the Basket was listed on the menu and the other two were one offs made to order since i myself requested for a portion of rice and gravy in one dish which no restaurant is interested to serve. So if you're picky with the price while ordering customized dish you will be left guessing till the bill arrives. So the restaurant should make it clear that either we do not have such customization or come up with some kind of meal combos. Thus everyone is happy.

The outside dinning area at Lemon Leaf.

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​​The order arrived. First one was the 2 tier Veg Dumpling Basket. Hard to decipher what was what, but the Spinach & Garlic filled one was my pick of the lot. Dumplings although freshly steamed did not pack much flavours. Very average fair. The Dips were the saving grace. So to be true, at 625 bucks this basket is steeply priced and not worth the money. Next was the my plate of Sticky Rice and Chicken Stir Fry gravy. It was served with a below average tasting salad. For some reason that salad was garnished with chopped coriander. That just kills the whole point of having a near authentic meal. The rice was great in texture and so was the stir fry on my plate. Portion size is quite neat too. Tasted a few spoons of the other rice dish which was more or less bland. Lightly stir fried rice with Chicken and chunks of Cabbage and few more veggies. It tasted well but not nothing i can rave and recommend others.

Overall this place is a miss in my books for now. It could well be that we went for just the average run-of-the-mill dishes from the menu. May be if the person in-charge was attentive to us and recommended us something worthy of trying from the mains this wouldn't be the story.

These 3 orders made up for 1789/- including taxes. Not bad but definitely i've had better Pan Asian cuisine at that price point.

GW2014 Menu at Cheval, Fort

It had been months that i hadn't seen the face of South Bombay. Also had heard good things about this french dark horse at Kalaghoda which made for a perfect excuse to book my table for the special tasting menu that was designed for the ‪#‎timescity‬ ‪#‎GourmetWeek2014‬

Next to the iconic Rhythm House, Walkway to Cheval is the same that leads to also the club 'Liv'. Cheval sprawls across quite a generous space. It's divided into various sections like the main hall with the bar counter and live DJ then the next door an equally sized fine dining space and also another more warm lounge space. Tables are spaced well so as to not intrude each other's conversations. The decor made up of elegant hanging lights and the roughly finished walls. Overall a very majestic yet glamorous touch.

Opting for the meaty side of the tasting, My menu was Amuse Bouche, Beetroot Salad, Spanish Prawns, Minute Steak and an ever so reliable Brûlée.

The meal started not so good looking. My Amuse Bouche (mini appetizers) was indeed just a single circular serving of a Machego Cheese chopped and mixed with a salsa on a mini tortilla base. To be honest, There should be have been at least 2 of them on the plate. That's not what i want to see on the first course of my menu - A med sized plate with just one mini appetizer on it. Moved to the next which was indeed a much better presentation - The Beetroot salad. The salad was serving with juicy beetroot (must be poached) along with Goat's Cheese, Walnut and Wild Arugula leaves. The combinations works quite well as you get different textures of the juicy beetroot versus the nutty walnut versus the crunchy leaves of Arugula.

Next up were two rounds of mains. First one was the Spanish Prawns. A serving of four soft & succulent tapas like prawns which were perfectly tender cooked and draped in thick sauce of Cherry Tomato and Rosemary. You can straight away gulp one portion down and that's perfectly alright but it's a different feeling altogether to cut through it and savour each bite.

So by now i was sure that the dishes were just elevating as we went from one course to the next. My server cleared my plate and bought in the next - Minute Steak. This was the dish i was really looking forward to. It's basically a medium rare fillet of a flattened Beef Tenderloin that is served on a bed of Roasted Paprika & Rosemary Potato Wedges. The meat itself is top grade but automatically translates to a great dish when cooked at the right heat. The Wedges are a good support to the dish. Would have preferred a tad bit less of Potatoes while adding a few bits of microgreens just to balance out the dish.

Until here i had almost forgotten the first course disaster. The Passion Fruit Crème brûlée arrived with the shortbread on one side and looked humble as ever. So if you know the test for a perfect Crème Brûlée is that it should have a hard glazed top which should crack open when hit with the spoon. And that's exactly happened, The top crackled giving way to an ambrosial passion fruit infused custard. This dish was pure perfections. Kudos to the chef. All i wanted at the end was more of that Passion Fruit Concentrate on the side.

All in all it was calm quite dinner at a great eatery that kept elevating the course one after the other. Still not happy about the Amuse Bouche but that's now forgiven. Mind you the dishes are priced quite steeply otherwise.

Unfortunately Gourmet Week is over but anyone reading this and wanting to explore these special menus can try the on-going‪#‎CitibankRestaurantWeek‬

Link : http://restaurantweekindia.com/rwi/rwm_sep_2014

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Biryani 360 - Pre-Opening Tasting Session

Getting invited to a pre-opening tasting is always exciting. One gets to know the brand and the ideology behind it really well. In this case, the brand - Biryani360 'Savour the flavour' is a brain child of the owner who has put a descent amount of time to research on how to break the mould and create a new domain for a very niche type of Biryani that's world apart from the Darbar's & Lucky's of this world.

What is different or rather - what are they doing different is the question ?

Well, It's a new approach to Biryani which is more Pulao-esque and replaces the usual components from the likes of Ghee fried potato and caramelized onions with garam masala base. Also the choice of rice grain is a mix of 3 different kind of Basmati than the usual dish which is restricted to one type of long grain. The research/analysis behind this mix of 3 grains is that it comes with a low level of carbs. That's actually thoughtful i would say. 

The Vegetarian version is made from a mix of the secret spices (which were not revealed to us) with finely slices veggies like onion, carrot, cabbage, green peas & a generous dash of 3 blend of saffron (See the pictures, you can spot the Saffron). The refreshing change from the usual Veg Biryani is that there is none of the Paneer filled reddish runny base. This is one is classy and ever so fragrant. 

The Un-Veg Biryani is a similar version but contains different proportion of veggies and bite sized fillet chunks of marinated Chicken. Texture it is more on the pulao side with an overall less pungent, less greasy and less guilty approach. Taste wise it packs a good punch of hotness which heals over time as you combine your biryani with a spoon of Mint Yoghurt. One serving of 300g approximately packs around 700 calories which is almost half of what other have to offer.

How to Order / Where is the restaurant / What is the price ?

- Orders will officially begins from 16th Nov using their smartphone app and the website. Only online payment are accepted and to a lot of people's disappointment - No cash on delivery.

- This is purely kitchen based concept hence it is restricted to just home deliveries. I believe the kitchen will be based in Bandra or Mahim and will cater to this side of the suburbs. With that said, the delivery time will be nothing less than 1.5 hours as it will be made sure that you only get the freshest batch which is cooked every certain hours of interval or once the order is placed. Meal will be delivered in a hot tray sealed and laminated to make sure no spilling or mixing of rice and yoghurt takes place. 

- Irrespective of the choice - Veg or Un-Veg, The price for a portion remains same at 360 bucks for a 300g serving. According to me the absence of price difference is fully justified as the ingredients cost the same across both the dishes. I'm yet to find a strand of real saffron in any average restaurant dish. The search for which ended at this Biryani.

So all the good things apart, I would really like to see how the team behind this venture performs when they go into the actual production drill from 16th November. I wish that i'm delivered the exact same meal which i was served yesterday at the pre-opening.

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Zaiyka Caterers - Quick take away

Upon picking up news from a bunch of friends that there was new eatery on Pali, I stopped by here today and picked up a combo meal which best suits a lunch deal that is not too heavy on the stomach and also on the wallet.

For 130 bucks, You get one half portion of gravy dish to choose from Butter Chicken, Chicken Bhuna & Tikka Masala with 2 Tandoori Rotis or 1 Rumaali along with a portion of Dudhi / Gajar halwa. The Packaging as you can see in the pictures is quite tidy. They even provide some neat vegetarian options too. Will try that soon.

Reached my desk and unboxed contents from the paper bag. The Butter Chicken looked great at a glance. Roti was made may be an hour earlier so was not crisp as it should be - But hey ! It's a take away catering joint and not live kitchen so cannot complain. The Butter Chicken is rich and thick in texture and very much enjoyable with the Tandoori roti. Portion is overwhelming for one person, ideal for two. Dudhi Halwa was gorgeously pistachio coloured, fragrant and kept lingering in my palate - absolute winner.

My only complain is that not all dishes were ready at the start of lunch time. They asked me to wait for 10 minutes while they could get the Chicken Bhuna which i opted for in the first place.They have to pull up their socks and be ready by noon. It's Mumbai after all and one does not have time to spare on a weekday.

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Satiated Grub at Smoke House Deli (Pali outpost)

Impresario's SHD is another of it's delicatessen that builds upon the strong base of SWC. With an almost similar menu as the latter, SHD is an identical twin. The menu is slightly shorter yet heavily derived from SWC. 

Did a quick stop today late afternoon to sip some soup and gobble some sandwich. First up, the interiors are done up extremely well in pastel. Always loved the al-fresco sitting right from the days of Yellow Tree Cafe. With a view of the outside, it's a perfect setup on a gloomy day. Ground floor interiors are pretty in hints of pinks and floral print classic lampshades. The first floor is more communal and perfect for larger groups while the prettiest and the best decor, hands down is on the second floor. The lavish sofa, wooden flooring and classic wooden table compliment each other well. Yet all this lavishness was no good for my favourite al-fresco seats.

Was in the mood for Eggs Florentine so got that going first. Followed that with Soup of Mushrooms and Tuna & Sesame Sandwich. First off, the soup (A Couple of Mushrooms) - which is a blend of Shitake, Button Mushrooms and Porcini dust was rich and creamy. In a long time, i haven't had such great pleasure while sipping on a soup. I clearly remember that the Asparagus Soup at SWC was one such experience. Tuna & Sesame s/w was perfect grilled. For half a portion, that is quite a descent size. The fibrous feel and taste of tuna is cut well by the celery, balancing each other out.

The Eggs Florentine were served perfectly as they should be - Poached Eggs sitting on Brioche Bun and Boiled Spinach topped with a rich creamy Hollandaise. I wanted my eggs to be runny (you have the option of a well done too) - Just so that i can watch the oozing yolk fall over and out on the plate. Love that mess ! Alternating bites of Hash Browns dipped in the sauce and then back to the Eggs with buns and sauce is just a cycle one wouldn't mind repeating for a good 10 mins. To end it, you always have the complimentary bread basket at your disposal. Slap on the butter & jam on those assorted breads and your can close your quick meal with little sweetness.

The place mind you, is expensive. All these exquisite flavours are only possible by procuring the best & fresh produce from the market. Hence, once in a while i don't mind it at all. If something touches your culinary side of the soul and comforts you, you shouldn't have a reason to complain. 

A special shout out to my man - Nelson, who took good care of us. Thanks buddy !

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Dealing with HungerPangs

There are burgers, and there are double whoppers and then are massive open face burgers. The last one is by all means a mammoth task.

Visited #HungerPangs late last evening after hearing some good bits about it, even though my presumptions were overpowering the views from many people. The place has a very calm and relaxed atmosphere. Dim lights and lanterns on tables make up for a descent conversational dinner. The menu is very deli type featuring Burgers, Cheese Logs, Beef Bolognese and Sandwiches. Service is quick and with smiles. Yorack - the man behind the ka-ching counter makes sure he has a feedback from almost all of his customers. 

The open face - 10 oz Legendary Chicken Burger is a must have dish. Stuffed with Grilled Onions, subtly flavoured Chicken Patty, Salami, Sunny side up, Sliced Onions & Tomato and Iceberg, it is one heck of a messy affair. The XL size of the serving itself is enough to put anyone into a food coma. The question is - Where does one begin from ? Cap the burger to begin the ritual and the egg yolk ruptures and oozes all over the burger layers. The stacking is neat and well balanced that nothing seem too dominating in flavours. The Sandwiches are massive too. Had ordered the Chicken Caesar S/W and it was served in a much Panini avatar that a regular sliced loaf. Loved that switch of bread as the texture is different and all the ingredients fit well inside the casing. Again, flavours are right there and well balanced. 

Do give it a try, I sure am going to yet again in this week for it's Pasta & Starters. What i love about this place is that the team behind it knows what they want to serve (limited american fast food & tex-mex dishes) and serve them well with perfect execution.

Just in case it's hard to locate the place - It's opp Nature;s Basket on Hill Road.

Happy Eating everyone !

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