Forklore Bistro |Restaurant Review|Koramangala|Bangalore|

I’m one of those people, who absolutely love their Sunday’s. Sunday’s are meant to be relished & revered. On one of those Sunday’s we had a bloggers meet at “Forklore Bistro”. Contemplating the odds, I decided to go ahead and just experience the whole hype.

Yes, Forklore Bistro has been in the good books, for being a place, where food is their USP. When that happens, really their isn’t anything stopping you from visiting that place. 

Run by a handsome looking couple, clearly in love, the atmosphere is filled with promising dreams. Chef Tripthi is the recipe curator of the restaurant, supported by her musician husband Mr.Sanjay, the co-owner, they decided to embark on a journey to fulfill their dream of having a restaurant. 

Do I hear an “Awwww”, in the background? 😁

Chef Tripthi also has been extremely passionate about her “herb garden”. Yes, that’s right. They have a little cute spot, where they have herbs growing. So, a big yes to concept.

Decor: The place is a 1975 house converted into a Bistro. There is an effortless rugged feel to the place, with bare brick wall & fairy lights. The ambiance is inevitably cheerful. The little knick knacks strewn across the place, impart a personal touch to the decor. 

Hospitality: The wait staff are fairly knowledgeable, but i would appreciate it more, if they could recall the menu with much more ease. They do lack a sense of confidence, which translates as being laid back. But, they also did notify us, that on the day we went, they were understaffed. 

The Grub Story: Hop along to see, what I ate. Off we go, to see what my carte du jour was :

• Orange, Lemon & Rosemary Cooler (Rs. 125/-) : My drink of the day, was a beautiful orange & rosemary lemonade, which complimented my food well. It was refreshing, flavourful with peppery yet minty profile. Drink-yes! 

• Mushroom Pie (Rs. 165/-): Oh heavens! This was just a fantastic piece of perfection on my plate. The puff pastry of the pie was buttery, flaky and melt in the mouth kinds. Your bite would result in a smacking harmony of the mellowing mushroom combined with a subtle chive/leek flavour. 

• Watermelon and Feta Salad (Rs. 245/-) : Salads have a special place in my heart, I love them and I’m picky about them. The watermelon and the feta salad was just the right amount of everything. The creamy sourness from the feta, the freshness from the watermelon, peppery arugula, the subtle sweet sour of the honey vinaigrette & the tang from balsamic vinegar to bind it all, made this my favourite thing to eat. Each flavour comes into play one after the other. 

• Carrot and Spring Onion Pancake (Rs.225/-) : This as the name suggests, is a savoury pancake. I’m always inclined more towards a sweet pancake,crepe,flapjack, call it what you may. Savoury pancakes also go down well with me, but, this one, just didn’t do it. The flavours were mixed and somehow didn’t work with my palate. The pancake was kinda dense and floury. Served with a dollop of sour cream & drizzled with Balsamic vinegar. I would actually give it a pass. It all felt too dry, with nothing to bind it all together. Disappointed much 😔

• Hawaiian Pizza with In House BBQ sauce (Rs. 355/-):  The pizza is a thin crust one, with a generous helping of cheese & toppings like babycorn, bell peppers, olives on a delicious tomato sauce. The tomato sauce was just so thick and flavoured well with garlic. Took the humble pizza up by leaps and bounds. Great job on this one! But, having said that, I would also like to say, that, maybe the pricing is on a tad heavier side for a thin crust, vegetarian pizza. 

• Strawberry Fields Forever(Rs.145/-): A delicious, lip smacking vanilla yogurt, which could have been a fair enough dessert on its own, but they took it notches higher by adding crunchy walnuts and strawberry sauce. The sour-sweet combination was an instant hit with everyone. A total steal for this price and worth every penny. 

Let me also tell you, that the presentation was just spot on! Eye candy 😋

This was what I ate, but here is a sneak peek of what the non vegetarians & non teetotallers had :

• Fruity Booty Sangria: Chef Tripthi uses only and only fresh pulp, thereby, giving her Sangria’s a personal touch, which make them the most sought after item on the menu. 

• Egg Pie 

• Chicken Salad 

• Chicken and Lamb Steak 

• Monk in the middle (contains alcohol): Something my friends went gaga over! The dessert has a little spot filled with Rum in the middle. 

Verdict : Here’s the hardest part and something that has stumped me.

Being a vegetarian & a teetotaller & being given limited options to choose from, might be the reason why my judgement is clouded. They still need to master a few areas of interest, but they have a passion for what they do and I do know, that gradually that passion will translate in every other thing. 

 On, a general note, seeing everybody else enjoying their meal immensely and loving the Sangria as well as the Lamb pizza, I’m gonna be generous and give a 4 star rating. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Failed Resolutions and You?

And, it’s that time of the year, when we start making resolutions and give ourselves the hope to make the current year a better one. It’s just the most beautiful gift that you can give yourself. A hope to love yourself more, to make yourself a happier person and to fill your life with more positivity. 

I, hear and do see, a lot of negativity when some friend or a family member announces their resolutions or hopes for the year. 

The most heard statement is, ” Oh! You wanna do _____, this year? Isn’t it just the same thing you wanted last year, but failed miserably at? Don’t get your hopes high.. you’ll only break them” Along with hearing that, you also get to hear the snorts, snickers and guffaws of the evil one.

And that starts a vicious cycle of self-mistrust. Once the doubt steps in, you often start believing that, you really have set an outrageous and a steep goal. What happens is more often than not, you fail, not because you couldn’t do it, but because you couldn’t believe that you could do it! 

C’mon go ahead.. make those resolutions and goals. Don’t let the negativity set you back & certainly don’t let someone else decide what you are capable of, because even YOU don’t know what you are capable of, if you put your heart and soul to doing something. 

Believe in yourself, dream a little more and push your limits because dreams do come true and only you can make it happen! 

So, don’t doubt yourself, go jump right into making one or a hundred resolutions and take your time in fulfilling them. Give it your all and give yourself a pat on the back, every time you take one baby step closer to your resolution. 

Let’s make it all about loving yourself this year!! 

2017, we got you here❤️❤️

And now it’s Carrie Fisher?

If the heartbreak of George Michael’s death wasn’t enough, we now have to battle the demons of nostalgia, while mourning for Carrie’s death. 😭

If Michael was your Prince Charming, then Carrie was your Princess Leia. These were the icons that redefined romanticism and brave thinking, who loved the life they lived, who were figures that gave others inspiration. 

George Michael made all of us sync with pure romance & Carrie Fisher made all of us think we were inevitable. You just had adrenaline pumping through when you saw “Princess Leia”. A good 2 days after the movie and you’d still wanna shout “scruffy nerf-header” at someone who irritated the beeping ” F” outta you 😔 

Princess Leia was one of the prominent catalyst for the birth of today’s adventure heroine. 

Though Princess Leia remains, there will be no one to do her justice. Carrie Fisher was synonymous with Leia and today, we’ve lost her! 😭 

Let’s bid adieu to Carrie Fisher and Princess Leia as well. Star War fans.. I can only fathom how bad you feel! 😢

Goodbye to 2 icons, who never lived to see the sunrise of 2017. 

George Michael and Carrie Fisher, we will miss you!! This truly was your “Last Christmas” 🎄 

Smoor Chocolates |Restaurant Review| Indiranagar| Bangalore|

So, things have been alarmingly quiet these days around my food blogging. That doesn’t mean that I haven’t been eating around the town. 

Holy Smokes.. I’ve been gorging for starters. These past few months have been so hectic & during those hectic times, I found a total gem 💎 in Indiranagar. 

Bliss brings to you their newest venture ” Smoor Chocolates”. With your inner child jumping up and down and tugging those heartstrings, you really can’t miss this place for anything. Not only are they a par excellence chocolaterie, but are also a par excellence cafe with a wide range of comfort foods for your soul. Just how stupendously impressive the team is, is an understatement. So, without anything to carp on, let’s get right into the topic. 

Decor: The place is done in the most elegant yet simple terms of decor. The colour theme absolutely looks nothing less than gorgeous. I loved the perfectly muted tones of colour. The splash of spark white on the wall, the deep yet mute blue & the gold calligraphy were just right. 

Hospitality:  As the food sings its way right into your mouth, so does the hospitality. They just make you smile with joy.

The Grub Story:  The fare isn’t just limited to pleasing your sweet tooth therefore don’t be fooled into thinking that this place can have awesome desserts and mediocre starters and mains. The menu resonates of some Italian, a little pinch of French and Asian cuisine.

My favourite picks that get to be featured over here are as follows: 

• Ravioli with pumpkin in almond butter sauce (Rs.275/-): Love happens and it happened at the first sight with me. Yup, I’m talking about these little works of art laced with a beautiful warm scent of almond and butter on plate. The Ravioli’s had just the most softest texture ever. They melted in my mouth like a dream. The pumpkin filling when doused with the butter sauce was an explosion of sweet and salty flavour. The pumpkin gave you the sweetness and the golden yellow butter sauce balanced it with the salt. The right pinch of salt, if you may! Garnished with a heavy hand of almonds, this one here is a must must must have!!

• Chicken Lasagne / Veg Lasagne (Rs.295 & Rs.275 respectively) :The Lasagne here is just the most dangerously delicious one. As I’m a vegetarian, my vegetarian Lasagne was a beautiful amalgamation of tangy flavours and veggies. The pasta sheets just blended into each other and gave me the right amount of delicious. The hubby on the other hand, said his chicken Lasagne was good too, but a little on the dry side. 



• The special holiday menu (Rs.750/-all inclusive ) : The last time that I went, they had a special menu for the holiday season. Here’s what the menu looked like 

• Amberine: As stated this mocktail was a beautiful mix of grenadine syrup, litchi syrup, tonic water & lime juice. The result was a mildly sweet drink, which fizzed around and actually did a great job complementing the mains.

• Veg dumpling soup: I really need to take a moment here.. the soup was pure bliss. The dumplings? Soft and melt in the mouth kinds. The soup had a delicious umami taste, garnished with finely sliced carrots and greens and though, I’m not a fan of clear soups; I loved this bowl of goodness.

• Veg Dumplings: If there is a favourite that I have, while visiting an orient restaurant.. it’s the gawwjus dimsums, dumplings, momos.. call them what you may. 9/10 times, if the restaurant serves a great dumpling, rest assured that the fare following it will be good. I wasn’t really expecting anything from the dimsums actually, after all smoor is a multicusine cafe. But when I actually sunk my teeth into these soft, outta world dimsums.. I was a believer! The dip that they served with these dimsums takes all the credit. I mean… how does a dip taste so good? I shamelessly have to admit that, I wiped the ceramic dip bowl clean with my fingers. It’s doused in butter, the perfect amount of salt.. I just can’t!! You need to get a taste of this 🤤

• Stir Fried Cottage Cheese in Chilli Basil Sauce: The cottage cheese gravy was served with a generous helping of wok tossed noodles, served with some well marinated kimchi. As with every other thing on the menu, even this tasted good but nothing outta the ordinary to be honest.

• Chocolate Almond Cake for dessert: Super duper loved the pastry, the course couldn’t have ended any better. The cake was a pretty sight and an even prettier taste in the mouth. Served with some chocolate soil, the cake was intense with the chocolate. 

Smoor is a true chocolate enthusiast’s dream. The true love of someone who doesn’t have just a sweet tooth, but a whole set of sweet teeth. The milkshakes and sundaes are again outta the world and the pastries match up to 5 star chocolateries/patisseries. I, super love it so much, that any celebration is incomplete without it! Check this one out, that I had for our 5 year wedding anniversary. It’s a Belgian chocolate truffle, which doesn’t just taste decadent, but is also mesmerising!

Verdict: I, can pretty much pretend play to be an augur and tell you that this place is going to nestle itself right into your hearts and round tummies. It’s gonna be a favourite among our favourites. 

A well deserved 4.5/5 stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

* all prices are exclusive of taxes.

Yauatcha| Restaurant Review| Bangalore|FBAB 21st Meetup

Nin Hao 🙏🏼 , Ni Hao Ma? 

“Gongxi Fa Cai”🎉🎉🎎

Well, before you exit this page with a frustrated frown at the unintelligible course of words, hold on,please? 

I, just said “Hello, how are you?” & a “Happy New Year” in simplified Chinese. I really wasn’t goobledegooking with you. 😁

  

“The Chinese New Year” has arrived & with it come a beautiful plethora of traditions, each brighter than the other. This year is the year of the monkey 🐒

At “Yauatcha”, they have a spread worth gormandising for. Yauatcha has the new year celebrations going on, which are in sync with the traditions. As, the traditions call for consumption of fish, dumplings, spring rolls, etc for good luck. The restaurant has a well thought & a delicious curated menu for the season. 

I, was invited by team FBAB to join them for the “Chinese New Year” menu tasting session at the restaurant. This was the 21st FBAB meet up.

 

Brief insights about Yauatcha: 

Yauatcha London is a One Michelin star restaurant. The branch here in Bangalore, is an exemplary example of their dedication for ambrosial food & utmost customer satisfaction.

Decor: The restaurant has simple & minimalist decor, which is the perfect backdrop for a romantic evening. They even have a private dining room for a large group of people, which is just perfect. 

   

  

Bloggers in discussion before the meal

 

Hospitality: Should I even try to dissect this aspect? Yes, well understood that it was class apart.  

The Grub Story: Tasting my way through the myriad of flavours, I found myself wanting for more.   

1. Kiwi & Olive Dimsums: The Dimsums were by far the most pleasurable part of the evening. These were to die for, with the dough being made outta starch & kiwi paste. They had the briny taste of olives & the sweetness of kiwis. What a bomb!!

 

2. English Carrot & Truffle Dumpling: The first bite & the undeniable carrot flavour flowed in, with the nuttiness of truffle. It was a pleasure to start our meal with these babies! 

 

3.Corn, Carrot & Curry Dumplings: This undoubtedly won my heart, in a jiffy. The translucent dough with those contents shyly staring at you, through the dough veil was a delight. I devoured them within seconds, the soft sticky dough & melt in the mouth happiness sealed the deal. A must have. 

 

4. Mock Chicken In Hunan Style Sauce: If, ever you could give a vegetarian a taste of chicken, then this is it. Yep! We’re good. We’re done. For a split second, I had thoughts if I’ve broken my sober vow of vegetarianism. This was as close as it could get to chicken. The soya chunks & the wheat gluten had me thrilled. This was the best of both worlds. The subtle texture of soya & the spicy gooey taste of the sauce, had fireworks going on. By far, the best thing! 

 

5. Toban Fried Rice: The special thing about this rice, is the fact that it is made out of a sauce of fermented beans. Irrespective of how unappetising it sounds to you, it was one of the most lipsmacking vegetarian fried rice, I’ve had in a long while. The flavour was just so unique & imparted that umami taste to it. 

 

6. Malak Udon Noodles: Which Asian food lover, doesn’t love Udon? None. Period. My tastebuds did a shooting somersault & they never got back on the ground. The exquisiteness of those chewy Udon noodles with the peppery sauce base, made this an intense hit with everyone. 

 

7. Crunchy Caramel with HoneyComb Icecream: Inspired by modern European cooking. The dessert was just beyond compare. The hazelnut caramel mousse, housed within it a beautiful praline which slowly bursts into a blend of flavours & finally gave you the real feel. The honeycomb Icecream on the chocolate soil was just the most fulfilling combination to go with the Caramel mousse. A must have! 

 

  
 8. Passion fruit Mocktail: Nothing, absolutely nothing can compare to the refreshing & a sunny feel of the Mocktail. My favourite, I had 2 glasses btw! 

 

Here’s the certificate of appreciation from FBAB! 

 

The non vegetarian’s enjoyed a delectable array of foods too, here are little tidbits from their plates. 

Seafood shuimai! loved by all.

  

Lobster ho fun roll in black pepper sauce

   

The purple ones are chicken & coriander dumplings

   

VFM: Priced pretty fair enough, for the amazing array. But yes, a tad bit heavy on pockets, if you’re on a budget. 

Special mention to Chef Pradeep & Chef Sharieff for the beautiful course.  

Chef Pradeep

  

Chef Sharieff

 Verdict: The place is just a shade shy of perfection, the pricing is good. Worth every penny if taste & gratification is on your mind. 

Would I visit again? What should stop me from doing so? Yes, yes, yes. 

Location: 1 MG Mall, 5th Floor. 

Majlis,Kammanhalli-A restaurant review

I’ve always been obsessed with Mediterranean fare. Lebanese, being my go to cuisine. In Bangalore, finding some heart warming Mediterranean cuisine isn’t hard at all. What’s hard is it being free from Indian or local invasions.

While, signboard exploring around Kalyan Nagar, I found this gem. The name just clicked & I had to give it a try. ” Majlis”, in colloquial Arabic terms, it means a place where you meet up. More like a place for social gathering. 

My heart paced & I got myself pushing the buttons of the elevator. It’s a rooftop restaurant, the thought of which made me super happy. I mean, who doesn’t dig some romantic rooftop dining? 

  

I wasn’t disappointed, when I found myself stepping in. The whole place felt like an airy castle, with sheer brown curtains blowing with the breeze & a sense of minimalism with decor. 

   

   
  

My first impression was, ” Oh Yeah!! Good move girl.” The cuisine ranges from Lebanese to a mix of indo-Persian.

  

Decor: The decor like I said earlier, is minimalistic and very influenced by ottoman sense of styling. From the curtains to the flooring, from the artefacts to the signature colorful tiles, these fill you up with the feeling of being transported to one of the restaurants in the Mediterranean. 5/5 for the decor.

  

Hospitality & service: The staff, they were well, amazing! You can spruce up your expectations when it comes to service. It really was a total pleasure dining here, with prompt service & the love they shower you with. 5/5 for the team.

Food: Taking a casual pause, I need to tell you, the fare is just “MINDBLOWING DELISH”. How, just how could I not, state that so blatantly to you? 

Here are my favourites: 

1) Mezzeh Platter(Rs.185/-): This is a beautiful assortment of mutabbal, fattoush, baba ghanoush, hummus & tabbouleh, which are served with complimentary pitas. They taste just amazing & are pretty filling for 2 people. 

  

  

2) Khumb Kurkure (Rs.175/-): These are mushroom fritters stuffed with cheese & herbs. This is an Indian dish, but my oh my.. It was a treat for my soul.   

  

3) Badami Murgh Shorba(Rs.120/-) : A creamy, almond & chicken soup, which truly warms the cockles of your foodie heart. The serving was highly generous & the almond slices were put in to spoil us big time. 

4) Dajaj Saaj( Rs.165/-): The most delish of all things on the table. It’s a chicken & cheese calzone with the most minimal flavours & an outburst of love. The stringy cheese & chicken really made us melt, melt & melt.   

5) Dahi Kebab (Rs.185/-): Melt in the mouth, yogurt stuffing enclosed in bread. The taste was just out of the world, the smooth creaminess & the tanginess of that yogurt really made this a must have. It’s best if you eat it hot, once it cools, it gets a little unpleasant. 

  

 

6) Dal Qureshi(Rs.195/- ): A spicy version of the Dal Makhani, loved every little nuance about it. The spice balance, the creamy texture & the amount of lentils in it. Another must try.   

7) Chicken Naanza(Rs.185/-): This is the Levantine version of a pizza, filled with exotic goodness. The toppings are just heavenly great. It’s had beetroot, bell peppers, olives, etc. I super loved the pickled tang. You’d be crazy to miss this❤️❤️

  

8) Cheese sambousek (Rs.80/-) : Life is just complete with a samosa. Samosa is a universal thing. Almost every culture has a version. The Sambousek here was outta the world, the cheesy drip with spinach was why we ordered it 3 times in a row. It came with some creamy toum.   

9) Zar-E-Bariyan Biryani (Rs.215/-) : This biryani was loved by one and all, though I haven’t had a bite, I could clearly see that they were enjoying it. It’s a biryani with the Persian influence to it. The meat was mutton & they do have a vegetarian version of it.   

 

  
10)Malai Phirnee (Rs.150/- ) : A delicious, not too sweet, just the right kinda smoothness. It’s the perfect way to end your meal.   

11)Umm Ali (Rs.150/- ): An Arabic dessert, made outta rice meal & loaded with nuts. Man!! This was yum❤️❤️  

Disappointments : There were a few disappointments during the span of 3 visits. 

1)Murgh Kali Mirchi ka Tikka(Rs.195/-) : This isn’t on my favourite list, I did try one piece. The taste was quite mediocre, I just wish it would’ve had more of a charcoaled feel to it. 

2) Burrah Kebab ( Rs.215/-) : This was a borrowed opinion, it’s mutton ribs with a certain flavourful marinade. I believe, it was kind of a let down as the people who ate it, weren’t too pleased. 

   

On the whole, I loved the experience. The VFM range is amazing, almost dirt cheap affordable. 

This is a place you really shouldn’t miss, if you like Mediterranean cuisine.

Rating: 5/5 ❤️❤️❤️

How the hubster surprised me on New Year’s Eve.

So, it was a pretty bland day. I just went on with life with the most pessimistic view ever.

“It’s the last day of the year. Good. It’s one year down of my life. I’ve been a major dolt with falling ill, screwing my Koh Samui plans, looking like an idiot on my anniversary..blah, blah, blah”

 I was happy, I was alive & there wasn’t anything wrong with me. Yet, I was upset at the way things had turned out. I, personally don’t celebrate the New Year Day 😒😒 Honestly, I find it lame. I’m not gonna go all happy, over losing a year of my life, even at the cost of welcoming a new one. Yet, I love wishing everyone with the New Years greeting. It’s just a weird thing, I love the whole sharing love & happiness thingamaflip, but I won’t celebrate it. But.. Hey! That’s just me!!

I’m reading this book & The hubster barges in and says, ” Hey, why don’t you get dressed to the nines & we’ll go for dinner? No questions asked please.” 

“Well, OK.” Says,I. 

Then, we head towards “Le Méridien” & I see, like loads of people in lines & I’m thinking.. “Oops a daisy!! That’s a lot of people. They all are here for the New Year’s Eve.This guy has gotta be cray. This is for the party going crowd, what am I gonna do here?”

Just then, he says “Ooh! Baby.. They got a New Year Eve thing going on, let’s just go, shall we? It’s near the poolside. Listen to some music, have some dinner & get back home?”

” I’ve got no problem honey, but it makes no sense, when I’m clearly not gonna party. And, I’ll be the only one overdressed. Girls looking gorgeous in funky minis, micro minis, cage tops, tube tops etc & I’m gonna look like a sore symptom of SIDS, with hijab, jacket & a maxi dress. I’m dressed for a dinner love, not a party cum dinner. So, let’s just go somewhere for dinner shall we??” Blurts, i. 

After some convincing on how “Supermodel-ish Bombshell” I looked & how I could give the girls a run for their lives, even with being overdressed made me take the plunge. 

The evening went on pleasant, with almost everyone giving me the looks like,” Yo!! You lost your way?? Why you here?” But, then.. It’s just understandable!! Like, Holy Moly, I would’ve done the same. 

The clock struck one & we all had to leave. The hubster says “I need to use the washroom”. While he’s gone, I’m in the lobby, reading a magazine & 15 minutes pass by. Hubster doesn’t turn up. 

He then arrives & says “Hey babe..There’s a special waltz for couples, on the second floor”

“So?? I’m tired.. I’m not gonna salsa or waltz. Let’s go home!”

Another convincing session & I go, quite irritated. 

” Where is it? These are rooms. Are you sure it’s here? I can’t even hear the music”

He opens a room door. It takes me a moment to register what’s happening. But before I can pass a comment, I see a chocolate gateaux, candles strewn across, a dress & a card that says,”Happy Anniversary My Love”.

My eyes swell with tears & I, can only manage a feeble, “I love you”. I’m totally gobsmacked. Then the voice within my head says, ” So, now can you stop the crib fest please?”

“I can, I surely can” 😌😌😁

Moral of the story: Sometimes, falling ill on your anniversary can really, be a blessing in disguise.   

p.s: Look at what we got after breakfast from the kitchen. That was the most cutest cupcake & the most sweetest gesture by the staff at Le Mèridien. 

Bengaluru’s Farmer Market Show- A review.

Last Sunday, we decided to pay a visit to the VR Mall, Whitefield, on the last day of the 2 Day “Bengaluru Farmer’s Market Show”, organised by Karen Anand. I mean, i heard the name and I had to go.   

Karen Anand is such an amazing food writer & a gourmet guru. Her repertoire isn’t something that hasn’t been heard of. I’ve seen her face on a lot of Food magazines gracing the tea-poy of my childhood home in Saudi Arabia. Her beautiful, million dollar smile & those pictures used to always strike a chord with me.

Mum would so ferociously guard her magazines, always telling me i was too young to understand or any such excuse. I, can’t seem to remember the name of the magazine, I’m betting it’s “Good Food”. Well, I just had to go. Karen’s Farmers market, is a Brilliantly great concept of the organic brands coming into one place. 

This time was no different & it just made me run wild!! The array.. Aahh!! Cheese, oils, saffron, honey, teas, chocolates, juices, coffees, jams, preserves, marmalades, etc.. I, had to surrender to the magnetism of the compact event.   

Off, I went hopping from one stall to another. Trying, tasting & making notes of the event. The harsh resonance of the sun, tried to strike me or rather tire me down, but a foodie never goes down that easy. 😁😁

  
I’m gonna just brief you up with my favourites: 

• Bonhomia: This is an innovative brand, which has been in the news for sometime now. They are the coffee/ tea machines, which give you delish results at the comfort of your own home. You really don’t need to go far for that espresso now!

  

• Earth Loaf: They had, the most exotic & organic chocolates & teas on display. I had to resist the desperate plea of my bingeing heart to gobble up everything there. If you’re into exquisite chocolates, then halt yourself.. Here is where you can go effusive with childlike mirth.. 😂😂😂😍😍 The happiness was contagious at that stall.  

 

• Kerry gold cheese: I, have a separate post coming up for this. But all I can say is, I was a happy soul. These are cheeses imported from Ireland. Need I say more?

  

• Curemonte Cheese: Yet another brand & yes, I have another upcoming post on this as well. This is an Indian brand & my oh my.. They are excelling themselves. 

  

• Honey Twigs: This was a stall, where they are talking about taking honey to the next level of convenience. These are small sip along sticks, easy on the go honey for a sugar fix. 

  

• Raw pressery, pressed juice: This is an initiative conducted by a fitness guru. They have these one day “Deep cleanse, Light cleanse” packs, which cost about Rs.1500/- I guess. The hubster had personally tried this previously & he did say, that his body felt lighter. He went on a 2 day detox, with the light cleanse pack. Whether it’s my wishful thinking or not, but I could feel the hubster ‘s skin glow!! 😁😁

These stalls totally stole my heart! ❤️❤️ The event seemed to be such a success, their products were just great to start with. 

I hauled a few goodies & ate a few. 😋😋 So, did any of you visit this fair? 

Do leave your comments on whether you like such food fairs, festivals, etc.. 

Hugs to all of you!!

Hello Curry,an interactive meet-Review

It was that time of the week, when hearts start pumping & stomachs start growling. Umm.. No, I’m not talking about an oncoming infection or high blood pressure, coupled with anxiety attack. The symptoms may look like it, but all I’m talking about is the ” 12 th FBAB MEET”. Me, excited!!

The agenda of this meet, was all about fast food delivery modules. Who better to conduct that, than team “Hello Curry”. Hello Curry, has been around for quite sometime now & have been quite successful in standing true to what their USP is, which is “delivering Indian fast food”. 

 
We were invited over to the “Cartier Hotel” for an in depth discussion about “Hello Curry’s” working module. The room was filled with anticipation, about what was going to unfold. 

  
The team started with their presentation & we were given our courses. Though, it wasn’t the exact chronology of the course, we enjoyed whatever was coming our way. 

 
We were first given the light, fluffy & distinctive Biryani to start our meal. Yes, you heard me right, we started with a main course 😁 I love surprises & this was one of them. The biryani was really light & had a no fuss approach. The flavours of the rice as well as the spices came through, but ever so lightly. It’s the kinda biryani you would eat, if you don’t wanna stuff yourself up like a little gummy bear. Mostly, great for luncheons.   

Next came the Parathas. Oh my loony balloony me!! They were so darn delicious. Like I could eat 10 of them. We were served the “Paneer Paratha” with accompaniments. The Paneer aka Cottage cheese was such a welcome after the biryani. It had the right kinda spice, flavourful & hearty.   

At the end, we were served Steamed Rice with Dilliwali Dal Makhani, Panchmeal ki Subzi & Mystic Kadhai Paneer. All the curries, come in the cuteness overloaded curry pots. But, I’ll come to packaging in a few.   

The curries were I have to say, light, filled with flavour & smooth. I had my heart on the delish “Dilliwali Dal Makhani”. Usually, the dal makhanis that we eat are rich & buttery & I, staunchly support that, that’s how it oughta be. But.. I was in for a surprise when, this light dal was deliciously different. It’s the kinda dal, that satiates your craving & keeps you on your toes.     

The Panchmeal ki subzi & The Mystic Kadhai Paneer were fair enough, a certain level of mediocrity was present in them. They were light & good too, but they weren’t extraordinary. The curries are served either on 350gms of rice or 2 Parathas of your choice.   

Our last course was the dessert. We had, Double ka Meetha & Chocolate Shots for the sweet toothy. Dear Lord!! Sweet Toothy was happy. The Double Ka Meetha was quite runny, not the way it’s supposed to be, but it was fair enough. 

  
What impressed me immensely was the “Chocolate Shot”. Aahh!! The smooth whipped cream with sugar shards & chocolate chips was such a “love-me”thing. I saw, all of the bloggers help themselves to a second helping. They still haven’t, introduced it on the menu, but if they do.. It’s gonna be a yum addition.   

Let’s get to the super amazing packaging. The packaging is super convenient, you could just start digging right in & be not worried about cutlery. The packs are recyclable, quirky & easy to carry. You could be at the office & eating or walking with the Bluetooth in your ear & eating or you could be just plain lazy, watching your soap opera at home & stuffing your face. The packaging is spot on. 

  
  
The curries come in curry pots, the rice in takeaway paper boxes & the Parathas in amazing “inflight” kinda tray boxes. 

  
At the moment they deliver to ” Electronic City, Marathahalli, Madivala & Ulsoor. 

  
Brief insights on Hello Curry: 

• The only brand for the most reliable ” Indian Fast Food Delivery “, in Bangalore.
• They have 32 stores spread across in Hyderabad, Bangalore & Pune. 
• Awarded Best Packaging for ” Ready to eat rests food” category-2014.
• Awarded Best “Regional QSR-South” by All India Restaurant Conference-2015.

Recommendations:

• Dilliwali Dal Makhani
• Panchmeal ki subzi
• Paneer Parathas
• Chocolate shots

Do buzz me up, if you’ve ever tried “Hello Curry” & what you think about it.