BON SOUTH - KORAMANGALA

Last month of 2017 and I sure have enjoyed covering a variety of cuisines and places – Andhra, Continental, South Indian, North Indian, Ice creams, Chinese...This month I had a strong craving for Appams and Stew – I’m crazy about them.

Bon South in Koramangala was the place I zeroed in on. I have had Appams at their restaurant in Mantri Mall (no longer there) and apart from Appams they also serve variety of south Indian starters. I got to know they had a Dhaaba Dhamaka going on so headed here with my friend for lunch. I had the vegetarian buffet and my friend opted for the Non vegetarian buffet.

The Décor was comfy. Staff was friendly and accommodating.

The items offered were too many to write about them all here in detail, but I’ll highlight what worked and what dint.

CAN HAVE AGAIN AND AGAIN: Peanut Chikki ice cream, Mushroom soup, Paddu( paniyaaram – I LOVED THIS!), Pizza Slice, Chole, Sambar and Elaneer Payasam. My friend liked the mutton kabab.

RUN AWAY FROM: The biryani (Cold, tasteless and stale), Mango pickle – though it looks very tempting, the mango pieces are either too ripe or too sour that’ll make you wince! My friend said the non veg items were too dry. Strawberry pannacota – Lots of cream and sickeningly sweet strawberry jam.

PASSABLE: The rest of the starters, salads, Curd rice, curries and desserts..all of which I had a spoon or two for taste sake and it was quite good.

COMPLAINT: The music was deafening and I had to tell them to tone it down twice!

SPECIAL MENTION: Well..i went there mainly to eat Appams and stew. I like Appams to be thin, a perfect combination of crisp and fluffy and shaped like a perfect bowl…in these counts the Appams here fell flat, but no complaints taste wise. The Kai Kari stew that came with it was also great though I preferred it with yummy sambar.

Prices were reasonable for the amount of items served. We had to skip half of the items because we were quite stuffed. They even have a live ice gola counter.

Would I go again? – Definitely just to stuff myself with starters and desserts. Worth it!

Anyone reading this if you can recommend a place that serves the best Appams and stew, please let me know.

Overall rating: 3.5

Ratings for reviews:

1 – No! No! No!
2- Just about average.
3 –Good. Can give it a try.
4- Great!!
5 – Yes! Yes! Yes! And I’ll tell all about it.

Details:

130, 1st Cross, Jyoti Nivas College Road
Koramangala 5th Block, Bangalore
Contact: 080 49652437
Timings: 12 Noon to 3:30 PM, 7 PM to 11 PM

MELTING SPOT - INDIRANAGAR

Going by the reviews on Zomato and fuelled by a craving for pav bhaji badly somewhere close to my area, I hit upon this spot. Between my house and this eatery (which is a very, very short distance), I also passed number of food joints and hit upon the idea for next year’s monthly reviews to be area wise and my area – Indiranagar in specific:)

No prices for guessing what I first ordered here – Bombay cheese pav bhaji. Totally spot on! So comforting and melt in the mouth cheese all in the right portions.

Ordered tomato chaat next – nothing to write home about. I’ve had better and there was an overdose of imli chutney.

I went alone and the disadvantage of this is one can’t eat a lot, so decided to try their ice creams that they seem to be known for. Went for the quirky sounding “Fire in a hole” – a combination mixed with Ferrero Rocher (I love this chocolate), choco sticks and hazel Nutella, topped with chocolate sauce. Exotic though it sounds, I felt I was just eating plain, if a bit gooey, chocolate ice cream with sauce. No digging through ingredients. Tasted good though.

Interiors are warm, colorful chairs. I loved the posters with funny sayings. Not sure how it’ll be on weekends. Portions sizes are just right for one person and wallet friendly. Overall, a good place to visit if in the area by yourself or if you want to go with a friend for a quick snack.

What I felt bad was missing out on some of their offbeat flavors like paan bliss or their signature roll ice cream which I’ve heard so much about. For that, I’ll need to take a friend who loves ice cream and doesn’t count calories which I’ll be sure to do next time:)

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Ratings for reviews:

1 – No! No! No!
2- Just about average.
3 –Good. Can give it a try.
4- Great!!
5 – Yes! Yes! Yes! And I’ll tell all about it.

Details:
Address: 188/1, 6th Main Road, Next to Gospel Church, Defence Colony, Indiranagar, Bangalore.
Contact: 9742061338, 9844188265
Time: 12 Noon to 12 Midnight

In pics: Bombay cheese pav bhaji, Imli chutney, Fire in a hole ice cream.

CAFE FELIX - MG ROAD

What a lovely, lovely place! I keep frequenting 1mg mall but I dint get a chance to eat at this place which is in the next level until recently. I loved it so much, that I went there again the very next day with my friend.;). I realized that whenever I go out to eat, I’m completely the starter/appetizers and desserts person and don’t care much for the main course (unless it’s south Indian food) and this is the kind of place where the snacks and desserts feel like a full meal.

Ambience is clean, calm and airy. Spacious and plenty of seats – sofas or chairs which you can choose to sit on. Ulsoor lake is best viewed from a distance;) and you’ll get a beautiful view of it from this place. They have a bar counter and a bakery counter.

Staff are friendly. Day 1 when I went by myself I had mosquitoes for company and got badly bitten. Day 2 my friend and I were free from it:)

Here are some of things my friend and I ordered over the two days in a row :

Crumb fried onion rings : Fresh and crispy with ranch dressing and mayonnaise….this combination works well compared to ketchup.

Greek Salad: Light and healthy, the roasted pumpkin seeds gave it a nice crunch.

Crinkled fries spicy BBQ rub: Like the name it’s all crinkly potato fries sprinkled with BBQ powder. Addictive!:)

Lemon pie: Creamy and filling, fresh crust and perfect mix of sweet and tang.

My friend had fish fingers which she loved.

Virgin Mary: This drink is the same as all other places but went well with the snacks.

Cookie Dough Skillet: Man! What an unusual dessert! It’s their signature dish and a must try for every dessert lover. Absolutely delicious and can’t be described in words. You have to wait a while for it to be served though, a wait that’s worth it.

A meal for two here would be approximately about two thousand but depends on what you order. The first day I just had veg food and it came up to much less compared to the second day where we had drinks along with our food.

This is the kind of place I would love to hang out regularly either by myself or with friends and that’s exactly what I plan to do. Cant wait to try the other items on their menu like burgers and shakes.

Would I tell about this place to others? Yes! Would I go again? Most definitely:)

Overall rating: 4/5. (It can get a bit pricey and thumbs down for the mosquitoes on day 1)


Ratings for reviews:

1 – No! No! No!
2- Just about average.
3 –Good. Can give it a try.
4- Great!!
5 – Yes! Yes! Yes! And I’ll tell all about it.

Pics: Greek Salad, Onion rings and Lemon pie.

Details:
Address: Level 5, 1 MG Mall, Swami Vivekananda Road, Trinity Circle, MG Road, Bangalore
Timings: 12 Noon to 11 PM
Contact: 080 22086644

THE GREEN PATH - MALLESHWARAM

I was spending the day in Malleshwaram, one of my favorite areas that still holds the charm of old Bangalore and decided on lunch at The Green Path just opposite to Mantri Mall.

Walking around the place I could only see greenery, wood or clay – from the furniture to the artifacts to the décor, all beautiful and earthy!

I had reached there early so to kill time I headed to their organic store, browsed about a bit and picked up a face scrub and then it was lunch time! This was served on the second floor with more wood and green to greet you. Even the water bottles were prettily flavored with lemon grass and mint!

Soup was served first and it was clear and hot.

You’d think healthy food is really boring. What’s lunch without something deep fried, crispy and oily? But actually whether it was the sundal (which actually looks boring but quite tasty) or the roasted beetroot and pumpkin starter or tava veg all served with chutney varieties…. were the kind that made me want to eat more.

Main was jeera rice, sambar, dal, rasam, beetroot palya..out of all this I liked the jeera rice and dal the best. Dal was truly amazing and I could make a meal of this without anything else!

Millet Dosa was next and this is the first time I’ve eaten a millet dosa. Millet anything for that matter! This was pleasantly tasty.

Desserts were cocoa bean pudding, cocoa bean cake, millet burfi & banana pudding and cocoa bean ice cream. Millet burfi wasn’t good at all and smelt a bit strange. On the other hand, the cocoa bean ice cream was too good and loved every spoonful of it.

On the not so plus side, I remember once the company I worked for had a contract with a caterer who had their own farms to provide lunch for us, the employees. They must have had a bumper of beetroot for every single day until the contract was over, all we got is beet root rice, rasam, sambar, curry and every dish you could think of was from beet root and more beet root till I couldn’t stand the vegetable anymore.

Same here. It was an overdose of beetroot – chutney, starters, rasam… tasty though some of them were, it was just too much beet root. I found the service painfully slow.

Overall, the meal was at its healthiest best. They had a saying on their lift doors – You are what you eat so don’t be fast, cheap, easy or fake..Be organic! and they totally live up to this. Nothing remotely artificial, fattening, plasticky, greasy or oily….if you understand what I mean. It was good to experience food that was different from our everyday meals and the calming ambience was altogether worth it.

Ratings for reviews:

1 – No! No! No!
2- Just about average.
3 –Good. Can give it a try.
4- Great!!
5 – Yes! Yes! Yes! And I’ll tell all about it.

Overall rating: 3.5/5 (only because I’m a dessert freak and I wanted more and better desserts!)

Details:

Address: The Green Path, Opposite Mantri Metro station, Sampige Road, Malleshwaram, Bangalore
Contact: +91 9538256777, 080 23569777
Timings: 12 to 3 PM, 7 PM to 10:30 PM

EBONY - MG ROAD

When I first heard about Ebony on MG Road many years ago and its beautiful view of Bangalore that everyone raved about, I made a decision that when I fall in love, my most romantic dinner date will be at this place with prince charming. Many frogs later, I’ve fallen in love…with the person in the mirror every morning. I decided to treat myself to a lunch buffet that I had heard so much about. On an impulse my friend accompanied me.

This is likely to contradict everything everyone says about this place…I didn’t like the view!:) All I could see was wires and dirty terraces and smoke from the rooftops. Maybe because it was noon and night times would be better with the city all lit up and the not so pleasant sights hidden in the dark. We actually chose to sit indoors.

There were plenty to choose from and too many to name as it was a buffet so I’ll talk about what stood out and what didn’t.

Atmosphere inside – Comfortable.

Soup – Minestrone soup…Okayish.

Salad Starters – Papdi chaat, dahi vada and salad – were all good with the papdi chaat the best. Tandoori Potatoes were awesome. My friend liked the chicken starters.

Mains – Indian food was good not great, usual pulao, dal, paneer gravy…. Ginger capsicum noodles were awesome!! My friend and I wished we weren’t so stuffed with the starters. I could have made a meal of only this and the gravies that went with it were good too.

Desserts – big thumbs down. Consisted two burfis - apricot and pista (which actually tasted like a diamond shaped doodh peda), gulab jamun, ice cream and bite sized mango cake. No chocolate though I got an offer of chocolate ice cream from the staff. I sorely missed chocolate and most people I know love to end the meal with chocolate in some form especially mini pastries, black forest and the likes. Even if the menu changes everyday, desserts should have something chocolatey methinks and not totally devoid of it.

Music – remixes of old hindi songs. Wish they had played the originals.

Service – courteous with no extra effort. No feedback form. No asking if the food was good. Nothing. But I was happy to see plates cleared promptly, water refilled.

Overall I’m on the fence about this place. I liked a lot of things, wasn’t impressed with some of the others. Not sure if I’d visit again but I may change my mind just for the ginger capsicum noodles;). Prices were reasonable.

Overall rating : 3/5

Ratings for reviews:

1 – No! No! No!
2- Just about average.
3 –Good. Can give it a try.
4- Great!!
5 – Yes! Yes! Yes! And I’ll tell all about it.

Details:
Address: Barton Center, 13th Floor, MG Road, Bangalore
Contact: 080 41783344
Timings: 12:30 PM to 3 PM, 7 PM to 11 PM

SHIRO - UB CITY MALL, VITTAL MALLYA ROAD

For the month of July 2017 review, I wanted to target an all Chinese restaurant till I got to know about the Dim sum festival going on at Shiro. I’m crazy about Dim sums. I could eat them every day. There have been times that one of my friends and I used to go for all you can eat buffet, skip everything there from rice to desserts and eat only dim sums. This review is for the vegetarian section only though they have 40 varieties of Dim sums in vegetarian and non vegetarian categories. Dim sum lover’s dream!

Weekdays at Shiro are paradise – quiet, tranquil and the huge statues of Buddha makes it visually appealing.

The first thing I did was complain about the serving plates. While most plates at food places are either plain white or have some flowery design, plates at Shiro had brown spots. The spots make it look like plates haven’t been washed. Turns out it is part of the design of the plate!! and being the visual person that I am, it put me off. After all, food is about presentation as much as it is about eating. Krishna, who served me was kind enough to understand my finickiness and replaced it with plain white design free plates:)

The Dim sum menu had some options – A la carte or Dim sum special unlimited options of five types of Dim sums for Rs.995 plus taxes. I decided to opt for that. Actually this is a better way to get to taste a variety over a la carte which is quite pricey.

What I had:

Spicy broccoli & water chestnut dumpling

Spinach and corn dumpling

Crystal dumpling – mushrooms, carrots, zucchini and Chinese cabbage

Vegetarian Shen Jian Bao (a bit too doughy for my taste)

Chi chow style dumpling (crunchy with baby corn and peanuts– for me best of the lot)

For me, one was no different from the other except for the one with baby corn which had a bit more crunch. All of them were hot, melt in the mouth delicious and filling. The spicy chilly sauce made it all the more enjoyable.

However, after five steamed options, I was craving for something crispy and ordered cheese rolls which was delectable. I would have preferred fried wontons though!

However stuffed I am, I can never resist dessert and ordered a chocolate volcano (molten chocolate cake with ice cream), which was wowsome!

Jasmine tea in the end was refreshing.

Since this festival has a time limit, it’s a must experience for all dim sum lovers.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Ratings for reviews:

1 – No! No! No!
2- Just about average.
3 –Good. Can give it a try.
4- Great!!
5 – Yes! Yes! Yes! And I’ll tell all about it.

Photos: Dim sums, chocolate volcano.

Details:

Address 2nd Floor, UB City Mall, Vittal Mallya Road, Lavelle Road, Bangalore.
Contact +91 8041738864 080 41738861
Timings 12:30 PM to 11:30 PM

WHITE LIGHT VISUALIZATION

Meditation and Visualization – One can find lots of definition for these two words but I believe these two words cannot be defined easily. They have to be personally experienced and highly individualistic in nature. Meditation involves focusing the mind. The purpose for doing this can range from wanting to relax to feeling more energized to raise your awareness to bring about positive thoughts and changes and connect with yourself. Adding any mental image to it becomes visualization. Examples of this can range from visualizing calm scenery such as beaches or a field of flowers to achieving a goal – say crossing the finish line or visualizing a presentation going off beautifully with the audience applauding or even manifesting any of your desires. With this mental image, you give it a shape and structure as to how exactly you would want it in your real life.

There are different types of meditation and visualization and one has quite a variety to choose from and adopt what suits you best. There is mantra meditation – chanting a particular phrase or hymn that you feel good about, mindfulness meditation – to be aware of the present moment at any given time, guided visualization – forming of mental images through a series of instructions, listening to subliminal music (now, this is a vast topic in itself) focusing on breath or heart rhythm, chakra meditation, there are meditations that involves being seated and those involving movement…the list is quite long. I’ve been doing a few of them for the past six years and have reaped benefits from some of them.

Of all the types of meditation and visualization, I find white light visualization which I’ve adopted recently for my daily practice as one of the most powerful and soothing forms. It fills me with a strange sense of peace. It is easy and convenient and can be done anytime anyplace. There is no specific time frame involved. There is no need to be seated and though a calm quiet place is preferred, it is not a must.

Sometimes I’ve done it while waiting in a queue at the grocery store! If at home, I sometimes visualize different ways I’ve listed in this article along with meditation music or subliminal music in the background. Other times I do a round of white light meditation and relax before I start visualizing what I want to manifest in real life.

WHY WHITE LIGHT VISUALISATION?

The color white stands for many things – purity, divination, new beginnings and mental clarity are some of them. It is known to promote healing of the body, mind and spirit. It clears up the mind for manifestations and spiritual enlightenment.
For me personally it’s a very flexible color. I feel good when I see anything in white and reading about the benefits helped. I use it mostly to calm down and for manifesting my desires.

Here are five ways that I use the white light to meditate. What is listed below isn’t an elaborate process that takes a lot of time. Most mentioned here is something you can do in an instant and carry on with your work though if you do set aside time to visualize at a leisurely pace that’s just as good.

1. White Light Shower : Pretend you are standing under a shower and imagine bathing in white light. Feel the white light coming down from the top of your head and travelling all the way down to your toes, waves and waves of it. Stay with this image for a few minutes. Imagine stepping out of the shower feeling fresh and cleansed. Remember I mentioned earlier that there is no time frame involved and it can be done anywhere? This is one way to visualize the white light shower – sitting at your desk, waiting for someone, or even in the shower:)

2. White Light Waterfall: This visual is usually in a natural setting, amid green trees, birds chirping and rocks and stones. Imagine as if white light is gushing out from a rock and falling on to a stone platform. You are standing on the stone platform and you can feel the white light cascading down upon you. This is not very different from the shower except for the natural surroundings. Serene nature images usually have a soothing effect on the mind and coupled with the white light waterfall meditation, it’s doubly refreshing.

3. Drinking from a glass of white light: Whenever you are typing in front of the computer or doing some task that involves some kind of tension, place a transparent glass near you. Don’t fill it with anything. At intervals, lift the glass and imagine it being filled with white light and you are drinking it. Close your eyes and imagine the white light water going into every single part of your body, cleaning it and filling it with positive energy. This activity will not take even a few seconds but the tiny breaks will do you good.

4. Soaking your feet in white light and have it travelling to your crown chakra: This is one more visualization where you place your feet in a tub while sitting on a chair. This is not an in-depth chakra meditation, for each of the seven chakras or seven spiritual locations in your body have their own colors. This is more like soaking your feet for a pedicure but only difference is there is no water. Instead, imagine the white light travelling slowly, very, very slowly right from your feet, to your knees, to your navel area, to the solar plexus (the area below your rib cage), to the heart, to the throat and have it bursting out from the crown chakra right on top of your head and fading away into the universe. The key here is not to rush this. Spend few minutes with the white light in each part of the body before moving on to the next. Imagine it healing any area that you feel is tense and needs energy. When I do this, I can’t wait for the white light to reach my neck. I’ve become aware that this is the area where I feel a lot of tension and consciously relax during this visualization.

5. Take a white light swim – in a river or a pool: Again this can be in a river surrounded by greenery OR a pool in a resort where you are left to yourself. Only your mind can conjure what images you want and sustain that image with what you enjoy:) I choose the river flowing with white light where I walk calmly and step into it right up to my neck in white light and I allow myself to drift with the river of flowing white light. Same goes for the pool. Dive and splash about in the pool of white light for as long as you like or just lie there floating on top of the pool of white light.
For all of the visualization except for the soaking your feet in white light, take as much or as little time you want with the process.

While I have tried all these techniques, I use the waterfall and shower the most since it comes easy for me as a visual and I can do it on the go.

Note the connection between white light and the different water related visuals? Water is being replaced by white light here. Being anywhere near water is spiritually uplifting and we all know how beneficial it is to actually drink enough water. For me, water represents everything that is tranquil and energizing at the same time hence I use the white light visuals and connect it to water. You can come up with your own visuals of course – getting drenched in white light rain, white light emitting from holding a stone in your hand and travelling all over your body, white light radiating from the sun and so on. Get creative!

While I like the color white for various reasons, I know enough people who feel quite the opposite and find the color white cold or plain. You can use any color you feel good about…bathe in green light, swim in a purple light river, stand under a blue light waterfall… Feel free to use the color that makes you feel great if white puts you off. The idea is to relax and enjoy the process of visualization whichever color you choose.

“The world is but a canvas to your imagination” – Henry David Thoreau.

PULIYOGARE POINT - BASAVANAGUDI

Having tried a variety of cuisines beginning this year – Andhra, Continental, north Indian and ice creams, this month I decided to try out a place that has only south Indian l food and zeroed in on Puliyogare point after the rave reviews on Zomato.
Tiny though it is, I’m glad to have found this place. The first thing I ordered here was naturally the Puliyogare. I love Puliyogare as a dish. This was delicious with lots of peanuts and curry leaves. However, I have rarely had Puliyogare that comes close to the taste that some temples make. This was more like a homemade recipe, but no complaints whatsoever. This is served with a bowl of fresh curd.

I had a plain dosa next which was hot and crispy and the chutney that was served with it was awesome!

I took home Shavige Bath, Ambode and maddur vada to have later. To be honest, I loved the shavige bath over the Puliyogare and wished I had more of it. Even now as I’m typing this I’m craving to have it again. You know a dish is delicious when you think of it in its absence and automatically drool and crave for it! – The Puliyogare did not have this impact:)

Ambode was very spicy and my mom liked the maddur vada.

Seating arrangements aren’t much to speak of, just a handful of chairs and tables. From what I observed, this dint stop people from streaming in and heartily tucking away plate after plate the various other dishes on their menu. I had to stand and eat, darshini style. Service is quick minus smiles.

Prices and portions are just right! It’s enough to fill you up without leaving a hole in your wallet.

I want to try their Thatte Idly and Sakkara Pongal the next time I go there and yep, there is going to be a next time.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Ratings for reviews:

1 – No! No! No!
2- Just about average.
3 –Good. Can give it a try.
4- Great!!
5 – Yes! Yes! Yes! And I’ll tell all about it.

Details:

Address: 81, East Anjaneya Street, NR Colony, Basavanagudi, Bangalore
Phone numbers: 080 41692243, +91 9986953484
Timings: 7 AM to 10 PM

HOW TO CREATE A MONEY ALTAR

The year 2012 was a life changing year for me. It was the year that I found two best friends who’ve been by my side, helped me through everything and giving me many things that I wished for. Those two best friends are two books - The Secret and The Magic by Rhonda Bryne. Not only have they remained and continue to remain my best friends, but they are also responsible largely for their influence on me to go deeper and understand the law of attraction concepts.

From there followed I went about gathering any information on the law of attraction books, videos, articles, affirmations… I absorbed it all like a sponge and applied them to my life and continue to do so.

Over a period of time, I’ve practiced the law of attraction and attracted several things in my life. Apart from writing my blessings for the day, not one single day goes by where I am not doing something or the other related to the law of attraction. I’ve also seen a majority of people wanting to attract more money and prosperity into their lives. This article inspired by my own experiences with the law of attraction will show you how to do just that.

Money and its significance need no introduction. Only you, by your definition can decide just how much it means to you and how much you want to attract it in your life. One of the ways attract more of it in your life and improve your relationship with money is to create a money altar.

So what exactly is a money altar? How to create it? How can I use it?

Here’s what you need to do to create and use your money altar for attracting prosperity and abundance.

Step 1 - START WITH THE BELIEF MODE

Man is made by beliefs – as he believes, so he is.

“Beliefs are like commanders of the brain. When we congruently believe something is true, it is like delivering a command to our brain as to how to represent what is occurring.” – Tony Robbins.

The role that beliefs play in the whole law of attraction process is quite underplayed. In truth, they can change your world for better or worse depending on what you believe. If you are constantly in the “I am lacking__(money, time, a good companion you fill in the blank) so it will be. Always.

The first step is to train your brain to change your mind into believing that you deserve prosperity, that money will appear in many forms that money is your best friend. Without the abundance mindset, the next steps listed are of no use unless this step is first taken. You need to truly believe from your heart that you deserve the best.

There are tons of money affirmations all over the internet. Examples of these affirmations are

“Money flows into my life freely and easily.”


“I now live, feel and expect an abundance of money.”

Every day in every way my wealth is increasing”

Download images of those affirmations. Listen to videos on money affirmations. Write them down. Look at pictures with pots of money, money tree, money magnet etc. Tell yourself you deserve to have the money you wish. There are no limits to how much or how often this needs to be done. Do this every day as often. Repeat, repeat, repeat. It all boils down to conviction and not mere utterances.

“Believe in what you want so much that it has no choice but to materialize.”


STEP 2 – CHOOSE A SPACE

The dictionary defines an altar as “A table or flat-topped block used as the focus for a religious ritual, especially for making sacrifices or offerings to a deity.” But here we are using an altar or a sacred space exclusively for attracting money. One need not have a huge space. A corner of a room or cupboard, a table or even a big box in a corner will do. One important rule that needs to be followed is that the space you choose has to be safe and accessed by you and only you. We don’t want energies getting mixed up. My money space is just a drawer exclusively for it. Nobody even comes close to it and only I have access to it.

WHAT THE SPACE SHOULD BE

1. Exclusive for money: Yep, money and other positive things related to it. Not any space where one randomly dumps pills or bills or anything else.

2. Clean: Keep it free of clutter. This is an ongoing practice for your space and not just for one time. This is to clear the way symbolically for attracting abundance.

3. A money box/bag/ wallet : To keep the money in. I use a box. Whatever you use, remember it has to be well sized for the notes to fit in smoothly and not crammed in or folded.

3. Filled with positive things: All of them related to money – money images, gods or goddesses that you hold dear, any stones, pendants, idols that you connect with and believe will bring you luck. Books on financial prosperity (ones that you have read and believe in). Add to the list.

4. A special scent: Identify any scent that makes you feel great. Of course it has to be one that can be added to the space. For example I do love the smell of baked bread but I cannot add it to the space for it to last:). I use camphor. This is done for two reasons : every time you access the space, it should fill you with good vibes and anytime you catch of the whiff of the scent elsewhere, it should remind you of money and abundance.

Start with the basics, clean space, a money box or bag and then slowly add things that make you feel good. Ask yourself what you want to see as soon as you access the money space. It should fill you with positivity. Use colors that make you feel good. I use green because for me it’s a color of renewal and growth and we want our money to grow don’t we?:)


WHAT THE SPACE SHOULD NOT BE

1. A dumping area for anything handy. For some there’s a tendency to just open the drawer or go to a space and just dump say a bill or a letter or a bag if it’s a table top with the “intention of sorting it out or putting it away elsewhere for later. This space you created is NOT for any of those however hurried you are at that time. Think of what all it represents – growth, abundance, positivity, and give it the respect it deserves.

2. Anything that indicates lack: Some examples would be dirty handkerchiefs or letters of rejection, bills, returned checks. Do be very careful about these things.

STEP 3 - HOW TO USE THE ALTAR

1. Spend few minutes accessing the space every day. See all things in it that fill you with positivity. Visualize yourself having money. Imagine what you would do with the money. This acts as a trailer for the positive things to come.

2. Be consistent in accessing the space. Don’t give up if you don’t see anything immediately or if you get a small amount don’t go around with the feeling “is that all?.” There has to be room only for vibrant thoughts and feelings here.

3. Say your affirmations aloud every time you access your money space.

4. Smell the money. Yep, the actual notes. Become friends with it. Speak to it and request for it to bring more into your life. I’ve already mentioned above giving it a special scent for different reasons. You need not spray the money with scent. Just keep the space/box/bag smelling great with a scent you love.

5. Give thanks. This is crucial. Say thank you for all the money you have been given, money you have currently, and will continue to receive for the rest of your life whenever you access your space and anytime you can. How you frame your “thank you’s” are important. Use only positive words and avoid sentences like “Thank you for “not” sending me any bills.” Change it to thank you always for the abundance of money to pay for everything.

6. As and when you feel like it, add anything that makes you feel good that has a long shelf life. Try not to make it too crowded though.

My money altar is a drawer in my closet. It has a money box, a wallet, the books The Secret and The Magic, pictures of my favorite god, a packet of camphor (for me this smells heavenly), a unicorn on a key chain (because I like all things magical), a jade stone that always makes me feel good and a Buddha pendant. I plan to keep adding anything I feel brings me luck.


THE BENEFITS

Once you’ve finished creating your money space, watch for expected and unexpected ways you’ll receive money - discounts, credits to account, renewal of contracts, ideas that bring you more money savings…anything small or big related to money. Say thank you every time it happens. Do not obsess over the space or the money. Rather think of it as a comfort zone to go to. I often open my drawer and smell money and say several thanks with heartfelt gratitude whether I receive money at the time or not. It’s my “go to” place to just feel good. Everything else that follows from it is an added bonus:)
Enjoy creating your money altar and importantly,

“Have faith in the magic and miracles of life. For only those that do get to experience them” – Hal Elrod.

PARATHA PLAZA, INDIRANAGAR

Recently a friend of mine sent me pictures of some mouth watering homemade aloo parathas and I found myself craving to try them too. So for this month’s review I decided to have parathas at Paratha Plaza. I heard a lot about this place and as I stay close by, in Indiranagar, I thought I’d give this place a try.

I have tasted parathas from different outlets but I have no idea what an “authentic” paratha tastes like so I wouldn’t know a good paratha from a bad paratha but what I had here, I loved it. I totally enjoyed the quirky names of the parathas…like your pleasure my pleasure and stop liking me (???!!;)

I visited this place with my friend and we met at 12.30 p.m. In half an hour’s time the place was full so it is best to be there a bit early. This place is fine for a quick bite not the kind to linger on and chat. It’s a small place but quite comfortable. The names on the menu got my friend and I laughing and that was a good start to a meal.

I had Laila Majnu – Gobhi + Aloo + Spices

Being a huge drooler for both gobhi and aloo, I enjoyed hungrily tucking into my favorite combination. Hot, fresh and visually appealing and very, very appetizing.

My friend had Forget me not – Paneer + Gobhi + Carrot + Onion + Capsicum

Taste wise, we couldn’t find much difference between the Laila Majnu and the Forget me not except for the names:)

And we both shared – Karram Kurram - Papad + Onion + Spices

I expected this to be crispy but honestly all three tasted almost the same. The plus side was that all three were delicious. I liked that it was non greasy, filling but not in the heavy way that some meals are.

All parathas are accompanied with pickle, curd and awesome mint chutney. While this in itself is enough for a meal, they do have curries too and we ordered paneer burji. My friend and I totally loved it. The curry portion was quite a lot and we had to get it packed to have for later. Prices are reasonable.

Service is prompt, but could do with a lot of improvement. While I appreciate staff not breathing down my neck and watching my every chew, service at this place is the other extreme. No smile, no friendly word, quite don’t carish. Luckily for them, the tasty food and clean ambience made up for it and no wonder that this place gets filled up fast.

Would I go again – Definitely. I want to try the other items on the menu, more of their curries and lassi.

Would I recommend it to others – Yes, worth going at least once when in the mood for wholesome parathas.

Rating – 4/5 – this is only for the food and the prices.

Ratings for reviews:

1 – No! No! No!
2- Just about average.
3 –Good. Can give it a try.
4- Great!!
5 – Yes! Yes! Yes! And I’ll tell all about it.

Details
Address: 373, 100 Feet Road, Indiranagar, Bangalore.
Contact: +91 9740258348
Timings: 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM, 6:30 PM to 11 PM

NATURAL ICE CREAM - INDIRANAGAR

THE ICE CREAM HAIKU

Riot of flavors

Taste bud explosion

Heaven

And heaven it is indeed! Summer is incomplete without indulging in ice creams and for this month’s (April) review I headed to “Natural ice cream” in Indiranagar and indulge I did!

I’ve been to this place many times before. It’s my “go to” place for ice creams. I’ve tasted every single flavor available here and at one time ate about a dozen ice creams. The best part is I dint gain an inch. I somehow don’t when I eat ice creams here. I can only put that down to one of life’s unsolved mysteries :)

Why Natural Ice Cream? – Ice creams here are very light on the stomach and do not have the usual rich, creamy, full feeling that comes with other ice cream I have had elsewhere.

The flavors keep changing according to seasonal fruits and there’s quite a variety to sample.

Seasonal fruit flavors are the closest thing to eating the actual fruit.

Prices are reasonable. 60 bucks for a generous scoop. Service is fast.

It’s a calm, quiet place (most times at least)

Ice creams here taste..well..Natural!!

Did I mention for some strange reason I don’t gain weight however many ice creams I eat here? Not the case elsewhere and that’s good enough a reason visit this place again and again and again…

I ordered these four flavors

Kala Jamun – Every Kala Jamun season I make sure I head to Natural Ice Cream just for this flavor. It’s really unique and delicious!

Tender coconut – My all time favorite with actual bits if tender coconut flesh in it.

Coffee walnut – the distinct aroma of coffee and bits of walnuts – yum!

Chikoo – every spoonful makes me go mmmmmmmm!

It wasn’t difficult having four different flavors and still go home and have lunch. Dint I say earlier they are light on the stomach?

Then I got few more to take home and continue the ecstasy

Mango – this is the only place where I can eat this flavor and savor it. I’m not too fond of mango or mango flavors as such.

Choco almond – you can never go wrong with anything that has chocolate in it.

Roasted almond – a big fan of nuts:)

Anjeer (fig) – fresh and fruity.

Malai – creamy joy

Kala Jamun – Yes, again! I can’t get enough of this flavor usually available around this time – April-May.

Other flavors to try here are the sitaphal, watermelon, papaya-pineapple, kaju kismis, kesar pista, chocobite(chips)choco cream, jack fruit, musk melon, strawberry…oh just go there!:)

You can also try their ice cream shakes with the same flavors. I do wish they also sold kulfi since I love them.

This place is a must visit for all ice cream lovers and those with a sweet tooth. It is bliss in a cup :)

In pics:
With the spoons – Kala Jamun, Coffee walnut, Tender coconut and chikoo.
In the box: Anjeer, roasted almond, choco almond, kala jamun, mango and malai,

OVERALL RATING: 5 /5 – my highest ever since I started the reviews this year:)

Ratings for reviews:

1 – No! No! No!
2- Just about average.
3 –Good. Can give it a try.
4- Great!!
5 – Yes! Yes! Yes! And I’ll tell all about it.

DETAILS:

Address: Next to Apple Of My Eye, 12th Main, 2nd Stage, HAL, Off 100 Feet Road, Indiranagar, Bangalore
Timings: 11 AM to 11 PM
Contact: 080 25200059, 080 25200159

SAMAROH - LAVELLE ROAD

Monthly review time and by myself I thought I’d go

To a place called “SAMAROH”

And since of regular reviews I’m bored

I thought I’d take a different road

A foodie I am, a poet I’m not

Once there, for lunch, this is what I got

KESHAR MEWA BOONDI - a sweet starter in a little pot

SUBZI TAMATAR SHORBA – a soupy drink, piping hot

MASALA KHEECHIYA – little crisps accompanied by spicy salad, very nice

SHARBAT – this cool drink was needed after the spice

PUDINA PANEER TIKKA – Delicious and appetizing

PALAK GALAUTI –too much greens for my liking

VEGETABLE SAMOSA – was tasty and filling

KARELA TIKKI – this I could do with a second helping

SAMAROH PANI PURI – Awesome! And love the beautiful brass kooja used to pour

GREAT SAMAROH CHAAT – so heavenly, you’ll definitely want more

MASALA CHAAS –cool and refreshing! out of five, I give this a four.

DAL TADKA – spicy lentils in a cup

PANEER DO MIRCH – this too deserves thumbs up

CHANA MASALA – this dish, wherever I go tastes the same always

BOONDI RAITHA - boondi soaked in cool curd deserves a praise (especially since its summer time!)

CHATPATI BINDHI MAKAI – lady fingers curry, quite tasteful

LATPATA ALOO DUM – for me potatoes cooked in any form is always delightful

TANDOORI ROTI AND FULKA - Soft n fluffy and hot with dollops of ghee

PYAZI KULCHA – Went well with the potatoes in gravy

MASALA RICE - by this time I was done, but wait there was more to come

CURD RICE AND STEAMED BASMATI – more or less like how it’s prepared at home (eye roll!! rhyming come with home… I did mention I wasn’t a poet:)

ANGOORI SHRIKAND - Sweet was what next followed (and this was wow!)

KURMURI JALEBI - - ate as much as my stomach allowed

GUD KA RASMALAI – Fresh and yummy

HALWA – made from carrots.. thank you said my full tummy:)

MAGAI PAN – this bought the meal to a flavorful end

Next time I decided to go with a friend!

OVERALL RATING: 4.5 /5

Ratings for reviews:

1 – No! No! No!
2- Just about average.
3 –Good. Can give it a try.
4- Great!!
5 – Yes! Yes! Yes! And I’ll tell all about it.

DETAILS

Address: 7/1, Vittal Mallya Road, Lavelle Road, Bangalore
Timings: 12 Noon to 3:30 PM, 7 PM to 10:30 PM
Contact: 080 49652435

SMOKE HOUSE DELI - LAVELLE ROAD

For January 2017, I had selected a spicy south indian cuisine for review so this month February 2017, I decided to go the other extreme and sample north Indian flavours. I had already decided a place in mind. The day I decided to review this place was one of those days I should have spent in bed for I was restless and crabby. Nevertheless with visions of tucking into north Indian food, I headed to the desired place at Lavelle road junction only to find that the place was closed for renovation!!

This was quite disappointing to add to my mood. I half thought I’d go to UB city close by and grab something there.

I wandered down the lane and came to SMOKE HOUSE DELI (SHD). Here I was with a craving for north Indian food but at a place that’s far from it in terms of food. I stood there wondering if I should go in. Then I remember a friend of mine who said that SHD desserts were “something to die for!”

Well, nothing like a good dessert to soothe a restless soul and walked in.

I’ll start by saying right away that any place where I walk in all cranky and high strung and walk out completely full and relaxed gets a huge thumbs up from me. SHD did just that.

I walked in without reservations. The place was quite empty. I preferred to be seated outdoors to indoors. The outdoor seating had garden chairs (boy! These were heavy), all white with empty cages (?) hung here and there, overlooking the main road yet quiet and airy. This was just what I needed.

What I ordered:

SHD tomato Bocconlini Salad with queen olives and pesto Vinaigrette.

Half portion of grilled vegetable sandwich which comes at a reduced rate when ordered with the salad.

Tiraminu for dessert.

I was presented with a bread basket to start with while I waited for my order. This was good.

The salad was awesome! Filled with lettuce, roasted tomatoes, huge olives, micro greens, fresh figs and pine nuts in it tossed in pesto and greek dressing. The ingredients seemed odd. In an ordinary way I am not sure if I’d want to combine tomatoes and figs in the same bowl but this..this was perfect!! I liked the taste, the presentation, the ingredients.. everything about it.

The grilled sandwich was tasty with grilled vegetable filling. The crunchy chickpeas inside was an added surprise. I like quirky combinations in food. I found the bread used for sandwich quite hard and I ended up eating only the filling using some bread from the bread basket. This was tasty in itself but sandwich bread could have been softer.

I finished with the Tiramisu which was heavenly!. Not too rich, coffee flavored and I didn’t get the heavy feeling that normally comes with a full meal and rich dessert. I’d love to try their burgers (ages since I had a good burger to sink my teeth into) and try more of their desserts so another visit here is due.
.
Rathan, who served the dishes is pleasant, knows his stuff and explained what went into the dishes with ease.

I don’t know if it was “something to die for” like my friend described:) but it surely made life worth living;). Gone was my crabby mood post the meal as I headed home feeling relaxed and contented.

Ratings for reviews:

1 – No! No! No!
2- Just about average.
3 –Good. Can give it a try.
4- Great!!
5 – Yes! Yes! Yes! And I’ll tell all about it.

Overall rating : 4/5

Pics: Bread basket, Salad, Sandwich and Tiramisu.

Details

Address: 52 & 53, Ground Floor, Lavelle Road, Bangalore.
Timings: 9 a.m. to 1 a.m.
Contact: 080 40515151

CORINGA

In the year 2015, I posted lots of reviews on different topics – book reviews, movie reviews, event reviews, product reviews and so on. They year 2016 saw my favorite recipes for each month with a background for each recipe.

For 2017, since I thoroughly enjoy both - writing reviews for a year and writing about food, I decided to combine the two and decided to post reviews of food places in my city – one per month. These will include a variety of places from restaurants to street food to ice parlors to anything that catches my fancy. One thing is for sure, I’ll have a hard time choosing where to explore for there’s no dearth of food joints in Bangalore. I hope I can find a place where I can give it a 5/5 rating;)

Ratings for reviews:

1 – No! No! No!
2- Just about average.
3 –Good. Can give it a try.
4- Great!!
5 – Yes! Yes! Yes! And I’ll tell all about it.

This month (January 2017) I’ve visited Coringa located in Koramangala known for its spicy Andhra cuisine. I’m starting the year on a spicy note:) . This review is only for the vegetarian part of the menu.

The menu card mentions a bit about how the restaurant got its name from a coastal village and wild life reserve in east Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, the land of chilly people:)

The interiors had a cosy look about it with soft lighting. I was served a rasam to start with. Now this, I could have every day! Perfect taste and so soothing in the winter chill.

Food I ordered :

Aritikaya slices : Banana slices fried crisp with spices.

Palakoora pappu: Spinach dal

Nuvvulu pappu rice: steamed rice with spicy sesame powder

Mirapakaya Bajji: Stuffed and fried green peppers as a takeaway to snack on later.

I loved almost all what I ordered there. There was onion chutney and ginger chutney to dip into. These were really flavorful. I dipped the fried banana slices in them and enjoyed it the most. Spice quotient was on the higher side so watch it if you aren’t into that kind of food.

The palakoora pappu was fresh and homely and I could eat just that for my meal, which I ended up doing anyways. I dint like the rice not because it wasn’t tasty, but usually basmati rice tends to give an odd odor when cooked and I’m very sensitive to it so I couldn’t enjoy it all that much. Maybe someone with less sensitive sense of smell may not mind it much. I did manage to finish some of it after liberally topping it with dal, chutneys and raw onions to mask the odor. Next time I’ll stick to rotis and the likes.

Disappointment # 1: I did so badly want to taste the sweet poota rekulu which I had heard so much about but sadly it wasn’t available the day I went. Maybe next time I should call and confirm in advance.

Disappointment # 2: Pipe music was awful.

Back home, I ate the mirapakaya bajjis which was good enough, though I like my own preparation of the same.

Suggestions: More desert options. It’s much needed and would be a perfect finish to the spicy meal.

Would I go again? Yes definitely. For one, it was relaxing. Food was tasty. Prices were reasonable and more importantly would want to try their items on the menu the vepudus - fries and their curries and hopefully the poota rekulu the next time around.

Overall rating : 3/5

Details

Address: 2, 2nd Floor, 100 Feet Road, Above Enigma, Koramangala 5th Block, Bangalore.
Timings: 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM, 7 PM to 11:30 PM

Contact:

+91 7760361506
+91 9900178608
Cash and Cards accepted.