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.

COCONUT SWEET WITH JAGGERY

This is the last of my recipes for 2016 and I thought I’d end the year on a sweet note with a recipe that was a part of my childhood.

As a kid, I used to eat these coconut sweets made with jaggery, available in little shops that sold anything from needles to rice. Usually these sweets were displayed in glass jars and looked quite revolting with a few flies hovering around them…but ah! The taste!! The taste is something I cannot forget even today. I used to buy them with 10 or 20 paisa coins and savor them bit by bit. I have added the coins in the pictures, now no longer in circulation. It brings back memories of those days where simple pleasures like this, so inexpensive, was all it took to be happy.

Ingredients:

100 gm jaggery OR
50 gm jaggery and half a cup of jaggery powder (this is the combination I used.)
½ cup of water.
2 cups fresh coconut ground a mixer/processor so that it comes out a fine paste.

Method:

In a non stick pan, add water and add the jaggery in the pan till it melts completely and thickens slightly.

Add the coconut paste and stir.

and stir..and stir..and stir…and stir…:) that’s all there is to the recipe. Just stir till all water evaporates and the mixture looks thick enough to make into little coconut balls with your hands. Switch off the stove when the mixture thickens and do this while it is still warm.


NOTE:

Water: I added a little bit more while melting the jaggery. Though this makes the moisture take a longer time to evaporate, I prefer it over using too little water and it turns out too thick, sticking to the pan.

Add: Raisins and nuts when stirring if you wish. Cardamom powder. Orange red food coloring for a brighter look.

Don’t forget to stir in low flame and keep it going till you get the desired consistency. Keep an eye on it at all times.

PEAS & CABBAGE CLEAR SOUP

Winter time in my city and there’s a nip in the air and one of the comfort foods to turn to in this weather is piping hot soup! I’m partial to thin, clear soups over the thick variety usually where corn flour is added. This is one of my favorite soups that has healed me through typhoid and colds and coughs - quick, healthy, comforting and so, so filling that I can skip a meal after having this. I like it best with lots of water (more than the usual mentioned in the recipe) along with the ingredients.


RECIPE:

200 gm - frozen peas.
1 cup finely chopped cabbage
4 cups - water.
Half a lemon.
One pinch - pepper powder.
1/2 tsp - vinegar. (i used chilli vinegar)
Salt to taste.

METHOD:

In a kadai/pan boil the peas and cabbage with the water. I like to add lots of water for boiling so that it is thin and the flavored water is delicious to drink.

Remove from flame and transfer to a bowl.

While it is still hot, add pepper powder, a half a spoon of vinegar and salt to taste.

Finally, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon.

Delicious hot, peas n cabbage clear soup is yours to have on a cold evening.

I have made this soup with peas and cabbage (and half a carrot) to keep it simple, but you can add chopped carrots, cauliflower, even finely chopped tender beans and broccoli to the pan and turn this into a healthy vegetable clear soup. The rest of the ingredients remain the same (pepper, vinegar, salt and lemon and that’s what gives this soup its yummy flavor.

CRISPY VERMICELLI BONDAS

When it comes to experimenting with ingredients for bajjis, pakodas and bondas, there are dozens of options available. I have tried my hand at quite a few of them …sometimes even making bajjis out of betel leaves (paan bajjis). This recipe, vermicelli bonda, was first made by mom and then I learnt it. Elaborate though it seems compared to the usual dip n fry bajjis, the end result is worth every bit of time and ingredients. With the monsoon just about to say bye and the winter all set to say hello, I felt it’s time for another round of my favorite snack – not that I need an excuse to make bajjis and bondas ;)

Ingredients for the pakoda batter:

2 cups - Besan/gram flour
1 tsp – red chilli powder
1 tsp – turmeric powder
One cup water
Salt to taste

Or you can buy any ready made brand of a bajji bonda mix.

For the aloo mash:

2 or 3 medium sized potatoes - boiled and mashed
1 pinch – Turmeric powder
1 to 2 green chillies, finely chopped (or you can add more according to preference).
1 small bunch of finely chopped coriander leaves
1 pinch chaat masala
Salt to taste


For the Chilli Chutney:

Grind a small bunch of fresh coriander leaves, mint leaves and about 10 green chillies, one cubed onion with a little water.

1 to 1.5 cups - Vermicelli
1-2 cups cold water
Oil for frying


METHOD:

Mix all the ingredients listed in the pakoda batter, adding water little by little to make a smooth batter. Keep aside.

Mash the boiled potatoes with turmeric powder, salt, and green chilli, coriander leaves and chaat masala.

Heat a little oil in a wok and fry the vermicelli till slightly golden; add water to it and cook till tender.

Shift to a colander to drain out the water and run cold water over it to prevent it from sticking to each other.

In a mixing bowl, mix the chilli chutney, cooked vermicelli, and potato mash well.

Heat oil for frying.

Take a little and make small balls with your hand.

Dip the vermicelli balls into the besan batter until well coated and drop these into the hot oil.

Fry till crisp and golden brown.

Serve hot with tomato sauce.

Note:

1.Salt is to taste, so be careful with it; too much of it will ruin the snack. Ensure you do a taste test.
2.You may skip the onion in the chilli chutney if you wish.
3.You may skip the chilli chutney altogether if you want and use just the aloo and vermicelli combo it’ll taste good, but the chutney gives the bondas an unique flavor.