El Mexicano

My darling cousin works in Bandra and so I finally planned a visit to Bombay’s most popular Mexican eatery, Sancho’s; a Delhi based chain that has spread its wings to the Bandrarian suburb of Mumbai and has been around for about two years now.

The place sports a charming earthy décor flavoured with Mexican artefacts like sombreros and masks that truly shout Ai Caramba!

You can expect more than just tacos at this festive Mexican hot spot. The well priced menu offers a selection of Tex-Mex favourites like chili con carne quesadillas, spicy tacos, fish taquitos, burritos and yellow and blue nacho chips with chicken or beef, cheese, salsa and the works. Majorly bueno.

Since they don’t take reservations we went fairly early and managed to get the table of our choice, but an hour in and the place was packed.

Let me tell you that more often than not, no matter who I go out with, I'm usually pretty hungry and this time was no different. So, on getting my lemon iced tea, which was a cool refreshing drink for a warm summer's eve, off went the orders for a serve of Fiesta Nachos and Potato Skins which were brought to us in no time at all. We dug right in.

While the nachos were right on target; crunchy triangles of corn chips on a bed of refried beans, topped with a dollop of tomato salsa, guacamole and sour cream, with a subtle drizzle of melted cheese sauce. A delicious combination of flavours that we polished off in a flash.

The skins definitely missed the mark; halves of baked potato topped with melted cheese with a cabbage and tomato salad in the middle. Under-flavoured potatoes with a bland cheese topping and a tasteless salad. The only flavour in this dish, were the bits of tomato salsa that had been sparingly spooned into the salad.

Moving on to the mains, we ordered a portion of the Pork Tacos and a plate of Chicken Quesadillas.
The tacos were filled with delightfully flavoured shredded pork, topped with cabbage and a mild tomato salsa, wrapped in soft taco shells served with spicy salsa on the side. Lip-smacking goodness.

The quesadillas were not as delightful. Scanty pieces of chicken that were swimming in a thick spicy but mildly appetizing sauce, sandwiched and grilled in-between slightly chewy, soft tortilla disks. The sauce that had less chicken, a tiny amount of cheese and too many sautéed onions, was a bit over-powering and all in all, the dish didn't really hit the spot.

To end the meal, we had the Tres Leches cake which was just scrumptious. Soft, layers of butter cake served in a plate of sweet evaporated condensed milk topped with a light and airy cream frosting. ¡Muy rico!

Unfortunately, the Air Bunuelos that we also ordered were just the opposite and we found them inedible. Although well presented, the dish was just wheels of dough that were fried and probably double fried, to a form a thin crisp. The dish didn't have much flavour at all, except maybe for the chocolate sauce that was served on the side.

Over all a fun atmosphere where some live Spanish music would go down a treat. I think I will re-visit this joint if only for the nachos and next time I'm going to try a pitcher of the house margarita for sure ¡Aiiiiiii!

Address:
Pinnacle House,
Plot No.604, Ground Floor,
P.D Hinduja Road,
15 Road Khar West,
Mumbai- 400052.

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Sancho's Restaurant

Buongiorno Goa

“Ladies are nice and gents are full of spice…Come to Goa, Come to Goa, Goa Hurray!”

Last weekend was spent with a group of close friends amongst the palm trees, sea breeze and sandy beaches of none other than sunny Goa. It’s been years since I last went and I don’t know why that is. It’s a hop, skip and jump away from Bombay and if you go when it’s not too busy it’s absolutely great. There are plenty of hotels to choose from, the beaches are quiet and the restaurants always have a table available. I've decided that I need to go at least twice a year from now on as I just loved it.

Sur La Mer Hotel Goa

While I was there I realised that my love affair with Italian food has managed to extend itself all the way to this hippie haven. A quaint little restaurant tucked away in a side street of Assagao, North Goa is Ciao Bella.

The owner Mario and his wife Simona opened this darling eatery a few months ago and it's already gained status as the new ‘rave’ in Goa. So, ofcourse when I got word of this news I was excited to see what the fuss was all about.

Primo Italian pastas and hearty home made dishes using local and imported ingredients were available on the menu. I don’t have to tell you that after spending all day in the sun and sea, the group of us which included a very hungry pregnant friend, were all starving.

After we were promptly seated by our friendly waiter we got to meet Mario, the owner who told us about the evening specials in his cheerful Italiano accent which brought a smile to faces and made our tummies growl with excitement.

The service was quick and for laid-back Goa that was a pleasant surprise. The food, exceptional!
We began with Bruschetta, a staple starter when you’re eating Italian, was one of the best I've tasted. Fresh juicy tomatoes on chewy sour dough bread that had just the right amount of olive oil. It was a good start to a great meal.

Then came the mains: Ravioli with Mascaporne in Fresh Tomato Sauce; plump parcels of pasta filled with creamy, rich mascaporne cheese, lightly coated in fresh tomato puree.

Penne Pesto; cylinders of ribbed pasta tubes coated with herby pesto finished with a generous sprinkling of crunchy pine nuts and parmesan. Yum! 

Spinach Ravioli stuffed with Ricotta; bright green parcels of spinach induced pasta, stuffed with crumbly ricotta topped with a drizzle of a scrumdiddlyumcious butter sage sauce which was surprisingly light and full of flavour.

Penne Arrabiatta with Prawns; pasta coated with a spicy tomato sauce, served with fat little gamberos. Although tasty, this dish could have had a few more prawns thrown in.

Last but not least my dish was the house special, a Vegetable Lasagne; hand on heart the best lasagne I have ever had! This dish was bursting with flavour. Soft sheets of pasta swimming in a creamy spinach and béchamel sauce, topped with generous ladles of tomato sauce and soft mushy veggies with big stringy balls of fresh mozzarella, that was baked to perfection. Oh my God! I’m dying just thinking about it.

The portions were large and after we had stuffed ourselves to the maximum, we decided that based on the quality of the food, the special dessert of the day, Profiteroles was a must. Were we glad! Soft, gooey mini éclaires covered in dark velvety chocolate sauce, topped with fresh swirls of sweet cream…it was beautiful.

All I can say is if you are going to be in Goa anytime soon, book a table now and if you're not, plan your trip and book a table now!

A relaxed, slightly rustic restaurant that serves a superb meal and leaves a lasting impression. Molto Bene…mmuuah!

Address:
Ciao Bella Restaurant,
House No. 569 Assagao Baden Rd.,
Assagao,
Goa- 403507.

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Ciao Bella Restaurant

Paradise City

My work involves a fair bit of travel, which can be exhausting but it's great when I can squeeze in a good meal that I can talk about.  On a recent visit to the City of Pearls, Hyderabad, I came across one such venue that you cannot afford to miss out on if you’re ever there.

What started off as a mere tea stall in 1953, is now one of Hyderabad’s most visited landmarks.  A super popular restaurant that seats over a thousand patrons at a time and serves between 4 to 5 thousand guests a day, run by one Mr. Ali Hemmati, is Paradise . Now that’s what I call good business. What’s the main attraction? The most delicious biryani you'll ever find. A dish fit for nawabs and nizams alike. So when my colleagues told me about Paradise, I made sure to fit in a luncheon on our last day of work and boy am I glad we got to go.

As we queued up to enter the restaurant, we were quickly pushed through a small security check-point and shuffled past posters filled with celebrities into a busy elevator, to head up to the 2^nd level of the building that is Paradise restaurant. The restaurant occupies the entire block, goes up 3 levels and has outdoor terrace seating as well.

Basic décor, professional and extremely busy staff and service that was much faster than I expected, given the sheer gathering of people that were seated around us.

Knowing what we were there for, we quickly sent in our orders and in no time here’s what we got; Egg Biryani, Chicken Biryani and Mutton Biryani brought in traditional small bronze handi’s (deep, narrow mouthed Indian pots) to share between us. The biryani was served with a portion of Curry Sauce, a thin Yoghurt Raita and a plate of sliced lemon wedges.

When we burrowed into the pots to fill our plates, we got spoonfuls of perfectly layered portions of fluffy, aromatic basmati rice on deliciously soft curried meat that fell off the bone, flavoured with an assortment of spices and ofcourse a burst of yellow-orange saffron. Just wonderful!

As we dug into the food the flavours all came together beautifully. Each individual biryani that we had ordered, had its own distinct flavour. The curry sauce added a spicy kick to the meal and the yoghurt raita added a refreshing coolness to the contrast of rich, exotic spices and flavours that just delighted the senses.

Although this one pot wonder might look like a simple dish, it’s a complex one to cook and undeniably worth all the effort at the end, especially if it’s anything like what we enjoyed in Hyderabad, where we were truly in paradise.

A scan of their website taught me that the restaurants vision is, “To be among the top ten restaurant brands in India by 2015, both in terms of revenues and customer satisfaction” and I can tell you that from what I saw, they are definitely on their way. Good luck Paradise and may we soon meet again :)

Address: 

Paradise Restaurant,

Besides Prasadz IMAX Multiplex,

NTR Gardens,

IMAX Rd,

Hyderabad- 500004.

Website:

Paradise Restaurant

From Bombay to Pune

This is a road trip I have to endure every couple of weeks since my hubby dearest has managed to find himself a job in Pune and I have decided to stay on in aamchi Mumbai, to pursue my day job which helps me fund my food addiction. So every second Friday I'm off for the weekend, from Bombay to Pune.

Pune has changed over the years and has developed into a crowded little city. With new buildings popping up on every street and corner the city is swarming with people, cars, scooters, ashram lovers and the sorts. This means good news for the restaurant business and there has been a sudden boom in the city, with tons of eateries opening up everywhere.

A restaurant that I scoped out, which is a must for anyone visiting Pune, is the Bistro at Oakwood Hotel. This spacious and stylishly conceived deli style café, is simple in its décor and generous with its food. Large wooden benches line the restaurant that ends in an open style kitchen, where the chefs are busy putting orders together and if the weather permits you can even sit outdoors and enjoy the sun or cool evening breeze in the quaintly arranged al fresco seating area.

The menu toilers with egg-centred breakfasts, sandwiches or salad lunches and dinners that favour Italian and Mediterranean staples.

I've managed to visit the restaurant twice now and have sampled a lunch and dinner meal; once with my mum and sister for a girlie luncheon and once with the hubs for a romantic dinner. Both times we were greeted by friendly, professional service staff and our tummies were well looked after by Chef Shailendra Singh and his delightful array of food.

At lunch the meal consisted of an Egg Salad Sandwich for my sister; a generous filling of boiled egg, mayo and lettuce, between not two but three slices of soft brown bread, served with wedges and a side salad. Simple yet satisfying.

The head of the family, my mother, a veteran foodie in her own right and definitely the parent that I've inherited my food-loving genes from, ordered the Grilled Salmon served with a Medley of Vegetables and Creamy Mash. The verdict was good. Fleshy, coral-pink salmon that was flawlessly cooked, coupled with crunchy veggies and a velvety soft potato mash that all came together to form a delicious finish on the palate.

Last but not least I opted for a Caramelised Onion and Goat Cheese Sandwich; soft, brown curls of sweetened onion mixed with creamy, crumbly chunks of goat cheese in a fresh panini, grilled to perfection. Mmmm!

At dinner, the meal started off with a Mezze Platter that included a trio of dips; hummus, babaganoush and an authentic tabouleh served with hot chewy triangles of pita bread and a portion of the Southern Fried Chicken; soft chicken tenders lightly crusted with a golden coating of crunchy crumbs, served with a tangy tomato salsa.

This was followed by our mains, Margherita Pizza; a large thin and crispy pizza topped with a deliciously fresh tomato sauce, stringy mozzarella and fresh basil leaves. Oh I love a good pizza! And the hublet, who is quite the carnivore, settled for the Bistro Grill; a meat feast of a juicy pork sausage, a grilled piece of chicken breast and a tenderloin medallion served with veggies, wedges and crisp side salad. Meat your heart out!

After both occasions (lunch and dinner that is), we ended the night with Baked Cheesecake…drool! Smooth, velvety bites of creamy sweetened cheese, that ended with the perfect crunch of the crumbly base…mmmm bliss!

This is a restaurant that I will definitely be visiting again and again and fingers crossed that the food remains consistently good. Like I said before, a must visit if your in Pune.

Address:
Oakwood Premier,
81 Mundhwa,
Koregaon Park Annex,
Pune- 411001.

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Bistro at Oakwood Hotel