Mother knows best...

especially when it comes to food and recipes don’t you think? Mother’s all over the world are always trying to feed their kids. I always worry that I haven’t indulged enough in the art of cooking and won’t be able to leave behind those secret ingredient recipes for my own children (I've recently become a mum myself just about 21 days ago which is why I've been M.I.A for a while now) and that is why I so love when I find people that do.

One of those people is my very close friend, the lovely, Gayatri Parekh Shah, who has decided to share her family secret with the world in the form of her very own Mamma’s home-made pizza sauce.

Gayatri’s mum has been making home-made pizza’s since she can remember…school lunches, friend and family gatherings, parties, quick and easy dinner options and now Gayatri is doing the same and wants to pass on this mother-daughter tradition to the recent addition to her family, her beautiful daughter Aarya.

This easy to use sauce comes packed and ready to heat and eat in 500g or 1 litre pack sizes and is available to order from her south Mumbai residence (see details below). All you have to do is scoop out the necessary amount, spread it onto a pizza base, add a generous amount of cheese and your favourite toppings like onions, capsicums, olives, meats and voila, home-made pizzas for all! If you don’t use the whole amount, pop it into the freezer until the next time. With a sauce that’s this good you'll probably be calling for your next tub in no time.

I made myself a classic cheese pizza using a whole wheat pizza base from 210 Degrees at Napeansea Road. I find mixing some local Britannia cheese with some good quality cheddar makes for a delicious 2 cheese topping. The tomato sauce has a delicious sweetness, a little hint of spice and little kick of garlic. The pizza was just yum! These basic flavours go well with just about anything. 

So, the next time you’re thinking of making not only a pizza but maybe some pasta, lasagne or even a tomato based baked dish you know where to go to get your easy to use sauce that will taste like it has just been made in your very own kitchen. Quick - Easy - Natural - Super - Satisfying! :)

Address:

Gokul Nivas Building, 2nd Floor,

Chowpatty Sea Face,

Mumbai- 400007.

Email/Phone: 

mammaspizzasauce@gmail.com/+919820297176

Facebook:

MAMMAS HOMEMADE PIZZA SAUCE

Saapidalaamaa?

Or in plain English, shall we eat? And the answer to that is yes yes and yes!

South Indian cuisine is a popular cuisine all over the world. I am yet to find a place that I have visited or lived in that does not have a local Dosa joint, wouldn't you agree?

Not too far from my place, is a little dhaba-style restaurant called Dakshinayan. A small little venue with fairly limited seating, that seems to always be packed! And, now I know why. I've been meaning to visit this little joint for ages now and I finally went across over the weekend.

A warm welcome and a 15 minute wait later, we were seated with a menu and waiter ready to take our order all at once. A quick glimpse through the menu that basically consisted of authentic South Indian vegetarian favourites like; idlis, dosas, vadas and sadam that are available in an assortment of styles and flavours; cheese, tomato, rava, sada, coconut, masala etcetera etcetera, and off went our orders. Oh, by the way the ‘we’ in this story are me and the hubs.

'We' stuck with the popular classics; a plate of steamed idlis, a sada dosa, a masala dosa and a plate of curd rice. The idlis were served hot and fresh with tangy sambar and a choice of red and green coconut chutney.

The dosas were large, thin, crispy and full of buttery goodness. The masala version was also superb and had just the right kick.

The curd rice was a bit plain. Nothing to boast about really and I missed the taste of curry leaves which usually give this dish a little extra flavour. That said if you’re looking for a dish that’s really very simple yet filling, then this is the one for you.

If you live around Malabar Hill or Walkeshwar and are looking for a casual evening off where you can grab a quick and easy bite, then make your way to this South Indian dhaba for a meal that’s cheap, cheery and definitely satisfying. Oh, and if your too lazy to leave the comfort of your own home...which is very like me, then order in and you'll be digging into your takeaway dishes fairly soon after you've ordered. Yenjoy! :)

Address:

Dakshinayan

108, Teen Batti Road,

Malabar Hill,

Mumbai - 400006.

Mangiar bene, stare bene!

Italian to English Translation: Eat well, be well!

Greetings world! It’s been too long as usual but I have a real treat for you :)

I recently attended my first bloggers meet hosted by the FBAI (Food Bloggers Association of India) at a newly opened restaurant, Le Mangii. A well planned evening that was attended by a mix of bloggers and food enthusiasts from all over the city. An evening that was definitely all about the wining and dining…could you think of anything better? They even threw in a little stand-up comedy act to add a little humour and entertainment to the evening.

When we got there, we walked into a huge space that was well designed with a big bar in the centre of the room that served an array of wines, cocktails and mocktails (don’t we love a bar) and tables and booths all around. A high ceiling that was covered with a luminated shamiana that gave you the feeling that you were outdoors but still well protected from the harsh elements of the city of Mumbai. 

We were welcomed by smiling staff and a very friendly Simmer Bhatia, the PR representative of the Le Mangii chain of restaurants. Did you know that there are 5 more just like this? And, they are scattered all over the city so patrons from all over Bombay can make their way to the closest outlet of their convenience. Simmer spent a little time with us pouring out information about the man behind Le Mangii, Prashant Chaudhry, who made an appearance shortly after and let us in on the story behind his dream of starting his own business that revolved around his passion and exuberance for food and service. Starting his career as a dish hand, this enterprising man made his way to the front line fairly soon and is now a proud and well known restaurateur that has even designed his very own personalised oven that is installed across all his outlets serving deliciously hot wood-fired pizzas...YUM!

Now, over to the really interesting part of the evening…the food! The menu is fairly extensive, as most menus are in his part of the world, and it includes an array of options from pizzas to pastas, risotto and a number of mains and other choices. They also have a deli menu that includes quick lunch options like burgers and sandwiches.

While bloggers from all over the city mingled, chatted and posed for the camera, I stayed steady with the food. I had chosen a good spot to settle in that was right next to the kitchen and there was a steady stream of a variety of food that made its way to our table. Nom Nom Nom!

Here is the low down on some of the dishes:

A variety of deliciously hot and freshly made wood-fired pizzas with toppings of the likes of Mediterranean, Peri Peri Chicken and their signature Spinach and Mushroom pizza all of which were thin, crispy and flavourful.

The Falafel bites had a real kick of spice and were beautifully crisped but the Chicken Tenders lacked oomph and it’s not one I would recommend.

The Patata Gnocchi tossed in spinach and parmesan were rich and delightful. The Grilled Haloumi, not so much.

For mains I tried the Mushroom Risotto was which creamy, delicious and very filling and, although by this time I was stuffed beyond belief, I just had to end the night by trying the baked cheesecake with blueberry compote. A sweet end to a fun night.

Over all I would say that although a little on the dearer side the place is definitely worth a visit. Especially if you work or live around Parel and Kamala Mills, keep an eye out as Le Mangii has already begun promoting its DJ nights, women's day celebrations and other special evenings that are sure to be a fun night out. 

Cin Cin!

Address:

Le Mangii

Trade World, C Wing,

Kamala City,

Senapati Bapat Marg,

Lower Parel, 

Mumbai - 400013.

Facebook:

Le Mangii

Diners Club

Happy New Year to you all and welcome to 2014!

I know I've been away for a while but rest assured I absolutely haven’t given up on my love of food. In fact I managed to squeeze in a trip to Dubai as well which I truly believe is a sort of haven for food lovers. The quality of ingredients and the calibre of restaurants will make anyone’s taste buds dance with joy.

But for now, let’s get back to the banks of the Mutha River in the bustling city of Pune. Just in the last few months there’s been a surge of more restaurants and cafes that have sprung up around the city. One of the latest arrivals is The Brooklyn Shuffle Diner.

A typical American styled diner which is done up rather cutely with a chequered floor and red and blue car-seat styled comfy couches.  I particularly liked the graffiti of Billie Holiday (well at least I think that was her!) on the wall and the classics that were playing in the background added a nice touch.

It was rather empty and except for a couple on the table outside sipping an iced tea and a fair few staff hanging around it, was just me and the husband grabbing a quick lunch on his work break. Oh! and let's not forget those pesky flies....we really didn't want an order of 'flies' with that but they never left!

The menu sported American classics like burgers, mac ‘n’ cheese and the classic corn dog but I did notice that there wasn't a selection of pies in the dessert section which they will hopefully add in the future. What’s a diner without some freshly made pie eh? 

After wondering what to choose, we sent off our orders and here is what we had;

I had the Chicken Burger; a well presented, good sized burger but not very flavourful. Basic chicken patty which was a bit dry, browned onions with a basic salad on a buttered bun with a smidge of mayo. Served with a couple of not very nice, over fried onion rings, nice crispy golden fries and coleslaw. Very average. Not one I would order again and I have a feeling that the patty was out of a box and not freshly made.

Luckily the Chilli Beef Fries were a whole lot better. If you like meat this is the one to try. A bowl of crispy fries topped with a tomato minced beef and melted cheese. Does have an Indian tomato kheema flavour to it.

The husband ordered the Beef Burgers from the 'Little Fellas' section in the menu; 4 beef sliders complete with red onions and lettuce. The verdict was, nice but a little melted cheese would have definitely gone a long way.

Over all, the ambience was fitting, the service friendly enough and the food average. Not a place that I would rush back to but nice to hang out over a cup of coffee and plate of fries….and yesss, hopefully some classic American Pie.

Address:

The Brooklyn Shuffle Diner,

390, Sanskruti Lifestyle Complex,

Opposite Post 91,

Lane 7, Koregaon Park,

Pune- 411001.

Facebook:

The Brooklyn Shuffle Diner