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

Heat and Eat

For those of you that don’t know about Gits, research told me that the Gits food company has successfully been around for the last 50 years. That’s a long time in the industry so they know what they’re talking about. They started off with pre-packaged mixes like dosai mix, idli mix and gulab jamun mix that quickly became a staple packet across not just Indian kitchens but also for travellers and college students that wanted to take a little flavour of home with them. Today the Gits mixes, dairy products and ready meals are available not only in India but across popular supermarkets in US, UK and Australia to name a few.

With a name like Gits how could I say no? It’s a common pet name for a long name like Gitanjali so, when FBAI (Food Bloggers Association of India) contacted me I sent in my details. I love getting packages. It’s so exciting to get one in the mail and make your way through the layers of wrapping to reveal what’s inside.  A few weeks later I was thrilled to receive my very own Gits heat and eat meals review box. A navy blue box with a light shine that contained 2 boxes of ready meals; Veg Biryani and Dal Makhani.

Both meal boxes had attractive packaging that definitely made you want to eat the contents. Once opened, it was as easy as tipping out the contents of each silver foil packet into bowls and into the microwave for 2 minutes. Yep dinner all ready in just 2 minutes. So if you've had a long day and need a quick fix, go Gits!

The Biryani didn't quite turn out like the image on the cover but definitely tasted the part. Flavourful loose long grains of aromatic Basmati rice mixed into lightly curried vegetables with a distinct hint of saffron.

The Dal Makhani was equally tasty. A restaurant-worthy black dal (rightly so as it does contain 5% of cream and 3% of butter), with a smoky full-bodied flavour. Although it says mild on the pack it’s packed with strong spices and you can feel the heat of the garam masala.

Both dishes were fairly spicy so for the light-spiced folks like me, make sure you include a creamy yoghurt raita to calm those taste buds and cool your insides. I would also recommend a salad to add that extra bit of nutritious roughage to your diet and finish it off with an ice cold, home made limbu paani. Burrrp! ;)

Website: 

Gits Foods

Facebook:

Gits Food Facebook