RESTAURANT REVIEW: N GRILL, HYDERABAD

For when you're trying to make an impression and don't have an appetite

I was scrounging for recommendations for a pre-wedding lunch and EVERYONE said I must try N Grill. So I did.

LOOKS LIKE

My compliments to the interior designer. The interiors are an exciting melding of high ceiling-ed, chandeliered warehouse chic with well chosen dabs of warm wood accents to keep things cosy. The table placement is generous giving each table enough room to spread out comfortably. The outdoor area is a highlight with lots of green and unexpected South east Asian statue figures is uber zen stylish.

The greatest accomplishment of this designer is exercising restraint in embellishment to allow this restaurant to do triple duty as bar, brunch spot and party venue.

TASTES LIKE

Unfortunately this restraint doesn’t translate to the menu which is a mish mash of cuisines. Gnocchi, risottos, grills, salads, south east Asian tidbits and even a New Orleans Blackened Fish compete for your attention. Due to the nature of our experience we didn’t end up ordering main course but the Figs and Cheese (Wine Soaked Dried Figs tossed with Pesto Marinated Buffalo Mozzarella) was to die for. A dainty, pretty bite sized appetizer.



Figs and Cheese

We paired these with refreshing Tender Coconut Martinis, light and adorably contained in a coconut. I wish our meal had ended here though. The subsequent Caprioska was pale and lusterless as were the Chilli and Lychee Martinis.



Chilli and Lychee Martinis

The rest of our time was an unfortunate, antagonistic tango where we ordered things, were disappointed, returned whatever it was and got a replacement which we were too tired to complain about.



Mezze Platter

We asked for a Mezze Platter (Pita, Hummus, Baba Ganoush, Cucumber Garlic Yogurt, Falafel and Roasted Peppers) thinking our more adventurous choices might be the problem and a safer option might pan out. This strategy did not work either. The mezze was the most mediocre I have ever had. Dry store bought pita with not enough hummus and a collection of insipid dips.



Angel Cake with 3 Milk and Hazelnut Sauce: Photo Credits - Aashmita Nayar

We didn’t have the heart to try again with a main course so we shifted to dessert. The Tres Leche (Angel Food Cake with Three Milk and Hazelnut Sauce) was sponge cake in sweet milk with Nutella. The Trio of Brulee was so awful it (also) had to be sent back – crusty, dry, bitter and chemically tasting this was an unacceptable offering from a restaurant of this kind. As my boss once said there has to be a standard you can’t let yourself fall below. NA Grill you’re better than this.



Brulee of Shame

The tango started again and our Trio of Brulee was replaced with a Pannacotta with Berry Coulee, clearly a star dessert, we saw many other tables ordering it. Skimpy with the coulee and too sweet for my taste but the Pannacotta did come in a sunshine golden cage of spun sugar that was a nice touch.

FEELS LIKE

The staff was very helpful and duly apologetic about the disasters the kitchen and bar were so regularly churning out but without support from the kitchen, no amount of niceness from the staff is going to help keep the place afloat.

 

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Should you go:  For the prettiness, the celeb spotting or a first date when you know you won’t be eating much.

Vegetarian Options: Yes

Liquor License: Yes

Smoking Area: Yes

Address: 788, Road 36, Near Croma, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad

Phone: 040 64644141, 040 64644242

RESTAURANT REVIEW: PREGO AT THE WESTIN, HYDERABAD

For the love of Italian food

 

 

I don’t end up eating at five star hotels very often. I find the ambience too formal, the atmosphere too sterile and the staff too obsequious to enjoy. Also, my desk job doesn’t pay me well enough to afford these places on a regular basis. To be completely fair to this kind of establishment, sometimes that money can buy you the kind of ingredients and culinary expertise that a stand alone restaurant can’t afford. Prego at the Westin doesn’t win on all counts but when it comes to food, these guys are using their superpowers for good.

 

 

 

LOOKS LIKE

 

Prego has that clean lines, metallic accents, minimalistic chic thing going that doesn’t really capture my imagination. It looks (and is) expensive and I guess this is intentional. I wish they’d carried the cliché through and stuck with neutral colors – I found the liberal use of red and orange oppressive. I visited in the evening and sat indoors but there’s also an outdoor area which would be very pretty during the day.  

 

Bread is beautiful

 

 

TASTES LIKE

 

If I’m able to describe the food accurately you should be very hungry by the end of the next few paragraphs. The meal starts with a gorgeous chunk of just baked bread, warm out of the oven and drizzled with olive oil served with a sweet, salt tomato sauce pounded roughly so there are little crunches of fresh tomato when you bite in. The Gamberi Aglio E Olio (Prawns sautéed in Garlic, Chilli, Grated Zucchini and Cherry Tomatoes) is a platter full of succulent, impeccably cooked prawn heavily doused with garlic. They don’t skimp on their portions and I didn’t have much of an appetite left but I soldiered on knowing I was flanked by a hungry brother who can usually eat at least twice his weight.

 

Gamberi Aglio E Olio

 

The Arrabiatta (Penne with Spicy Tomato Sauce, Garlic and Parsley) was a revelation – I’ve never had an arrabiatta so simple.The tomato and parsley were so fresh that the addition of garlic, salt and pepper was all that was needed to make an incredible dish. The sauced up, super seasoned version of the arrabiatta I’ve been eating so far seemed gauche and artificial in comparison. The Pollo Allo Spiedo (Roasted Chicken, Black Truffle, Asparagus with Roasted Potato) is pieces of plump chicken cooked faultlessly with the delicate flavor of truffle permeating the meat. It isn’t for the fainthearted though, the portion was much much too large for me.

 

Arrabiatta

 

The Tiramisu was much better than what I’m used to but still a little too creamy for me. I’d have liked more sponge to balance out all the mascarpone. The Zuccotto All Cioccolata (Prego’s Famous Mud Pie) was a shocking disappointment after the track record Prego had been setting. It felt oddly like a scoop of ice cream rolled around in Oreo crumbs. The crumbs were too dry, the flavors not properly balanced and the ice cream watery.

 

Pollo Allo Spiedo

 

FEELS LIKE

The staff was enthusiastic and prompt – considering the technical complexity of the menu it must be difficult to become familiar with it.

 



Zuccotto All Cioccalata

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

 

Should you go: Definitely!

Vegetarian Options: Yes

Liquor License: Yes

Smoking Area: Yes

Address: The Westin, Mindspace IT Park, Madhapur, Hyderabad

Phone: 040 67676828

 

Tiramisu

RESTAURANT REVIEW: FUSION 9, HYDERABAD

For ladies who lunch... But not all that well.



The Bar at Fusion 9

Fusion 9 has managed to stay afloat in the constantly changing restaurantscape of Hyderabad for quite a while. Thanks to the hordes of Hyderabadis descending from foreign shores with exotic tastes, eating and drinking places are always opening in the city. Unfortunately, apart from a few restaurants most of these joints are just hope and ambition without substance or expertise. When I went back to Hyderabad this December I thought I’d check in on Fusion 9 and its weekend brunch.

Part of the platter of appetizers brought to our table

LOOKS LIKE

Fusion 9 is a charming space. I mean no disrespect when I say it feels like Good Earth vomited all over it. Dark wood floors with white accents, a central island bar with brightly painted tile and common boho feminine accents like fairy lights and birdcages with flowers make this the kind of place ladies will feel compelled to lunch.

The Buffet Table

TASTES LIKE

The good news first. The starters brought to our table were generous and well done. The spread at the buffet had been selected with discretion and good taste - adorable knotted dinner rolls with a cheese platter, a salad bar, little snack-y things like devilled eggs, olives and puff pastries with vegetable and chicken fillings and 2 heavier curry options. This makes for a really pretty display (my photo isn’t doing the scene justice) but I would have really appreciated if the chef had put in a quarter of the effort into checking for flavor instead. There was a point in the middle of brunch where I wondered if I was trapped in a doll house and eating picture perfect plastic food.

 

I love taking photos of bread!

 The trend continues with dessert, the selection being visually impressive but disappointing from a gustatory perspective. What looked like soft, warm chocolate was hard and chalky and the seemingly flaky pastry was impossible to slice through. Using too much sugar to hide the absence of texture and flavor is a poor con in dessert making.

The Dessert Buffet

 FEELS LIKE

In keeping with the superficial approach towards food Fusion 9 demonstrated equally half baked service. 

 

 

Impossible to slice through.

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Should you go: Don’t bother unless you can’t think of another option

Vegetarian Options: Yes

Liquor License: Yes

Smoking Area: No

Address: 1st Avenue, Road 1, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad

Phone: 040 65577722, 040 65577755

 



 

TRAVEL TO: HYDERABAD

I spent a weekend at my (almost) home town of Hyderabad last December and it was so exciting to see how much the city had changed since I left.

 A lot of the change, unfortunately was predictable, more traffic, more malls and more fast food. On the brighter side, it's great to see the new restaurants and meeting places experimenting with innovative decor and different cuisines.

Since I only had a weekend for my visit, and an old friend's wedding to attend, I didn't like to see as much of new Hyderabad as I would have liked. Here's my list of the places I did get to visit, reviews are coming up soon:

Something old - Fusion 9

Something new - N Grill 

Something super fancy - Prego at the Westin

HOT CHOCOLATE FUDGE MILKSHAKE

"If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing."

— Ayn Rand

 

Can you see the streaks of fudge down the glass? So so yum.

This post is a good time to dip my toes into the make at home v. eat out debate. There are a lot of reasons to pick eating out over slaving over a stove and I'll talk about those at greater length some other time but a lot of people believe they won't be able to reproduce restaurant quality food at home. This recipe is here to prove you wrong. Adjust the ingredients to make this drink/dessert (dressert?) as indulgent as you want and I assure you this will be as good as anything you can place an order for.

 

I dont know why I added sprinkles. I thought it would look nicer in the pictures but the pictures are also poop. Should have just added cashews.

Serves 1

Adapted from Joy the Baker

 

What you’ll need:

 

For the fudge

 

3 tbsp cocoa powder

4 tbsp cream

50 – 60 gms chocolate

2 tbsp butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

 

For the milkshake

 

1 scoop vanilla ice cream

½ cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Shot of bourbon (optional)

 

For the whipped cream (Optional)

 

¼ cup heavy cream

½ tsp vanilla extract

Sprinkles/chopped up cashew or a cherry to decorate

How to:
 

1. Identify a large glass for the milkshake – this is going to be quite a production.

 2. Melt the fudge ingredients in a pan till totally melted. Pour most of the fudge into glass. Let some slide along the sides of the glass so it doesn’t all pool at the bottom.

 3. Mix together the ice cream, milk and vanilla. Add a shot of bourbon if you like. Add more ice cream or more milk to try to get it to the thickness you like. Pour into glass.

 

4. Whip the cream ingredients together and top the shake but this is already going to be quite heavy so take a call if you want it at all.

 

5. Add some more fudge on top.

 

6. Add some sprinkles on top. Top with a cherry.

 

7. Serve immediately.

A monkey could have taken a better picture. What was I thinking putting the brown fudge against a brown desk? Sigh.

 

OLIVE BAR AND KITCHEN

For the good life and watching people who live it

 

Somebody gift me this chandelier. Please?

  

When I was in first grade I lived in Hyderabad which threatens never to become much of a metropolitan. Apart from a smattering of self appointed “five star” hotels there were few stand alone restaurants that had evolved beyond serving biryani and/or chow mein. The one my parents chose most often was an Udipi place called Shanbag. We would turn up on Sunday evenings and watch the waiters scramble like the place was on fire. The only way to get a seat was to find an acquaintance and relieve them of their table when they were done.
 

I don’t really remember the menu but I think I ordered the Masala Dosa each time. In about 45 minutes we would be fed and shipped out. I don’t recall any options for dessert. It didn’t seem that kind of place.
 

It sure as hell didn’t have anything that could be considered décor. Utilitarian tables and chairs were squeezed in to accommodate as many people as possible without totally jamming the place up. There were 2 sections. Air conditioned. And not. These were identical except for a temperature difference of about 2 degrees. The walls were a pallid blue and I can’t remember a singular decorative object there.
 

We moved to Delhi eventually and things started getting fancier. As a pre-teen I was completely enamored with the KFCs, Mc Donalds’ and Nirulas’ where my friends were having their birthday parties. Dominoes had started delivering pizzas. Coke was coming in family packs. It was a wild time.
 

When I walk into Olive I realize how much has changed since I was 12. In about a dozen years we have become capable of flamboyance few had imagined, our food horizons have exploded and the diversity of options we have today border on ludicrous.
 

Even the most sheltered and conservative palates are eating out all the time, blowing cash on different cuisines and cooking eclectic, global food at home. Of course this argument is limited by a lot of factors, yes only a few are eating all this while the rest are where they were, if not worse. Yes, Indian food has molded and left an imprint on every food that has tried to make inroads into our great country's palate and every menu is filled with bastards like tandoori pizza and aloo tikki burger. But still. Look how far we’ve come.
 

Olive was not the harbinger of all this or for that matter in any way responsible for this seismic shift in Indian eating but it is a pretty good representative of this gastronomical roller coaster we’re all on.

 

 

LOOKS LIKE

I know I’ve gushed about how beautiful Cheri is. While Cheri’s décor is marked by a classic, elegant, neutral luxe palette Olive a lot younger, more fashion forward and on trend. The pops of bright colour, the modern, innovative furniture, the crazy retro fabrics and patterns set against a spacious building and its beautiful green courtyard. This is a gorgeous restaurant.

Melon with Pate and Apple Caviar

TASTES LIKE

I went for the Sunday Brunch and the quantity and quality of food they’re offering is really just nuts. There are counters for grilled vegetables, meat, seafood, pasta, wood oven fired pizza, Lebanese, salads and Churros. Don’t miss the Churros they’re epic. There’s also a large collection of exotic small bites – salmon with apple caviar, anyone? And of course, breads, cheeses, desserts and so on and so forth.  

 

I ate too much of too many things to be able to offer comments on each. The Olive’s adopted a shock and awe approach to their menu and there’s too much going on to quibble. I do appreciate the chef’s menu choices – alternating familiar, filling foods with things you wouldn’t expect. There’s a lot of jazz and glitter and over-finessing but a good quantity of solid, simple, unadorned dishes to actually fill you up. Also, this is one of the few Sunday Brunches with healthy, low cal options for people trying to stick to a diet or just eat better.
 

The other thing I loved and I’m saving the best for last, was the consistency in the quality of dishes. In that smorgasbord of choice, not everything blew my mind but there was a standard that Olive didn’t let itself fall below. This might be their greatest accomplishment considering how few competing establishments manage this.

 

 

fEELS LIKE

You’re going to be surrounded by the city’s prettiest people so prepare yourself for some Delhi’s young (not so young) and restless. They fill tables quite quickly so you might want to reserve one for yourself in advance. You may not have their branded bags or expensive cars but if you have the good sense to get Brown Paper Bag’s Coup Card (which I have been going on and on about) you will have the small consolation that your bill is going to be 15% less than theirs.
  

The waiters are perfectly polite but often overwhelmed. Orders got confused, wrongly delivered and there was one pizza that just got forgotten. A silly thing to have to point out.

 

 

Should you go: Yes! But it’s expensive.

Vegetarian Options: Yes

Liquor License: Yes

Smoking Area: Yes

Address: One Style Mile, Haveli 6, Kalka Das Marg, Mehrauli

Phone: +91 9810235472, 011 29574444

RESTAURANT REVIEW: EDWARD'S - CURRENTLY CLOSED

For the love of a good sandwich

 

I like sandwiches. A lot. I can’t understand why more people don’t share my love for this exquisitely versatile and uber convenient meal form. So I was very excited when I heard a high end sandwich “boutique” was opening up in Hauz Khas Village.

Edward’s is the youngest member of the TLR-Elma’s family and like its siblings, the restaurant stays faithful to a very definite theme. They're concentrating on sandwiches, some salads, coffee and a few fruity beverages imported from elder sister Elma.  They also have a collection of artisanal/organic cheese, pastas, coffee and jams for sale - don't miss the excellent Blue Tokai coffee.

The Fiery Chorizo Sandwich

LOOKS LIKE

This place is just dying to be called charming. The effort to this end is so obvious and overwhelming that it would be churlish to deny that it is. The old world, frosted door and the plants on the door step will remind me of by-lanes in Europe. Step inside and there’s a giant, antique bread maker to the side and lovely, warm wooden furnishings.

I wish they'd put a little more thought in the shelf displays though, the oddball borosil test tubes and glassware are interesting but not really impactful. The place is cute but in a slightly off the rack hipster sort of way. I'm just splitting hairs but considering what an incredible job the owners did with the decor at Elma’s and TLR, Edward’s seems the runt of the litter.

Chicken Salad with Peppers, Olives and Bacon

 

TASTES LIKE

But what does it matter when their sandwiches are so good?

I found a sandwich to be more than filling, but if you put away more food than the average calorie conscious 26 year old female, you might need more than one.

The Baconator is the most generous of them (and the one every reviewer I’ve looked up has ordered). This is a gorgeous, fat sandwich exploding with bacon, lettuce, cheddar, tomatoes and mayo. A superlative sandwich. And with the pungent, grainy mustard they serve, the perfect hangover cure.  Similarly with the spitfire chorizo sandwich – a pita envelope stuffed full of rich, fiery chorizo. On the other end of the spectrum is the soothing Earl of Grey (or some such cutesy name), with gently flavoured chicken and fresh, juicy grapes in a comforting creamy base, it's like a spa treatment for your mouth. The quality of the ingredients elevates the sandwiches and salads to way more than the sum of their parts.

At around 400 bucks a pop they're not the cheapest sandwiches in town. But, considering the ingredients they're using and the paucity of sandwich places of the same calibre, I’d vote in their favour. Or you can get yourself the Brown Paper Bag's Coup Card and take 15% off. I love seeing that discount deducted on my bill!

 

The Gorgeous Baconator

FEELS LIKE

The quality of service is now exponentially more pleasant than when I first visited. Now that they’ve sorted out their teething issues, I’m going to go back to Edward’s sooner rather than later.

Random Glass Stuff

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Should you go: If you love sandwiches.

Vegetarian Options: Yes

Liquor License: Yes

Smoking Area: Yes

Address: 24/1, Ground Floor, Hauz Khas Village

Phone: They don’t have a landline listed

CARAMEL PUDDING

“Even though sugar was very expensive, people consumed it till their teeth turned black, and if their teeth didn't turn black naturally, they blackened them artificially to show how wealthy and marvelously self-indulgent they were.”

― Bill Bryson, At Home: A Short History of Private Life

I love caramel and early in my food blog inspired recipe testing phase I tried a recipe for caramel pudding. The sugar caught fire and the pan I was using charred and cracked. My mother burst into the kitchen because she could smell smoke at the opposite end of the house, just in time to see her brand new coffee pan burst into flames and fall apart. Some people would have carried on caramelizing but I'm the first to admit that I have no ability to persevere in the face of adversity. Half the time I don't even manage to persevere in the face of success. So I retired my caramel pudding dreams and moved on to other recipes.

Greed is a powerful motivator though. So is an articulate food writer. After reading some of Joy the Baker's encouraging, happy, hug in a blog post type of writing I decided to give caramel puddings another shot. 

This dessert is for serious caramel lovers and there isn't much point in serving it to people without a high threshold for sugar. This ties in with the other advantage of this recipe, which is that it's made up of hardly any ingredients at all. There might be some point to perseverence yet.

 

Serves 8

From Smitten Kitchen and Joy the Baker

 

What you’ll need:
 

4 cups milk

1 cup sugar

6 tbsp cornstarch/ corn flour

2 tsp vanilla extract

Sea salt or whipping cream for topping

 

How to:

1. Take a large heavy bottomed pan and plonk in the sugar with ½ cup of water. Let the mixture come to a boil and then let the mixture cook on moderately high heat.
 

Note: Do NOT stir the sugar. Just leave it alone and it’ll bubble up and start to caramelize.
 

2. In about 7 to 12 minutes the sugar should have started to brown. Once you have a nice deep brown colour going take your pan off the heat and add 3 ½ cups of milk.
 

Note: Add the milk slowly, stirring as you go. The milk will make the caramel seize up and your whisk will start to get stuck in the caramel milk muck.
 

3. Stir the caramel and milk as best you can. Give up and return the pan to the stove. The caramel will dissolve into the milk with the heat.
 

4. Keep whisking till the mixture gets a little thicker. This may take more time if you’re using skim milk.

 

5. In the mean time take the ½ cup of milk you have left over and add stir in the corn starch till there are no lumps. Add the vanilla and stir some more. Set aside.

 

6. Once the mixture has reduced and thickened, add the cornstarch mixture, checking one more time that there are no lumps.

 

7. Cook for a couple of minutes more while the mixture thickens and take it off the heat.

 

8. Spoon into ramekins and chill for atleast 2 hours.
 

9. Serve with either sea salt or whipping cream on top.