VR1 - A trippy sojourn..

Hookah bars are the new rave in town these days and although there are quite a few of them coming up every now & then - very few can stand the test of time and also couple the hookah experience with great food & service as well.. Visited such a lounge cum cafe in Hazra a couple of days ago and I was blown away by the experience..

Decor & Service: Fab usage of neon all around with quirky designs has made this cafe a much sought after destination for the youth brigade.. Loved the grass carpet finish and the  dim blue lightning complements the overall trippy ambience.. They even have an elevated podium for live performances which keeps on happening every now and then.. Service is upto the mark.. Now, let's check out the food..

Can't give you a first hand account of Hookah since I don't smoke one but as per my blogger friends - they loved both the flavours they tried - Mitha Paan & Polo..

For welcome drinks, I tried KITKAT SHAKE & OREO MINT SHAKE - both were good with apt thickness although I personally loved the KitKat shake more..

Starters included:

PANEER CHAMULA: Charcoal grilled Paneer - awesome veg starter..

FISH FINGER: Made with Calcutta Bhetki - these were delicious..

THAI GINGER CHICKEN: This chicken starter with a hint of ginger left us wanting for more - perfect texture..

PAN FRIED MOMOS: They were pretty good but nothing out of the world..

Mains included:

TEX MEX RICE: Filling meal in itself and beautiful presentation..

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH PAPRIKA SAUCE: Chicken grilled to perfection and the yummy sauce makes this one a hands down winner for sure.

CALZONE PIZZA: This is slightly different than a regular pizza - the toppings are stuffed inside the base of this one unlike other pizzas.. Not too bad an experience..

Desserts:

SIZZLING BROWNIE WITH VANILLA ICECREAM: The brownie tasted yummy and hence the overall sizzling effect coupled with Vanilla icecream made it a dessert lover's delight..

CHOCO PLANT: I feel this is the perfect dessert to sum up a date with that someone special - loads of delicious brownie packed on a chocolate base and a beautiful red 🌹 planted on the top.. A perfect dessert for you and your special one to fall in love with..

Pocket pinch is not too high and the quantity of food in a dish easily serves two.. An amazing experience for sure - looking forward to coming back soon..

Thanks Sunny & Jude for the invite..

Thanks Himanshu & Piyush for your gracious hospitality..

Journey of an Epicurean Cine Trotter continues..

A coastal journey @ The Coastal Macha

India boasts of a coastal shoreline of more than 7500 kms and thereby when  you are talking about Indian food - coastal cuisine is an integral part of the same. Mention coastal cuisine, and it’s assumed that it would be seafood and coconut that would be talked about. The impression isn’t out of sync. Hard to believe but in first glance, the cuisine of coastal  India – East and West – appears to be meat and seafood heavy, thanks to the natural abundance. But then  for every prawn gassi that the coast boasts of, there is a vegetable ishtew, and for every jeermari chi kombdi there is a Calicut Brinjal Curry and a Phanasa Chi Bhaji, thus making the coastal cuisine one of the more complex yet fascinating cuisine of India.

A restaurant named THE COASTAL MACHA on  Southern Avenue is one of the very few places in Kolkata where one gets to enjoy authentic coastal cuisine.. Simple yet very aesthetically decorated cafe with the highlight being their beach influenced tables.. Let's get to the food straightaway:

Squid Belluli Roast : A Garlic based Mangalorean dish with traditional spices.. We all know that cooking squids is a tricky affair bcz if it's not cooked correctly - it easily becomes and tastes like rubber.. But thankfully, this one was cooked to perfection and the output was delicious..

#MuttonCafreal: A Goan delicacy made with a spice mix along with cilantro & mint.. I would gladly describe this one as mutton with a difference.. Delicious to say the least..

                                                     

Stuffed Squid with CrabMeat: Yet another Squid delicacy that blew our mind especially the innovative mixture of squid & 🦀..

Pork Vindaloo: The quintessential classic from Goa - this one was spicy, tangy & rustic. Not to be missed at any cost.. Enjoyed best with Appam..

Tender Coconut Pudding:   Pudding made with Coconut Malai, Coconut Water & Thick Milk - this one is sheer delight for people with sweet tooth..

Kokum Sherbet: A South Indian drink which is great tastewise and more importantly, has a lot of added health benefits as well.

Prices are pretty economical yet the portions are mostly sufficient for two to three people.. There are other diverse delicacies on the menu - can't wait to go back sometime soon to try them out as well..

Thanks a ton First Idea PR for the invite.

Thank you Piyush for your warm hospitality.

Journey of an Epicurean Cine Trotter continues..

In search of Churros

Churro is a fried dough snack that is traditionally popular in Spain & Portugal.. It can either be thick and long or thin and knotted as well (sometimes) with sugar sprinkled all over.. Generally regarded as a post breakfast snack to be accompanied by an appropriate dip and topping..

There are two theories behind it's origin - one says that it was sourced from China by ancient Portuguese traders and was later modified to it's current format and the other more wide accepted theory states that these were originally developed by Spanish sheperds as a quick snack for thier daily consumption on the fields..

Guess what, we have a place in town now where you can gorge on authentic churros found in different flavours.. The only hitch is that they are only available to ticketed audience at RDB Cinemas at Sector V.. However fret not, you can also give them a buzz and order without entering the multiplex and they will deliver the same to you at the entry gate.. Moreover, they are opening standalone outlets soon at Bhawanipur, Southern Avenue & Ballygunge as well..

Loved the vibrant yellow colour of the brand in general.. Let's get to the most important part now - how does the taste buds react to thier churros??

The best part about thier churros (irrespective of the flavour) is the fact that they are extremely soft yet crispy bcz they are all freshly baked before serving.. We tried the following flavours:

HARI CHUTNEY: Dipped in spicy dust powder and topped with Hari Chutney with a slight undertone of mint in it.. Perfect for a spicy savoury..

TOMATO CHUTNEY: This also has a similar dip like the previous one but it's topped with 🍅 chutney - spicy and chatpata - loved it to the core..

MAD HOUSE: Dipped in Nutella and topped with chocolate nuts - this one has an authentic choco crunchy taste..

THE DARK KNIGHT: Star of the spread - dipped in Bavarian chocolate, filled with liquid chocolate and topped with Kit kat chunks - this one is a chocholic's dream come true..

MIXED NUT: Dipped in peanut butter, filled with salted caramel and topped with an assortment of mixed nuts - this one has an unique taste and shouldn't be missed out on..

PEANUT & LOOPS: Similar to Mixed nut with the only difference of topping - fruit loops instead of mixed nuts.. Looks attractive too apart from pleasing your taste buds..

Yet another unique addition to the already available gastronomical delights in town - try it out today.. This one is a snack with a difference and it doesn't burn a big hole in your pocket as well..

Thanks a ton First Idea PR for the invite..

Journey of an Epicurean Cine Trotter continues..