Table d'hôte (TDH) menu at Loft 38 Bengaluru

Loft 38 lounge on 100 feet road Indiranagar recently launched a table d'hote (TDH) menu which is a set priced menu with different courses out of which a visitor can select 1 item from each course. They have a varied variety of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian starters, soups, main course and of course desserts!

We started with a round of ice teas. There were different flavors like lemon, peach and green apple. We preferred different ice teas according to our tastes. We understood that we could add the ice tea or a virgin mojito for a very nominal price of Rs.99 to our TDH menu which is generally available for lunch from Monday to Saturday.

The menu includes vegetarian dishes such as starter options - tomato & mozzarella salad and pear, blue cheese and walnut salad, root vegetables and chickpea goulash. For non-vegetarians, there’s smoked chicken salad and roasted beef salad for starters. One of my favorite non-vegetarian starters was the Crispy Calamari.

In vegetarian main course, I liked Thai Yellow Vegetable Curry. This is fresh turmeric, galangal, lemon grass and coconut flavored homemade yellow curry which is served with steamed rice.

In oriental cuisine, my favorite vegetarian main course was Stir Fried Vegetables. This is oyster-chilli-soya tossed vegetables which are served with rice stick noodles.

Another favorite of me with regards to vegetarian main course from the TDH menu at Loft 38 is Potato Gnocchi. This is pan fried potato gnocchi with mushroom pil pil, chilli and garlic.

If you like seafood and specially fish, don't miss out on Pan Seared Basa fish. This was Pan Seared basa with curry leaf tossed sweet potatoes and spicy tomato and tamarind sauce. Executive Chef Sajosh Peetayil perfected the cooking by not just retaining the Kerala base to it but adding a contemporary twist to it! 

Desserts were one of the highlights of Loft38 lounge's TDH menu! My favorite was Orange Crema Catalana. This was spanish style custard with fresh oranges and orange sauce. This was perfectly made and presented very classily. 

Finally another of my favorite dishes at Loft 38 (not just Desserts!) was Churros Con Chocolate. This is fried choux pastries with different flavored chocolate dips like mint dip, spicy chocolate, etc! 

Loft 38 lounge is a perfect place for family and friends to enjoy not just amazing music and wonderful food but also relax and chill out. I would definitely recommend it to all my friends! 

For anybody interested in trying out TDH menu at Loft 38, I suggest you can try out 3 course menu initially if you are not interested in a soup. 3 course meal would cost you around Rs.499 and 4 course meal would cost you around Rs.599. 

Aloft Project Star finals in Bangalore

I love Music and always looking out for performances and shows by not so popular musicians and bands as I feel the popular ones are too commercial. I enjoy concerts like Oktoberfest and NH7 because they showcase local talent and promote them. One similar attempt and effort is being made by Aloft Hotels via their Project Aloft Star campaign. As it's mentioned, it is all about unknown musicians "Be Discovered" by fast paced travelers not just from India but from all across the World!

Project Aloft Star was created by Aloft hotels in association with MTV Asia to invite unsigned bands and artists to showcase their talent by uploading their music videos on MTV Asia website and get votes from their fans so that they get a chance to perform at the finals in different Asian cities including Bangalore. 40% of public voting determined which entries got to perform at the finals for each cluster and the remaining 60% was determined by MTV. The finals of the Bangalore event was held at the W xyz bar at the newly opened Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park on Outer Ring Road, Bangalore.

One of my favorite finalists were Rahul Jain of India. He is a singer/composer/lyricist who started music at an early age of 9-10 years. He has composed more than 250 tracks and done more than 900 live shows, performed with all the leading musicians of the industry. He has composed more than 10 national level jingles  & for 2 feature films. Working as an independent artist, he wants his music to reach the best level where everyone can listen the feel and soul for music through his songs. It was great to interact with Rahul Jain and other musicians before they performed for the finals. 

The finalists were judged by one of my favorite musicians of all time - Dr. Palash Sen of Euphoria band. He was enjoying the music played by these bands and also giving them some valuable suggestions. He was very approachable and didn't have any qualms about being a celebrity! He also sang his popular song Maayeri at the end of the finals and enthralled the audience with his voice!

Not just me but my one and half year old son Reyansh also enjoyed the music a lot and started clapping and showing appreciation for all the bands! It was good to be hosted by Aloft hotels during Project Aloft Star as they are committed to cutting-edge music programming that supports emerging talent while discovering great music.

One of my other favorite bands was Keith Louis Castelino's band. Keith wanted to be a songwriter and make his music heard, to tell the world his story since childhood! He is passionate about writing and composing originals, be it acoustic rock/ grunge/ alternative rock. Every song that he writes has a story to tell which is inspired by his personal life experiences. His music is like bits and pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, that express every emotion there is, to him. Keith and his band came very close to winning the Project Aloft Star India finals but luck was not on their side! 

Each of the finalists at Aloft Project Star India Regional Finals in Bangalore brought on their unique blend of original compositions and covers and it was a tough fight between them! Boby Techi, Keith Castelino, Rahul Jain and Stebin Ben performed very well but the day belonged to Natania Lalwani who wowed the judges with her performance and walked away with USD 10,000! They were applauded both by the judges and the public. It was a perfect ending to a wonderful event which had an integration of online and offline marketing.

With 100 hotels open now and coming soon in 14 countries around the world, Starwood’s Aloft brand delivers a fresh approach to the traditional staid hotel landscape. For the ‘always on’ next generation of traveler, the Aloft brand offers a tech-forward, vibrant experience and a modern style that is different by design. For more information, please visit www.alofthotels.com. 

Chili’s Grill & Bar brings back The Original Lipsmackers Circa 1975

Chili’s Grill & Bar started operations way back in 1975 in Texas, USA, with just 11 dishes & drinks. The popularity grew to such an extent that the brand managed to carve the initial footprints in the casual dining space of the country and subsequently the international market. 

Chili’s Grill & Bar, brought back the original lipsmackers in the form of a Limited Time Offer across all their outlets in Bangalore (Orion & Phoenix Market city), Mumbai, Pune & Hyderabad. I was invited to review the same with some other food bloggers. 

                       

Chili's serves American food influenced by Tex Mex Cuisine. The interiors of the restaurant were funky as it was decorated with pictures from The USA and also a mini jet plane.

                    

The following gorgeous menu was served to the food lovers as a part of lip smackers. Offering a range of quintessential American favorites with a tagline of “Taste an American Original”, Chili’s Grill & Bar promised a gourmet experience like never before. The Original Lipsmackers Circa 1975 menu saw the inclusion of their famous Home Made Chili such as Texas Red with Beans and Chili’s Pie, along with Chili’s Special Soft Tacos which are tacos served with rice and beans, just like the Cowboys liked them. We were prepared to encounter a Texan standoff as we tried to choose from a variety of delicious burgers like the Our Own Chili Burger, Chili’s Trip, Terlingua Pride and No Bun Burger. No matter which one we picked, we were sure to win! Just so that the vegetarian guests do not feel left out, they could experience the same menu in vegetarian options too.

                        

                       

But I didn't wanted to go with the crowd so I preferred something from the regular alacarte menu. Here are some of the items I tried at Chili's Grill and Bar:

Triple Dipper as part of the non-vegetarian appetizers. This was basically a combination of 3 of my favorite appetizers - Chicken Crispers, Wings over Buffalo and Boneless chicken wings. I loved the Chicken Crispers but found Chicken Wings to be a little spicy. 

In Southwest Grill, I tried Fajita Chicken Quesedillas. These were marinated chicken with fajita onions and Jack cheese in butterly toasted tortillas. 

In Seafood, I tried Blackened Salmon which is one of the new dishes on the regular menu. This is Salmon fish seared with peppercorn spice, served with cilantro rice, seasonal veggies and cilantro aioli. 

Finally I went for the Chicken Ranch burger which I enjoyed a lot. This was crispy breaded chicken with tangy wing sauce, cool Ranch dressing, lettuce & tomato. The burger was served with homestyle fries. 

Chili's is at 2 different locations in Bangalore and opening currently at a secret 3rd place too! 

Address 1: Chili’s Orion Mall, Store  No  R3  &  R3-  A,  Rajajinagar  Extension, Malleswaram  (W),  Bangalore 560022

Phone: 08022682126

Address 2: Chili’s Phoenix Market City #20 UG Level, Outside Courtyard, Phoenix Market City, Mahadevpura, Bangalore -560048

Phone: 08067266406

Times City Gourmet Week 2014 - Memories of China at Taj Vivanta

Ever since I have been to the Times Food Awards 2013, my wish list of visiting the restaurants in Bangalore has increased.  And the time has come to taste and savour the gourmet food being served for the whole week in different restaurants.

Memories of China at The Taj Vivanta is also serving the gourmet food as a part of the Times City Gourmet week 2014.

                         

The ambience of the restaurant depicts the Chinese tradition and culture.  It was relaxing to spend time and relish great food.

There was a set menu and also we could choose what we would want to eat from the same. We started off with soup and appetizers

                                 

                           

Crab meat with wild mushroom soup with vegetarian shark fin and double boiled chicken soup with chinese pok choy and crispy golden fried prawns and five spiced fish in Shangai style were served in the starters menu.  I rejoiced at the first part of the menu as I always had a liking for Chinese food.

                           

Sautéed Prawns with dried chillies and shallots was the unrivalled item on the whole menu.  As I come from a coastal region and being fond of eating fresh prawns and fish, I was totally flattered and bowed to the chef. 

Undone noodles with smoked fish fillet in a superior broth, sautéed sliced beef with wild mushroom in Yakiniku sauce were also served.

                          

And the last one the menu, dessert ; exotic fruits and deep fried sesame dumpling stuffed with ferrero rocher were the show stoppers. 

                       

On the whole an amazing experience to remember till next year.

Experience future at UniverCell Sync Stores

Indiblogger has been getting wonderful experiences to its bloggers by collaborating with amazing brands both in India and abroad. One of the recent instances where they tied up with a leading mobile retailer company was when they launched the UniverCell Sync store visit experience. This was an opportunity to visit the much anticipated launch of UniverCell Sync store which promises to be a digital experience store where you don't just buy but also experience technology by touching it and interacting with it. Like the tag line goes, "you live it before you own it"!

UniverCell had always been the first mobile retailer to allow customers to experience mobiles and tablets before they buy it. This kind of experience was not heard of in India, when UniverCell started it. Then what are they trying to explore via UniverCell Sync? It is something much more than just touch and feel the product. It is the segregation into different categories based on interests like zone for photography enthusiasts, zone for music enthusiasts, zone for kids, accessories zone, etc. They call this entire experience as a 'Tecxperience' whose motive is to make technology simple for the common man.

I started my tour of UniverCell at the music section which was inside a glass enclosure to ensure that customers inside get a wonderful experience and it doesn't hamper the business in the rest of the store. I was amazed to see the wonderful gadgets on display which would ensure that I could experience the real potential of my smart phone rather than keep it restricted to the headphones. UniverCell recommended me the best music accessory based on the better music experience rather than what was given along with the smartphone. I think this trust factor helped me in coming back to the store whenever I had any questions or issues. 

Are you a multi-tasker? Then UniverCell has the convenience zone for you too! It basically has all the important things that will make your digital life convenient for you like screen guards, battery chargers, connectivity cables, app information, etc. 

In the work & play zone, you could play experience amazing and best gaming apps with wonderful sound accessories on a smart phone and see how it would react under heavy stress and memory usage. This zone takes the art of multitasking to it's absolute limits. 

Point & Shoot zone is mainly for customers interested in photography to experience the best photography features and apps available for best smartphones in the market. There is a fun photo booth which lets you compare pictures and their quality before deciding on which phone to buy. Some must-haves in this section are extra battery, extra memory etc which will ensure that you will have a non interrupting photography experience. 

VP Brand Strategy of UniverCell, Soumya Menon, guided us through the entire store by explaining each and every aspect of the store as she considered it like her baby! She mentioned that as they were creating wonderful experience for customers when they are buying, they tend to keep coming back to the store to pick up extra accessories and extra gadgets which will help enhance their digital experience. She mentioned that UniverCell Sync stores are in 5 cities - Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad. 

One interesting service provided by UniverCell Sync store is Sync Squad which is nominally priced and helps customers as technicians go to their homes and help in syncing up their devices. They also help them in providing best financial schemes for buying devices. In case you have any questions with regards to your phone or want some good app recommendations, Sync Squad is always ready for you! 

Soumya Menon also talked about the total care service provided by UniverCell called UniverCell Total Care. This service is priced between Rs.500 to Rs.1000 depending on the price of the phone. They will ensure that in case there are any issues with your phone, they will come and collect your phone from your home or office and get it fixed at authorized service center. They will also replace some common parts for free. Personal attention and detail is given to each issue which ensures customer satisfaction! 

For healthy life and preventing mosquito bite…Here is what I do!!

Ok, so Jungle Forumla requested my views about their product and their #FightAgainstMosquitoes. Here is what I think.

As a homemaker and a working professional, I feel it is necessary to keep updating yourself on health related information. Healthy living has become important in today’s time. With pollution, adulteration in food items and drinks, it has become difficult to survive a world of good health.

As a foodie, I know the value of living a healthy life. Interesingly, a few days ago, an article published in the newspaper caught my attention. “Dengue death toll shoots up” – This gave me a sudden panic attack.

A few months ago, a far off relative had fallen sick of malaria and very recently, an office colleague was heard to be diagnosed with chikungnya.  Indeed, we are living in a world where an insect bite can be the cause of someone’s death.

My husband and I are both working professionals. We keep traveling for work related purposes. During the time of the monsoon, one has to take special precaution against the rising attack of harmful mosquitoes.

My mother suggested me to use Jungle Forumla. I had heard the name for the first time, but it was a very popular insect repellent in the South. I read the details of the repellent spray carefully before applying it. The insect repellent factor indicated that it gives upto 8 hours of protection from mosquitoes and it is suitable for adults as well as children who are above 3 years of age.

People often complain to me that I become too obsessed with living an organized life. So much so, that one night my husband got scared when I suddenly woke up in the middle of the night and started spreading the insect repellent on him. We still laugh about the incident because he thought that I was some ghost and started to freak out, but on a serious note, it is important that we spread our awareness of healthy lifestyle.

Time and again, I have heard stories of people losing their lives because of unhealthy lifestyle and lack of proper prevention mechanism. Afterall, without health supporting me, I can never imagine to feel anything good about life.  Life has taught me a few lessons that I must take a notice of. Each and every death story reveals what kind of life should we live.

Death caused by the harmful bite of insects is very sad. We must #FightAgainstMosquitoes. You may never know that an insect can cause the harmful injury to your life from any possible source. 

You may be put up in a clean atmosphere, but if the windows are open, the insects can come and attack you. External environment can also be the cause of such diseases. 

Therefore, it is best suggested that take your time off and shop for healthy products.

PS: Talking of the popularity, here is something I must share :-D. Good luck team @jungle_formula

Terrific Troika

Recently got invited to Troika in Indiranagar on the 100 feet road for a cocktail making workshop by Rohan Carvalho of Bar Square India. Currently bar tending is still emerging as a profession and hence the need for an institute that could impart, knowledge to all those who decide to walk this road. Established due to their passion for bartending, flairing and training, Bar Square evolved. It is the brain child of two of Indias finest bartending champions: Rohan Carvalho (Ambassador of WFA: World Flair Association) & Shawn D’souza (1st Indian representative for BMGP in Italy). With numerous certifications, awards, fantastic reference, knowhow and international experience supporting them, Bar–Square is a well recognised institute to impart knowledge in the bartending space.

I tried my hand at making one of the signature cocktails too. The one I chose was the Caipiroska which provided for a refreshingly cool and scintillatingly heady sensation. Wondering about the ingredients? Here they are - 

• 45 ml vodka
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 3-4 mint leaves
• 5-6 lemon chunks

Wondering about the method to create the perfect Caipiroska? Here it is:

• Put lemon chunks, mint leaves and brown sugar in a glass and muddle them well. 
• Fill the glass with crushed ice
• Pour vodka on top.
• Yes, it's that simple! 
• Use old fashioned glass for serving
• Garnish it with sprigs of mint!

Rohan Carvalho of Bar Square was very jovial, friendly and approachable. He ensured we enjoyed making the cocktails with basic ingredients which are available everywhere. The confidence which this event instilled in me made sure that a teetotaller like me could also make perfect cocktails! 

There was more to the evening as we also explored the culinary delights of Troika. Troika houses the perfect blend of spirits, food and an open sky! We indulged in our senses in their extensive array of beverages and an exquisite spread of global cuisines ranging from Coastal to Oriental to Mediterranean, along with a live interactive Kitchen. 

Some of my favorites were Chicken Fa Fa, Za'tar chicken, Chicken Espetada in Starters and Tai Chi Chicken, Chicken Pan Fried Noodles and Malabar Prawn Curry among main course. In desserts, my favorite was Banoffee Pie which is short crust pastry filled with caramelized bananas in condensed milk, topped with sweet cream! It is recipe from England and was perfectly wonderful here too! 

Troika is definitely a must visit to experience the high life in Bangalore in luxury and style! 

For Reservations:

Phone: 080 61344890

Address: Above Zaica, 100 Feet Road, Indiranagar, Bangalore (Next to Starbucks)

From Lebanon in Mediterranean to Bangalore in India

I had always been fascinated by Lebanese Cuisine. Do you know much about Lebanon? If not, read on.. Lebanon is an exotic country located on the Eastern Coast of the Mediterranean. Like India, the culture of Lebanon is infused with cultures from various empires. From the Ottoman Empire to the French Empire, the taste of Lebanon has been widely influenced. From the Ottoman Empire, the Lebanese menu changed to include olive oil, fresh bread and Baklava, a famous dessert. From the French empire, they included many of their famous patisseries.

I was fascinated by the decor in the hotel which had a Lebanese feel to it. The ambiance was fantastic and perfect for a chilled out evening. The staff were very friendly and co-operative and made our family feel welcome there. It was great to know that at 12th Main restaurant in Grand Mercure Bangalore hotel, the Mezze (Menu) included exotic salads like tabbouleh and fattoush with the famous hummus dip.  The main dishes included stews or Yakhnehs which can be enjoyed by everyone within the family. One of my favorites was the grilled Prawns as you can see from the picture below.. 

Starters included Arnabit Makhali(Fried Cauliflower), Mucver (Zucchini fritters) for vegetarians and Lamb Kibbeh(Mutton Kebabs) and Sheesh Touk (Tender chicken pieces with tri peppers marinated in  Lebanese spices) for non-vegetarians. My personal favorite though was Chicken shawerma from live counter. Shawema, as you know, is a Levantine meat preparation, where lamb, chicken, turkey, beef, veal, or mixed meats are placed on a spit (commonly a vertical spit in restaurants), and may be grilled for as long as a day. Shavings are cut off the block of meat for serving, and the remainder of the block of meat is kept heated on the rotating spit. 

The salads included Fattoush (Fattoush is a Levantine bread salad made from toasted or fried pieces of pita bread combined with mixed greens and other vegetables), Tabbouleh Salad(Chopped Parsley, Tomatoes and Burgul Wheat and herb salad), Hummus(Chickpeas, garlic, tahini and olive oil) and Babaganoush(Cooked eggplant mixed with onions, tomatoes, olive oil and various seasonings). My personal favorite was Babaganoush. 

In main course, one of my favorites was Koosa charp or the Stuffed Zucchini as you can see in the picture below. Other mains included Dijaj m'quali (Moroccan style chicken), Batenjen ablama(stuffed eggplant with lamb), Samak hara (Lebanese Chili Fish) for non-vegetarians and Batata hara (spicy potatoes), Bamia bil zayt (Okra stew with tomatoes and garlic) and Makhloota (Lebanese stew of mixed beans) for vegetarians. The taste was unique as Executive Chef David ensured the authenticity of the Lebanese food was maintained. 

Desserts included Baklava ( Phyllo dough stacked with honey and nuts), Maamoul bil joze(Semolina tart filled with walnuts), Riz bil haleeb(Lebanese rice pudding), Knafi ( Sweet Cheese Pastry) and Moulahbia(Milk Pudding). 

One more interesting thing I learnt about Lebanese cuisine and culture is as follows. The Lebanese people have also thought of a way to eat without the use of cutlery like Indians. Their staple diet includes their famous flat bread which can be stuffed with a variety of side dishes and enjoyed. Just like Indian Cuisine which is best enjoyed by eating with hands, The Lebanese food can similarly be enjoyed. 

Price : Rs.999 + Taxes

Beverage :  Traditional Lebanese liqueur Arak and wine

Timing : 7.00 – 11.00 pm

Venue : 12^th Main Restaurant

Date : August 1^st to August 10th

Grand Mercure Bangalore, 12^th Main, 3rd Block, Koramangala, Bangalore- 560034

Contact for reservations-91-80-4512 1212