A few
weeks ago, a home chef (Anubhav Sen of Peppercorn - The Home Chef) had sent me a pot of
Mutton Dum Biryani and some Chicken Chaanps. The biryani and the chaanps were
delicious which is why, this year, when I decided to go the lazy route for
Navroze I knew exactly who I was going to order from.
This
time around, instead of Chicken Chaanp, I decided to order Mutton Mince Chops
and same Mutton Dum Biryani I had the last time. I just could not get enough of
that deliciousness.
This is
a Bengali style dum biryani with potatoes (Yayyyyy to that because a biryani to
me is never complete without potatoes – Blame it on the Bawi in me :P ) When I
opened the biryani pateela (vessel), its fragrance wafted out and filled my
home with enticing aromas. The texture of the mutton and rice was spot on! Those
heavenly potatoes had absorbed the flavour of the biryani and were so
delicious! They tasted so darn good even when I had a bite of them without the
biryani rice and mutton. The biryani was neither dry and nor too greasy. The
spices/masala was not excessive and overpowering. I’ll have you know; I am not
a big fan of biryani and rarely drool over them. I, very occasionally, enjoy it
at a couple of restaurants and from the kitchens of certain home chefs/caterers.
This one, however, makes me go weak in the knees. Yes, I’m still talking of the
biryani, not Sean Connery or Pierce Brosnan. (Angelic grin) This biryani is to
be bowed to and revered!
I did
not want a gravy based dish hence, instead of Chicken Chaanp, I ordered the
Mutton Mince Chops. A beautiful crumbed exterior encased the soft, delicious,
mutton mince within. The mince was beautifully piquant. A few sultanas, almonds and
cashews were added to the spicy mince. The sultanas delivered a light and
intermittent hint of sweetness while the almonds and cashews lent that wee bit of crunch
factor to the chops. This was another winner!
Knowing
it was a Navroze meal for the family, Anubhav, thoughtfully, brought us a box
of Rosgullas. I couldn’t have asked for a better Navroze meal! Thanks Anubhav, your
thoughtfulness is truly appreciated!
Anubhav
Sen aka Peppercorn Chef has a small menu to choose from but his food clearly
indicates that he knows his genre very well. The next time you decide to order Bengali
food, especially Bengali style biryani, do give this Bong Biryani Babumoshai a
try. You’ll be licking your fingers clean! :)
Anubhav
can be contacted on: +91 7378386637 / +91 9730115725
Food:
5/5
Service:
5/5 (with a smile and lots of food talks)
Ambiance:
NA (home chef)
Note: This was not a tasting; this was an order placed with
Peppercorn Chef hence there was no way to control the greedy gang at home. They
allowed me to only take photographs of the mutton chops. I’m using the old photographs
for the biryani as the one I managed to click is so terribly hazy that I dare not put it
up.
This
write up comes a month late but as I always believe, better late than never,
more so, if the write up is well deserved. The choice for our monthly AGOG meet
up, for the month of February was, The Deccan Epicure. We had been hearing
marvellous things about this restaurant so what better way to check it out than
with my beautifully angelic gang of gals.
The Deccan
Epicure is a tiny, yet pleasant restaurant in a by-lane at Viman Nagar. The
kitchen is based on the ground floor and the customers are seated on the
mezzanine floor. I have bad arthritic knees hence was a tad unsure about the
stairs I would have to climb. For any of you, who have troubled knees; let me
assure you the stairs are safe and easily climbable so don’t let that stop you
from visiting this eatery.
Our
choices of drink for the evening were Fresh Lime Soda, Ginger Lemon Fizz,
Watermelon & Pepper Salsa Detox. I, of course, flatly refused to touch the
detox drink because it had that dreaded ‘F’ word in it. Fruit, fruit, I meant
fruit! What were you thinking? (Evil grin)
The Ginger Lemon Fizz was my drink
and I loved it! It was an invigorating and well balanced drink. The ginger came
through and I loved the fact that its taste did not overpower on the palate. I
took a sip of the Fresh Lime Soda and that too was very nicely made.
We also
ordered tomato soup. It was served with a side of croutons and pesto sauce. The
soup was good but the pesto was even better: it was superbly flavoured! We just
could not get enough of it!
I am
not someone who eats raw food (salad) hence I am not qualified to write about
the salad served but I will say, ‘the other four faces at the table seemed very
pleased with the salads’. They mentioned the salads were fresh, well seasoned
and drizzled with adequate dressing.
Of all
the starters the Spinach Pea Tikki and the Wada Pau Hot Dog were the ones that
did not entice our foodie souls. My vegetarian friend wasn’t too impressed and
nor were the carnivores. The Spinach Pea Tikki had a very thick outer coating
and the spinach within would have been better had it been pureed to a finer
texture.
The Wada, too, had the same problem with regard to the outer covering.
A thinner batter for the wada would have been ideal. As for the potato filling
within, I have to say, I’ve had better. These two dishes need to be worked upon
to improve in taste and texture. We did give immediate feedback to Kevin (the
owner) who was pleasantly receptive to our negatives as he was to the
positives. I truly appreciate that; it clearly shows that he is a restaurateur
determined to do better.
The
Barbeque Chicken Wings were nicely done. They were a perfect balance of sweet
and spicy.
The Corn Cheese Fritters were also a hit. What’s to not like about
something that is loaded with cheese?
We were extremely eager to try the Onion
Blossoms and most of the petals of the onion blossom were beautiful and crisp,
except for a few deeper layers within the onions. Kevin had given us fair
warning about the deeper layers remaining a tad soft and translucent. As we had
been told about it in advance there was no feeling of disappointment. Plus, the
crisp, outer layers had more than made up for the few soft, translucent petals
that remained on the onion.
The
Orange Honey Pork Ribs was ribs glazed in a blend of orange and honey but the
dish was not overly sweet at all. The ribs were savoury and succulent to the
perfect ‘fall of the bone’ consistency. The two of us, the hardcore carnivores,
who devoured the pork, were ecstatic puppies! For us, this was the ‘dish of the
day!’
For our
main course we chose, Barbeque Pork Chops served with Barley and Apple, Butter
Garlic Prawn with Deccan Risotto, Roasted Cauliflower and Almond Deccan
Risotto, Fish & Chips and Steamed Ginger and Leek Tilapia Fish served with
Red Rice, Mushroom and Broccoli.
Of the
mains, the only dish that did not work was the Steamed Ginger and Leek Tilapia
Fish served with red rice, mushroom and broccoli. I enjoy any and all kinds of
fish; I’m not the type to turn my nose at a strong flavoured fish. I do
believe, though, that certain fish, with very sharp fishy odour, should not be
used for delicate, brothy seafood dishes. The fishy odour hits the olfactory
senses quite harshly. Tilapia lent a very sharp, fishy smell and flavour to the
broth. A milder flavoured fish would’ve been more suitable for this particular
dish. The red rice also did nothing to enhance the broth; and vice versa. The
dish gave off vibes similar to that of a divorced couple. :P
The
Barbeque Pork Chops were beautifully cooked. Once again this pork dish had the
pork eaters going ‘ummmm’ at every bite. I cannot begin to describe how
delicious they were. Deccan Epicure sure knows how to get their pork right! The
vinaigrette dressing drizzled over the apples was superb! The apples and the
barley complemented the pork beautifully. The apples with the perfectly
balanced vinaigrette, added the tartness; while the barley lent a softer bite to
that sticky, succulent pork. Can there be a better ménage à trois on a plate? I don’t think so! These
chops were simply delectable!
I
always seek creaminess and that perfect bite in risottos. The risottos boldly
held their personality in regard to the creaminess but they were a tad short in
regard to the ‘bite’ factor. Taste wise, the risottos were very appetizing. The
garlic prawns served with the non-vegetarian risotto were fresh and beautifully
cooked. No, I did not try the roasted cauliflower (Evil carnivore-ish grin).
The Fish and Chips was another winner. The fish was fresh, fried to perfection
in a wonderful light batter. The Tartar sauce was spot on and the chips were crisp and gorgeously golden. One of
the best fries I’ve had in a long time!
As most
of you, who read my write up for these AGOG meet ups, know, we never miss out
on desserts. We checked out their list of desserts and they had us drooling
even before they arrived at the table. Our choices: Banana Bread with Honeycomb
Butter, Sea Salt Caramel and Chocolate Bar, Chocolate Fondant with White
Chocolate, Orange Wedge & Mint, Saffron & Vanilla Panna Cotta with
Orange Syrup and Pavlova with Fresh Fruits.
I was a
tad apprehensive about the Banana Bread. Time and again I have known this
dessert to be dry and difficult to swallow. When the bread was set at the table
the whiff of the banana bread hit me so hard that all I wanted to do was
quickly click a couple of photographs and dig my spoon into it. That is
precisely what I did! That divine honeycomb butter melted into the warm bread
in rapturous joy. The bread was one of the most delicious desserts I have ever
had.
The
panna cotta had the spot on texture and wobble. (Yes, as usual, I did record
the wobble and the video is up at the blog) The saffron and the vanilla came
through beautifully. The orange syrup with a sprinkling of orange segments was
nectarous.
The Sea Salt Caramel with Chocolate Bar was a big hit at the table.
Kevin sprinkled just a wee bit of salt on the dessert and was kind enough to
give us some more, separately, in case we needed a saltier hit. When the words
caramel, sea salt, chocolate, all come together, how would you describe that in
two simple words? Brilliantly decadent!
The
pavlova and the chocolate fondant were also lovely desserts but the ones I’ve
described in detail, and swooned over, are the ones I liked best.
Kevin
and his servers were extremely attentive and kind to us all through the
evening. We gals are a boisterous bunch (angelic smile), not at all easy to handle,
but the restaurant did a fantastic job all through the evening in regard to
food and service to ensure we have a marvellous meal. Kevin, my friends and I
thank you! We truly appreciate that all through the evening we were served with
a smile. Also, your honest suggestions and receptive demeanour touch our hearts.
Rest assured I shall soon be back for those ‘oinky’ dishes; that’s where my
heart lies. I guess the heart wants what the heart wants. ;) :D
Food:
4/5
Service:
5/5
Ambiance:
3/5
Address:
Turning Point, Unit II/0I, Phoenix Boundary Road, Viman Nagar, Pune
The
Nawabs of India Food Festival at Zeera, Conrad (Pune) caught my eye on the
Facebook group of Pune Food Bloggers Guild. I saw photographs of the food
served and read reviews for the same. Each review gave me the feeling that
Zeera was personally beckoning me. What better day, then, to visit and indulge
in the finest of cuisines than on Navroze day!
The
restaurant is plush, classy and very aesthetically appealing. I loved the fact
that they hadn’t gone the garish route with regard to the decor. As we settled
at our table, we checked out the scroll placed in front of us telling us about
the festival and the dishes that would be served. We couldn’t wait to begin our
gastronomic journey.
They
brought us a well balanced mocktail: Tandoori Mojito. It was a citrusy drink
with the right amount of masala (it came across as chaatt masala) added to it.
It was one of the most unique drinks I’ve ever had. It was very refreshing:
perfect for a summer evening. We loved it so much that we requested a refill.
I had
opted for the ‘Non-Vegetarian Set Meal’, whereas my friend opted for the
‘Vegetarian Set Meal’. Let me admit, I flicked tiny bits of vegetarian food
from her plate. It’s only right that I did. How else would I be able to write a
line or two about the vegetarian fare? (Evil grin – my all time valid excuse to
hog everything that’s placed on the table)
The
Non-Vegetarian Appetizers served were Lagan Ki Boti, Murgh Kalmi Kebab, Maas Ke
Sooley and Tandoori Sarsoon Machi. Additionally, they very kindly served us
Shammi Kebab even though it wasn’t mentioned on the festival menu.
Of the
kebabs, the only one that I would make a slight change to, in terms of texture,
would be the Maas Ke Sooley. Though perfectly marinated and absolutely
scrumptious, I would have preferred the mutton to be more succulent. Let me
clarify a wee bit; the mutton wasn’t undercooked or raw, just that I would
prefer it to be more tender; almost “falling
off the bone’ texture. Except for the texture, I would not want anything
changed about this piquant baby.
Among
the non-vegetarian kebabs, the Lagan Ki Boti was my favourite. Soft chucks of
braised lamb, perfectly spiced, and tenderly heaped on a paratha; the dish was amazing
good. The paratha was also beautifully made. It was light on the palate and not
at all doughy or heavy. The boti and the paratha came together in rapturous harmony!
The
Murgh Kalmi Kebab, Tandoori Saroon Machi and Shammi Kebab were also delish! The
fish used for the Sarsoon Machi was rawas, which pleased me immensely and the sarsoon
(mustard) was used in just the right quantity. It did not over power or take
away the flavour of the fish. Now that’s what I call excellent cooking!
The Shammi
Kebab and the Murgh Kalmi Kebab were both flavourful appetizers. The Shammi Kebab
was marinated in perfectly blended spices and the mince, too, was the correct
texture. It was served with Varqi Paratha. The Murgh Kalmi Kabab was a
beautiful plump piece of chicken. It was creamy and succulent and ticked all
the boxes in terms of taste and texture.
I tried
a wee bite of each vegetarian kebab, but there were two that I requested, as
extra, all for myself. They simply blew me away. One was the Kumbh Ki Galouti
and the other, Aloo Ki Nazakat.
The
Aloo Ki Nazakat was filled with soft crumbled paneer, dry fruits and topped
with aromatic strands of saffron. The saffron pleasantly hit my olfactory senses
at the very first bite. Simply divine!
The
Kumbh Ki Galouti was the kind of kebab that ‘kebab-ish’ dreams are made of. The
only way to correctly describe it is as a gastronomic orgasm in the mouth. These
melt-in-the-mouth babies were made from kumbh (mushrooms) and were the vegetarian
versions of the mutton mince galouti. Please believe me when I, as a hardcore
carnivore, tell you that this was the ‘Kabab of the evening!’ This was a 11/10
kebab! A classic galouti!
I will
not go into the details of the vegetarian mains as I barely tasted them but
from what I could gather from the look on my friends face, she was one happy
puppy. :-)
For the
non-vegetarian mains they served, Gosht Tar Kalia, Kheema Karela, Machchhi
Dampukht, Nizami Murgh Korma, Sailana Dal Tadka and Awadhi Chicken Biryani. I’m
not much of a main course person but I tried a bit of everything and every dish
was perfect. The sauces of each dish were spectacular and the protein, whether
mutton, chicken or fish, were all cooked to perfection.
The John
Dory fish used for Machchhi Dampukht was fresh and gorgeously flaky in quality.
Dee-lee-chee-ouss! I specifically remember the gravies of the Gosht Tar Kalia
and the Murgh Nizami Korma. They were rich, creamy and totally yum!
Unfortunately, by the time the mains arrived, I was so stuffed with the
starters that I could not do justice to them. The mains were all served with
superb flaky Varqi Parathas. My friend wanted to try the Khimiri Roti and they
very kindly served us that too.
The biryani rice was beautiful and long grained;
lightly spiced and very aromatic. The chicken in the biryani was superbly
succulent! A very good biryani, indeed!
Once we
were done with dinner they brought a wet hand towel (not a paper towel) to wipe
our fingers. The hand towel was steaming hot and soaked in rose water. I think
that was a lovely touch.
After a
while dessert was served: Gulab Aur Phaloon Ki Rabri. The rabri was sweet and
creamy, just the way it should be but I could not eat more than two tiny
spoonfuls as it was loaded with bits of ‘phal’ (fruits). Anyone who really
knows me knows I steer clear of all fruits except mangoes and bananas. How I
wish that the delectable rabri was served by itself. Ah well, mukammal jahan nahi
milta and all that jazz.
Executive
Chef Mandar and his team ensures on all fronts, be it food or service, that
their patrons are treated like royalty. I cannot thank them enough for making
our dining experience such a pleasant one. All in all it was a beautiful
evening; Navroze celebrated with one of my closest friends and with food and
service, truly, fit for Nawabs. The ambiance, the service and the food will titillate
your senses and leave you wanting more. The Nawabs of India Food Festival is on
until April 2, 2017. My take on it, DON’T miss it!
