Happy 1st Birthday Dessert Safari

The name is Dessert Safari… But that does not mean it is a place where you find only Desserts. They also serve up quite a range of Dishes, both veg and non veg. My 1^st visit here was on Sep 3^rd. The reason I remember the day so well is cos it was the eve of my Birthday and we had a blast. It was pouring and we were cooped up there till past midnight. I even got to cut a cake amidst lovely friends J

It was  therefore quite apt that I was there to ring in their 1st Birthday!! So when I heard Dessert Safari was turning one and we were invited, I dint mind visiting [esp since the place held fond memories]. We were greeted by the Manager and the Chef {who has travelled the world thanks to working in Cruise liners and who also has worked with leading chefs around the globe, including Gordan Ramsay and Remy [from the famous Ratatouille movie]}.  He is a true blue Mylapore boy who studied in Chennai but went abroad for better prospects and is now back home. He spent about half an hour talking to us, giving us insight into plans he had for the place, the new recipes, the Tandoor he had just installed and how he was working on a whole new range of Fusion food.

While I waited, I had a fresh Orange juice, which was quite refreshing. The 1st dish to arrive was the mixed Bean soup, it had chickpeas and black eyed peas among others and was quite rich, we also detected cheese in it. And that was it...we were off to a no "Naan"sense start.. We were served Plain butter naan with a handful of rocket leaves and a dip made with yoghurt and mint, and tamarind chutney. Following this, we tried the Naan pizza- two varieties- 1 with mushroom masala and other with spinach and paneer. Wait; there was one more dish with Naan. It was the naan sandwich- veg had spinach, peas and corn while the non veg had pullapart chicken with pickled carrots.

In between this we were also served a Rocket salad with carrots and shaved fennel. This had me curious and the Chef showed me what a Fennel bulb looked like. I was so excited seeing it, in real [ I had only seen it on TV cookery shows]

We also got a tour of the small kitchen, with the newly installed Tandoor. It was hot at 690-700 degrees and apparently is never turned off. A huge wok is placed on top to cool it off and a wet cloth used to cool down the walls in case it gets too hot, said the chef. Interesting!!

Coming back to the food, we were in for a treat with the desserts. There were quite a range of them- Chocolate cinnamon pie [ served warm]- delicious; and then there was the Chocolate cheesecake served with fresh cream and a dollop of ice cream. This is when Chef suggested we try the ice cream with his Balsamic reduction. And we were pleasantly surprised, loved the combo infact. Who would have thought vanilla ice cream and balsamic went together. This reduction had Dark balsamic vinegar and jaggery reduced down. Finally, there was the Mango parfait, which was similar to a mousse but better, with 4 little intriguing balls of sorts on top. They just popped as they touched our lips, a burst of sourness. We dint know what it was, but loved it and asked for more of it..

We also got to sample the Chef’s new sauces- one made with Coca cola and the other with coconut and Indian spices. All the sauces are vegetarian and these are what is used on the meat dishes as well, explained the Chef. We were curious to know more, and if opportunity arises, we definitely shall go back to try his innovative creations.

Happy Birthday Dessert Safari~!

Address:

107, Eldams Road, Teynampet, Chennai

Ph: 044 33824444

Directions- Dessert safari is down the road from Samco on the left [if you are coming from Alwarpet]

Disclaimer:The reviews posted on this blog are based on my personal experience. Also remember that restaurants and eat outs sometimes change with time, so does their food and service. So, kindly consider these factors while visiting the places. Remember, no two palates are the same. Bon Appétit  :-)

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[Recipe] Tomato garlic chutney

Damn, it was nearly 7.40pm and I hadnt cooked dinner yet.. Did a mental run through of all that I had and after a short debate I knew what I was going to make for dinner. I had decided to make Pongal for dinner. Wanted to make it with Saamai but noticed there were bugs in the unopened sealed packet [had bought two packets a few weeks ago, was done with one and now this second one was goner], dumped it and went with rice option. 

Phew, the main was decided, but what about the side? This is when I walked into the kitchen, opened the fridge and stood staring at it as if an idea was going to spring at me. Kaboom.Well, it kinda actually did. 

Here is what I made,

Spicy Tomato Chutney:--

Tomato     2  roughly chopped
Dry Red Chillies    3
Garlic      4 cloves
Tamarind    a tiny piece
Salt     to taste
Water- 1 tsp just to get the blender going

For tempering:
Oil  1
tbsp
Mustard seeds      1/2 tsp
Urad dal    1 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Hing      a pinch

In the blender, add all the ingredients and make into a thick puree. If needed, add the water.
In another pan, add the oil and do the tempering
Now add the puree to the tempering and allow it to cook well for a good 5-8mins till oil starts coming out on all sides.
It is now ready to be devoured..

Perfect for any plain rice, dosa, and was good with pongal as well.. Spicy and tangy, with strong garlic flavour..

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Cafe Coffee Day Square, Chennai

The very 1^st time I spotted a Café Coffee Day Square was in Bangalore, somewhere near Vittal Mallaya Road if am right. It is at the corner of the junction and there are few life size sculptures outside. A child included. I haven’t been inside but have heard from friends and others that it is a upmarket category CCD outlet. They served coffee from various regions, interesting food and other drink options.

So, when I spotted one in Chennai on KNK road, I must say I was a tad surprised. For one big reason, there is a CCD Lounge the same road, which made me wonder why the company would open another outlet, a Square less than 100 yards from the other one. The CCD Square is more exclusive than Lounge in that it serves single-origin coffees and is aimed at connoisseurs. 

That day when I was meeting a friend after long, she had somehow made up her mind to check out CCD Square and would not hear anything else. So, there we were on KNK road pulling into the parking lot in front of CCD Square. The place is a big grey building with glass all around. We spotted quite a few staff near the entrance and the place was fairly empty. It was then I noticed the upper floor and a few customers near the window. We found a seat near the counter, but it was very noisy [sound from behind the counter] and moved to the other end of the room. There was a beautiful mural of sorts on the wall resembling a forest or coffee plantation and on the other side was a coffee cup and beans spilling over made with cane beads? 

I ordered a Café Frappe while my friend chose a cooler [blue Curacao flavored] that came in a long tall glass. The menu was extensive, and there were bags of coffee beans with various labels on them. The place was tastefully done up, but we felt there were too many staff or maybe they would all be needed if the place was crowded.

Location: Cafe coffee Day Square is located on KNK road, next to Apparao Gallery, Atmosphere store, Kryptos, Adj to Khansama/So Fa So Good.. 

Ambiance: 8/10

Price: 7/10

Food: We just had 2 drinks and they were good. But there was no WOW there.. So 5/10

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Dessert Safari, Chennai

We were just done watching a Malayalam Movie - Arikil Oraal and were now headed towards Eldams road to check out Dessert Safari.. 

Desserts instantly ring a bell that says "sweets sweets pastries and all related stuff" and then the word Safari is almost always associated with "animals, wild, forest, jungle, night rides".. And so when we entered Dessert Safari we were in for quite a surprise.  We saw a swanky looking place done up very elegantly but empty. We wondered if maybe the rains were the reason for that. But that night was quite a night.. We tried quite a few desserts alright and it was one safari ride.. With the food, the friends for company and the rains that seemed to never stop. And how can I forget, we rang in my birthday right there.. What an evening it turned out to be :-))

After spending a few minutes exploring the lower level, we made our way up the winding staircase to the seating area there. There were 3 tables with chairs and a very Victorian style table in the corner.

We waited around for a while and then noticed a staff walking up the stairs with a plate. It had the starter made with Phyllo pastry topped with mushroom in a cream sauce. It was alright, the dish lacked crispness and felt dense. And then there were a string of non veg starters that came our way. The top level was a tad dark and gloomy and so we got back downstairs and made ourselves comfortable in the 3 tables that were there. Here is a visual treat of all the veg dishes and the desserts that we had..

Mushroom Wrap 

Cottage Cheese Steak 

Veg Caserella [similar to a quesadilla ]

Now, without waiting long, here are the desserts--

Baklava 

 Blueberry Cheese cake with ice cream and fresh cream

 Litchi parfait

 Vatalappam 

Mango Cheesecake

And even though we were done with the food, the night was far from over. We were there at the venue till past midnight..... Surrounded by a group of dear friends, a chocolate cake with a cute candle and loads of "Happy birthday" wishes...

Quite a memorable evening!

Address:

107, Eldams Road, Teynampet, Chennai

Ph: 044 33824444

Directions- Dessert safari is down the road from Samco on the left [if you are coming from Alwarpet]

Disclaimer:The reviews posted on this blog are based on my personal experience. Also remember that restaurants and eat outs sometimes change with time, so does their food and service. So, kindly consider these factors while visiting the places. Remember, no two palates are the same. Bon Appétit  :-)

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{recipe} Spinach Soup

It was one of those days when I had been sneezing all day, and there seemed to be no light at the end of the tunnel. I got home, tired and cranky and all I wanted was a bowl of hot soup. Rummaged through the fridge and came out victorious. I had spotted a few interesting ingredients. This is what I whipped up..

Ingredients

2 Cups chopped spinach leaves
1 Onion chopped
2 cloves of Garlic [finely chopped]
2 Cups water [enough to boil spinach and dilute the soup]

1 tbsp milk 

1 tbsp Butter/olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

The Process:

1.  In a pan, boil the spinach and take it off the heat once cooked.
2. In another pan, add some oil/butter and saute the onion and garlic for a few seconds.
3. Puree the boiled spinach with the onion & garlic 
4. Add salt, pepper and milk when bringing it to a boil

Serve hot. You can add a few bits of roasted pounded almonds or peanuts

Bon Appetit!!

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[Recipe] Celebrating International Chocolate Day - Chocolate Pancakes

To be honest, am not a big chocolate fan. Am not the kind who will rush to grab that last piece of chocolate or attack the bar once someone hands it over. I don't opt for chocolate ice cream or chocolate cake, i always reach out for the apple pie or anything with berry in it. But then, one morning I walked into my kitchen, pulled out pretty much all that sat in one particular shelf in my fridge and discovered there was a bag of chocolate chips.. That was probably a sign from above asking me to make something with chocolate! Who am I to disagree..

I ended up making Chocolate Pancakes for breakfast and they were yummy..

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tbsp Milk
1 egg
2 tsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla essence
Handful of chocolate chips[Ghirardelli]

Process:

1. Combine all the dry ingredients
2. Now add the wet ingredients and whisk well
3. Take a pan, add some oil/ butter and add dollops of the batter in small circles. Allow them to cook for 2mins on each side and voila, fluffly soft delicious pancakes are ready..

You can pretty much add anything you like to the pancakes. I have made using fruits, once with cheese and jalapeno as well.

I had these with honey!!

And guess what, today is International Chocolate Day! Who would have thought :-))

Preparation time: 5mins
Cookigg time: 5mins

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Bread upma with a difference

Ever since I moved to a place of my own, it has been fun in all ways. I enjoy cooking for Me. I have the freedom to make anything I feel like.  There are days when I eat cornflakes with fruits, and other days I make roti with a veggie side, or like today I make Bread upma and just add anything my eyes fall on. Here is what I made today,

Ingredients:
7 grain Bread [multi grain]- 3 slices Onion- 1 Tomato- 2 Ginger garlic paste- 1tsp Mustard seeds- 1/4tsp Oil - 1tsp Egg-1 Salt- to taste Garam Masala powder- 1/2 tsp

Process:
In a pan, add oil, onions, ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute and then add tomatoes once the onions go golden,. Now add salt and garam masala powder and saute well. In a flat pan, toast the bread slices without any oil/ghee and once they are done, cut them up into small pieces and keep them aside Add the bread pieces to the masala and toss well. Break an egg and add to the mixture and scramble the same within the mix. 

Serve HOT!!

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Pan Asian, ITC Grand Chola

I was looking forward to the day like a child anticipating a special gift. The day was going to be packed, that much I knew! The afternoon to 8pm was spent cheering CSK on at the Chepauk stadium as they beat KKR in the IPL 6 tournament and then came the special event of the day. I was heading over to friend’s house, to shower change and head off to ITC Grand Chola for a dinner at Pan Asian. It was courtesy a twitter contest I had won earlier the week. And since I was told I could bring a friend along, i chose A.  She was ready by the time I made it to her apartment, and it was nearly 8.30pm. A quick shower and I was ready.

We reached ITC Grand Chola close to 9.15 and we were welcomed by their Marketing Manager. The last time I was here was in Dec when I had enjoyed a one night two day stay and a relaxed lunch with another friend of mine. This time I was indulging in a new restaurant that had just opened up- The Pan Asian. But before we were taken there, we were given a tour of the place, including the recently launched Royal Vega, the pure vegetarian restaurant on the 1^stfloor.

The restaurant is ROYAL, true to its name. There are tables set up according to themes and one of them had plates with covers that were heavy, and I mean heavy. They were embellished with stones and what not. There was a secluded room that was ideal for a small family gathering, and it was beautiful. There was a mannequin decked up in traditional attire. The beauty was that the room could be split into two, to host two small groups.

Anyways, before I wander off all over the place, we made our way towards Pan Asian. The restaurant sports a narrow passage way entry and you go around the bend to see the entire space. It was huge, not a huge square but a long space. We were seated in one end of the room, near the bar and the sushi counter. I wandered over to see the display which showcased different kinds of mushrooms, cucumbers, and other meat that were used to make sushi.

We were seated, and the Chef came over to introduce himself and gave a sneak peek into the menu at Pan Asian. The entire menu card could take days to read and decipher, but what I liked about it were the birds that adorned the pages, all of which were from the Oriental region of the world. The restaurant sported dishes from these regions as well- Thai, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and so on. Most of the dishes names seemed Chinese and Japanese to us, and so we requested the staff who was serving us to help us decide.

First up was the amuse-bouche - a sampler of sorts. It was a longish plate with 3 distinct items in it a small piece of tofu with a pickled carrot slice, a pickled slice of radish and a slice of white radish with a dollop of avocado cream on top. While we took in the surroundings, the music and the décor, our soups and starters arrived.  I had chosen to try the familiar Tom Yum Soup, but this was nothing like what I’d had earlier. A deep bowl with the vegetables arrived, and then a tea pot of sorts was brought forward from which the broth was poured from. The soup was delicious, subtle and flavourful. Then came our starters. My friend had ordered for sushi while I wanted to try a dim sum. A cane steamer arrived on the table and within it sat cute looking pumpkin like dimsums. Even though these turned out to be pumpkin dimsums with custard filling [almost a dessert] I loved them. Only thing that had me puzzled was the texture, it was quite sticky.

Between courses there was a bit of a breather, allowing us to enjoy the surroundings and the ambiance. The décor is very retro, with concrete brick walls, and simple light fixtures. For the main course we were recommended the fried noodle basket with a Chinese stir fried vegetables and a pineapple spicy thai rice to go with it. Yes, I know, I have forgotten the names of the dishes. We polished them off with delight. And we pretty soon eager to see what was in store for dessert.

I chose the Green tea cheese cake while my friend chose a chocolate dessert. Both of these arrived in style, the plating was beautiful. we dint have the heart to cut into our dessert and spoil the whole plating.  It was colourful, and the desserts were quite large in portion size.  We chit chatted a bit longer with the staff before bidding adieu. We were happy, content. Not only did we get to enjoy some amazing dishes, but it was an evening worth remembering. More so since my friend was soon moving away, out of the city.

ITC Grand Chola is more than just rooms and food, it is an experience! I have been back here multiple times, with friends and for events, and every time has been a memorable one!

A meal for two here would cost around Rs 2000 to Rs 3000/-

Address:

ITC Grand Chola
#63, Mount Road, Guindy, Chennai,TN,600032
Ph- 044 2220 0000

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Sunday Lunch- Noodles, Schezuan style

I stood there in the kitchen wondering what to make for lunch when the doorbell rang. Glad to get away from the fridge and stove, I answered the door to find a courier. It was a set of Knorr sauce mixes. Nice. Just the inspiration I needed to make something new. It was going to be a one pot dish.  What did I make? 

Noodles, Schezuan style. How? Read on to know how... 

Ingredients:
1/2 onion [ thinly chopped]
2 cloves garlic [ finely diced]
6-7 button mushrooms [cut into small pieces]
6-7 beans [cut into 1inch pieces]
1 egg
1 tsp Olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 packet Haka Noodles

2 cups Water
2 tsp Knorr-Chinese-Schezuan mix

The process:

1) In a pot, add 1 to 1.1/2 cups of water and cook the noodles. I added the egg to the same water and let it cook for about 10mins and removed the same. 

2) In another pan- add the oil, saute the garlic and onions, before adding the remaining vegetables [you can add any vegetables to this dish], add some salt and pepper. 

3) Remove the veggies once cooked and in that same pan-- mix about 2 tsp of Knorr-Chinese-Schezuan mix to 1/2 cup of water and allow it to come to a simmer. Add the cooked vegetables to the sauce and check for seasoning. I also added the noodles and finally the egg to complete my lunch. 

How easy is that? I am now itching to try the others from Knorr range!!

Cooking time: 25mins
Prepping time: 15mins 
This portion I cooked serves - 1 

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Colorful Salad

So I was in one of those weird moods today, and that is all I needed to whip up this salad. I opened the fridge, stood in front of it, till it started beeping. Pulled out a few items and off I went to the kitchen [yes, at grandparents house, the fridge is not in the kitchen]  This is what I whipped up..

What I found- 

Purple cabbage- 1 small 

Lettuce- few leaves

Walnuts- a handful

Paneer - dunno when it had been bought but looked pretty beat

Herbs- a bottle of mixed herbs

Olives- green pitted olives

Pesto- plain pesto sauce

Honey- 1 tbsp

Olive oil- 1 tsp

Salt & Black pepper- a pinch

Optional

Other vegetables [par boiled beans esp]

Crushed garlic

Onions

Boiled pasta

What did I do?

Take a large bowl - add oil, walnuts, salt, black pepper, honey, pesto sauce and mix them well

Now, to this add the chopped up purple cabbage, ripped up lettuce leaves, crumbled paneer pieces, olives and toss

Sprinkle the herbs and toss

Taste and add seasoning/spice depending on your preference.

It was absolutely yummy. So fresh, crunchy and delightful. 

Health facts :

Purple cabbage, more commonly known as red cabbage, is a colorful variety from the brassica family. Purple cabbage has a relatively high ratio of nutrients and vitamins to calories and fat, which makes it an ideal choice for dieters. It is common in salads, coleslaw, braised dishes and pickled treats.

The vitamin and mineral content of raw purple cabbage is the most significant reason to consume this vegetable. A single serving of raw purple cabbage contains about 20 percent of your DRI for vitamin A, at 993 international units. It also contains around 80 percent of your DRI for vitamin C at 50.7 IU per 1-cup serving. Other vitamins and minerals in a 1-cup serving include notable levels of folate and vitamin K; 40 milligrams of calcium; 14 milligrams of magnesium; and 216 milligrams of potassium.

[Source: http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/nutrients-purple-cabbage-1160.html]

Cabbage is a great store of vitamin C and vitamin K. The rich deep colour of this vegetable is due to a high concentration of anthocyanin polyphenols (strong dietary antioxidants, possessing anti-inflammatory properties), making it have even more phytonutrients than a green cabbage. A few studies also show that anthocyanins may help reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer. It is rich in anti-oxidants which makes skin supple and clear.

[Source: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-02-27/diet/31046849_1_purple-cabbage-green-cabbage-sweet-and-sour-cabbage]

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[Recipe] Spinach Daal

What you need:

Spinach: 2 cups

Onion: 2

Green chillies: 2

Cooked green gram dal/moong dal: 1/2 cup

Tamarind: 1 small sized ball

Tomato: 2

Urad dal: 1/2 tsp(for tempering)

Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp(for tempering)

Oil - as much as you need

Salt- to taste

Curry leaves - 4-6

Taken on mobile- BB

Method-

In a pan, heat oil and add mustard, urad dal and curry leaves. to this, add the chopped onions and green chillies. When they turn to a golden brown, add the chopped spinach and fry well for a couple of mins.

Put a pan and the green dal to cook in it, once that is done, add to the fried spinach and onion along with the tamarind(that has been soaked in water n strained), chopped tomato and salt. Boil for about five minutes..

If you want, you can grind the spinach.. but i like spinach as it is.. and it sure tastes yummy with Roti and Steamed rice.. enjoy~~~

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Make me a Master Cook with Shazia Khan

Friday night around 8pm, or was it 9pm? I forgot. All I remember was getting a message from Manju Madhu saying "Congratulations, you have won..  want to take up Masterchef workshop". I did ask her my other prize options, but then decided to take this workshop ticket up, esp since my gal pals were going to be there! I knew of this event for weeks, or maybe a month earlier cos a dear friend Tasneem Akbari of Konceptz Galore was part of the duo that had conceptualised and brought the show to town.   Who was the other? Maaria Kulsum of Adoniya fame!! 

Honestly, even though I do enjoy cooking, a workshop wasn't really my thing. I get bored, distracted or tune out and start cracking up [which I anyways do]. And since I was unsure of my plans, I dint pick up a ticket. When a Facebook contest was on, I participated and who would have thought, I won a ticket to the workshop!! 

Cottage Cheese-semolina cake with grilled pimento topping

Bocconcini Cheese [ buffalo Mozerella] 

 Grilled Zucchini cups

Burmese Veg khow suey

There was one more dish, cant find the picture though- Red bean bites with methi cream sauce  & spicy pineapple salsa...

The beautiful light fixture I could not resist clicking

Shahi tukda with caramel sauce and fresh figs 

Half a day spent in the company of good friends

Watching a Master Chef Runner up cook 

A video cameraman who refused to oblige

and 

Hunger pangs building up with every minute... 

I sat there, watching, nodding, wondering

Clicking, observing and drooling

did i mention wondering?

yes, when lunch would be served

Saturday morning with friends

and the evening i knew 

was gonna be fun

for it was going to be in the company of more friends... 

Kudos to the team for a gala event... Next time, just give me a ping if there is a contest going on

Am itching to win some more!! ;o) 

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Thirsty Thursday... Long Island Iced Tea

Yet another drink I enjoy is the "Long Island Iced Tea" . Was introduced to this by a friend at TGIF, Bangalore.  It so happened that the time we landed there was Happy Hours, and so we each got 2 drinks for the price of 1. I quite enjoyed the Long Island Iced Tea but it was a huge glass, and we spent nearly 4-6 hours there-  talking, catching up,eating, drinking, trying to finish 1 drink before moving on to another.. I recall she ordered something different, equally big and heavy.. It was fun.. 

I've had this drink in many other places, and it tastes the same, but comes in glasses of different shapes and sizes. At 10Downing Street and Fusion 9, it comes in a regular glass, but somewhere else [I forgot where], it came in a beautiful tall glass [like the one Cream center uses for their Iced Tea and it is a tall glass indeed]

From the 1st sip, I was curious what the drink had. And i managed to dig out this image I have saved on my Hard drive on how the Long Island Iced tea is made.. ;o) There is another drink called Long Island Beach Tea, but the ingredient[s] are tad different and I dint really like the taste of it.

And for those of you who follow The Big Bang Theory, this is one howlarious episode...

Submitting this for the Thirsty Thursday theme from Chennai Bloggers Club

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