It has been a while since I have penned down my last post. Hopping between cities, shopping, catching up with friends, cousins, it has been a busy time. Food, undeniably forms the biggest contributor to my experiences either when I am at home or travelling.The health freak inside my head used to prick me from time to time, but I somehow managed a midway. Struggling with consciousness of eating outside on a daily basis and the joy of trying so many flavours, is a difficult place to be in right? Here is a brief review of what I had recently. I couldn’t take pictures of everything. Hence, mashed up collages for a simple peek-a-boo.
Wall Mural @ VJA; Dil Kush @ RJY ; mini appam cakes @home; Nutella WOFL; WOFL Ala Mode @ HYD
Yuktha: Their Maharaja Biryani Platter is well portioned and the service was quick. There was a striking difference between the taste of the seven biryanis. I stay away from biryanis mostly for two reasons – their volume and lack of distinguishing taste. But, the Maharaja Platter dispelled those thoughts inside me. The foodie in me was dancing. It had Andhra Mutton Biryani, Andhra Chicken Biryani, Hyderabad Chicken Biryani, Hyderabad Mutton Biryani, Mughalai Boneless Chicken Biryani, Chettinad Fish Biryani, Lucknowi Prawn Biryani. I felt heavy after four biryanis. Facepalm. One platter should be fine for two people with moderate appetite. But, if you are in a binge mode, I think you can have it all alone 😉
WOFL:I was floored by their Blueberry Waffle on my last visit, and I had to visit this place again. This time went there with two of my favorite people. I chose WOFL Ala Mode. It had Baked Apple and Cinnamon, the most lauded combination. It was soft, crusty and had a coconut-like taste with profusive cinnamon flavour. Others had a Nutella Waffle and King’s Meal. Both were extremely delicious.
Caramel Custard @SBOW; Cheese cake and Paan Kulfi @ BBQ N; Cream Stoned
Barbeque Nation – Jubilee Hills: Famous for their unlimited starters, this place always pleases my cravings for tender meat options. It is hard to recollect the exact names of the starter items. I liked the Chicken Wings and Ajwaini Chicken along with Prawns. Ajwaini Chicken caught my attention more than others. Fish starter was so light. I wonder which fish they used, for the meat held to the skewer very well. The cheesecake and the pastries were too sweet for my taste. Stopped by the Kulfi bar at the last and the idea of a paan flavoured Kulfi intrigued me. For the not so paan aficionado in me, it was quite pleasing. I think I should omit the toppings next time, to enjoy the actual flavour.
Simply South – Film Nagar: Ah! The ambience of this place is always comforting. The Annamaya Keerthana instrumental playing in the backdrop, along the delightful fragrance of dhoop stick (incense stick), brings warmth of home to mind. After going through the menu for n’th time, it was hard to recollect the exact names while ordering. Interesting food confuses me, always! We ordered Rasa Vada, Ullipaaya Kaara Pulsu and Kai Kari Mandi along with steamed rice. All of them were cooked to perfection. Ullipaaya Kaara Pulusu, a soupy curry with tomatoes, shallots and onions is a must try, especially for those who wonder if a simple dish could be finger-lickingly good. If you are anyone who is from Andhra or ever tried Andhra food, you must be quite familiar with the simple and yummy pulusu style curries. They are tangy and spicy gravy curries whose thickness can vary. Kai Kari Mandi would have been great along with rotis or any kind of flat bread. Nevertheless, I liked it so much that I ate it with rice. It is an assortment of vegetables in a spicy Chettinad gravy. There wasn’t any space left in the tummy for ‘Madhuram.’ Yeah, that’s the header for desserts in their menu! 😀
Soda Bottle Opener Wala: Ever since SBOW has opened in Hyderabad, it has become my favourite hangout place. I like the interiors of this place; it has a cozy appeal of a small vibrant cafe. Egg Kejriwal and Mawa Cake are my usual picks. I had Caramel custard on one meetup and had a full course with Chilli Cheese Pav, Veg Dhansak and Prawn Patio the other time. Yeah, I hit the place twice in the last week.
Garlic Naan @ chutneys; Burger King Whopper; Spring Roll @ Chutneys; Dhansak @ SBOW
Punjabi Affair: Sitting cross-legged on a couch and slurping the non-vegetarian platter while catching up with friends is surely the best way to spend a Sunday afternoon. The place has some quirky posters portraying Punjabi’s philosophy about food.
@Punjabi Affair
Apart from these, also tried Burger King for the first time. Tired of simple burgers from McDonalds, I found the Mutton Whopper refreshing. I could get the taste of mutton and was extremely satisfied with the veggie portion and sauces.
Another dessert, that caught my attention is called Dilkush, a khova ball wrapped in a layer of carrot halwa from Anand Sweets at Rajahmundry.
Orange Candy@ SBOW 😀
I have been to a workshop on ‘Basics of Baking’ today at El Pastel in Hyderabad. It is a two day workshop. Here is a little sneak peak into the same.
Banana Cake and Red Velvet Cake @ El Pastel, HYD
More details about the workshop in tomorrow’s post. Stay tuned!
tadka tales 