Review: Smoke House Deli

The oh-so-popular Smoke House Deli has opened a new outlet at BKC. We attended the preview dinner and here's what we tried!

The lovely looking signature cocktails- Fruit, Herb and Floral Infusions.

Californian Plum, Star Anise, Lily and Vodka

Kiwi, Melon, Jasmin and Vodka 

We started our meal with the Paprika Puffs. Crispy and delicious, with a strong kick of Wasabi. If your taste buds can't handle too much spice, make sure you mention it to the chef while placing your order.

Paprika Puffs with Wasabi

The mains were delicious! The Pan Charred Vegetables and Cheddar Sandwich with Chipotle Mayo is a great option for the veggies. Crunchy vegetables with a flavourful hint of Chipotle. They say, cooking risotto rice perfectly well is the toughest. Smoke House Deli does a fairly good job with their Smoked Mushroom Risotto! Carnivores can add Chicken or Prawns to the same. Last but not the least, the Peri Peri Rubbed Smoked Chicken with Smoked Pimento Reduce was quite a winner. The Chicken was Tender and delectable, definitely our favourite.

 

Smoke House Deli is usually popular for their desserts, but guess, they were having a bad day. The Philly Cheesecake was grainy and not smooth although the flavour was perfect. The Flourless Fudge Cake on the other hand was warm but not warm enough. 

Philly Cheesecake

Flourless Chocolate Fudge with Ice Cream

Smoke House Deli has been a favourite since it opened at Lower Parel. We hope it maintains the standard and quality through all its outlet and we will definitely keep visiting!

Venue: Smoke House Deli 

FIFC Building, Bandra Kurla Complex

Landmark: Behind Starbucks  

Phone: 02226530762 

Follow:

Smoke House Deli  at @SmokeHouseDeli

Mumbai Candid at @ChandniT @MumbaiCandid

Review: Amritsari Tadka

When we heard of Amritsari Tadka's launch in the neighbourhood, we expected a hard core North Indian Dhaba like experience. Did the place meet our expectations? Read on to know...

When we entered Amritsari Tadka, which has been started by the same group as Only Parathas, we were a little upset about the ambience. An average looking restaurant with little or no sign of Amritsar. 

Tikka Platter

The service was impressive though: Servers were prompt and well trained, the restaurant was clean and pretty crowded on a Friday afternoon.

We ordered what the server recommended, a platter of tikkas, a 'Chinese' prawn starter (yes, they serve Chinese as well) and a Lemongrass mocktail to begin with. Amongst the starters, our favourite was the Ajwaini Fish Tikka - perfectly cooked and full of flavour.

Amritsari Naan and Prawns with Raita

In the mains, we had the Prawn gravy alongwith the signature Amritsari Naan. The mains didn't impress us much. A little more spices could have helped!

Sizzling Brownie

For the desserts, we had the jalebi with rabdi and the sizzling brownie. The jalebi was not hot enough although it was juicy and crispy! The sizzling brownie was... umm... we have definitely had better.

Overall, Amritsari Tadka is a great option for the kitty party ladies or for a family dinner! Skip it if you're planning a date or looking to have a traditional Punjabi meal!

Venue: Amritsari Tadka
Linking Road, Khar West

Landmark: Level below Only Parathas

Phone: 022 66694199

Follow: 
Mumbai Candid at @ChandniT @MumbaiCandid

Review: Philips Saeco Espresso Machine

Ever thought of waking up to a cup of hot cappuccino just like you would get at your favourite cafe? With the Philips Saeco Espresso Machine, you can make that possible.


Philips has launched this new coffee machines for residential use, targeting the business class. With this machine, you can manually select options and make yourself an Espresso, Mocha, Macchiato and the likes, but the automatic function only lets you make a Cappuccino.

What we like: The Cappuccino tasted as good as it could get. The Espresso was also quite impressive. You could select how strong you want your coffee to be. Also, it's quick and takes less than a minute to get one cup of coffee.

What we dislike: The machine is not very user friendly and can get quite complicated if you're tech-challenged. In a day, the machine can serve upto 50 cups of coffee, hence it is not recommended for commercial use. The coffee servings are not quite consistent, the first cup might look and taste quite different from the second cup. The internal cleansing process of the machine is tedious and unavoidable.

Our take: For a cost as high as Rs.75,000, we hope that the machine would be easier to use and less complicated. Although, if you love your morning coffee and don't mind spending a few extra bucks on it, then this one is for you!

What: Philips Saeco Espresso Machine
Where: Any consumer electronic outlets : Click Here
Price: Rs.75,000

Review: Chef's Basket Recipe Kit Penne Pasta

When we first heard of Chef's Basket Gourmet Recipe Kits, we were absolutely amazed by the concept. All the ingredients you need to prepare a dish, in one box, sounds very cool. 



Soon enough, we received the Creamy Tomato Penne Pasta recipe kit for a trial. Firstly, the packaging is quite amazing, with all the ingredients in a triangular cardboard box. These guys have spent some time and money in preparing a good looking kit!


The box contained Penne Pasta, Creamy Tomato Pasta Sauce, Black Olives, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Sea Salt and Mixed Herbs. All you had to do is follow a simple recipe printed on one side of the box, using all the ingredients in the pack, and any of you own (if you want) and prepare the pasta! The pasta tasted delicious, something like you would get at an Italian fast food restaurant. 




The recipe kits are quite impressive although the pricing seems to be a bit too steep. Rs.250 for a pasta kit which can serve as a meal for two. We would rate it a 3 and a half on 5 for the delicious taste and appealing presentation! 

What: Chef's Basket Gourmet Recipe Kit
Where: You can get it at your nearest supermarket, e.g. Big Bazaar, Nature's Basket, etc.
Price: The Penne Pasta Recipe kit is priced at Rs.250 whereas the Burrito Recipe Kit is priced at Rs.350 (6 Burritos).

Zumba your way to good health!

Full of zeal, Vin Iyer conducts 15 Zumba classes per week at her studio in New Jersey, USA. She is a certified Zumba jammer (a fitness trainer qualified to teach Zumba) in the business since 2007, and the first ever to have conducted workshops in India. This month, she becomes a trainer of the trainers at Talwalkars Mumbai. But first, we sit her down to share fitness tips and tell us why Zumba rocks. Edited excerpts from the interview...

Zumba is exercise in digsuise, says Vin Iyer

How is a Zumba workout different from a regular dance or aerobics class?

Zumba creates a party-like atmosphere in the class and it’s not just about working out. We like to call it exercise in disguise! Aerobics might make for a good workout but there’s no fun factor involved so chances of losing interest over a period of time are high.

We’re partial to dance! Do you think Zumba is more effective?

Yes, it could be more effective. Students seem to dance more in a Zumba class because they’re truly enjoying the moves and the music. Moreover, it is an intense cardio-based activity where your entire body is required to contribute.

How many calories could we expect to burn in an hour-long class?

It depends on the intensity of the moves, but on an average you could burn 500-700 calories per hour.  Can’t beat that! It also depends on how good the trainer is. So far, the trainers I have interacted with at Talwalkars ensure that the clients get desired results and also enjoy the workout.

So the trainers in Mumbai are experienced enough to teach Zumba?

Absolutely, they already have so much dance experience, great Zumba moves and immense stamina. Talwalkars has a progressive instructor-support program where they teach new and relevant skills.

We’re the lazy types, you know. Do we need a certain level of fitness to join a Zumba class?

Some students may need to modify the moves but they can still benefit from the class. Zumba need not always be fast and hard. It is made for everyone. 

Vin, tell us the secret behind your fighting-fit body.

Staying consistent with workouts is very important in maintaining a good weight.  I believe diet too, plays a key role in keeping your body in shape.  I like to indulge (in sinful foods) of course but I limit it to a few times a month.  You could decide when you want to indulge without letting it interfere with your diet and workout schedule.  Be consistent, be persistent.

About Talwalkars Zumba Fitness

The fitness experts at Talwalkars insist that Zumba fitness is a fun workout that will help you shed the extra kilos. Zumba is a combination of dance and movement set to pacey music, a fitness form that dates back to the 90s. Fitness centres of Talwalkars at Warden Road, Chembur, Mulund, Kharghar, and Seawoods Navi Mumbai host Zumba sessions. To join a class, call 022-33710100

-- By guest blogger Diti Shah