The New York style Pizzas at Sbarro

Sbarro was founded by Gennaro and Carmela Sbarro, when they emigrated from Naples to New York in 1956. Today, Sbarro has over 800 outlets serving New York style Pizzas in more than 40 countries. Other than pizzas it also specializes in pastas, stromboli, and other Italian­ American cuisine. Announcing its arrival at Gurgaon, India in 2014, it has followed up with its recent outlet in Connaught Place.

Pepperoni Pizza

For a pizzeria, it is a big place, two floored with a live pasta and pizza station just at the entry.The spread here is quite huge, one can never taste all the pizzas in one seating, however we tried to achieve the impossible. Each pizza and pasta is served with a garlic bread and tomato basil sauce. We were told by the chef to not use fork and knife, but rather eat it New York style i.e. fold from the middle of the crust and eat.

Sbarro's Hand Stretched Pizza Dough

We started off with the Pepperoni Pizza, which is loaded with lots of thin sliced pepperoni, mozzarella and Sbarro's own savory tomato sauce. As Sbarro also uses its own hand-stretched dough, the base of every pizza is very soft and has an even flavor.

New York Cheese Pizza

Then came the classic New York Cheese Pizza, a simple yet one of the most popular ones of Sbarro, it is served with their signature sauce made with tomato, fresh basil, olive oil and spices, topped with 100% mozzarella cheese.

White Pizza

The highlight of the afternoon was the White Pizza made of ricotta cheese and mozzarella. The chef told us that once you bite through their white pizza you will never put the slice down, and this is indeed true. What makes this pizza so good was the fact that the cheese they use are 100% dairy cheese, giving the taste a whole new dimension.

Sausages and Pepperoni Stuffed Pizza

Next, we were introduced to a new addition to the pizza line­up, a Stuffed Pizza. Amazed by the pepperoni pizza and the fennel flavoured sausage in stromboli, we ordered the Sausage and Pepperoni Pizza, which is a visual delight. Looking more like a pressed sandwich this preparation is a unique addition to their range of regular pizzas. One slice of this pizza is a meal in itself, but this doesn't stop you from grabbing another slice.

An interesting preparation of a pizza, Stromboli, was served next. It is a rolled pizza, with fennel flavored sausages and mozzarella cheese stuffing. It is quite filling and is a masterpiece with less ingredients used.

Stromboli

After so many pizzas, we were served with the Bolognese Pasta, the spaghetti and the meat are cooked to perfection, they use their in house tomato basil sauce which gives the pasta that authentic italian flavour, with optimum amount of seasoning.

Bolognese Pasta

Sbarro is famous for its Frosted Carrot Cake, which is a three layered moist carrot cake studded
with raisins and nuts and covered with fresh cream cheese frosting and walnuts.

Frosted Carrot Cake

Sbarro is an innovative pizzeria which focuses on customer satisfaction by bringing out the best in their dishes. This place is a must go for pizza lovers.

Price for 2: 800/­

Address:  N-4, N Block,
Connaught Place,
New Delhi

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The El Posto Magic at Karkardooma

Neatly tucked into a corner of the Aditya Mega Mall in Karkardooma, El Posto has gained great traction in Delhi due to their exceptional bakery products like the Red Velvet and Banoffee Pie. Though the restaurant is known for mastering the intimate chemistry between the batter and the cream, it also serves various dishes from the Italian, Mexican and Lebanese cuisine.

Banoffee Pie

The restaurant is spread over two floors, the lower one serves as a cafe with bakery section while the upper is a classy fine dine. The ambience is extremely calm and soothing with abundant natural lighting and artificial greenery.

Bruschetta Con Funghi

We started off with the Bruschetta Con Funghi, which is one of the signature bruschetta preparations at El Posto. Topped with cheese and sauteed mushrooms, this buttery bread delight has a creamy but seasoned taste. While some people might prefer adding a bit more oregano, it tastes marvellous even without it.

Fish Fingers in Tartar and Marinara sauce

The Fish Fingers, which were up next, though small in size is served in substantially large numbers making it quite sufficient for munching over spicy gossips. Served with the tangy marinara sauce and the creamy tartar sauce, the basa fillets are diced and fried to a crispy and crunchy perfection.

Italian Smooch

Amongst the mocktails, the Italian Smooch and the Mint Mango Margarita were absolute delights. The Italian Smooch which is an exotic mocktail has the goodness of lime, ginger and brown sugar making it extremely refreshing while the Mint Mango Margarita was its bang opposite with mint leaves and mango ice-cream making it a calming smoothie.

Mint Mango Margarita

Some of the newer entries into the El Posto menu include the Fish Float, Grilled Chicken in Mushroom sauce and a whole new variety of thin crust pizzas. The Fish Float is basically steamed basa fish stuffed with spinach and ricotta cheese and served on a bed of butter garlic sauce accompanied by sauteed vegetables. The fish was evenly cooked with the little bitter taste of the spinach nicely complementing the natural sweetness of the fish in butter garlic sauce.

Fish Float

Contrary to popular beliefs, thin crust pizzas can be filling, especially the ones made at El Posto. The Spinach and Mushroom pizza with Feta cheese has both the goodness of the mushrooms and the slight bitterness of the spinach. Extremely tasty, this is a must try for not only vegetarians but staunch non- veggies too. While they have Italian flavours, they have our very loved Chicken Tikka Pizza too which is topped with chicken tikka chunks, onions and cheese.

Spinach and Mushroom Pizza with Feta Cheese

Though a slight bit heavy on the pocket, the quality of the food very well justifies the pricing. Almost everything is in house prepared by the chefs, which guarantees the freshness of the daily products along with specific customisation if told earlier.

Cost for two - Rs 1200/-

Address:
36-37, Aditya Mega Mall,
Karkardooma,
New Delhi

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Arabic Cuisine in Hyderabad

Hyderabad is home to significant number of Arabs especially Yemenis. Traditionally Arabic restaurants are based in Barkas area in old city, but most of these restaurants are not family friendly. Here we talk about few places that have started operating in other areas of Hyderabad, like Banjara Hills, Mehdipatnam and Tolichowki areas.

What is loosely called Arabic cuisine is actually dishes from different countries starting from Egypt and Turkey to Lebanon to UAE and Oman. On offer are Kabsa and Mandi, the biryani equivalents as well as shawarma, the quick service food. Sweets like Umm Ali, Basbusa, Baklava and Kunafeh  as well as Falafel, Hummus and Baba Ganoush are quite easily available.

Kabsa Laham at Spice 6

Spice 6

Spice 6, a restaurant which has opened at Banjara Hills offers the Arabic delicacies in a family friendly environment.  The flavorful Arabic dish, rice based Kabsa Laham is topped with delicious and soft mutton (cooked just right and falling off the bones) and the aroma of the spices used almost precedes the dish as it is brought to the table. The tomato based dip served along with it is simply delicious.

Mutton Grill and Chicken Kabab at Spice 6

The grilled meat served by the restaurant is also highly recommended. The Grilled Mutton is low on oil and it had the best quality tender meat, flavorful with herbs and spices. It goes famously with the garlic dip served with it. The Chicken Kabab with green chutney is also not much behind in terms of taste.

Fattoush at Spice 6

The vegetarian salad Fattoush with pieces of toasted pita bread. The chick pea based Hummus  is savoured with the soft pita breads served with it.  And finally, the Shawarma available here is easily one of the best in Hyderabad.

Marhaba

Tucked in a lane off Langar House Road, Marhaba is known for its delicious Arabic  snack items as well as Mandi and Khabsa. A traditional Arabic style floor seating is available here as you find in various places of Barkas.  The live counter in front of the hotel is busy making Arabic Shawarma, a fried version of shawarma with chicken inside. The garlic chutney served with the Arabic Shawarma is also so great that it can just be had standalone too. They also have the normal shawarma with pita bread or roomali.

Muttabaq at Marhaba

Muttabaq is another delicious dish available here. It is essentially a filling of egg, chicken and veggies folded in a square shaped paratha and pan fried. I found it very similar to Moglai Parota of Bengal.  The filling is quite rich and thick and it can be a meal in itself. The place is also known for the Kabsa and Mandi available here.

Arabic Fried Shawarma

Arabiska

This is on another bylane in Tolichowki just ahead of Shah Ghouse. This looked much more family friendly than the other places.  They too have an option of traditional seating with recliner pillows and tripods on which food is served.

Traditional Arabic Seating at Arabiska

This place is known for its Mandi, another Arabic rice based dish available with chicken, mutton or fish as options. The Mandi is flavorful with abundant fried onions and raisins.  It is served with a red and green chutney. The mutton in the mandi is soft and smokey.  The food is not spicy but very aromatic. The seekh kababs here are also quite delicious.

Laham Mandi

Al-Hejaz

Inside an Arabic Sandwich

A small café , they are known for their Arabic sandwiches. The Arabic sandwiches are made in front of you with roomali rotis or pitas, veggies, eggs, abundant meat, and French fries. For people off meat, the Sabbah Sandwich with boiled eggs and falafel is a must try. The other variants which can be tried are Egg and Sausage Sandwich and Chicken Sandwich.  It is a treat to stand near the counter and see the sandwiches being assembled.

However, apart from these there are many other hidden gems especially in Langer Houz and Tolichowki which can be explored. Maybe we will talk about them another day.

Addresses:

Spice 6
Road No 1, Banjara Hills  (Near Road No 12 junction)
Telephone 040 33165367

Marhaba
Moghal Residency, Nanal Nagar X Roads. Mehdipatnam
Telephone  9032105624

Arabiska
Inside a lane ahead of Shah Ghouse, Yousuf Tekdi, Toli Chowki
Telephone: 8297447059, 040 65888822

Al Hejaz Cafetaria
Tallagad Road, Opp New Premier Hospital, Nanal Nagar
Telephone  8801733845

Note: A special thanks to my friend Taher Syed for guiding me to these hidden gems.

Also Read: A Taste of Kabul in Hyderabad

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Quick Bytes: Naughty Lucy Burger at Dunkin Donuts

With a wonderful makeover, Dunkin Donuts recently relaunched their outlet at Connaught Place, Delhi. The entire outlet was renovated and is now branded as one of their signature stores which stands in all its grandeur in the heart of CP. While Dunkin Donuts mainly specialises in coffee and donuts, their mean Tough Guy and Heaven Can Wait burgers have surely drawn a lot of craze. The relaunch provided a novel opportunity for trying out their most recent innovation, the Naughty Lucy Burger which comes in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian variety.

Naughty Lucy Non Veg Burger.  Photo Courtesy - Dunkin Donuts

The Naughty Lucy Burger has a sourdough bun unlike the bagel buns in the Tough Guy but has a significantly thicker chicken patty. The white cheddar cheese which is in the center of the patty provides the much required creaminess which along with the chipotle sauce and fresh veggies create a riot of tastes in the mouth. Extremely filling, the dripping sauces and cheese will make sure that you lick your fingers after every bite or finish a stack of napkins in no time. However, the burger has a tendency to get soggy if not consumed immediately and so is not such a good fit for delivery or takeaway.

Cost  - Rs. 195/-

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Fork You Too : All About Steaks

An old school classic bar situated in the heart of Delhi, Fork You is quite reputed for serving sumptuous steaks and specially crafted burgers. After a great success at Hauz Khas Village, it has opened another outlet at Gurgaon Sector 29 Market and has provocatively named it - Fork You Too.

Crispy Onion Rings

The place is much bigger than their Hauz Khas outlet and is a perfect party place with loud music and spacious seating. There were strobe lights, an F * * K sign, and a bar area which will be sufficient to cater to the huge crowd that this joint will be attracting.

Fork You Too Interiors

We went there for just steaks and were impressed by the quality and portion of steaks served. All the steaks were done medium rare with juices oozing out on each cut, perfectly maintaining the tenderness of the tenderloin steaks. Accompanied by mashed potatoes and sauteed vegetables, each steak is quite filling and will leave you completely satisfied.

They have four types of tenderloin steaks in their menu: Herb Garlic, Beer Herb, Bloody Mary and Pepper, all done in different types of sauces. The beef tenderloin which is a version of the Eye Fillet from New Zealand  and Australia, is usually a cut from the loin of cow, but in India, a buffalo is used instead.

Beer and Herb Steak

The Beer Herb Steak was a slight bit well done but was well marinated with the herbs giving the steak an even taste followed by a beery aftertaste. The flavours were well complemented by the mashed potatoes and didn't mask the natural taste of beef.

The star of the show was the Bloody Mary Tenderloin Steak, which came with the Bloody Mary sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco and other combinations of other spices. It
had a strange spicy combination that will hit your aftertaste and will enhance the experience further.

Bloody Mary Steak

The Pepper Steak was just perfect, a warm medium rare grade with a hint of red and pink at the center of the steak.The simplistic yet distinct flavor and aroma of peppercorn gave the steak a whole new dimension while the pepper sauce didn't overwhelm the juicy and tender steak.

Pepper Steak

Set in a prime location, Fork You Too can do wonders with their healthy mix of cocktails and finger food like Onion Rings and Chicken Wings. Their quality, quantity and the presentation has always impressed the masses right from the Fork You days.

Cost for two : Rs. 2000/­-

Address:  Fork You Too
Sector 29, Gurgaon.

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Kitchen Off Kuchipudi : Offering a Rich Variety from Telugu Cuisine

The wide popularity of Telugu cuisine has seen many new restaurants opening their doors in Hyderabad, Kitchen Off Kuchipudi is one such new place. The restaurant is quite close to the Inorbit Mall and has been started by the same management which runs the Weekend at Kuchipudi near Raidurgam.

Gongura Fish Kabab

A few of us were invited to visit the restaurant for a tasting session of their signature items. The main restaurant is in the first floor of a hotel, and a private room in the ground floor also has a separate 16 seater facility.

Tiranga Kabab

To start with, a wide range of veg and non-veg starters were served to us. Though generally most of them were very good, a few that especially caught our fancy were Gongura Fish Kabab and Tiranga Kabab (three kababs in our national flag colors lined up on skewers). The variation of taste of the three colored kababs indeed made it a special dish.

Telugu Kabab

They also have a kabab aptly named Telugu Kabab which was spicy enough to suit the local palate. Another starter is Bangla Kodi – which is essentially fried chicken in potato jackets.

Melting Paneer Kabab

Subramanya Express (an assortment of spicy fried vegetables) and the Melting Paneer Kabab were the vegetarian delights. Aar Akulu, a spring roll like starter with a filling of six different leafy vegetables was also a great concept.

Tandoori Korameenu

 The Tandoori Korameenu was a full murrel fish presented beautifully on a plate. The Kodi Kheema Garelu (Mutton Mince Medu Vadas) was also an unique dish.

Hara Pudina Kheema Pulao

Next were a set of rice based items which Kitchen Off Kuchipudi has already become famous for. My favorites were the Pedamma Mamsam Pulao, Mastan Keema Annam and the Hara Pudina Keema Pulao.

Gundama Gari Gongura Annam

Among the vegetarian dishes  the 3G (Gundama Gari Gongura) Annam is a complete meal by itself. It is served with chips, ghee, curd and pappu charu as sides.

Pedamma Mamsam Pulao

We wanted to taste some curries. Simhapuri Kodi Koora (a curry prepared with chicken kababs) went well with the naans and rotis.

The meal ended with some kulfies and junnus. Junnu is a  Telugu dessert prepared from the milk of a cow which has given birth the previous day.

Visit the place especially for the wide range of starters and rice based items. I am sure their constant experimentation will throw up lots of new recipes in the near future.

Address:  Kitchen Off Kuchipudi, 11 D, Brindhavan Colony, Durgam Cheruvu Road, Hitech City, Madhapur, Hyderabad

Telephone: 040 33165376

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Chili's - The Sweet, Smoky and Hot additions to the menu

With the advent of winter, many restaurants are showcasing innovative new items on their menu. Chili’s Grill & Bar, the reputed American restaurant at Inorbit Mall, Hyderabad has introduced a special list of items in addition to their regular menu for a limited time. The theme of the new offerings can be broadly categorised into three flavors – sweet, smoky and hot. The drinks menu has also been augmented with the addition of seasonal watermelon drinks.

Invited to try out the new menu, we started by ordering the two watermelon based drinks. The alcoholic Watermelon Margarita had the fruit puree along with ice and a bit of tequila. The freshness of the watermelon was very apparent in the drink, and the tequila added zing to it.

Watermelon Margarita

The other beverage was Watermelon lemonade – the non-alcoholic drink combining the fruit puree with the refreshing flavor of lemonade. The watermelon taste in this drink was even stronger than in the margarita.

Smoked Salmon Salad

Next on our table was the Smoked Salmon Salad. I liked the presentation of the dish. The salmon pieces which had the smokey flavor was served with diced avocados, feta cheese, onions and cabbage in a delicious lemony dressing. The tostada chips served alongside went famously with the salad.

Spicy Shrimp Pasta

The Smoked Spicy Shrimp Pasta had medium sized shrimps and pasta in a cheesy Alfredo sauce. Veggies, cilantro and chilies were used to garnish the dish, which was served with garlic bread.

Pork Baby Back Ribs. Photo Courtesy: Chili's

I am a porkaholic and could not miss out on the Sweet Mustard Seed Baby Back Ribs. The pork rib rack looked delicious and was served with a full corn and some French fried.  The sweet and smoky barbecue sauce used for the ribs had mustard seeds and honey in it.  The pork meat was of the right texture, and was delightful.

Smoked Garlic Tenderloin

We debated between the Smoked Quarter Chicken and Smoked Garlic Tenderloin and ultimately decided in favor of the latter. The medium tenderloin was served with mashed potatoes and sauteed broccolini. Roasted garlic pods on the tenderloin provided a unique taste along with the sweet honey based chipotle sauce.

Sizzling Brownie

We ended our meal with Sizzling Brownie – a chocolate brownie topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce.

The menu has many other interesting items like Pulled Chicken Corn Cakes and Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas.  For vegetarians, the chicken is replaced with paneer in the last two dishes. The hallmark of the new menu is the combination of different flavors in the dishes prepared. The limited edition items will be available till end of January 2015.

Address: Chili’s Grill and Bar
F-48, 1st Floor, Inorbit Mall, Hi-Tech City, Madhapur, Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad – 500081

Telephone: 040 40126801

Also read: The New branch of Chili's at Banjara Hills

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Quick Bytes : Shiv Tikki Wala, Karkardooma

Shiv, who is more popularly known as Shiv Tikki Wala had started selling tikkis in 1992, setting up a small makeshift thela arrangement. Over the years, the sheer quality of his products saw him expand into other snack items like Pav Bhaji, Malai Chaap and Tikkis as well as afford a bigger and better establishment. Now, after 20 years, he owns a big roadside dhaba like setting with tons of cars parked outside to have a taste of his delightful wares.

Pav Bhaji at Shiv Tikki Wala

Exploring the place with fellow food lover Sanju Aneja, we tried out his Tikki Chaat and Pav Bhaji. A huge dollop of butter on the bhaji along with chopped coriander, onion and a dash of lemon the dish was lip smacking causing a whole riot of flavours in the mouth . The aloo tikki chaat was great too and the tikki had a crispy exterior with well mashed potatoes creating the perfect filling.

Tikkis being fried

Cost for two - Rs 150

Address:
Ground Floor, Pramesh Tower,
Karkardooma Centre,
Anand Vihar, New Delhi

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New Menu at Olive Bar and Kitchen, Mehrauli

One of the most well known restaurants in Delhi, Olive Bar and Kitchen has a wonderful setting of a Mughal mansion turned into an al fresco Mediterranean restaurant. Invited for sampling their winter menu which was specially curated by Chef Sujan Sarkar, we were impressed with the european influence in the dishes, each having a distinct flavour worth dying for.

Muscovy Duck Breast

We started off with the Oysters in Spinach, Cheese and Paprika. While we did expect Chef Sujan to serve some fantastic dishes, the oysters came out of the blue (No pun intended!!). Served on its half shell on a bed of salt, the oyster preparation was in a creamy cheese base with spinach and paprika to spice it up. The only thing missing was some warm slices of bread to go along with the cheesy and tasty juices left over after eating the oysters.

Oysters with Spinach, Cheese and Paprika

With the winter fast approaching, there has been an increased demand for hot cocktails in many bars and restaurants. Alcohol generally takes the chill off during the winters, but a hot cocktail works even better. The winter menu at Olive featured the Hot Velvet which was a rich, flavourful amalgamation of Earl Grey tea with Grey Goose Vodka. Spiced with cinnamon, orange rind and a star anise, the drink is a tailor made for a bad cold or an itchy throat during winters.

Hot Velvet

However, the star of the night was the Melting Camembert. Baked optimally, the Normandy cheese which is supposed to be made from unpasteurized milk was soft and creamy, placed in a bed of mushrooms fried in garlic and thyme. Served with a wheat toast, the dish was presented in an iron pan on a wooden platter.

Melting Camembert

The Braised Belgium Pork Belly which was served next, came in with a pulled pork croquette and apricot piccalilli . More than the dish itself, it was the pulled pork croquette, a spherical breadcrumbed roll with pork filling, which impressed me as it formed an excellent combo with the vanilla mash.

Braised Belgium Pork Belly

Other than the fantastic cheese based Oyster delight, Chef Sujan's menu also contained the pressure grilled Muscovy Duck Breast and the Chilean Sea Bass. The Irish Angus Sirloin, roasted in butter, was served with a horseradish and sour cream mash to complement each others flavour.

Chilean Sea Bass

Overall, an extremely satisfying experience at Olive Qutub. With more emphasis on infusing European delights into Olive's Mediterranean culture, Chef Sujan seems to surpass his previous efforts with ease.

Address :

Olive Bar & Kitchen
Haveli No. 6, One Style Mile,
Kalka Das Marg, Mehrauli
New Delhi

Telephone: 011 - 29574444 

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