Get Fattoosh-ed!

The team of Baba Fattoosh were very sweet to send us a complimentary meal so that we could give it a try. We must say that we were thrilled when the food arrived ( Who doesn’t like receiving food?).

We found their tagline of ”Tired of going out? Come back home” very catchy and actually, their food revolves entirely around this concept. The ”Ghar ka khaana” is what they aim at providing. And it’s true. When we tried the food, it was like eating a wonderful home-cooked meal: light, tasty and satisfying!

So here’s a quick intro about them and their team:
– Founded by Devesh Varshney, Harsh Bansal and SK Jafar. While Devesh curates and    decides the every-day menu, Harsh is the head of their ops. The head chef, SK Jafar, has – 13+ years of culinary experience (how cool is that?)
– They want to present healthy meal options to young working professionals who want good quality food at reasonable prices
– They change their menu every single day so that you never get bored.
– Their delivery time is just 45 minutes!
– 4.0 rating on Zomato (Must be good, eh?)

Now moving on to our most favorite part: The FOOD!
Bhindi Masala– Being staunch south Indians, we aren’t very used to Bhindi but this one changed our mind. It was so wonderfully cooked and had the perfect balance between crispy and soft. The strong Indian flavors were very prominent, with a hint of spice. Perfect to be had with roti or just by itself.

Paneer Pasanda– Very frankly, this is one of the best paneer gravy’s we have ever had. The gravy was so creamy and mild. The paneer was soft, melt-in-the-mouth and stuffed with kofta. The kofta went wonderfully with the paneer and the gravy. Must try!

Mint Raitha- Another favorite. This raitha was spicy and minty, with a taste of cucumber. It was very light and refreshing and the perfect accompaniment to the food.

Tawa Chicken-Perfect chicken. Not rubbery, but very well cooked. The gravy was very rich but not too spicy or overwhelming. It tasted very good with the pulkas.

Steamed Rice and Pulkas– You know the difference between home made and restaurant made? Well, this one tasted like pure home made. The pulkas were light and fluffy with no oil what so ever.

Once we were done with the meal, we were full but not overwhelmed. It is the most suitable meal to have on a regular or even daily basis as you will not feel that it is from outside. As their goal is, they do actually make healthy, reasonably-priced food.
So, next time, when you miss your home food, you know where to order from (and we do, too!)

Thanks for the wonderful meal, Baba Fattoosh.
Until next time (there will definitely be a next time!)

Ratings:
Service- 4/5
Packaging- 3.5/5
Food- 4/5
Happiness Quotient- 4.5/5!

Please note: This is a sponsored meal but the views expressed in this blog are solely the author’s and is not influenced by any outward sources.

A (W)Hole Lotta Love!

Haven’t we all heard time and again that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? So we went hunting for the best, most yummilious breakfast places in town. And what did we find? The Hole Lotta Love Cafe in Koramangala. The food here really made us fall in love.

It is located right in JNC road and is owned by the same people as Hole in the Wall cafe. 

The place: 

  

It is a quaint little cafe located on one floor split into two levels and is basically a house that has been converted into a cafe. The ambience is in no way spell binding but we would say that it has that retro, homely feel with hues of yellow and brown and spots of color here and there. It’s pretty cheerful too, with comfortable furniture, fairy lights and quirky quotes.

The Food: 

So we were quite ravenous and ended up ordering a lot of food. But, hey! No regrets, whatsoever. Here’s a sneak peak into our (not-s0-healthy) breakfast:

Peach Iced Tea- Peachy and refreshing. Had the right amount and blend of flavour and tea. Went well with the food.

    Peach Iced Tea

Indian Scrambled Eggs- This was the most disappointing dish of our meal. The description says “spicy” but it was very bland. It was quite ordinary with less masala and less flavour.

                   Indian Scrambled Eggs

Bob’s Hash Brown Omlette- This was one epic omelette. If you are a lover of potato, it’s a must try. It’s basically a wonderfully cooked hash brown sandwiched in an omelette. The softness of the omelette and the crispness of the hash brown is a perfect combination.
 Bob’s Hash Brown Omelette 

Chilly Cheese Corn Sandwich- Not any ordinary sandwich. It was spicy, it was cheesy, it was very well toasted and the corn was soft. It tasted great together.

  
  Chilli Cheese Corn Sandwich

Chocolate Waffles with Whipped Cream, Caramel sauce, Chocolate sauce and Nutella: Yes, it was as awesome as it sounds! The waffles here are one of the best we have had and we highly recommend it. It is so soft and melt-in-the mouth with a beautiful touch of cinnamon. With the toppings that we chose, it was absolute pure heaven. *Drool*

  
Chocolate Waffles

Psst.. We have heard that their ”Funky Monkey Waffles” are their trademark. We need to try that out the next time. You should too! 

Overall: 

Staff needs a little training when it comes to service. They have a tendency to mix or forget orders at times but they are very friendly and helpful. The prices are so worth it and will in no way burn a hole in your pocket. It is a really amazing place for breakfast and we loved every bit of it!

  
P.S: This is probably the only place in Bangalore which has a tub in its washroom (because it was a house before, remember?) 😛

 

Ratings: 

Ambience- 3/5

Food- 4.5/5

Value for money- 4/5

Service- 3/5

Happiness Quotient- 4.5/5!

  

Loved this quote.. Words to live by!  

 

 

 

 

#TTFSPECIAL- Perfect Profiterole at The Black Rabbit!

  

It’s time for Tales of Two Foodies #Special segment and for this one, we are writing (raving,actually) about this one dessert that we absolutely loved and devoured. 

As foodies who have major sweet tooth, we try our best to score the best desserts all through town and this time we were really lucky and satisfied! 

Where: The Black Rabbit, Indiranagar

What: Profiterole with Caramel and Custard 

A Profiterole is basically a French sous pastry with a filling inside. The one we had here was so soft, fresh and melt in the mouth. It was topped with gooey chocolate fudge and butterscotch nuts. 

The filling inside was a flood of flavours (it literally flooded out once we cut into it). There was sinful caramel sauce with fresh custard, both of which tasted just amazing together. Every bite was a piece of heaven with the soft bread of the Profiterole, a mix of chocolate, caramel and custard and the butterscotch bits being the cherry on top. 

It was served with vanilla ice cream in an edible praline tart which added a really nice, additional flavour to this dessert. By the end of it, the plate was a pool of all things delicious! 
  

For all those who believe in true indulgence and crave a sugar rush, this is a must try. Needless to say, this amazing, epic dessert will remain in our hearts (and our bellies, too, probably) for a very, very long time! 

Satisfaction level: Orgasmic! 

Beautiful bakes at The Baking Company!

We were invited for a special preview of The Baking Company, a hospitality brand of the Brigade Group. Here is a little introduction into their background and a sneak peak of what they have to offer..

 The Baking Company, also known as TBC, first began as an in house bakery of sorts, present in all the Brigade Clubs, exclusively available to their members. Their products were so loved that the demand steadily grew, prompting them to take TBC into the open for the public. The first ever kiosk of TBC has opened up in Orion Mall, Rajajinagar.

Unlike other baking companies or patisseries, the USP of TBC is to serve wholesome, good bakery products that taste good and are also healthy. The aim was to create food that would remind the people of Bangalore of those traditional bakeries known for its goodness and quality. Most of what is served has lesser calories, is gluten-free and without preservatives. They have managed to make it healthy, without compromising on the taste.

Their logo is that of a Red Velvet Cupcake- which also happens to be their signature dish (one that is totally worth the money, may we add). This Red Velvet Cupcake does not overwhelm you with a strong sweetish flavour. It is fresh, light with a touch of Vanilla and the cream cheese on top being melt-in-the-mouth. It definitely had the deliciousness of a Red Velvet Cupcake, without being overwhelming.

 Red Velvet Cupcake

TBC serves a large variety of eatables and drinks, from cookies to muffins to pastries to sandwiches and puffs to coffee and smoothies, all of which are uniquely different and refreshingly tasty. We give you our take on all the delicacies we tasted:

The Cookies: We had the Jowar, Melting Moments, Ragi and Masala cookies. All of these were fresh, soft and crumbly, with a nice taste of butter. Our special mention goes out to the melting moments which had actually cornflakes on it, making it very crispy and crunchy. The Masala cookies made us nostalgic as it tasted exactly like the ones you find in Iyengar Bakery, truly a delight!

 Cookies

The Muffins: We had two of them.

One was the Morning Glory Muffin with a beautiful blend of apples, carrots and made from wholesome oats. The orange marmalade served with it was mouth watering and tasted of fresh oranges! Great combination and absolutely perfect as a quick breakfast snack!

 Morning Glory Muffin

The other was the Jowar Banana Muffin. The best part was we could hardly taste the millets. The center of the muffin was so soft, with a very rich taste of banana. This one is a must try for banana lovers.

 Jowar Banana Muffin

Savouries: We were very happy to note that the savouries here are as good as their bakery products. Less oil, fresh products, great taste, this sums up their assortment of wraps, sandwiches and puffs.

Chicken Puff- This was not one of those oily, greasy puffs with a mound of hard stuffing inside. There was very minimal oil and the puff was crispy and flaky. The stuffing was spicy and delicious with the chicken being neatly minced.

 Chicken Puff

Paneer Sandwich- Soft, creamy paneer mixed with veggies and masala, sandwiched between fresh, wonderful bread. Tasted really amazing.

 Paneer Sandwich

Chicken Roll- Rolls that are hard, with bits of uncooked maida and bland stuffing are distasteful but this one was the totally opposite. The roll was very easy to bite in to and the stuffing was a joy. A mix of soft chicken, vegetables and loads of masala.The green chutney complemented it perfectly.

 Chicken Roll

Desserts:

The Carrot cake was perfectly made with a great taste of carrots and a touch of cinnamon which truly added a great flavor to it.

 Carrot Cake

The Kiwi pastry was a spectacular combination of fresh cream and real bits of kiwi fruit (and not just kiwi flavoring) in each layer of the cake. Amazing kiwi deliciousness!

 Kiwi Pastry

The Chocolate Coffee Mousse Cake again just melts away, leaving behind such a beautiful blend of chocolate, coffee and cream.

Chocolate Coffee Mousse Cake

TBC also has its range of drinks, from Cold Coffee which is a blessing for coffee lovers to Smoothies which are sweet, with ample amount of milk and flavour to even Cutting Chai which has a strong masala flavour, along with ginger for tea lovers.

While Bangalore does have a lot of such bakeries and confectionary places, there are very few that keep in mind the quality and freshness of the products being served. While the products here may not be overwhelming and may not give that ‘’sugar rush’’, it definitely will not disappoint taste wise. It also provides a wonderful alternative to other unhealthy eateries with its gluten-free, preservative-free products. It is definitely a must try for all those who believe in tasty and healthy eating!

Ratings:

Food- 4.5/5

Variety- 3.5/5

Value for Money 4/5

Happiness Quotient- 4.5/5!

Disclaimer- Our review for The Baking Company is not influenced by any external factors. We always strive to provide our honest opinion as we feel we owe it to everyone to not mislead.

Perfect Sunday at Puma Social Club!

Picture Courtesy: Livemint.com

We have all heard about Puma, the sportswear brand and we all do love it, don’t we? So, quite obviously, when they enter the Hospitality industry and open a spanking lounge, one would want to go visit it! Well, Puma Social Club is located very conveniently on 100 feet road, Indiranagar and very easy to spot.

Ambiance:

It is multi-storied building with seating on different floors. If one wishes to watch some sports on TV and chill near the bar, then the first floor would be the place to be. We, however preferred the rooftop as the comfortable couches, open sky, great view and the breezy Bangalore weather tempted us way too much. The ambiance at Puma is very casual, very chilled out.. A place where you can drink, eat and have a great time with pals. It is pretty dimly lit in the evenings with some really good music that totally adds to its ambiance. A thumbs up for this!

Food and drinks:

Moving on to what they have to offer. Even though they are a lounge, their meni So we ordered drinks, soup, appetizers and some mains. Here is a summary of it:

Cosmopolitan- Your regular cosmo cocktail. Thankfully, it was not too bitter and on the good side, it wasn’t just juice, it definitely had ample amount of alcohol in it.

  Cosmopolitan

Chicken Skewers- They serve three types of skewers (chimichurri, satay and black pepper). Each of them had tender chicken, distinct flavours and well cooked. In accompaniment, they served three different types of dips to go with it. With so many varieties, it was a burst of flavours and thoroughly enjoyable!

 Chicken Skewers

Stuffed potatoes- These are basically half-cut potatoes stuffed with cheese. We were pretty excited about this dish but it was a disappointment. The potatoes were not well cooked and there was hardly any cheese. The dish was dry and bland and can definitely be avoided.

 Stuffed Potatoes

Chicken Parmesan- It comes with a truly delightful combination of soft chicken, creamy mashed potatoes and a flavourful red sauce. The three aspects of this dish complimented each other perfectly.

 Chicken Parmesan

Penne Pesto Pasta- The Pesto sauce had a really strong flavour, garnished with herbs. The disappointment was the pasta as it was hard and not well cooked. On pointing this out, they quickly rectified their mistake, though.

 Penne Pesto Pasta

We Recommend:

Sugar Daddy- Swanky name, swanky drink. This was without doubt, one of the tastiest cocktails we have ever had. It is a great mix of alcohol with sugar and fruit syrups. If you are a cocktail person, then it is  must try!

 Sugar Daddy

French Onion Soup- This tasted like authentic Onion soup and not one of those fake ones. Not too strong, not too light, it had perfectly blended onions and topped off with cheese. It was just epic!

Overall:

           If we had to point out a con, it would be their hospitality. They definitely do keep to themselves and are courteous but they are neither very prompt nor very friendly. Even though we had reserved seats on the top floor, they initially refused. This is one aspect they might need to work on. The prices are pretty decent, definitely not reasonable but not sky high either.

Overall, however, we had a great time at Puma Social with the amazing ambiance, great cocktails, good food and a pleasant Sunday evening!

Ratings:

Ambiance- 4/5

Food and drinks- 3.5/5

Service- 3/5

Value for money- 3.5/5

Happiness quotient- 4/5!

Smally’s: Small place, great potential!

We had heard a lot about Smally’s at Usloor and we finally visited Smally’s at Church Street.

The location is great- bang in the beginning of Church Street, opposite Krispy Kreme and right next to Matteo Coffea, so there will be no difficulty finding it!

Ambiance:

When you see the entrance of Smally’s with its wooden door, brick walls, green planter boxes with a sign above proudly claiming ‘’Smally’s’’, you really do not what to expect inside. How was the inside? A big surprise! Its cute, cool, comfortable and cheerful. You have gilded mirrors adorned with pretty fairy lights, a graffiti wall, quirky quotes and posters, with pure brick walls.

Its dark inside but definitely has the happiness factor. Its perfect for friends to chill and for couples to canoodle. We were charmed by the ambiance!

Food:

How much had we heard about the food here? A lot! We had high expectations and we were not really disappointed. Here’s what we gorged on:

Red Velvet Cupcake Shake: If there is one word to describe this drink, its ‘’orgasmic’’. No, we are not kidding. Its one full delicious red velvet cupcake dunked into milk and cream, whipped together to create paradise. The best part is, you can actually taste the cupcake. How cool is that!

Red Velvet Cupcake Shake

Couch Potato: The couch potato is basically mashed potato, fried into a sort of cutlet. It was good, but the potato was not really ‘’mashed’’. The garlic mayo dip served with this tasted really creamy and tasty.

Couch Potato

Fat Rosy Burger: We had heard that Smally’s is known for their burgers. But the one we had is not one we would recommend. The home made vegetarian patty was soft and mild, the bun was fresh and the cheese sauce was proper in amount. What it lacked was flavor. To be blunt, it was bland.

                          The Fat Rosy!

Disco Chicken: It was a party with this chicken dish! Strips of soft, boneless chicken, topped with sweet and spicy sauce, served with a garlic mayo dip. It was the perfect bland of spicy and sweet.

Disco Chicken

We Recommend:

Red Velvet Cupcake Shake- If you do not drink this, you are losing out on a wonderful experience. No kidding!

Overall:

Great place, good food, a cheerful ambiance, prompt service. That kind of sums it up. The prices , too, are decent, costing around 800 for two.

PS- Smally’s has the potential to be a close competitor to Truffles!

Ratings:

Ambiance- 4/5

Food- 3.5/5

Service- 4/5

Value for money- 3.5/5

Happiness Quotient- 4/5!

BORED AT BOOTLEGGER!

Gastro pubs are the latest trend in the food scene in Bangalore and the number of these pubs are only increasing.

Bootlegger is one such place. On a rather warm afternoon, we decided to try out this place since it had been trending since quite a long time.

 So here’s our take on this place;

Ambiance:

This place is on Lavelle road, a little ahead of U.B city so you will be able to find without any hassles. Like most gastro pubs, this place has both outdoor and indoor seating. The outdoor seating is perfect for those breezy Bangalore evenings. They have a few tables here with high stools and chairs.

The indoor is very ‘woodsy’; the chairs and table are wooden and the walls are bricks.

These walls are adorned with quirky quotes and images , the graffiti style and making this place a hit with the young crowd.

Also, for some reason, there was no music during our time here. So it did get kinda boring.

Food:

Now onto the main part- The Food!

So since we were starved on this particular afternoon, we ordered quite a bit of food for two people.

For starters, we ordered Garlic wings and masala fries with cheese.

The garlic wings were a burst of flavour. It was the right amount of crispy and soft, just the way we like it. The portion was not too small either. There were about 5-6 pieces.

Garlic Wings

The masala fries are definitely not something you can handle if you are not fond of spicy food. The fries are topped with melted cheese. It comes in a huge portion that can easily be shared by 3-4 people. Not one of the best fries we’ve had.

Masala Fries

Next to arrive was maincourse- Cottage cheese steak and breakfast burger.

The breakfast burger was the most disappointing of the lot. The buns were rather hard, the eggs and bacon lacked seasoning. The burger was quite dry, not a hint of mayonnaise or cheese or butter whatsoever.

Breakfast Burger

The cottage cheese steak was no better. It came with a large patty of cottage cheese, a side of mash potato, veggies and sauce. The cottage cheese patty was rather bland. The mash potato was soft and creamy . The sauce was spicy and flavourful. The only redeeming part of this dish was the sauteed veggies which were delicious.

Cottage Steak Steak

Two starters and two maincourses and the bill came upto 1000 rupees. Not very great when you compare the rates with the taste and quality of food.

Service:

The service was prompt but a tad bit slow. The food took forever to arrive, but that’s understandable as this is not a fast food joint. Though a little hospitality wouldn’t hurt.

This place would be a good choice for a group of friends to hangout , maybe in the evenings and not for full fledged meals.

The final verdict:

Ambience – 3

Food- 2.5

Service- 3

Value for money- 2.5

Happiness Quotient: 2.5

TRUFFLES- Drool worthy food, paisa vasool prices!

When it comes to fast food café’s in town, Truffles is one of the oldest, tastiest and the best!

With two outlets on St. Marks Road, one in Koramangala and the other on New BEL Road, Truffles gets the crowds pouring in, with their quick service and their drool-worthy food.  

              

Ambiance:  

Their outlets are all pretty compact, quaint and cheerful.. with comfortable seating, quirky interiors and some good music. It is a nice place to chill and enjoy good food.

Whether it’s the white and yellow Mediterranean feel of Truffles Koramangala or the woodsy café feel of Truffles St. Marks road, the ambiance does do a good job in keeping your spirits high, especially with the constant bustle and energy in the place!

Food:

Blueberry shake: A thick, creamy shake with a delicious taste of blueberries, topped with blueberry jam. It’s a great milkshake, but quite filling.

Peach ice tea: Light and refreshing, with a perfect balance of tea and peach. Goes well with food, especially on humid days.

Pancakes: It was delicious the first time we had it, but the second time it was uncooked, lukewarm with no maple syrup.

Pancakes with Honey

Cheesy Mex Fries: French fries and cheese, topped with salsa and Mexican beans. Basically, Mexican style French fries and oh-so-good.

Very Veggie- The Truffle-style steak, with vegetables in a BBQ sauce, served with mild rice and creamy mashed potatoes. A really unique steak, totally worth a try.

Veg Lasagna- To the bland cheese, there was an addition of tomato-based sauce. Both the flavors clashed, making it bitter and flavorless.

Veg. Lasagna

Veg Paprika- Unlike their other dishes, the paprika was below par. The taste did not do justice to the flavor, which had too much pepper. Avoid.

All American Cheese Burger- A soft bun, oodles of cheese and a crispy patty. Need we say more?

We recommend:

Spicy Chicken Fingers: Must try. The best chicken fingers in town, with soft, well-cooked chicken, spicy masala and full of flavor. Best had with Truffles trademark mayo!

Spicy Chicken Fingers

Pasta Bianca: Keep aside Alfredo and Arabiatta, and have the Bianca here. One of a kind pasta that you wont find in many other places. It’s a red sauce pasta, very spicy and topped with bell peppers and zucchini. It’s rich in flavor and good for masala-crazy Indians

Pasta Bianca

Ferrero Rocher: Are you a lover of the famous Ferreo rocher? Then you need to try this. With chocolate cake and ferrero rocher, its an ultimate combination. It also happens to be one of Truffles signature desserts.

Ferrero Rocher Pastry

Tiramisu: The Tiramisu at Truffles is not very popular, but one of their best. It has the delightful combination of coffee, cream and chocolate bits and literally melts in the mouth.  If you have not had this, you are truly missing out on something.

The whole package:

The staff here are friendly, attentive and always on their toes. Irrespective of the crowd, the service is super quick. No complaints at all.

The prices? Its Paisa Vasool. For the variety, quality and taste of the food, the prices are very reasonable and totally worth it. Truffles allows you to gorge.

Ratings:

Ambiance- 3.5 stars

Food- 4.5 stars

Service- 4 stars

Value for money- 4.5

 Happiness Quotient- 4.5!