Arbor Brewing Company

In our quest to do the most in the two weeks that we were without the little one, the one thing on the agenda was to head to a brewery. After a lot of this-one-no-that-no-how-about-that-one we settled on Arbor Brewing Company - decent distance for all, valet parking (which like clods we did not avail) and a lot of good things that we had heard about the place. As we stepped in, huge vats within a glass encased structure greet you and this overall feeling that you are going to be very happy in a while washes over you (at least it did for me). We settled down on the tables to begin with, but then decided to move to the benches set out in the middle - better lighting. 

The beer range can have your scrambling for a while and we took the advice of a friend with us and asked for a sampler - 8 shots of the popular brews being served and then you can decide on what you would like to have. Very thoughtful, considering not everyone walks in with a brilliant sense of which beer to have. After a few oohs, aahs and eeyucks, we each knew what we wanted. So onto the table came the Big Ben, the Blonde and a brand new Belgian brew, Endless Summer. One of us decided to go with the Long Island Ice tea. 

We ordered something to nibble on as well and decide to start with the Turkish Lamb Kebab and the Beer battered Fish (but of course!). 

A partial view of the table and the bench seating. There is also an
outdoors section for those who smoke. 

Loved these lights but they killed my photos

The beer sampler

As I sit down to write this, I now realize that I never took a shot of the full size beer glasses when they came along. The beers come in 330ml and 500ml glass choices. Such must have been our enthusiasm to get started. So the Big Ben is a pale ale. Its good if you are planning a long session of drinking, because the relatively lower level of alcohol makes it easier to keep going. It does have a tinge of bitterness to it, but it balances itself out as you continue. This beer went perfectly with the Turkish Kebab and the Battered Fish.

The Blonde is a spiced ale made in the French Belgian style. If you don't like bitter beers, then this is the one for you. It has a citrusy touch to it and went ideally with the Turkish Kebab and later with the spicy fried calamari that we ordered. This would have been my second choice post the Endless Summer that I asked for. The Endless Summer is a new entry to the menu and is a light and really fruity beer. I really liked it from the get go. It combines orange peel and coriander, two tastes you get alternatively as you sip along. Great with salads and citrus based dishes and with the chilli spiked ones as well. We did two rounds each of Endless Summer and The Blonde.

And now onto the food - The Turkish Kebab was the first order and what you see in the bowl there is a chilli spiked tomato sauce and not ketchup. The kebabs however did not need them. They were tender, juicy, stuck strong enough to the skewers to make them easy to eat while not being so strong that it tasted chewy. The hint of coriander was really strong. Overall a nice kebab to begin with. Would have appreciated though if they had split it into 4 skewers, since having three at table of four meant at least one person would be short-changed. It can't be all that hard to do in the kitchen.

The Turkish Lamb Kebab

Beer Battered Fish and chips

We also ordered the beer battered fish and chips. The batter was thin enough to be crispy, allowing the flavor of the fish to come through. French fries are french fries - these did not seem to be the hand cut ones though. I liked the fish but would have liked it to be a little less greasy. 

On the table next was the thin crust Turkish Delight pizza - spicy lamb, mozzarella cheese, red peppers, sun dried tomatoes and a first time for me on a pizza - two eggs as well. This was well received all round the table and was done in a matter of minutes. 

The spicy calamari was up next - done with a bayou breading and served with a tartare sauce and marinara. I found the coating a little too much and after the initial crunchiness, the coating just turned a wee bit pasty with the calamari that was in itself a little chewy. The marinara and the tartare sauce helped it go down, as did the beers and cocktails on the table. 

And our final order for the evening was the onion rings - now these I really liked. They were large, with the coating just the right consistency. The sweetness of the onions with the crispiness of the coating made it a perfect finger food with the beers. 

Turkish Delight pizza

Spicy calamari 

Onion rings

I was totally in love with these lights, couldn't help but take this one

Desserts served at the table were on the house that evening. It was a tribute to the king of all fruits who happens to be in season right now. We had the Mango Pavlova which had an absolutely brilliant crunch to the meringue. Crack right through it with your spoon, with a scoop of the fresh mango on top and this is one perfect way to end your meal. I can't remember the name of the second dessert but it was generally agreed that it was a bit too sweet - the pavlova scored over the second one.

Mango Pavlova (Lights and beers to blame for the kind of photo this is)

The other dessert

Overall I liked ABC. Maybe the new beers will take some getting used to especially for someone like me who is stepping into a brewery for the first time, but I liked what I ordered. Best would be to order the sampler and make a choice. The menu does mention what kind of food goes with which beer and coincidentally we seemed to have ordered the right things as well. This made the experience great. But if possible, it would help if the staff pitched in with food suggestions as well. Though I can understand the constraints on full house evenings. We were four that evening and the bill, all taxes plus two cocktails (yes! I forgot to take these photos and they were brilliant - will find out the names soon) included and excluding the desserts came to Rs 1100 per head which I think is a great deal. The loos, at the least the lady's one could do with some more lighting to get rid of the dinginess. 

Address: #8, 3rd Floor, Allied Grand Plaza, Opposite Home Stop, Magrath Road
Phone: 67921222
Cuisine: Brewery, 
Cards Accepted: Yes
Wallet Factor: Rs 2000 for two with alcohol
Parking: Valet

Street Food - Johnson Market

And in continuation with our street food discovery plans, right after VVPuram, next on the cards was the carnivore's delight - Johnson Market. I have always had food parceled from this area, but never really stepped in to eat except maybe to sit in the car when our rolls were being made at Siddique. This time round, with Anoushka still partying away with the grandparents, it was time to take a tummy filling stroll. We began around 7PM at Makkah Cafe - perfect time for a chai, harira and steaming hot samosas. 

If you stand at Fanoos facing the market, you just have to start walking into the lane with flower sellers at the beginning. Follow your nose and you will see hordes outside Makkah Cafe just before you hit the road again. This little hole in the wall actually has a little seating inside which is constantly full - I mean you have to be really lucky or stand next to a full table with a drooling mouth to get someone to move - and maybe even that will not work. When we arrived, the samosa tray was empty and I was heartbroken. But the man at the counter said "Two minutes - fresh aayega!" and two minutes later an ancient scooter loaded with a blue crate that could be seen steaming for miles off arrived. Two samosas were promptly put onto pieces of paper and shoved into our hands - no ceremony or service with a smile here. But that's the fun of it. 

These onion/peas filled samosas were crisp on the outside, steaming hot on the inside and with a glass of half chai, had all the pores opening up. The harira was boiling away in a kadai and the bubbles could be quite mesmerizing. The taste of course has to be had to be understood. Makkah Cafe is also famous for its naans - circular pastries with stuffing of coconut or fruits or khova. Heavy duty in themselves, these are sold by the triangle cut. There are also biscuits, nankhatai and some other goodies. 

The cafe's door serves as the menu card

The naans up front, the samosas at the back and more!

Despite many attempts, the samosas were so hot I just couldn't hold still and hence the blur

Coconut and fruit naans - both of which Sudhakar finished before I could my samosa and very sheepishly announced that they tasted brilliant

Harira on the boil

Harira and half chai

The base firmly set, we walked across to Fanoos - a very popular name in the area for rolls. It being a week day we did not have to battle endless crowds and blaring traffic. We actually were able to walk right up to the counter, spend sometime staring at the menu wondering how many things we could order without filling up too much. Finally we settled on having a chicken liver roll, beef shawarma and a sheekh roll - this last one was in place of the veal roll we really wanted, but was already finished for the day.

The vertical rotissers and the rhythmic slicing and chopping of meat and putting together of the rolls can be quite hypnotic. The aromas are quite heady and your stomach will definitely start to protest if the rolls don't reach your hands soon. They came soon enough, as we were ogling at the massive billboard size menu of Madeena Stores across the road. Every conceivable soda seemed to be available at this partially on-the-road-partially-in-a-booth kind of place.

The rolls at Fanoos are just the right size for a snack. The shawarmas at Kebab Magic in fact are much thicker in terms of filling. But we were good with that considering we still had a few places to head to. The chicken liver roll is great for those who like innards like Sudhakar does. The Sheekh roll was spicy enough to make you pay attention to it and look a little longingly at Madeena stores. My beef shawarma on the other hand had the mayo a tad too sweet for my liking. Even the pickles did not add that vinegary, tangy punch.

At Madeena stores, you pick up a token for your drink and the guy at the counter squirts in some concentrate, opens a spout that gushes cold soda, stirs up a little salt into your drink, another gush of soda and there you have it. The rose soda was subtle and not the roohafza mixed in soda that I am sure you are thinking of. The kokum too, thanks to the salt was not taking the enamel of my teeth. The pomegranate however reminded me of this antibiotic that was an integral part of my childhood - erythromycin - it was pink, frothy and was a yucky cough syrup. The pomegranate brought all that taste back.

The rotissers at Fanoos at work

Sheekh Roll to the right, chicken liver to the left

The massive billboard menu of Madeena Stores. We opted for Rose, Pomegranate and Kokum sodas only to realise that all three were red and my picture was not going to look very interesting. 

The rose, kokum and pomegranate sodas

Next we marched towards Siddique's and just at the corner of the beef market spotted this little cart called Fazal Kebab - they had phal, nalli soup, veal roll, almost everything I wanted to have, especially the phal. We went around the corner only to be told that they were all sold out of everything yummy for the day and had some chicken kebab left. Bah!

So it was off to Siddique's. Nothing has changed here over the years - its still the dump that it was, you dare not look down and a word of advice, you are safer off standing near this hole in the wall and eating, than standing on the opposite side. It looks deceptively clean, but can kill your olfactory senses in one whiff. And trust me its nothing nice. At Siddique's we ordered just the one thing - the Bombay roll - none of the other jumbo rolls would have been a good idea for us then, since Khazana was going to be the grand finale. Here too I saw phal and wanted, but Sudhakar insisted that Khazana's phal was unbeatable. If you are hungry, the jumbo rolls at Siddique is your meal and a treat all rolled in one.

The Bombay rolls are prepped and kept right in front of you. They are then fried, cut into bite sized pieces and served with ketchup. We opted for the beef mince one and loved every steaming mouthful of it. With each holding our share, it was time to start walking to Khazana - granted it was only around 8.15PM but these places are notorious for having the best stuff get over too soon.

Fazal's where everything we wanted was already over for the day

Siddique and their ridiculously easy on the pocket prices

At Siddique this is about as much as you should look, nothing below this level is recommended

The beef Bombay roll

And the grand finale was at Khazana - Sudhakar at one point used to practically live here and so long hellos were the order when we got there. As soon as we sat down, we knew what we wanted - a portion of beef biryani, veal kebab and phal. That's when they announced that phal was over - so much for my luck. Instead we ordered the chicken fry. 

A beautiful thing is written on Khazana's menu - "Almighty gave us exquisite things to eat, the least we can do is prepare them well and serve it to you. And prepare it well would be an understatement. On any normal day, one beef biryani a person is easily doable. Considering how much we had already put in our tummies, this single portion perfectly did the job. The veal kebab was a grease fest, but that's were all the taste lies, in the tenderness of the meal and the greasiness of the plate. The chicken fry had a crunchy batter to each piece leaving the chicken soft on the inside, something that many higher end restaurants fail to achieve consistently. By now we were way beyond satiated, despite which all plates were licked clean - ok I confess, I left a little on mine. As we slowly ambled our way out, the call of suleimani chai at Makkah cafe, where all the goodness became came through crystal clear and that's where we really wrapped up our eating for the evening. 

The menu at Khazana

The unbeatable beef biryani

Chicken fry

Veal Kebab

Suleimani chai at Makkah Cafe

We were three adults and all of this eating would have come to not more than Rs 200 a head. If you are looking for some great food, at brilliant prices and are not finicky about ambiance and crowds and to an extent cleanliness, Johnson market is a stretch that you must explore.

Punjab Da Jashn - The Leela Palace

Jamavar has been one of the all time favorites when it comes to Indian food. Especially when you have had the pleasure of having Chef Farman Ali sitting at your table talking about food, you get sucked into a world of spices, tastes, cooking styles, making each morsel you put in your mouth an added pleasure. I have been to the Delhi Food Festival and the Kathiawar Festival held at Jamavar under the watchful eyes of Chef Farman Ali a few years ago and when I saw his name at the helm of affairs for the Punjabi Festival media preview lunch, I did not have to think twice. 

The restaurant does 4 festivals a year - 2 dedicated to the delights of North India and two more exclusively for the south. Naturally, Chef Farman Ali's expertise lies in the north. Punjab Da Jashn is a festival that began on the 13th and goes on till the 26th of May for dinner each night. The menu is vast if you plan to go the a la carte way or if the choice gets too much for you, the set menus should do the job. You have a choice of menus here as well with 3 starters, 4 main courses, rotis, rice, 3 desserts including fruit. The a la carte menu stands at approximately Rs 5000 for two plus taxes. The set menus are priced between Rs 3000 and Rs 4500 plus taxes depending on your choice. 

We were served a range of dishes from the menu that afternoon. Picture review from here... 

Ambi Panna - this is a raw mango drink, salted, slightly thick to sip in, but very pleasing when served cold

The relishes on the table - starting from the top clockwise - raw papaya relish, Mango pickle, Radish pickle and I am not too sure. The raw papaya relish was brilliant, the candied slivers fine and transparent. The radish pickle is on the stronger side and gives you a solid hit in the mouth. 

Kukkad Tawe Da - When the starters were served, us non-veggies initially mistook this to be fish, considering how the chicken had been sliced. These slices were marinated in a whole set of spices, let to sit a while and then finished on a griddle. The chicken was tender, despite being from the fibrous parts of the bird. The masalas had seeped in well giving it a brilliant taste. 

Barra Kebab - There is nothing to beat a home made garam masala mix. Add that to lamb shanks and let it marinate a while with mustard oil and you have the most amazing kebab finished in the tandoor. 

Macchi Amritsari - a specialty of the region, this was a ajwain or coram infused batter fried fish. The coating was thin enough to be crispy and the fish tender and flaky. Lovely with a squeeze of lime. 

Palak Di Tikki - If you are a vegetarian, this is the starter for you. In fact, for us meat eaters too, it could well have been starter, main course and dessert all rolled in one. This is a spinach, corn tikki, topped off with a heavenly roasted tomato chutney. While it still amazes me how the whole kernels of corn remain bound in a spinach tikki. It is the tomato chutney on top that elevates this dish to the next level. 

Ganda Di Bhaji - Onion Pakoras with gram flour and some spices

Paneer Tikka Jalandhari - A classic, red chilli yogurt marination placed in the tandoor and finished with a squeeze of lime. 

Maa Ki Dal - this is an integral part of a meal like this. Served in a little bucket of sorts, the maa ki daal was creamy, but for me somehow was not on par with the dal served at Jamavar on earlier occasions. I found the tomato to be a predominant flavor in this one. Nevertheless it still was a good dal. 

Kukkad Sarson Da - Chicken with a mustard leaves base for a gravy. This was a nice preparation, not too strong a taste of mustard, but subtle enough to allow the flavor to come through. Again the chicken was cooked nice and tender without being chewy

Mutton Rarra - A mutton dish served over kheema. A dish that looked great in terms of presentation and the tenderness of the meat. But the flavor of the dish paled in comparison to the other dishes served. Perhaps a stronger tone of chilli for the kheema and perhaps a fine mincing too would have helped.

Macchi Masaleydar - Fish with a blend of coriander and turmeric in the marination. Spicy!

Dhaniya Aloo Wadi - Is part of the vegetarian spread we were served as are the two dishes below. The Sarson da Saag got the loudest mention

Gobi Mutter Chatpati

Sarson da Saag

Pinni Nabha Di, Badam Te Gurh da Halwa, Malai Pista Kulfi with Phirni - and what meal can be complete without some heavy duty sweets. Eyes closed - the kulfi on phirni was my favorite with the Badam-Jaggery halwa in the little biscuit cup close on its heels. The texture of the halwa is grainy with every bite being a ghee explosion, but taste wise two thumbs up.

Some of the other dishes that caught my eye on the elaborate menu were the - Thandai, Champaan Ludhiana, a lamb dish tenderized with papaya and marinated in yogurt and spices, the Raan E Ranjit, the Gajrela or carrot halwa and the Aam Kulfi since Chef places an emphasis on seasonal produce.

Punjab Da Jashn is currently on at the Leela Palace on Old Airport Road and goes on till the 26th of May for dinner each night. 

Nagashree

Nagashree is in Shantinagar and faces double road. It is an old restaurant and one we have been crossing to get to Jayanagar for years now. Recently I read some buzz online about Nagashree and the regional cuisine it serves there and it promptly went onto my list of places to go. However from the looks of it I wasn't sure if it was a place I could take the little one to and so waited till it was just Sudhakar and I. We headed there for a quick weekday lunch, as I believe that is what it is famous for. The menu is quite small with the usual suspects of chicken/mutton fry, biryanis, plated meals etc. I was actually looking for a Nati Manae styled menu, but this would do too. 

We didn't want to fill up on biryanis since we both had to get back to work in the afternoon. Instead we ordered two biryani rice, a chicken fry and a mutton fry. Instinct made us ask for something cold to drink, aerated or otherwise and there was nothing to be had. Each biryani rice you order comes in a thali, with a chicken gravy (there were tiny pieces in it), sliced onion and cucumber and a wedge of lime. Thank heavens the biryani rice was not one of those calling-all-minions-of-hell spicy. It was quite nice. 

The biryani rice

The two meats we ordered were again not doused in the same masalas as has happened to us in small joints like this. The chicken was a spicy chilli, onion and tomato gravy, making it semi-dry than a gravy. The chicken was not tough, even if it was the country chicken that was used (not too sure on this). The number of pieces, even if you were ordering just the one dish is good enough to get two people through their meal. 

The mutton dish was a deep fried onion based one. When I picked up a piece and put it on my plate (yeah I did it with my fingers, spoons be damned in places like this), instinct made me lick my fingers. For a second I was on the hotline to hell - something was tremendously spicy. I love my spice, but for a fleeting moment I thought I was done for. That must have been a one off thing where sometimes a piece tends to get a concentrated dose of the masala. The spice levels were actually quite balanced. The meat had been slow cooked and it was evident from it falling off the bone. Really liked this one. 

Chicken Fry

Mutton Fry

I tend to be a little glutton in places like this and when the waiter came around and asked if we would like something more, say a rice-rasam, I nodded my head vigorously while Sudhakar gave me this look of incredulity. I told him we could share it, which he reluctantly agreed. On it came. Hot, pepper garlicky rasam. I love mine with pickle, but there was none around. We managed to get through the plate of rice in good time. 

The good thing here is that there is dessert even if there are no soft drinks and pickle. So "triffle" pudding and caramel custard announced a little laminated paper. 'Triffle' (hehehe!!) was not available and so caramel custard it was. It was fair enough, neither brilliant nor totally blah. Definitely not packeted stuff and slightly more dense than it should be. 

Rice and rasam

Caramel Custard

Overall I enjoyed this meal and would go back for more on any working day. The bill for all this was Rs 420 which makes it completely worth it. The place is small, taking a maximum of 15 people at one go. It did seem like there were loos out back where you get to wash your hands, though am not too sure.

Address: 13, KH Road, Near ING Vyasa Bank, ShantinagarPhone: 9341324184
Cuisine: South Indian non-vegetarian
Cards Accepted: Not sure
Wallet Factor: Rs 450 for two 
Parking: None but if you look in the bylanes you will be lucky