Buffet: Rajdhani

Tags

bangalore, lunch, rajdhani, restaurant, review

Via Timeout Dubai

My veggie friends are often annoyed when they go to buffets- they feel that non-vegetarians get more bang for the same buck. Chains like Rajdhani and South Indies are a boon to them, and also to people who would like a nice vegetarian meal now and then.

On Makara Sankranthi, I picked the Rajdhani near our home to treat mom and let her take a day off cooking. The staff was still putting up decorations when we walked in at 12.30 and we, and the other diners, had to wait a good 15 minutes for service. The rose sherbet they started us off with was no better than the concentrates we buy from stores, and the buttermilk chaas was so salty we had to send it back.

Via zomato

The starters were better- a vada and khaman dhokla, and we loved the undhiyu, we probably could have eaten that and nothing else. The roti, methi thepla and puri were ok, but the sabzis were not. The servers kept serving only the masala in the sabzis (paneer kofta, besan ka gatta, aloo gobi and a dal-based one), and you had to keep asking them to give you some paneer or some sabzi. The dals were great though, and the teekhi dal had a hint of mango that left me licking my lips.

I wish I could say something nice about the rest of the meal. I don’t know what the pongal was- it was not pongal and it was not khichdi and it was lacking in salt. The desserts were pretty disastrous- the gulab jamun was doughy, the jalebis too sweet and the pineapple halwa was worse than my first try at making halwa at home. The shrikhand was the only saving grace among the desserts, and the Sankranthi special til ka laddoo was not too bad either.

I don’t know if it’s just the Indiranagar outlet, but the quality and quantity of food seems to have degraded over the last few months. For Rs 375, the food fell short both in terms of quality and quantity, and service was quite poor as well, despite the fact that there was hardly a crowd. I wish chain restaurants would not just rush into opening new outlets without getting their basics in place.

Overall: 2.5
Food: 2
Ambience: 3
Service: 2.5

Rajdhani Thali Restaurant
Salarpuria Landmark, 100 Feet Road
Indiranagar
Bangalore

Happy New Year!

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year! May 2013 bring new places to explore, new foods to try and new adventures with old and new friends.

When the Foodie becomes Fashionable

Tags

indiblogger, shoppers stop

I have a confession to make. This blog has been a bit slow over the last few weeks not because of work or sickness, but because I’m trying to save a little bit. I went on a spending spree during Diwalil not anything drastic, but more than my poor self can withstand. Shopping, eating, travelling, gifting, all in one week made a sizeable dent in my balance sheet. Though my saving instincts have not been encouraged by the Indiblogger Contest sponsored by Shoppers Stop, to come up with a perfect festive look.

Haute Curry churidar set

Lemon ethnic sandals

French Connection clutch

Infinity earring

Infinity bangle1, bangle 2

My first look is a lovely churidar set, perfect for an evening spent with friends, bursting crackers and gorging on mithai. Festive occasions are the time to splurge on that lovely churidar or anarkali you have always wanted to wear, and deck up with accessories to match.

Ashika silk saree

Haute Curry evening sandals

French Connection box clutch

Pretty Woman pendant set

Infinity bangle

Lucera silver ring

My second look is for all those women who believe that a sari is the best way for a woman to display her femininity and beauty. Traditional yet modern, classy and sensual, a saree is the way to go if you want to be the cynosure of all eyes.

Manish Creations kurta pyjama Set

Blackberry bandhgala suit with trousers

Wait, we can’t leave the men behind, can we? A festival is an occasion for everyone to look good, not just the ladies. So for the men who want to go ethnic, we have a regal handicraft kurta pyjama set, while for those who want to retain a touch of the West, there is the classic bandhgala.

I seem to have satiated my shopping craving with some virtual window shopping, so we can all go back to the food from the next post. Till the shopping bug strikes again!

Note: This post was written for the Indiblogger Shoppers Stop Contest

Buffet: Medici

Tags

bangalore, lunch, medici, restaurant, review

The Medici family was one of the wealthiest families in Europe in the 14th century, courtesy their founding and control of the Medici Bank. The family produced four Popes and two regent queens of France, including Catherine de Medici, who presided over an era of civil and religious war in France. You should not draw any conclusions from the fact that this restaurant draws its name from her, because the queen’s unfortunate history has nothing to do with the food or ambience at Medici.

The ambience is elegant yet understated, with comfortable seating and minimalistic decor. If you go in summer, the view is a delight, with the gulmohar trees in full bloom, fiery red against a brilliant blue sky. A complimentary bread basket comes with each meal, with a varied selection of different kinds of light, fluffy breads, accompanied with butter and olive oil. You can use them as a palate cleanser between courses, as I did, or to soak up the soup and different sauces.

The lunch buffet kicked off with a chicken and crabmeat salad, tossed up by the chef, with a choice of six dressings. Not really a big fan of salads, I was a convert after the chef tossed up a wonderful Caesar salad, with thin juliennes of crabmeat, so much that I went back for a second helping. The creamy chicken soup was a slight step up from Knorr’s creamy soups, but only slight.

There is a live pasta counter, with the usual culprits- spaghetti, penne and fusilli. The bolognaise sauce was a nice surprise, because you usually don’t see restaurants serving beef at a buffet. My spaghetti bolognaise was a delight to all the senses, and I was also surprised at the speed at which I polished it off. For the main course, you can choose between four options- two veg and two non-veg, and that’s why it’s advisable to come with company if you want to experience the full range of what Medici has to offer. My grilled chicken came with a side of mashed potatoes and veggies, and was filling and delicious. I must make a special mention of the sauce, subtly spiced with peppercorns, that will have you wishing for more. Other main courses include poached fish (salmon), a vegetable quiche/tart and a parmigiano (I think).

The desserts are a slight letdown, especially because the French are famous for their pastries. The chocolate gateau was nice, but the blueberry cheesecake was disappointing, and the blueberry flavor seemed artificial, even though there was a single blueberry in the cake. One suggestion I have is for them to have a dessert counter- it’s a little disappointing when your server sets down a plate of two bite-sized pastries in front of a dessert lover.

The lunch buffet runs at Rs 437 (Rs 350 + taxes) on weekdays, and is a good idea if you want to take clients out, or give yourself a midweek treat.
Overall: 4
Food: 4
Ambience: 4
Service: 3.5

Medici
1206,Mannan Arcade
100 Feet Road
Indiranagar
Bangalore

Blog Love: Fat Free Vegan Kitchen

You’d think vegetarian recipes would be fat-free, but the truth is that the fatty meats are replaced by heart-attack-inducing butter and cheese. Don’t get me wrong, I love butter and cheese, but when trying to think about going on a diet (notice the delaying verbs- try and think), you really don’t want to be reminded of all that you will be giving up. That’s where Susan Voisin’s blog, Fat Free Vegan Kitchen, comes in handy.

Susan is vegan, meaning she doesn’t eat any animal products, including dairy and egg. This might seem like a very limiting diet, but there are actually many options to choose from, if you only sit down and think about it. From vegetables to tofu to soy milk, Susan modifies regular recipes to make them low calorie and vegan, and shows that you don’t have to compromise on taste to be healthy. I’m seriously inspired to go vegan for a while, after visiting her blog. If only I didn’t go into raptures whenever I see cheese!