A New Beginning

Hello Everyone.

It's 4 am on a Sunday morning and I find myself unable to sleep. A few hours ago, I had unwrapped the new laptop I picked up in Muscat shortly before I left for Bangalore and stared at it for a good half hour. I had never used a Macbook before and was quite sceptical of it's ubiquitous acclaim. I would have in fact, opted for an HP or a Dell laptop if it hadn't been for the persistence of my good friends Don and Ryan who persuaded me to invest in a Macbook and promised me that I would not be disappointed. And here I am, looking at this magnificent work of art, teasing me, luring me into an almost hypnotic trance, yearning to write. Which brings me to my point. Years on since my last post, Why write again? Hasn't it been too long? Have the embers of the flame that once burned so fierce not long turned to dust? Which leads us to another question. Why did I stop? Was it because I was working over 14 hours a day post my college rendezvous? Had my love for food died an impetuous death? The true answer would be " I don't know". I was certainly hard strung for time but would like to refrain from using that as an excuse because I have always believed that you can and should always make time for the people and activities that you love. Now that I have confronted the ambiguity that engulfed my hiatus, I would like to reiterate that my Love for Food has only increased multifold. I have continued to explore the vast depths of gastronomy that inspire and invoke True Bliss. And my Gastronomical Adventures would be incomplete unless I shared it with you. And with the New year beckoning, I thought, why waste yet another resolution on promising to shed the extra pounds and hit the gym. So for anyone, and everyone who loves to eat and reads this blog, Be Prepared to lick your lips. For those Insatiable Midnight cravings are back, Bigger and Better than ever. Here's wishing all of you a Lip smacking, Heart stopping, Jaw dropping, Meat craving, Delightful 2015 :) Oh boy, It's going to be a great year ahead. Cheers :)

Ecstacy of Gold - The Ennio Morricone of French Pastry !

When you first walk in through the Automated Glass doors of this Classy dessert parlour, You experience the same Elation as a person who stumbles upon a Gold Mine! Because this Elegant Sleek Manor is Indeed a Phenomenal catch in Chennai! A Place so Ostentatious, that it makes most Palates feel out of Place, even in the finest of Attire. It is too good to be true.
There can only be a handful of diners that can match or even be compared to its level of Flamboyance! (Except maybe, for Souza Lobo, which as i have stated earlier, is a Class Apart, a Prized Jewel in the Restaurant World). Ecstacy, however, is in a  Sparkling League of its own and does give it fine competition in an Emphatic duel, Trading swords for dishes and matching blow for blow, dessert for dessert! Ecstacy and Souza Lobo may well be two of the finest eat outs I have ever visited as far as my sweet tooth is concerned. But they are both Unique and Exquisite in their own way, and fun as it seems, it would be Unfair to compare the two.
Ecstacy brings to Chennai, the finest creations of French Pastry Kingpin Mickael Besse! This Celebrity Chef's masterpieces work wonders on your palate the same way that Legendary Italian Composer Ennio Morricones music soothes your ears, and the Great Michaelangelo's Paintings calm your eyes! I remember first dining at Ecstacy when it first opened for a Free tasting but at 14, I was too young to appreciate its value. Today, Ecstacy is the Favourite Haunt of the Dashing and Classy, eager for a taste of French pastry making at it's very best. Flak, a slice of dainty chocolate pastry served with the richest chocolate ice cream to ever touch my palate, compliments the flavour of the cake with a little moisture. The Belgian Hot Chocolate is Rich and delicious, like Willy Wonka's River of Chocolate and the Ghana half cooked is a Fondue to Die for! Prepare yourself for an Exotic Explosion of Sweet Savoury flavours swimming in your mouth because Ecstacy is exactly what Dreams are made of! Cheers :D

Tasty Jones - Revisited and Tastier than Ever!

The Big Boy Burger is Better than Ever! No Longer called the George BinLaden for Obvious reasons, It is double the delight and as good as it can get. Coupled with their pepper fries, sausages and their Special secret sauce ( A light creamy whisked variation of mayonnaise), Tasty Jones, An Outlet of the Pupil group of Restaurants is The Place to Go for any one in Chennai and it definitely gives the Acclaimed Bangalore Burgers a run for their Money! Cheers :D

Tuscana Pizzeria - "When Chennai meets Venice"

Few Restaurants manage to bring out that Rustic Authenticity in their food and manner, the way that Tuscana does. Easily one of the Top favourite and Hottest Eat outs in the City, Tuscana would make even the Sicilian Mafia swell with Pride. There is a Rustic Charm to their food, the creations of World Famous New Zealand Chef Willie! Coupled with a Cosy homely ambiance, Tuscana is without doubt the Perfect Pad for your Dates and Dinners. I was first taken to Tuscana by two of my closest friends, Nithin and Rizam, Food lovers who promised me that I wouldn't be dissapointed. We ordered the Pepperoni and Chicken Pizza! However, the crowning glory for me which defined a Good restaurant from a Great one is when the waiter realised that he had given us a wrong sized Pizza and gave us another smaller Pizza on the House! Talk about Service par Excellence! The Pepperoni Pizza was a Wood Fire Masterpiece, carefully crafted, more by an artist than a chef. Topped with generous amounts of pepperoni and cheeze powder, It is a Tribute to Italy's favourite Meal, A Symbol of their Culture and Cuisine and a Delight for Pizza Lovers! The Staff are Friendly and the Experience is Amazing, However, with the Ultimate Price being paid by your Wallet, that looks a lot slimmer than you, before you first walked in  :P The Prices are expensive....But Like they say....There are Somethings that Money Can't Buy! and Perfect Bliss is one of them! This Chennai Diner gives you just that! Sayonara Mamacita!

Souza Lobo's - Its Sucrose Overdose in Dessert Heaven!

Comfort Food for a Good cause, Souza Lobo's is like Home Away from Home! It is a Class Apart from the Rest and serves up some of the best delicacies I have ever tasted! Standing on the Golden Shores of Calangooti Beach, Souza Lobo's is the Perfect Retreat for beach lovers, Frolicking in the Sun to enjoy some favourite Goan delicacies as well as Finish their meal on a High with their Classic Home made desserts. Souza Lobos is One of a Kind. We Ordered their Calamari Butter Garlic, and were Blown Away! I must have had 15 Plates of Calamari in Restaurants all over Goa but I can say without any Doubt that Souza Lobo stirred up a storm in my stomach! We Also ordered Goan Sausage masala which was quite different but quintessential of Goan Cuisine! Do not Miss out on an opportunity to go Parasailing, because Calangooti Beach is one of the best beaches for Water Sports in Goa! Like Brittos, The Beachside Ambiance is Breath taking but Astonishingly, It is not nearly as Good as their Alpine Chocolate Cake! The Black bottom chocolate mousse is also Amazing! As the Blue Ocean kisses the setting Orange Sun, It is the perfect diner to enjoy a Serene meal in a city created by God himself, and a Restaurant that even the Almighty would be Proud to dine at! Dont Miss this for anything in the World!

Brittos on Baga - "Smitten by The Sea"

My First Trip to Goa was preceded by Expectations of the Highest Level. Never before had I anticipated a trip so much and I was in Sheer Disbelief that after hearing People Rave about how Insanely Beautiful Goa is, for months, I was finally about to experience Paradise for myself! A few words about Goa... It is a tribute to Nature, A Cultural and Natural Paradise.....In other words, Heaven on Earth in every sense of being! A trip to Goa is Surreal and will blow your mind away! But apart from the Beaches and its Majestic Grandeur,  There was another reason I loved Goa. Its Magnificent FOOOOD! Goa is the Ultimate Foodie Destination with Menus that Dreams are made of ! And like my good friend Varun likes to remind me...I turned into a Mean Food Machine! Consuming Plate after Plate of Calamari and Nutella Pancakes and Achieving Legendary food feats, otherwise only observed on Man vs Food!....Readers Beware.....and Do Prepare for Epic Meal Time!

Brittos is a Symbol of Excellence! It portrays King sized food making at its Best! Brittos brings out the warmth and spirit of the Lovely People of Goa in their dishes. Their Portions are large and the beachside ambiance is to Die for. We ordered a Sea food Platter and a Non veg Platter and the mere sight of it was enough to give Varun a Foo-gasm! :P We were served with the most incredibly delicious, colourful, and mouth watering variety of every kind of marine animal you can imagine! Their Stuffed crab, mussels and prawn cocktail was special and left us with a craving that none have managed to sattisfy till date! A Must Visit if you happen to go to Goa! Cheers :D

The Trip that You will never Forget - "En-route" Indiranagar!

ROADTRIP!

I know, the name sounds Intriguing and one does not quite know what to expect but "Roadtrip" is by far, one of my favourite restaurant/Cafe in Bangalore! You know a Restaurant is pretty damn good at what it does when it does not need advertise too much and sometimes you can walk right past it and not know that it's there. Roadtrip is definitely a diner that lets it's Food do all the talking! Immensely popular among bangaloreans and though packed on weekends, i have never been there and had to wait for a table. Yeah, Roadtrip is a unique cafe.....one of a kind......and literally hard to find. If you haven't been there before....you are almost certain to miss it. However do not let its lacklustre outsides fool you! When it comes to their menu, Roadtrip is in a League of it's Own! Few restaurants have been able to master the art of having enough variety on their menu yet not trying to over do things and out do themselves in the process. The ambience is cosy and comfortable, the music is good, and they serve Beer! What more can one possibly ask for? While they have a couple of classic signature dishes on their menu, i have sadly not been able to try their acclaimed stuffed olive chicken! This is because of the superior quality, texture and taste of their hand made italian wheat pizzas which i can proudly say are among the best that I have tasted in the World! Topped with generous amounts of cheese and either chicken or ham, The Pizza is intricate in design, exquisite on your tastebuds, and most importanly, gentle on your stomach ! It leaves you feeling satisfied yet craving for more! Which is good because you cannot say that You have had  a true Roadtrip Experience until you have tried their Insanely Creative, Explosive Desserts. The Kiwi Pavlowa is unlike anything i have ever tasted before, not very pretty to look at but the flavours come through extremely well. Topped with Cream, Kiwi and Crystalised Sugar....at a 100 bucks, its worth every bite! But their Crowning Glory and the icing on the cake is their Chocolate Fondue.....which takes half an hour to prepare........Break through the crust outside and you will reach A Divine Molten Gooey Paradise.........to finish of a fabulous meal and cherish the memory of your greatest trip.....Ever!! Cheers :D