NUKKADWALA.....A VATIKA GROUP venture at JMD Megapolis and a growing chain with street food from different states of India

VATIKA group, the leading real estate developer in India have ventured into Food Industry by opening NUKKADWALA, a quick service restaurant, few months back, the first one is in Town Square on NH8 in Sector 83.

Now the fourth one is come up in the commercial hub JMD Megapolis on Sohna Road, Gurgoan. The restaurant is casual yet stylish with colorful posters of the common street food vendors of India. Vibrant colorful lamps hanging from the ceiling giving a magnificent look to the Nukkad, the street corner as we call it.

After a thorough study and travelling for months to get the original cuisines of different states of India, the team Nukkadwala has brought some of the best and popular street food for people to relish the delicacies in the comfort of an air conditioned restaurant.

KONKANI SOL KADI…..a speciality of Konkan region, the refreshing drink made with coconut base , a hint of kokum along with Konkani spices. MEERUT SHIKANJI……very famous refreshing nimbu pani with a twist. LASSI PAPPAYA & PINEAPPLE…..delicious lassi made with fresh papaya, pineapple, milk, yoghurt and sugar. LASSI MANGO & SAFFRON….again very delicious lassi made with mongo, milk, yoghurt, a dash of saffron and sugar.

KANDE POHA…..Maharashtrian flattened rice done with onion served with green chutney was okay , would like to add some veges to it. PARSI AKURI…..Parsi originated dish, the scrambled egg with spicy served on pav. AMCHI VADA PAV……the Mumbaiya style , potato vada patty served with pav was spicy and tasty. BUN ANDA……steamed egg on pav with mayonnaise.

PUNJABI ROOSTER BURGER……the authentic Punjabi chicken patty, awesome, crisp, not to be missed. EAST INDIA BURGER……Bun with the crisp patty made with the recipe of khansamaas of Chittagong used to make for the British rulers, was just perfect.

KUTCHI DABELI……famous Kutch street food, pav stuffed with special spices of Kutch, chutney, nuts, quite filling. BHUNA GOSHT ROLL…..Kolkata’s famous street food, perfectly done gosht with spices and sauce in a wrap. REDI KEEMA KULCHA…….Mumbai style minced mutton done with spices, served with soft kulcha.

For the desserts, we tried SHAHI TUKDA…….fried bread dipped in sugar syrup, plated on top with rabadi done with kesar and pista…..delicious but a bit more sweet. LAGAN NU CUSTARD……It’s a Parsi style caramel custard baked with milk and egg.

NUKKADWALA is a growing chain, will be coming up some more outlets soon.

Grab the anytime food with very very competitive prices at the Nukkadwala, now not just the street corner, a hygienic place with comfort.

UNPLUGGED COURTYARD....the first one to give a new dining experience in courtyard in natural surrounding....

Centrally located in Connaught Place, doing exceptionally good since the time it came into existence, i.e. eight –nine months back. Extensive area indoor, outdoors with open terrace, approx. three hundred covers. With the mist fans, was quite tolerable outside in the evening. And it’s going to be heavenly in days to come as the weather would be good in coming months.

Courtyard is done up simply yet artistically with lights and umbrellas hanging from the huge tree there and the terrace is done up beautifully with red colored upholstery giving a magnificent look.

With the onset of Monsoon, some new menu is been curated here to give a zing to the palate.

SILK BURST……Frozen peach with apricot, cranberry juice and Vodka….looks and tastes great. LICHI SPLASH….Lichi, coconut and Vodka…..refreshing, a bit sweet.

PALAK PATTA CHAT…..wonderful, crispy with curd, mint and saunth, very apt for this weather .CORN AND ASPARAGUS FRITTERS…..deep fried corn and asparagus balls stuffed with cheese was served with Third Degree Sauce, a spicy, hot sauce made with vinegar, red chipotle pepper and garlic. MONSOON MUGR KEBAB…..juicy chicken tikka marinated with South Indian spices and flavored with coconut milk, was awesome.       

 CHICKEN MOMOS served with delicious and spicy dips. THRICE COOKED LAMB…. Lamb, meticulously cooked thrice served with Hoisin sauce, made with soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, was a bit sweet and crunchy.

WILD MUSHROOM CAPPUCCINO SOUP……very tasty creamy soup, not to be missed.

FRUITY MOJITO…… A mocktail with fruits, lemon, mint, lemonade and APPLE CINNAMON BLOSSOM……a cocktail made with apple, lemon, brown sugar, rum and cinnamon…….were just perfect.

THAI CHICKEN SALAD…..chicken chunks with lettuce and sesame dressing. CHICKEN IN GANNA STICK… to creat a fusion, chicken minced and barbequed on sugarcane stick, soft, juicy with a bit sweet taste. GRILLED FISH…….awesome.

DHUAN DHUAN MUTTON…….mutton made with keema , gave a unique taste. CHICKEN BIRYANI…….aroma of spices, with cashews and fried onions, looks amazing and tastes awesome, not to be missed.

 For the desserts had CUTTING CHAI FREEZER…..cold tea with vanilla and PUMPKIN PIE….made with pumpkin and milk, cinnamon and wrapped in crispy sheet, was too delicious, never had it before.

Dinesh Arora, Swaraj Singhi, Nitin Kapoor, Aman Sahani, all are passionately involved in day to day affairs of the restaurant operations and also a very dedicated and experienced team is there to cater to every guest, that is why people keep coming again and again, giving a boost to the team as well as to the business.

CAFE PUBLIC CONNECTION......massive place in CONNAUGHT PLACE with a huge Bar and different Chambers to sit and enjoy good food and drinks

Massive and magnificent place in the heart of Delhi i.e.Connaught Place with two hundred plus covers having different chambers with different themes and luxurious seating along with private party area, also a huge Bar with best of brands. The décor defines how communicating has evolved with passage of time through the wall scape.

Their forte is healthy food.  Serving North Indian, Italian, Conti. Food.

Some people just work and some other love their work and so is the Bar Executive Rohit Ray, who is passionately involved in creating some exciting concoctions and delightfully presenting them.

For the first time had this very refreshing and different cocktail, PINI TINI….made with Bacardi, pineapple and fresh cardamom, also presented nicely. KAFIR MAFIA…..again very refreshing with Vodka, Kafir leaves, Passion fruit syrup, lemon juice and Cranberry juice.

TAFTAN with GAOUTI KEBAB…..soft and succulent, just melts in mouth with perfect Taftan, was awesome. CHICKEN MASHEW KEBAB…..marinated Chicken with garlic, lemon juice, olive oil with balanced spices. SUMAC FISH KEBAB…..served with Pita Bread. KASUANDI FISH TIKKA…..with Bengal mustard and cooked in Tandoor. BANJARA CHICKEN TIKKA…..juicy chicken done with perfection.

Had an amazing Cocktail the SPICE UP YOUR CONNECTION…..Mango juice, lemon juice, black salt along with green chilli, great and a bit spicy. TIME PULSE…Vodka with pulse toffee, casis cyrup, lime juice, soda and RAY…..Vodka, Apple juice, lemon juice, triple sec with cinnamon, Rohit served these amazing Cocktails and Mocktail with great enthusiasm.

BHEL TACOS…..Mushroom, cottage cheese, peppers, dry bhel, all stuffed in crisp corn Taco shell, neatly presented.  MOROCCAN SPRING ROLL…..crisp roll presented beautifully in small glass. BHATI PANNER TIKKA….Tandoor smoked paneer with fresh ingredients and spices.

Way to go !

EARTHEN OVEN. at FORTUNE SELECT EXCALIBUR, Sohna Road, Gurgoan...relaunched as INDIA ON MY PLATE

EARTHEN OVEN is relaunched as INDIA ON MY PLATE on 16^th of July, 2016 the day FORTUNE SELECT EXCALIBUR was launched six years back in Sohna Road, Gurgoan is serving Indian and Mughlai Cuisine.

The place is tastefully done with exceptional and beautiful Indian Arts on walls with some traditional Tanjore Art and Kathakali dancers from Kerala. A hundred plus covers restaurant along with PDR is good option to relax and have sumptuous meal. There is live entertainment by renowned musicians in the evenings.

The Brand Master Chef Inder Dev has curated the new menu with traditional Indian Food from all across India, some with a twist with the fusion and with authentic cooking techniques using Clay oven, Tandoor etc.

Traditional welcome drink, NEER MOR, the South Indian Buttermilk was offered to start with. ULTE TAWA KA KHAKHRA, the traditional Gujrati dish made with Mat Bean, wheat flour, oil… is thin, crispy cracker. RAM LADDU….the street food of Delhi was served with green chutney.

RAJMA GALOUTI KEBAB….made with kidney beans and veges, BHUTTA MUTTER SHAMMI KEBAB….Hyderabad’s famous kebab made with corn and peas. GALOUTI KEBAB…the famous Lucknow kebab made with minced meat…..all just melted in mouth , were very delicate and awesome. MACCHI KONKANI…. the soft flavorful fish wrapped in banana leaf.

CHICKEN CHETTINAD……the famous Chettinad Chicken from South India was made with fresh Chettinad spices, perfect. ACHARI PANEER….. was spicy, tasty and flavorful. DAL-E-FORTUNE….was okay. DAHI ALU was not of my liking. GHOSHT BIRYANI…..delicious with balanced spices and aroma.

AMRITSARI BADAM PHIRNI ….made with milk and rice is thick creamy dessert  from Punjab,CHHENA JALEBI..made with freshly curdled milk and orange flavor was mouthwatering where as I don’t relish Jalebi much. RASMALAI….the popular Bengali dessert was sweet and spongy.

The dedicated and courteous team of FSE makes you feel at home.

IN CONVERSATION with BRAND MASTER CHEF INDER DEV presently working with FORTUNE SELECT EXCALIBUR, Sohna Road, Gurgoan

“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.”

The Brand Master Chef Inder Dev has achieved what he is today by implementing the above all. Presently working with Nimitya Hotels and Resorts for last six years. Worked with best of Hotels in India and abroad, having more than two decades of experience in the Industry.

Got fascinated by the Hotel Industry at the tender age of eleven years because of his father, whose one of the business was Hospital Catering after he got retired from Indian Army.

In 1987 he got admission in IHM Mumbai. After completion of the course, in 1990 he joined Centaur Group of Hotels as Trainee. After putting just two years of hard work, was nominated as Best Upcoming Chef and because of this as a reward was sent to Japan to do advance course. He became HOD at the age of 24 only.

After Centaur he moved to Canada to join Bombay Palace Restaurant in MONTREAL as Exec Chef, then worked with Sanjeev Kapoor’s restaurant Khazana in Dubai. Came back to India to join ITC”s Welcome Hotel Vadodara. Again moved to Oberoi’s Hilton Towers in Mumbai.

He travelled a lot to learn culinary secrets from where ever possible, like from vendors, housewives, street food chefs. So in short span of time, he learned a lot by putting more working hours and by learning from the people who were passionate about cooking.

Happened to work with Food Scientist for some time and discovered how healthy cooking is good for body and how beneficial is to have right food at the right time. Now he is taking it forward as healthy cooking by using fresh herbs and ingredients.