THE ASIA KITCHEN... the best fine dinning restaurant in Vasant Vihar serving Chinese, Thai and Indian cuisine

It’s more than a decade that THE ASIA KITCHEN in Vasant Vihar came into exsistence and is still going great guns, the reason behind is the quality of food and the consistency is maintained till date, serving authentic Chinese, Thai as well as Indian cuisines.

Very convenient to locate, close to Hotel Vasant Continental, in Vasant Vihar Market near fountain. Hundred plus covers restaurant in two floors with purple colour interiors and upholstery gives a soothing effect. Comfortable seating with different sections to sit and relax.

Enjoyed the ELECTRIC BLUE Mocktail and the magnificent BLUE MARGRITA……refreshing with nice blue colours along with CRISPY NOODLES SALAD…..the sweet and sour crispy salad with crispy fried noodles.

It was a no Non Veg day for us so had to have Veg Dishes only so will have to visit soon again to relish the Non Veg delicacies.

WATER CHESTNUT…..a staple in Chinese cooking and is easily available year round as canned also….were real crispy. CRISPY VEGES…..Batter fried veges with traditional Chinese sauce, served fresh and were crispy and crunchy.

VEG THAI GREEN CURRY…..healthy with veges like asparagus, carrots, spinach with steamed Rice was awesome and so was the VEGES IN CHILLI BEAN SAUCE.

Their Dessert MOCCARAGE…..Brownie with Ice cream, nuts and Choco sauce is to die for. Even if one is full of meal, difficult to resist.

All the best to team ASIA KITCHEN for keeping it up !

TEA TRAILS CAFE....a unit of Zone8 Tea World has come up with their first Cafe in Delhi in CP, already running seven in Mumbai and one each in Chennai and Hyderabad

 Although India is the second largest producer of Tea in the World after China and every household has a norm of having tea first thing in the morning, there were hardly any such outlets where one can enjoy wide variety of tea. Now the wait is over. 

A unit of ZONE8 Tea World has come up by the name of TEA TRAILS CAFE in CP as their first Bistro in Delhi. Already running seven odd in Mumbai and one each in Chennai and Hyderabad. They have wide variety of Cold as well as hot Tea along with great choice of Food. Maximum of their servings are infused with Tea in some way or the other, and the best part is that everything they use is just fresh, no tinned, canned or bottled

Decently done up place with greenery on one wall , very good pictures of people enjoying Tea on the other wall and at one corner cup’s and kettle’s sculptures on the wall gives it a unique appearance…..eye catching and the nice Logo on the outer wall…a cup with ingredients and the smoke cumming out from it.

BETTER WIFE…..green tea with fruits , lemon and herbs with nice light green colour …quite soothing. TEA SANGRIA…… a Mocktail, fizzy with crushed apple and cranberry…refreshing. LEMON & MINT ICED TEA……sweet and sour , tangy…perfect. NAÏVE MONK…..Green tea soaked in cucumber again a Mocktail.

OLIVE & GREEN TEA BRUSCHETTA……tea infused with very soft and crunchy base, rare to get such. BURMESE TEA SALAD…..with Peanuts and split Bengal Gram….fresh and crunchy. 

TEA EXPLORER……Any four Tea from the menu can be ordered to explore the different flavours of Tea. …..were awesome with fresh aroma which we tried….the Oolong, Fresh Mint……..and it’s a great idea for an explorer.

SMOKE CHINESE LAPSANG SOUCHONG….Tea with real smokey flavour with golden copper colour was excellent along with SMOKED CHICKEN SANDWICH…..with soft juicy smokey chicken and caramelized onion it gives a great taste on palate.

TEA TRAILS BISTRO is already in the mode of expansion and I am sure they will play a long inning !!

VAISAKH......BLOOMS, EROS, NEHRU PLACE is celebrating the first month of Hindu Solar Calendar with delicacies from Punjab, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Bengal

BLOOMS is blooming with the usher of VAISAKH, the first month of Hindu Solar Calendar, in Punjab it’s the crop harvesting time, in Kerala is called VISHU, start of the prosperous New Year, in Bengal it is BOISHAKH and in Tamil Nadu it is VAIKASI…..everywhere it is celebrated  as festival with great  enthusiasm and the carnival all around.

It’s always a pleasure to be at EROS, Nehru Place for the warm welcome from the team EROS, which is always keen to create some new event. This time they are celebrating VAISAKH from 13thApril to 23^rd April, 2016, where after thorough research and hard work , the delicacies from PUNJAB, BENGAL, TAMIL NADU and KERALA are being served. 

Started with the famous PUCHKA and JHAL MURI from Bengal …..unlike the North India , the filling is mashed and filled with sour taste and the JHAL MURI….with crisp puffed rice with the taste of raw mustard oil. DAREDEVIL EGG…boiled eggs with minced mutton and fried……mouthwatering.

KANE FISH ….the small silver fish from South, PANIYARAM the Chetinad delicacy made with rice better served with tomato chutney and UPPAM WITH CHICKEN STEW….. all were awesome.

TANDOORI CHICKEN….very well marinated with all the spices and mustard oil….was soft and moist…..superb and the AMRITSARI FISH…..was excellent.

KOSHA MANSHO….spicy Bengali Mutton gravy, where they use less of tomatoes and more of black pepper ALOO POTOLER DALNA….Bengali home style gravy of pointed gourd and alloo…perfect.

CHICKEN KOZHUMBU…..Tamil style spiced prawn gravy…was really spicy and tasty and the PULLYODHARAL….Iyenger style tamarind rice…perfectly done.

TANDOORI BUTTER CHICKEN, MATAR PANEER MASALA, PUNJABI ALOO PANEER KOFTA….form Punjabi delicacies…..not to be missed.

Desserts from all the four states…..MISHITI DOI, CHENA PAYESH, SONDESH, RASOGULLA , ADA PAYASAM, MOONG DAL HALWA, ATTE KI PINNI are there to relish

Only few days left to enjoy the delicious food with the décor to match the occasion !!

7th ANNUAL ADTOI CONVENTION CUM EXHIBITION at KHAJURAHO, MADHYA PRADESH

Feels privileged to be the part of the 7^th ANNUAL ADTOI CONVENTION, 2016 at KHAJURAHO from  April 8^th to April 11^th 2016. To attend this, started early morning on 8^th by Shatabdi and reached Jhansi after five hrs, then by Coach headed to midway for Lunch at NOWGOAN, HIGHWAY TREAT by M P Tourism, again travelled for three hrs to reach Khajuraho. Got the warm welcome at Taj Chandela where we stayed. The networking dinner at Hotel RAMADA,

refreshed for the next three days.

NEXT morning  on 9^th,the inauguration of convention was conducted followed by Addresses by Govt. Dignitaries and also inauguration of Exhibition, Presentations of M P State Tourism and the session on the Ethical Tourism Practices…which will benefit all industry partners, in turn will create harmony amongst Hotels, Tour Operators and Portals besides various other topics related to the trade. The idea of this is that everyone should grow without competing with each other. The day summed up by dinner at Taj Chandela.

On 10^thApril,The presentation on Desh Dekho Desh Khojo was well presented. So many places are there to explore not only in MP but all over India. Govt. and other authorities need to work together to make them travellers destinations which will be beneficial for all. With other presentations like VISTARA, MAHARASHTRA Tourism and Panel discussions, the day concluded with Gala Dinner at RAMADA.

Concluded on 11thApril with the sightseeing….., Khajuraho Temples, Safari Panna National Park, Raneh Falls, Sound and Light Show at Khajuraho Temples…..all worth visiting and all enjoyed throughout.

All in all a wonderful experience, very well organized and executed by ADTOI EXEC COUNCIL Commendable !!

THE VAPOUR GRILL in Sector 29, Gurgoan is just below the VAPOUR BAR EXCHANGE

VAPOUR chain of restaurants is growing leaps and bounds day by day while maintaining the quality of food at their outlets. A couple of months back they have come up with THE VAPOUR GRILL just below the VAPOUR BAR EXCHANGE on the first floor in Sector 29, Gurgoan, already a happening place. 

Lift just opens in front of the Mongolian Tawa Section. Lively place with around 100 plus covers with enough space to move around. Simply done up with bright lights with live music on weekends. We went on Saturday for dinner, the place was almost full, people were enjoying the food and some of them were dancing on the foot tapping songs.

BARBEQUE right on the table with extensive variety of Veg and Non Veg Grills, Soup, Salad, main course and desserts are there to relish and that too at a very competitive rates.

HARA MATAR KI TIKKI and CRISPY CORNS were real crispy and soft. From the Grills CORN & BABY POTATOES, SHABNAM KI MOTI the MUSHROOM, PANEER and from Non Veg, the MEDITERRANIAN CHICKEN, CHILLY GARLIC FISH, CHICKEN WINGS and SPICY PRAWNS…..all very well marinated. The spices were generally well balanced, so one doesn’t need dips along whereas variety of dips are served if one wants to have.

CHICKEN SEEKH IN OYESTER SAUCE….juicy, soft well done Chicken and well presented and HONEY PINEAPPLE GRILLED ….both were awesome.

Mongolian Counter where the stir fried dishes are cooked on large round solid iron griddle is right there when you enter the restaurant…. to name a few….BABY OCTOPUS, DUCK, PRAWN, FISH are there to relish , also some veges.

For the Beer lovers, freshly Brewed Beer is there as they are the pioneers in setting up Brewery in the restaurant.

Live PIZZA and PASTA stations are also there…..but not upto my liking, could have been better. Plenty of dishes are there for main course from both, Veg and Non Veg sections. Few which I tried are MULLI KA KOFTA, AJWAINI FISH, MUTTON DUM BIRYANI…all not to be missed.
Again a huge display of desserts and the LIVE STONE ICE CREAM Station is there for the ones who have sweet tooth.

The server Vasudev who served us was very attentive and ever smiling and the Chef Girish Prabhu is well versed with his culinary expertise. 

Way to go THE VAPOUR GRILL !

GAJ RETREAT ...A LUXURY ECO RESORT & SPA in midst of Kikar Forest in Hoshiyarpur, Punjab

Absolutely Royal treatment we got from the royal people Mr Yatinder Chand and Mr Naginder Singh who are already successfully running the Koti Resort in Shimla for almost two decades. Feel privileged to be the part of group invited for the inauguration of the GAJ RETREAT on 5th of March in Manaswal, Hoshiyarpur in midst of Kikar Forest.

We boarded the Shatabadi from Delhi for Chandigarh and then proceeded for Hoshiyarpur. It took two and half an hour to reach the GAJ RETREAT. It was mesmerizing to see at one glance only. This Eco friendly Resort & Spa has twenty six spacious rooms, some of them with private pools and six Luxury Tents . Bamboo, Stones and Ropes are used extensively to make these huts like rooms, surrounded by privy forest reserve in high octane exotic location.

We were greeted by the team of Gaj with Tikka ceremony followed by welcome drink, then we took a walk around . Had the refreshing cocktails with mouthwatering delicacies like Dal Tadka, Bhindi Kurkuri, Paneer Pasanda, Gobhi Gulistan Hara Moti, Mutton & Chicken gravy . Every dish was well balanced with spices and aroma. Had the White Sauce Pasta from the live Pasta Counter. Gaj Gurh Ka  Halwa and Doodhiya Ka Halwa were among the other desserts which I tried and personally liked Gurh Ka Halwa.

Some local villagers were there to entertain us with their daredevil stunts.  On the onset of dusk, it looked beautiful with Lantern lights around and then the Live Band from Chandigarh performed for us at night. Enjoyed to the fullest with the food and cocktails.

Thanks to the Team Gaj Retreat and Mr Rakesh Lamba form Omega Hospitality for organizing this wonderful trip, a memorable experience !!

TAMASHA....One of the best ventures not only to see as the name suggests....but to feel

The most promising place to unwind in CP or rather one amongst very few such in Delhi with open sit out. Decently and simply done up in the heart of Delhi, huge covered area , Indoors, Terrace, front and back open area. Ample space to move around with around three hundred and plus covers. Another plus point, easy to locate or to reach there with valet parking available.

It was mesmerizing sitting outdoor in sunny afternoon in front of the Bar which is made like a Truck.

Had very colourful and refreshing Vodka based cocktails with fresh Green Apple, Peach, Lemon, Watermelon. Quite soothing, I must say.

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SPICY CHICKEN DIMSUMS….the stuffing was okay but the covering was a bit thick. SPICY PISTACHIO LAMB…..spicy Seekh served with soft Pita and the perfect Hummus. BAIDA ROTI WITH ACHARI MUTTON….minced mutton stuffed roti served with mutton sauce. CHICKEN GYOZAS….steamed dumplings served with spicy roasted peanut dip.

ARANCINI…Dal khichdi arancines  were good to taste with crisp covering. NEW WAY CAPRESE….here baby bocooncini  with tomato puree reduction  were topped with honey balsamic caviar.

BRAISED BUTTER CHICKEN ….chicken was well done , curry was a bit sweet. MUTTON ROGAN JOSH….just perfect.

Teething problems are there as it is launched just a few days back, but it is going to be smooth sailing in another couple of days as I could see a very big team is there to cater to the guests. All the best to Priyank, Jaideep and their team !