Tag Archives: foodie

Food From The Northern Hills Of India❤️

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Food from the northern hills of India by the beautiful Miss Shimla runner up Chef Sherry Mehta.

I am a big advocate of the fact the new exotic food is the homestyle regional food.

This time it was from the northern hills of India, by  chef Sherry Mehta

What I liked about the food was the richness and simplicity of flavours, each dish had an unique flavours and a story to tell. 

This marriage of Punjabi and kashmiri food for me was purely made in heaven. The  Dham ( festive food of Himachal Pradesh) curated by chef Sherry had very minimal spices I tasted the real flavour of every ingredient/ produce used and that for me is real good food.

Adraki panje(Lamb ribs with fat, milk, whole spices, and ginger)

Chamba Chukh Chicken Tikka (Tangy spicy Himachali chilli marinated chicken tikkas grilled to perfection in Tandoor)

The soft Matara Kulcha with stuffed tikki gave a run for a sour dough bread, I am sure we discovered sour dough much before anyone did!

Siddu, the traditional fermented stuffed steamed bread was another favourite of mine. This is available with lamb stuffing, vegetable stuffing and sweet ( coconut jaggery) stuffing.

A special mention for the most famous Himalayan trout that was absolutely fresh and cooked to perfection. This sure was a treat for us in Chennai!

Some of my favourite main course dishes were the Chaa  Gosht  (One of the most popular dishes from Himachal cooked in buttermilk and roasted gram flour based    gravy)

Channa Paneer Madra (Chickpeas slow cooked in a yoghurt based gravy along with cottage cheese and nuts, a star of any Himachali dhaam)

Gobi Ka Palda(Cauliflower cooked in yoghurt-based gravy thickened with rice flour)

Seb Aur Bhein Ki Sabji(Local vegetable dish made with apples and lotus stem)

Kale  Chane Ki Maahni (Dried raw mangoes from the hills are cooked with black grams to create this unique Himachali dish)

Sepu Wadi(Urad daal fritters cooked in a luscious spinach gravy was once a humble rural dish and now am ambassador of mandiyali dhaam)

The finale is always sweet with the most simple yet rich food and lovely people around! Budane Ka Meetha With  Rabri it was! (Any dhaam is incomplete without this sweet dish which kick starts any dhaam experience)

The New Exotic Food ❤️

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Home food is the new exotic food and we all agree with it! Ghar Ka khana was an initiative that was specially curated by “Soul On A Plate” to bring on the table 8 varities of Indian regional food to the guest at Hyatt Regency Chennai.

For the first time 8 homechefs under one roof over a month, quite a task right, but all the ladies were put to ease with the excellent planning and execution by team Hyatt Regency under the able leadership of the GM Ruban Das. And this could happen only and only because he believed that there sure is so much to offer by homechefs who make home style regional food.

The excitement of the event started with menu curation and photo shoots. Our Homechefs were on the roll, each one encouraging, supporting and motivating each other and that I thought was the happiest part of the event personally for me.

From Malabar to palaghat from Coorg to Bengali from Bihari to gujrati from rajastani to marwari it was India in a plate for people of Chennai. #gharkakhana has definitely made history in Chennai!

This was possible because of many people who worked behind the scenes special mentions to the staff of Hyatt regency.

Kove for the love of Coimbatore/ Kovai❤️

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The Manchester of South India is weaving a new Coimbatore. My first visit to this little city was in 1998 when I married a young man from here. Our reception was held at the most iconic Annapoorna, I was told this was one place where many of the coimbatorians get hitched!

Mandatory

Our visits to this city continued over years and stories about how my husband and his friends use to hang around Annapoorna was something I got used to hearing often and at times the stories kept on repeating as friends who are all around the world kept coming to Coimbatore for their vacation. By now it had become a household name for me who came from Mumbai. The morning coffee and breakfast was a ritual everytime we came to Coimbatore from Chennai. We hosted and attended many weddings over the years!

Few years back when we saw the place closed for renovation, we were a little disheartened but at the same time excited and waiting for it to open. Little did we know that the wait was totally worth it. My heart swelled with Pride and happiness to what I witnessed today!

Coimbatore you have arrived should I say more! The structure, the food, the ambience, the service and the warmth was class apart!

Would I have ever thought of me seated in a vegetarian restaurant and enjoying the most amazing cocktail along with my family few years ago in Coimbatore???and today I was right here in this place enjoying Nannari Negroni & Jalapeno Mojito, really what – a – what -a !!!

Nannari Negroni
Jalapeno mojito

And wait, vegetarian did I say? Let me correct myself progressive vegetarian restaurant, because most of the dishes that we experienced today are specially curated for kove and kove alone by Gourmet Sage Hospitality Solutions who also are the principal consultant for this project.

We started our meal with Tortellini soup and Singhada makkai shorba. From Italy to North India the soups were spot on with the right flavour, taste and presentation.

Singhada makkai shorba
Tortellini soup

The brocolli Thai cold salad sure was a pleasant twist to the salad experience. The Asian fusion to the south indian curry leaves the cream cheese Rangoon to the karuvepillai baby corn the journey kept the flavours intact.

Karuvepillai baby corn
Cream cheese Rangoon
Brocolli Thai salad

The yam urandai kuzhambu ( yam balls) in South Indian gravy served with ghee rice was as good as the Nasi Goreng that was our main course.

Nasi Goreng
Yam urandai
Yam urandai kuzhambu

The mocktail shoots definitely intersting not only for the eyes but the palate too!

Mocktail shoots

The finale for this meal sure had to be exceptional. The nanari Sorbet was a refreshing palate cleaners and the best friend to someone who is vegan! The lucky Irishman was my favourite since I love Bailey’s!

Nannari sorbet
The Irishman

Kove at ikon, Annapoorna is definitely a place to visit for the sheer experience of something very very special, it is an experience not to be missed along with family and friends! A place to make memories thinking of the old, cherishing and embracing the new! And raising a toast with cheers to new beginning!

Homemade Konkan food in Chennai ❤️

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My hands are trembling with joy when I am writing this Blog. This is the food I grew up eating and have been wanting to have it in Chennai. Specially now during lockdown since I couldn’t travel to Mumbai or Goa due to the pandemic.

Fish thali and chicken thali

Deepika and me have been having discussion about konkan food and we started the discussion last year when lockdown was announced. Have been following up with him every other week and he kept telling me soon. Finally the dream is a reality.

Konkan food ( Goan and Konkan) has its own unique flavour of spices, coconut and kokam. The Flavours are very comforting and not too rich. The sol kadhi has its own soul and it’s the best! We ordered the fish thali and the chicken thali.

How the thali arrived.

The fish thali had bangda/ mackerel rava fry, prawn curry with kokam, kismur ( typical goan salad made using dry fish), kosambir ( veg salad), steamed rice and sol kadhi ( spicy kokam juice in coconut milk) it is a digestive. Like south indians have curd rice end of the meal people from the konkan region have a small portion of steamed rice with sol kadhi.

Fish thali

The chicken thali has malvani chicken curry with either rice bakri ( rice chapati/ roti) or vadi ( rice puri) kosambir ( veg salad) and sol kadhi. Packed with Flavours right from the Konkan region.

Chicken thali

A must must try meal it has its own charm and this one will definitely not disappoint you. If you have had Konkan food before go for this, if you haven’t tried Konkan food before you have to experience this Flavours. Very limited uncomplicated menu. Btw they buy their produce fresh everyday. Available for delivery in Chennai , call +91 9930503526 order!

The lovely note 💕
The menu

Every life has a story. This is ours at The story, Yercaud!

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On a beautiful Friday afternoon we entered the story to write our story for the next two days!

View watching

Our story started from Chennai on a early Friday morning with a bunch of like minded fun people. We did a quick pit Stop at murugan idly. A little about murugan idly, the food was good, rest rooms are worse. A humble suggestion for murugan idly, many of them stop for your food more to use the wash room, hence please keep it clean. After that stop we straight headed to Yercaud. The weather was stunning, the drive was a breeze.

The story in front of our eyes had a mesmerizing effect on us, the vibes and aura were inviting. This resort is relatively new in Yercaud. Must say it was love at first sight for us, the view from the resort is stunning too!

The reception
The room

A little about Yercaud, Yercaud is a hill station town in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It lies in the Shevaroy Hills, known for their orange groves, and coffee, fruit and spice plantations. Yercaud Lake has a boathouse, and is surrounded by gardens and woods. On the lake’s eastern shore, Anna Park has local plants and a Japanese garden with bonsai. It is a 365 kms from Chennai 195kms from Coimbatore 205 kms from Bangalore and 30kms from salem.

Misty morning
Yercaud hills
Servarayan temple

We did visit a few places in and around Yercaud, but tried to spend as much time as possible at The story. They have a bonfire at night with music, the food is very good and made fresh to order, they do inform you to order food in advance. The complimentary breakfast is quite a big spread with south Indian breakfast delicacies. The staff are extremely polite and are ay your service all time with a smile in their face. Special thanks to Ravi, Saravana, John, Bobby and Namita for the excellent hospitality.

Breakfast
Filter coffee

To know more about The story https://www.google.com/travel/hotels/s/H9mDZ address is Berry Garden Phase – III, Pagoda Point Road, Yercaud Hills, Salem, Yercaud, Tamil Nadu 636601

The Story

Traditional Central Tamilnadu food cooked on firewood at Manjal, Chennai.

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Manjal ( turmeric) is such an important part of an indian meal and so is this restaurant that serves the best of traditional food cooked on firewood. The food here is from Central Tamil Nadu.

Manjal

We all know that food cooked on firewood has a flavour and taste that cannot be matched by conventional cooking. The theme of this place is to serve traditional food the traditional way. The meal comes in plates laced by Banana leaf.

Firewood cooking

The vegeterian meal is as interesting as the non vegetarian meal keeping tastes and flavours intact. Both meals are unlimited Manjal has a whole variety of side dishes like the crab curry, brain fry, mutton chops, chicken fry, fish fry, prawn fry vanjaram fry that is served along with the meals. The biryani both mutton and chicken are available on the menu too. The vegeterian meal is priced at 450 plus tax and non vegetarian meal at 575 Plus tax. Remember it’s unlimited.

Vegeterian and non Vegetarian meal
Crab curry
Country chicken shredded ( nattu kozhi) in traditional Tamil Nadu masala
Prawn tokku
Liver masala
Vegetable meals
Mutton biryani

What makes this place special is traditional food cooked on firewood with nostalgic feeling of eating at some small town, fresh ingredients, no fuss food, eat to your hearts content.

Rustic interiors
Breakfast menu
Lunch menu

Manjal opens their door for guests on Christmas with a hearty breakfast and lunch.

Manjal is located at
Old no 17, ,New no 4, kasturi estate, 1st street Poes garden, Chennai-18

Quaint place in Chennai to spend time with family and friends❤️

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The most amazing evening  at a beautiful location, outdoor seating, chic interiors and awesome food. You can find it all at “Meraki”  at Neelangarai.

We started our early dinner with two unique soups. The Cream of chicken was bursting with flavour when the carrot and cumin was subtle and yet touched our soul.

Appetizers were a fusion of South, north and continental.
Munthiri Parappu  / dal Vada with cashew nuts did take the Vada to a different level all together, the salsa that went along was a total treat.

The vegeterian Platter was a mix of beetroot kebab, this sure was my favourite, it just melted in my mouth, the brocolli was yummy and the truffle mushroom bharwan was excellent.

The non vegetarian Platter was a combination of fresh fish in green masala, prawn with coconut was my favourite flavour since I personally love coconut and the chicken kebab was moist and subtle on flavour.

Gongura with black and white paratha was a treat to our eyes and palate

Grilled fish chimichuri was served on a bed of fresh vegetable salad. Huge chunks of mahi mahi was fresh and loaded with flavour.

By now we were full and made a little place for some rice and mutton gravy. The ghee jeera rice bursted with the ghee flavour and the tender mutton gravy complemented it very well.

Things to know – like every other industry they too are slowly crawling back to the new normal, the desserts menu is not totally available. Parking here is on the streets, though it is not a busy road, hence not very difficult. Good news they have open dining space on the ground floor as well on the terrace. One reason we opted to try this place.

Covid safety and precautions- please wear your mask all the time except when you are eating or taking pictures. Wash/ sanitise your hands well. Social distancing has to be maintained. If you find it difficult to follow the safety measures, you could order food from them or do a take away.

Here is how you reach there https://g.co/kgs/Zr6swW