The ambience reminds you of the European caffes situated at tourist places – classy wooden interiors, soothing pastel colours and lovely music. The service is very swift and the servers here also ask for your particular distastes – anchovies in my case.

Here are the dishes that I tried :

Chicken and mascarpone Lasagne : Hot from the oven and freshly baked, this was yummilicious! The chicken pieces were small and were drenched in a light red sauce and cheese. The lasagne sheets were a bit thick but nonetheless fine to eat. The amount of cheese was less – very much required these days because of over the top lasagnes.

Napoli Pizza : A very light handmade pizza. The presence of olives, tomato sauce and capers gives a predominant tangy flavour to this one. However the saltiness of anchovies was a bit weird for me and somehow I could not come to like it. My first trial with anchovies did not go well.

Wild mushroom risotto : This was creamy and good to taste. But after a while, when it gets a bit cold, it is difficult to eat. The rice becomes a bit chewy and hard. However, the chewy and wonderfully made mushrooms drenched in white cream sauce is lovely.

Red Velvet cake slice : The cake must have had three or four layers and was heavy to eat. The creamy was smooth, had a thick texture and was subtly sweet. I never ever had a better red velvet cake! Some places serve this wonderful dessert either too sweet or the cream is too thin. But here it is perfect! Way to go guys!

Will definitely come here again to savour their other items.

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They have a daily food menu and I decided to try a Wednesday one.

Mushroom Fusilli Alfredo: You will find a hell lot of fusilli one white sauce with button mushrooms, but if the same dish comes with the addition of the juicy shiitake mushrooms, please do try it! The white sauce here was not too runny or too creamy – just the perfect consistency. Highly recommended.

Creamy Peppercorn Chicken Spaghetti: If there is a place serving pasta, I always chose spaghetti. Because it imbibes the flavours of the sauce so well! So this particular bowl of spaghetti was perfectly served in a slurpy yet creamy red sauce with the right amount of black pepper. Not to forget the succulent grilled chicken and firm vegetables. Highly recommended.

Red Velvet Swiss Roll: Perfect ending to a perfect meal! I have a thing for luscious Swiss Rolls and when they come in red velvet – my my! This one was so soft and so airy! Not to forget the moderate sweetness and the high quality cream.

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This fine dining restaurant will remind you of the eateries situated at beaches – subtle white and blue interiors and tropical themes. Their drinks are named after tropical and beach based paraphernalia and they do have an interesting range of cocktails. Moving on to food, here are the items that I relished :

Bhoot Jholokiya chilli cheese melt with tomato salsa : I am not very tolerant towards chillies and when it comes to bhoot jholokiya – imagine my plight! One bite was enough to inflame my senses – I was literally on fire! The chilli is so spicy that the sensation will reach your ears within seconds. The cheese used on the bread was lovely though – soft and warm but not too chewy.

Stuffed snakegourd with tamarind sauce : I do not like snakegourd (parval) when it is cooked at home, but here it was lovely. The snakegourd enclosed mashed potatoes which were lightly spiced, sweet and had roasted semolina on top. The presence of rai seeds made the potato mash delectable. The tamarind sauce was freshly made and has a thick consistency. RECOMMENDED.

Telangana Chilli chicken : High spiciness level. The use of green chillies in the presentation and in the spice mixture is commendable. The earthy spicy taste of green chillies is very prominent here. The chicken is succulent and chewy and they have also used lentils here. I wish the spices had penetrated to the insides as well.

Veg Appam best corn : In south India, Appam is made in various ways and here it was made into fine noodles and fried. On the fried base, a sweet spicy curry of sweet corn kernels was placed. The medley of tomatoes, finely chopped onions and sweet corn was a savoury treat!

Aloo momo newhari with duo of Gundruk : It is Darjeeling dish and I absolutely loved it! The aloo momos were a novelty for me – soft warm thin skinned momos enclosing finely cute potatoes, doused in creamy gravy containing local red chillies. The duo of Gundruk is actually a salad – containing finely chopped  dried raddish leaves, onions and carrots  are tasting chewy and lemony. The sourness of lemon is a bit overpowering here but who am I to complaint because I loved it! Moreover, the salad is said to cleanse the belly.

Veg ishtew with appam : The Kerala veg ishtew has become my favourite south Indian dish. The presence of coconut milk is divine here and talk about well sautéed French beans, peas and carrots. And there comes the fluffy rice flour based appam – soft and heavenly. RECOMMENDED.

Goan fish curry with Malabar Parontha : The lovely flavours of coconut, tomato and heavenly spices made the Goan curry sweet, spicy and tangy. The Malabr Parontha served here is a must try – multi layers which are crispy as well as fluffy.

Chicken Datchi/Veg Datchi : A Bhutanese dish and what a dish! The curry is made from a regional variety of cheese that the Bhutanese make and I must say the cheese is very different from our European counterparts. The curry is ohh-so-creamy and the chicken pieces are chewy and juicy and drenched with the cheesy gravy. The veg datchi is equally good – having the myriad flavour of cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, bakchoy and spinach leaves. Long grained steamed Basmati rice is served here which goes well with these two. RECOMMENDED.

Banana pate with chocolate sauce : Adorned with finely sliced almonds, banana and pomegranate seeds, this dessert was quite subtle. The smooth cake type dessert was made up of millets, jaggery and bananas and was subtly sweet and light.

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Biryani is cooked at my home and I have a habit of judging it harshly. Biryani Blues has gone through my rough judgment as well. Let me elaborate my experience :

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani: The long grained basmati is surely there to entice you. The strong aroma of spices – black cardomam, cinnamon and cumin will definitely take you to a different place. What I love the most was that they had used cumin which lended a very different taste. The chicken pieces were juicy and a bit tangy. In fact the biryani had a subtle tanginess to it. They had not used tomatoes, so I am pretty much unaware what ingredient they had used.

Mutton Biryani : This dish is itself divine and when hard boiled eggs are adorning it, what to say! This was spicier compared to chicken biryani. The mutton pieces were loaded with herbs – the spices had penetrated to the insides which is a feat in itself.

Saalan : A lovely accompaniment to the biryanis. Cooked in curry leaves, black mustard seeds and coconut, this was thick and tangy.

Raita : Chopped onions and mint leaves filling thick yoghurt. Yummy to the core.

Both the biryanis had the typical flavour of Hyderabadi Biryani where the spiciness level is slowly build up.

The manager of this outlet is very courteous and tried to deliver the order on time though my office is pretty far away.

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Situated in the hustle bustle of the famed M block market, it is easy to spot. The interiors and the lighting are so relaxed that you actually feel at peace and forget your exhausting day. And the servers are so well mannered that they derive pride and pleasure in serving you. Full marks on the hospitality sector.

Home made lavaash with tzaziki: Crispy and light lavaash topped with fresh dil leaves and slightly drizzled with olive oil and served with the freshest sour drip – a perfect tea time snack for us. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Tomato Bruschetta: I fell in love with this antipasti after having the one prepared by the talented chefs of the Road House Café. The bread was slightly soft and slightly crispy and moist enough to offer a gentle bite. It was topped with a tangy mixture of freshly chopped olives and tomatoes which had a lovely finesse to it. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Chipotle chilli hummus with pita bread: I love the subtle experimentation in classic dishes. So when these fluffy pita breads grilled to perfection came with chipotle flavoured hummus, it was difficult to keep my hands off. That slight burning hummus is what we are looking for when we are bored of the classic hummus. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Smoked chicken Sandreka: I always placed scant attention to the cuts of meat and how that can affect the taste of a dish. But I learnt the nuisances of a different cut of chicken breast when I had this lovely salad of chicken, onions, green chillies and ginger blended well in olive oil. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Prawn ala Plarcha: Being an Indian, you get used to strong flavours when it comes to sea food. We have a habit of cooking the swimming species in such a way so as to overpower the typical “fishy” aroma. But here, the prawn was done so delicately with the pungency of radish and the juiciness of cherry tomatoes coming out so well. Although it was slightly salty, but it was worth every morsel. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Barbeque chicken wings: Guys, please get over the usual sweet and chewy wings that you get as drinks snacks these days. This is the age of experimentation and when you are presented with stuffed chicken wings, you have to say, “Wow”. Add to this, the balance of hotness and sweetness, and there you have a winner. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Open face Sandwich with lamb meatballs: Flabbergasted to experience this! Starting with the meatballs, they were so soft and not the characteristic chewy ones you have. Additionally, they were smothered with a light creamy sauce with the peppery taste of black pepper. These were laid on soft grilled multi grain bread with crispy lettuce leaves and gherkins. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Triangoli Pasta: My love for pasta reached its zenith when my taste buds were welcomed with the food comic flavours of this one. The slightly cooked filling of bell peppers and zucchini, topped with juicy cherry tomatoes and parmesan shavings and lightly drenched in a fine pesto sauce which was not too overpowering. A ravioli will never taste the same again for me now. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Brownie based bannofie pie: Who could have ever imagined that a simple well baked brownie is enough to make a bannofie pie drool worthy? This lovely dessert with the balanced flavours of sweetness and saltiness coupled with the nutty textures of almonds and cashews can give the classic bannofie a run for its money. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

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Beirut Chicken Sandwich: Firm loaves of multi grain breads enclosing shredded chicken, chopped onions, tomatoes and beetroot drenched in a creamy white sauce with the prominent flavour of black pepper. The chicken pieces are lusciously mellow and the freshness of the ensemble can give you a major food coma. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Twigly Signature grilled Cajun Chicken: I expected the grilled chicken pieces to be tangy and spicy but nonetheless, their juiciness took my heart away. Moreover, the Cajun herbs had penetrated to the insides of the chicken pieces.  These succulent babies, served with a creamy caper based sauce having a runny texture and freshly baked pita bread is a wholesome meal in itself. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Veg chlorophyll pesto fista: It is tricky to prepare pesto sauce because the characteristic bitterness of the pesto sauce can mar the dish. But the sauce in this dish was perfectly balanced with the pasta cooked al-dante and fresh crunchy vegetables serving as the icing on the cake. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

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Chicken Burra: Just one bite and I fell short of words to describe it. Such delicate juiciness is difficult to find these days in restaurant prepared dishes. This was again tangy and quite spicy. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Paneer Tikka: Not smoked or grilled properly, a but sour due to hot weather and devoid of salt.

Daal makhani: Tasted just like the one made at home, with no extra cream. It was flavourful – you can actually get the taste of fresh garam masala in it and each and every morsel with the roti gives a complex set of flavours. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Butter chicken: I am amazed by the selection of chicken pieces. Unlike many other restaurants which are driven more by profit than quality, Kake da hotel provides huge and good quality chicken pieces with enough meat in them. There are no smaller portions or even a neck in their selections and this emphasis on the quality is commendable. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Lachha Parantha: It was smoky and a bit burnt.

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If you feel that yearning, then say hello to Chefsway. If you want to hone that inner chef of yours but hardly get time for it, then welcome this delivery outlet.

Since I am a big fan of the pasta aglio olio dish, I decided to place an order for the ingredient box of the Fettucini Aglio Olio. The box arrived within two hours as was promised on the website. The ingredients were neatly packed small bottles and satchels and labelled with their respective names and quantities. The recipe came with precise instructions and was beautifully rolled with a red ribbon.

A note about ingredients: they were fresh and finely packed. When I opened the box of chopped garlic, the whiff of garlic was overwhelming. The broccoli was crunchy along with the bak choy leaves.

The resultant turned out to be excellent, including the fact that I created it. The fettucini was cooked al dante (thanks to the instructions), the vegetables – broccoli, bak choy and bell peppers perfectly blended with the pasta and the seasoning was aromatic and spicy. It was a light dish, home made and healthy as it was cooked in olive oil.

So what are you waiting for? Just visit their site at http://chefsway.in/ and order your next gourmet box with the freshest ingredients and enjoy a hand spun meal.

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Well, you go there expecting Italian cuisine and experience and you are definitely not disappointed. We were immediately seated and the servers came to us to ask whether we’ll be having a La carte or the buffet option. We preferred a la carte. We were served water and the complementary breads. The bread basket had three types of breads and I found two of them pretty good. The first one was soft and fluffy and it was good to eat with butter. The second one was a bit thick and crispy with a brown crust and topped with herbs. It was new for me though. We ordered Sicilian garlic chicken and home made Lasagna. The Sicilian chicken came in no time and it was a treat to eat it. There was a prominent flavour of garlic and pepper with bell peppers and onions adding their own charm. The chicken pieces were small and juicier to eat. I wish they were sauteed for more time as some of them were a bit chewy which actually made you think that they were raw. The homemade Lasagna was even better with chopped baby carrots, french beans, zucchinis and bell peppers sandwiched between Lasagna sheets. The mozzarella and the parmesan cheese made it creamier and thick and the red sauce topping gave it a subtle tangy flavour due to the obvious presence of tomatoes. Loved this dish! Highly recommended. Their service is very fast. The servers are very courteous. You’ll fall in love with their ambience. The Italian chinaware adorns the walls here and the wooden decor lend this place an earthy touch. I raised the issue of service charge here also and after a few polite exchanges, the manager agreed to slash it. Not too much drama.

I would love to come here again and try their other Italian dishes.

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Kaiser is a newly opened restaurant in the supermart area of phase 4. Here are the items I tried :

Mutton seekh  kebab : Not as dark brown as the usual ones, but tasty nonetheless. The minced mutton is chewy, juicy and heavily mixed with the Mughlai spices. RECOMMENDED.

Afghani malai tikka : Another rage these days. And there are very few restaurants who get it right. At Kaiser, I really wish the amount of cream was a little more. The chicken pieces were soft, tender and chewy and were laden with the malai based sauce. The consistency of the sauce was thick and the sauce was sticking to the pieces but I wish for a greater quantity of sauce on the chicken bits.

Sheermal : My first experience with sheermal was excellent, thanks to these guys. The sweet bread was soft, warm, thick and had a heavy aroma of milk. It goes well with the starters. RECOMMENDED.

Mutton Korma : Topped with the jullienes of ginger, this one tasted heavenly! The gravy was thick and was heavily laden with screwpine (kewra), cashews, cloves and black pepper. It was spicy to the core. A bit tangy also due to the presence of curd. The mutton pieces were succulent. RECOMMENDED.

Phirni : This was the best of the lot! So smooth in texture that you can not even guess that it is made of grounded rice. Laden with green cardomam, pistachhios and almonds, it tasted sweet and fine.

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