Bhavesh Bhatia - Positivelycontent: November 2013

Friday, 29 November 2013

“The Best South Indian Food Joint in Kolkata?!?”

3.5 out of 5

A South Indian Restaurant that can easily be compared to YUMMRAJ’s favorite South Indian Restaurant, Murugan Idly Chennai is Jyoti Vihar, Kolkata. Located at Ho Chi Minh Sarani, near Theatre Road, the place is always full of shoppers, families, office goers and students. The secret to this is the superior quality of South Indian food they serve here.

Jyoti Vihar is a small South Indian restaurant which now is a part of kolkata’s heritage. The vintage (in the true sense of the word!) interiors of Jyoti Vihar with mosaic flooring, the wood paneling and old style table and chairs will remind you of your childhood days, probably because they are the same chairs you sat on then! This eatery breathes nostalgia, great memories and heritage in its every corner. If you don’t believe me, ask any regular here and they will tell you.

Well, their service is quite fast and courteous. The restaurant is clean and hygienic. They serve delicious South Indian food at slightly steeper than earlier prices – I know as I visit this restaurant every week! During lunch time, at around 1:00 in the afternoon the place full of people, and you WILL have to wait for your turn and get a token.

Their idly with sambhar (that they serve hot) is fresh, soft and beautifully steamed – some say it is the best in Calcutta if not the country (I’ve eaten all over the south and believe me, it is not an exaggerated claim at all)! Their wadas are crispy outside and soft inside. The ghee Butter masala Dosa they make will drive you crazy, and is easily the best butter sada dosa one can have this side of town. Jyoti Vihar serves you the most piping hot food - their milk upma and the dahi vada are outstanding! The coconut chutney is excellent. It is thick and grainy, topped with roasted urad dal. Their paper dosa’s are crispy and light on your stomach though not their strong point. One special mention here - they also serve no-onion sambhar on request, so if you don’t like onion you can always ask for their no onion sambhar.

To complete your South Indian meal, they serve some nice filter coffee as well. I would highly recommend Jyoti Vihar to all food lovers. Even if you don’t like South Indian food, try South Indian food here - you may just fall in love with South Indian cuisine.

Bhavesh Bhatia is a true gourmet who updates his blog regularly with restaurant reviews. Along with blog writing and posting, get information about website content writing at affordable prices – contact Bhavesh Bhatia for more details on web content writing services now!

Via zomato.com

“Open Oven – A Decent Bakery With Fair Prices”

My last visit to Camac Street introduced me to the King of bakery and desserts there called The Open Oven. They make excellent desserts at decent prices. Their cakes are fresh and delicious. It is one of the better bakeries in town.

It is a nice place with polite and courteous staff. The ambience is just like any other bakery. They serve good desserts just like their namesake in Delhi.

After I came to know about Open Oven, Kolkata, I order cakes on all occasions here. I have become a big fan of their cakes and frequently visit this place. This is by far the most pocket friendly bakery I have ever visited.

Their Chocolate truffle cake and Butterscotch cake are undoubtedly the crown jewels of this confectionary shop. The truffle cake easily melts in your mouth giving a rich heavenly taste of pure chocolate. Being a die- hard chocolate fan, it suits my palate perfectly. The texture of this cake is very smooth and the chocolate truffle cream is heavenly. A hint of bitterness in the butterscotch cake along with their amazing icing decor adds a compliment to its taste.

The other cake options available there like Black Forest Gateaux, Chocolate cake, Coffee gateaux etc, are also popular though I have not tried them yet. In the pastries section, I am a big fan of their Black forest Pastry. Their chocolate truffle tart is also good.

Their chicken quiche and chicken croissant sandwich are exceptionally good and great for tea time or later in the evening. Their paneer pattie and Lebanese roll are also fresh and well prepared.

Pretty much everything I have tried I liked. They also have pretty decent prices when compared to other bakeries.

Bhavesh Bhatia loves to taste various preparations at different restaurants and updates his blog regularly with restaurant reviews. He also updates his blog with other website content writing. So for any information on 100% original SEO content, get in touch with him.

Via zomato.com

“Luscious Food At Decent Prices”

Mission Café (located adjacent to the chandni chowk metro station) is a place which is hard to miss. It is a fast food cum standing restaurant very famous among both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. This food joint is visited by all the commercial locale of central Kolkata. They have a vast menu which includes Chinese, North Indian, South Indian and Fast food.

It is a decent place with reasonable prices and awesome food. I have visited this place a number of times but the taste of their food remains unchanged in the last twenty years – a truly amazing level of consistency! The staff is very courteous and attentive. The service is generous and fast. The only drawback of this café is that its ambience is too old, though it is a small but neat and hygienic eatery.

My top pick at Mission café is chole bhature and plain cheese dosa. For beverages I love to pick cold coffee with cream and their kesar tea. They are amazing. The pindi chana which they serve with bhature are a treat to my taste buds, the bhature are wafer thin but too oily. The cheese dosa has lots of cheese filled in it and is very yummy – you will be hard pressed to find a better one in Central / North Kolkata.

The garden chop served during breakfast is a hot seller here and they run out of stock very soon. Also, one can try their paneer butter masala, baby naan and idlis which are very popular. The rose milkshake is nice and has had the same taste over years.

I will highly recommend this place to all foodies who haven’t tried their food that are in the area during lunch or tea time. Situated in the heart of the city’s business hub, this place serves delicious food which is light on your pocket and serves 100% value for money.

Bhavesh Bhatia is a super foodie who updates his blog regularly with restaurant reviews. He also updates his blog with other website content writing. So for any information on 100% original SEO content, get in touch with him.

Via zomato.com

“Excellent south Indian food at an authentic south Indian lunch home”

3.5 out of 5

Being a die-hard fan of South Indian cuisine, I have explored most of the South Indian food joints in Kolkata over the years, but Ramkrishna Mission Lunch Home at Sarat Bose Road, near Deshpriya Park has been an old haunt for many – my tryst with it began over two decades back in school. Famous among early morning walkers, and more prominently, among young early morning college bunkers, RM Lunch home has been a regular favourite for many of us and continues to serve quality south Indian food at honest prices.

Ramkrishna Mission Lunch home has been a basic eating house serving authentic South Indian food. The place is noticeably clean and hygienic. The interiors are simple with tables fitted with marble tops. While entering the building it does give you a feeling of being in a lunch home. With a calm and peaceful atmosphere this place has a homely feeling. They have polite and friendly staff with quick and courteous service.

They have a short and simple menu with fewer varieties of dosa when compared to other lavish restaurants. However, their butter masala dosa has a tantalizing aroma of being freshly baked and urges you to gorge on it without stopping. The crust was crispy and perfect. Their idlis are soft and fresh – and if I may commit some culinary Calcutta South Indian blasphemy – probably better than its cousin Jyoti Vihar on its day (yes, JV lovers - boo me now!). The medu vadas are crispy outside and soft inside. Their uttapams are also tasty and nice to eat though uttapam is not one of my favourite dishes to order. Their USP is their special chutney with the special tadka on top. It is a must try at Ramkrishna Mission Lunch House. They also serve excellent South Indian filter coffee to complete your meal.

To sum up – Good food to pamper your taste buds at pocket friendly prices. You will leave this place with a happy stomach every time.

Via zomato.com

“Cakes – A Place Which Serves The Pleasure Of Life”

“STRESSED spelled backwards is DESSERTS.” Being a big foodie, desserts are a favorite and are a must have in my food list. Cakes at theatre road is one of my favorite confectionaries place. I prefer it over Kookie Jar as they deliver the same quality at much more honest prices, a fact that is clearly visible if you go to both these side-by-side outlets during school give-over time!

Cakes at theatre road serve desserts, bakery and fast food, and is one of the best and the most popular confectionaries in the city. The place is very spacey and serves yummy bakes. They have polite and friendly staff with nice interior décor.

I love the cakes they make and always order my birthday cake from Cakes. I love the truffle cake they make as it melts in my mouth and has a rich taste. But you can also try their mango cake and fudge cake. They also make special birthday cakes in the form of comic characters, whether it’s chubby, lazy Garfield or mischievous Tom and Jerry. There cakes are smooth and have a heavenly taste and I never get tired of eating them. You also get a variety of chocolates and breads there. Their lemon tart, nut square and chocolate boat are a must have.

The non-vegetarian items they serve are also nice. Their chicken and mushroom patties, quiches and sandwiches taste really nice. The Turkish chicken pizza and the chicken focaccia are also good.

The cookies which they make are all right – you can get better elsewhere. The same goes for their Chocolate Brownies and Choco Ganache.

Cakes have maintained their standard really well over the years, and give you no place for complaints. It is an absolutely delightful place which serves value for money. A must visit for all dessert lovers.

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Saturday, 23 November 2013

“Bibi of Taaja’s – Delicasies From All Around The Globe”

3.5 out of 5

The Sarkars have been a part of the culinary culture of Kolkata for over two decades now (albeit in different avatars). Bibi of Taaja’s located at Dhakuria is the latest offering by the Sarkars and possibly one of the most promising in the area. I came to know about Bibi of Taaja’s and instantly made my way there hoping that they had the old dishes that I loved in Taaja’s over the years – and I wasn’t disappointed!

Bibi of taaja’s is an offshoot of one of the oldest culinary offerings bringing cuisine from different parts of the globe to the city for many years now. Bibi of Taaja’s is not a typical restaurant which one would visit regularly. It’s in a lane below the Dhakuria bridge on the left side accessed by taking a U turn around the right side. Yes, it is slightly confusing but worth the turns. The ambience is very homely and I felt at home as soon as I entered the restaurant.

No major changes have been made to the menu of Bibi of Taaja’s to retain the old identity which was loved by everyone. Yes, there are a few additions but I am happy to report that they have retained the old charm of the previous avatars well. Overall, they have an excellent menu with cuisine from all around the world to pamper your taste buds.

They have courteous and friendly staff but the service was slightly slow. We ordered Shepherd’s pie, Sesame Fish bites, steamed prawn balls, Khowsuey, Fish Florentine, Thora sin moo, Paella with Joyee’s cookies and cream, lemon souffle and chocolate passion for dessert. The paella was fresh and beautifully cooked. Thora sin moo is a dish my in-laws really like and order every time – they liked it. The Khowsuey was excellent but you need to add all of the seasoning they give you for extra punch. The Fish Florentine was great as was the Shepherd’s Pie which is probably one of the best in town.

The chocolate passion was nice, the lemon soufflé was super, but the star of the evening was a dessert created by a chip of the ol’ block – Joyee’s cookies and cream – it was absolutely fabulous. I also love their regulars - capsicano, oriental and cheesarella, and would highly recommend them.

Bibi of Taaja’s is a truly global restaurant with cuisines from over 20 places. Their prices are pocket friendly and they serve good food. Yes, I will definitely visit this place again.

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“Amini – South Indian Food With A Difference”

Want to visit a little Kerala in The City of Joy? Ammini at Monohan Pukur Road, near Sarat Bose Road area is the place to step in. A 22 seater restaurant driven by Ramani Menon serves authentic Kerala and coastal cuisine at honest prices.

It is a small cozy place with nicely done up ambience which gives you the Kerala feel. It has hues of brown and ochre elegantly understated to give the feel of Kerala. It has an open kitchen with a nice simple décor.

The menu is refreshingly original and offers enough to satisfy both vegetarians and meat lovers. Their menu is not very extensive but they do have specials every day. They serve food in banana leaf plates and earthen glasses which give their service a personalized touch. Their service is very courteous and reasonably quick. Their staff is friendly and polite. Their prices are worth paying for the delicious authentic Kerala food they serve.

The potato stew was a delicious preparation and was quite light. I loved it and highly recommend it. Appams with Kerala Kozhi Curry were very well cooked and tasted nice. The Kerala parathas were soft and fluffy though not the best in town. The chicken roast and the dry spicy mutton were simply out of the world and tasted amazing. The cuisine is spicy but it also had a very distinct flavor which is good enough to tantalize the taste buds.

Amini overall is a refreshing change from the standard South Indian food found in Kolkata. I loved the food on offer and will definitely care to drop in here the next time I want to have authentic South Indian food.

P.S. After your meals don’t forget to have the unique Southey flavored betel nuts!

Via zomato.com

Wednesday, 6 November 2013

"Kookie Jar Café – Not Worth The Money"

Rating: 1 out of 5

Kookie jar Café located at a fabulous location in Kolkata at Rawdon Street is one of the most visited café of the city. The décor of this café is nice and relaxed. It has an elegant seating arrangement, with warm focused lighting with sunlight gliding in – so far so good.

The food served is average but the service is very poor. They have ill trained, haughty and uncooperative staff. They delay a lot in getting orders served – and I mean a lot! The take away section of the Kookie Jar café is also quite busy and is pretty slow in taking orders. Interestingly, they serve many of the same dishes ready to eat on the ground floor as above, but the dishes took over an hour to be served when we went there on the third day after it had just opened the restaurant above!

The top floor of the café costs nearly 40% more and many things which were available downstairs are not available upstairs. There is a huge price difference in the menu of the top floor of the same café which is very rare and creepy.

Coming to the food, the food is decent but did not fulfill the expectations I had from Kookie Jar café. It’s a far cry from their other offering Mangio. The dessert served is pretty good but the continental, thai and Italian dishes served are disappointing. The roast chicken in their Onion Focaccia was moderate whereas their chicken stroganoff was downright depressing and distasteful. It did not taste anything like a Strognoff should. The pot pie is extremely unsatisfying and will not live up to your expectations. The side orders like cheese garlic bread and French fries are extremely overpriced. The mango smoothie is good but the Darjeeling tea served was pathetic with a Tata Tea Gold teabag dipped in it.

If you are a diehard Kookie Jar fan and you visit kookie jar café then you will be definitely disappointed with this place. The lack of service in such a high end café will disappoint you and the place also lacks warmth. The food leaves you with quite a lot to desire and the menu is excellent for burning a hole in your pocket. Give it a thought before visiting this place as visiting Kookie Jar’s Loudon outlet for desserts and bakes is a better and more pocket friendly option than visiting Kookie Jar Café.

KJ café is average but not worth the money, though it is located in an awesome place of Kolkata which will ensure that it does well anyway.

Via zomato.com