Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Restaurant Review – Urban Street Café

Not that we were hungry at that hour, we had cappuccino and garlic bread just an hour ago at a coffee shop, but we needed some other place to sit and chat. Friend called up and informed us about a new eating joint at Khar station road just opposite the main market. She said that it was launched just fifteen days ago. We decided to try it out.

A small cozy café, you could miss it if you were just passing by but it had a great flashy letter board to attract us.

There was a cart of street food at the entrance with variety of different chaat (like Golgappas, Dahi Puri, Sev Puri, Papri Chaat, etc.) that one would enjoy snacking on Deli streets.
picture courtesy, a friend who went back the next day
Try the PalakChaat the boy at the counter suggested. It was the spinach fritters that would be doused with curd, and topped with chutney and garnish. If it wasnt for the sweet curd, we would have ordered it immediately. But sweetness is the the flavour I dont normally relish. We asked for menu to understand what other options café had to offer.

There were few metal tables spread out in the open. The exterior ambience was good with colorful bamboo rods, bamboo curtains and some colorful metal artifacts everywhere. Through the glass dividing wall, I could see the air-conditioned interiors artistically done with large graphics dominating one walls and colorful stairs leading up to the private office, upstairs

We ordered just two dishes and we were not disappointed. I loved this perfectly cooked dish that was spicy and tasty, just the way I like it.
Soyabean Kheema Pav

Chhole Puri

This is a great place for vegetarian people. They have a large selection of international dishes. Indian, Indonesian, Arabic, Italian, a little of each, the favorite one...they have all desi and pardesi cuisine.

Pasta is the dish one must try, (although I am not a pasta fan - an Italian with Indian touch) the management insisted that we try their speciality. We were too full but promised to try on our next visit. However, my friend went back the next day to try their pasta and palak fritters and she says its too good! so I must try that on my next visit.
The owner, Abhishek Gupta, personally came to our table for our feedback and discussed his great plans for making this café a success. He plans to have a live cooking station of hot jalebis at the entrance. He was open to new ideas and his face lit up when my friend suggested that they serve dhal Pakwan during breakfast hours.

He offered us a complimentary mocktail that he made specially for us, mixing beet root with sprite and adding some Indian spices and herbs. It tasted good.

A great dining experience, I would definitely recommend a second visit, specially for my vegetarian guests.

Friday, September 9, 2016

Cooking Afternoon With 50Young.

50young is the group of people above the age of 50 years. Initiated by Anita Gurnani, Anand Gurnani and Kamal Raheja, the group has grown within one year to more than thousand members, all from different sect of society, all with common goal- to enjoy the life to its fullest as they pass through rocky path of seniority. Many of its members are talented lot, who meet regularly and inspire each other with their success stories. Their focus topics include beauty, fashion, art, culture, money, finance, health, wellness, technology, travel, etc, Workshops and forum are held regularly, you may see them in groups, enjoying a walk down the sea shore, savouring street food by the beach, or encouraging each other in some or the other workshop.

The most popular workshop that they enjoy the most is indoor creative activities like dancing,cooking, gift wrapping, decoupage, pottery, etc. Last week I had the privilege to attend their cooking workshop Dessert in the Jar by  Rashmi Ahuja and low Calorie Buggers by Sheela Sagar.

Sheela Sagar and Rashmi Ahuja are sisters who have passion for cooking. Sheela Sagar is the costume designer by proffession having won the ITA awards 2008 for best costume for Jai Shri Krishna and ITA awards 2007 for best costume for Dharti Ka Veer Yodha Pritviraj Chauvan. I wanted to teach cooking when I was young but life took over and my interest was kept on back burner says Sheela.
Now at the most relaxed age of 50 plus, Sheela and her sister Rashmi have joined hands in pursuing their culinary passion and have started their cooking workshops for 50 young group. Mrs Anita Gurnani is the most gracious hostess, who allows the use of her private home in Bandra to full-house, jam-packed cooking workshops.

Rashmi Ahuja demonstrated the preparation of Eggless Tiramasu in a jar. Eggless blueberry mousse in a jar and Eggless Pineapple cheese cake in a jar
Sharing the recipe of the dessert with kind permission from Rashmi Ahuja
Eggless Pineapple Cheese Cake In a Jar

Ingredients
8-10 digestive biscuits (powdered)
2tsp melted butter
50 grms hung yogurd
50gms condensed milk
50gms cream cheese
50gms whipped cream
few drops of lemon yellow color
few drops of pinapple essence
1cup chopped pinapples (tin)
1packet pinapple jelly
Mint leaves for decorations
Method
Set jelly as instructed
Crush biscuits. Add melted butter, put this mixture at the base of the jar. Press lightly and keep in fridge for 5 minutes
In a bowl, blend together yogurd, condensed milk and cream cheese to a smooth texture. Fold in whipped cream. Keep in fridge for 10 minutes. Remove and put this cream mixture in the piping bag
Assembel the dessert in the jar. On the top of the biscuit mixture, put layer of pinapple pieces. Pipe out the cream mixture. Decorate with jelly and mint leaves.
Sheela Sagar demonstrated the preparation of low calorie Veggie burger and Cole Slaw Salad.
Sharing the recipe of Salad with kind permission from Sheela Sagar.
Cole Slaw Salad

Ingredients
2tbsp hung curd
2tbsp eggles diet mayonaise
1cup grated carrot
1cup shredded cabbage
4-5 finely chopped salad leaves
½ tsp black pepper
pinch of salt
Method
Mix all the above ingredients.
The workshop was a great success. Besides learning a new skill, there is interaction between members over tea and the food.
And then the tasting of the food. For just Rs200, it was quite a feast!!

A perfect afternoon full of smiles..



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