All posts filed under: Wining & Dining

Restaurants, pubs, lounges, brunches, cocktails, drinks

Chocolate fantasies come true at Jus’ Trufs

Published by Anita

An invite to taste good chocolate is always welcome. Especially, if it’s sourced from Belgium! The founder of Jus’ Trufs, Chenddyna (pronounced Chandana) Schae tells me that the raw material is imported all the way from this far away European country. Jus Trufs is located on #9 Jakkur Road, around a kilometre off new Airport Road. Along with my chocolate loving better half for company, I landed up at the rather impressive four-storey building that now houses a cafe, a chocolate production unit and a large performance/workshop space on the top floor. Despite its location, the place is well frequented by people around that area who know about it. And if you thought Jus’ Trufs is just about chocolates, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. We make ourselves comfortable and settle into the warm and cosy cafe, with some sandwiches, while the better half decides on a chocolate shot to start off the evening. Chenddyna began her venture as a home business many years ago. Quickly, the word about her delicious goodies got around and she began …

Chili’s signature dishes and drinks don’t disappoint!

Published by Anita

I remember a day when we had gone to Phoenix city mall for some work. My sister and I. Tired after our shopping expedition, we wandered into Chili’s. We were quite happy with our cocktails – the Presidente Margarita – which arrives at the table with a lot of drama. Both of us being fish lovers, we ordered the Vietnamese basa, which we were very happy with.. Fast forward a few years and I see that a new outlet of Chili’s has opened in Indiranagar. This is the first stand alone restaurant, the other two being part of a mall (Phoenix and Orion). On a busy Sunday, after giving breakfast a miss (and to ensure we could eat a bit extra) – we head there for a meal on an invitation from the restaurant. We settled for a plate of non-veg starters called Triple Dipper, which was quite substantial and comprised of chicken wings, friend chicken along with crunchy delicious cheese balls. The drinks on arrival looked rather gorgeous though a few sips later, we …

Taste of Tangra: From the kitchen of Chef Edwin

Published by Anita

Ever wondered about the origin of “Indian Chinese” cuisine? Apparently, it all started in Kolkata – the place where the Hakka community from China settled down many decades ago. Interestingly, according to this link, “One of the earliest records of immigration from China can be found in a short treatise from 1820. This records hints that the first wave of immigration was of Hakkas but does not elaborate on the professions of these immigrants.” Over a period of time, they grew to a large flourishing community initially involved in the tannery business. Over a period of time, many families closed down their business while others were moved to an area outside of the city. The New Chinatown area, where the community resides came to be known as “Tangra“. Over time, the cuisine of this community began to undergo modifications to suit the Indian palate. Coriander, chillis, cumin began to make it’s way into the dishes. What resulted was “Kolkata Chinese” or what is known today as Indian Chinese. This cuisine gained popularity rather quickly and …

Savouring the world, one dish a time!

Published by Anita

My first taste of Portuguese food was in Goa. The owners of the now restored 213 year old mansion Palácio do Deão, built by a Portuguese nobleman, had opened their doors to visitors for a taste of the traditional cuisine. I don’t remember the names of the dishes now but our hosts Rubem and Celia Vasco da Gama had gone to great lengths to lay out a memorable spread. I do remember the fish cooked to perfection. And the calamari flavored to bring any foodie to raptures. This old but restored Portuguese mansion made the ideal setting for a traditional meal I’m glad I captured some of these culinary delights on camera so when I sit back and think of the delicious food, I can supplement my memories with photographs. Of course, the images don’t do justice to the actual taste of the mouth-watering delicacies served, but they only increased my curiosity about the cuisine and food of Portugal. Goa was a Portuguese colony till as late as 1954 and the influences on the food …

Far from the madding crowd

Published by Anita

An account of our day out with the Chefs of JW Marriott, Bangalore at the First Agro Farm, Talakad. This is a guest blog post by Mukta Chakravorty, while the pictures are mine. What is the recipe for a perfect and memorable day? There may be many, but here is mine. Head someplace far from the city where you can reconnect with nature and appreciate the simpler things in life. Add to it some great company and fabulous food and voila! There you have it! So on Saturday, February 22, a bunch of us foodies, along with a group of extremely talented chefs of the JW Marriott, Bangalore headed to the First Agro Farm for a ‘Chefs’ Cook off’ session involving a taste of farm fresh food and an opportunity for the chefs to interact outside of their work environment. We had an early start and the crisp morning air helped drive away the remnants of sleep from the previous night. Chef Jolly, executive chef of JW Marriott greeted us and gave us an overview …

Heady infusions at the MBar

Published by Anita

We’re getting options these days! From a place which people looked down on (you live where?), to a happening suburb, Whitefield has come a long way. In fact, today it’s a bit of a boast to say, “I live in Whitefield”. Not only do we have 5 malls within striking distance, we also have the Marriott, Whitefield in our backyard. I recently tried the brunch at the hotel and was quite impressed by the spread. This time around, it was to check out their lounge, Mbar and the impressive selection of cocktails they have on offer. Their secret behind the potent mix that goes into the cocktails – alcohol infused with different flavours and kept in large jars for around 3 months. So imagine a vodka infused with jalapenos, or a tequila and Malibu infused with pineapples, which looks and smells really heady. These infusions are then used to prepare their range of signature cocktails. A few of us had gathered around the table that Friday evening and the Food & Beverages Director, Vivin Kuriakose …