A Visit To The Luggage Room...

The Luggage Room is one of the fairly new entrants on the F&B scene in the heart of the capital city. 

An offshoot of Sandoz Group, The Luggage Room emulates a lounge perfect for that relaxed weekend meal with friends complemented by ambient music in the backdrop.

I had visited them earlier this month for lunch and the place was easy to spot given its prime location in M Block, Outer Circle right above House of Commons and adjacent to 38 Barracks and The G.T. Road.

The Luggage Room is located on the second floor and can be moderately or dimly lit depending on if your visit coincides with a party being held there. As the name suggests, The Luggage Room features a wall of backpacks and every element in the decor borrows from the concept of a suitcase. Be it the door at the entrance, the menu, the table or even the platter in which the dishes are presented, almost every facet speaks of 'luggage' at The Luggage Room.

Coming to what would be some of the well-made dishes worth a try at The Luggage Room...

Appetizers: 

Mushroom & Cheese Cigar Rolls were crisply served in shot glasses with a sweet chili sauce at the bottom.

Ajwaini Fish Tikka came with an in-house tartar sauce and the fish fillets were soft and flavorful.

Chicken Malai Tikka was creamy and had mint chutney to go along.

Tempura Vegetables were an assortment of veggies served with a somewhat tangy sauce.

Mint Lemon Fish was an Oriental preparation that had the prominent lemon flavor with bell peppers to go along the melt-in-mouth fish chunks.

Fish 'N' Chips is a classic wherein the fish was crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Chips here were not the classic French Fries but some unique fried crisps.

Salad: 

Caesar Salad had the leafy counterpart complemented by numerous chicken chunks.

Soups: 

Tuscan Tomato was served with garlic bread on the side and had a cheesy crouton as garnish.

Lemon Coriander was not just a clear soup with lime and greens but also had veggies for a welcome change.

Main Course:

Special Mix Pizza was recommended by the staff and was a cheesy thin crust preparation loaded with assorted veggies.

Kadhai Paneer was a classic that went well with the bread basket and salad.

Desserts:

Chocolate Brownie with Ice-cream is a classic sweet conclusion and the brownie here was exceptionally soft and moist.

On the whole, The Luggage Room deserves a visit if you wish to relish some nice food over light banter and good company complemented by a musical ambiance. 

Snacking At Noida Bar Exchange...

Noida Bar Exchange is one of the new entrants on the F&B scene in Noida. As the name suggests, it is Noida's first Bar Exchange located within the premises of Smaaash, right opposite to the cricketing net.

Also, being a Bar Exchange means that you get to be a 'Stockstar' in NBE's terms as you place your bets on drinks that are on the gaining side, on the basis of their popularity among the crowd present at any given point in the restaurant, similar to Vapor Bar Exchange.

The restaurant is moderately lit and the delicious food is complemented by quick and attentive service. Popular English hits keep playing in the background to up the ambiance. The menu offers a variety spread through Indian, Oriental, and Italian cuisines.

Here's a quick look through what would be the must-try items when at Noida Bar Exchange.

Salad: 

Smaash Caesar Salad is a classic and NBE got this right. Topped it with olives and baby tomatoes for the hue.

Soups:

Tomato Basil Soup was a simple warm broth garnished with greens. Missed the croutons on the side in this one though.

Sweet Corn Soup was done well, with an ample portion size and sweet corn kernels and veggies.

Appetizers: 

Tangra Chili Paneer is one of the well-selling appetizers at NBE, given its Indian touch.

Thandai Ke Kebab is the classic Dahi Ke Kebab with a twist of Thandai spices to impart that pleasant aroma and lingering flavor on the palate.

Tempura Stuffed Mushrooms with Thyme and Basil is easily one of the best appetizers at NBE, given its fantastic flavors and unique preparation i.e. by scooping the mushroom caps and stuffing them with greens.

Main Course: 

Paneer Kathi Wrap earns points for its aesthetic value, being presented in a truck of sorts, accompanied by salad and mint dip.

Vilayati Tarkari was a mixed bag of Indian vegetables done in mild spices as the name suggests.

Veg Pulao went well on the side and had ample veggies in it as well.

Desserts: 

Red Velvet Cheese Cake had layers of red velvet pastry and cheesecake on top of one another, topped with chocolate discs and a sweet strawberry frosting. It had a nice balance of flavors.

Darsaan was somehow the perfect conclusion to the meal, given its pleasant resemblance in taste to गुड़ पारे. The noodles were glazed perfectly and had the right crunch too.

On the whole, Noida Bar Exchange comes with a unique concept in tow for Noida residents and is gradually becoming popular among the masses thanks to the same. 

#TadkaMaarke At Spice It, Ibis...

It is said that one can't put a price on comfort...

Ibis (owned by Accor Hotels) proves the contrary by offering their guests well-being at the best price. In a bid to revamp the general perception of Ibis having an economy emphasis, Ibis Golf Course Road, Gurgaon have revamped their all-day casual dining multi-cuisine restaurant Spice It, and I had a chance to visit the unveiling of a concept that imbibes the essence of International and Indian cuisines being served with a twist while offering a relaxed dining atmosphere.

The restaurant is situated on Lobby Level at Ibis and is done in vibrant hues. There are street-smart elements like tiffins, tea kettles, and cycles positioned as counters, while the wall art depicts vivid spices in spoons, and sliced veggies. It is a spacious setting that is well lit, with an adjoining lobby bar, that has the choicest of beverages to prepare, along with a lounge that has games like Foosball and Darts to while away time.

Spice It offers Buffet as well as A La Carte settings for patrons, wherein the buffet features Hawker House counters ranging from salads to appetizers to mains to desserts, all amid a live kitchen setting, for all meals of the day - breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Another USP at Spice It across India is that they have the longest running breakfast in town - from as early as 4 AM till noon. As for A La Carte, it is being marketed as 'Multi Cuisine Desi Style' or 'Desi Cuisine Multi Style'.

There is a variety of delicious options for patrons to choose from, and you would be spoiled for choice as far as savory preparations are concerned. The desserts could do with a lot more innovation and variety, nonetheless.

Here's what would be the must-have dishes at Spice It...

Salad and Soup: 

Spice It Caesar is their in-house special take on the classic Caesar salad with assorted salad green and a salad dressing.

Tibetan Thukpa was high on flavor with veggies, noodles, and a bit of oil and spice.

Cafe Eats:

Spaghetti Chettinad was a delicious amalgam of Italian and South Indian flavors.

Tandoori Momos were well-prepared and had suitable dips as accompaniment.

Shichimi Spiced Crispy Corns were aptly seasoned and had a vivid aesthetic plating with golden yellows and greens.

Chicken 65 and Bullet Chili Chicken were again, high on the South Indian flavors, complete with curry leaves, lime, and bullet chilies respectively.

Bun-Shun-Wraps-Rolls: 

Phulka Soft Tacos were simply melt-in-mouth and owing to the clothespins, reminded me of 'Indo-Persian Kebabs' at Too Indian.

Tiffin Time: 

Paneer Tamater Roll is simply the best bet at Spice It. Accompanied by Lahsuni Naan, it aces the flavors and offers a pleasant lingering taste on the palate.

Mutton Pepper Fry is a well-prepared dish and is aptly accompanied by Malabar Parantha.

Meal In A Bowl: 

Kadhi Chawal is presented in a vibrant tiffin and is hands-down, the most popular dish that appeals to patrons with a vegetarian preference.

Shanghai Fried Rice is undoubtedly the best bet when it comes to savoring Oriental Cuisine at Spice It.

Andhra Chili Chicken was served on a bed of Lemon Rice accompanied by Appalam.

Nasi Goreng at Spice It was a classic take on the popular Malaysian preparation.

Breads & More:

Chur Chur Parantha was stuffed with choicest fillings and accompanied by Dal Makhni and Boondi Raita.

Kottu is a popular Sri Lankan street fare and was nicely done by the folks at Spice It.

Desserts: 

Baked Yogurt was topped with sliced pistachios and Gulab Jamun.

Rasmalai Panna Cotta was accompanied by sliced fruits and garnished with mint.

Parle G Cheesecake seemed like a lift-off from the popular dessert with a mirrored plating at Farzi Cafe.

All in all, Spice It's #TadkaMaarke avatar has had me pleased to a certain extent with their culinary takes on classic preparations to present a modern perspective to those. :)