Leisurely Dining At The Mellow Garden...

The Mellow Garden is one of the fairly new entrants on the F&B scene in Rajouri Garden. As the name suggests, the outlet has been modeled in the form of a garden.

Spread across two spacious floors with aesthetic interiors based on the garden thematic, I was here recently for lunch and had a pleasant time. Though the ambiance and interiors had a great part to play in forming my impression, the dishes as it is, though retaining the typical presentation, aced the flavors for the most part of it.

The outlet is well-lit and the premises have been designed in accordance with the brand name i.e. garden. The atmosphere, on the whole, is also calming and leisurely just like a stroll in the garden.

With a rhythmic stream flowing at the entrance, cobblestones pave the way to the seating area and a play area for kids, both of which have been tastefully designed.

Here's what I would recommend trying at The Mellow Garden...

Soups

The Talumein or Manchow Soups come across as warm broths to try if you relish a wide bowl serving of veggies and noodles.

Appetizers

Punjabi Machhi Tikka had soft fish fillets complemented with mint dip.

Peshawari Mushroom Kebab had cheese stuffed between soft skewered button mushrooms.

Indian Street Food is a particular section on the Menu mentioned as 'Chatori Chaat' and it had some well-prepared street fare.

Puchka Chaat is served with an assortment of five dips comprising of Jaljeera, Hing, Kala Khatta, Santra, and Pudina.

Fried Dimsum Chaat was an Indo-Oriental preparation, with Chinese dimsums being done the Indian way.

Ragda Masala Chana Tikki had crispy cakes topped with tamarind and paired with mashed peas.

Palak Patta Chaat had crisp spinach leaves topped with pomegranate, tamarind dip, and yogurt.

Main Course 

Veg Dum Biryani came with nicely cooked rice and veggies, accompanied by Raita and salad.

Paneer Tikka Pizza was a crisp thin-crust preparation topped with cottage cheese chunks and veggies.

Desserts 

The desserts at The Mellow Garden earn a special mention as they have some unique flavors to offer.

Jalebi Kulfi and Rose Kulfi with chunks of the round sweet and rose petals respectively had apt flavors.

Paan Ice Cream was yet another refreshing dessert with the appropriate Gulkand flavor.

Kesar Badam Phirni was a sweet delight served in an earthen bowl, topped with nuts and silver work.

On the whole, I had a nice meal at The Mellow Garden complemented by attentive service and would suggest a visit to spend quality time with friends and family alike. :)

19 Flavours Of Biryani Love...

Rice is a staple here in India. And, Biryani is love. On a recent visit to Gurgaon for the I Say Organic store launch, I discovered this takeaway/delivery outlet situated in the Global Foyer Mall going by the name of 19 Flavours Biryani. It had been quite some time that we had relished Biryani and I decided that we should give it a try.

I decided to do a takeaway from this place on our way back home, and the staff was gracious enough to meet us right outside the mall with our order in place, fresh and hot, finely packaged, nicely delivered.

I had received a call from Mr. Deepak inquiring about what all we'd like to order and the stipulated time by which we could arrive to collect it since I am not a resident of Gurgaon.

Coming to the order itself, there was a certain professionalism reflecting in their packaging and handling, and it was meticulous in a manner to avoid spillage of gravy and retain the flavor of the respective dishes.

Here's what all we tried from the house of 19 Flavours...

Dum Biryani, both of whose packaging was spot on, with demarcated slots for the Biryani, Salan, and Raita each, with cutlery and paper napkins in place. The spice was a bit higher in the vegetarian variant than in the non-vegetarian one, though, but the Raita helped counter it to a considerable extent.

Udham Chicken Biryani

Delightful Vegetable Dum Biryani

Kebabs, both of which were succulent and served along with onion slices and a dash of lime.

Chicken Seekh

Mutton Galouti

Kathi Rolls, here at 19 Flavours, are the best I've had in a really long time. I could as well compare it to Nizam's Kathi, I feel.

Nargisi Kebab Roll

Awadh Style Paneer Roll

Gravies, both of which had proportionate amounts of curry and chunks of cottage cheese and pieces of chicken, respectively.

Mashoor Paneer Mughlai

Korma-e-Chicken

Tukra:

Multigrain Ajwain Paratha is a hidden gem. I regretted ordering just one of this.

Desserts:

Kulhad Phirni is a slice of seventh heaven with crushed Elaichi imparting it both, a pleasant green hue, and a lingering taste on the palate.

Hokey Pokey Ice - Cream came in a cutesy triangular cup.

I tried the Knight in Armor flavor which had a quite creamy after-taste. 

What I quite liked about 19 Flavours, apart from their food is the service quotient, for I received a call from Mr. Deepak again, a day or two after I had ordered from them, to receive bouquets and brickbats. And, of course, constructive feedback was taken in its stride.

All in all, 19 Flavours presents love for Biryani (and many other Awadhi preparations) with panache and I would recommend this place for people who wish to rediscover their liking for the same. :) 

Celebrating Basmati With Daawat...

What?
LT Food's celebration of Basmati Rice with Daawat

When?
Friday, January 20

Where?
Longchamp, Taj Mansingh Hotel

Rice is India's staple grain and LT Foods is a pioneer when it comes to Basmati with brands like Daawat, Heritage and Royal in regions across the global, leading effortlessly in India and quite competitively in The U.S. In a celebration held at Taj Mansingh, LT Foods brought together one of the rising chefs of the U.S, Chef Joseph “JJ” Johnson and India’s own Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, along with numerous other renowned chefs of the capital city.

Chef JJ, an awarded chef in New York, who is extensively working with rice and other grains was invited by LT Foods to visit the basmati cultivation farms in India to dwell in India’s culinary and cultural heritage.

At the event, he interacted with some of the most renowned Chefs in India and was given a demonstration on the culinary goodness of Basmati, the Queen of Fragrance, by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, with him preparing a flavorful Subz Dum Biryani and Mirch Ka Salan. Also attending the event was a team from Star Chefs Media who are partnering with LT Foods in promoting Basmati amongst the chefs in the U.S.

Speaking on the occasion Chef Sanjeev Kapoor said:

“I have been associated with LT Foods long before I started working with their brand Daawat. One of the main factors for this long association has been LT Food’s commitment to not only supply extremely good quality products which we can use to highlight our recipes, but also their strong commitment to the chef community and working with them in delivering solutions that are relevant to the chefs. I was happy to note how LT Foods is working similarly in the U.S and across the globe to spread the magic of Basmati which I believe is one of the finest rice grains. I was delighted to share the secret of Biryani cooking with Chef JJ and through him into the U.S.”

Mr. Vijay Kumar Arora, CMD - LT Foods Ltd. said:

“Daawat is now a globally recognized brand and our focus towards ensuring its growth to the farthest corners of the world has now borne fruit in the form of Daawat and Royal becoming an integral part of American households and reaching the No. 1 position in the Basmati rice category in North America. We strive to further deliver on the expectations of our beloved customers and will look to conquer many more hearts and markets across the globe in the coming years.”

On his unique trip to India, Chef JJ said:

“I am in love with India!  I just can't get enough of its vibrant Flavours, Spices, and Culture.  To be around and see where authentic basmati rice is grown, and to meet the local farmers has been a game changer for me!  Thanks to Royal Basmati and LTFA I have a whole new respect for one of my favorite types of rice to cook with. And I can’t wait to get back and share my journey in some new dishes I will create using Basmati and all that I have learned about Indian food and culture!”

It was indeed a culinary extravaganza with Daawat celebrating the essence of Basmati in the presence of Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, Chef JJ and numerous other elite chefs of Delhi and India at large. It was a delight to witness Chef Kapoor doing what he does best - cook with a smile - in person and savoring his beautiful preparation afterward, along with a tete-a-tete of course.

Being one of the consumers of Daawat since the past many years, I hope and wish LT Foods all the success to keep glorifying this culinary heritage for times to come.