There's No Vacancy Here For Dull Gastronomy...

Hudson Lane is a hub of cafes that have become hangout spots for youngsters. A new and worthy addition to the list is the month-old No Vacancy Cafe located opposite the Tata Power Plant and spread across three beautiful floors and a picturesque rooftop.

Having heard about Chef Anas Qureshi's culinary aesthetics, I decided to visit the outlet for lunch a couple of days back. The restaurant emulates a rustic charm with bricked walls and blinds and is quite spacious. The ground floor has also been designated as a family zone because hookahs are solely served upstairs, which is a plus point for teetotalers like me.

The outlet is well-lit and there are popular jingles constantly playing in the background.

The menu offers an eclectic mix of cuisines ranging from North Indian to Oriental to Italian to Mexican and patrons are spoilt for choice, so I decided to opt for dishes that had the Chef's hat portrayed next to them.

Here's what all would form for a delicious meal at No Vacancy Cafe...

Beverages: 

Lemon Iced Tea

Peach Virgin Mojito

Ferrero Rocher and Blueberry Cheesecake Shakes

Appetizers:

Schezwan Chicken Drumsticks were honey glazed and a bit spicy on the inside. This one was a dish with balanced flavors.

Loaded Nachos layered with cheese and kidney beans, topped with sauce, and were served alongside Salsa and Sour Cream.

Tangy Corn Tacos had sweet corn, lettuce, tangy spice mix, and lime going into its making.

Doodhiya Murg Tikka is NVC's spin-off on the classic Malai Murgh Tikka and was delicious.

Dig In Pizza is Chef Anas's inspiration from an 'Eat it as a Pizza or Pie' concept. The crust is blown up, which on slicing reveals a loaded pizza - cheese chunks, corn, zucchini etc.

Salads presented in a wooden bowl:

Grilled Vegetables and Mesclun Salad was a mix of veggies, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and olives.

Chicken Tikka Salad was a tangy mix of crunchy chicken chunks, onions, and lettuce. I liked it better than the former.

Main Course: 

Dal Makhni and Kadhai Chicken were served with a life-sized Family Naan and Lachcha Parantha.

Red Thai Curry with Steamed Rice added an Asian touch to the meal.

Desserts:

The star conclusion to the meal was Forest Dome conceptualized by Chef Anas to present the wilderness on a plate, with red velvet cheesecake centered chocolate mousse in a chocolate ball surrounded by aqua and earthy elements - brownie soil with mint leaves.

Pouring warm vanilla sauce on it makes the dome melt away to oblivion and the sweetness lingers on the palate.

Forest Dome is surely art on a plate.

Another dessert worth trying are Fried Brownie Rolls topped with caramel and filled with a soft walnut brownie center, served with ice-cream.

All in all, No Vacancy Cafe has become quite popular (read full-house) thanks to their great food, ambiance, and service in a short span of time and I hope they keep up the nice work. :)

High On Style With Big Boy Toyz...

Big Boy Toyz is the one-stop destination in India for high-end, luxury automobiles manufactured by legendary automakers across the globe. It has decided to venture into Fashion as one of the means to put forth its style statement.  Recently, BBT unveiled its very own clothing line, during the finale of the GenNex Fashion Show 2017 held at Roseate House. 

Reflecting on its brand mantra of ‘simplified exuberance’, Big Boy Toyz’s collection features a fusion of sportiness and elegance with a class that comes through the fine texture of the cloth material. 

The fashion show finale was centered on the theme of black and white and the collection also featured the same. The quality of the clothing line complements perfectly the commitment and passion Big Boy Toyz displays to serve everything on a platter. 

Commenting on the collection, Mr. Jatin Ahuja, Founder & Managing Director, Big Boy

Toyz said, 

"Big Boy Toyz has established its dominance as the comprehensive, one-stop destination where buyers are guaranteed the best quality and most impeccable service while buying their dream cars. Extending the same level of quality standards, we decided to launch our exclusive clothing line which is an ideal amalgamation of classy sportiness and elegance. We are extremely excited to launch our first ever apparel collection on such a revered platform as the GenNex fashion show. 

The launch of the apparels is a great opportunity for buyers to familiarize themselves with the brand, particularly because of the affordable pricing of the attires below INR 2000/-. It’s a great opportunity for buyers to bring home clothes that symbolize aristocracy, luxury, pure quality and overall, the trust exuded by the Big Boy Toyz brand." 

Authentic Fare At Bamboo Shoots...

Bamboo Shoots are a popular ingredient in numerous Asian preparations. As popular as the component is a restaurant of the same name among the local residents of Noida, which is located in the Sector 18 Market, to which I paid a visit last weekend.

Bamboo Shoots is a casual dining place that masters Asian delicacies with an Indian perspective to them. It carries a legacy of two decades and the dishes served speak for that.

They also have a rocky installation right at the entrance, which adds to the decor element.

The outlet is spread across two floors including a basement, is well-lit, and there's ambient music playing in the background.

Here's what would be some of the best culinary bets when at Bamboo Shoots...

Soups:

Chicken Browned Garlic Soup had chicken chunks and that rustic garlic flavor that lingers on the palate.

Chicken Talumein Soup was more like a meal bowl with lots of veggies and noodles.

Mocktails:

Summer Passion was a concoction of coconut and pineapple juice.

Mango Blast was a thick blend of mango pulp and cream.

Bamboo Shoots Lemonade was a flavorful burst of cucumber and mint.

Appetizers:

Prawn Butter Chilly Garlic was well-prepared with a mildly spicy sauce.

Indonesian Fish In Banana Leaf reminded me of Parsi Patra Ni Machchi relished at SBOW and California Boulevard but this one had the Kafir Lime flavor going strong.

Chicken Butter Pepper Garlic were well-done, with nice flavors.

Chili Pepper Corn stood out on their aesthetics, being served in an edible crispy basket.

Cottage Cheese Fingers with Red Chili and Basil were easily the best in-house appetizer. The chili marination stood out on the palate.

Butter Garlic Mushrooms were nicely finished, and had a certain crispiness.

Main Course:

Mixed Vegetables in Sweet Chili Lemon Sauce is easily one of Bamboo Shoots' best curries on the menu. Must-try is the word.

Stir Fried Chinese Greens had broccoli, bokchoy, and  asparagus done well.

Fragrant Chicken with Aniseed is one of Bamboo Shoots' special dishes and I could taste why.

Pla Pad Karcha was a filet fish preparation with dominant lime flavors.

Veg Stir Fried Sticky Rice and Hakka Noodles went well with the flavorful spread.

Dessert: 

Mocha Rage is one of Bamboo Shoots' specials and was served in the form of a gooey brownie topped with chocolate sauce and nuts, accompanied by coffee and chocolate ice-cream scoops. The coffee balanced the sweetness perfectly.

Bamboo Shoots hosted a full-house when I visited them for lunch, and I was quite pleased with my time at their place too. :)