Mr. Hong all the way from China to Namma Bengaluru

Ambiance at Mr. Hong

The name rings a bell in your mind right. Akshay and Deepika, who played a double role in the movie "Chandani Chowk" ti China must have relished the authentic Chinese food a lot of times during their shoot. But what if you and me wanna experience some amazing, authentic Chinese food in "namma" Bengaluru. Enter Mr. Hong. Located in the aesthetic and one of the biggest Malls in Bangalore, Orion the restaurant will attract a good amount of crowd thanks to tons of people flowing in every weekend and flocking the plush line ups of Stores and entertainment houses in there.

Rose Tea

Today's generation no longer wants to be tied down to have only Indian or Italian food. It wants to explore new places, try need food and wear clothes inspired by designs from popular places of the world. Here's where Mr. Hong caters to the needs of authentic food lovers. It imports the vegetables and marine specials from East Asia, so as to give its customers a taste of the Local Chinese food. They have a menu chosen wisely and the specialities are made by Chefs who are experts in preparing Chinese food. 

The ambiance is very pleasing to the eye. The pottery is beautifully showcased and the lighting just gets mixed with the setup. Service is impressing and the attention to details is what makes them stand apart from other regional authentic restaurants. I was greeted with a Chinese customary hello gesture and served with Rose Tea. It followed with spicy soup accompanied with Som Tum Classic Salad and Steamed Veg Dumpling.

I chose to go with "Cucumber Elder Flower" out of the available mock tails such as Apple ginger mint, Orange chilli lemon and Guava Delight. And yes, they serve beer too with their amazing food. I haven't been a fan of Cucumber juice, but it was prepared with diligence so that the cucumber flavor doesn't hit you. The next dish which arrived at our table was a complete surprise. It looked like a bigger version of Onion rings, but we could not make out the Vegetable used. It was slightly on the sweeter side and carried tinges of spiciness.

The main course had Spicy Green Bean Curd, Stir Fried Veg in Chili Garlic, Veg Shanghai rice and Veg Phad Thai Noodle coupled with Jasmine Rice. The rice looks very similar to the rice you get here in India. But with close observation it bulges a little at the centre and tastes different. The Scallion sesame Veg Cake was just amazing. It was served hot, with molten chocolate inside. The exteriors were soft and looked quite pleasing. The entire experience was superb and Mr. Hong impressed me with more than just food. 

Renaud Palliere, CEO – International Development, PVR Ltd, said, “Bangalore is a beautiful city and we are proud to contribute to its exciting and vibrant hospitality sector. With the establishment of Mr. Hong at the third level of Orion Mall, Bangalore, we are proud to offer a unique venue for the Chinese and Thai food lovers of the town. From the onset we aimed at creating a brand that embodies the concept and underlying product offering in a fun and quirky manner, whilst hinting at authenticity, traditions and therefore quality. It didn’t take long before the team homed it in on “Mr Hong” with a great deal of excitement, as we pursue our goal to roll out high quality casual dining concepts at value for money pricing ”, he further added.

Pairing Black Dog Triple Gold Reserve with Cheese

Black Dog TGR with cheese

I have been trying my favourite Scotch, the Black Dog Triple Gold Reserve with different combinations. You must have read my previous post  covering the experience of food with Scotch. Today I am bringing out to you another food that pairs best with Black Dog Triple Gold Reserve blended Scotch Whisky.

Blue Cheese

Everyone loves cheese, well most of us do. And if you are reading this, then definitely you are a Scotch admirer. We know, by now the different ways to savour scotch and let us look at how best these two can be enjoyed, as these seem to be mutually exclusive. There's a little unwritten tip, be careful that any one of them is not too powerful to overpower the taste of the other.

Peaty scotch go well with blue cheese, as it is normal and not so strong to overpower the cheese. However, a very strong blue cheese will completely hide the flavours of the TGR.There's a unique way to enjoy the scotch and cheese pair and you would love it after you try it. First, keep a little amount of Scotch in your mouth to prepare your palate and your taste buds will be prepared to the spirits strength. Now, take a small piece of cheese and after eating it have a little bit of Scotch. This mouth coating reveals the harmony that happens between Cheese and Black Dog TGR. You can also, try the same steps with water instead of cheese but first you need to make sure the water is at room temperature and never cold while trying this.

I would suggest you to limit these pairing consumption at maximum 6 rounds at one go. One, your taste buds would have experienced the tastes well and would not give you all the taste sense after certain rounds. Two, both of these are high and will satisfy your palate very quickly. Keep bread and water handy to soothe any nerves. I hope you would definitely want to try this and much more experiments.


Disclaimer: The above content is meant only for people above 25 Years.

Pairing Black Dog Triple Gold Reserve with Food

I have observed that people tend to plan and enjoy Scotch after a meal or at a bar with friends. It has been a perception that Scotch is best alone in relaxing evenings or parties. But there's more ways than we can imagine that Scotch can be paired and enjoyed. Today I will talk a little about how Scotch paired with food will surprise you and certainly you would like to repeat the recipe.

Scotch with food can be enjoyed in the same way as Wine is with food. The Black Dog Triple Gold reserve tastes good with a wide range of food, from light to powerful and sweet food to spicy and powerful ones. The Black Dog Triple Gold reserve has a whole range of flavors and aromas that pair with a lot of food dishes and pairs even better with certain type of foods. Some of the food dishes that Black Dog pairs smoothly are sea food, cheese, spicy starters tossed in different type of sauce and of course how can I forget sweet or dessert.

Peat Fire

I would like to talk a little about a hidden flavor found but not observed by many in Black Dog Blended Scotch Whisky. I am sure you guys must have heard of 'peat', but not given much emphasis to it. The peaty water is found in the Islay region of Scotland, but its not what contributes to the peaty,smoky style. The peaty fragment is induced when the germinating barley is dried over peat fires, and not traditional ones like coal fires. The barley carries the fragment and ultimately it gets added to the Whisky. This is also a reason why people call some Scotch as phenol.

Sushi

Black Dog can be enjoyed with sea food like Oyster. Go ahead and replace your lemon juice with Black Dog Scotch. A bold flavoured Sushi can taste extremely good with strong peaty Scotch. The Black Dog gets its tinge of sweetness from the fact that it spends a lot of time in Sherry Casks. Pairing Black Dog TGR with nutty sweet dishes and fruit and milk chocolates will be a perfect recipe. So go ahead and try pairing the Black Dog Triple Gold Reserve with your favourite dishes and let us know your experience.

Disclaimer: The above content is meant only for people above 25 Years.

Four Seasons Shiraz Wine

The Shiraz grapes find their origin in the Baramati city of Pune district,in Maharasthra. Baramati is situated at an altitude of 538 M and is located in rin shadow region in Sahyadri valley. With 400-500mm of average rainfall and gravely soils in addidition to the mild weather throughout, this is an ideal place for grape growing. Baramati exports grapes and Sugar to Middle East and Europe. These grapes are one of the best finds for wine-making as it ensures good concentration of aromas and a well-rounded structure on the palate, giving each wine a special identity.

• Type : Still Red Wine
• Grapes: Shiraz
• Origin: Baramati, Maharashtra, India
• Style: Dry

Tasting notes:

Colour : Dark ruby red with black cherry hues.

Aroma : Crushed raspberries abound, combining with spicy and smoky notes and a subtle hints of violet. 

Palate : This rich, full-bodied wine has a nice amount of complexity offering fruit and spice on the palate and a pleasant finish with smooth velvety tannin. 

Serving suggestion: Enjoyed best at 16 - 18° C with barbequed red meats and game. Its spicy character makes it an ideal accompaniment to Indian cuisine.

Image Credits: Four Seasons Facebook Page

Bloggers Meet at Sattvam Restaurant

Sattvic diet, according to Yoga and Ayurveda, consist of foods which are strong in sattva guna. Sattva means purity and is made of three gunas - pure, excitable and indifferent. A food is called sattvic when it is uncontaminated , clean,healthy and nutritious. One of the main considerations of Sattvic food is that it is consumed the same day as it is cooked. Overnight food loses its vital elements and micro-organisms grow on it. Food that are neither positive or negative are rajasic and rajasic food is the theme of sattvic food.

Keshar Shikanji

We had a wonderful time at Sattvm which is the only commercial Sattvic food restaurant in Bangalore. Arvind Chowdhary, together with Aditya Fatepuria started this restaurant in SadashivNagar on Sankey road and I must say this experience is not to be missed.

Brocolli Apple Shorba

Keshar Shikanji was the welcome drink. It was served at room temperature. The shikanji soothes the mind and is refreshing. Saffron essence is pleasing.

Arvind Chowdhary

Aditya Fatepuria

Next on the menu was Brocolli Apple Shorba. This soup took me by surprise. It was a little on the sweeter side but had all essentials of the soup covered. Kids as young as 8 months tasted it and wanted more of it. I was so attracted towards the taste, that I tried one more serving of the Shorba.

Haribari Paneer Taktaki, Paneer Anardane ki Tikka, Keshar Badam Tikki, Babycorn aur Nembu Ke patte ki Gilafi

Next on the menu was starters. All of the starters were prepared in ghee. It included Haribari Paneer Taktaki, Paneer Anardane ki Tikka, Keshar Badam Tikki, Babycorn aur Nembu Ke patte ki Gilafi and Tabla aloo. I could not make out the difference between the starters in normal cuisine and sattvam cuisine, as they taste the same. The chef at sattvam had done a wonderful job and we could not believe that it did not contain any onion or garlic.

 

 

Main Course had a variety of dishes all with unique taste. We were served with Dal Makhani, Amritras Ke Kofte, Aloo Kamrakh Peeli Mirch, Chote Samose Ki Sabzi, Swar Patta Panchapuran and Paneer Pyaripatti. The Indian bread with the curries was something special. It was Tulsi based roti. With the right amount of tulsi this had an unique taste. 

We ended the main course with some Kadi, authentic Rajasthani.

Malai ghewar

A fitting end to the meal was a fine desert in the form of Mini Malai ghewar.

More about Sattvam:

Sattvam

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Four Seasons Live Cookout at Hyatt Bangalore

A variety of  Wine flavors

Four Seasons Wines has partnered with GingerClaps and gave us an experience that is true to its name. On the 18th of January, Four Seasons Wines hosted a Live Cookout at The Hyatt, MG Road, Bangalore exclusively for the Bangalore Blogger community. The event had the chefs of the hotel and the bloggers cooking together on Weber grills for an interactive session. Dishes prepared were be Pastas and Grilled food.



The highlight of the day was a pairing session whilst the food is being prepared. The Four Seasons range of varietal wines for matching  sauces in  pasta and Four Seasons Barrique range  to match with the sauces used in grilled food.


Let me take you through my experience preparing Spinach & Ricotta Tortellini with pictures. The recipe is also here for you all to try it and enjoy.

Ingredients:

Tortellini
Refined Flour 500 gms
Egg Yolks         15 No.
Salt         5 gm
Spinach 500 gms
Ricotta Cheese 100 gms

Saffron Cream Sauce
Butter 100 gms
Refined Flour 100 gms
Milk         1 Ltr
Saffron 0.5 gms
Salt         2 gms
Pepper 2 gms

Procedure:

1. Mix flour, egg yolk and salt and make smooth dough and keep it aside.
2. Boil the washed spinach leaves and finely chop it and mix with ricotta cheese.
3. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
4. Roll the sheet and cut the round shape around 2 inches in diameter, place the spinach mixture in     center and fold half-moon and then twist to make the tortellini shape.
5. Make a roux by cooking equal quantity of flour and butter.
6. Heat the milk and incorporate the roux into it, and then strain it.
7. Add the saffron to the sauce and keep it aside.
8. Heat the sauce and add the blanched tortellini to it.

It was a wonderful experience and a great combo of Live cooking and Wine.Thanks to Hyatt, Four Seasons and Webber for hosting such an amazing event.

Here is a small video clipping of the Live cookout:

About Four Seasons

Enjoying a glass of wine is like holding a story by the stem. Theme, character, composition – critical elements of a story, all find expression in India’s most awarded range of wines - Four Seasons.  The award-winning range of wines have been crafted with the technical expertise of Bouvet-Ladubay, France and perfectly complement different styles of cuisines.
The varietal range available in three reds, three whites and a rose, has been styled to suit the diversity of the Indian palate. Hence, one will find the wines fairly fruit forward, with a good balance.  The premium range of Four Seasons  Barrique Reserve Collection, available in two popular varietals – Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, are made in limited batches and undergo a nine-month maturation in new French oak barrels that lends these wines a subtle complexity, an enigmatic bouquet, a velvety texture and a lingering finish – truly living up to their reserve designation.
Enjoy the experience of unravelling, sip by exquisite sip, the heart, body and soul of this unique Indian wine story – Four Seasons.

Vinay with Head Chef Gautham Chaudhary of Hyatt Bangalore

About Webber

US based, Weber® is the world’s leading manufacturer of charcoal grills, gas grills and grilling accessories. Weber is about delicious barbecue food and fun, entertaining times with friends and family. Weber® organises interactive cookout sessions and grilling demos in India for anyone who would like to learn more about grilling. Weber® grill brand products are sold throughout India. For information on Weber®, grilling tips and delicious Weber® recipes visit – Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/weberbbqindia / Website: www.weberindia.com / Customer Care toll free number 1800.102.3102.

About Hyatt Bangalore MG Road

Hyatt Bangalore MG Road is not only the first Hyatt hotel in Bangalore, it is also the only international hotel brand in the city’s Central Business District at this time. Ensconced in a green oasis in the heart of the city, it is an intimate and lush haven for the business traveller.  Modern décor, award-winning restaurants, and enthusiastic service ensure a welcoming stay for our guests.

Find them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HyattBangaloreMGRoad