Epicurean delight

Good food, better service and the best ambience make the restaurant, Fio Cookhouse and Bar a perfect place to dine, feels rakesh kumar

A restaurant usually becomes popular for eit

her its food or ambience, but the Fio Cookhouse and Bar seems to be blessed with both. Nestled in the buzzing business district of Nehru Place, the restaurant offers Indian and European cuisine. It is a place where even the exteriors are very inviting and catch attention. Right from the Al fresco area to the space inside, different themes have been put together beautifully. The bookshelf, the huge showpiece racks placed above the live kitchen and dim light make it perfect for a romantic evening.
The menu was full of Indian as well as Italian delicacies. While you are looking through the menu, a basket of bread with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and other condiments will be served. As you dip the bread and take a bite, you will not take any time to realise that not only ambiance but the food is equally good here. We moved to the counter to check out some salad, though the place offers a huge option of salads on their menu. On the recommendation of the restaurant's chef Rajiv Shetty we opted for the Fio Special Salads. For appetizer, we tried for Spit Fired Chicken and Amritsari Murg Tikka and selected a mocktail Hot Wired. The chicken was very tender and eating it with the peri peri sauce boosted its taste. While we were busy tasting food, the chef, who was sitting with us, informed that a number of the ingredients in the dishes came from the restaurant's own nursery.

Now it was time to move for the main course, where there were handcrafted Italian favourites,  infused with elusive herb flavours, like Olive Crusted Rawas, Roasted Hunter Chicken, Ananas Glazed Pork Chops. From the Indian kitchen, we were offered in-house curries, frontier kebabs and the choicest of Chargrilled and Pan grilled meats, Pondicherry Prawns, Kalonji Paneer, Grand Trunk Mutton Curry and Mutton Nalli Pulao and many others. We ordered black pepper chicken, cookhouse char grilled chicken and from the vegetarian section we tried Cassoral. Though the Black Pepper Chicken was a bit oily, we couldn't resist eating it. After this there was no room left for dessert, yet we tried it too. Sweet sin ~ freshly baked cake along with raisin cake creamwas served to us.After having a spoonful we were transported to another world. This dessert is highly recommended. Another dessert that came to the table was Banoffee Jar ~ toffee cream and caramel banana which simply dissolved in the mouth.

Verdict: It is definitely a must try out with your family/friends...or for a romantic evening out!
Address: Epicuria Mall, Nehru Place
Contact no: +911126281026 +919899228666
Meal for two: Rs 2,500 

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Not just eggs

Dining at the Eggspectation will give one a chance to taste 120 different authentic cuisine, including many foreign ones, says rakesh kumar

Finding an authentic Italian, Canadian or North America dishes in the Capital is not an uphill task as one can find it in every other Five Star hotel. But Eggspectation, the 24 hour resto café at Jaypee Group of Hotels offers all these authentic food under a single roof. Unlike what its name may lead one to think, it’s not only about an egg-oriented menu, on the contrary it’s filled with vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies from across the world. “I don’t think any other restaurant besides Eggspectation offers 120 different cuisines, including many foreign dishes,” explained Enzo Renda, owner of the restaurant.
 Eggspectation, a franchise of the Canadian chain that has already made a mark in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto in Canada and South Portland and Ellicott City in the US, Eggspectation lays out a creative international menu with an eclectic selection of fine fare, which includes many egg dishes, making the restaurant a one-of-its-kind. Recently, they launched a new menu, which promises to tickle the taste buds with its expansive choice of savory appetizers, salads, beverages and desserts that make for a fanciful globalised fare from around the world. Dishes like Nova Scotia Poutine, Veggie Rice Wrap, Repe Shadras, Prawns Mac and Cheese Pasta, Mushroom Burgers and many others will give feeling of eating the original fare.

 “I was born in Italy and later shifted to Canada and worked in the US too. Therefore, in all the chains of Eggspectation, you will find taste of all these area,” explained Enzo Rendo. “And yes, every two years, we change our menu to let the people taste something new or authentic. Therefore, we make changes in our menu.” Located in the lobby of Hotel Siddharth, the atmosphere is relaxed with an option of sitting in the restaurant or in more relaxed lounge couches. Through this new cuisine, the featured food specialties will inspire our New Delhi foodies to discover dozens of authentic recipes and international specialties with a twist.

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Awash in blue

Jodhpur, or the Blue City, exudes a rich aura of royalty, harsh desert life and  lively, colourful people. Rakesh kumar walks through the fort city to discover much more than the ubiquitous colour blue

The moment one lands in the city of Jodhpur, one wonders why it is called Blue City. Unlike the Pink City (Jaipur), where every other house is painted in pink, here in Jodhpur, the blue colour is not so omnipresent. To know the answer one will have to exert a little and reach the top of Mehrangarh fort. A panoramic view from here will show how almost every house around this fort is painted blue, interspersed with splashes of white and golden. There are several explanations to the choice of colour ~ possibly to keep them cool in summer or give a uniform look. Located on the foothill of a sandstone hillock, the city of Jodhpur seems like an oasis in the vast desert. Moreover, its glorious past, several forts, monuments, tradition, culture and of course food makes the place enchanting and a huge lure for tourists.
Royal fusion
Needless to say, the whole city of Jodhpur has a royal presence at every corner. With its glorious past, the

Blue City is dotted with palaces, forts and other monument . Notable among them are Mehrangarh Fort, Ranbanka Place, Jaswant Thada and Umaid Bhawan Palace.
Royality in Ranbanka
 Owned by Rajkumar Karan Vijay Singh and Kunwarini Shweta Rathod, Ranbanka recently became the first hotel in Jodhpur to be classified as a Classic Heritage Hotel. The Ranbanka Palace has recently been renovated to increase the royal touch. From its architecture to food or events, the heritage hotel will make a visitor feel like a king. The palace walls are adorned with pictures of kings and queens as well as royal guests, including Princess Diana and Prince Charles, taking one to a bygone era.
Royal wedding
To marry like a king go to Jodhpur. The city has some exclusive royal wedding venues that recreate the pomp and elegance of a royal era. Be it Ajit Bhavan, Umaid Bhavan or Ranbanka Place, each will leave no stone unturned to create a unique royal wedding. The culture of hospitality blends with contemporary modern facilities. “We organise around 20 to 25 marriage in a year," said the wedding planner at Ranbanka Hotel. "We could organise all functions ~ mehindi, sangeet, sehra bandi, the wedding ceremony and the reception. Be it elephant, horse or camel, we arrange everything to make a wedding royal.”
Umaid Bhawan palace
Built entirely in sandstone, the magnificent Umaid Bhawan is one of the most popular palace complexes in the country. The palace can be seen from all parts of the city. The current Maharaja and his family occupy a part of the palace while a portion has been opened to the public as a museum. The rest is managed by the Taj group as a beautiful hotel. Constructed on a grandiose scale, in an art-deco style, the sandstone palace is one of the world’s largest private residences. The Maharaja had commissioned it in  1929 as part of relief efforts when a terrible famine had ravaged Jodhpur.
The local wares

Whatever one is hunting for ~ Jodhpuri juti, shawls, saree, handicraft or spices ~ the local market has it all. Surrounding the clock tower in the Old City, a trip to Jodhpur wouldn't be complete without visiting this bustling part of the city. The market retains a traditional village bazaar feel, even though it is little bit chaotic but colourful. Even a non-shopaholic will find it hard to get away from this market.
Vintage beauties 
Since the city is known for its royality, one can find many vintage cars here. From Royal Royce to Vinteley, a large number of cars are parked in Umaid Bhawan Palace.
Tasty cuisine
The city of the Sun not only gives a royal feeling but pampers the taste buds too. A number of Indian delicacies have originated in Jodhpur, such as Mawa Kachori, Pyaz Kachori, Hot and Spicy

Mirchibada, Junglee Murg and Laal Maans. The tradition in Jodhpur is to first have something sweet and then proceed to the main course. Some popular sweets are Mave ki Kachori, Besan ki Chaaki and Makhan Vade.

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Sip of Chai

Masala Chai, Cutting Chai and Adarak Wali Chai got a new address from roadside to a dedicated tea café. Rakesh kumar takes a few sips

If a group of well-suited executives were to ask for “Cutting Chai” in an up-market restaurant, heads would certainly turn. Associated with  roadside tea stalls, Cutting Chai has been an all-time favourite with  all those frequenting dhabas. Coming as a surprise for all those who thought “good chai” was available only at a roadside stall or dhaba,  Cutting Chai has got a new space with a chain of cafés known as Chaayos. Developed by two IIT graduates, Nitin Saluja and Raghav Verma, the café offers a delightful array of more than 25 varieties of tea customizable in over 12,000 ways or as per an individual’s need.
“The idea of a Tea Café came up when my partner Nitin Saluja and his wife were on a trip. His wife was fond of tea, so they kept looking for tea everywhere but failed to find it. ‘Ek achi chai nahi milti yahan,’ his wife commented. That’s how the idea came to their mind,” said Raghav Verma. Since that incident, the duo kept thinking, when coffee can have such outlets, why can’t tea? Moreover, it is the beverages we have grown up drinking. “No doubt coffee culture is there in India, but I think if we have the same kind of outlet dedicated to tea it can also get the same popularity,” asserted Raghav Verma. “Moreover, just check the rates. If you go in any other café like CCD or Barissta for tea, it would cost around Rs 300. Whereas, in Chaayos, prices are a maximum Rs 200 only.”
The concept is just eight months oldand in this short duration, the two friends have come up with six stores, all in the NCR with corporate approach. With their motto, "Experiments with Chai", they offer fresh, gourmet and customised “chais” in a relaxed ambience, with a wide variety of tea, including Desi Chai, which can be made with an option of 12 add-ons; Indian specialty teas like God's Chai, Hari Mirch Chai, Aam Papad Chai and Pahadi Chai; and exotic teas like Moroccan Mint and Camomile tea. Visiting the cafe at Noida 62, we started with the Desi Chai. The option of 12 add-ons include tulsi, adrak, elaichi, cinnamon, ajwain, kali mirch, saunf, mint, laung, moti elaichi and hari mirch. Next in our list was Aam Papad Chai, Gods Chai and Hari Mirch Chai, with the last number scoring over the others. “As you can see, most of the ingredients, like tulsi, elaichi or ajwain, are very beneficial for health, while in the case of coffee it is totally opposite,” said Verma.
With every sip, one can differentiate the flavours of each ingredient. For instance, in Hari Mirch Chai the chilli lends an altogether different aroma and taste. The same goes with God’s Chai,

a take on the Himalayan tea, or Aam Papad Chai. Among classic teas, Darleeling First Flush was hit among the customers. Apart from hot “chai”, Chaayos also serves iced teas in a variety of flavours, hot coffee, hot chocolate and Bournevita, milkshakes and fruit shakes as well. In addition, Chaayos offers a broad range of Indian and international sandwiches (customers swear by "2-minutes Maggi Sandwich" and "One Calorie Sandwich"), and finger licking street food like Keema Pav and Vada Pav.

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