La Mesa at Koramangala

Location: Koramangala (Bangalore)

I wanted to try Mexican last night. The only caveat … I didn’t want to spend too much on places like Habanero; which are good but come at a high price.

I filtered for Mexican restaurants in Bangalore on Zomato and Burrp and this placed called ‘La Mesa’ in Kormangala, popped up. I had not heard of this place before. What made me curious about this place was that burrp suggested only Rs. 250 for an average meal for two here. I quickly read through the reviews. Although there were only a few reviews  people were raving about the food. I settled on giving it a try.

The place is small and non-ac, QSR. Doesn't offer an ambiance  They have a decent Leb-Mex menu along with dine-in and home-delivery options. They don’t have a drinks menu but serve soft-drinks at mrp. The food is they serve is good! Some things are great while others are ‘not bad’. Here is what we tried:

Burrito Bowl with with Beans and Vegetables

 This was the best thing I tried there. As i started to dig in, the flavors gradually sinked in. The sour cream and cheese topping made it even more flavorful.

Pita with Hummus and Falafel

This was just okay! A mish-mash of too many flavors and I couldn't get the distinct taste of hummus I was looking for.

Quesadillas with Cheese Beans and Vegetables

Again this was a good preparation! The filling was nice and a great sour cream served alongside added so much to the taste.

All this in just Rs. 255/-. The pricing and reviews were correct! Great mexican taste and value for money sums up this small, relatively unknown joint.

People not looking for a fancy place but in search for great taste ... do give it a try!

Pind Balluchi

Location: Bangalore, MG Road (Garuda Mall)

Pind Balluchi was my favorite punjabi food spot in Noida. I used to frequent it often with my buddies and was never once disappointed with this joint.
Today while strolling around in Garuda Mall, I just happened to pass by it. The familiar big red neon sign with the sardar ji sitting under it with his lathi, activated my dormant taste buds.
Seeing one of my fav joints right in front of me made me crave for its food. I stood there reading its menu at the door. Just then a set of customers walked out of the restaurant ... I caught a glimpse inside; of the familiar sights, smells. Just then, at that moment the deal was sealed! I went right in and asked for a 'table for two'!

Here's a splash of the splendid meal we had:

A warm welcome! 

Confusion written across face. Kya order karen? Everything looks splendid!

Rubbing hands together with glee. Eager to get started!

Getting started with 'Dahi ke Kebab'. Really Really gooood

A closer look. Great preparation ... what an amazing invention this is

Kadai Paneer with Roomali Roti

Aam Panna concocted to perfection

A dash of colors to celebrate the food!

Hummus with Lavash

Not so long ago, I developed this liking for the good old middle-eastern Hummus and now I simply adore it. Initially, I picked Hummus from retailers (Nature’s Basket, Istanbul Doner (B'lore) etc.) but, now I sometimes prepare it at home as well.

Besides, I recently discovered this great side that goes very well with Hummus. It’s called Lavash. Lavash is a thin flatbread popular in Iran, Iraq, Turkey etc. I generally pick it up from Nature’s Basket again.

Here are a few clicks of my dinner-dates with Hummus ;-):

Hummus with Lavash

Lavash

Hummus with Falafel in Naan & Lavash

Istanbul Doner: Turkish Delight

Location: Indiranagar, Bangalore

It’s a great place for trying out something different yet scrumptious! I have a short video (1.5 mins) of this joint below. If you have trouble viewing goto this link on YT: 

If you happen to visit, do let me know your experience. Happy Eating fellow foodies :-D

Eggless Pancakes :-)

You Need (4-5 pancakes):

• Maida (Flour) – 1 cup
• Milk – 1 cup
• Sugar – 1 tablespoon
• Salt – ½ tablespoon
• Vegetable Oil/Olive Oil – 1 tablespoon
• Baking Powder – 1 tablespoon
• Butter
• Honey/Maple Syrup

Preparation:

Batter up: Whisk together the maida (flour), baking powder, salt and sugar. Add milk and oil and mix slowly and gently. Set aside for a few mins. After about 10 minutes, give it a mix again and set aside.

Heat-on: Heat a non-stick pan until it gets hot. Switch off the stove and leave it for 2-3 minutes. Again switch it on and put on medium flame. Grease with butter and pour one ladle-full of batter gently such that it doesn't spread

Flisyde: Wait until bubbles appear over the pancakes. Then flip over. Cook the other side for a minute and transfer to serving plate.

Serve hot topped with a liberal amount of butter, honey or maple syrup.

Enjoy the warm, fluffy and super soft … eggless pancakes!!!

The video below will give you a good idea of the preparation:

You can even try out pancakes in different flavors e.g. blueberry, strawberry. All you need to do is, add blueberry/strawberry paste/syrup to your batter and follow the steps above.

Matteo Coffea ... Now at CMH Road!

Location: CMH Road, Indira Nagar, Bangalore

YeaY!!! Some great news for folks in this part of Bangalore. Matteo has opened up a new gargantuan sized cafe at CMH road. The place is great and the coffee too! \m/. My favourite pick ... Cafe Mocha Grande!

@the CMH outlet

World Cuisine for Vegetarians

Who says vegetarians don’t have much choice when it comes to food??? Sorry to disappoint all you meat eaters, below is a list of all the cuisines I have tried (sitting here in India), all the while maintaining my 100% vegetarianism :-):

Indian

• Punjabi (Personal Favorites: Kadai Paneer, Tandoori Mushrooms, Rajma Chawal)
• Mughlai (Personal Favorites: Garlic Naan)
• Rajasthani/Marwari (Personal Favorites: Missi/Bajra Roti, Gatte ki Sabzi)
• Gujrati (Personal Favorites: Dhokla, Thepla)
• Kerela Cuisine (Personal Favorites: Appam, Coconut based Stew)
• Andhra (Personal Favorites: Meals)
• Karnataka (Personal Favorites: Open Butter Masala Dosa)
• Maharashtrian (Personal Favorites: Vada Pav)
• Bihari
• Bengali
• Orissa
• Chaats (Aloo-Tikki, Kachori)

European

• Italian (Personal Favorites: wood burn pizza (cheese n mushroom)
• English (Personal Favorites: Baked beans & Toast)
• Spanish
• French (Personal Favorites: quiche) 

South East Asian

• Bali-nese
• Vietnamese
• Thai (Personal Favorites: Red Thai Curry)

Other International 

• American (Personal Favorites: Burger loaded with Cheese)
• Chinese (Personal Favorites: Honey Chili Potatoes)
• Mexican/Tex-Mex (Personal Favorites: Fajitas, Burrito)
• Middle Eastern (Personal Favorites: Falafel, Couscous)
• Caribbean

And my list keeps growing! I must say, Bangalore is a great destination if you want to experiment with international cuisines! 

How many have you tried??? Vegetarians ... go for it!!!