Pre-Christmas dinner at Melange, Park Plaza

This was my first visit to Melange, Park Plaza. Melange is the 24 hour dining restaurant which serves fusion food. I was recently invited to be part of their Pre-Christmas celebration and a 4 course dinner menu was crafted by the executive Chef Narender who won the ‘Hotelier of the Year Award 2015’ for being the Best Chef. So this became the double celebration at the hotel.

I started the meal with a soup, Chicken, Mushroom, Porcini cream soup with truffle foam with a dash of basil oil served with leeks and tarragon bread. This was a different soup of all the soups I have had which tasted good very nice. I wouldn't mind another helping of the same.

Salmon Mousse with herbed garlic baguette. The plating of the dish was simple and the salmon mousse was very creamy. A chicken finger in this dish was simple but gave the desired crispiness.

Over the course of meal, I tried 2 mocktails which were refreshing and cleansing my palatte.

Next was Maple glazed roast turkey and steamed broccoli with garlic, water chestnuts and parmesan. the maple glaze made the dish sweet and my excitement to have turkey for Christmas was fulfilled. I was so excited for main course that I missed clicking a picture. Oh, the dish was very well presented.

Plum pudding with cognac sauce was for desserts along with strawberries and kiwi served with ice-cream. I did not taste the pudding as it had alcohol but I enjoyed the fruit glass and ice-cream.

The love with which Chef Narender and his team cooked the dinner reflected in the flavors and the taste. After this meal, I know why he was honored with Beft Chef award :) I am looking forward to visit Melange again to experience their food and also the different restaurants at Park Plaza.

Hope you enjoyed reading my review, do let me know if there is any must-try's at Park Plaza and do share your views too :)

New year celebration at Suryagarh with DJ Hamza

Suryagarh, Jaisalmer is the gateway to the Thar Desert. Suryagarh isn’t just a hotel, but a representation of a unique way of life, carefully preserving the traditions of past yet framing them in a modern idiom. The Hotel excitingly takes the path less well travelled, and discovers with their guests, secrets of a land that has been long shrouded in myths and legends. With great consideration to their guest’s comfort, Suryagarh’s brand of hospitality is intuitive and genuine.

It is that time of the year when everyone welcomes the New Year with fireworks, party poppers, making resolutions and revelry. Suryagarh located at Jaisalmer will bring in the New Year with grandeur and lay out the warmest party of the decade, at the Sunset Patio.

Recreate magic, with the globally acclaimed DJ and pioneer of House Music in India, Hamza, who will curate an epic night with pulsating music and an exhilarating vibeat Suryagarh this New Year Eve. He has found a unique style of house music combining deep, tribal, and funky sounds with strong world music influences, which he was exposed to during his stay in Paris, Boston, and New York. This 31stDecember, you can blend the rustic elements in Hamza’s exquisite music style with rich history of the land of the Rajputana,at Suryagarh which will make a perfect start to the New Year!

Amidst the chill of the desert, with cold winds gushing over pristine sand dunes, the music beats played by Hamza will echo and groove, setting standards for many nights to follow. This will be an ultimate experience to rejuvenate and kick-start the New Year with ample positivity and exuberance.
Celebrate the dawn of 2016 at Suryagarh! Amidst the desert chills experience the warmest party with festive cocktails and food and upbeat music.

Event: Theme:A desert themed party

Venue: Sunset Patio, Suryagarh, Jaisalmer

When: Thursday, December 31st, 2015

Time: 8 pm onwards

Price Per Person:INR 8500 + alcohol+ taxes

Room Tariff: INR 18000 onwards

'Rubans', Premier Accessory Brand - Fifth store launch

Premier Accessory Brand 'Rubans' launches its Fifth store in the country at a stylish event hosted by the Founder, Chinu Kala. I was invited to be part of the launch.

On 3rd December 2015, the fashionably stylish Chinu Kala invited over the stylish ladies of the city to celebrate the successful fashion journey of her premier accessory brand, Rubans, as she launched its swanky new, fifth store in the country.

The launch was held at the Orion Mall which also marked Chinu's foray into jewellery designing as she showcased the exclusive product line envisioned and created by her.

The ladies who couldn't seem to get enough of the accessories, styled their looks with the exquisite pieces inspired by national and international trends and had their shopping bags full with lovely hairbands, the chic neck pieces, the popular bags, belts & lots more.

So head to Rubans store near you and get your perfect accessories for every attire. You can also buy their products online at various shopping sites.

eBay brings Black Friday sale to India

eBay India is a leading online marketplace and shopping destination in India where thousands of Indian entrepreneurs list over 3 crores products across Electronics, Lifestyle, Collectibles and Media categories. eBay India is a 100% subsidiary of eBay Inc.

With online shopping and discounts touching its peak, consumers can now continue their festive shopping spree with the Black Friday sale on ebay.in. Globally, Black Friday will be celebrated on 27th November. However, Indian consumers are in for a treat as eBay India will offer incredible discounts of international products starting 20th November itself.

eBay India aims to introduce and establish the concept of ‘Black Friday’ in India which is considered as commencement of the shopping season in USA and famous for extreme discounts. Black Friday sale will allow buyers in India to avail heavy discounts on US based products at India pricing across categories such as electronic, lifestyle, home appliances, sports and fitness equipment amongst others. eBay India will also offer free shipping across the country on products purchased via Global Easy Buy - a service launched by eBay in India that allows Indian shoppers to purchase directly from international eBay sites at a cumulative INR cost inclusive of product price, shipping cost and any other applicable charges.

Indian Consumers can avail upto 50% discount on lifestyle products and upto 45% off on electronic items during the promotional period ending November 30th 2015.

Fashion and Lifestyle	Electronics and accessories	Innovative product categories	Special Deals
Upto 50% off on cosmetics and beauty products	Upto 40% off on mobile phones , laptops and tablets	Upto 40% off on a variety of imported toys	iPhone-6 cover cases starting from INR 300 onwards
Upto 50% off on clothing, watches, fashion accessories, shoes and handbags	Upto 40% off on power banks	Upto 20% off on heart rate & activity tracker wristband	Apple iPhone-6 (16GB) at 25% off
Upto  55 % off on eyewear and sunglasses	Upto 30% off on HD TV & LED TV		Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge at 44% off
	Upto 50% off on headphones		Upto 55% off on golf kits

New menu at Alto Vino, Marriott Whitefield

Alto Vino is the Italian restaurant at Marriott, Whitefield. I have visited the restaurant's kitchen earlier but it was for Indian Culinary Route. This time I got a chance to taste all the new menu crafter by Chef Marou. He has joined as the new Italian chef at Alto Vino.

There are new additions to the menu by Chef Marou which will be added to the existing menu. I was part of the Chef's table which unveiled the new additions and I got to taste some of them.

For Antipasti, we had Bocconcini di Buffalo (Caprese salad with Mozzarella Bocconcini in sweet pesto sauce), Strudeli di Melazane (Strudell of Eggplant Parmigiana with light spicy tomato sauce), Bruschette Miste (Toasted Focaccia bread, fresh tomato, zucchini and mushrooms), Fegatini all Sciciiana (Chicken liver, Lemon confit with potato and onion stew), Polipetti alla Mediteranea (Braised octopus, chickpea puree, fresh tomato salad). All he antipasti were cooked well and I enjoyed caprese salad, bruschetta and eggplant parmigiana. I tried braised octopus for the first time and I liked it. I am not a liver fan so did not enjoy the chicken liver.

Next was Zuppa di faro (a vegetarian Italian spelt soup from Tuscany). I have always been a fan of a good zuppa so I relished every spoon.

For Secondi, Ravioli di Asparagi (Asparagus and ricotta ravioli in sage butter roasted pumpkins puree), Risotto al Gorgonzola (Risotto with Gorgonzola cheese and caramelised grapes), Scottata di Branzino (Pan seared sea bass, zucchini salad, shallot compote in terragon sauce) and the last one being Chef's signature dish Stnco D’agnello (slow cooked marinated lamb shang stew with red wine saffron risotto & winter vegetable). The ravioli was very tasty and the roasted pumpkin puree added the twist to it. In Risotto, gorgonzola cheese was very strong in taste and those who do have a taste to it will not enjoy this dish, I did not enjoy it. The sea bass was perfectly cooked and being a sea food person, I enjoyed it. Chef Marou's signature dish was a hit on the table, everyone loved the lamb shanks.

Lastly, for Dolci, Classic tiramisu and Gratineted zabaglione with Fresh strawberry. Both the desserts were delish, Tiramisu being my all time favorite Italian dessert and Gratineted zabaglione which is Italian dessert similar to egg custard with Fresh strawberry.

Overall the new additions to the menu is interesting and if you are around Whitefield and craving for some good Italian food then give Alto Vino a try. Do make prior reservations and make it a poiint to meet Chef Marou during your visit :) Happy eating!

As I was relishing every dish, I missed taking any pic so pic credits goes to @BLRMarriott Twitter

Shang palace, Chinese experience at Shangri-La Bengaluru

Shang Palace is Shangri-La's signature Chinese restaurant perched on level 3, offering authentic Chinese cuisine presented by a brigade of Chinese expatriate chefs. It has indoor and outdoor seating. For a more intimate dining experience, guests may dine in either of the two traditional private dining rooms, Bengaluru’s first of its kind, catering to 12 and 8 guests. I had a walk through the restaurant during the launch of the property but I was recently invited to enjoy a Shangri-La experience at Shang palace along with other few bloggers.

At level 3, as you enter Shang Palace, you will have to walk a long ramp to head to the dining area. Chef Lin Lin Yang and his team greeted us to a private dining area where we experienced some of the best dishes along with conversations. Started the evening with some refreshing Chinese tea while everyone warmed up for a gastronomical experience. I love authentic chinese food so I waited with waited breath for every dish to be unveiled.

We started the meal with some appetizers, Crispy lotus stems (lotus stems tossed with chilli and hoisin sauce), Chinese cucumber salad (cucumber with yellow bean sauce, banana chilli and coriander), Chongqing chilli chicken (Wok fried chicken with dry red chilli and schezwan pepper corns) and Roasted crispy pork belly. I did not try the pork belly. But I loved the cucumber salad which had a tangy twist to it, at times I am fond of veggies too ;) I'm not a fan of lotus stems but hoisin sauce twist to this dish made the difference and I liked it. Chilli chicken was very spicy, clearing my throat and the taste of chilli was left on my throat for a long time.

After some yummilicious appetizers, it was time for some dim sums. Pan fried mushroom bun (Fungus, shiitake and spring onions in a pan fried bun) and Prawn hargau (Traditional cantonese prawn dim sum) was served. I have always loved prawn hargau and this tasted good too. Though I am not not fond of mushroom, but pan fried buns have been my favorite but in lamb. Mushroom bun with the sauces available was delish. I am waiting to try Barbecued chicken puff when I visit next.

How can I miss having Crabmeat soup when its on the menu? With asparagus and egg drops I enjoyed every spoon of it. It is a must try here.

I sipped on a refreshing mocktail while I ate some finger-licking food.

For main course, Mapo tofu (Tofu tossed with bamboo shoots and shiitake mushrooms in chilli bean sauce) and Stir fried chinese greens (Seasonal green tossed with garlic) was served with Yangzhou fried rice with egg. I am not fond of both the dishes but gave tofu a try as it was praised for tofu being very soft.

For non-veg, Hunan style steamed fish (fish with pickled chillies and fragrant soy sauce) was served with Yangzhou fried rice. This tasted exceptionally well. Also, Gongbao prawns (prawns fried with dry chillies and peanuts) with the fried rice was relished. I could also eat the prawns by itself.

Roasted Beijing duck (duck meat carved and served with scallion, cucumber, sweet bean sauce and pancakes). They made rolls by adding all ingredients and served. This dish was a little sweet compared to all other dishes and this completed my entire meal, of course dessert was pending ;)

Almond milk jelly (almond milk jelly served with papaya) with Cinnamon ice-cream was the dessert for the night. Papaya over powered the milk jelly which anyway did not have much taste but cinnamon ice-cream was very good. I'm not very fond of asian desserts much too.

Overall the experience was brilliant where almost all dishes were loved which is a rare thing I face. When I had a look at the menu, there were many other dishes which I could like to try in my other visits. I couldn't help but admire all the chandeliers in the hotel. Yes I am visiting the place again for the brilliant service along with exceptionally tasting food. The prices of the dishes are also reasonable making it a must visit place. You can also enjoy this experience while having a hearty lunch (from noon to 3PM) or a healthy private dinner (from 6:30PM to 10:30PM).

'Organa' juices for a healthy living

Organic farming has been a traditional way of farming in India. The aim of organic agriculture is to produce high quality, nutritious food that contributes to preventive health care and well-being. It is always better to have organic food rather than conventionally processed food.

Mother India Farms was established in 2000 to nurture acres of farms with traditional organic methods to produce and provide quality organic and natural food products to global consumers, contributing to healthy living. The domestic business of MIF is handled by a subsidiary company, MION (Mother India Organics and Naturals Pvt. Ltd). MION has launched India’s first Certified Organic Juices and Fruit Bars, under the brand name ‘Organa’.

Mr.Gopinath Director of Operations _ Mr. Pradeep Kumar Executive Director & Mr. Durairaj Rangaswamy, CEO Founder, Mother India Farms

MIF is encouraging and promoting a commitment to healthy eating and living, creating a healthier environment around. I got my hands on some 'Organa' juices

RICH ORGANIC MANGO JUICE - It's a premium juice made out of Mother India Farms’ organic mango pulp. A perfect blend of Alphonso and Totapuri mangoes and a rich 20% pulp gives the juice a natural mango taste as if eating a mango fruit itself.























ORGANA RICH PULPY GUAVA - This is made from my favorite fruit and natures very best naturally ripened Organic Pink Guava fruit with 21.5% of Organic Pink Guava Pulp blended in each bottle of Organa’s Rich Pulpy Guava Juice.

RICH PULPY MIXED FRUIT - Apple is most nutritious and a miracle fruit. While, Guava is a super fruit, Mango is the king of fruits and Pineapple, highly fibrous. Say Cheers and stay healthy with Organa Rich Pulpy Mixed Fruit.

ORGANA REFRESHING APPLE - Made from Apples sourced from the Organic farms of Europe, you get world’s finest Organic Apple Drinks. It’s tasty, refreshing, and healthy.

You can avail them too at the nearest major retail stores and stay healthy :)

More about Mother India Farms/MION can be found below:
www.motherindiafarms.com
www.organa.in
www.facebook.com/organa.organic