Starbucks is trying to make a difference through its The Big Picture Green Project. Starbucks is asking general public to join the movement and on April 15th, it is encouraging people to reduce their usage of paper cups by giving free brewed coffee to those who bring in a reusable travel mug into their local Starbucks store. Their quote: One person can save trees, together we can save forests. is really worth working towards!
It is good to such big corporations like Starbucks sharing their responsibilities towards our communities and the planet and trying to make a difference. I wish more corporations follow the lead and do such campaigns to make this planet a better place to live in!
Showing posts with label Restaurants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Restaurants. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Breakfast for a buck in NYC!
Oldbridge Gourmet Deli on 373 Lexington Ave at E 41st St (very close to the Grand Central Terminal & the Grand Hyatt of NY) has a great dollar deal for breakfast.
Update: This deal is dead as the price is now $1.75 - still not bad ...
In the morning till about 10.30 am, they have a buttered bagel and a small coffee for only a Dollar !
The good part is that you can choose from a variety of bagels and flavored coffees instead of the regular ones for the same price. I saw exotic coffee flavors like Banana Cream, Chocolate Raspberry, French Vanilla, etc.
And just because the prices are so low, it doesn't mean that they skimp on the quality. The bagels are of very good quality and had a proper amount of butter. The coffees are very good too and the best part is that you make your own coffee according to your taste. So you can as well mix multiple flavors and add the amount & type of sugar & milk to suit your specific taste.
You can take out if in a hurry, but if you have time, then you eat it in the spacious dining area on the second floor - so no skimping there either!
Two thumbs up to this place for providing such a good quality breakfast for so cheap.
Update: The deli was closed for some time and now has reopened under a new management who have stopped the great deal.
This deal is now dead as the price is now $1.75 - which is still not bad. They now also have an option for a large coffee instead of a small one for $2.25. However, the options for flavored coffees are lesser compared to before, but still present!
Update: This deal is dead as the price is now $1.75 - still not bad ...
In the morning till about 10.30 am, they have a buttered bagel and a small coffee for only a Dollar !
The good part is that you can choose from a variety of bagels and flavored coffees instead of the regular ones for the same price. I saw exotic coffee flavors like Banana Cream, Chocolate Raspberry, French Vanilla, etc.
And just because the prices are so low, it doesn't mean that they skimp on the quality. The bagels are of very good quality and had a proper amount of butter. The coffees are very good too and the best part is that you make your own coffee according to your taste. So you can as well mix multiple flavors and add the amount & type of sugar & milk to suit your specific taste.
You can take out if in a hurry, but if you have time, then you eat it in the spacious dining area on the second floor - so no skimping there either!
Two thumbs up to this place for providing such a good quality breakfast for so cheap.
Update: The deli was closed for some time and now has reopened under a new management who have stopped the great deal.
This deal is now dead as the price is now $1.75 - which is still not bad. They now also have an option for a large coffee instead of a small one for $2.25. However, the options for flavored coffees are lesser compared to before, but still present!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Shadman $7 Lunch Buffet very good
Had been to Shadman Indian/Pakistani restaurant on Grove Street in Jersey City and here's the review.
Ambience: 5/10
Food: 8/10
Service: 7/10
Verdict: Go there for a cheap but very good Lunch Buffet.
Details:
The best part is that the All-You-Can-Eat Lunch Buffet costs only $7 and includes veg & non-veg items!
The Buffet menu had 4 veg curries, 4 non-veg curries, choice of Indian breads, salad, raita, chutney, one veg appetizer, fried peas pulao and a sweet.
Ambience & decor is pretty average & minimalistic - similar to that of Chandni, nothing very great to be specially written about.
Prices are very economical by NJ/NYC standards, especially given the proximity to Exchange Place - an all you can eat non-veg buffet cost only $7.
On that particular day, palak pakoras were served for appetizer - quite average and not very great. However the raita & the chutney were quite tasty and very good.
The buffet had four veg curries: Aloo Gobi, Aloo Palak, Beans, and Chhole without the usual layer of oil. The taste was quite good and the Chhole tasted much closer to the taste one would get in Delhi or most of Northern India. Note that this taste is quite different from that made in the remaining parts of the country.
I had Naan & Roti - both were excellent; very soft & fluffy - aboslutely delicious!
The fried peas pulao was very oily and not as good as expected. So was the kheer - not worthy of a mention.
So, next time when you are in Jersey City and feel the urge for an economical Desi Buffet, make Shadman your target!
Ambience: 5/10
Food: 8/10
Service: 7/10
Verdict: Go there for a cheap but very good Lunch Buffet.
Details:
The best part is that the All-You-Can-Eat Lunch Buffet costs only $7 and includes veg & non-veg items!
The Buffet menu had 4 veg curries, 4 non-veg curries, choice of Indian breads, salad, raita, chutney, one veg appetizer, fried peas pulao and a sweet.
Ambience & decor is pretty average & minimalistic - similar to that of Chandni, nothing very great to be specially written about.
Prices are very economical by NJ/NYC standards, especially given the proximity to Exchange Place - an all you can eat non-veg buffet cost only $7.
On that particular day, palak pakoras were served for appetizer - quite average and not very great. However the raita & the chutney were quite tasty and very good.
The buffet had four veg curries: Aloo Gobi, Aloo Palak, Beans, and Chhole without the usual layer of oil. The taste was quite good and the Chhole tasted much closer to the taste one would get in Delhi or most of Northern India. Note that this taste is quite different from that made in the remaining parts of the country.
I had Naan & Roti - both were excellent; very soft & fluffy - aboslutely delicious!
The fried peas pulao was very oily and not as good as expected. So was the kheer - not worthy of a mention.
So, next time when you are in Jersey City and feel the urge for an economical Desi Buffet, make Shadman your target!
Friday, August 21, 2009
Baluchis good for small groups
Had been to Baluchis on East 53rd Street, between 2nd & 3rd Avenue, NYC and here's my review.
Ambience: 8/10
Food: 8/10
Service: 7/10
Verdict: Good Indian food, poor service / management for large groups.
Details:
Ambience & decor is very nice and tastefully done with beautiful Belgian glass chandeliers, large mirrors, etc.
Prices are at par with the NYC standards, maybe slightly on the higher side - the curries cost between $10 - $15.
We tried Malai Kofta, Veg Jalfrazie, Saag Paneer & Dal with Aloo Paratha & Naan and it was excellent. Food was awesome, however since we had been there in a very large group (over 35 people), they had a very hard time managing & serving us.
Go to Baluchis only if you are in a small group and was excellent Indian food.
Ambience: 8/10
Food: 8/10
Service: 7/10
Verdict: Good Indian food, poor service / management for large groups.
Details:
Ambience & decor is very nice and tastefully done with beautiful Belgian glass chandeliers, large mirrors, etc.
Prices are at par with the NYC standards, maybe slightly on the higher side - the curries cost between $10 - $15.
We tried Malai Kofta, Veg Jalfrazie, Saag Paneer & Dal with Aloo Paratha & Naan and it was excellent. Food was awesome, however since we had been there in a very large group (over 35 people), they had a very hard time managing & serving us.
Go to Baluchis only if you are in a small group and was excellent Indian food.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Galway Hooker Pub NYC
Had been to Galway Hooker Pub on East 36th Street, between 5th and Madison Avenues, NYC, and here's my review.
Ambience: 6/10
Food: 8/10
Service: 7/10
Verdict: Good ambience and appetizers, poor service.
Details:
This place is very conveniently located and its two level setup is very good. There are a few private party rooms in the rear on both floors. The ambience is quite good, but the sofa/seats are not very comfortable.
Good feature of this place is that they have Happy Hours every day between 3 and 7 p.m. - draught beers were half off and cost $4!
We tried Quesadilla and Pita Bread with Hummus for Vegetarians - both cost under $10 and were very good. The Quesadilla was really very good and we re-ordered it several times as the quantity was very less - it had only 4 small pieces.
Others tried Buffalo Wings and mentioned that they were quite average, nothing very good to deserve special mention.
Juices were quite good and pretty cheap at $3 each, but had too much ice.
Long Island Ice Tea was very good and tasted excellent but this too had too much ice.
Blue Moon Wheat Beer (Draught) was very good, but would have been better had it been served colder.
Service was quite average, at times below par. The order was forgotten several times and we had to remind them to get it. Drinks were served in batches of 2-3 glasses with a good 5-10 minutes gap between each batch. So the group got their drinks in parts and had to wait for the toast!
Note that for tables with more than 6 people, a gratuity of 18% is charged automatically to the bill.
Good if going during Happy Hour and interested in good appetizers & Draught Blue Moon Beer and ready to tolerate average service.
Ambience: 6/10
Food: 8/10
Service: 7/10
Verdict: Good ambience and appetizers, poor service.
Details:
This place is very conveniently located and its two level setup is very good. There are a few private party rooms in the rear on both floors. The ambience is quite good, but the sofa/seats are not very comfortable.
Good feature of this place is that they have Happy Hours every day between 3 and 7 p.m. - draught beers were half off and cost $4!
We tried Quesadilla and Pita Bread with Hummus for Vegetarians - both cost under $10 and were very good. The Quesadilla was really very good and we re-ordered it several times as the quantity was very less - it had only 4 small pieces.
Others tried Buffalo Wings and mentioned that they were quite average, nothing very good to deserve special mention.
Juices were quite good and pretty cheap at $3 each, but had too much ice.
Long Island Ice Tea was very good and tasted excellent but this too had too much ice.
Blue Moon Wheat Beer (Draught) was very good, but would have been better had it been served colder.
Service was quite average, at times below par. The order was forgotten several times and we had to remind them to get it. Drinks were served in batches of 2-3 glasses with a good 5-10 minutes gap between each batch. So the group got their drinks in parts and had to wait for the toast!
Note that for tables with more than 6 people, a gratuity of 18% is charged automatically to the bill.
Good if going during Happy Hour and interested in good appetizers & Draught Blue Moon Beer and ready to tolerate average service.
Desi style Pizza
Had been to Singas Famous Pizza on Oaktree Road next to Mithaas & Moghul, and here's my review along with a comparison of Guallpa's Famous Pizza.
Ambience: 6/10
Food: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Verdict: Very good & economical Desi style Pizzas.
Details:
Had been to Singas Famous Pizza for Desi style Pizzas last night. Have tried Guallpa's Famous Pizza too, but Singas has been my favorite.
Singas Famous Pizza is located on Oaktree Road next to Mithaas & Moghul and is not visible from the street. Guallpa's Famous Pizza is located in the complex next to Subzi Mandi, opposite to Sukhadia's on Oaktree Road.
Good feature of both these places is that they offer a Cheese Pizza free if you order two pizzas with toppings. Generally the bill comes to $12 as most pizzas with 1 topping cost $5.50 and and extra topping on the "free" pizza costs $1. Till date, I or most people I know have never seen or even heard anyone buying only 1 pizza at these places!
I have tried the Cheese pizza and pizza with the Jalapeno, Pineapple or Green Pepper & Onion toppings. All of them are awesome, however my favorite has always been Jalapeno.
Very good value for money desi style Pizzas
Ambience: 6/10
Food: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Verdict: Very good & economical Desi style Pizzas.
Details:
Had been to Singas Famous Pizza for Desi style Pizzas last night. Have tried Guallpa's Famous Pizza too, but Singas has been my favorite.
Singas Famous Pizza is located on Oaktree Road next to Mithaas & Moghul and is not visible from the street. Guallpa's Famous Pizza is located in the complex next to Subzi Mandi, opposite to Sukhadia's on Oaktree Road.
Good feature of both these places is that they offer a Cheese Pizza free if you order two pizzas with toppings. Generally the bill comes to $12 as most pizzas with 1 topping cost $5.50 and and extra topping on the "free" pizza costs $1. Till date, I or most people I know have never seen or even heard anyone buying only 1 pizza at these places!
I have tried the Cheese pizza and pizza with the Jalapeno, Pineapple or Green Pepper & Onion toppings. All of them are awesome, however my favorite has always been Jalapeno.
Very good value for money desi style Pizzas
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Chandni good value for money
Had been to Chandni on 29th Street, Between 5th Ave & Broadway, NYC and here's my review.
Ambience: 5/10
Food: 7/10
Service: 7/10
Verdict: Very good (Pakistani) Punjabi food; not much choice for Vegetarians.
Details:
This place is located next to the Masjid on 29th Street and can easily be missed due to the street vendors taking up sidewalk space outside it's doors.
Ambience & decor of the place reminded me of Shadman in Grove St in Jersey City, NJ. In fact the food & prices were pretty similar too! However, it is a bit bigger compared to Shadman. The ambience too did not feel conducive for Vegetarians.
Prices are very economical by NYC standards - cup of good Masala Chai costs a buck, as does a Naan! Curries cost $6 for a good quantity medium box and come with 1 Naan free. We tried Bhindi masala and Chhole - complete with the layer of red colored oil floating on top! The taste was quite good and the Chhole tasted much closer to the taste one would get in Delhi or most of Northern India. Note that this taste is quite different from that made in the remaining parts of the country.
Another notable similarity (which is also a very remarkable feature) between Chandni & Shadman was the huge size, softness and freshness of the Naan. For most people with average diet, 1-1.5 naan should be more than enough. I have not seen such soft & inviting naan even in best of the desi restaurants.
However, this place is known more for its $2 stuffed parathas which they make in the morning from 8-11 am only. It is advisable to call them on 212.686.4456 as soon as you come out of Penn Station so that by the time you reach there, fresh Parathas are awaiting you!
Good value for money Punjabi food.
Ambience: 5/10
Food: 7/10
Service: 7/10
Verdict: Very good (Pakistani) Punjabi food; not much choice for Vegetarians.
Details:
This place is located next to the Masjid on 29th Street and can easily be missed due to the street vendors taking up sidewalk space outside it's doors.
Ambience & decor of the place reminded me of Shadman in Grove St in Jersey City, NJ. In fact the food & prices were pretty similar too! However, it is a bit bigger compared to Shadman. The ambience too did not feel conducive for Vegetarians.
Prices are very economical by NYC standards - cup of good Masala Chai costs a buck, as does a Naan! Curries cost $6 for a good quantity medium box and come with 1 Naan free. We tried Bhindi masala and Chhole - complete with the layer of red colored oil floating on top! The taste was quite good and the Chhole tasted much closer to the taste one would get in Delhi or most of Northern India. Note that this taste is quite different from that made in the remaining parts of the country.
Another notable similarity (which is also a very remarkable feature) between Chandni & Shadman was the huge size, softness and freshness of the Naan. For most people with average diet, 1-1.5 naan should be more than enough. I have not seen such soft & inviting naan even in best of the desi restaurants.
However, this place is known more for its $2 stuffed parathas which they make in the morning from 8-11 am only. It is advisable to call them on 212.686.4456 as soon as you come out of Penn Station so that by the time you reach there, fresh Parathas are awaiting you!
Good value for money Punjabi food.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Nirvana NYC very average
Had been to Nirvana on Lexington Ave, NYC and here's my review.
Ambience: 7/10 (8/10 for the lounge)
Food: 6/10
Service: 7/10
Verdict: Very average Indian Buffet without veg starters/appetizers.
Details:
This place has a very nice bar & lounge on the lower level and a buffet hall with private party room on the upper level.
Ambience & decor of the Bar & Lounge on the lower level is very good. Buffet hall on the upper level are also good with the Private Party room have a skylight - albeit a very dirty one filled with pigeon-do & other dirt ;) When the number of people increases, a few tables placed in the Party room near the entrance are also used to seat other customers. The location of the buffet table is such that queues have to jostle for space & snake around other tables.
Prices are reasonable by NYC standards, but slightly on the higher side. The quality & taste of the food, and the number of items leaves a lot to be desired though. Strangely, there were no vegetarian starters/appetizers in the buffet - they did have some chicken tikka preparation though. Buffet consisted of dahi-vada, three non-veg curries (fish, lamb & chicken), three veg curries (mix veg, palak paneer), daal, peas pulao, kheer, gulab jamun, salad, pickle & chutneys.
The vegetarian items were just about average tasting, the mix veg curry was way below par, but the Sweets were quite good. BEWARE: bowl for desserts is very deceiving - it looks as if it can fit a lot but actually overflows just on the second scoop ;)
Go to Nirvana only if you are close-by, have nothing better to choose from and want to have Indian Lunch Buffet.
Ambience: 7/10 (8/10 for the lounge)
Food: 6/10
Service: 7/10
Verdict: Very average Indian Buffet without veg starters/appetizers.
Details:
This place has a very nice bar & lounge on the lower level and a buffet hall with private party room on the upper level.
Ambience & decor of the Bar & Lounge on the lower level is very good. Buffet hall on the upper level are also good with the Private Party room have a skylight - albeit a very dirty one filled with pigeon-do & other dirt ;) When the number of people increases, a few tables placed in the Party room near the entrance are also used to seat other customers. The location of the buffet table is such that queues have to jostle for space & snake around other tables.
Prices are reasonable by NYC standards, but slightly on the higher side. The quality & taste of the food, and the number of items leaves a lot to be desired though. Strangely, there were no vegetarian starters/appetizers in the buffet - they did have some chicken tikka preparation though. Buffet consisted of dahi-vada, three non-veg curries (fish, lamb & chicken), three veg curries (mix veg, palak paneer), daal, peas pulao, kheer, gulab jamun, salad, pickle & chutneys.
The vegetarian items were just about average tasting, the mix veg curry was way below par, but the Sweets were quite good. BEWARE: bowl for desserts is very deceiving - it looks as if it can fit a lot but actually overflows just on the second scoop ;)
Go to Nirvana only if you are close-by, have nothing better to choose from and want to have Indian Lunch Buffet.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Veg Biryani
We were returning from work and wanted to have biryani, so thought of checking out Abhiruchi off Green Street on Green Hollow Drive. We ordered Veg Biryani, Idly, Plain Dosa & Buttermilk and requested the Biryani to be made spicy. On this request, we just got an approval nod with a subtle smile.
The reason was not obvious till we got the food - the veg biryani was quite plain & white instead of the spicy yellow-orange color I had expected like the ones available in home of Biryani - Paradise Biryani, Hyderabad. Only then I realized why the waiter was smiling when requested to get "spicy biryani"! I walked up to the manager to ask him if he could do something about this and he asked the same thing to someone who was in the kitchen. After a lot of discussion, he finally informed me that veg biryani is ready made and so its taste cannot be changed at all! The quantity was quite good, easily enough for two people, but it was not at all spicy.
Idly, Dosa & Buttermilk were good as were the accompanying sambhar & chutney. However reputable sources informed me that the Chicken Biryani was quite good. The restaurant itself is quite good, not very crowded as there were many people waiting for take-out orders and it is quite reasonably priced.
Verdict: You can check it out if interested in reasonably priced non-veg biryani in a peaceful dining atmosphere.
We were very hungry after a long 4 hour drive from Washington D.C. so thought of checking out Paradise Biryani Pointe next to Jhupdi/HillTop Apartments on OakTree Road. Due to it's name, the expectations were quite high and more so as it had recently opened up in the former Sukhadia's location.
The Veg Biryani was spicy and yellow-orange color as expected and was really very tasty. The quantity was good, but not as much as that of Abhiruchi. However the service is not as good as the food and places tends to be crowded & noisy. One strange thing was that the waiter gave only one bowl each of salan & raita between all the people on the table! However, he did get us each a separate bowl of both when requested, albeit after quite some waiting time. The prices are slightly towards the higher range, but the taste more than makes up for it! I was informed by my reputable source that the Chicken Biryani here was awesome and one of the best!
Verdict: After a hard day of shopping at Patel & Apna Bazaar, you can have this hyderabadi biryani as the reward!
A couple of weeks later a similar situation arose during our return from a trip to Boston. We were hungry and the taste in our mouth spoiled badly by a coffee we had at Cinnabon in a service area. I am sure that the stalls selling coffee in streets of NYC make much much better coffee. So we decided to check out Dakshin Express on OakTree Road, next to Cittone Institute.
Again I ordered Veg Biryani with a request to make it spicy. The waiter was totally zapped on hearing this and did not respond for a few seconds, then nodded and went away. I started to feel as if this was going to be a re-run of my experience at Abhiruchi, but ho lo behold, this was a bit different! I got the same plain white biryani with a good sprinkling of grated green chillies on it! Now it was my turn to get zapped & freeze for a few seconds!
The place looks quite shabby and not well maintained; the prices are quite low and the food was average. My reputable source informed me that the Chicken Biryani here was quite good too so it is advisable for take-out instead of dine-in.
Verdict: Good for reasonably priced non-veg take-out
This completes (for now ...) my Veg Biryani adventure with Paradise winning it hands-down with a huge margin!
The reason was not obvious till we got the food - the veg biryani was quite plain & white instead of the spicy yellow-orange color I had expected like the ones available in home of Biryani - Paradise Biryani, Hyderabad. Only then I realized why the waiter was smiling when requested to get "spicy biryani"! I walked up to the manager to ask him if he could do something about this and he asked the same thing to someone who was in the kitchen. After a lot of discussion, he finally informed me that veg biryani is ready made and so its taste cannot be changed at all! The quantity was quite good, easily enough for two people, but it was not at all spicy.
Idly, Dosa & Buttermilk were good as were the accompanying sambhar & chutney. However reputable sources informed me that the Chicken Biryani was quite good. The restaurant itself is quite good, not very crowded as there were many people waiting for take-out orders and it is quite reasonably priced.
Verdict: You can check it out if interested in reasonably priced non-veg biryani in a peaceful dining atmosphere.
We were very hungry after a long 4 hour drive from Washington D.C. so thought of checking out Paradise Biryani Pointe next to Jhupdi/HillTop Apartments on OakTree Road. Due to it's name, the expectations were quite high and more so as it had recently opened up in the former Sukhadia's location.
The Veg Biryani was spicy and yellow-orange color as expected and was really very tasty. The quantity was good, but not as much as that of Abhiruchi. However the service is not as good as the food and places tends to be crowded & noisy. One strange thing was that the waiter gave only one bowl each of salan & raita between all the people on the table! However, he did get us each a separate bowl of both when requested, albeit after quite some waiting time. The prices are slightly towards the higher range, but the taste more than makes up for it! I was informed by my reputable source that the Chicken Biryani here was awesome and one of the best!
Verdict: After a hard day of shopping at Patel & Apna Bazaar, you can have this hyderabadi biryani as the reward!
A couple of weeks later a similar situation arose during our return from a trip to Boston. We were hungry and the taste in our mouth spoiled badly by a coffee we had at Cinnabon in a service area. I am sure that the stalls selling coffee in streets of NYC make much much better coffee. So we decided to check out Dakshin Express on OakTree Road, next to Cittone Institute.
Again I ordered Veg Biryani with a request to make it spicy. The waiter was totally zapped on hearing this and did not respond for a few seconds, then nodded and went away. I started to feel as if this was going to be a re-run of my experience at Abhiruchi, but ho lo behold, this was a bit different! I got the same plain white biryani with a good sprinkling of grated green chillies on it! Now it was my turn to get zapped & freeze for a few seconds!
The place looks quite shabby and not well maintained; the prices are quite low and the food was average. My reputable source informed me that the Chicken Biryani here was quite good too so it is advisable for take-out instead of dine-in.
Verdict: Good for reasonably priced non-veg take-out
This completes (for now ...) my Veg Biryani adventure with Paradise winning it hands-down with a huge margin!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Good stuffed Parathas!
Had been to Khasiyat on OakTree Road in the Sardar Patel Plaza behind Dimples and here's my review. Location is such that it is very easy to miss out as it is on the side facing Middlesex Ave off Oaktree Road.
Ambience: 7/10
Food: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Verdict: Go there for awesome Stuffed Parathas served on styrofoam plates, 12% flat service charge.
Details:
This is a very conveniently located purely vegetarian restaurant, but uses plastic cutlery & styrofoam plates.
The place is known for it's stuffed parathas so we decided to give it a shot - and it was well worth it. We tried the Khasiyat Special Thali with huge Chilly Cheese Parathas and it was awesome. It came with two hot, stuffed parathas right off the tava, one bowl each of special achari paneer, tava veg, kadhi pakora & rice, a small serving of raita and a little pickle & onions. Parathas were quite big and well stuffed - no cost cutting there! We also tried plain Dosa which was also quite good as was the sambhar & green chutney served with it.
Ambience is pretty good but tends to get very noisy as the desi crowds start to fill in as is typical of almost all desi restaurants. The location is also very good but tends to get crowded.
Prices are slightly on the higher side with $6 for a single stuffed paratha, $11 for regular thali (regular parathas) or $13 for special thali (stuffed parathas). However the quality & taste of the food, the service & the ambience more than make up for it. However, at that price, I would expect regular cutlery, not plastic cutlery and styrofoam plates. Also, note that they charge a 12% flat service charge on all dine-in orders.
Go to Khasiyat if you are looking for good stuffed parathas and are ok with eating them in styrofoam plates using plastic cutlery.
Ambience: 7/10
Food: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Verdict: Go there for awesome Stuffed Parathas served on styrofoam plates, 12% flat service charge.
Details:
This is a very conveniently located purely vegetarian restaurant, but uses plastic cutlery & styrofoam plates.
The place is known for it's stuffed parathas so we decided to give it a shot - and it was well worth it. We tried the Khasiyat Special Thali with huge Chilly Cheese Parathas and it was awesome. It came with two hot, stuffed parathas right off the tava, one bowl each of special achari paneer, tava veg, kadhi pakora & rice, a small serving of raita and a little pickle & onions. Parathas were quite big and well stuffed - no cost cutting there! We also tried plain Dosa which was also quite good as was the sambhar & green chutney served with it.
Ambience is pretty good but tends to get very noisy as the desi crowds start to fill in as is typical of almost all desi restaurants. The location is also very good but tends to get crowded.
Prices are slightly on the higher side with $6 for a single stuffed paratha, $11 for regular thali (regular parathas) or $13 for special thali (stuffed parathas). However the quality & taste of the food, the service & the ambience more than make up for it. However, at that price, I would expect regular cutlery, not plastic cutlery and styrofoam plates. Also, note that they charge a 12% flat service charge on all dine-in orders.
Go to Khasiyat if you are looking for good stuffed parathas and are ok with eating them in styrofoam plates using plastic cutlery.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Mithaas is good for a change
Had been to Mithaas on OakTree Road next to Singas/Mings/Moghul and here's the review.
Ambience: 7/10
Food: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Verdict: Go there for a change from typical South & North Indian fare.
Details:
This is a very conveniently located purely vegetarian restaurant!
This place never ceases to amaze me - it has such a good variety of food available to suit almost all possible tastes! Almost everything we have tried here is very good - Stuffed Parathas, Paneer Kathi Roll, Pav Bhaji, Makke ki Roti Sarson ka Saag, Lassi, etc and my favorite Vegetable Burger which comes with fries & a tasty dip! The couple of things that I did not like were the Thalis which were not up to the mark (most probably because after eating other stuff, my expectations had become quite high) and Rasgollas (most probably my being born & brought up in Calcutta made me have a higher than normal benchmark)! Their chaats are also very good.
Ambience is pretty good but tends to get very noisy as the desi crowds start to fill in. The location is also very good but tends to get crowded, but thankfully there is ample free parking.
Prices are quite reasonable, but slightly on the higher side. However the quality & taste of the food, the service & the ambience more than make up for it. Service is pretty good though some stuff you need to take from the counter and some items are served at your table. They also have a couple of sofas for lounge like seating which is very good for large groups. One gripe I had earlier was that they do not serve water and one had to buy bottled water. But recently they have started to serve water on request only! Another gripe that they have not resolved till now is the minimum $20 charge for accepting Credit Cards.
Go to Mithaas if you are looking for a change from the typical South or North Indian vegetarian food.
Ambience: 7/10
Food: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Verdict: Go there for a change from typical South & North Indian fare.
Details:
This is a very conveniently located purely vegetarian restaurant!
This place never ceases to amaze me - it has such a good variety of food available to suit almost all possible tastes! Almost everything we have tried here is very good - Stuffed Parathas, Paneer Kathi Roll, Pav Bhaji, Makke ki Roti Sarson ka Saag, Lassi, etc and my favorite Vegetable Burger which comes with fries & a tasty dip! The couple of things that I did not like were the Thalis which were not up to the mark (most probably because after eating other stuff, my expectations had become quite high) and Rasgollas (most probably my being born & brought up in Calcutta made me have a higher than normal benchmark)! Their chaats are also very good.
Ambience is pretty good but tends to get very noisy as the desi crowds start to fill in. The location is also very good but tends to get crowded, but thankfully there is ample free parking.
Prices are quite reasonable, but slightly on the higher side. However the quality & taste of the food, the service & the ambience more than make up for it. Service is pretty good though some stuff you need to take from the counter and some items are served at your table. They also have a couple of sofas for lounge like seating which is very good for large groups. One gripe I had earlier was that they do not serve water and one had to buy bottled water. But recently they have started to serve water on request only! Another gripe that they have not resolved till now is the minimum $20 charge for accepting Credit Cards.
Go to Mithaas if you are looking for a change from the typical South or North Indian vegetarian food.
Chand Palace good for Buffet only
Had been to Chand Palace on Centennial Ave in the Shop Rite complex (opposite to Walmart) last night and here's the review.
Ambience: 7/10
Food: 8/10
Service: 4/10
Verdict: Go there only if interested in a very good upscale Vegetarian Buffet as they have it for both Lunch & Dinner, 15% flat service charge.
Details:
The best part is that this is a very conveniently located purely vegetarian restaurant!
The Buffet menu had a lot of variety of items but we were more interested in a few of the other items that they make but are not a part of the Buffet, so we went in for "a la carte".
The food is absolutely awesome - we have tried Sheekh Kabab, Chilli Paneer, Paneer Vindaloo, Veg Vindaloo, various Kulchas, etc. Only gripe was that this is the first time I saw Veg Kadai being made in a sweet sauce!
Ambience is pretty good but tends to get very noisy as the desi crowds start to fill in. The location is also very good but tends to get crowded due to the adjoining Shop Rite, however there is ample free parking.
The staff generally encourages patrons to go in for the Buffet as they have buffet for Lunch as well as Dinner. Patrons wishing to go for "a la carte" are frowned upon and the resistance / displeasure is clearly visible.
Seating was very fast but the rest of the service was non-existent as the waiters were busing tending to the Buffet related tasks. I had to ask for the complimentary starter "Roasted Papads"; it took well over 15 minutes to get the starters. Even though I had requested a Roti & Raita first so that my child was feeling hungry, it came just a minute before the starters - how long does it take to get this almost ready item???
The waiter kept spilling water, spoon, serving spoon, etc. and I had to ask for a new serving spoon - but no apologies were offered! One waiter took the order and another fulfilled it & was unaware of what he was getting for us. When asked the names of the items he asked us what we had ordered and then pointed them out! He also missed a few items & when we reminded him after a reasonable amount of time, he just shrugged and then got it!
On the other hand, the patrons taking Buffet were being served almost instantaneously and being taken very good care of.
The prices are quite on the higher side in spite of the high quality & tasty food. A gratuity of "15%" is automatically added to the bill whether you want to pay that or not. Also there is a minimum of $7.50 charge per person in case of "a la carte" orders.
For "a la carte", service was absolutley not present and not worthy of even 5% but for the Buffet it was more than worth the 15% they charge automatically.
So, next time when you plan to go to Chand Palace, ensure that you are really very hungry & then go for their Vegetarian Buffet for Lunch or Dinner.
Ambience: 7/10
Food: 8/10
Service: 4/10
Verdict: Go there only if interested in a very good upscale Vegetarian Buffet as they have it for both Lunch & Dinner, 15% flat service charge.
Details:
The best part is that this is a very conveniently located purely vegetarian restaurant!
The Buffet menu had a lot of variety of items but we were more interested in a few of the other items that they make but are not a part of the Buffet, so we went in for "a la carte".
The food is absolutely awesome - we have tried Sheekh Kabab, Chilli Paneer, Paneer Vindaloo, Veg Vindaloo, various Kulchas, etc. Only gripe was that this is the first time I saw Veg Kadai being made in a sweet sauce!
Ambience is pretty good but tends to get very noisy as the desi crowds start to fill in. The location is also very good but tends to get crowded due to the adjoining Shop Rite, however there is ample free parking.
The staff generally encourages patrons to go in for the Buffet as they have buffet for Lunch as well as Dinner. Patrons wishing to go for "a la carte" are frowned upon and the resistance / displeasure is clearly visible.
Seating was very fast but the rest of the service was non-existent as the waiters were busing tending to the Buffet related tasks. I had to ask for the complimentary starter "Roasted Papads"; it took well over 15 minutes to get the starters. Even though I had requested a Roti & Raita first so that my child was feeling hungry, it came just a minute before the starters - how long does it take to get this almost ready item???
The waiter kept spilling water, spoon, serving spoon, etc. and I had to ask for a new serving spoon - but no apologies were offered! One waiter took the order and another fulfilled it & was unaware of what he was getting for us. When asked the names of the items he asked us what we had ordered and then pointed them out! He also missed a few items & when we reminded him after a reasonable amount of time, he just shrugged and then got it!
On the other hand, the patrons taking Buffet were being served almost instantaneously and being taken very good care of.
The prices are quite on the higher side in spite of the high quality & tasty food. A gratuity of "15%" is automatically added to the bill whether you want to pay that or not. Also there is a minimum of $7.50 charge per person in case of "a la carte" orders.
For "a la carte", service was absolutley not present and not worthy of even 5% but for the Buffet it was more than worth the 15% they charge automatically.
So, next time when you plan to go to Chand Palace, ensure that you are really very hungry & then go for their Vegetarian Buffet for Lunch or Dinner.
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