Want to get drinks at MRP? Head on to Madhapur!

MRP - as the name suggests surely is quirky and you might be wondering why such a name? They have their pitchers which are actually sold at MRP and quite a few of their drinks are sold at MRP as well and hence the name. This off course is a cool and happening place with the young crowd and amazing music. I must say their dance floor is not too big and yet you will find people dancing to the latest hits after being high on their drinks. Their walls are filled with quirky quotes and witty paintings that add to the charm of the place.

Now let me start with the drinks. We ordered some cocktails and a few mocktails. I started off with the Cosmopolitan which is my all time favorite cocktail. It was served in a cute little packet as opposed to the glasses in other places. It was made really well as well.

Next I tried the Mango Candy Margarita. This was a mocktail that I did not try before in any other place. This was a mix of Thai Chilli, Lime and Mango Candy. We were also served gummy bears on the side.

Next I tried the Caprioska which is again a cocktail that you don't usually find here. This was a Vodka based drink added with lime and a sweet syrup. Overall the blend went really well together.

While we were enjoying the drinks we were also served cashews which is little rare. The cashews were coated with mild spices and very crunchy.

By this time we decided to order the food as well since we were all starving after a long day at work. We started by ordering the Chicken Spring rolls. They were made really well with the perfectly cooked chicken keema inside.

Post that we ordered the Chicken Nachos. The dish not only tasted yumm but was also very colorful to look at. The Nachos had ample quantity of Chicken and Cheese and the sauce was too good.

We also ordered Chicken Wraps for the ones who wanted slightly heavier food.

Next in was the Chicken Tikka Pizza. The crust was perfectly done - thin and crunchy and just how I like it. The flavors were mild and well went with the pizza.

By this time we had downed all our drinks and decided to get something from their signature pitchers. We ordered the Micheleda since most of us were beer fans. The Micheleda has 4 beer bottles turned upside down into a terracotta pan so that half of the beer has poured into the vessel and the rest is still in the bottles. The beer in the vessel is then mixed with oranges, tomatoes, lime and Tabasco and then served.

We then got served chicken pakodas. They were really crunchy and felt like the home made pakodas. You can easily finish a whole plate in a jiffy.

Their menu also has a section on Vinoctails. As the name suggests it is Vine + Cocktails which are the Wine Cocktails and again was something unique here. From this I first ordered the Beelini which was the Sparkling Wine.

Post that I ordered the Litchi Sangria Bianco. I have tried Sangria before and Litchi is one of my favorite flavors. I was pretty skeptical though as to how this combination would go. I was pleasantly surprised. The Sangria was blended with the Litchi flavor and it tasted really good.

Parallely in the mocktail we ordered the Virgin Cucumber Fizz. This drink is prepared from chilled cucumber, roasted cumin, 7up and soda. Although the combination may sound pretty quirky the drink actually tastes good.

We then tried out the Kamikaze shots. They were spicy and we all were high after having them.

Going back to the food, again the Chilly Chicken was delicious and was presented really well.

We were also served Chicken Momos with 3 different sauces. The Momos were melt in the mouth with heavy portions on chicken. The sauces went well with the Momos.

Then came the Cheese Balls. I have had Cheese Balls at many places but these were loaded with cheese and you will absolutely love them if you love cheese.

Lastly we had the mutton chops. They were flavored well with different spices.

For desserts we had brownies and Cheesecakes. Both were classics and prepared exactly the same.

Overall: Ambience: 4.5/5 Service: 4.5/5 Food:4/5. If you want to get drinks at a cheaper price then this is a must visit, but they can definitely improve on the variety of drinks which are quite a lot in many other places in the vicinity.

New Bar in town - Free Flow, the Traffic Bar at HITEC City Junction, Hyderabad

The Free Flow Traffic Bar opened up just a few days back and we decided to try it out and experience what it has to offer. We went there on a weekday for dinner. The place is beautifully themed where there are railway coach seats on one side and you actually get the feeling of being inside a train surrounded by platforms. On the ground floor you have live music playing which is also at times alternated with songs by the DJ. Finally the starters came in.

The Fried Chicken Dimsums were delicious and made to perfection. The sauces that were served went along with it very well.

Then we were served the Thai Grilled Prawns. These were coated with a burnt sauce. This was very mildly spiced which enhanced the natural flavor of the prawns.

We also tried a couple of mock-tails which were decent but the ice tea was really good with the perfect balance of sweetness and the flavor of the tea.

We then tried the Pizzas. We tried two varieties - the Lamb pepperoni Pizza and the Barbecue beef tenderloin pizza. Both were really good and flavorsome. They had a thin base which is how I like it and were cooked to perfection.

Then we tried 2 varieties of burgers - Barbecue chicken burger and California beef burger. Since I personally prefer beef I absolutely loved the second one. The beef patty was cooked well and was juicy with ample cheese. The burger overall was really heavy and quite filling.

Coming to the mains we started off with the Moroccan spiced grilled chicken steak. The chicken was mildly spiced as opposed to the name but was tender and went absolutely well with the mashed potatoes. The presentation was also well done.

Next was the Prawn Piri Piri and again the presentation was really appetizing.

Next was the beef tenderloin steak which was medium rare. It was a very wholesome chunk and very flavorful.

The Lamb Shank was presented well and tasted well. They had the right amount of spices and was very well balanced.

For desserts we had Walnut brownie with ice cream and Mango caramel custard. The icecream was good though more on the sweeter side. The Mango caramel custard was the first time I tried the flavored caramel custard which was a mesmerizing blend of alphonso mangoes along with the caramel custard. The staff were really welcomed and adhered to all our requests very promptly. Special mention to Sai, Ravi and Bhaskar. This place is definitely a must visit.

Dinner at Royal China Pune

I was staying at the Westin Pune and off course wanted to have dinner at the hotel itself since I was too lazy to step out. There were a couple of options but I decided to settle for Royal China as Chinese cuisine is one of my favorites. They had a buffet on and I tried to go ahead with it. Although some items were off the list but otherwise it is totally worth it.

I initially ordered Crispy Corn Szechuan Style. It was served in an edible little bowl. Since I had a lot on my plate I decided not to taste the bowl.

Post this I started ordering the non vegetarian dishes. I started off with the dimsums as they are one of my favorites. There is a separate menu for dimsums and I ordered the Chicken and Prawn Sui Mai Dumpling. It was melt in the mouth and really soft. 

Now I decided to go with the non veg starters and being a Bengali I love fish so I started off with the Fried prawns with burnt garlic. The prawns were really fresh and the burnt garlic added to the flavor. The burnt garlic was crispy and added more flavor to the prawns.

Post this I went ahead with ordering the Peking Duck. I only ordered half a portion as I was not sure if I would be able to complete the full portion. The Peking Duck was cooked to perfection with its crispy skin. The sauce was absolutely fabulous. It was served with the rice pancakes. The best way to have them is to spread out the pancake like a bread, spread the sauce, add cucumbers, spring onions and a part of the Peking duck. Then wrap up the entire thing into a roll and have a bite - it was one of the best dishes.

For the main course I ordered Prawns in XO Sauce as I wanted a spicy dish and that is what was suggested by the staff. You might say it was an overdose of prawns but for a prawn lover like me I absolutely loved it.

By then it was time for desserts and I started off with the Chilled Mango Pudding. I have to say that the desserts were not as delicious as the main course but then the presentation of the pudding was perfect.

I ended with Icecream and Litchi as that is one of my favorite combinations. Surprisingly the ice cream was vanilla ice cream and not litchi flavored. Although the litchis were yumm they were not blended into the ice cream and it felt like two different dishes.

Overall I would say this place is totally worth it for the starters and main course, but the desserts definitely need an improvement.

Pointed Gourd Curry

INGREDIENTS:

1. 500g pointed gourd
2. 1tbsp garam masala
3. 1tbsp cumin powder
4. 1tbsp red chilli powder
5. Pinch of turmeric
6. Salt to taste
7. 3 green chillies
8. 1tbsp ginger - garlic paste
9. Mustard Oil
10. 1tbsp ghee
11. 1/4 tbsp sugar

Slice the pointed gourds into 2 pieces each. Then fry them in mustard oil for about 15mins on low flame. Then remove them into a plate. Now heat oil and put the chopped green chillies and ginger-garlic paste. Let it cook for about 2mins on medium flame. Then put the cumin powder , red - chilli powder and turmeric powder. Cook for 10mins on medium flame. Then put the fried gourds into the masala. Mix the gourds properly into the masala. Let it cook for 3mins on medium flame. Now add around 3 cups of water and cook it for about 5mins. Now add garam masala, sugar and ghee and let it cook. Bring it to a boil. Serve hot with white rice or flat bread.

Chilly Cheese Potato Poppers

INGREDIENTS:

1. 4 potatoes
2. 200g. grated cheese
3. 4 chillies
4. Mayonnaise
5. Ginger garlic paste
6. 1tbsp pepper powder
7. Red chilli sauce
8. 2 eggs
9. Bread crumbs
10. Salt to taste
11. Refined oil

Boil the potatoes and then mash them. Make a paste of the green chillies. No mix the potatoes with the green chilli paste and the grated cheese. Add the eggs and bread crumbs to the mixture. Add 2 spoonfuls of mayonnaise to the mixture. Add 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste to the mixture. Now add the pepper powder and salt to taste. Mix this thoroughly till its semi solid. If its not add bread crumbs till it becomes semi solid. Now make rounded doughs from the mixture. Heat oil in a pan for 5 mins. Now slowly add the doughs to fry in the oil. Turn them every 30 secs to make sure all the sides get fried equally. After 1 - 2 min take the doughs out of the pan. Now take 2 spoonfuls of mayonnaise in a separate small bowl. Add 1 tbsp red chilli sauce to it. Mix well. Now serve the chilly cheese potato poppers with this sauce.

Spanish Omelette

INGREDIENTS:

1. 3 potatoes
2. 2 onions
3. 4 eggs
4. 1tbsp chilli powder
5. Refined oil
6. Salt to taste

Peel of the potatoes. Chop them into tiny cubes. Then slice the onions into small slices. Now heat refined oil for about 5 mins on medium flame. Put the potatoes and onions into the oil and deep fry them for 10mins till they turn golden brown. The potatoes should be tender and not crispy. Now drain the oil and keep the potatoes and onions aside. Take a bowl and break four raw eggs into it. Add salt as per taste and add the chilli powder. Mix it well with the help of a blender. Now put the potatoes and onions into this mixture and mix it well. Now take oil in a pan and put this mixture onto the pan. Keep on medium flame and let it fry for about 5 mins. While frying use a spoon to press the sides to form a round shape. After 5 mins take a plate and cover the pan. Now take it away from the fire and turn the pan upside down so that the omelette falls on the plate. Now put the pan back on the fire and gently slide the omlette back onto the pan on the side that has not been fried. Again fry for 5 mins. Then use the plate and turn the pan upside down to put the Spanish omelette back onto the plate. Serve hot.

Chicken Kabiraji

INGREDIENTS:

1. 200g. minced chicken
2. 4 eggs
3. 1 sliced onion
4. 3 sliced green chillies
5. 1tbsp ginger - garlic paste
6. 2tbsp cumin powder
7. 1tbsp garam masala
8. 2tbsp pepper powder
9. Bread crumbs/ biscuit crumbs
10. Salt to taste
11. 1tbsp corn flour
12. Refined oil


Take the chicken, onions, green chillies, ginger-garlic paste, cumin powder, pepper powder(1tbsp) and garam masala in a bowl and mix it thoroughly. Then keep the mixture in the refrigerator for at least half an hour. Now make rounded doughs from the mixture which should fit inside your fist. Roll the circled doughs in a mixture of biscuit powder/ bread crumbs. In case you do not find these readily in the market you can use the normal bread and crumb it with a mixer/grinder. After that flatten the dough with your palm in the shape of a rectangle. Break 4 eggs into a bowl. Then add a pinch of salt to it. Then add the cornflour to it. Then add 1 tbsp pepper powder to it. Now mix it with a blender. On a pan put refined oil and heat it. Now dip each of the chicken doughs into the egg mixture and gently leave it onto the pan. After 2 mins turn the dough to let it cook on the other side. Now we have to make the crispy egg coverings on top. Take the dough to one side of the pan. Now take the remaining egg mixture. Take about 1 tbsp of the mixture and throw it onto the pan in the form of thin long lines. Keep doing this continuously till the mixture has covered half the pan. Then keep doing it to form 2 or 3 layers. After that shift the dough into this mixture and use a spoon to out the extra mixture on top of the dough. The dough should be covered on all sides with this mixture. While doing this you will see the mixture turn crispy. Turn the dough on the other side which should also be covered with this mixture. This side should also be crispy. Cook it for 3-4 mins and take it out from the pan. Serve hot with mustard sauce and onions.