It’s a pizza affair at Onesta

What are the little things in life that make you happy? If you ask me, I’d say the smell of mud when it rains, sloppy kisses from Bruno and a cup of hot tea. I call them my little joys! Yes, there’s more to that list and having a pizza loaded with cheese definitely makes it to the top 10.

Winter is here and the joy of eating hot samosa and pakodas, biting into a crunchy pizza and drinking hot chocolate will be heightened. There’s nothing more you’d want to do apart from indulging yourself in a culinary escapade when the weather is so pleasant.

It’s been a long festive weekend and after relishing all the Diwali sweets, I decided to pamper my taste buds to pizzas.

Onesta is a recent entry in the pizza café market in Bengaluru and has created a buzz. Apart from my cravings, the entire buzz made me very curious me and that led me to Onesta.

Ambience

At first look, the place comes across as cramped up. With the way tables and chairs are lined the spacious café seems like it’s not so spacious after all. The décor is unexaggerated and plays with colours of nature, green and brown. Plants beautify the outside seating ambience while the inside seating area is what one would call elegant. There is nothing creative about the décor but like they say simplicity does wonders and Onesta echo’s just the same.

The atmosphere here is buzzing with conversations making it difficult to hear the music in the background, but you know what? I didn’t mind that at all. The laughter and conversations made this place come alive! 

My only concern here was the table we were given. So the table for two here is very small and half the table is already occupied with the placards, spoon stand, water bottle and other things making it difficult for us to adjust our plates and dishes on the table. There was hardly any space on the table and I feared that something from the table would fall if we weren’t careful enough.

Grub

The menu offers you with bruschetta, lasagna, a variety of pizzas (veg and non-veg), drinks and desserts. What disappointed me a little was that there was no garlic bread on the menu. Call me traditional but if I am having a pizza I would like to start by munching on garlic bread first.

We spent some time on deciding which pizza to order and then finally asked for – Pesto & red pepper and Cream roasted veggies. Apart from that we also ordered for Roasted broccoli and cheese bruschetta and Green apple cooler.

As we eagerly waited for our pizzas, the staff served us bread and mayo. I wasn’t too keen on having the bread but since our pizza was taking time, I thought why not just take a bite while I wait to satisfy my cravings. And my, the bread along with mayo tasted delicious! The mayo was oh so yum; I would give it a full ten on the taste test.

As we toasted our green apple coolers, our pizzas arrived and we faced a problem. No place to keep two pizzas on the table! Somehow we managed to rearrange the stuff on our table and found enough place to keep the pizzas.

The cooler was refreshing. We sipped it as we munched on our pizzas and concluded that nothing better would go with it!

Green apple cooler..oh so refreshing!

The cream roasted veggies pizza is loaded with cheese (just how I like it) and dressed with marinated vegetables. How did it fare? Well out of all the pizzas we ordered this one took away the cake. Crispy and cheesy, tasted just right and I was in heaven!

Cream roasted veggies pizza

The Pesto and red pepper pizza didn’t impress me much probably because there was just way too much pesto. I didn’t get to enjoy the crispness of the crust because the pesto overpowered it and felt like I was having bread and pesto and not a pizza.

Pesto and red pepper pizza

Bruschetta, however, was nothing special but the toppings, roasted broccoli and cheese went very well with each other and managed to bring back my cheer.

Roasted broccoli and cheese bruschetta 

We decided to go for another pizza and settled for Farmhouse special as pizza Italia was unavailable. This one is quite similar to the ones you get in Pizza Hut/Dominoes. It passed the test but didn’t really impress me as much as cream roasted veggies did.

Farmhouse special

After the pizza, I headed towards the dessert counter and asked for the Black forest pudding. Delightful to look at, I enjoyed the freshness of the cream the most. Spongy layers of chocolate and the fresh cream makes this one a must have at Onesta. 

Black forest pudding

Service and Pricing

The staff is hospitable however service takes time. The place is usually crowded hence this can probably justify the delay.

The pricing is what is very attractive about this café. You can enjoy a sumptuous meal and not burn a hole in your wallet. A perfect place to go if you are on a budget and, have to treat a huge group of people.

Verdict

When it comes to food, with not much attention paid to the presentation the flavours are right however they won’t blow you away. The pricing is another aspect which is a crowd puller.

However, for someone who dislikes loud and cramped up places, Onesta will not impress you but, if you are someone who just can’t do without pizzas, this place can become your second home.

Quick bites

Rating – 3.5/5

Cost for two – 600 - 800/- inclusive of taxes

Why you should go here – To relish pizzas and desserts at a reasonable price

Location - 562, 8th Main, 4th Block, Koramangala 4th Block, Bangalore

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Food for Thought: Skinny girl who is a foodie

I am a foodie but, there have been several occasions where I have been questioned and got surprised looks from people on mentioning that. Why? Well, because I am skinny. I am one of those individuals on this planet who can eat like a pig yet, never gain weight. This has been the story of my life.

The good part of being blessed with high metabolism is that I can eat all I want without any fear of gaining weight. The bad part? Well, it’s all those comments you get to hear.

No, this isn’t going to be a blog post where I crib and cry about those comments I hear but, rather introspection. (Ok, I might crib a little, just a little)

Someone can be a foodie only if they are fat? What kind of logic is that! Being a foodie has nothing to do with one’s weight! You might weigh 100+ kgs or just 50 kgs, being a foodie has got to do with your love for food, and mind you it’s not necessary that that love for food should be physically seen in the body. That is the most ridiculous thing ever if you ask me.

Getting shocked/surprised look when you eat more than everyone at the table is something I have faced so many times and those looks are followed by statements such as – ‘Oh my god, you eat so much, where does it all go?’, ‘how can you eat so much’, ‘I am surprised you managed to finish that’ and, I could just end up writing a book on the various comments one gets. What I don’t understand is, people have a problem if a skinny person eats a lot and they have a problem if they don’t eat a lot, I mean come on, make up your mind people!

Being skinny doesn’t mean you can’t eat large portions and being skinny also does not mean you don’t enjoy the food. The whole point of being a food enthusiast is that you enjoy and relish food a little more than others do and by doing so if one does not put on weight, well that’s just a bonus.

This leads to one of the biggest misconceptions among people about foodies. A lot of them think being a foodie means someone who eats a lot and is always ready to experiment with their palate. Well, probably this is where the problem arises from. Foodie is not just someone who is always up for trying out various cuisines, but a foodie is someone who has an ardent interest in food and seeks out new experiences and learning when it comes food and beverages. Yes, I agree that in recent past the word ‘foodie’ has been used exhaustively to an extent that it has lost its meaning hence, I have settled for calling myself a food enthusiast and just not a foodie.

Like Julia Child once said, ‘people who love to eat are the best people’, and I couldn’t agree with her more. And, if I had to sum up all my thoughts in a sentence it would be, don’t judge people on their interest in food and their love for food basis their body weight, instead eat and make merry and continue to spread the love for food. Sounds good, yeah?

Let’s do Mexican – Chinita Real Mexican Food

I have realised that good food is probably the solution to all life’s problems. Well, at least most of them. And for me, a plate of lip smacking nachos can do the trick.

I completely agree when one says, ‘life without Mexican food is like no life at all’. If you ask me, it’s difficult to find a cuisine which is as colourful as Mexican food. One look at any of the Mexican dishes and it evokes feelings of happiness because it is just so vibrant to look at, full of life.

Yes I know, I am going overboard here, but if you are someone who loves colours, you’d understand what exactly I am trying to say here.

Chinita is one restaurant I had heard raving reviews of since it started. Serving Mexican food, I was obviously very keen on trying this place out with a tad bit of nervousness. Nervousness because, it has so happened to me that every time I hear excellent reviews about anything, be it restaurant/movie/book, anything at all it has in fact disappointed me. My expectations get really high and when it does not match up to it, it is indeed very disappointing. Hence, I have always tried to not raise the bar high no matter how good people tell me something is. So, did Chinita live up to my expectation? Let’s find out.

Ambience

Chinita is a small place packed with wooden tables and chairs. A huge blackboard on one side of the wall and a few plants on the other side, and that’s it there is nothing more to the ambience. Was this disappointing? To an extent, yes! I expected the place to be more lively and appealing. Well, the place is lively with conversations but there is nothing really about the ambience which makes you go ‘Ah, this is nice’! This doesn’t imply that the ambience is bad in all, it’s decent but could have been better.

Food

No brownie points for guessing what I started my meal with, nachos of course. One look at the menu and the first thing I placed an order was for that.

Serving real Mexican food, being a vegetarian what I really liked about their menu is the fact that they have really tried to include 2-3 vegetarian dishes under each category. From enchiladas to burritos to tostadas, they have it all. Hence for someone who really wants to explore Mexican food, Chinita is could be a place to try out.

Virgin Margarita and Iced Café Con Leche graced the table first. Margarita was well, Margarita, the same old taste. Iced Café Con Leche, a fancy name for a simple cold coffee drink with ice cubes in it. Then came the nachos and oh the happiness on my face!

Virgin Margarita 

Iced Cafe Con Leche

The nachos looked so tempting. Beans, onions and cheese being the main toppings it looked absolutely mouth-watering. Did I like it? No, I loved it!

Yes, the beans were a little spicy but, the chips were nice and in all it left a lingering taste in my mouth, hence no complaints.

Nachos be like #nomnom

Next up was Tostadas, the Soyrizo and Potato one. We were served with two corn tortilla chips which were dressed with pico de gallo. Pico de gallo, also called as Salsa Fresca is a Mexican dish which is nothing but an uncooked salad. Chopped vegetable mixed together were the toppings of the tortilla chips along with sour cream, potato mix and tomato salsa.

The dish looked colourful and inviting but, one bite and it left me not wanting to have more. The chips were fine, so was the pico de gallo but what spoiled the broth was the potato mix. It had an ugly taste to it which forced me to remove all the potato on my tortilla chips and have it just with the Salsa Fresca.

Tostadas

This did ruin my mood a bit but I was hopeful that the chocolate chilli cake I had ordered for would do some magic! As delicious as it looks, the cake was just alright. It tasted like the usual chocolate cake and once you were done eating that piece of cake that’s when the taste of chilli peaks. So it tastes all sweet when you start eating the piece cake but gradually that sweet becomes spicy. Interesting change of flavours in the mouth but, the fact that it didn’t really excite me makes me say that the cake was just alright!

Chocolate chilli cake

Service and Pricing

The service was attentive and the waiters did take the initiative several times to check if we were enjoying our meal. This is something I really appreciate.

I am a little dicey about the pricing here. Seems reasonable at first look but then if you are looking at enjoying a full-fledged meal and just not a snack, then it could come turn out to be a little more than a reasonable affair.

Verdict

I have mixed feelings about this restaurant. I wasn’t quite happy with the ambience and the food was average. Service is probably the only thing I would give this place a thumbs up. However, having said that, I wouldn’t deny the fact that they are indeed serving some real Mexican food. For someone who enjoys Mexican food, you should give this place a try and for people who don’t I would suggest to give it a miss.

Quick Bites

Rating – 3.5/5

Cost for two – 1500/- inclusive of taxes

Why you should go here – To taste some authentic Mexican food

Location - 218, near BDA complex, double road, Indiranagar, Bangalore

                                                             

Green Theory: Veggie and Pet Friendly

Conversation between a vegetarian and a non-vegetarian:

Vegetarians  – Non- vegetarians are taking over us

Non-vegetarians – Well, like duh! What do you guys eat anyways? Grass?

Vegetarians  – Umm, no we eat a whole lot more things than just grass. -.-

Non-Vegetarians – Yeah well, that’s what you say. But, honestly, trust me you have no idea what you are missing out on

Vegetarians – Trust me, I don’t really want to know

This is generally a conversation which goes on between a vegetarian and a non-vegetarian. I have had this conversation several times with several people and it pretty much ends this way. :P Oh and no this doesn’t really mean that I am a vegetarian, it’s just that I can totally understand why vegetarians and non-vegetarians claim of eating/doing things that they do. :D

The number of restaurants in Bangalore serving only vegetarian food aren’t many and, in such cases when you come across a restaurant which amazes you with their striking green ambience and vegetarian continental food that can make a non-vegetarian also go gaga over it, you can’t help but revisit this place again. Yes, I am speaking of Green Theory.

Ambience

Green theory places itself comfortably on a rather quiet locality, convent road, which is off residency road. This restaurant is named so aptly. If the plants here are not enough to add onto the green-ness of this place, their sofas too are green, making it an overdose of this colour and this isn’t a bad thing at all. A quaint little pond, a fountain in the corner and, dim yellow lights in the evening makes it a romantic spot for the couples to enjoy a quite dinner.

With the option of indoor and outdoor seating, I would strongly recommend the outdoor one, especially during the evening. There is no better way to enjoy your meal than with the company of Mother Nature itself. Something in particular which I personally enjoy about their ambience is how relaxed I feel here. We’ve heard a lot about how nature can help one relax and de-stress. So if you are looking for a place to escape from all noise and pollution in the city, Green theory is your ‘go to’ place.

Grub

Doesn’t matter if you are a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian, either way you can prepare yourself to enjoy a feast here. That’s the quality of food I am speaking of.

Green Theory serves continental and Italian vegetarian food. Their menu also includes to Mexican and Lebanese dishes as well.

In my previous visits, I have had their pasta's and pizzas, which were quite a treat to my taste buds. However, if I had to choose between the two, I would go for the pizza. Nice and thin crusted, the pizzas here are more than just being delicious, which is if you prefer the thin crusted ones.

Among the appetisers, my favourite till date has been the baby corn cigars. Gets me drooling every time I think of it!

The watermelon smoothie and the kiwi fruit lemonade are quite a drink. If you require something to enliven you instantly, these are the drinks to go for.

First look at the Watermelon smoothie and it left me surprised. This is because of its presentation. Having the smoothie from the watermelon which was nicely shaped as a cup was definitely a first. Most of all, what is important is that the quantity could fill half your tummy up and you wouldn’t mind this because it tastes so good!

 Want some? 

The kiwi fruit lemonade is what I think all of us need on a hot summer day or on a day where we just want to sit back and unwind. Apart from its refreshing aroma, this drink gives you a kick to get you going for the day. I am not a big fan of kiwi fruit, but I am surely a big fan of the kiwi fruit lemonade now, thanks to Green Theory.

Apart from that, the Cucumber juice sprinkled with pepper was energising as well.

Fresh and Healthy

Herb soup in the menu sounded interesting. Clear soup with fresh herbs, pepper and vegetables this soup has that calming effect. Yes, this isn't everyone's cup of tea as it is slightly bland but soups like this one can definitely make one feel relaxed! Like an individual is advised to have chicken soup when they are sick, this herb soup can probably be a substitute for the same for vegetarians!

Herb soup for the soul

The Theory platter is something you could opt for if you can't make up your mind on which starter to order, so here you get to savour five of the starters listed on the menu! The only item which disappointed me on the platter was the nachos, the chips were disappointing.

Theory Platter

Pizza’s is something Green Theory can brag about. Thin crusted and crisp, no one can have just a bite of it and let it be. The Mexicorn pizza is not too rich in flavours but, the cheese is enough to make you want more.

Mexicorn pizza

Scrumptious meal, yeah?

After eating all this, you know you are gluttons if you order for another dish especially a sizzler. Sizzler is always very filling but, we were really keen on spending some more time at Green Theory hence decided to go for it. We went for the Mexican Theory Sizzler. Rice along with French fries, schezwan sauce and buttered vegetables was what we were served with. Was it tasty? Yes it was but, was it something different from what you would get at other places, no! Hence, if you ask me what to opt for between pizza, pasta and sizzler, go for the pizza!

#nomnomnom

Service and Pricing

They leave absolutely no room for complaints. A friendly face to cater to all your demands and a swift service, that’s all a customer asks for. I have been here several times and not once have I witnessed a bad service.

Pricing is very reasonable and this is one of the reasons why I visit here so often. Without a burning a hole in your wallet, you can enjoy a scrumptious meal and leave the place with a full tummy and a happy face.

Verdict

Green Theory is one restaurant which you will always come back to. Delicious food, beautiful green ambience, pet-friendly place and reasonable rates, all of this found under a single roof, a Bengalurean couldn’t have asked for more, of course unless you are a non-vegetarian. :D

Quick Bites

Rating – 4.5/5

Cost for two – 1200/- inclusive of taxes

Why you should go here – For their luscious green ambience and pizzas. Also, if you have a pet and looking to take them out for lunch/dinner, this is the place to go.

Location - 15, Convent Road, Off Residency Road, Bangalore 560025

Mumbai Foodie Diaries!

Mumbai, as they say is the ‘city of dreams’

Mumbai, as I say is ‘every foodie’s paradise’

 

Two and a half long months in Mumbai, quite a long period I wondered to myself before leaving from Bengaluru. This wasn’t the first time I was visiting Mumbai! I’ve been here several times before, but this was the first time I was staying here for so long and alone!

I had made a list, actually several lists, no surprise there. These lists were all about things I wanted to do to the places I wanted to visit to the restaurants I wanted to dine at; it was quite an extensive one that I can guarantee you. Was I able to mark off everything on my list? Well, let’s say I covered a lot places and there were some which I couldn’t due to time or money constraints. Yes, I was a tad bit disappointed, but I knew I would be coming back to the city hence I could continue my exploits then!

Mumbai has a very vibrant food culture, there is just so much to eat and savour! If there is something I’ve thoroughly enjoyed here it's the street food! If you are a sucker for street food, Mumbai is the place to be, and explore the street food culture! From dosa to sandwiches to chaats and oh how can I forget the ever popular vada pavs, these were part of my weekly diet! Heading to a popular street food area and eating to my heart’s content is what I did every Sunday!

My favourite was the dosa and Bombay sandwich! Loaded with cheese and butter, these dosa’s were part of my Sunday morning breakfast! Each stall boasting of having more than 51-100 varieties on their menu, I usually spent first ten minutes on deciding which one I wanted to eat! No, I couldn’t try out all the 51-100 varieties but I did try something different every time. Mysore and paneer dosa topped the list. Not only was it flavoursome, but just one plate of it was so filling!

Bombay sandwich is something I always treat myself to every time I visit this city. This time was no different! Apart from shopping and gorging on cupcakes, I used to pamper myself to these scrumptious Bombay sandwiches! You know like they say in Hindi, ‘arrey iski toh baat hi kuch alag hai’, these lines used to run in my mind every time I had a bite of these sandwiches! Again, variety excites and confuses you, but I would suggest start off with the age old classic one, veg toast sandwich! It might be the simplest one to prepare, but it is rich in flavours!

When it comes to chaats, pav bhaji, pani puri and sev puri remained as my favourites! Of course apart from this, the classic Mumbai special misal pav and usal pav is a must have! There were times when I had just this for dinner and later complained of not being able to move because I was so full!

Vada pav, more than enough has been said by people about it, however during this trip I realized that they are a bit over rated. Yes, I have had some delicious ones, but I have had many bad ones as well. Almost every street in Mumbai has a vada pav stall, and sometimes when you have too much of something it kind of gets to you!

So here is the first of things to do in Mumbai!

• Enjoy your Sunday breakfast having dosa’s in Malad (chincholi bunder) or in Vile Parle. The one in Bandra linking road is another option. Treat yourself to Bombay sandwiches at Vile Parle again. Yes, there are many places, but the one in this area has remained my favourite for years now! For chaats, go to Juhu or Chowpatty, the best chaats are experienced and tasted by the beach! Who said that? Me! :D
• For vada pav, Bansi vada pav stall is one option, but honestly till this date the best vada pav I’ve had was in Kalyan, you will grab another one just to relish the taste of the chutney!

    Mysore dosa

Moving onto a different segment, namely restaurants and Café’s! If there is one café you must dine at in this city is Café Moshe’s! Having several outlets spread across the city, this place is known for its Mediterranean food and desserts! Recently this café introduced a whole new menu, which is more extensive and caters to a wider taste! Unfortunately, I couldn’t get an opportunity to experience the new menu, but the old one wasn’t bad either. After a long day if you are looking for a relaxed ambience and some comfort food, this is your go to place!

 #nomnomnom at Cafe Moshes

Oh and Café Leopold! Café Leopold is to Mumbai, what Koshy’s is to Bengaluru. More than enough reason to head there, isn’t it?

Chinese being my favourite cuisine was something I didn’t really enjoy here! It was good yes, but nothing more than that. 

For the love for Chinese

A special mention for Mamagoto for their excellent service though! While dining here, as I was relishing my meal, by mistake I ended up eating a chilli, and my god I was teary eyed! Seeing this, not only did the waiter get me some sugar and honey, but also got a bowl of ice-cream just so that I can feel better! Oh and they didn’t bill me for ice-cream! This kind of attention and service will always make you want to go back to the place again! Mamagoto recently opened in Bengaluru as well, although haven’t tried it out yet!

Finger food is another segment which quite a few restaurants here offer! If you are looking out for just something to munch on and enjoy your drinks, there are places like He Said She Said to experience! A bit pricy, but the experience is worth it!

So the next thing to do in Mumbai is –

• Go café hopping in Colaba. This area is oh so British and the café’s here reflect that culture. There are a number of café’s which offer just not food, but also beer, what more can one ask for? 
• Go restaurant and pub hopping in Andheri and Bandra. Yes, it’s going to be an expensive affair but you wouldn’t want to miss out on all the food and fun! There are plenty of restaurants in both the areas, hence shortlist the ones which cater to your taste.

At one of the cafes in Colaba 

Probably something which I missed the most while I was in Mumbai was Nachos. Crispy, yummy nachos! My cravings led me to try nachos at several places but nothing really made me go ‘Oh my god, this is so good’!  Most tasted like bingo chips and the others were devoid of toppings and/or sour cream! From pubs like British Brewing Company to café’s in Colaba, none impressed me and all I could do was wait, wait to get back to Bengaluru and satisfy my craving.

Coming to my favourite, desserts! You can’t go to Mumbai and not try out the cupcakes from Theobrama and LSD (Love Sugar Dough), like you just can’t! After Glen’s Bakehouse the finest red velvet cupcake I’ve had was at Theobrama. Oh the thought of it gets me mouth-watering! The best part about the cupcakes here is that the taste lingers in your mouth for a long time, making you crave for more. LSD again is a very popular dessert café in Mumbai. Soft and glossy, these cupcakes are a shortcut to happiness!

So yes, the next in things to do list involves,

• Visit to LSD and Theobrama to get a sugar rush!

Red velvet cupcake, picture says it all, doesn't it? 

I love breakfasts! I consider myself to be a very breakfast person hence exploring the breakfast outlets in the city was on my list as well. Mumbai isn’t short of breakfast places; I couldn’t pay a visit to all, but tried my best to visit a few of them.

Hence, the next in things to do list involves,

• Visiting some of the popular breakfast spots in the city. Most of them are situated in Colaba, but there are some small cafe's located in other areas of the city too. My favourite was Le Pain Quotidien in Powai! 

Happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast, right?

Also, roadside tea! This is something Bengaluru lacks and what I miss about Mumbai. Trying out the roadside masala chai is a must! Standing/sitting on the footpath as you drink your chai while you watch the traffic in front of you is an experience in itself!

So, add this on your list as well,

•  Roadside masala chai!

Coming to the other things you should do while you are in this city –

• An evening walk in Marine Drive followed by eating chaats at Chowpatty
•  Shopping at Linking road in Bandra and Colaba causeway
• Drive through Bandra Worli Sea link, its magnificent!
• Spend the evening walking or sitting on the benches on the promenade facing the Arabian Sea! It’s the most romantic place in Mumbai if you ask me!
• Travel by local train
• And go for a late night walk

    Beautiful, isn't it? 

There are several things which you can do in this city, however these top my list! These are probably some of the ways you can best enjoy the culture of the city and soak into it. Crowded yet empty, noisy yet calm, tall buildings and slums, this city has everything!

For a foodie, Mumbai is a place which pampers your taste buds. You can be on a tight budget yet enjoy a lavish meal, something we all look forward for, don’t we?

Yes, there were few things which I really wanted to explore, like dine at an Iranian café, enjoy a traditional Maharashtrian meal, etc. It’s definitely on top of my list when I visit this city again.

Someone asked me, what I liked about Mumbai the most apart from food of course! I said,

“The tall skylines! Because every time I looked outside my bedroom balcony, seeing those tall skylines made me realize how far I’ve come, and the fact that you can be alone yet never lonely! It’s a very strong emotion, a feeling which made me feel so comfortable, a feeling which perhaps filled the void in me!”

P.S - Apologies for the lack of pictures for this post! Unfortunately, lost a lot of them!