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H-Man got JAMmed

There is something primal about the combination of men, fire and meat. World over if there is a fire anywhere, there usually is atleast one guy thinking about throwing some meat on that. It just brings out something instinctive and wild in all men.

The combination of fire, smoke and meat though can be tricky and cooking with it is both a science and an art and not everyone really understands it. Anyone can take a bunch of paint and splash it on a canvas but there are a few that can really make what can be considered a masterpiece.

We had heard about one such man doing great things with his meat (get your mind out of the gutter…no puns here). We thought there is no better way to really experience it than JAMming it and so this week we did just that along with a couple of friends.

Part mad-scientist, part artist, full vegetable hater, chef Harman has recently set up shop in Shivalik Enclave. Its built like a sushi bar with just 6 stools on one side of the counter and the chef on the other, doing his stuff. The restaurant itself is warm and cozy and the dim lighting creates a sort of intimate setting. The lighting was certainly a challenge for our video shoot. There is a limited seating just outside the restaurant to take advantage of the lower temperatures but it takes away the real flavour of the place.

The menu is forever changing depending on what the chef finds in the market that day and what strikes his fancy, it could be simple one day and exotic the next. The focus is on getting the best quality produce and getting just enough for the day. They do most of the things on their own, apart from breeding their own animals and planting their own veg (for the sides). With a variety of smokers, they do their own sausages, their own bacon and other meat which is very carefully selected. They even grind their own salt so that gives you an idea of how obsessive and serious chef Harman is about what he is trying to do.

We ate a variety of things that were on offer that day and our simple lunch comprised of Lamb Chops, Pork Ribs, Chicken Wings, Chicken Skewers, Bacon, Pork Loin burgers, Pomfret, Pork Sausages. I think the Pomfret won the vote unanimously as the best dish in the entire lunch, closely followed by the Lamb Chops and the Ribs. The Pork burger was unusual as there was really no patty but several layers of a herbed bacon and cole slaw. The herbed bacon was superb and not salty but had a kind of sweetness to it so it made for a yummy sandwich.

Each item was marinated and seasoned appropriately and the end result was so good that no one asked for any additional sauces or condiments. The sides too were very well matched with the mains and all of us, surprisingly, ate all the sides as well and particularly the cole slaw was outstanding.

The food was followed by an awesome Tiramisu which follows no standard recipe and is their own concoction. It tasted super well balanced and we were able to end the meal on a high note. We also turned the Tiramisu into a birthday cake for Manav who had his birthday a day prior to our visit. Our video is available now, do check it out on the JAM Session You Tube page.

The place is small and the food is awesome and they are mostly not available for walk-ins. So remember that they are closed on Tuesdays, make your booking before you go there but whatever you do, don’t ask for your food to be cooked well done…

 

 

 

 

Le Cantine

A new cafe has opened in the DLF Promenade Mall in Vasant Kunj and I visited it yesterday for lunch. Le Cantine is lovely little cafe that has a simple decor and comfortable seating. It has an open front to the pathway in the mall so it looks larger than it is. There is a small terrace but sadly it cant be used for eating or drinking due to MCD rules so it will be the place for a smoke break. When I learnt about the team behind the food I knew I had to visit and had built up my expectations.

Instead of larger items, we ordered a couple of small plates to try various things and as it turned out, more vegetarian. We started with the 3 dip platter which was nice, a cold mezze spread accompanied with some soft pita bread and crisp lavaash. Each of the three dips were quite good.

Being my wife's favorite vegetable, next we got the Aubergine Mille Feuille. Now this was no Aubergine Lasagna but a proper mille feuille as you would expect. Each layer of aubergine was thinly sliced and lightly batter fried so it was crispy. In between those layers was a lovely salad of lentils and barley. The flavors and textures worked really well for me and I was surprised to find myself going for a second, third and even a fourth spoonful. I hate to admit it but I would order that again.

Next up, the Polenta looked lovely and although I am not a Polenta person, the squeaky clean plate after my wife was finished with it made it clear that she loved it.

No it was not all vegetarian and I got the Shrimp sandwich and I must say I was both surprised and delighted by the presentation. Delectable butter poached prawns in a lovely sauce were sandwiched between a small piece of sliced bread. The sweet bread with the prawns were a great combination and that again is a must repeat dish for me.

When it came time for dessert something caught my eye in the menu, an Almond Croissant, Berry and ice cream sandwich. It sounded amazing so I had to try it. It was a simple, comforting dessert that just hits the sweet spot. The only issue was that halfway through eating it, the ice cream had melted and that along with the berry compote made the whole thing soggy. It was still yummy but as you would expect, not crisp any more. I would still eat that again :), faster next time.

As usual I think Hanisha Singh has created a stellar food experience and chef Kamal Maggo in the kitchen is doing a great job. I will have to visit many more times as I have marked several items from the menu that I must try soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sidecar gets JAMmed !

This week we JAMmed Sidecar.

A newly opened 2 level bar in Greater Kailash 2, Sidecar has different vibes on both their floors. The team behind Sidecar hardly needs an introduction, Minakshi Singh and Yangdup Lama have set up shop in Delhi to bring their craft to us Delhiites. The focus is not just on the drinks, for the food they have roped in well known chef Tarun Sibal and the menu is a wonderful mix of cuisines with most of it being comfort food.

Big windows allow natural light to waft in and the largely wood based interior leads a warm and homely feel to the place. The lower floor also has a little reading nook in the corner allowing people to get lost in words, from the large selection of books which are also available to purchase. As you climb a floor higher the vibe shifts to something else. A large bar and a stage in one corner bring the promise of music and tipple filled outings. With a master mixologist behind the bar counter, the drinks are sure to be a hit.

We landed up there for this weeks JAM session and sampled many of the menu items. Since we arrived before the bar license did, sadly we could not partake in their cocktail offerings although the mocktails we had were very nice.

We also got a chance to shoot a video with the Sidecar team and picked their brains on the idea behind the place. To watch the video please check out the JAMsession page on Facebook or visit us on Instagram @jamsessionindia.

Normally we would stay away from any salad but at Minakshi’s insistence we tried the Chicken and Orange salad and its no wonder thats her favourite item from the menu. Perfectly cooked chicken with a citrus tang was delicious, the crispy chicken skin lifted it up a couple of levels.

Looks can be deceiving was the perfect phrase to use for the Hainanese Chicken Rice. While it doesn’t look like the version many of us may be familiar with, one bite and its a flavour bomb. The same can be said about the Goat Chop which came with its meat removed from the bone and mixed in with a Porcini reduction.

We also loved the Lamb Rendang Curry, flavourful and with perfectly cooked lamb. The Prosciutto Toast was another item we all loved, again simple yet tasty.

In keeping with the comfort food theme, desserts were also kept simple yet delicious. The explosive plating of the Doughnut Toast though lent a modern touch to a dessert which tugs on the heart strings. There was also a delicious Hot Mocha Fudge, a must for coffee lovers. I didn’t get more than a bite as Jasjit and Manav refused to share.

Sidecar is not just a bar. Its a bar with a great kitchen which is producing food that will make many people come just to eat. I think its pretty clear that Sidecar will be a regular hang out for us and we are looking forward to hitting it again once the licence is in place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sazerac

What a cracker of a meal last night at Sazerac, I am still thinking about it. I love the other restaurants of the group (Pings and Jamun) and no wonder the food at Sazerac is outstanding. There were six of us with 3 being vegetarian, so we took recommendations from chef Abhi and ordered a few things from our own selection as well. One of the appetizers I really liked was the Queso bowl, gooey cheesy goodness served in a tortilla shell bowl.

The Tartufa pizza is a truffle lovers dream come true. Made in their wood fired oven wit a layering of mushroom tapenade and doused in truffle oils, the crisp garlic topping just hits the spot. We loved the Avocado Toast and even their Guacamole is quite good. Will delve deeper into the texmex dishes next time.

And then the Tenderloin came. I cant explain my feelings about steak, I get too emotional. Let the picture explain it.

I am normally not a dessert person but I found myself unable to stop eating the Peanut butter and chocolate dense mousse. It was like eating a really decadent Snickers Bar which I love. People who love dark chocolate will love the 90% Manjari chocolate bomb, delicious and goes amazingly with a coffee.

What made the food extra special was the wonderful hospitality and service. This is great new place for people who love food 🙂.

 

 

 

 

 

 

JAM gets PIKKLED

There are those who get into restaurants as a means for business and there are those who are passionate about feeding people. Secondly, I also feel great chefs have to be great cooks first. And thirdly, For any restaurant to survive i think understanding the local market is extremely important because thats where your regular business will come from. Jasneet Sahni and his brother, in their young years seems to have gotten all of these things right.

With the success of Lanterns the brothers were ready to take on a new challenge and because they understand this market they decided to keep their new venture Pikkle very close to Lanterns. They identified a gap in the offerings in the area and decided to bring an upscale mixed cuisine restaurant to west Delhi.

After seeing the attention they have received on social media we decided to go there this week for our JAM Session on Tuesday and see for ourselves what the fuss was about. We knew the food was going to be great and wanted to see the execution and the space.

Right from the part when we walked through the arched path to reach the elevator it felt premium and upmarket. This feeling only grew as we stepped out of the elevator into a beautifully setup space with a Panda in a mech suit welcoming us. Ok it was just a specially commissioned sculpture but it was cute and quirky at the same time. Its a large place with space for almost 200 people and a pretty large outdoor covered verandah as well. There is a small stage for live performances, something they are known for at Lanterns too.

Its always great meeting the super affable and super humble Jasneet who explained how they painstakingly put this project together. Its great to see the kind of insight and straight focus he has about his business and I think even veterans can learn a lot from him.

They have a pretty wide selection of dishes and we started with the Asian fare. There was a lovely chowder like corn soup that had a hint of chilli and a surprise element, popcorn. This added a nice unusual texture to the great tasting soup. We had a variety of Maki Sushi and dimsums. Speaking for myself, I thought the rolls were a little busy with too manny elements. The dimsums were good, the Prawn Sui Mai in particular was excellent.

The delightful food symphony really reached its crescendo once the dishes from their modern Indian menu started to arrive. There was a delectable Mutton Keema Rezala and hard to find items like the Safed Haleem which we enjoyed with super soft buns. Its this good that really hits the high note for us and was our favourite part of the meal.

Sadly, we were not able to take advantage of the large bar being a dry day. They are working on ageing and infusions of various spirits apart from the basic drinks, the pricing of which is very attractive.

So, PIKKLE got JAMMED and JAM got PIKKLED and we had so much fun that our lunch stretched to almost 5 hours JAM would love to get PIKKLED again, soon. If in the area, this is a great place for a meal and we will certainly be back. There are many other things on the menu that we just have to try.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Absolute Thai - Absolute Delight

With the influx of expats from countries like Korea and Japan, over time Gurgaon has built up a great list of restaurants serving them a taste of home and there are some great Korean and Japanese food places there. As Spa’s are mushrooming all over NCR, Thai therapists are also moving in and I was hoping the same happens to Thai food. I am very apprehensive about trying Thai anywhere in India because most people just botch it up but a friend had done his recce and he recommended this new place in Gurgaon which he swore was great. I was going to be in Gurgaon today so I teamed up with two of the best eaters in town and hit this new place for lunch.

 

Today I think I ate what I would consider the best Thai food I have eaten in India. A casual eatery , Absolute Thai hit just the right note for me. The only other place that I feel, comes close is in a 5 star hotel and at 5 star prices. Absolute Thai is just like eating in a small restaurant in Bangkok. Located at the Cross Point Mall in Gurgaon, its small but well made and has about 20 seats and the pricing is very very good. As with food in general, this is MY opinion. I know there are many “Thai” restaurants serving some good food but I have my issues.

 

When I saw the container that the sticky rice was being served in at another table, I knew I was in for a treat. As usual, we got carried away and ordered many starters thereby foregoing the main course, and they have a pretty large menu to choose from. There was Larb Chicken, Pork Nam Tok, Chicken Wings, Stir Fried Morning Glory, Prawn Spring Rolls, Noodles with Pork and a perfect finish with some awesome Sticky Rice with Mango.

 

They have not really adapted their food for the local taste buds so its pretty potent when it comes to the heat. But its not just spicy. Thai food requires a perfect balance of multiple tastes and the flavours here we right. They still have to work with Indian ingredients so it takes something away from what would be an even better dish.

 

My absolutely stand out dish was , shockingly, stir fried morning glory. Now this is usually the only vegetable in the world that I find hard to stop eating once its in front of me and at Absolute Thai this was a 10/10 dish for me, amazingly crunchy and with oodles of flavour. Its the kind of dish that makes you weak in the knees. That certainly doesn’t mean the meat was not good.

 

I have yet another reason to visit Gurgaon now :). So if you REALLY like Thai food, head there soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Going Nepali at Bhansaghar ...

This week for our JAM session we were missing the J but we decided to have the AM session anyway. Jasjit has been burning us with pictures of the food he has been tucking into and we decided to return the favour with something spicy, he would be craving that.

Bhansaghar is right in my neighbourhood of Safdarjung Enclave but somehow has missed my attention all this while. Today both Manav and I needed to be in the area so we decided it was the day to get into some Nepali food. The location couldn’t be easier to find, if you walk along the NCC school in Safdarjung Enclave, you will bang into the door of Bhansaghar if you don’t open it and walk inside. The place is small but well made and has all the necessary frills, about 20 people can eat in comfort. Before someone jumps up and chimes in about the authenticity of the food, thats not what we are ever after, just great tasting food.

The menu is quite large and we wanted to eat so much that invariably we ended up ordering more than we needed, not a problem :). Started with Rice Beer, which while I didn’t particularly like in the first sip, it kinda grew on me by the end of the meal. Since there is not too much kitchen staff, the food comes by table and when our turn came, the food all came out together.

The Pork Jhol Momos were outstanding, with the spicy jhol adding enough of a kick to the perfectly cooked momos. I can eat a couple of plates of this alone and go home happy. Next was the Chicken Bhutwa, both Manav and I love the innards and off cuts so we loved this stuff. We were just thinking about eating this with stale paranthas right out of the fridge, yum. Since I got some back with me, I might just try it. The Buff Chilli was flavoured great but some bits were chewy as sometimes Buff can get. We liked the taste of this nonetheless. Last up on the starters list was the Pork Shabalay. An lovely little fried dough pocket filled with the goodness of delicious pork. Accompanied by a fairly potent sauce this was our second favourite item.

Which brings me to our favourite one. By the end of all this eating we were in no shape to get into a whole thali but we really wanted to try one of their curries. Sarovar who was taking our order suggested we try something with Rai Saak (Mustard Leaves) so we settled on the Mutton Curry with Rai Saak. We were sooo happy we got this one right. The mutton was cooked really well and was tender with the curry having everything you want from a good Mutton Curry. The meat was the way all meat should be, skin on.

Any passion project is usually great food so its no surprise at this eatery started by Sarovar and his friends, the food is great. While its actually one of them in the kitchen cooking, we found nothing amateurish about the food.

When the mouth is watering as much as the eyes and nose, the food is awesome :). We would certainly be back and anyone looking for some great Nepali food should certainly check this place out.

An awesome lunch had an even better ending. We always chase our meals with an iced espresso and headed to the newly opened Blue Tokai cafe. As we entered we ran into our good friend and kick ass chef Ruchira Hoon-Philip who gave us a sneak peak into whats cooking at the Pianoman/Dirty Apron :), more on that later.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A taste of Punjab , the food of Sweety Singh

When I got an invite for lunch with the instructions of a light dinner and no breakfast, I spent a restless night in anticipation of what was to come. While I had heard a lot about the food of chef Sweety Singh, I had not had the pleasure of eating it. He was doing a pop up at Setz with some of his dishes and I was finally going to eat his food.

As son as I met him I knew his name is apt for him. A sweet modest man with a heart warming smile, the only thing he likes more than cooking great food is feeding people. He has the look of a young Santa Claus and we being very nice children were about to get some great gifts :).

He has a solid reputation of making crazy good classic Punjabi food which is partnered with an equal solid reputation of feeding, his hospitality is just as good as his food and he makes you feel like you are dining at his home as a guest and not as a customer.

We had preselected some things from his menu at the Setz and with some discussion on preferences we ordered our food mixing some Fish, Chicken and Lamb. I had the privilege of dining with some other people who were just as crazy about food as I am and we were discussing food even after the lovely lunch we had.

The pictures don’t do any justice to the sight, smell and taste of the food that came to our table. From the starters to main course, every dish was lipsmackingly good and while you may have eaten this kind of food before, he has the special sauce to elevate the dish to a much higher level.

My favourite dishes were the mutton items with the meat so tender the bone came out clean with very little effort. The meat itself was was packed with flavour and not overly spiced. The Saag Meat, the Amritsari Ghosht Tariwala both delicious and so distinct. The Meat Chawal was amazing with every grain of rice singing the song of mutton flavour. The Bheja Masala, which I love, was done without losing the buttery texture of the brains and the masala was not overpowering.

Its the kind of meal after which you just want to laze on a charpoy with your feet up. Because of the posh setting of Setz sadly we could not do that. But that said, while we ate a lot we didn’t leave feeling bloated or heavy due to the ingredients used.

In his own words, everyone uses the same ingredients and the same recipes, its the love for cooking and feeding that is his special secret sauce that has you licking your fingers after every bite. I am now a big fan of this chef and I am looking forward to the next meal from him.

Do your tastebud a favour and go eat his food at Setz, his pop up is there till the 15th of September.

An extraordinary experience at Little Saigon

This week our honourable external affairs minister headed to Vietnam to further bilateral relations between our two countries. We being the upstanding citizens that we are, decided to build on her efforts and we headed to Little Saigon. A Vietnamese eatery so small it needs to expand to qualify for a hole in the wall status. In order to strengthen our delegation we also invited two special guests to join in our Jam Session, or maybe we did it so we could order more food :).

Little Saigon has been around for over 2 years but has somehow escaped my attention even though I would have crossed it several times at the Hauz Khas market. Started by the head chef at Blue Ginger, Hana Ho, it offers a small selection of Vietnamese food. Manav being a regular, insisted we try this place and I am glad we gave in and other than him it was a first for the rest of us. The place itself is a small, 12 seater eatery built for function not for offering a weary traveller a comfortable place to rest, the place is built for eating. Its not for the faint hearted, non adventurous eater or a vegetarian, if the look of the place won’t drive them away, the smell will. And then carnivores like us have a run of the place because other than the smell, what comes out of the teeny tiny kitchen is simply outstanding food.

We put ourselves in the chef’s hands and told her to just bring out all the food she wants us to try, with a special focus on Pork, and she went away into the kitchen rubbing her hands in glee. She also took care to keep the shellfish away from some of the food so Amit who is allergic would not need to worry.

The food onslaught began pretty quickly and when she said they are well known for their pork, she wasn’t kidding. The pork dishes were superb and all of us were in prefect agreement about the food. EVERYTHING except one item was stellar and hit the mark of the stand out dish which would take us back.

My absolutely favourite item was the pork belly, marinated and roasted beautifully resulting in a non stop porky experience. And the pork came with its own skin in the game :) so if that puts you off then thats just too bad. This did not stay in the dish for too long and we had to order a repeat of this soft succulent delicacy. Just writing about it now makes me want to rush back there and eat some more.

The most surprising item for me was the roast chicken. Now chicken is something we normally don’t order but since we were trying things we ordered the Mekong Roast Chicken from her specials. It came looking beautiful with a vibrant red sauce on top, which is her own creation. Its the texture and flavour of the chicken that took me by surprise, very meaty and with a smoky look on the pieces it tasted great with the accompanying pancake which looked very much like string hoppers.

The other things that stood out from a group of food that was already standing out, the Braised Pork in Clay Pot, the Grilled Fish and the Steamed Rice Cake stuffed with Chicken.

The food service is very fast so when I say we were there for more than 2 hours, you have to believe there was a lot of food. We only left because the chef dropped some not so subtle hints for us to get out LOL.

Little Saigon is a perfect example of what a chef run eatery is like. It also shows what a chef is capable of when unshackled from the corporate regulations and scrutiny. Here she makes food she likes, the way she likes. It was like visiting her home, she is very friendly and hospitable. Word of warning, she knows some Hindi ;).

This is a must visit for anyone looking for great Vietnamese food that is not far from a street eatery in Saigon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ziu - Great Thai Food

This week we hit Ziu for our weekly Jam Session. Its been on the to do list for a while now and I agreed to going there with a little trepidation as I was travelling the same night to Thailand. Going to eat Thai just before that would be the equivalent of a Thai person eating Indian food right before their flight to India.

Located in the Sangam Courtyard, Ziu is a small restaurant started purely for the love of Thai food which the owner picked up on his extensive travels in that country. This is a feeling I completely share with him. Smaller than it looks from the outside, its a modern looking space with some beautiful wall art and lighting.

This time we had a special guest, from the tea gardens up north, tea sommelier Anamika Singh. We invited her as her exuberant and spunky personality makes sure every time we get together there are bunch of laughs. Additionally she is usually full of some saucy gossip which we wanted to partake in.

Once seated we asked the manager for recommendations on what would be the best things to order and ofcourse we gave him our preferences too. I do not like Lemongrass or Kaffir Lime in my food so they made the selections accordingly. Started with soup and while the others had Tom Yum, I went for a clear chicken soup and I am glad did. It was flavourful and full of fresh vegetables along with the chicken.

Next up was the Som Tam salad, but this one had a twist. It was done in an air frier leading to a wonderful crunchy texture to the familiar Som Tam taste. This is fusion done right when the bottom line is to deliver a great tasting dish. The roasted chicken served on rice crackers was another fine dish. Meant to be eaten in one go it also combined a nice crunch with the flavourful chicken on top.

There were a couple of other things we ordered that can be seen in the pictures but one of the surprises were the stir fried vegetables. Something we would normally not order but am glad we did and will certainly order it again.

We are always on the lookout for that one killer dish which would make one want to return just to eat that. The unanimous feeling was that this was the steamed fish. This was pieces of a light white fish steamed and coated in a spicy lime sauce and topped with some fried morning glory. This combined with some rice would be a perfect dinner for me.

With any kind of foreign food I think there is a balance that has to be struck, between trying to preserve the flavours of the original dish with the tastes and preferences in the location of the restaurant. All this with ingredients that may not be used in the original. I think Ziu has managed to strike a great balance with their own creations not losing out on the Thai food heritage.

The very fact that since we ate there I have travelled and even as write this I am in Bangkok and still say we loved the food at Ziu, says a lot. Clearly, this is a great little Thai restaurant and we will certainly be back again pretty soon.