Pop into Pop Tates!

So, the initial plan for last night was, The Bar Stock Exchange, only to find out the place is still under renovation and we ended up at to Pop tates in Kamla Mills. We reached there at around 11pm and although, it was a Saturday night we instantly got a table.

Ambiance wise the place is quite desperate and tries to scene American dining culture which pics all over the place, seating arrangements and what not. Over all it won't hurt your eyes but won't sooth either!

The discipline seemed strict as the waiter was very adamant on serving alcohol only if we had a 24+ id proof. Nevertheless, we settled for the night with Sangria, beer and a few pegs whiskey since one of my friend was 24. The service was very slow and no sooner that the alcohol arrived at the table the waiter stood there and kept watching everything we were doing.

For starters, we called for Salsa Prawns. They were tossed in Mexican spices and salsa. These were served in a small magnetic pan with a base of cabbage leaves. They were mind-blowing and worth the price. We also called for Mac and cheese which was served in a pan again along with three garlic breads. This was absolutely bland and not very well cooked, in spite of adding a good amount of chilly flakes and oregano it was still the worst I ever had. 

Next we called for Chicken satay, which was okay and not very great. We also ordered Chicken squares, which came in as big pieces of chicken that were deeply fried and spiced. Again, it wasn't well cooked and the chicken was very rubbery. 

For mains, we called for Fish-n-Chips. There were three pieces of Barca fish coated with bread crumbs, served with french fries and tartar sauce. It was finely cooked and the lemon juice sprinkled on top gave it a much better taste.

 

Sadly, my first time would be my last. The service is slow and the food as I said isn't that great. Pop in to Pop Tate's only if you wanna get sloshed without paying a bomb.

Until next time,
Samidha :')

Unwinding at BBC

Hello People,

As you'll know I haven't been able to shoot, visit places or post since a really long time due to long working hours, I have finally learnt to balance it! This weekend I rejuvenated myself with some good food at a good place amidst positive vibes. I visited the British Brewing Company in Palladium Mall for dinner on a Friday night. The ambiance is a little rustic, the craftsmanship of furniture, the eclectic art pieces on the wall, the lighting, the fireplace, the couches from 19th century royalty, and the DJ's music collection, everything comes together to create a stunning ambiance. This place has a big center bar which dispenses the quality and quantity drinks to the entire outlet.

I was super impressed by the technology indulged with hospitality. They gave us an iPad from which you need to place your order and the staff will come to verify the same. The menu has a huge variety right from titbits, sandwiches, rolls, pasta, sizzlers, pizzas and seeks! The waiters constantly kept filling our glasses as soon as they reached half level of the glass. The best part is, that their menu states the price of every item inclusive of the VAT. The food is cheap but the taste will drive you crazy!

I started off with Mumbai Potato and as the name suggests it's a potato preparation influenced by the cuisine of Mumbaikars. They were deep fried potato wedges tossed in dry masala made up of sliced onions, garlic and spices. The crunch of the wedges was perfectly accompanied with the spicy masala which made it a perfect combo to have with drinks. 

Followed by this dish was the Butterfly prawns. Tossed in spicy, tangy and a little sweet sauce along with vegetables the prawns had an extra touch of garlic and chillies! And since I'm more of a sea food lover the next thing I ordered was Fish fingers! They were breaded fish fillets fried to perfection with breadcrumbs giving a nice crunchy taste to the fish, served with tartar sauce.

I was already full only with these three items but I was very tempted by the sizzlers, and I could make some place for a little bit of it. I ordered the Ocean Life Sizzler which again has prawns marinated with herbs in hot garlic sauce. This was served with exotic vegetables and fries on the bed of rice. Only if, I hadn't eaten so much before this would I be able to finish the sizzler. 

Apart from the food, I also called for a Cranberry Mist which acted as a good palate cleanser in between the feast. It was a quite refreshing drink with a dominating flavor of cranberry along with a hint of lemon and dash of sugar.

It's definitely a must try place with your gang and do not forget to reserve your table in advance. Do mention your feedback in the comments section below and do not forget to follow me on Instagram for more pictures: instagram/twentysomethingtripped

Until next time,

Samidha :D

An Old Wild West Saturday!

Hi Guys,

To begin with.. this was one of the most wanted place in town and we've finally got one! Everyone has been talking about it and I had to go there. Finally, I got the time off my busy schedule to visit this place last Saturday. Located on the first floor of Trade View in Kamla Mills, this place has it's own valet parking but you still have to pay the Kamla Mill guys.

I went there with a couple of friends and since it was a weekend we had to pay a cover charge of INR.1,500 per couple,believe me it was worth it! We entered the place around 9 PM and still had to get seated at the bar until we got a table for our-self. We decided to wait until we got a table and were just enjoying the ambiance of the place. 

This Texas/cowboy themed place has an indoor Bull ride, the major attraction of the place. It also has a selfie wall that has cowboy hats and guns as props to take pictures with. There is a dance floor in the center where you can dance to the beats of the loud music! The staff had allotted us a waiting of half an hour to get a table, but they failed to provide us with one. More crowd kept walking in, so we decided to settle at the bar and place our orders anyway! 

The bar is huge and they serve amazing and a large variety of drinks! The bartenders were friendly and performed jaw-dropping fire stunts! We started with a pitcher of bira (GREAT QUANTITY) and Island Spiced tea, an advanced version of the LIT- a mixture of vodka, spiced rum, white rum and coconut rum topped with coke! It was so well made, I couldn't resist calling for one more! A friend also called for The Smokin Word, this cocktail was a mixture of tequila gold with jagermiester & caramelized herbs. It had a nice sweet flavor with fresh herbs to maintain the balance. We loved this combination, definitely a must try.

The bar is huge with a variety of glasses.

For starters we ordered Texas Chicken Nachos, which were served well. They were crisp with good amount of salsa. We also called for Kung pao potatoes, they were good and had a tangy flavor! The Texas Cowboy Beef Burger is a huge burger with beef patty, cheese and fries on the side. Wished it was more juicy and soft to eat. It had an overpowering flavor and we managed to finish this by having 2 bites per person! We also called for Spicy Garlic Prawns which were tossed up with their traditional sauce and garnished with shredded spring onion!

We din't call for any mains as we had already hit the dance floor. The DJ was good and played the songs we requested. Soon, the dim lights were put off and almost every person was dancing their heart's out. I really wanted to enjoy the bull ride, but since I was wearing a long skirt it got difficult to even sit on the bull! 

Overall, it's a good place to party and enjoy a Saturday night with friends. The food is a mixture of average and good. The cocktails are awesome, service is quick and staff is courteous.  And.. if you're asking, will I visit again, then it's definitely a YES!

I hope you enjoyed reading this review :D

Love,
Samidha.

For more pictures: instagram/twentysomethingtripped

Run down- German Bakery, Pune

Hi Guys,

I'm back to keep you folks updated and the blog active! Hehe, well yes! I've been too caught up these days and haven't been able to post since the last two weeks. I've started working again and I'm still trying to balance both things together, and miserably failing at it! Late working hours are not letting me go to new places and when I have the time I'm just so tired to do ANYTHING! Getting back to the blog post for today, this is my review on one of my most favorite place in Pune, Germany Bakery! 

Pune is my second home with a huge family base and friends of course! Since I have a house in Koregaon Park, Germany Bakery has always been my favorite hangout place in the same vicinity. I absolutely love the ambiance and vibe of this place, impeccable quality coupled with nice service! It's been years since I've been going to this place and have almost tried everything on their menu. 

I don't quite like hummus but this time, we ordered for hummus pita which was lip smacking and perfectly made and I really wished there was more hummus. We also ate Shrews bury and double creamy chocolate cookies which had an outstanding taste, I think the BEST I have eaten! I literally got them parcel to have them in Bombay! The creamy chocolate in the center of the cookies was so delightful :D This was followed by the classic Margarita Pizza which was good.Then i even munched on the Cheese Potato burger which is served with fries and salad! And of course,frozen hot chocolate was a need of the hour! 

All in all, I have visited this place several times and it has never disappointed me. Although after the past incident there, security is a major thing and you are checked thoroughly before being permitted to enter. This place ought to be on one's bucket list! 

Recommend: Chicken Cordon bleu, chilli dog, Chicken a la Kiev, Barbecued chicken pizza. Desserts: Banoffee pie, Apple pie, Spanish Omelette

Hope this review helps you make up your mind to visit this place soon! Stay tuned until the next post :)

Love,
Samidha.

Grandmama's Cafe : Review

Helllloooo,

Wasn't the first time I was visiting this place... but, the first time I went to Grandmama's Cafe in Dadar (East) we didn't get a place to sit inside. I had fallen in love with the interiors of this place and couldn't resist going there again. So elegant, vintage, Victorian and cosy!

During the first visit I wasn't very sure of the outside area because of the traffic, dust and people getting outside the station area, but it was still peaceful with jazz music which takes you back in time.

This time I went in the afternoon and got seated on the couch inside. The white walls and pastel hues with all the antiques hanging, was a treat to the eyes!

I munched on the cheesy and gooey Mac and cheese which was served in a small frying pan kinda thing. Loaded with cheese and a little seasoning it gave a simple yet satisfactory taste. 

I also called for mash potato with chicken which looked under-cooked by the look of it but melted in the mouth within 10 seconds.

I highly recommend the hot chocolate at Grandmama's Cafe which has won several  hearts. It is sinfully thick with an excellent taste.

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The bill came in a strange box and added a niche touch. The quantity of their food may look deceptive, but by the end of it 2 of us were holding our stomachs. While you exit, it gives you that I must come here again feeling and is a must must musssttt try!

But, the BEST thing spotted at this place, was this one true pair which displayed eternal love and makes me believe in FOREVER! ( Sorry abut the image quality)

No sooner was the sister to this place opened in Kamla Mills. Having already been to the Dadar cafe twice this time I wanted to check the one at Kamla Mills. This place, located in Kamla Mills gave us a round to the entire mill to find it. Everything there from the entry to it's ambiance to its menu's to its varied ways of serving condiments.. It's all so eye pleasingly gorgeous! This outlet serves alcohol too, so you can sip a wine and enjoy your meal.

We walked-in on a Tuesday night for dinner during the IPL so the place was packed with families and was very noisy since daddies-uncles and kids were cheering loudly non-stop.
We started with the four cheese pizza which as the name suggests was topped with four amazing cheese.. And was stringy and delicious.

We also called for the Orange Rosso Sangria which comprised of red wine with slice of orange and apple. The concentration was 10/10. Not only did the sangria appeal to the eyes but tastes superb as well. The Cold Press Juice is an 8/10.

Then we ordered for Patatas Bravas which were brilliant. Loved these fried potato cubes laced with tangy marinara sauce, topped with dollops of mayo. An absolutely super perfect finger food to go perfectly well with your favorite drink. 

The next order was Achari Khichdi, a must-must try. The wholesome combination of yellow dal and rice combined with not just whole spices but also onions, garlic and tomatoes imparted a tangy twist to the khichdi making it flavorsome. Served with fryums and freshly cut onion and tomato salad this one is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

For dessert we called for Nutella waffles which was topped with the chocolate powder and some chocolate chips and served with vanilla ice-cream and Nutella! The waffles were soft and fresh and that's how waffles should be!

Wise words- Since these are Grandma's homemade recipes, you can never go wrong. But I would expect the same warmth, love & care you'd feel in her arms, the aroma of her recipes which are passed on from generations. The light you'd see in her eyes when you take a bite with all the excitement. You can almost feel it at their Dadar café, but lacks here. As they say, there's always a next time & perfection comes at the cost of practice.

And...finally the most important & positive thing is to look forward to the perfect and almost pocket friendly pricing for the experience they provide, in comparison to the places nearby burning deep holes in the pocket. A fantastic experience and we are definitely coming back for more . :)