Thursday, July 28, 2016

Masterclass By Zomato on Father's Day at Smoke House Deli

Zomato Masterclasses are always fun. But,this time it was special. It was for Father's Day and my dad was invited to be a part of the masterclass ! Ever since my dad said yes for the event, I knew this will be a memory to cherish forever. :) My dad was rather excited to know the kind of blogging events I attend.



The Masterclass was hosted by Smoke House Deli at Quest Mall.When we entered the place, there were around 7-8 bloggers and Zomato reviewers present along with their dads.And, all of them having a great time interacting with Chef and their kids.

All the dads including my father were happily interacting with one another though they were all meeting for the first time. It was a humbling experience to see how they made friends in a jiffy, all thanks to their sheer simplicity.




Chef Fatik Mir taught us to make some simple dips and sandwiches. They even showed how we can put together some quick and refreshing drinks like cold coffee :) They had also organized simple contests for the dads where they had to identify simple ingredients and herbs. My dad, being the expert cook that he is, won this contest ! Yay ! And that won us a meal voucher :)



Then came the food spread. Thankfully, the menu was healthy with light sandwiches. I just wish there was more variety :)



It was a great evening with all fellow bloggers and their dads. A big thank you to Zomato for conceptualizing this event and having us over for this event. My dad had a great time and it was the best gift I could give him for Father's Day :)

Sunday, July 3, 2016

The Great Awadhi Biriyani Festival at Oudh 1590

The Great Awadhi Biriyani Festival at Oudh 1590

Kolkata's love affair with Biriyani is extremely difficult to explain. Calcuttans are very particular about their biriyanis. If they don't see an aloo in their plate of biriyani, they confidently proclaim the biriyani not up to the mark :P well, that's the identity of Kolkata biriyani.

Every Calcuttan has his/her list of favourite joints and very few new joints in the city have been able to make inroads into that list. One of such restaurants, which enjoy a place of honour in that list is, Oudh 1590

Founded by brothers, Shiladitya and Debaditya, Oudh has been a favourite for their galauti kebabs. The biriyanis along with soft juicy portions of meat come a close second. Not only does Oudh bring the best of Awadhi cuisine to Kolkata, it also focusses on the period dining experience. The moment you enter the place, the dimmed red lights and wall graffiti showcasing the rich culture and heritage of Lucknow take you to a different era altogether.


Oudh 1590



The period dining experience at Oudh1590
When I was invited to sample the Great Awadhi Biriyani festival, which is an annual affair at Oudh 1590, I knew this will be a superb experience. They had an array of biriyanis on offer - incorporating vegetables, meat and fish to make this a wholesome affair. 



We sampled the following: The classic Yakhni Gosht Biriyani cooked to perfection with the meat super juicy and soft, the Keema Biriyani, the Awadhi Nargisi biriyani which had egg wrapped in a layer to minced meat, The Gomti Mahi Pulao which is traditionally prepared from fishes of the Gomti river and had a hint of gondhoraaj lemon to add that bengali touch to it. Frankly, I am not very fond of fish biriyanis and this time also, the mahi biriyani did not appeal to me so much! 


Gosht Bhuna Khichdi





The winner among all the dishes was the Gosht Bhuna Khichdi - a rice and lentil dish cooked with boneless mutton pieces. Oh, this was pure pleasure ! With oodles of ghee, this was sinful yet we couldn't resist having second and third servings because of the pure pleasure that this dish was :)

Then there is Aawadhi Palak Biriyani and the Subz Kofta Biriyani to keep the vegetarians happy. Though I am not someone to sample a vegetarian biriyani, I have to admit the Subz Kofta Biriyani was good !

It was a great evening with all fellow bloggers and yummy food :)

Oudh 1590 outlets in Kolkata - Deshapriya Park and Salt Lake Sector 1.