Roll On | Restaurant Review

Place: Roll On
Location: Adj. Mom and Me, KPHB Colony
Cuisine: Indian
Meal: Dinner

I’ve been wanting to try this place since I’ve read about it on Zomato. I dropped down one night after a movie at Cinepolis, but it was already too late and they were done with all the veggie stuff. So here I was on another occasion, on my way to catch another movie. Roll On is a no fancy joint, a small kiosk on the corner of the road with a couple of stools laid in front of the kiosk.

I asked for a Mushroom Olive Cheese Roll, and it took about 5-10 minutes before I was handed the roll.

Roll On Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Mushroom Olive Cheese Roll

Unlike most other places which serve a maida based roll, this place served a wheat chapathi (which was good). The roll was oily, but on taste front it was very good. They used green Olives instead of black and the stuffing was perfect. For 80 bucks, this seemed more like an appetizer though.

Here I was again a few days later after watching another movie at PVR to try something more fulfilling; I ordered for an Egg-less Mushroom Cheese Shahi Paratha.

Roll On Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Mushroom Cheese Shahi Paratha

This time it took a bit longer, about 15 minutes for the paratha to be served. On first sight, the quantity seemed better. Taste wise, though pretty spicy, the paratha was excellent; there was tons of cheese with yummy mushroom masala. I was expecting for it to have some mayonnaise as well, but because I asked for a egg-less paratha, they skipped it. Nevertheless, it turned out to be yum and filled my tummy.

Overall, a decent joint which serves some good rolls and parathas. The rolls are a little overpriced, especially since they don’t really fill your tummy, but the Shahi Paratha was total value for money. Definitely worth a try if you’re in this part of the town, but only if you are willing to ignore the calories.

Food: 8.5/10
Service: 8/10
Ambiance: N/A
Meal for 1: Rs. 80/- for the Roll; Rs. 90 for the Paratha

Verdict: 8/10

AB’s | Restaurant Review

Place: AB’s – Absolute Barbecues
Location: Opp. Madhapur Police Station, Road No. 36, Jubilee Hills
Cuisine: Global
Meal: Lunch

Here’s another restaurant with raving reviews I’ve been wanting to visit for a while. I’ve been told that this place is always busy, especially over the weekends, so I called in on Friday to reserve a table for lunch either for Saturday or Sunday. I was turned down for they were already full. I again called in on Saturday morning and was told the same, but they suggested to try walking in. Taking my chances, I reached AB’s a little after they opened for the day, and was seated in a jiffy at a table for two in between the buffet and the wish grill without any hassle. Surprisingly, the place was full by then itself. The interiors of the restaurant were good, and I was pretty impressed with the overall ambiance of the place.

The initial few minutes were lull, and it took a while for someone to attend to me. After about ten minutes, the griller was placed on my table, and everything was in place for a long meal.

 AB's - Absolute Barbecues Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Crispy Corn

First came Crispy Corn. Though they tasted good, I would have preferred them to be hot and more crispy.

 AB's - Absolute Barbecues Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Stuffed Mushroom, Cuban Cottage Cheese, and Cuban Grilled Veggies

Then came the grills: Stuffed Mushroom in Tamarillo Sauce, Mama’s Caribbean Cottage Cheese and Cuban Grilled Vegetables. The grilled veggies mostly had peppers with corn on the cob, which tasted decent. The paneer was really soft and tasted yum along with the condiments, especially the mango and chilli sauces.

 AB's - Absolute Barbecues Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Yummy Condiments

But the best of the lot happened to be Stuffed Mushrooms. They were perfectly grilled and had the right amount of seasoning to make them delicious. I’ve said this often, but these were some of the best I’ve had in recent while. Yum!!

 AB's - Absolute Barbecues Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Blue Curacao

While I hogged on 3-4 skewers of paneer and mushrooms, I was offered a choice of complimentary drink as part of their first anniversary. I chose Blue Curacao Mocktail which turned out to be pretty good.

 AB's - Absolute Barbecues Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Falafel in Pita Bread

Then came Falafel with Humus in Pita Pocket. This was a disappointment as the Falafel turned out to be hard, and the pita too wasn’t great. I informed the floor chef about the same, and he got me a hotter one, which turned out to be better, but still not the best.

 AB's - Absolute Barbecues Review by Sasikanth Paturi
American Cheesy Potatoes

Next, the final starter of the day’s menu was served: American Cheesy Potato. These turned out to be more or less the same as what I had at Aao Khao a couple of weeks ago; aloo tikkis with spicy cheesy sauce. While the sauce was good, the tikkis weren’t really up to the mark for they were pretty hard and undercooked.

 AB's - Absolute Barbecues Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Grilled Pineapple

Apart from the five listed starters, there also happened to be Grilled Pineapple which turned out to be toothsome!

 AB's - Absolute Barbecues Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Honey Chilly Fries

Post my feedback about the Falafel and Potatoes, the floor chef offered to serve me some off the menu starters. First came in Honey Chilly Potato Fries which turned out to be pretty good. However, I would have preferred them to be more crispy and spicy.

 AB's - Absolute Barbecues Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Crispy Cheese Rolls

Finally, he served me some Crispy Cheese Rolls which turned out to be really good. The paper-thin crust almost melt in my mouth with every bite; yummy!

I hadn’t even started on the main course, but was almost stuffed. After a small break, I headed out to the wish-grill.

 AB's - Absolute Barbecues Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Wish-grill Veggies
 AB's - Absolute Barbecues Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Wish-grill Sauces

At first, I had no clue on what exactly I was supposed to do, but soon understood that I had to choose from the choice of vegetables, rice or noodles, and pick a sauce for them to be tossed/grilled with. I choose some veggies with noodles and Szechuan Basil sauce (which in itself was delectable). I was given a paper coupon, and a few moments later, the dish was served on my table.

 AB's - Absolute Barbecues Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Wish-grill

This looked really good, and tasted equally yum. The chef had added some more veggies apart from my choice, but I didn’t really care for it turned out to be a delicious dish! If I weren’t stuffed, I would have liked to try another combination with a different sauce.

After two hours of munching, it was time to head to the buffet. Ironically, I just had a taste everything for my tummy wouldn’t take any more food for the day.

 AB's - Absolute Barbecues Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Salad Counter

Though the salad counter looked good, I decided to skip it.

 AB's - Absolute Barbecues Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Taco Twist Soup

The Taco Twist Soup looked and sounded good, so decided to give it a shot. It actually tasted very different from regular soups, in a good way.

 AB's - Absolute Barbecues Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Buffet Offerings

They had Lahori Paneer, Vegetable Jalfrezi, Corn ka Bharta, Kala Dum Aloo, Rasgulle ki Sabzi and Dal Makhni as part of their Indian offerings. The Paneer tasted very good while the rest were decent. Worth mention is the Rasgulle ki Sabzi which had yummy Rasgullas in a creamy sauce; not what you expect, but it actually turned out to be a pretty good experiment. The Dal also turned out to be delicious. They also had Biryani which was, like in any buffet, mediocre. They had Thai Green Curry which was too thin and lacked flavour. The Butter Naan served along was soft and good.

I couldn’t eat any more, I was done. But wait, I still had to taste the desserts. Why god, why!? 😛

 AB's - Absolute Barbecues Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Desserts

They again had a huge offering and I decided to have a taste of everything; all of them turned out to be succulent.

 AB's - Absolute Barbecues Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Black-forest Ice-cream

And I ended my laborious meal with a Black Forest ice-cream which was made with loads of nuts; yummilicious!

After three hours, I was done eating. No wonder it’s so difficult to find a table at this place for everyone would just settle down for hours. I ate to my heart’s content after a long time, and how much did it cost? 560 bucks? That’s it, seriously? This is probably the best value for money meal I’ve come across in a long time in Hyderabad. Add to that some personalized service, and you’re in for some pampering. Yes, not all items were great but who cares when most of their huge offering are excellent. It’s a meal worth every penny. Give it a shot if you haven’t yet, and make sure you walk in with a good appetite.

Food: 9/10
Service: 9.5/10
Ambiance: 8.5/10
Meal for 1: Rs. 559/-

Verdict: 9.5/10

PS: While lunch is priced 559 bucks AI on all days, dinner is slightly more expensive. And ya, they don’t accept tips. 🙂

Aao Khao | Restaurant Review

Place: Aao Khao
Location: Kondapur Road, Gachibowli
Cuisine: Indian
Meal: Lunch

For a foodie meet, dropped in to this small place on Kondapur-GachiBowli road. It’s a small air conditioned, self-service, no seating joint, with pretty neat ambiance. With the kinda food offering, it reminded me of 13 Dhaba, but with much better atmosphere.

As part of the foodie deal, we were in for a long treat: Cajun Spice Potato, Rajma Chawal, Chole Chawal, Kadi Chawal, Chole Bhature, Amritsari Kulcha, Daal Makhani, Matar Paneer, Roti or Naan, Lassi, Butter Milk, Gulab Jamun, Desi Ghee Jalebi, all for 200 bucks. No, I didn’t eat them all, just tasted a few 😛

Aao Khao Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Cajun Spice Potatoes

The Cajun Spice Potatoes happened to be Aloo Tikkis served with spicy creamy cheese sauce, and chopped onions. The combination was just perfect, and tasted brilliant. It was one of the best starters I’ve tasted in recent while. I couldn’t stop licking the sauce off my fingers. Yum!

Aao Khao Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Amritsari Kulcha and Chole
Aao Khao Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Amritsari Kulcha with Dal Makhni and Mutter Paneer

I asked for an Amritsari Kulcha with Mutter Paneer and Dal Makhni. The Kulcha wasn’t really great for there was not much stuffing, and tasted bland. The Mutter Paneer too was kinda sad; the paneer was alright, but the gravy was too tomatoey and lacked enough masala. I had a taste of Chole, which also wasn’t really great. However, the Dal Makhni happened to be delicious for it was creamy and just perfect. A saviour in terms of main course dishes.

Aao Khao Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Rajma Chawal
Aao Khao Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Kadi Chawal

I next asked for a portion of Dal Chawal, which as expected tasted yum. That apart, I had some Rajma Chamwal, which was pretty good. The Kadi Chawal could have been better.

Aao Khao Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Lassi and Butter Milk

Surprisingly, the Lassi was very thin and tasted average, while the Butter Milk was creamy and thick.

Both the desserts, the Gulab Jamoon and Jelebi were pretty good.

Overall, it was a decent meal. While few items were excellent, others needed a lot of improvement. Bottom line, give this place a try if you’re in this part of the city. I thought it was definitely better than the dhaba along the road; lemme know what you think.

Food: 8/10
Service: N/A
Ambiance: 8/10
Meal for 1: Rs. 200/- (as part of the foodie deal)

Verdict: 8/10

Olive Bistro | Restaurant Review

Place: Olive Bistro
Location: Near Ambedkar University, Jubilee Hills
Cuisine: Italian
Meal: Dinner (with a friend)

Olive Bistro has been on my to-go list for a long time now, but there’s never been an occasion to do so. Come Hyderabad Gourmet Week, I finally got the opportunity to visit this place along with a friend. Their special menu looked good and was priced reasonably, so here we were. Our automated reservation was for 7:00 PM on a Sunday evening, but I called and changed it to 9:00 PM. We landed a little early, and were led to a table with my name card, in the closed section of the restaurant without any fuss. The interiors of this section were pretty neat, and the ambiance outside seemed nice (I didn’t explore much).

As part of the Gourmet meal, we were to choose for a starter, main course and a dessert from a fixed list. My friend asked for Farm House Minestrone Soup, Spinach, Olive, Sun-dried Tomato, Corn & Feta Pizza, and Olive’s Signature Bread & Butter Pudding, and I ordered for Cottage Cheese Skewer, Mushroom Fricassee, and Coconut & White Chocolate Panacotta.

Olive Bistro Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Farm House Minestrone

The Minestrone Soup was served in about 10 minutes and tasted pretty good. It was thick, tomatoey and had strong Basil flavour.

Olive Bistro Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Cottage Cheese Skewers

I know that ordering Cottage Cheese Skewers at an Italian restaurant is a crime, but there was no better alternative on the list. Four chunks of marinated cottage cheese were served along with garlic sauce, and while the sauce was yummy, the paneer didn’t really taste great. If it weren’t for the sauce, I don’t think I’d even consider eating them.

Olive Bistro Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Mushroom Fricassee

The Mushroom Fricassee was served a while later, and it looked pretty good. On taste front, it was an absolute delight and exactly the way I wanted it to be – creamy, with tons of mushroom, again with a touch of basil. The sauce though could have been little more thicker.

Olive Bistro Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Spinach, Olive.. Pizza

The pizza, which was served after ages, tasted pretty good. However, I thought the crust was too thin, and I would also have preferred more Feta.

Olive Bistro Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Bread & Butter Pudding

It took another forever for the desserts to be served, and both of them looked mouth-watering good. The pudding, though a little too sweet for my liking, tasted really good along with the peaches and cream.

Olive Bistro Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Coconut and White Chocolate Panacotta

The panacotta tasted absolutely delicious. The coconut flavour was very subtle, and the Mango Jelly served along was perfect.

Overall, it was a pretty good meal. Apart from my starter, everything else tasted decent. However, but for the desserts, nothing was exceptional. And while the ambiance is decent, the service was terribly slow, and I had to keep calling for the stewards over and over even to get some water. For the price you’re paying, you kinda expect everything to be perfect, and that’s where I was disappointed. Nevertheless, if you are willing to excuse such service lapses and have the money to spend, then Olive Bistro could be on your Italian fine dine list.

Food: 8/10
Service: 6/10
Ambiance: 8.5/10
Meal for 2: Rs. 1600/- (Gourmet week promotional meal)

Verdict: 8/10

Express Meals | Restaurant Review

Place: Express Meals
Location: Nagarjuna Cirlce, Banjara Hills
Cuisine: Chinese
Meal: Take away

Few days ago, amma pointed out this new place near at Nagarjuna Circle, and a couple of days later, a friend of mine posted a good review on it. Wanting to check it out, decided to drive down the road and pick up some quick food. Express Meals is a small take-away joint with barely any ambiance. It’s an ideal joint for late night dwellers for its open and delivers food till 3:00 in the morning.

Though it seemed more like an Indian joint, I was in mood for some Chinese, and so ordered Hakka Noodles and Gobi-65. The latter was unavailable, so opted for Veg. Manchuria. It took about 30 minutes for the food to get ready (which was way too long especially when the name of the place is Express Meals), but a conversation with the owner kept me busy during the wait.

Express Meals Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Veg. Hakka Noodles

Hakka Noodles, neatly packed in a plastic container, looked and smelt really good. They tasted pretty good as well, but there was a layer of oil towards the bottom of the box, which was a put off.

Express Meals Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Veg. Manchuria

The Manchuria was served in a silver foil box and got a little squished by the time I reached home. I wonder why it wasn’t served in a plastic container. Anyway, it happened to be among the best Manchuria I’ve tasted in recent time. It was perfectly cooked, had the right amount of sauce and spices, and overall, tasted yum.

While the food tasted pretty good, I was unhappy with the quantity for the price paid. The Noodles was barely enough for me and amma. You expect more than that from a take away joint, especially when you pay whopping 275 bucks. Yes, they did pack the food decently and supplied the required cutlery, but that still doesn’t make up for the money. Same stuff at Chopsticks on the parallel road would cost me Rs. 140/- (with better quantity).

I’d give this place another try for their Indian offering while hoping for better value for money. Let’s hope that ain’t my last visit.

Food: 8.5/10
Service: 7/10
Ambiance: N/A
Meal for 2: Rs. 275/-

Verdict: 7/10

Simply South | Restaurant Review

Place: Simply South
Location: Opp. Film Nagar Club, Jubilee Hills
Cuisine: Indian
Meal: Lunch

Since this place opened a couple of months ago, my Zomato page has been filled with its reviews (with one foodie actually posting 90+ pictures of this small restaurant). I’m not fond of South Indian food, and that apart, the unwanted attention this place was receiving made me give it a skip. However, come Onam, I wanted to have Sadya, and Simply South happened to be one of the three places in town serving it, so here I was (reluctantly).

I called and reserved a table, and was there on time. However, when I reached, there was no one to attend at the entrance, and when someone finally did, they made me wait for almost 40 minutes before I got a table (which I had to share with someone). The wait wasn’t a problem (for it was a festival day and expected), but the cold/unwelcoming attitude of the owners towards the bunch of waiting crowd was quite bothersome. The fact that the lady was paying special attention to some customers while ignoring the rest was also a put off. Anyway, the restaurant was pretty small, with about 10-12 tables, and had decent interiors. Being compact, the place was very loud.

It took a while for the waiter to attend to our table, and I asked for the Onam Sadya. In a span of few minutes, various items were placed on the table.

Simply South Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Onam Special Drink
Simply South Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Pappadams and Banana Chips

The Onam special drink was first served, followed by a large bowl of Pappadams and Banana Chips. The Pappadams, which looked more like Poori, were not really crispy, while the chips were good.

Simply South Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Onam Sadya
Simply South Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Choru (cooked Red parboiled rice)

And then came the actual meal. I only knew some items of the emal, but everything looked good. The Parippu was thick and tasty, and the curries, but for the Aviyal, were pretty good. The Aviyal, which is supposed to be one of the main dishes was a disappointment for it was pretty bland and lacked flavour. It was an unlimited meal, and I got a second serving of almost every item.

Sambar and Rasam were served in small buckets, and both were very good. I actually loved the sambar.

Simply South Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Sweets

And it was time for the desserts. They had two typical Malayali sweet dishes along with the regular paayasam, and all three were yum.

Overall, it was a pretty good meal. Everything was served hot, and almost all the items tasted good. However, there was no real Malayali essence to the meal and was it more like a South Indian thali. I say this for I’ve had a traditional Onam Sadya in the past (which was very different and tasted special), while this meal, except for maybe couple of items, tasted pretty ordinary. It was like a meal my mom would cook at home.

In conclusion, while it was not a typical Onam Sadya I was hoping for nor an exceptional meal, it was decent one. If this meal gives a picture of rest of their dishes, Simply South might be a restaurant you might want to visit for your South Indian cravings.

Food: 8.5/10
Service: 7/10
Ambiance: 6/10
Meal for 1: Rs. 380/-

Verdict: 7.5/10

Jalpaan | Restaurant Review

Place: Jalpaan
Location: 4th Floor, Oasis Center, Somajiguda
Cuisine: Indian
Meal: Dinner (with amma and dad)

I last came to Jalpaan a couple of years ago to try their buffet. Though the food was decent, I never returned for it didn’t impress me so much. Wanting to experiment, and give the place another try, here I was with my parents a couple of weeks ago. For a weekday, the restaurant was more or less crowded, and as usual, we settled down in a corner.

I liked their Indian offerings last time, so wanted to stick to that. We ordered Sarosnwala Paneer to start, and Zafraani Kofta, Banarasi Aloo for main course, along with Butter Naan, Stuffed Paratha and  Onion Kulcha.

Jalpaan Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Sarsonwala Paneer

The Sarsonwala Paneer was served in about 10 minutes and looked mouth-watering. Taste wise, it was very good for the paneer was very fresh and melt in mouth. The seasoning was yum and it was grilled perfectly. Overall, a good start to the meal.

Jalpaan Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Zafraani Kofta
Jalpaan Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Banarasi Aloo

I was disappointed with the fact that the waiter didn’t inform us that both curries ordered would have similar gravy. The Zafrani Kofta had three kofta balls in a creamy rich gravy while the Bararasi Aloo had baby potatoes in a similar one. Strangely, the three kofta balls had different taste – one was perfect, one had excess hing which gave it a sour taste, while the third barely had any salt. The baby potatoes on the other hand were undercooked and were difficult to cut even with a knife. Thankfully though, the gravy was finger-licking good. But what’d the point??

Jalpaan Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Assortment of Bread

Of the bread, the Butter Naan was pretty good while the Onion Kulcha and Stuffed Paratha tasted more or less the same. They all had a sumptuous coating of butter which made them soft and tasty.

Not sure if I’d ever return to this place again, I decided to give their special Potli Biryani a try, and ordered for the same.

Jalpaan Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Potli Biryani

It took a while for the biryani to be served, and when it came, it looked like a large batura. The maida based Potli had biryani stuffed inside and cooked in the oven. We watched the waiter struggle to cut open the large Potli, and when he did, the biryani quantity served just two of us. Why waste so much maida for such less biryani? On taste front, it was like pulau with a lot of masala, and while it wasn’t bad, it wasn’t exceptional either.

Overall, a mediocre meal. The starter was good, but the curries were a disappointment. The biryani too was just average. Service seemed pretty slow as well, and as already mentioned, the fact that I wasn’t informed about similar gravies was a turn off. The food was pretty pricey as well, while the quantity wasn’t great. So in all honesty, giving this place a miss isn’t a bad idea.; try it if only you have no other option.

Food: 7/10
Service: 7/10
Ambiance: 8/10
Meal for 3: Rs. 1514/-

Verdict: 6.5/10

Blue Bottle Cafe | Restaurant Review

Place: Blue Bottle Cafe
Location: Next to Maharaja Chat, Madhapur
Cuisine: Chinese, Italian
Meal: Dinner

I was recently invited to try the food at Blue Bottle Cafe by the owners, and the given the fact that I wanted to try this place anyway, dropped in on a Saturday evening. The Cafe is on the third floor of the buildings which hosts Lazzio- The Pizzeria and another new Indian restaurant, Hyderabad 33. The moment I stepped out of the elevator, I was pleased with the set up and loved the look of the place. It was very casual, and looked very Mediterranean (it actually reminded me of an Mediterranean Hookah joint I visited in Nashville, USA). I met up with the owner and settled down at a corner table.

To start off, I ordered a Kit-Kat Shake, followed by Chilly Cheese Toast, Szechuan Fried Rice and Chilly Mushroom.

Blue Bottle Cafe Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Kit-Kat Shake

The shake was served soon and was well presented. The shake was thick and pretty good. I actually don’t like Kit-Kat so much for it’s too sweet for my liking, but the shake was just perfect. A good start.

Blue Bottle Cafe Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Chilly Cheese Toast

The Chilly Cheese toast again looked good to look at, and I was impressed with the quantity served. The bread was perfectly baked and tasted good, but it had too much egg which was kinda bothering me. I didn’t really enjoy the fact that I was able to taste the egg more than the cheese.

Blue Bottle Cafe Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Veg. Szechuan Fried Rice

I had asked for small portions of the Fried Rice and gravy, but even the smaller portion was quite a lot. The Fried Rice was made with Basmati Rice (which is unusual, for you don’t use Basmati for Indian Chinese food), and was very dry. That apart, it was very very spicy (Szechuan is supposed to be hot so no issues on that front). I believe it would have tasted way better with normal rice.

Blue Bottle Cafe Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Chilly Mushroom

The Chilly Mushroom was again very spicy, and I was sweating profusely at one point. On taste front, it was decent and the mushrooms tasted good.

Overall, it was pretty good meal. But for my bad of ordering two spicy dishes for main course, I mostly enjoyed the meal. However, the rice could have been better. The ambiance is relaxing and the service seemed decent. The prices too aren’t really steep, and quantity of food served make up for it. Give it a shot if you haven’t yet.

Food: 7.5/10
Service: 7.5/10
Ambiance: 8.5/10
Meal for 1: N/A

Verdict: 7.5/10

Saranngi | Restaurant Review

Place: Saranngi Vegetarian Restaurant
Location: PG Road
Cuisine: Indian
Meal: Lunch (With cousins)

Having read some good reviews about this place, I was here with a couple of cousins on a Sunday afternoon. The place was brightly lit and had neat interiors. We made ourselves comfortable at a corner table.

They had a pretty decent menu, with quite a few starters. The Stuffed Mushrooms sounded really interesting, and so I asked for the same, but it was unavailable. I asked for a paneer starter and they didn’t have that either. Apparently, they don’t make their special dishes on Sundays (this was the reason given). Strange! Anyway, we ordered Chilli Baby-corn and Haryali Spring Rolls (which surprisingly was available). For the main course, we ordered some kinda special Kofta curry along with Naan and Roti.

Saranngi Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Chilli Baby-corn

The Baby-corn was served in about 10 minutes. While they looked good, the corn wasn’t fresh and the batter too seemed stale. Therefore, the dish turned out to be more or less a disaster.

Saranngi Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Haryali Spring Rolls

The Spring Rolls took quite a while. Instead of using regular wrap, these were made with spinach. The stuffing was very masaledar unlike the usual, and tasted pretty good. I would have liked them to be more crispy though.

Saranngi Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Special Kofta Curry

These guys were very particular about presentation and this was apparent with the Kofta, which again looked really colourful. The kofta balls were soft and well cooked while the gravy was slightly spicy. however, it tasted pretty decent. The Butter Naan could have been better.

Overall, it was an average meal, and not great as I’d expected. The fact that I don’t even remember the name of the Kofta I ordered says something. The service was pretty lethargic, and the fact that they didn’t make specials on a Sunday was a put off. Thee quantity of food served was very good, but the prices being charged were no less either; 800 bucks for two starters, a curry and rotis is quite a lot. You could give this place a try if you’re close by, but it’s not something worth driving to.

Food: 7.5/10
Service: 6/10
Ambiance: 7/10
Meal for 3: Rs. 825/-

Verdict: 6.5/10

Taj Mahal (Narayanguda) | Restaurant Review

Place: Taj Mahal
Location: Under Narayanguda Flyover
Cuisine: Indian
Meal: Dinner

Taj Mahal happens to be one of my amma’s favourite restaurant in town, and while travelling down Narayanguda road a couple of weeks ago, we dropped into our least preferred Taj Mahal (Abids Taj Mahal is the best followed by S.D. Road). We stopped by at around 9:00 PM, and walked into the Air Conditioned section on the first floor which was partly full.

Coming to Taj and not ordering a Cutlet is a sin, so that’s what I ordered the moment we settled in. For rest of the meal, we ordered Upma, an Onion Rava Masala Dosa and a Special Biryani.

Taj Mahal (Narayanguda) Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Cutlet

The Cutlet was served soon, and it tasted as good as ever. Served along with a special tangy tomato chutney, their Cutlet is stuffed with spicy veggies and fried to perfection. I don’t think you get this kinda Cutlet at any other place in town. Yummilicious! We actually for another before we finished the first.

Taj Mahal (Narayanguda) Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Upma

Their Upma is also pretty famous, and it didn’t disappoint. Dad was telling me that of the three Taj Mahal’s, only these guys squeeze lemon in their Upma. While I would have preferred it without the lime, it was still pretty good.

Taj Mahal (Narayanguda) Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Onion Rava Masala Dosa

The Rava Dosa tasted good, but it wasn’t roasted enough. Making it a little more crispy would have made it taste yum.

Taj Mahal (Narayanguda) Restaurant Review by Sasikanth Paturi
Special Biryani

It took forever for the Biryani to be served. While it looked really colourful, it lacked flavour and needed more masala. However, it tasted decent along with the gravy served along.

Overall, it was a pretty decent meal. The Cutlet is worth every penny and I wouldn’t mind coming back just for it. The service is pretty decent and the ambiance, which caters to family crowd, is neat. The prices too aren’t that bad. While I prefer the Abids one as well (which lacks the ambiance), this ain’t a bad choice to spend some quality time with your family.

Food: 8/10
Service: 7.5/10
Ambiance: 8/10
Meal for 3: Rs. 500 /- (approx)

Verdict: 7.5/10