Fremmy | Restaurant Review

Place: Fremmy 
Location: Opp. Rainbow Hospital, Road No. 10, Banjara Hills
Cuisine: Global
Meal: Lunch (with my cousin)

There was a foodies meet at Fremmy last Sunday and I dropped in with my cousin. I’ve been wanting to try this place for a while now, so here was an opportunity. It’s a small do, with about 5-6 tables, and open kitchen. It actually gives you a feel of walking into a Subway, with a similar concept in store – make your own food.

As part of the meet, there was a special deal where we were to get either a pizza or burrito, a donut and a drink for 200 bucks. We were handed out a piece of paper with all the options for the make yourself pizza or burrito. We chose for a pizza with garlic base, basic veggies and Paneer in Pesto sauce as an additional topping. For the burrito, we asked for Dal Makhni, veggies and Schezwan Paneer. Do note that the burrito served here is very Indianized.

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The burrito was served in about 10 minutes and looked very different from what I expected. I knew it was gonna be served in a bowl (ya, not a roll), but still, the concept of serving rice with separated toppings on top didn’t feel like a burrito. What’s worse, it actually looked very different from the burrito served to other foodies. I expected the toppings to be mixed at the least. On taste front though, it tasted alright. The Dal Makhni wasn’t that great by itself, but with the rice and along with the toppings, was good. My cousin loved the rice.

Because of the huge gathering (thanks to the meet), there was some confusion with our pizza and it took a little longer than expected to be served.

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The thin crust pizza looked like a set of crackers put together, topped with cheese and veggies. And it tasted exactly like a cracker. I absolutely loved the crust for it was very different from any pizza I’ve tasted before. I would have preferred for more base sauce, but it was still a yummy pizza.

We were served with Blue Curacao for the drinks which were good. We bought our Donuts (Almond and Chocolate) home, and they were actually very good, especially the almond donut. It was creamy and yummilicious.

Overall, a decent meal. It looks like the guys are still settling in and it might take a while before they get everything right, but worth a visit for sure. Everything is priced reasonably as well. They need a better exhaust system for the place got stuffy after a while. Give it a shot for their pizza and donuts and lemme know how it goes. 🙂

Food: 8/10
Service: 7.5/10
Ambiance: 7.5/10
Meal for 2: Rs. 400/- (as part of the deal)

Verdict: 8/10

Flurys | Restaurant Review

Place: Flurys 
Location: Food Court, GVK One, Banjara Hills
Meal: Dessert

Having read about this place on Zomato (listed on best bakeries), I decided to give it a try before venturing onto a movie at INOX. It’s a small yet brightly lit stall in the food court, displaying all the pastries and savouries. Their signature Blueberry cheesecake was done for the day, and I opted for a Tiramisu.

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The Tiramisu was pretty decent. Though it was creamy, I thought it could have done away with a little sugar. I was actually struggling to finish it off towards the end for it was that heavy. I like my desserts creamy and light, and this met only one criteria.

The price seemed a little too steep for a small slice which didn’t really seem worth the money. I’d give it another try for their Blueberry Cheesecake before I certify this place.

Food: 7.5/10
Service: N/A
Ambiance: N/A
Price of Tiramisu slice: Rs. 120/-

Verdict: 7/10

Paradise Food Court | Restaurant Review

Place: Paradise Food Court 
Location: Adj. Shilpakala Vedika, Hitech City
Cuisine: Indian
Meal: Lunch (with a friend)

A friend of mine visited Hyderabad from Bangalore and wanted to eat Paradise Biryani. Though I told her that there are better places to have Veg. Biryani in Hyderabad, she insisted on Paradise. So at a little past noon, we walked in to Persis restaurant at Hitech City. The place was packed and we sat at a table for two in a corner. Ambience wise, there was nothing great; it actually looked more like a function hall converted into a restaurant.

We ordered what we were here for, the Vegetable Biryani.

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And it was served right away, in less than five minutes. For the price we were paying, and in comparison to other places, I thought the quantity served was less. On taste front, the rice was well cooked and the masala tasted pretty good, but overall it was pretty bland. We probably should have asked for double masala. The Salan was good and went well along with the biryani.

To give my friend a taste of Hyderabadi desserts, I asked for one-by-two Khubani ka Meetha with ice-cream.

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As expected, this took longer to be served than the Biryani. One look and it seemed like canned dessert (because of the color, but maybe it wasn’t). It tasted alright, not too sweet, but nothing great either.

Overall, an average meal. My tummy wasn’t really full for the quantity of biryani was dismal for 200 bucks. The service wasn’t great either and neither was the ambience. It just seemed like an overpriced affair in existence thanks to the brand name, and ya, maybe their non-veg food.

Food: 7.5/10
Service: 7/10
Ambiance: 6/10
Meal for 2: Rs. 390/-

Verdict: 7/10

PS: My friend also ordered for a takeaway of the Biryani. This cost 160 bucks (AI), and quantity seemed much more than what was served in the restaurant.

 

Transformers: Age of Extinction | Movie Review

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Sometimes you’d never want a movie to end for it’s so good. And then there are times you’d pray for it to get over just to escape from the madness. The latest Transformers film happens to fall in the latter category!

Directed by Michael Bay, this is a complicated as hell storyline. Writer Ehren Kruger should really be commended for writing such an intricate script; boy does he have some imagination. Our beloved Autobots are now being hunted by CIA agents for reasons unknown even by the President of United States. When Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg), a wannabe inventor discovers the leader of clan, Optimus Prime, the hunt is on not just for the Autobots, but also Yeager’s family. So what’s the reason you ask? Because one CIA agent is paranoid about the Transformers, and would go to any extent to get rid of them. To what extent?  Help build his own Transformers using Megatron’s mind (Decepticon) to get rid of the originals (Autobots), with the help of a new set of alien Transformers (intergalactic mercenaries). Uff! If the story isn’t bad enough, add an overdose of fights/visual effects/sound effects that you, nevermind. The screenplay is a mess, and so is the direction. I wonder what Bay was thinking!

Thankfully, the humans don’t disappoint much (comparatively). Mark Wahlberg comes up with a decent performance, and so does Stanley Tucci. That’s it. The rest of the cast is absolutely mediocre. Nicola Peltz is as good as a sexy plastic doll and Jack Reynor is a stone with barely any facial expressions. Kelsey Grammer is terrible as the paranoid CIA agent. In a scene, he reasons his doings for the safety of United States (aka the money) without a single emotion; I just wonder how someone can act so good :O .

Music by might have been decent; I’m sorry, I was so lost because of the madness on-screen that I barely paid any attention to the background score. Cinematography by Amir Mokri is nothing special either, and neither are the 3D effects. I wish Paul Rubell, Roger Barton and William Goldenberg (editing) could have done wonders by cutting everything out. More than 150 minutes long, the movie actually gave me a headache.

Is it worth your time and money??: I’d say no. But if you’re a die-hard Transformers fan, and/or can sit through hours watching them battle it out while destroying human life and cities like nobody’s business, then good luck! 

Worth mention: As much as I’d like to say end title credits, there were a couple of episodes involving Tucci which were actually hilarious.

Acting: 5/10
Story-Screenplay-Direction: 5/10
Technical Aspects: 7.5/10

Verdict: 5.5/10

Chef | Movie Review

Chef

A movie based on food; I couldn’t miss it, could I??

Written and directed by Jon Favreau, Chef is a simple film based on a persons love for food. Carl Casper, the chef of a high-end fine dine in Vegas gets into a brawl with a food critic, and the rest of the story is all about how his love for food and cooking takes him places. Jon was able to showcase Carl’s longing to cook delicious food is a very effective manner. He uses the phrase “the way to anyone’s heart is through his stomach” to maximum, actually resulting in the viewers craving for yummy food all through the movie. Though the direction is good, I thought the screenplay could have been a little better.

Jon as an actor is perfect and does a commendable job. His body language is just perfect. Emjay Anthony is brilliant as Casper’s son, and John Leguizamo also comes up with an exceptional performance. The rest of the cast is alright. But the real star of the movie is its food. Be it the yummy Aglio Olio, the Cheese Sandwich oozing with butter, or even the Cuban Sandwich and the red meats (imagine me saying this being a vegetarian), every dish left me craving.

On technical front, music and background score (various artists) is perfect, and the cinematography by Kramer Morgenthau is excellent. The food looks so yummy all thanks to the way he captures it. Editing by Robert Leighton was decent, but felt a little too pacy towards the climax.

Is it worth your time and money??: If you are a foodie, then this is a must watch. It’s also a must watch if you are a food critic like me. Even otherwise, go watch it for a brilliant performance by Jon Favreau, and the food. It’s food porn! 😀

Worth mention: All the cooking episodes, and the beer episode with Percy.

Acting: 9/10
Story-Screenplay-Direction: 9/10
Technical Aspects: 8.5/10

Verdict: 9/10

My Kitchen: Aloo Korma

Last week, decided to take the gravy I cooked to the next level. With a few minor modifications, and addition of aloo, here is the new recipe.

Ingredients Required
1 cup Potato cubes, 1 Onion, a handful of peanuts and cashew nuts, Maggi Masala cube (if available), Garam Masala powder, Coriander powder, Cumin powder, Chili powder, 2 spoon Curd, Salt, Oil/Butter.

Procedure
Heat the pan and fry the onion, peanuts and cashew nuts with a little oil or butter, and then turn off the flame. Once they cool off, put these into a mixer grinder and make a fine paste. Heat some ghee or butter in a pan and fry the cumin seeds. Next add the fried paste and let it cook for a while. Add all the masala, chilli powder and salt and simmer it for 10 more minutes. Add the curd and the potato cubes, and simmer until aloo is cooked. Add some cooking colour if desired. Garnish with cashew nuts and coriander. Yummilicious Aloo Korma is ready :D

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Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

PS: You can pre-boil the cubes potato pieces in a microwave to reduce cooking time.

Kathmandu Momos | Restaurant Review

Place: Kathmandu Momos 
Location: Yashoda Hospital Bus Stop, Opp. Saboo Motors, Somajiguda 
Cuisine: Chinese
Meal: Dinner

Having read quite a bit about this small stall selling Momos (another Hidden Gem on Zomato), I ventured out to give them a try. The place was quite difficult to find for it is a small stall within a bus stop, with just a banner and no lights. For anyone searching, just look for a man standing across a table at the bus stop opposite Saboo Motors/Inner Circle. Being a roadside stall, there’s no place to sit and eat; it’s more like having pani puri off a bandi.

I discovered the place a little past 9:00 PM, and the owner, Om Prakash, was in the process of packing things up. All he had were the last 10 pieces of Paneer Momos, 6 of which were reserved by someone else (on phone). So without a choice, I opted for the remaining 4 Momos. The usual options are Vegetable, Chicken and Paneer.

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Three of the Momos were piping hot and really soft, while one was a little hard. On taste front, they were actually as good as the ones I had on my visit to Leh. The paneer filling had a nice flavor to it, and the Momos tasted yum along with the tangy, spicy szechuan chutney. I was left craving for more, for another night.

Priced reasonably (50 bucks for a regular plate of 6 Paneer/Chicken, and 40 for Vegetable), this place is really a hidden gem in Hyderabad. I’m going back soon to try their Vegetable Momos. Give it a shot and lemme know what you think 🙂

Food: 9/10
Service: N/A
Ambiance: N/A
Meal for 1: Rs. 30/- (for 4 Momos)

Verdict: 9/10

Needs Dhaba | Restaurant Review

Place: Needs Dhaba 
Location: Lane adj. Life Style, Kundan Bagh
Cuisine: Indian
Meal: Dinner (with a friend)

Met my friend after a long time and we wanted to try 13 Dhaba. But it was already late (around 10:00 PM), and apparently 13 Dhaba closes by then. I had read about this dhaba in the Hidden Gems section of Zomato a while ago, and so decided to give it a try instead. It might be a difficult place to find if you aren’t looking, as it is located on the first floor of an old building at Kundan Bagh. Walking in, the restaurant was shabby and the tables seemed dirty. However, it was pretty much packed even at this hour, and we found ourselves a table right next to a window.

Unlike most other dhabas in the city, this place also serves non-vegetarian food. Still, their menu wasn’t really long. We started of with Paneer 65, and ordered an onion and gobi paratha with Kaju Masala curry for main course. We also ordered for a Lassi and Mango Milkshake.

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The starter was served in about 10 minutes. Though the quantity seemed good, the paneer pieces were dripping in oil. On taste front, it was just alright, and the paneer wasn’t that fresh. A thick layer of oil on bottom of the dish was a huge turn off.

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The curry and parathas were served next. For 100 bucks, quantity of the curry seemed less, and it tasted mediocre. There was too much cumin powder which kinda ruined the gravy. Being a Punjabi dhaba, I was hoping the parathas to be thick and oozing with butter, but they turned out being close to terrible. They were very thin, with barely any stuffing, and dry as a phulka. Those who’ve reviewed that this place serves awesome parathas, sorry but it seems like you’ve never tasted an authentic paratha in your life! These were horrendous.

Hoping for a miracle, we ordered a Veg. Pulao to finish our meal. At around the same time, the lassi and milkshake were finally served.

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Honestly, these turned out to be the best part of the meal. The lassi was thick, creamy and lip smacking good, and so was the Mango milkshake. We in fact ordered for a second round of the milkshake.

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The Pulao was served along with a small portion of Chole. With the rice being very dry, and barely any vegetables, it turned out to be a forgettable dish.

Overall, but for the lassi and milkshake, it was a bad experience. The service was pretty slow, and the ambiance wasn’t great either. We weren’t even served water during our entire meal. Though the prices seemed reasonable, it actually turned out to be an expensive affair while we weren’t satisfied with the meal. Give it a shot for their drinks for they are the only things worth your money here.

I haven’t found any hidden gem at this place!

Food: 5.5/10
Service: 6/10
Ambiance: 6/10
Meal for 2: Rs. 420/-

Verdict: 6/10

Santosh Dhaba | Restaurant Review

Place: Santosh Dhaba 
Location: Kondapur
Cuisine: Indian
Meal: Take-away

Amma and dad were travelling through Kondapur during lunch hour last week, and decided to bring some food home for lunch. Not just me, but dad also likes the food at Santosh Dhaba (Abids), so from the abundant choices in and around Kondapur, they chose this one.

They ordered for Malai Kofta, Kaju Biryani and Butter Naan. Apparently, the order took longer than usual (for Santosh Dhaba standards), and they had to wait for about 15 minutes for the food to be packed.

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Unpacking the contents, the food looked yum. The Malai Kofta was delicious, with a couple of well cooked kofta balls. The gravy was thick and had a nice flavor. I was dreading the Butter Naan to have become rubbery, but it turned out to be pretty soft. The best dish of the meal though was the amazing Kaju Biryani. Full of cashew nuts, this was one of the best biryani I’ve had in recent times. Not too spicy, rice full of flavor, yummilicious! The gravy served along was equally good as well.

Overall, an excellent meal. Because of their oily food, I’ve been avoiding Santosh Dhaba of recent. Yes, their food is oily and greasy, but is usually delicious too, and the quantity is sumptuous. It’s a must try for any Punjabi food loving vegetarian. Try them out (any of the six locations in town) if you haven’t yet, and lemme know what you think 🙂

Food: 9/10
Service: N/A
Ambiance: N/A
Meal for 2: Rs. 235/-

Verdict: 8.5/10

How To Train Your Dragon 2 | Movie Review

How To Train Your Dragon 2

How To Train Your Dragon was a really cute movie and I really liked the 2010 film, so I was really excited about the sequel. While not as cute as the first, it’s still a good film nevertheless.

Directed by Dean DeBlois who co-directed the first movie, this one has Hiccup all grown up, trying to explore and find new worlds. What awaits him is a big surprise, and towards the end, a challenge against his best companion. Compared to the first, I thought too much was happening on the screen at a given instant in this one. While direction is neat, I thought it could have been better. The emotions towards the climax also could have been handled way better for everything happened so fast.

Music by John Powell is a definite asset to the film apart from the cinematography by Roger Deakins. The colors are brilliant and the 3D effects are good, but could have been better.

Is it worth your time and money??: If you loved the first film, you’re sure to love this too, but it just seemed a lot. Still worth a watch!

Worth mention: The scene where Toothless fights Alpha.

Acting: 8.5/10
Story-Screenplay-Direction: 7.5/10
Technical Aspects: 9/10

Verdict: 8.5/10