Hanoi - Vietnamese Cuisine Restaurant Review

A warm welcome from a warm ambience and from a smiling stewardess at Hanoi-Vietnamese Cuisine at Phoenix Marketcity, Bangalore, made our Sunday lunch a happy one.  The black and the red walls with the warm lights strike a chord as soon as you enter. We couldn't miss noticing the low-back chairs in the restaurant.

We, hungry as always, decided to order salads and appetizers. While we were working our way through the menu, a basket of white and crunchy tapioca krispies appeared on our table, which obviously, were gone the moment the basket was placed before us. It had a soy dip on the side.

We ordered the signature 'Nem cuon' or Vietnamese rice paper rolls, which were delicious with two varieties of sauces on the side, a peanut sauce and a sesame sauce. The sauces were absolutely creamy with the right amount of nuttiness and crunch, and the rice paper rolls neatly and delicately nestled the crunchy carrots, cucumbers, noodles, and chicken. The combination of the rolls and the sauces presented an eclectic mix of tastes. The mild rolls immediately burst into flavor when dipped in the sauces.

The 'Nom ngu sac' or the Five Colored Salad from the menu was a careful blend of tastes and colors. There were veggies, bean sprouts, and egg mixed with our choice of chicken that blended well in a soy based Vietnamese dressing. The crunch of the veggies balanced well with the nuttiness of the sesame seeds and the peanuts.

We were in the mood of trying out fish, and so, we asked for the Five Spice Basa preparation. The dish is called 'Ca basa ap chao' in Vietnamese.  I must say that the fish was excellent because its silky texture just melted away in the mouth.  It had the right amount of spices that accentuated the natural taste of the fish.

If you are stopping to think of a drink here while you are reading this, let me tell you that currently, the restaurant serves only wine. However, you can choose to sip on any of the delicious mocktails on their menu.

The main course for us was a combination of fragrant Jasmine rice served in a bamboo tube with a long handled serving spoon, and 'Hon hop rau xao,' a Vietnamese curry of veggies and chicken in an oyster mushroom gravy. The bamboo tube further enriched the fragrance of the already fragrant rice. The chicken curry in oyster mushroom sauce was sweet to taste and perfectly complemented the Jasmine rice.

We also savored a plate of stir-fried 'Banh Pho Xao,' or flat Pho noodles that had a lot of vegetables.

Any meal at a new restaurant is always incomplete without desserts. 'Chuoi chien' or banana fritters and 'Kem' or Vietnamese home-made icecreams added to our happiness quotient. The banana fritters were crunchy on the top with naturally sweet soft bananas in the core, the taste of which lingered for long. The 'coconut with rose petals' icecream was the winner between itself and the 'betel leaf icecream.'

If you are in the mood for fresh Vietnamese food which typically uses less oil and banks on a lot of fresh herbs, Hanoi-Vietnamese Cuisine is the place to go to. What makes it more authentic is that the place is run and managed by a beautiful lady from Vietnam, and her husband.

Soda Bottle Openerwala Bangalore (Restaurant Review)

It was our anniversary, and we decided to visit the famed Soda Bottle Openerwala at Lavelle Road. Needless to say, we had heard a lot of good things about this place, and we didnt want to miss getting a first hand experience of it. Here's a quick review.

We reached the restaurant at around 2 pm. It was a weekday, but the place was almost full and buzzing with activity. We entered into a fascinating Parsi charm land, with old world wooden doors, wood and wrought iron railings, and antique furniture complete with loud music, and a ceiling decor of hanging lights and lamps. What was most eye-catching for my little kid was an overhead train that was chugging along dedicatedly all across the restaurant on its suspended tracks very close to the ceiling. The little one could just not lose his focus from the train, not to mention it was playfully interesting for us too. Here are a few decor pics.

We were already hungry, and I wanted to taste the Bombay style sandwich. Therefore, we ordered the famous Bombay Rasta Sandwich which was delectably mouthwatering. We were suggested the Masala Pepsi along with it, and I must say, the combination was piquantly appetizing. Since we were only two adults, we didnt order a whole lot of goodies to dig into, though their menu has a wide variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian options to choose from.

For the main course, we ordered a mild Sali Chicken (hoping that the kid would eat too), plain parathas, and a Chicken Berry Pulao from their menu. The Sali Chicken was perfect with just the right hint of spices topped with fried crunchy potato juliennes. The boneless chicken was succulent, and the paratha was soft but crispy enough to give that slight crunch when popped into the mouth.

The Chicken Berry Pulao was a very unique mix of slightly spiced chicken blended with nuts and fragrant rice topped with caramelized onions and berries. Every bite was a burst of sweetness and spices combined, and we almost cleared off the pan to the last grain.  We paired it with the Sali Chicken and to say the least, we loved what we ate.

The portions are good enough for two adults to share. While the kiddo still kept munching on the last  piece of crispy paratha, we decided to try the Mawa Cake. It is the famous Parsi cake that unarguably melts in the mouth. Warm and delicately buttery, it was the perfect finish to the meal.

The stewards and the waiters at the restaurant were warm and hospitable. They described to us our shortlisted dishes while ordering so we could make the best choice for ourselves.

What also deserves a mention is that they have a huge collection of candies that were available when we were kids. I was surprised to get 'Poppins,' a colorful set of hard candies rolled together that used to be quite a favorite with kids.

Overall, Im going to visit this place again soon. 

This restaurant should definitely be on your must-visit list too!

Birthday at Hotel Aloft, Bangalore

Well, its been 4 years since my last post, and it feels that my blog is almost moribund.

I dont like it to die an unsung death, and therefore, here I am at it again.

I wanted to start off with something close to my heart and that led me to my baby Ryan, who just turned 3 this month. Sandeep and I decided to celebrate his birthday like we did the last two years, and we went on our rounds of getting quotations from banquet halls and hotels nearby.

We finalized on Hotel Aloft and till date, we are very happy with our selection. Especially since it was a poolside party.

The staff were friendly, right from the beginning, though, whenever we went to see the venue and discuss with the managers there, we had quite a bit of a waiting time. Nevertheless, it paid off!

The first time we were there, a certain Mr. Manoj (F&B) led us to the banquet halls. However, he suggested we do a poolside party adjacent to the restaurant (DotYum) there. The idea seemed great and we loved the ambience. The pool was probably a standard sized pool, but the wooden deck around it was long and open. There were capsule-shaped seating arrangements on both ends of the long pool and it's almost a bliss sitting there, watching the sun, and sipping on your cup of hot sweetened tea. Or coffee. Take your pick there.

We spent some time there to absorb the warmth the place had to offer, to look at the open skies above, and to hear the muted sounds of the pool rippling. The staff of the hotel were also very nice to offer us tea.  I was happy to think that I could spend some more time there before getting sandwiched in the traffic outside.

Manoj also let us know about the food options there. It was supposed to be a lavish spread with loads of food options (which was true). Since it was working well with our budget, we decided to go for the place. The booking process was seamless and they ensured quality of work. The staff were very helpful and understood

On the day of the party, we had a Mr. Kumar handle the party, and he too seemed very friendly. He agreed to pay the cake delivery guy, and also coordinated well with the decorator. The place was kid friendly. The kids at the party had ample space to run around and play safely. With the kids enjoying, the elders had some time to themselves enjoying their drink and walking around the place.

The hotel also arranged for drinks to be served to the guests both before and after the cake was cut, a live food counter in addition to the spread, and also an Indian snack counter which got a lot of attention from our guests. The lunch spread was varied with a lot of appetizer options, a whole set of colorful salads, a dessert counter with a host of assorted desserts, and a main course section that was a vast spread in itself.

Our guests seemed happy with the food options, and they poured in genuine compliments. Both about the venue and the food. We got to hear good words about the place and food from them a long time after the party.

Overall, it was an extremely pleasant experience, and I'd recommend this place to anyone looking for a nice poolside party. The courteous and helpful staff, the managers who oversee the comfort of their guests, and the place itself provide for a wholesome pleasant experience.