Good Food Coffee & Bakery, Dubai

Good Food Coffee & Bakery, Dubai

Most of the things that I tried or wanted to try were kind of pre-decided. I am the kind of person who plans meals in advances and my weekends even more so, allowing me ample time to day dream about it (It is part of the process of enjoying your meal, kind of like being reunited with a long distance friend/lover. The slow torture till you finally meet and the union is even more gratifying. I know I am not wrong ). This however was not that. This was a whimsical decision. Your eyes spotting something and you got to have it moments! That;s another kind of love affair. This belonged to that category. And I am sure as glad that our eyes locked. 

What attracted me about the place was the cylindrical shaped chimneys. If you follow enough food bloggers, travel bloggers and especially if they are a combination of both, you would have identified these chimneys .Exactly why when I spotted them in a crowded Dubai Mall, I knew I had to have it because I didn't think I would find them anywhere but in the streets of a few European countries. 

I had thought I would be ordering one and share it with the friend but I had forgotten my dear friend has a sweet tooth the size of an elephant and he ordered two (We had a heavy lunch as well). So I wanted the not-so-plain french vanilla lined with nutella and he ordered for the apple pie and soft serve. I wish though he had ordered the blue berry one. (I kind of enjoy dictating what others eat according to what I want to try, so I can barter and do half-half if required ) The chimney to me felt somewhere to be a crossover between a donut and a cinnabon and smeared all over with sugar, Some have gone on to say it resembles a donut but at least this one didn't completely. I can't be the judge of it, since this was the first time I had it and have nothing to compare it to. The only alteration I would have preferred is the chocolate being more melted and a little on the warmer side. I think it would have added more character. Otherwise the french Vanilla compliments well this little spherical piece of bread. If you are an apple pie fan, go for it. I unfortunately have never understood why anyone would want to pulp them out and then heat them, does not so appealing to me. But to everyone who does find it so, you will not regret it. 

All I can say now is, is there any thing you do not get in Dubai? Should have stayed longer to find out.

WHAT WE HAD - Chimney Blizzard - French Vanilla (Yumness)

                           Chimney Strudel - Apple Pie (Yumness)

DAMAGES - AED 60-80 

WHERE - Good Food Coffe & Bakery. Near Ice Rink, Level 2, The Dubai Mall, Downtown Dubai, Dubai

                          

Zaroob, DUBAI

Zaroob, Dubai

If you have been to a new city/country, and you haven't really tried their cuisine, why have you even bothered to travel there. It is one of the things that I personally would regret. And hence, this trip would have been incomplete without one. Though technically, I have had the local cuisine before. Not everything but the staple shawarmas, machboos, the grills etc. And honestly, that was what I was expecting when I was taken to this place. Turns out there is much more to the Arabic cusine than what I had known all my life. The names I didn't even recognize and seemed so foreign. 

The place even though had walls all around, yet gave the vibe of an open air restaurant, like you might as well be sitting in a garden under a starry night sky. Maybe, something to do with the entrance which was open rather than the typical fancy fine dine type large doors (for lack of better words to describe this in). Also, the color green, plants everywhere and the wooden picnic type seating. It won me over in terms of ambiance. The best I have been to in whatever little I saw of in Dubai. 

I had left the order placement to my friend who apparently has more knowledge about Arabic cuisine than me (Disappointed me. I happen to love Arabic cuisine more and my one opportunity to show off was taken away from me. In my defense, they have been here before unlike me! ) Also, we went a little overboard with the no. of items we ordered and I knew this even when we were placing the order because, we ended up canceling two items in the end I think, after 2 courses. The final order consisted of Hummus, saj o saj zatar, Fateer (with kraft & honey), sammoun (sandwich with chicken and garlic) & the Koshari. My favorite of the lot had to be the Koshari, which is an Egyptian delicacy made up of layers of rice, lentils, macaroni, spaghetti, some tomato sauce (not ketchup) and some chili sauce, fried onions (what we would call the Biryan) on the side. I have never had rice and noodles together before, but boy! did it work well! I actually like how the arabic cuisine is non-spicy yet so flavorful. Though I do love my spices as well! The second in line would be the Hummus, because well, this was the only otherwise thing I recognize and have grown up on. I have also realized that this is something that you develop a taste for over time. Most of my friends take an instant liking to Shawarmas and Tahina but not so quickly to the Hummus. Then would be the Fateer. this we had actually landed up taking as a take-away and I wish I had had the appetite to have it then rather than later. It would have tasted so much better. Khuboos filled with kraft cheese and topped with honey served Hot. I kind of regret not having it hot now. Then would be the Saj-o-saj zatar. I really don't know what kind of bread would this be (reminded me quite a lot of the dosa! )only this was smeared with Zatar, labneh and some veggies. I don't know what zatar is made of (and I am too lazy to google  but I like it better on khuboos or the pizza kind of bread I have been accustomed to till now). Also, I enjoy vegetarian food but somethings just taste so much better with some chicken added to the mix. This to me was one of those things. (I don't eat a vegetable sandwich which only has lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber. Don't judge me! ). The last was the sammoun which is nothing but a localized version of the sandwich (You eat cheese chilli toast, you get chicken mayyonaise sandwiches and what not just as easily in every nook and corner in the gulf and hence) Though I would generally say sandwich for the win, because I love the local sandwiches like most Indians do their vada pav (And here, I am a little pardesi because I want my chicken burgers and sandwiches). But, I didn't actually end up trying this because I was too full by this time and had also stuffed myself with the fries (These, now were on point!) served on the side. Though the quantity spelled more than just "side". I actually paired these with the Hummus. You can eat anything with Hummus. Hummus is Love. Oh, yeah, the sandwich, the bread apparently, as told by my friend, didn't really feel fresh and over all there are better sandwiches around. Downed all of this with a 7-UP on the side. 

I might be back in the Bay (Bombay) but my heart seems to have taken residence elsewhere. 

WHAT WE HAD  - Koshari (How I miss you!)

                            Hummus (The staple! Yumness)

                            Fateer (Best when had hot, Yumness)

                            Saj-O-Saj Zatar (I Insist on the chicken feeling)

                            Sammoun (Avoidable)

DAMAGES - AED 125-150

WHERE -  Zaroob Restaurant. ,Shop 1, Jumeirah Tower Building, Sheikh Zayed Road, Trade Center Aria, Dubai 

The Cheesecake Factory, Dubai

The Cheesecake Factory, Dubai

CAN YOU FEEL MY EXCITEMENT??!!! This is like the ultimate foodie bucket list. The one thing that I wanted to have before I die. I know that a lot of people believe in all those adventurous things and ticking them off their bucket list. I too want to those things - scuba diving (Done, by the way), bungee jumping and the likes. But for me it's trying the food out there that is the ultimate goal. Tumne jiya hi kiya otherwise. Every time I am fortunate to pay visit to a new city, I think my time line is full of food and my friends generally go - Did you even do anything besides eating? My answer? Is anything more important than that??!! There truly isn't 

I had always imagined The Cheesecake factory to look and be designed more along the lines of The Big Bang Theory which looks more like a fast food place in the tv series. But at least in Dubai it is more Fine Dine Material. I think everything in Dubai is fancified ( I know that's not a real word, I just like to use it instead of fancy with a bow). Also, I think it's a trend now around the world that after every item served to you, they like to ask how good/ bad was it. What however, they haven't learnt is the art of charm (Since my visit to Farzi Cafe in good old Bombay itself, I understand the true meaning of guest interaction, not something everyone can achieve). I am not saying that the service had anything lacking, it was at par. 

For appetizers we had ordered the Roadside slider & for the mains we shared the Bang Bang Prawns (Shrimp) & Chicken Dish. Quite a funny name. Between the two, the road side sliders would be my pick. What is it about the Middle East that the burgers are just out of this world. I remember having burgers from small outlets, the way you have bhel puri & samosas in Mumbai and well, and nothing beats them. Obviously, this is cheesecake factory, so that makes all the difference in the world. Also, I am craving some now. The Bang Bang Prawns & Chicken is a Malaysian based dish, if I am not wrong. I always get confused between Burmese and Malay because to me some of it seems similar. I was very glad to see rice because I don't think I had rice in the entirety of my trip and don't know about you but I am a rice person. Everything & Anything that is based of rice, makes me happy. Also, this had Shrimps. In order of preference it goes - Prawns, Mutton (Goat Meat), Chicken, Beef, Fish. And if you know me, you would know how I obsess over Prawns. It also seemed to be a derivative of the otherwise Popular Nasi Lemak. At least, my taste buds did. 

A part of me wished I had a bigger appetite so that I could try something more but I had been specifically told to save space because their cheesecakes are big and heavy. Even though, initially I was apprehensive over having the red velvet cheesecake which is what I did end up ordering, it turned out to be a great choice. Though, my friend ordered it and I slyly ensured it that I had the first bite and made it mine. They don't know that. So let's keep it that way.  In general I like my cheesecake to not be completely infused with chocolate or any other flavor because the red velvet or the chocolate is mixed with the cheese instead of layering and then it doesn't really feel like a cheesecake to me. Here, however, it was layered and how! The heavy layer of cheese and the the thich thick red velvet made for a combination only the Gods in heaven could have devised and now I know I can die in peace (Well, after having maybe 10-12 slices more of this I would feel my purpose is served! ) The other was the original and I generally don't say this, because original is my preference where it's just cheese cake, naked in all its glory. It did live up to my expectations but didn't shine through against the red velvet. I could pay visit to Dubai every month just for this. At least, my dreams do!

WHAT WE HAD - Roadside sliders (I miss you! Like really!)

                           Bang Bang Chicken & Shrimp (Hello, old lover!)

                           Red Velvet Cheescake (God of Cheesecakes!)

                           Original Cheesecake (Yumness Galore)

DAMAGES - AED 200-250

WHERE - The Cheesecake Factory JBR., The Beach, Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR), Dubai

Chili Flakes, Mumbai

Chili Flakes, Lower Parel

A little celebration in the office and well, Pizza Time!! I like the fact that we now have started to have more options than just Dominos and Pizza Hut. This was a place in our locality, and the prices seemed reasonable, and so we decided to order in from here this time. 

The service is a little slow, where in it took more than an hour for the Pizza to be delivered, which is a long long wait. Also, this is one thing that is very very dangerous for them because I don't know how many vegetarians would prefer to order from them, at least the ones in my office won't. Not because they don't have veg options but rather that they weren't careful enough. One of the Pizzas we ordered was for BBQ Paneer and it turned out to be BBQ Chicken. The guy who first had it, didn't realize it because the pieces were small and the BBQ sauce was over powering and well, he has never had chicken before and he was not aware if it was paneer or tofu or what, as we had just kept the veg and non veg different. It was when one from the Non Veg Clam had it that they were like OMG! So Yeah. You need to check with them that do they keep their veg and non-veg separately. Else, you could be in trouble. To me, it's fine. I actually liked the BBQ chicken pizza.

Talking about the food we ordered - 2 Bombay Masala Chicken, 1 American Pepperoni, 1 BBQ Paneer (or rather chicken), 1 Margarita Pizza, 1 Exotica Pizza. My favorite of the lot? The Margarita. Ahh. Bliss. I was very tempted to try out the Pepperoni and the pork eaters in my office, kept raving about it. Apparently, it was the best of the lot. So, if you indeed eat pork, then you defintely need to order this one. The BBQ chicken was good as well, if only the moment had not been spoilt by the mishap that happened. (The only nice thing was that we got a full refund on it or rather a free pizza the next time we order. However, that still doesn't make up for the blunder and the dharm bhrasht of the poor guy). The Bombay Masala Pizza topped with chicken keema was good but I would have actually preferred some other on it. Too much masala. The exotic I hadn't tried but the Vegetarians gave a thumbs up. So there you have it. 

The pizzas here have a thin base, like the wood fired ones, and the large Pizzas are LARGE! So it could easily make a really good meal for two without any add-ons. 

WHAT WE HAD - Bombay Masala Chicken (Yum!)

                           American Pepperoni (Yumness Personified)

                           BBQ Chicken (Yumness)

                           Margherita Pizza (Yum Yum Yum)

                           Exotica (Yum)

DAMAGES - Rs 450-600 per Pizza 

WHERE - Opp. Kamala City, Lower Parel, Mumbai (Only Delivery)

Soda Bottle Openerwala, Mumbai

Soda Bottle Openerwala, BKC

 

 

You know when nothing else is going write in your life, there is one small thing that you are fond and that you can control. For me that's food. Through the roughest of times, this is  one thing that gives me instant happiness. At first bite. This is also why I am a little particular about it and want it to go exactly how I had imagined. Alas, it doesn't always work out that way. But some times even that is a good thing, you get to have something better!

 

One of such times and the only thing that I was looking forward to was a good hearty breakfast from Mc Donalds. Imagine my annoyance when I reach the destination, only to be told Mc Donalds will remain closed for today. I wanted to scream at the person, do you know how much this meant for me?? I mean I hadn't asked for something huge, and this was a Saturday to top it. Meaning, rush everywhere and by time I find another place, it would be past breakfast hour.  And there was more than this emotion icon happening. We hopped from one place to another and had almost given up because guess what? It was lunch hour and everything in the area was jam packed. The only reason we got into Sodabottle Openerwala also was because well we were early or rather the first few to step in for lunch. Else, good luck finding a place here as well.

 

Though, this place has always been on my list, the visit always gets canceled as well, it's literally always house full. This place feels right out of the movies from the 60s. The décor is classy yet retro. They also happen to have a juke box which actually works! What else do you want?!! You will also find the family tree on the wall which looks pretty interesting. Over all, a place that is charming and almost like the place itself is romancing you. *sigh*

 

The service is alright and it can some times be a struggle to grab the attention of the attending staff, especially if you happen to be sitting in one of the corners. But otherwise it's smooth sailing.

 

So is the food as amazing as you read it to be? Hell, Yeah!  For appetizers, we went for the Chicken Baida Roti and Spicy Mushroom on Khari. My mouth still waters thinking about it. The Chicken Baida Roti is literally the best version I have had. Each morsel is a bite of heaven. The minced Keema filling is thick and not just for namesake, which is just the case in a lot of places. Truly the kind of food, your Grandma would make. The warmth reaches your soul. If any type of food makes you feel this way, you know there is nothing quite like it. The spicy Mushroom is creamy cheesy mushroom topped on the khari that is available in probably in all local bakeries and is quite the Mumbai thing to have. Also my favorite. Though I have always had it at tea time with a cup of chai. This is a unique way of having it, and has inspired me to try some utpatanga combinations at home too.  The last and the final dish that we had and the show stopper of the day, the Berry Pulav. The Berry Pulav made me forget the Biryani of my home, almost. And that never happens. I always always have to say this "But you know what? I bet mere ghar ki Biryani isse zyada acchi hai". And here, I was not having uttered a word, just lost in the taste and flavors. No stinginess shown in the mutton pieces used in the meal, one of the softest and most succulent pieces of meat that it melts in your mouth, the gravy to rice ratio just perfect, mix dried berries which elevated and compliments the dish in  just another way. I always say this, there is no body who cooks up a storm like Mommy Dearest. But I would want to tell Mommy Dearest, that I think I have found a new favorite Pulav dish. Sorry. In fact reading this, I think I want to order it in or have it again. Soonish, that too.

 

I also gave a try to the Raspberry Soda which is another iconic parsi item to be checked off your bucket list. These guys add real raspberry and not the crushed kind. The perfect balance of sweet and sour, it looks also so pretty! Yes, that matters.

 

Everywhere you go, you will read rave reviews of this place. Can a place really be that good? Well, I was finally here to find out and let's just say this is easily one of the best meals I have had in the recent past and actually probably Top 5, though I haven't really made a list.

 

WHAT WE HAD - Chicken Baida Roti (Heaven)

                           Spicy Mushroom on Khari (Yumness)

                           Chicken Berry Pulao (Drooling', Dreamin')

                           Raspberry Soda (Yumnes Personified)

                           Limbu Soda

 

DAMAGES - Rs 1700/- (Approx)

 

WHERE - Soda Bottle Openerwala Mumbai.Ground Floor, The Capital Building, G Block, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai
 

D CREPES CAFE, MUMBAI

D Crepes Cafe, Thane

I had discovered this little gem of a place more than 2 years back. It features in one of those places that I can't help but keep coming back to. Food that is truly delightful and the reasonably priced is a rarity in this city. I generally don't mind as Food is my guilty pleasure and is not about to change any time soon, but, it's always nice dropping by places like these that are the very meaning of value for money!

They have a new branch opened up at Hiranandani Estate I believe, though, I always end up at Meadows. Infact I think I could be the unoffical ambassador of this place with the way I have promoted and made sure people from my friends and family pay visit to this place. They always come back with rave reviews! 

The service here is something that has been well maintained over the years, recommending dishes to your liking. They know their menu, something that I actually find in a lot of places that the attending staff may lack knowledge of the items on their menu. It always adds a nice touch when the person serving understands your taste palette and can recommend what would best suit you, making it a good expeience on both sides and strategically avoiding bad reviews!

It is obligatory to order a crepe when you step in here. After  all, the place is names "D'Crepes". So we began with a generous serving of the Barbeque crepe. I should also mention here that the serving size of the crepe has increased or so I felt. Previously the filling inside the crepes wasn't as generous as it was this time. Where most other places you will find it decreasing, here it is the opposite. Kudos.  Chicken and veggies mixed well with BBQ sauce stuffed in the crepe is the stuff of your dreams and it can get down and dirty, so forget your table manners at home to enjoy it the way it should be! Next on the item was some Pasta. The pasta range is under Do It Your Way with giving you selections on how you want it to be prepared. We went for Fusilli Pasta in Portugese sauce as recommended by our attendant. This is supposed to be a very spicy sauce and we had asked him to turn down the spiciness a little and we are glad we did that. Even after the spiciness being reduced, it still ended up being spicy, so eat if your heart, stomach, ears and nose are prepared for. (You know running noses, heart bun, smoke from your ears ) The sauce is a tangy sauce and takes a little after the Arabiatta, though not an arabiatta sauce. I would order it again. However, the one thing that I would want to change about it is the serving bowl. Previously, the pastas were surved in a wooden bowl which has been changed to plates. I always felt it gave a unique touch to the plating with the wooden bowls. We had also ordered some garlic bread on the side and let me just say this is one of the best cheese garlic breads I have ever had the honour to have. Cheesy, soft breads, retaining the garlic flavors. Life couldn't get better. 

I am going to take a paragraph break here. I am a very lazy writer but once I start typing, I think I over write. But it's food!  For drinks I had called for the Iced tea, because nothing like it and truly, over here, I can most definitely say - NOTHING LIKE IT! I order iced teas because it is the safest bet on the menu and I don't spot a lot of creativity in this section in most places. However, the iced ea here is one of the best I have had. Refreshing, tangy, sweet and the perfect balance of flavors. I could order one more. My friend had ordered the Red Velvet Shake and even though I was a little wary of this, because most places screw up the red velvet shake and it feels more of a chocolate shake itself (Arey bhaiyya chocolate shake order kana hota toh chocolate shake order karte na - is something that some people don't get!). Here? You can feel the red velvet taste in every sip you take and I was just in another kind of heaven. A must if you enjoy red velvet as much as I do. The only disappointment - we had ordered for chocolate cheese cake to end our order and this is the first time that I have been let down. The cheese was too heavy, dry and wasn't even exactly sweet. Something I hope they look into. Their dessert range has never disappointed me before so I was a little surprised. 

Go for D Crepes! Go for D' Crepes and in case you still haven't gotten the message - Go for D'Crepes! or well, live to regret. Perfect place for meeting a friend, or for your work from home or rather cafe days and even for a date where you want to impress the said date! 

What We Had - Barbecue Crepe (Yumness Personified)

                         Pasta in Portugaise Sauce (Yumness)

                         Cheese Garlic Bread (More is Less)

                         Iced Tea (Very very refreshing!)

                         Red Velvet Shake (Fantabulous, yumness personified)

                         Chocolate Cheese cake (Let Down)

Damages - Rs 1100/- (Approx)

Where - D'Crêpes Café., Shop 2, Avila Building, Near Godrej Nature's Basket, Hiranandani Estate, Thane West

Villa Vandra, Mumbai

Villa Vandre, Pali Hill

Instead of trying new places, I have been on a refresher course of sorts, where in I am paying my visit to a lot of old ones. It serves as a refresher of why I first fell in love with these places! Villa Vandre is one of these magnificent places. Food for the soul is what I like to refer to it as. 

The best place for breakfast in my books is this place. This is probably my 4th visit to the place in the past year, and that is quite a lot considering I visit new places only most of the time (I need to be a little rational about the money I spend after all, unfortunately ) This time it was for a dinner with a dear friend after a really long time and I thought to myself, let us introduce him to the beauty that this little hidden gem is) 

A few months back they had renovated the place, expanding the guest seating area and their menu as well. Its Hurrah on both fronts. This is still a tiny little place which could possibly accommodate around 20 people at one time. So on a lot of occasions you will find yourself on the waiting list. Though I believe they don't take reservations, so it might be a long wait at times but it is oh-so-worth-it! This place is beautiful as beautiful can be, tres chic, the colors soothing on the eyes, their wall decor simple but tasteful, almost like how I envision my dining room to be some day. 

They don't really have appetizers/ starters on their menu, so you directly sort of dig into the main course which isn't half bad a thing as you will give your 100% love towards this and no half full stomachs. And no, salads don't count.  Its almost like jumping on the food and as they say the first bite is always the tastiest!  Also, leaves ample place for dessert! We ordered for the Chicken Roulade and Sri Lankan Buffalo Chilli. Let's start with the Chicken Roulade, I happened to quite like it but maybe the Buffalo Chili overshadowed it. Boneless chicken stuffed with spinach and pan fried served with noodles and exotic veggies. The plating itself makes your eyes pop out. One of the specialties of the place. The Srilankan Buffalo Chili however takes the crown home. I remember the taste after all this while. In simple words it feels like what you need on a rainy day, what makes the heart feel warm and gives you fuzzy feelings? Has any food ever given rise to such feelings? This is that kind of a meal. Reminded me why I am Villa Vandre fan. Also, the Pav served with it ? I am really interested to know the secret behind this gem. The softest and the most melt-in-the mouth variety of pav I have ever had. It beat even Brun Muska from Kyani, and this didn't even have maska, at least not any visible butter. Though it did feel buttery. Highly recommended to everyone who steps in here. Another thing that deserves a mention is, in all my previous visits, I had always complained about their concoctions from the drinks menu. The only thing that would heavily disappoint me. It is gratifying to know that they have worked on this and how!! IIt was a complete different picture this time. I was in love with the mocktail we ordered and it complimented our meal well. We had both chosen the Blueberry Lemonade, it has tinge and flavor of Kala Khatta and prepared in the form of slush with blueberries. This is something I enjoyed till the end of my meal. They looked beautiful as well and yes, cocktails and mock tails are meant to be easy on the eyes. Since we didn't have an option for appetizers, we had enough room for Dessert and we called in for the Gulab Jamun Tart & Dark Chocolate Mousse. The Dark Chocolate Mousse is really heavy and is recommended only, if you are a die hard chocolate fan. I am not which is why I preferred the Tart. This is actually a very innovative and commendable fusion of food. The Tart is filled with a rabdi kind of mousse. I don't even know if this was actually mousse because it was so soft and as if floating in the tart and  miniature gulab Jamuns in the middle. If I had room for one more and if we hadn't ordered the chocolate mousse, I would have ordered for another one of these.

Villa Vandre because they add that extra punch to your every day meals as well, making it a soulful affair.

What We Had - Chicken Roulade (Yumness Personified)

                         Srilankan Buffalo Chili (Heaven in a pan)

                         Chocolate Mousse (Yum)

                         Gulab Jamun Tart (Heavenly)

                         Blueberry Lemonade (Perfection!)

DAMAGES - Rs 1500/- (Approx)

WHERE -  Villa Vandre.,Shop 1, May Flower, New Kantwadi Road, Off Perry Cross Road, Pali Hill, Bandra West