SodaBottleOpenerWala presents Postcards from Persia By Singer Anida

Anaida’s Persian Pop-up at Khan Market and Noida

Having served patrons the typical Parsi cuisine, some Irani specialties and Bombay street food,SodaBottleOpenerWala now brings to you a taste of Persia with singer & culinary artist Anaida’s Persian Pop-up as part of three years celebrations.

Famed singer Anaida Parvaneh along with the chefs at SodaBottleOpenerWala presents a menu that has been curated to showcase traditional Persian dishes made using ingredients from Iran that will be available at SodaBottleOpenerWala, Delhi’s Khan Market and Noida outlets from March 18th to April 30th, 2017.

On the Persian Pop-up Menu at SodaBottleOpenerWala will be several traditional Persian delicacies, each using ingredients that have medicinal and healing properties.  The menu is available on a’ la carte and as a vegetarian & non-vegetarian Sini - The Persian Journey inspired by the concept of Indian Thalis specially curated for you by Anaida for the entire Persian vegetarian and non-vegetarian experience on a platter.

To begin with, guests can savour Doogh, a Mint and rose petals flavoured Iranian yoghurt drink and for tea lovers there is Irani Chai which is black tea brewed with lots of love in a porcelain pot and served with dates and sugar cubes on the side.

To brace up for the long summer ahead, there are delicious variations of Raita like the Mast-O-Khiyar, an Iranian style Raita of yogurt, chopped cucumber, dried mint and rose petals flavored with sea salt, whereas the Laboo Burani  is a Raita of sweetened beetroot in hung yogurt flavored with rose petals. Accompanying the Raita is Anaida’s Healthy Persian Salad or Salad-e-Salamat. Anaida’s Magic Soup or Anaida’s Soop e Jadooi, a coriander chicken soup with pearl barley, mixed sprouts, turnip, mushroom, carrots and roasted vermicelli, a pick-me-up for anyone feeling under the weather.

Anaida’s version of a Persian vegetarian delight, the Khoresht e Bamiye or ladies fingers cooked in tomato and onions topped with fried eggplant and fine dried fried potatoes is delightful. Anaida’s super tasty eggplant rollor Kashk-o-Bademjan; Dill and Fava Bean Rice or the Baghali Polo are also on offer.

Succulent Kababs like Chelo Kabab Koobideh and Jujeh Kebob make good starters. Guests can also enjoy hearty mains such as Esfahan Beryani, one of the oldest Persian dishes of fire roasted lamb mince, mildly spiced and served in a naan; Irani Haleem, from a traditional Iranian recipe made using slow cooked lamb and wheat paste; Fesenjan, a specialty from Iran is made by slow cooking chicken in pomegranate molasses along with walnuts;   Khorak e ghosht or lamb shank slow-cooked in onions, chick peas and mild spices flavoured with Persian black lime among other delicacies.

The dessert selection offers Shirazi Faloodeh or glass noodles in lemon flavoured sweet slush, served cold with ice cream. Shole Zard or ‘yellow flame’, a Persian pudding dating back several thousand years is made of aromatic rice flavoured with saffron and almonds. It was traditionally served at special occasions such as weddings, gatherings or new year as it is laden with saffron, an exotic and expensive ingredient. Persian Halwamade with wheat flour cooked in ghee and rose water flavoured with cinnamon and nuts is the perfect end to a Persian meal.

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SodaBottleOpenerWala brings a concept that is unique to India - the dying legacy of the wonderful chaotic, crowded, bustling, colorful, quirky, cluttered, eccentric and so real world of an Irani café. The brand has seven restaurants in cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi, Gurgaon and Noida.

Anaida Parvaneh is a talented pop singer, actor, director, and writer who was a singing sensation in the 1990’s, breaking the cultural barriers through her music. Inspired by mind and body wellness and spiritual growth, Anadia learnt Tebb e Sonnati (“traditional medicine” in Persian), from her mother, who is also a naturopath. As an artist, she also works on her collection of paintings in oil and ink and is now working on carvings on leather for her future art shows. Anaida also provides boutique consultancy services for Indian and international companies looking to connect with the creative community throughout Asia and the Middle East. She currently works as a consultant to the entertainment, hospitality and various other industries.

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Mr. H C Hong, President and CEO, Samsung, takes the stage to talk about the #SamsungPay.

 "It's not just a revolutionary app, but a killer app in many ways." Says @amitabhk87 , CEO, @NITIAayog

Mr. Thomas Ko, Global GM, #SamsungPay, takes the center stage to give us a few insights into the app.

Mr Asim Warsi, Senior VP, Samsung Mobiles India, takes us through the app that is #SamsungPay.

Mr. H C Hong, President and CEO, Samsung, takes the stage to talk about the #SamsungPay. "It's not just a revolutionary app, but a killer app in many ways." Says @amitabhk87 , CEO, @NITIAayog Mr. Thomas Ko, Global GM, #SamsungPay, takes the center stage to give us a few insights into the app. Mr Asim Warsi, Senior VP, Samsung Mobiles India, takes us through the app that is #SamsungPay.

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Drink Recipe: Black currant mint green tea iced tea

Ingredients:

·         3 Typhoo Blackcurrant Bracer Fruit Infusion tea bags

·         3 Typhoo green tea Moroccan mint tea bags

·         4 cups water

·         Blackcurrant

·         Mint leaves

·         Ice

 Directions:

To prepare the iced tea:

1.       Place six tea bags in a heat-safe bowl or container. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil, and then pour over tea bags. Let steep for 10 or so minutes

2.       Once steeped, remove tea bags and pour in 3 cups of cold water. Chill until ready to serve

To serve:

1.       Add several blackcurrant and fresh mint leaves to the bottom of a sturdy glass. Using a muddler or a wooden spoon, press down on the blackcurrant/mint leaves and lightly twist. The blackcurrant will burst slightly and the mint leaves will become even more fragrant

2.       Add ice and pour tea over top. Garnish with extra blackcurrant and mint leaves if you like

Restaurant Review: Jom Jom Malay, Address: Ansal Plaza, New Delhi

So we landed up at this new restaurant and would love it call it “luck by chance”. Was in the area and had gone to Ansal Plaza for a trip to nostalgia when stumbled on this cute looking Malaysian speciality restaurant, the cycle rickshaw kept at the entrance was too cute and inviting.

We went in and in spite of it being a midweek lunchtime, it was fairly occupied, the walls were adorned with dragon butterflies and other artefacts which the staff informed was sourced from Malaysia itself (and the rickshaw too!!). One side of the restaurant had a coloured graffiti wall and the place itself was well lit with lots of sunlight pouring in.

Seating is good too, lots of walking space and ample elbow space too, various partitions give you that sense of privacy, the staff was courteous and helpful. They knew their menu and were eager enough to explain the food listed on the menu. Service is not rushed like at other places and they ask you before serving in the next order/course which I found very thoughtful. 

We started with assorted baos which had one each of Chicken, Lamb and Duck Baos, although I am a seafood lover, but still I liked the Chicken Bao the best. Next was a Veg and an Assorted Satay (again Lamb, Prawn n Fish), in the Veg Satay, the vegetables were fresh and had the perfect crunch.

The Laksa, which is a popular spicy noodle soup, was served with rice noodles and chicken, prawn and fish. The base was a rich coconut curry and you flavour was just apt. The condiments basket was a cute, cane basket which had an assortment of things like the Chilli Oil, Fried Garlic, Basil leaves, lemon wedges, roasted and coarsely ground peanuts and more to make your soup even more flavourful. 

Veg Murtabak, a stuffed pan-fried pancake was bursting with fillings and is slightly on the mild side of spices but to balance that a spicy dip is served alongside.

Roti Canai was made the perfect way with many flaky layers and was served with Veg Rendang Curry.

We rounded off with Red Velvet, Banoffee Pie and Coconut Cheesecake all of which would have tasted nice if they had been served at normal temperature. But since they were brought to us directly from the cold storage had a slightly had crust.

All food served had a strong presence of roasted peanut which lend a wonderful flavour to most of the dishes.

PS: Portion sizes are huge and good for two, order with care as not to waste much food.

Ratings: 

Food-3.50/5.00, 

Service-4.00/5.00, 

Décor-4.00/5.00

Address: Ansal Plaza, August Kranti Marg, Hudco Place, Andrews Ganj Extension, Andrews Ganj, New Delhi, Delhi 110049

Review Credit: Abhilasha 

Renaissance Lucknow Hotel to Host International Street Food Festival

It’s a rare opportunity to sample the best of street food from US, China, Thailand, Mexico, Italy and the Middle East

Lucknow, March 03^rd 2017: Renaissance Lucknow Hotel is hosting a delightful street food festival in the first week of March. For ten days – from 3^rd to 12^th March -- the hotels’ all-day dining restaurant L14 will be converted into a one-stop-shop for street food from across the world.  From pastas and quesadilla to tacos and falafel, and from to burgers and satays to kebab and paratha, you can get it all, especially curated for you by Renaissance chef Balvinder Pal Singh Lubana.

Exclusive live counters will showcase celebrated street food from India, U S, China, Thailand, Mexico, Italy and the Middle East. Each of these country counters will prepare and serve signature street food from that country.

There will be plenty of options, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, for guests to choose from, and they can have their dish made to taste before their eyes. It will be customization at its best – you can select your vegetable/meat/seafood, choose your preferred sauce/marinade, have it cooked to your taste and served with cocktail of your choice --Whiskey Sour, Gimlet, Cosmopolitan, 1950 Martini etc. 

“Everybody loves street food. We have organized this festival to give our guests a chance to taste authentic street food from across the world, sitting here in Lucknow. It’s a rare opportunity. I’m sure our patrons will love it.” says Mr. Amit Chawla, Food & Beverage Manager, Renaissance Lucknow Hotel.

Adds Mr. Balvinder Pal Singh Lubana, the hotel’s Executive Sous Chef, “The world is getting globalized and people crave for international cuisines. It is a small effort on our part to bring them what they are looking for. Our team has curated the dishes using traditional methods, herbs and spices to get the authentic flavor. 

We have arranged live stations so that people can see how these dishes are cooked and appreciatetheir freshness.”

Date: 3^rd March – 12^th March, 2017

Time: 7:30 PM-11.00 PM

Price: 1350 + taxes

Venue: L-14 Renaissance Lucknow Hotel

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