Shorba Nights

Sunday evening, while returning from shopping we realized there was nothing at home for dinner. One option was Subway at Central Plaza Mall on Golf Course Road. As we parked the car and walked towards Subway we spotted Shreya’s sandwiched between shops. I peered inside through the frosted glass door; done up in beige, the restaurant though small was quite appealing and we decided to give it a shot. Thick glass partition between tables ensured a cozy privacy, marble textured fibre glass tables were lighted from beneath, curtain frills adorned a tall ceiling, the seats were comfortable, ergonomic; it was clean and exuded cocoon warmth on this chilly evening. The mellow lighting was almost soporific, inviting intimacy. Waiters in beige and brown bustled about.

The tables were laid out with ivory tinted plates, matt finish steel bowls and pepper n salt shakers, flaxen dinner napkins and tarnished steel cutlery. Brown, leather-bound menu listed Indian and Chinese. We weren’t particularly hungry and decided to have soup and light snack. I took Murg Shorba (chicken broth) and my wife went for Tamatar Dhania Shorba (tomato and coriander broth). Choice of snack fell on Dahi Ke Kebab which I had never had before.

Roasted papad wrapped carefully in a napkin appeared instantly accompanied by mint chutney. Piping hot Shorba followed soon after, with aromatic vapours lazily swirling upwards.  An ultra brisk waiter thrust a plate of chopped onions and sliced lemon over the table edge. The Murg Shorba was terrific; flavoured medium spicy with a liberal volume of diced chicken. The Tamatar-Dhaniya Shorba was less watery and quite good. Dahi Ke Kebab, six lightly fried pies of strained curd, sprinkled with chopped coriander and chat masala, was presented just as we finished Shorba. The kebab, though bland, left a slightly sour after taste of curd. Inclined towards the spicier side of dining, I didn’t like it much.

The restaurant had two floors – seven tables for four on the ground floor and seating space for twenty on the upper floor. Ground floor is not crammed but not exactly spacious either; the waiters bay and home delivery counters are close to some tables which can be quite disturbing. Footfalls and dragging of furniture from the upper floor can also be annoying. Waiters are a bit boisterous and lack finesse – slamming cup boards, clinking cutlery, fooling around and not very attentive to clients. The menu is not exceptional, but the quality of food, with the limited sampling that we did, was good. It was definitely a popular joint; every table was taken.

Murg Shorba: Rs. 75.00
Tamatar Dhaniya Shorba: Rs.65.00
Dahi Ke Kebab: Rs. 125.00
12.5% VAT and 10 % Service Charge extra.

Rating:
Cleanliness: 9/10
Ambience: 8/10
Service: 7/10
Quality: 8/10
Comment: Definitely worth a try.

Shreya’s
G 13 & 28, Central Plaza Mall
Sector – 53, Golf Course Road,
Gurgaon
Tel: 0124 – 4077200/ 300
Email: info@shreyakitchen.com

Foodiebay menu of Shreya’s: Link

Homo Gastronomicus Indianus

India!! A cradle of civilization. The spiritual bastion of the world. A land whose gods are as numerous as people. Where evolution, biological, social and spiritual lost its way and willy-nilly mutated into grotesque shapes, sizes, tastes, lifestyles, faiths and food habits. Where vegetarians outnumber non-vegetarians. Where uber-vegetarians shun everything grown under the earth. The astounding gastronomic diversity of the country has beguiled its ardent followers and fervent critics alike. Culinary art in India reached its epitome in the evolution of a new anthropoid species – Homo Gastronomicus Indianus (HGI). Marked by insatiable hunger, a canine equivalent olfactory system and an ultra-efficient digestive tract, this species though scarcely distinguishable from Homo sapiens sapiens in appearance, is immediately identifiable by the copious salivating tendencies displayed when confronted with any kind of food or even the merest mention of it. The research and analysis wing of HGI flagship organization, ——-, recently circulated a secret report mapping “Must Try” cuisines across all sates of India. Yours truly, by a daring act of culinary coup d’etat acquired a copy of the map, attached here for the benefit of the drooling public. Go ahead; explore it all till your bellies implore you to stop….

 

Food Junkie

When it came to grub, there was a time I used to say “Anything Goes”. But as I have turned grayer, I have become more finicky.

Gurgaon is a veritable paradise for food buffs, but if you want decent stuff at an affordable price, boy you are in trouble. We were out hunting for such an elusive outlet when we chanced upon China Bowl. It’s a small restaurant housed in the basement of Qutub Plaza, in DLF Phase 1.

I’m a Chinese food aficionado and the place was pure delight. Apart from Chinese they also had a handsome range of Tibetan, Japanese, Thai, Burmese, and a smattering of Korean, all within my wallet’s reach. And what’s more, they served pork, which was a rarity. These days,  China Bowl has become one of my weekly haunts, where I can placidly dig into Sha Phale (Tibetan tempura stuffed with minced chicken), crispy pork salt and pepper, Manchow soup and Burmese chicken curry with steamed rise, knowing full well that no severe damage will come to the monthly budget.

I have never met the  proprietor, but I am sure a lot of goodwill is piling up on his behalf for the gastronomic salvation he continues to champion. I am thinking of petitioning Vatican to beatify him. Amen

For those of you who are drooling already, the address is

China Bowl
A-5, Qutub Plaza, DLF Phase-I, Gurgaon, Haryana, India
Tel: 0124-4381938
Mobile: 9810304133, 9810792973
Contact: Mr. Manoj/ Mr. Rawat

Foodiebay’s China Bowl Menu can be found here: Link

P.S: Hey, I am not endorsing or advertising for the restaurant. They would be crazy to pay me for a blog no one ever reads.