Category: Clothing

Bangalore, Clothing, Food

Filet Mignon at Portland Steak House

April 4, 2020

Filet Mignon at Portland Steak House
Is Filet Mignon synonymous to peer pressure in the food industry ??!!
This is a serious question guys… Are you a Steak Virgin?!
Would that put your reputation literally at Stake??!

Here’s why the Steaks were too High…

Sorry about the PG reference early on…but here’s the thing about peer pressure… either you succumb to it or you don’t!

While living in the UK, I was in this forever dilemma to have a steak or not! In almost all parties or outing scenes I was pressurized to hog a Steak down. You can tell I didn’t perform well under pressure.. & never really had a Steak up til last year.

I always thought my chef friends and other “food connoisseurs” would just glorify eating a steak! Whereas I shunned away from it..
I didn’t  really shy away for religious reasons… it was mostly because I always found the meat pretty chewy!
As you would have guessed this blog is NOT for the all time Steak lovers! It’s specifically targeted at the Steak Newbies like myself.

Pulling up My Steaks!!

T bone Steak at Portland Steak HouseThe Kobe, Wagyu, Angus can be ruled out for the starters.

I solemnly want to guide you guys towards the most simplest, softest and easiest to chew Steak version to begin with. Hence the blog.

Having a steak for the very first time in one’s life is a Statement. An Underlined one. Also bold and italic.
OK enough of the cheesy stuff! Let me tell you how I stumbled on the Filet Mignon at Portland Steak House.

My fiancé then (husband now) took me to this super chic steakhouse on Brunton road called the Portland Steak House.
It was about to be the most perrrrfect Steak dinner date ever. You ask me why?
For starters, I was gonna have steak for the very first time in life. I mean I have had cheeseburgers but was always rather scared to eat a steak. The thought of eating something raw and rare would freak me out!

So he made me try a T-bone first… which I rather chewed without a smile coz it was hard!

Then we decided to order the most heavenly, juiciest and softest piece of meat on earth… the Filet Mignon!

The Filet Mignon …

Filet Mignon at Portland Steak House

Finally, my life felt complete. It was like floating amongst clouds with joy… with just my first bite.
It was dipped in a mushroom sauce.. which I devoured. The sides of grilled veggies and some rice were great to supplement the proteins.

This place definitely brings out the romance in a Steak dinner.
It’s a complete experience .. just floods your mouth with flavor

 

 

 

I firmly believe…You are what you eat; so I urge you to remain soft & juicy as a  Filet Mignon Steak.

 

Filet Mignon at Portland Steak House

 

Clothing, Food, Vietnam

How Banh Mi earned itself an entire blog post?

January 4, 2020

Banh MiI have always loved French food and coming to Vietnam just made this love connection deeper.
The French influence on Vietnamese cuisine is mind-boggling.

Banh Mi Stall

I have liked sandwiches but Banh Mi has redefined my experience of eating a sandwich for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

I declare I am in love with this sandwich.

Streets in Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi are flocked with hawkers making a variety of Banh Mi.

Eating Banh Mi on the streets can be deemed both a passion and fashion for food enthusiasts.

The only reason it’s absolutely impossible is because the Vietnamese hawkers don’t give you a bargain nor do they speak a word of English!

 

Is Banh Mi over-hyped???!

A Banh Mi looks deceptively simple, by my friend there’s more to it than meets the eye.

Just outside our hotel, there was this lady who sold the world’s best sandwiches for just 10,000 VND ie $0.47 only! It’s a steal ! Hence, Banh Mi is not over hyped . I would say with the possibility of 20 different variations, it is rather unexplored.

Eating my first ever Banh Mi…

I couldn’t have imagined how the humble baguette could have been zinged to such a level.

…So here’s a breakdown of taking a bite into the Banh Mi.

The bread is a lot fluffier and crispier than your regular baguette. Because it is absolutely airy and light it absorbs all the juices from the pickles and the meat fillings.

You take an arduous bite into the bread which is crunchy and your tongue meets the sweet-tangy dressing topped with braised pork or even the tenderest chicken ever.

Most Banh Mi have shredded fresh cucumber, carrot or radish. This is topped with Siracha or mayonnaise and mint sprigs. The ones made on the street usually have pickled vegetables.

We stayed in Vietnam for almost a week and I would wake up each morning imagining myself eating Banh Mi. I am one of those irritating people that photograph food before eating. Guilty.
The only exception was a Banh Mi. I have absolutely no photograph or a selfie with my most favorite Vietnamese food item 🙁
I believe the reason could be because I was so happy and engrossed in devouring the sandwich that everytime I had one; I almost forgot the outside world!

So I’m just going to close this post with a photo of myself being happy . With food!

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Clothing, Food, Hair, Styling Tips, Vietnam

Ben Thanh Street Food Market

December 18, 2019
ben thanh market foodHo Chi Minh is the biggest city in Vietnam, but most of the tourist spots are located within walking distances. Amongst them all, the Ben Thanh Street Food Market has to be my most favorite spot in the entire city… so much that we visited it even before flying out of the country.
Oh the ‘we’ here is me and my husband! Yes recently married and exploring food now as an official couple 😛
So what do you get at the Ben thanh Street Food Market??ben thanh market food
I would say absolutely every type of South East Asian Cuisine ranging from Thai, Japanese, Indian and the very warm Variety of Vietnamese pho. They also have a super cute dessert counter. Drinks are available in plenty; followed by a lively Music band playing some popular English songs.

The Vietnamese obsession of drinking saccharin… 
The Vietnamese people have a rather odd fetish with drinking slushes . They are usually flavored syrups stirred with coconut milk and ice. You can find almost every person gulping down these drinks in every odd corner. I call it odd, because I think its mostly a ‘style statement’ , with the only exception of the amazing Vietnamese Coffee.

The environment at the Ben Thanh Street food Market lively and you could sit for hours and chat about almost everything under the sun/moon. The  Street market is best enjoyed in the evening though.

My glorious plate of food at the Ben thanh Street food market…
A rather short 7 point must eat item list

1.Beef rolls covered in Beetle leaves were simply delicious and juicy to the core.
The leaf hBeef in beatle leafad a hint of bitterness to it that paired excellently with the juicy beef and the chilli-peanut dipping sauce

2.The very first Pho of our journey– so the husband had been driving me crazy about having Pho, pho and more pho … and this is where we had a super awesome bowl full of warmth and amazing flavours.Mind you the flavours are complex and like a warm jacket on a winter day.

food at ben thanh market

3.Roasted pork to the rescue! I mean who doesn’t just simply love roasted pork?! The meat falling off the bones paired with various dips like soy , chilli and fish sauce..! HEAVEN.

 4.Vietnamese cold spring rolls : I repeat they are cold… but welcoming. With a crunch given by the ice lettuce every time you bite into them… I can assure you it’s not your usual greasy spring roll experience. See, I have never been a fan of the greasy roll version .. may be that’s why this worked with me so well.

Kobe beef5.Kobe beef with all the hype: 
I have always found these fancy beef dish names a hype.
KISS ( Keep It Short & Simple).. well I didn’t quiet enjoy this one! There’s a lot of Japanese influence too in the current Vietnamese food culture. We did try sushi at a local street shop.. I would definitely not recommend it! stay away from having sushi in Vietnam.. and if you are a sushi-virgin this experience might just scar you! lol.. The only reason I say this is because I love an original sushi and sashimi. May be next trip Kyoto! Sorry to digress.. just have the kobe beef only if its grilled or barbecued.

rain drop cake6.Raindrop Cake :
This is an absolute delight to the eyes.. Perfect round ball of agar agar swimming in mildly sweetened coconut milk.  This made  me look up the raindrop cake origin..!
Well the Raindrop cake is actually called “Mizu Shingen Mochi” in Japanese!

7. Last but definitely not the least… my ultimate favorite sandwich.. the divine..yet humble Ban Mi
I loved the Ban Mi so much that it earned an entire blog post for itself.. Here’s why>>

 

 

I am also gonna share a short clip of the food galore at the

Ben thanh Street Food Market video; Click Here >>>

Clothing, Food, Hair, Styling Tips

The Best Tibetan food in Bangalore

September 13, 2019

Best Tibetan food in bangalore

Here’s how and where to find the Best Tibetan Food in Bangalore?

But First.. why Tibetan Food?

I have always been in awe of the Tibetan or Buddhist culture for the longest time. Tibetan food is food for the soul. I’m a sucker for the Steaming dumplings and spicy meat stews with potatoes. I mean you really cannot call yourself a foodie if you haven’t even Tibetan!

Some mouth-watering Tibetan dishes..

You can start your meal with an arduous portion of dumplings or momos as we call them. (Only to be eaten with Spicy chilli sauce.. I insist.. Please no Mayo!).
Followed with Laping to build up your appetite .. and for the always hungry souls like myself.. a huge servicing of Thenthuk is just divine.Best Tibetan food in bangalore

Most Tibetan food joints in India are extremely affordable and not very glamorous places.. which could be a disappointment for a lot of the fancy eaters!

But I have always believed fancier the place; sadder their food !

On one of my trips to Bangalore, my cousin took me to this Small family run Tibetan restaurant off Brigade Road called- Green Tara.
Lemme warn you; it’s not your Mainland Chinas of the world.. so don’t expect impeccable service or decor. Although food is always hot and spicy! Well mildly spicy in my case!

I have been there more than a couple of times now; because I absolutely love their hot stews.. very homely and comforting. Filled with flavour and aroma of the spices. Makes my mouth salivate even as I write..

Piece-de-resistance..

Best Tibetan food in bangaloreNo bowl of soup will ever taste the same for me after eating a Tibetan one! Noodle Soups are very popular in the Tibetan Cuisine. My personal favorite is the Laping seasoned with red chilli peppers, onion, chilli oil and a heavenly amount of Garlic!
Have some steamed bun along with this for sure..

Avoid the thupkas though!

I strongly recommend this place for a sumptuous meal any time of the day if you are strolling on Brigade or MG road in Bangalore.

 

What I wore strolling around MG Road..

Best Tibetan food in bangalore

This is how a Strong Tibetan Soup makes me feel..

I feel free relaxed and fully-satisfied and not bloated at all!

Of course not on the beach!!

I wore this dress to my Tibetan food adventure.

(Psst: The actual photos in this dress at Green Tara has family; can’t expose them to the paps you see..!)

 

Accessories, Clothing, Hair, Styling Tips

What is it about Mexican food that makes you wanna dance?

September 9, 2019

Chinita in Bangalore

 

 

I love love .. absolutely loveee Mexican food , their music and almost all their telenovela!
Just like their soap operas their food is spicy, tangy, sometimes sweet and with plethora of drama. I mean have you even seen an episode from Breaking Bad??! sorry… Bad Mexican Reference!

Mexican Food

When its Mexican Food for your Dinner Date..you don’t say No
My fiancé (boyfriend then) completely admires my love for Mexican food and took me to this one incredibly romantic Mexican place called Chinita in Bangalore once. (Indiranagar to be precise)

It was a summer dinner date and I was craving a good and relaxing meal .

So why is Chinita the best for Mexican?
Chinita has this amazing wooden furniture to accommodate 4-5 guests on one.
With amazing Mexican carnival music playing in the background we happily munched down our fish tacos and a giant burrito bowl with a glass of freshly squeezed watermelon juice.

The service is amazing too and their staff is very attentive and not very intrusive either !

What to wear to a Mexican Dinner Date?
Summery tee with Denim Shorts.. Keeping it simple.
Let your hair down ..only to drown in the aromatic food!

I will always remember Chinita coz it was one of my very first dates with my boyfriend then.. fiancé now..
.. he definitely knew the way to my heart is a Burrito Bowl 🥰

Cause all I want to do.. is eat Tacos with You!