Tamba - WTC

Hi guys, 

I'm finally back from my vacation, I've been travelling for the last 2 weeks and hence missed out on some really awesome reviews that I wanted to share with you. On top of that list was the Indian Fusion restaurant Tamba located at the WTC - Abu Dhabi

I've been genuinely having dreams about the food I had at Tamba because trust me when I say this, EVERYTHING I tried here was phenomenal. Also what I love about Tamba is that it's not just the food that you will love, its the experience that shall stay with you and force you to head back. 

My personal favorites among the food I had here were -

Pulled Lamb Gyoza - When India meets Japan, this is the awesomeness that happens. Tamba of course boasts to be an Indian fusion restaurant and here is a living example of how Indian fusion food can be done right. This was basically Japanese dumplings that was stuffed with pulled lamb which was cooked in an Indian style. 

Seared Salmon - I'm honestly not a huge fan of Salmon and hence was slightly reluctant to give this a try but I'm so glad that our server at Tamba recommended this to us, so take my word, even if you aren't a Salmon lover like me, you're definitely in for a treat with Tamba's seared salmon.

King Crab Puri - I would like to call this the Louis Vuitton of Pani Puris, I mean come on, pani puri traditionally is supposed to be a street-side food and here I was, sitting at a very happening fine-dine in Abu Dhabi having Pani Puri, just that along with the tamarind chutney, chilli and chaat masalas there was also CRAB. I was mighty impressed with this & would definitely recommend it (thank me later) 

Manglorian Chicken Dosa - I was pleasantly surprised on seeing this on Tambas menu, reason being, for some odd reason most Indian fine-dine restaurants in the UAE only end up experimenting with North Indian food, this was a refreshing change. Manglorian Chicken Dosa as the name suggests was basically dosa that was stuffed with Chicken Sukka (dry chicken with a hint of coconut) *DO NOT GIVE THIS A MISS 

The Butter Chicken inspired dish - I officially declare this to be the most gorgeous looking Butter Chicken ever. Also I honestly don't think I've ever had chicken that was as tender as the one used in this dish, it literally melted in the mouth. The gold flakes used in its presentation made it look so fancy & probably another plus about this dish was that unlike the usual butter chicken served at an Indian restaurant, this does not really need a naan/bread to accompany it.

Lady Chatterjee - If you've ever wondered how an Indianized cheesecake would taste then Lady Chatterjee is your answer. It's basically cheesecake with ginger snap, passion fruit curd, white chocolate, honey shards and candy. The candy bit in the cheesecake is definitely going to make you feel nostalgic if you remember having the 'pop candy' as a kid. 

The Break Up - Let's just say, a break-up has never been this smooth and sweet *wink wink* Dark chocolate mousse, peanut semifreddo, salted caramel and chocolate sauce. It reminded me slightly of snickers but I love snickers so I couldn't be happier. 

Now along with the food, even the drinks at Tamba are extremely innovative & impressive

I would recommend a cocktail called Mr. Pillai which tasted like Rasmalai + Alcohol (This is what dreams are made of, yes I think so)

Ambiance - Tamba which stands for Copper has been incorporated in the interiors at Tamba. It has a very stylish and International vibe to it. Also Tamba is extremely spacious and has an indoor and outdoor option. 

Picture Courtesy - High Gate 

Staff - Right from the servers to Tamba's manager, they all know their food and drinks in and out and seem so extremely passionate about it.

Cost - A meal for 2 would cost you about 300 - 350 (With a drink) 

Overall Verdict - It's places like Tamba that's making Abu Dhabi a much much cooler place, you will love the food, the staff, the venue and oh the music (they have a resident DJ called DJ Celine)

I would rate it a 6/5 if that was possible. YES, I'm a fan-girl!

P.S. They have a special Ramadan offer - Cost per person (AED 180) between 7.00 pm to 8.30 pm 

Pascal Tepper

Hi Guys,

For those who don't know, Pascal Tepper is a French Bakery & Cafe located in the IPIC building (Abu Dhabi) 

So, much like the 5 M's of Advertising, there are 5 letters to a Food Review too i.e. F - S - P - A - R (Jumble the words) just joking, I'm going to actually make sense out of this. 

So F stands for Food, S stands for Service, P stands for Pricing, A stands for Ambiance and finally R stands for Rating (or Report Card?)

Food - I called for a Croque Monsieur Classique, Paccheri A La Arrabbiatta along with an Iced Tea Jay on the rocks.

Croque Monsieur Classique - Emmental cheese, turkey ham & turkey bacon, what's there not to like?

Paccheri A La Arrabbiatta - Tube shaped pasta cooked in chili tomato sauce, olives and parmesan cheese. This is originally a Vegetarian dish but I added AED 15 for a chicken version of the same. Absolutely loved it, definitely recommended. Also the quantity is good enough for 2 people. 

Iced Tea Jay on the rocks - Out of the many variants to choose from, I decided to opt for the 'Maybe Baby' which was an organic red fruit mix with hibiscus. I couldn’t have asked for a better summer drink. Also it's suitable for 2 - 3 people. 

Service - Extremely friendly & well informed staff. 

Pricing - You would spend about 150 - 200 for a meal for two, which is not bad at all. 

Ambiance – Got to love the Pink & Purple feel to Pascal Tepper, also the beautiful purple wall with the hanging silver beads is definitely a picture worthy spot.

Rating - I would rate it a 4//5

Jodhpur Royal Dining

Hi guys,

This is not a full-fledged review but just a little peek-a-boo into my meal at Jodhpur Royal Dining located at Al Murooj Rotana (Dubai)

Unfortunately my photos don't do justice to the fabulous food I had here, but trust me if you're looking at a great authentic Indian meal in Dubai then do yourself a favor & head here (thank me later) ;)

The ambiance as the name suggests is royal in every aspect, absolutely love the huge pillars and golden mirrors at Jodhpur. You have an indoor and outdoor option.

5 dishes I would definitely recommend here are –

1.     Macaroon Chaat

2.     Achari Jhinga

3.     Roomali Paneer Tikka

4.     Kashmiri Mirchi Korma

5.     Chur Chur Kulcha

Once you’re done with your oh-so-royal meal at Jodhpur, don’t forget to say hello to Chef Pradeep Khullar.

I would rate Jodhpur a 4.5/5 

Hakkasan Afternoon Tea

I was recently invited for the Afternoon tea tasting at Hakkasan located at the magnificent Emirates Palace. 

The Afternoon Tea which is available between 3 pm to 6 pm everyday is priced at AED 98 and offers a selection of teas, sweet treats & dim sums. Also if you fancy a glass of Louis Roedere Brut, you can opt for that for an additional AED 100

The beautiful dessert & display stand reminded me that of the Aldar Building located in Abu Dhabi (Look at the picture & you would agree with me *wink*)

This stand however comprised of Vanilla Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce, Chocolate Macaron, Truffle, Fruit tarts, Chicken Taro Croquette, Crispy Box Dumpling and Squid Dim-sum (Had to give this a miss as I'm allergic to squid, Sigh! Yes, life is not easy without squid in it)

But I absolutely relished everything else, my favorites being the Truffle, Macaron (Hakkasan ALWAYS does this right) and the Chicken Taro Croquette

Now since I had already tried & tested the Jasmine Green Tea which I loved (You can tell from the picture below which is from my last visit) I opted for the Silver Needle which found its origin in Fujian (China) - It was light, refreshing & rich on the palette.

I don't even need to get into the ambiance bit because it's Hakkasan we are talking about and Hakkasan is probably now a synonym to royalty which is depicted through its interiors largely. 

Special shout-out to Akheel, who took good care of us & made sure we had a good time.

I would rate this a 4/5 - Definitely recommended for an afternoon out with the girls/ family

#BurritoIsBae - 11,000 Free Burritos in UAE

Home-grown Mexican food concept Taqado is giving away 11,000 free burritos in the month of May to celebrate the recent launch of its 11^thoutlet in the UAE.

Each Taqado outlet will gave away 1,000 free burritos between 11am and 3pm, on a set date per outlet. 

The dates and locations of the 'Taqado Takeover' are:

May 1 - Taqado Mall of the Emirates
May 2 - Taqado DIFC
May 3 - Taqado The Galleria, Abu Dhabi
May 4 - Taqado Emaar Square 
May 5 - Taqado Bay Avenue
May 6 - Taqado Kite Beach
May 7 - Taqado City Tower
May 8 - Taqado Tecom
May 9 - Taqado Dubai Mall
May 10 - Taqado Downtown Jebel Ali
May 11 - Taqado Dubai International Airport T1

My relationship station #BurritoIsBae

#TheHub

If you live in Abu Dhabi, I'm about to give you not one but four reasons to celebrate. I was at the opening of The Hub at World Trade Center last week and I'm pleased to announce that Abu Dhabi is now home to 4 fabulous new restaurants, Bu Trinity, Original Fusion, Jazz at Pizza Express and Tamba. 

Bu Trinity is a Latin American inspired restaurant/ lounge, which has an amazing indoor and outdoor setup. The lovely garden deck outdoors is definitely refreshing to see in Abu Dhabi. Also I've to mention that the place is HUGE, I'm almost convinced to throw my wedding reception here. Jokes apart, I can totally foresee this being a hit amongst the younger, hip crowd. 

Moving on to Original Fusion whose USP is giving an International touch to Emirati food. You may want to try out their Camiloni which is basically camel ravioli with parmesan sauce, pumpkin puree, sliced summer truffle & roasted almond. 

Next up we have Jazz at Pizza Express which of course has been around for a while & been reviewed by me as well - You can read it here 

Lastly, my personal favourite here is Tamba, a fusion Indian restaurant. Tamba which means Copper in hindi has been depicted in the interiors of Tamba, absolutely loved the look of Tamba, right from the bells that have been displayed to the exposed tandoor ovens. I also tried out their crab pani-puri which I was reluctant to try initially but absolutely loved it. Also try out their dessert 'Ms Chatterji' which shall surely take you back to your 'pop candy' phase. They also have a lovely outdoor setup which shall soon be serving sheesha (yup, rejoice) Also don't forget to catch their local female DJ who shall be playing over the weekends whilst you sip on some great cocktails. 

All four restaurants are licensed and shall be serving alcohol. Don't see why it shouldn't be the new 'Hub' of Abu Dhabi

International Womens Day : Ladies Night

Firstly, a very Happy Women’s Day to you & to all the beautiful ladies out there.

Tonight seems like the perfect night to step out with your girl-gang & sip on some beverages for free, yes for free. Here are my 5 suggestions to celebrate women’s day tonight.

1.     Embassy Empress Night
The Deal:  3 free drinks and complementary nibbles.
Where: Grosvenor House Dubai, Tower Two, Dubai Marina
When:  8pm to 1am
Details: +971 43176000, www.embassy-dubai.com

2.     EnVii at the Greenhouse
The Deal: 2 Complimentary Drinks
Where: Vii Dubai, Conrad Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road
When:  8pm to 11pm
Details: +971 050 169 6777, www.viidubai.com

3.     Madame Butterfly at China Grill
The Deal: Free drinks all night + 50% off on food
Where: China Grill, The Westin Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina
When: Tuesdays, 6.30pm to 12am
Details: +9714 511 7333, www.chinagrilldubai.com

4.     She’s with us at TRIBECA
The Deal: 3 Free Drinks  
Where: Ocean View Hotel, Dubai JBR
When: 9 to 12.30 am
Details: 050-2878703

5.     The Girls Don’t Q at Q43
The Deal: 3 Complimentary Drinks  
Where: Media One, Dubai Media City
When: 6:00 to 1am
Details:  0561024298