Avista Cafe Pizzeria

“One of the nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.”  Avistar in Spanish means a Captivating sight, an apt name derivation for this hidden gem located in the booming district of Kalyan Nagar, it is a great place to hangout with friends and surpasses expectations. Opened just a few months ago, Avista takes pride in its Italian Cuisine staying undeterred soaring high through its remarkable dishes and elegant decor while others around dwell into insignificance due to cutthroat competition.

Food- To begin with the Roasted Bell Pepper Soup was superb. Rich  and creamy followed by some appetizing starters. Impeccable Quality. Impressive Presentation.

The Honey Chilli Potato, Mushroom Caps, BBQ Chicken Wings and Grilled Peri Peri Chicken sausages were fantastic. Marinated well and perfectly done. But the Bruschetta was average and can be improved.

Grilled Chicken Sandwich and Burger was incredible. Highly recommended. Soft bread, succulent chicken and generous use of cheese. Real Explosion of flavors that excite the palate and bring a smile.

I relished the brilliant in-house Fettuccini pasta. Right taste, spice, thickness and texture. The Peri- Peri Chicken Pizza was outstanding. Fresh with delicious toppings making a fabulous treat.

The Fish & Chips and grilled chicken breast served with mashed potatoes and vegetables was excellent. Flawlessly cooked, it can match the preparation by any 5 star restaurant chef.

Desserts were indeed exceptional and extraordinary.  The Mango Panna Cotta deserves  a special mention. It was wiped clean off the plate in a few seconds and we couldn’t stop ordering more. My other favorites were Nutella & Nuts Pancakes, Red Velvet Cake, Maple Syrup & pecan Tart as well as Walnut Brownie. Each one of these are what sweet dreams are made of. It can surely create midnight cravings and provide heavenly bliss. Happy Ending to an extremely hunger fulfilling and tummy satisfying Sunday Brunch. (8/10)

Ambience- Amazing Home Theme Cafe. Marvelous interior design with shelves having plants, Books, board games and guitars adding to the nostalgia feel and attractive look. Spectacular old school band Posters and funky frames with quotes and photos adorn the brightly painted rustic walls. Beautiful lights of different shapes.  Pleasant music in the background. Choice of Outdoor, private AC Family Dining and regular indoor tables available. Despite having a small area of 50 seating capacity, the layout is well planned with spacious arrangement. (9/10)

Service- Splendid. Polite, courteous, quick, knowledgeable, efficient and well trained staff who go out of their way to make guest feel comfortable. Wonderful Hospitality. No parking facility is available. However You can find space in the lane opposite. (8/10)

Pocket Friendly Economical Pricing with value for money. There is also a special discount for students below the age of 21. Truly a delightful and memorable experience. Will definitely Visit again.

Crawl Street

It is not just about eating good food but the overall dining experience that matters.  I had a delightful time at Crawl Street located in the booming restaurant hub of Koramangala. As the name gives us some hint,  this place has a very unique and innovative set up ideal to hang out, unwind and enjoy a lazy evening.

Food- Mocktails are splendid and refreshing. My favourites were Beach Comber, Charlie Chaplin and Sweet Jane. Fabulous Variety of options on the menu to choose from. Appetising Starters. Impressive Presentation that elevates an average dish. Impeccable Quality. Malai Tikka and Coriander Murg Kebab were outstanding. Marinated well and perfectly grilled. Fish Chilli was remarkable. Soft, juicy with an explosion of flavours. The top notch Vegetarian item that I relished were the Cheese Balls. Fried Rice was Fantastic. Right taste and seasoning that excites the palate. Biryani was excellent. Aromatic rice with succulent pieces of chicken mixed well in its masala. Pasta Alfredo was brilliant. Creamy, delicious and generous amount of toppings. Nevertheless some incredible factor is missing as nothing is exceptional or extraordinary that can create cravings. (7/10)

Ambience- Amazing Decor that you fall in love with instantly. Magnificent surroundings of saloons, shops, eateries, bus stops and pubs that gives a fascinating  feeling of walking in a posh Street. Well Planned elegant Layout.  All the photogenic guests can click some terrific pictures in front of the exquisite orange scooter. There is also a door in the shape of a truck which shows the commendable effort they have put in curating the theme. Spacious Arrangement. Situated on the 4th floor which is a nice Open Roof Top Terrace. Beautiful wall paintings. Spectacular lights of different shapes. Wooden benches, tall stools, designer chairs and sofas for seating. Lot of plants and grass add to the greenery enhancing the attractive look. Marvellous Road and sidewalk style Flooring. Great music. Exuberant atmosphere for partying and having fun. (9/10)

Service- Superb. Quick and efficient waiters. Staff are attentive, polite, courteous, knowledgeable and well trained. However preparation time is a bit slow and we have to wait a long time for the food to arrive. Valet parking available. Wonderful welcome and hospitality. (7/10) 

Total Rating- (7/10)

Sharief Bhai, Koramangala

Nothing is more apt for this review than The tagline of My Blog The FOOD ADVENTURE which says “An Expedition of exploring different restaurants is an exuberant and mesmerising gastronomical journey. The joy of seeing culinary masterpieces is heavenly bliss”. There are just a handful of  places which meet expectations but this has surpassed it all and has set a standard that cannot be beaten. This newly opened restaurant is a master in Authentic Traditional Muslim Cuisine. Each dish on the menu has a seperate distinguished taste and a different preparation technique. Variety of options to choose from. All recipes belong to Ms. Falak, wife of Mr Sharief  that have a unique personal touch. Thanks to them Ramzan Special Delicacies are now available all year around. All ingredients are fresh, some ground in house. For me it was a moment of nostalgia reminding me of my Grandmother’s passionate cooking.

Food- Starters are Incredible.  Impeccable Quality. Impressive Presentation. The Paya Ka Salan and Murg Marag soups not only have an Appetising aroma but also excite the palate. Patthar Gosht is fantastic. Slowly cooked on a stone slab to perfection that melts in the mouth. One of my favourite. Shami Kebab is outstanding. Stuffed with piquant minced meat and egg, it is crispy and provides an explosion of flavour. Highly Recommended. Prawns and Teetar (Quail) Fry were Excellent. Juicy,  Soft and well marinatinated making it exceptionally good. Sukki Phaal or lamb chops are splendid. Superb masala, Tender and flawlessly grilled. Chapti Murg is phenomenal. A typical street food. Fabulous Fried Chicken Pieces on a stick dipped in spice with a scrumptious outer covering.

The other top notch dishes that I relished and deserve a special mention are  Tandoori Kebab, Gurda Kaleji and Bheja Fry. The brain mixed in pepper seasoning was the best I’ve ever eaten. Literally!

I the main course, Gravies such as Khurma, Nalli Nihari and Cutt Kofte Ande had the right Right texture, thickness and spices giving it a brilliant taste. Lavish yet light. What a quintessential Muslim Home Curry should be like! Goes Great with paratha.

Chicken Biryani is Hyderabadi Style in long basmati rice. I absolutely loved the remarkable Bangalore Style Mutton Biryani in small ‘Zeera Samba’ rice. Flavourful layers of rice cooked in succulent meat that imparts an essence to the masala.

Apshoola Lime Drink and Sulemani Chai are nice and refreshing. For Desserts, Indian Sweets were a true delight. Muzaffar was extraordinary. Made of rice, it was rich, creamy and had generous amount of nuts adding to the crunchiness. Matka Phirni is terrific. Halwe ki poori made with ghee was so delicious and irresistible that I burned my Mouth with the hot khawa.  However fish is average and can be improved. (9/10)

Service- Exemplary. Wonderful Hospitality. Staff make you feel comfortable with their royal treatment. Waiters are polite, courteous, attentive, efficient, knowledgeable and well trained. It might bit a bit slow and take little longer when there are more people because everything is made fresh as per order. Valet Parking Available. (8/10)

Ambience- Amazing decor that gives an elegant Vintage Muslim Homely Feel. Matching White Crockery enhances the attractive look. Beautiful wall designs. Comfortable sofas and chairs for seating. Spacious Arrangement. Well planned layout. Large spectacular lights. Magnificent Mughal Painting and colourful chandeliers at the entrance. Marvellous View of the Live Open Kitchen through the glass. Calm and peaceful atmosphere with light old hindi music in the background. (9/10)

Overall- (9/10) A extremely satisfying meal and a memorable experience. Will surely keep visiting again to satisfy cravings. Economical Pricing. Pocket Friendly with Value for money. If live to Eat is your ideology, Sharief Bhai is a must try, a rare gem that you will regret missing.