A cup of Assam Tea

      Do you ever wonder what the taste of country-style cooking or village inspired cooking in southern India is? Even though I come from India, I have never visited the southern part of India yet. If I imagine southern Indian village style cooking, my mind instantly clicks a picture of earthy rustic flavorful cooking, a good dose of spices and of course all natural ingredients served in banana leaves, ah solace.       A few weeks back one of my friend mentioned about Kumar's the newly open Indian restaurant in Manchester, CT  with inspiration from Southern Indian village style cooking. I couldn't resist but to visit soon. Entering Kumar's I discover a hut in Kumar at the entrance felt good at the little effort to bring southern India to Connecticut USA, as huts are an integral part of an Indian village. It was busy Saturday night at Kumar's, it would be great if you can call ahead and ask for a reservation, otherwise, the wait is super long. As w...

      Artisan, the location itself will sweep your feet away, located in Delmar hotel in the Blue Back Square. An ambiance that is a class apart, compact and modern highly welcomes you on the set. Interior setting is a modern minimalist approach, yet achieves the pop of color with vibrant, intricate art on the walls. The full pack Friday crowd already gave us the vibe of popularity that it has gained in the Hartford country foodies heart. Having said that we had to wait for a while but after some time were seated comfortably. They have a compact American farm to table menu, and as a sober, I started my day with cranberry juice.       For the appetizer, I went ahead with royal shrimp a grit.No surprise the shrimp came cooked to a perfection with grits with a little extra perk you needed for the shrimp and succulent risotto sauce. That excused the exclusive taste you expect in a high-end restaurant like the artisan.      ...

A true blue foodie myself, lazy days especially Sundays, I look for Sunday brunches. As Sundays are also associated with Monday mania, I prefer brunches as there is no hurry to get up, devour and savor your food, yet you have time left to merge in Monday Mania. Last weekend was such a savory Sunday, and we went to India, West Hartford for Sunday brunch.      If you follow me, you might have read India West Hartford lunch review earlier, here is the post . India West Hartford has an interior that blends India intricates with urban design, and we were humbly and quickly greeted. They have an optional entry of menu where you can choose street style India food. The menu is not too extensive to overwhelm yet consisting most Indian street style food.         Most Indian street style foods are indulgent. Here I indulged with chili chicken, Indochinese. Delicately deep fried chicken pieces with relishing red sauce, crispy veggies, succulent-chunk...

      When I moved to the USA 15 years back, it was not only difficult but almost impossible to find choices for good fast food chain. Although a couple was there, it was not as widely known as today. But now from a couple of years ago, thanks to the food entrepreneurs and nutrition enthusiasts, you have the choice for healthy fast food chains.       Recently we visited Fresii in Westport. The name says it all..is not it? The whole new take on good and real food, offbeat entering Fressii itself give you great vibe. Located in the prime location with excellent shopping options and just a walk away from Saugatuck River, ivory walls and fresh green interior apparently makes you feel fresh.       We started our day with a few drinks, precisely juices. Freshii menu consists Wraps and salads, burritos and bowls, soups and smoothies all healthy assortments. I went ahead for Mediterranean bowl -quinoa and field greens, feta cheese, ka...

 I have always been fascinated by Tibet, whether it's their magical monasteries, monks, quaint natural beauty, dignified Dalai Lama, ethereal Everest or their simple delish cuisine. When a friend of my mentioned about this hidden gem, I could not stop myself visiting it. In art affectionate Wesleyan's home, Middletown, yes Tibetan Kitchen, Middletown, CT is a tiny piece of an art in its own way. Scarlet walls with Tibetan accents like Buddha and delightful portrait of Dalai Lama brought little Tibet inside this charming place. A little dream of mine became a reality as we entered into this Tibetan Kitchen with a vintage yet cherry, warm yet humble, eclectic oriental casual space. After a hearty and speedy greeting, we were seated. As going through the menu, we switched it a bit. As a momo(dumpling) lover, even though it is in the main course; we chose Momo as a starter. I and my husband had vegetable momo(Tsel momo) and for the kids chicken momo(Sha Momo)....

    There is always something about new whether it's New Year, a new song or new company, there is a bit of freshness, charm, promise and thrill to it. As a foodie, new restaurants always do the same for me. Market Place Kitchen is a newly opened restaurant in Avon that we recently ventured.     A high ceiling open modern kitchen and a brick wall with a fireplace, it felt cozy at first glance. I was quite impressed with the service in spite of a full pack Friday evening; they served gently and gracefully.     We began with a Mediterranean sample platter consisting of roasted red pepper, hummus, falafel and eggplant puree with Nan. I got hook to the way it is presented on a cutting board. Falafel was crisp and scrumptious. Hummus was whipped and velvety, Olives slightly bitter succulent, sweet cornichons were complimenting to it.      For mains, we got Garden flatbread for kids. The flatbread was flavorful with healthful garden vege...

      ION is so centrally located on Main Street in Middle town that you just can’t miss it. A quirky décor with offbeat oriental style and real plants inside graciously greeted entering into ion give me feel good moment. Dimly lit pink salt Himalayan pink salt lamp adds up even more to it. We were sited in a cozy corner, already won my heart with great service even before eating.        It was Friday and a cold February freezing winter day. We ordered southern fried tofu perfectly paired with lemon aioli. I already heard the buzz about it from quite a few and I tell you, it was sinfully signature. Kids wanted buffalo cauliflower which comes with cashew ranch dressing. It was crispy outside melt it mouth decadent. Probably give you more energy to beat the cold outside, paired with delicious creamy cashew dips.       After little guilt trip of having fried food, I quickly move over to opt for something healthy. W...

Some weekends I just want to relax and be lazy. In fact, the term relaxation carries till the food I order, where I don’t want to give myself trouble on going through a long menu. There are no such restaurants nearby. Then my hometown restaurant, Truffles came to the rescue. I had the pleasure to enjoy Truffle. Casual, cute restaurant Truffle with options of vegetarian and glutton free food. Most sandwiches are less than 10 dollars except Lobster Panini. Good for quick, casual lunch bite. We ordered Hummus Wrap ( Baby greens, cucumbers, tomato, feta and house-made hummus on spinach wrap) and Focaccia Mozzarella (( Fresh Mozzarella, tomato, green leaf lettuce and basil pesto on grilled herbed focaccia bread.). Both came with pasta on the side and a piece of cake, which was a fun factor for the kids. The food was nothing fancy yet tastes fresh and palatable, makes you choose truffle over any chain restaurant. They have a huge bakery section with cakes to cookies. Truffle has a...

Are you one who crave for fast food, if yes, I am one too. Because, it saves time, tastes good and convenient with kids. But, the major problem with fast food is that they are loaded with sugar, preservative and growth hormones, antibiotic, ingredients which are not at all good for your health. How about if you can eat organic real food with the feel of fast food restaurant? Here is my recently explored and favorite restaurant b.good. The main idea of b.good is to feel good and not feel guilty after eating. A casual and clean environment with friendly service and trendy food b.good was a wonderful experience. Medley of kale grain bowls, seasonal salads, and vegetables, hand cut fries and options of local all natural burgers and sandwiches including kid meals, seasonal smoothies and a variety of lemonades. Those smoothies are a delight. Creatively crafted menu with plethora options for vegetarian, and gluten free. The menu is very transparent as all ingredients come from local ...