Foodie Land Blog | Indian food and restaurant reviews

MPOC Bloggers meet | Palm oil and its importance

It has been quite a long time that we attended a meet up/event which educates us about the general crisis we are facing as individuals with respect to world order etc. rather than learning more and more about the thing we know best: food.

There are some serious events happening across the globe related to food security, war, terrorism etc. and it is a sad fact that most multi facet organizations and developed nations use food security as a tool to manipulate countries with huge populations (like ours!).

On the same line, we were a part of a bloggers meet on the topic of palm oil at The Vivanta by Taj-M.G. Road. It was more of an informative session than being a bloggers meet as there were an array of topics discussed revolving around the acceptance of palm oil and strategies implemented to make sure than even though on a daily basis we consume goods containing palm oil, we don’t use it because of the idea of apparent harm attached to it.

The above paragraph sounds paradoxical doesn’t it? It should, because it is! Children are always told that we should have a diet based on natural food mostly ones growing out of the earth. Palm trees most definitely fit the description and the yield of palm oil is consumed by over a million people directly and they are still alive and well. So, the question is what makes us delusional about this topic?

This meet was organized by #MPOC or the Malaysian Palm Oil Council and Malaysia is thriving on Palm Oil because it has numerous advantages over other varieties of oil. Over 70% of Malaysia is now covered with palm plantations which not only give them great yield but also maintains forest cover. There are many reasons behind the adoption of palm oil and a few are as follows:

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The Retro Dining Experience @ Woodstok | Indiranagar | Bangalore

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Chicken & Bacon Steak

Recently we brought to you all an Italian food experience followed by our experience at a new & funky pub so, how about something retro this time?

We sincerely believe that in the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, we need to give ourselves a break and indulge in something not belonging to our super modern era! On the same line, our recent experience at Woodstok Restro-Cafe, Indiranagar fits this description.

From the outside, the establishment is shaded with loads of greenery all around and inside you can see a lot of “wood”. They have 2 floors of spacious seating arrangement. They have outdoor seating on the top floor which also acts as the smoking area and it is a peaceful and romantic setting. Apart from this, they have private dining spaces and food which is guaranteed to make you crave for more.

We also noticed that they are probably the only establishment apart from HRC in which video and audio are in full sync. An added bonus is that there is a lot of ambient lighting which results in better photographs and lesser artificiality.

Now coming down to the food:

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The Latest Hangout @ The Route 42 | Koramangala | Bangalore

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Pina Colada

Thanks to the decision we made about a couple of years back we get to visit a variety of establishments for our genuine feedback. The decision we are talking about is to start a blog and express our opinion to everyone about great & not so great places to visit.

In the recent past we have come across super experienced chefs and they all talk about how we all are moving away from fancy stuff and settling for comfort food.

Our recent visit was to one of the newest pubs in Bangalore in 5^th block Koramangala and it goes by the name: The Route 42. We really liked this establishment because of a few basic factors. First and foremost, they provide a comfortable environment with a good degree of ambient light. They have stuck to the basics of providing services with good quality at reasonable pricing. This is one of the few outlets which will fetch you a value for money, be it drinks or food.

They have a good collection of music and there is something interesting about their speakers. They are hi-tech and even at full volumes we were able to have a clear conversation!

Apart from that, they have funky seating arrangements (mainly the sofas made up of jeans and gunny bags) and fun wall paint.

So, we have talked about their highlights in general so now coming down to the food and drinks:

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Glimpses of Italy @ Sphyre | The Gateway Hotel-Residency Road | Bangalore

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Fried Calamari

So what cuisine are you guys in the mood for?

We know that we have been craving for Italian food for quite some time and finally we received the chance to fulfil our craving! We have recently been to the ongoing Italian Food Festival at Sphyre, The Gateway Hotel-Residency road, Bangalore. So, are you guys ready to take your taste buds on an Italian trip?

Whatever your answer is, do read on ;)

We have been to this property before and although it is not huge, it has a separate charm of its own.

For the current festival, their Sous Chef Tushar prepared some extraordinary authentic Italian delights. It was indeed a pleasure being a part of this as the food was of a different level altogether.

So, coming down to the food:

The menu is very elaborate and so we tasted bits and parts as recommended and served by Chef Tushar.

First up, we were served the Minestrone and Lentil soups and both the soups were super appetizing. The best part was that all the flavours were individually distinguishable. The consistency was perfect, with fresh ingredients and a touch of herbs!

Aranchini

Then we tried the Aranchini and the Fried Calamari. The Aranchini had a good bite to it and the cheesy Arborio rice was well balanced and delicious. The fried calamari was crisp fried with a uniform colour. The calamari was well cooked, slightly chewy and this was a perfect snack.

Next up, the pasta: Tortellini Chicken in Tomato Sauce and the Penne a la norma.

The tortellini was excellently made: the shape, the minced chicken stuffing with cheese and herbs and of course the sauce! Be it garnishing, the consistency of the sauce or anything else it was absolutely perfect.

Chicken Tortellini

Pasta a la norma

The Penne a la norma was as expected. The pasta was Indian al dente and it was a good dish overall.

The Pumpkin Risotto deserves praise! The Arborio rice was perfectly done and the creaminess of the pumpkins was absolutely delightful. The combo is definitely something to relish.

We tried two pizzas: spinach and eggs for non-veg and mushroom and olive for veg.

Pumpkin Risotto

Egg & Spinach pizza @Glimpses of Italy @ Sphyre | The Gateway Hotel-Residency Road | Bangalore

Egg and Spinach Pizza

Mushroom & Olive pizza |Glimpses of Italy @ Sphyre | The Gateway Hotel-Residency Road | Bangalore

Mushroom and Olive pizza

Both the pizzas had a thin crust with loads of Mozzarella. They were not overloaded with cheese and toppings as originally that is not the purpose. The toppings were generous and both the pizzas stood out. The eggs served in the pizza were sunny side up and it was great to see and to eat!

The mushroom and olives is a tried and tested combination and tasted the usual.

After this we tried the Grilled Salmon with Traditional orange sauce and the desserts.

The salmon was fresh and grilled to perfection. The sauce was slightly sweet and acted as a perfect palate cleanser before dessert. The orange sauce was absolutely lip smacking and added a citrusy zest to each bite. This dish is definitely a must try!

Grilled Salmon@ Glimpses of Italy @ Sphyre | The Gateway Hotel-Residency Road | Bangalore

Grilled Salmon is traditional orange sauce

Glimpses of Italy @ Sphyre | The Gateway Hotel-Residency Road | Bangalore

We forgot the name: It had layers of Aubergine and parmesan

Gnocchi in Blue Cheese Sauce@ Glimpses of Italy @ Sphyre | The Gateway Hotel-Residency Road | Bangalore

Gnocchi with blue cheese sauce

For dessert we had the Tiramisu and the Ricotta Cheese cake. The Tiramisu had a delicate touch of coffee, as expected. The best part was that no flavour was overpowering. The sweetness, layering and the taste was perfect.

The Cheese Cake looked like a thick slice of pizza but was soft. It was mildly sweet and had a creamy finish.

We finished our Italian meal on a happy note.

Apart from the above mentioned items, we were also served a gnocchi with blue cheese which was out of which world! It was super creamy and melted in our mouths. The blue cheese sauce was indescribably amazing!