Fabelle Chocolates Launch at ITC Maratha, Mumbai

ITC has come up with a new range of Premium Chocolates called Fabelle. Fabelle Chocolates have been in the making for a decade now, with extensive research and innumerable trials in the company's pursuit to craft the finest luxury chocolates in India. They knew what they wanted, and God, they have succeeded! A ten year research and sourcing chocolates from the very corners of the world, just to ensure the best premium ingredients. 

Fabelle was created by international chefs working in conjunction with ITC master chocolatiers to craft the finest quality chocolates. The taste just proves that their efforts paid off. Each offering was unique and exquisite.

We were first given a presentation by Mr. GK Suresh – Vice President, New Category Development, ITC Foods. We learnt a lot of interesting things, for example, that their ganache is conched for 12 hours to give the perfect melt-in-your-mouth feeling.

Let's start with the Fabelle Elements. They're intricately crafted pralines inspired by the elements of nature - Earth, Fire, Air, Water, Wood.

From L-R: Earth, Fire, Air, Water, Wood

Chef Prashant Sabne suggested I eat them in this order - Earth, Fire, Air, Water and Earth. Get a box of this, go ahead, treat yourself! Amazing stuff. I couldn't get enough of these. My favorites were Wood and Fire. Wood combines coffee chocolate and cinnamon. Classically favorite flavors for me, so this one was obvious. But Fire was a surprise. Made with Ancho chili and candied mango, this was an exquisite experience to say the least. You definitely will need the Air and Water after this one!

Next up, Fabelle Ganache - velvety soft cubes of exotic cocoas delicately churned with butter and fresh cream. There were three variants - Creamy Milk, Rich Dark, and Dark with Apple and Cinnamon.  

I am a huge fan of Dark Chocolate, and I loved that ganache. But when I met the Apple and Cinnamon, it was love at first bite. I never thought I would like it so much, because I am generally wary about flavors barging into my dark chocolate, but this one did a great job! I had so many of those. I regret nothing.

Fabelle As You Like It – personalized chocolate cup creations offering myriad possibilities of fillings and toppings, with endless combinations that you can experiment with.

I had so much fun creating my chocolate cup. We all named our cups after ourselves, so mine is called 'As Myra Likes It'! Do you guys wana know what was in my personalized chocolate cup?
It’s a dark chocolate cup, the first layer of filling inside it was a berry preserve, topped with a generous layer of dark mint creme, topped off with a powdery layer of arabica coffee. Everything I loved, and it was so awesome! I wasn't sure if berry would go well with dark mint creme, but then I remembered what surprises the ganache gave me, and then I felt better about making this chocolate cup!

Fabelle Single Origin Cacoas – single origin bars, crafted using cocoa from different countries (Madagascar, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Ecuador, Sao Tome and Ghana), each asserting its own distinct flavour and hence adding a unique flavor to each bar.

 
Fabelle Gianduja - This is a recreation of a tradiitonal Italian delicacy from the Napoleon era fashioned with an infusion of hazelnuts into rich, creamy milk chocolate. Not usually a fan of nuts in my cocoa love, I was quite impressed with these delectable bits. I tried it very hesitantly, but I shouldn't have been worried, it was really good. Even someone like me loved it, so of course people who like nuts in their chocolate would go absolutely mad about it.

After all this, there was still dessert! God, I was already on a sugar high by now, and then I see dessert. Space creates itself in one's tummy when faced with chocolatey goodness.

White chocolate cheese cake jars -

The goodness of Philadelphia cream cheese and white chocolate caught in a delicious house cheese cake recipe, embellished with berry coulis. The rich creamy cheesecake with the tart fruits - what a play of textures! Foodgasm right there. Also, it's eggless. That was probably the most amazing part. To get that smooth creamy texture without using eggs; wow.

 84% signature dark chocolate petit cake with fleur de sel -

Signature dark chocolate (84%!) with fruity and intense undertones explored three ways - a pure ganache, a citrusy chocolate cream and a rich chocolate mousse, on a textured sea salt-nut sablé, enrobed in cocoa glaze. Now, I love anything that uses fleur de sel. It just adds so much texture. So I knew this was going to be a treat, but even then I was underestimating it. It was just that perfect. Look at it. Even the glaze is perfect.
Vanilla cremeux bar with St. Domingue chocolate mousse -
  

Single origin 70% Saint-Domingue chocolate with strong cocoa notes, paired with a light cream of Madagascar vanilla and fortified with an almond hazelnut crunch, this was bliss. I thought nothing would ever match up to the petit cake and I was wrong. This was so so so good and rich, I was just done. This was a very very fitting last bite for such a scrumptious, chocolate-filled day.

Mind you, the three desserts shown here are all tasting portions. The actual menu items are larger in size but equally rich. You can just imagine what that would do to your dopamine levels. 

Heartily recommended!

Bloggers Lunch at Peshwa Pavilion, ITC Maratha

I was so happy to be a part of the Bloggers Table at Peshwa Pavilion. The invite was for the launch of their new menu, The Luxury Collection. ITC has a huge focus on Responsible Luxury and has revamped their menu to reflect this. They are also big believers in local, organic, and sustainable produce, at the same time ensuring that still maintain the luxury, perfection and attention to detail that ITC is known for.



I was super excited about this meet because I couldn't wait to see what they had come up with. Imagine how my expectations were raised when this was in front of me:

I couldn't wait to try all these! Being vegetarian, I was glad there were an equal number of options for veg and non veg. Not too many places do us the courtesy of an equivalent number of options.

We met Chef Sourabh Rai, who is the junior sous chef at ITC Maratha and also oversees the operations at Peshwa Pavilion, has been with ITC since 2014. He explained to us each of the terms below.

Sattva - Food marked with this tag is made in a quarantined area away from contact with all non vegetarian items

Swasthya Cuisine - Sustainable + Healthy! For example, salmon contained a rich quantity of omega-3, which is a good fat and hence good for your body as it does not negatively affect your cholesterol levels. 

This ties in perfectly with their 'Choose Wisely' initiative. This was created in collaboration with WWF and Central Marine Fisheries Institute. Did you know ITC is the first company in India to adopt the Choose Wisely program with WWF? To illustrate this, Chef Sourabh Rai told us that the per capita consumption of fish in India has increased from 9.9 to 19.2 - from the 60s to now. More people need to be aware of this issue.

Also, there is an emphasis on local produce, and hence regional specialties like kokum are extensively used in their new revamped menu. Another example would be the use of local nuts like cashews instead of hazelnuts in a recipe.

The very first thing on the list were the Swasthya Beverages.

The first one was Carrot and Mono Floral Honey. This was just the right amount of sweet and high in vitamins and antioxidants. In case you didn't know, Mono floral honey is that which is made by bees which collect it from solely one plant.

The next was the Jamun and Mint Muddle. I liked this one a lot, and I don't even usually like Jamun! Sharp, tangy but still quite sweet. It had a slight astringent taste, which for some reason I liked. The mint leaves were extremely fresh, and added in no small measure to the flavor palette of the drink.

Last, but in my opinion best, the Date and Tender Coconut Blitz. The taste of both comes across strongly. An amazing combo, which was elevated in no less measure by the addition of black salt.

Chef Sourabh suggested Crusty Bread for the table, for something to munch on between courses. 

This crunchy bread was made of pearl millet(ragi), rye, rajgira (amaranth) and sundried tomatoes. Served with classic basil pesto. The bread was quite nice, and of course, super healthy. But I believe the pesto could've been a tad thicker. Otherwise, it was pretty good.

Next up, Molten Brie with Pretzel Crusts.

This was an entire wheel of cheese, breaded with pretzel crust. I mean, do you really need me to tell you that this is amazing? It was served with roast beet and spiced apple chutney. The spiced apple was a tad too tangy for my taste when I tied it solo, but no doubt it went really well with the apple chutney. I also paired it with the crusty bread, and the contrasting textures made it so gooood! It was also served with dill, mint and parsley mayo. What a great play of flavors! I just couldn't stop eating this. 

What was next? A Seasonal Squash and Carrot Puree.

This was served with melon seed. green onion, sambal, and flat rice noodles. I am a fan of flat noodles anyway, and I was not let down at all! It was amazing! I wanted more. Yummy, thick, and hearty. All the ingredients complemented each other so well. A dish I would definitely come back for.

The Green Burger BOP (BOP = Best of Pavilion)

Then buns are 'Good for You' rye and sunflower seed buns, served with a side of greens and fries. What's green?

Look at the patty! So Green! Zucchini, broccoli, asparagus, spinach, green peas, with some ricotta and oats. This was super yummy! Oats and crumb on top to complete what is possibly the healthiest burger I've ever had.

Next, Vada Pav. Now, I do love street food, no two ways about it. However, I don't much like Vada Pav, but I was willing to give it a shot here.

Served with teekha chutney, meetha chutney and the dry powder that they usually sprinkle on the bun before putting the vada inside.The chutneys were served in a pipette, which was something that all of us found super cute.

Last of the mains, Pumpkin Ricotta Gnocchi.

Embellished with amber butter, dates, and charoli nuts, this was absolutely fabulous! The medley of flavors were to die for. And the amber butter, oh God. Such delightful flavor combinations. I had never even thought pumpkin and ricotta would work so well with each other before I had this dish.

On to my favorite part of every single meal - Dessert!

First, Pavilion Chocolate Fudge, served with jaggery caramel sauce.

Served with berries, nuts, mascarpone and ice cream. Absolutely delectable. I was not sure how jaggery and caramel would fit, but it fit beautifully. And the fudge was just the right amount of sweet. Even with the ice cream and mascarpone, it didn't get cloyingly sweet. The berries added a much required tartness, too.

Next and last dish of the day, White Chocolate Cheesecake, served with spiced forest berry compote.

Being a major chocolate lover, and a dark chocolate fan at that; I was so surprised when I loved this more than the Chocolate Fudge! With white chocolate shavings on top, and the citrus freshness, there was already a flavorful bite right there. But the addition of the spiced berries took it to ecstasy levels.

One of the best meals I've had at a bloggers' table, I heartily recommend this place to everyone! Their food is not just tasty and healthy, but truly does follow their concept of Responsible Luxury.

Review - Boston Butt, Fort

Food: 4/5
VFM: 4.5/5
Ambience: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Veg friendly: 4/5

This is a fairly new place in Fort, which means it already has a lot to live up to considering the amazing places nearby. Yet it lives upto the challenge and how! Boston Butt is actually the American name for the cut of pork that comes from the upper part of the shoulder from the front leg. It is the most common cut for pulled pork, a barbecue staple. It originated in Boston and hence was known countrywide as the 'Boston Butt'.
 
And now we know it in India too! 
 
On to the food and drinks now..
 
My friend ordered a cocktail, Blasé Blasé. I don't recall the ingredients, however she said it was strong and yet smooth, which is a good thing. 

 

Siddharth Kashyap, the owner, suggested we try the kaffir which was carbonated using SCOBY. Scoby stands for Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast. It adds a sharp fizziness to the drink. I am not a fan of fizzy drinks per se but this was great! 

We also had the apple cinnamon and ginger, which was similarly carbonated and delicious. The ginger worked great as a palate cleanser, whereas the apple cinnamon tastes like Cinnabon! It was like I was drinking Cinnabon. I couldn't get enough of it.
 

My friend, being a non-vegetarian, got the Buffalo style chicken lollipop with a Gorgonzola and blue cheese dip. It was spicy, super spicy. She had tears streaming down her face and she was saying 'oh my God this is delicious!' Hilarious but she loved it. It had been slow barbecued and she said there was a smoky flavor in each bite. Surprisingly, she managed to finish it. Siddharth said most people are unable to without copious amounts of dip.
 

I, on the other hand, got the smoked bbq potato skin. Loaded with yellow cheddar and mascarpone (which looked like dainty whipped cream), caramelised onion, all topped off with a jalapeño slice and scallion. It was superbly done and had that smoky flavor as well. 

So they bake even the veg dishes in the charcuterie, which I loved, because why should us veggies miss out of these amazing flavors?

Next up, bloom bread. That is a round bread with criss-cross cuts, all stuffed with cheddar, Gouda and burnt garlic. It was yummy and melty and each bite was a delight. However, the bread was gone a little too soft due to the cheeses getting soaked through. Maybe if they used a firmer bread like sourdough it might hold its texture better? Just a thought.

After that, we had the four cheese Mac and cheese. White cheese, yellow cheddar, Gouda, parmesan, and sundried tomato. Served with a crispy slice of bread. I am a cheese fan and I absolutely loved the medley of flavors in each bite.
 

Up next, smoked bean mini sloppy. Served with cider slaw. By the time I reached this dish I was pretty much stuffed already. But it was really cute, tiny and yummy. But considering this place is known as a charcuterie, you would be better off trying their bbq specialties.
 

My friend had the chicken chilli, which she liked, but she preferred the chicken lollipop mentioned about because of the perfect spices and the smoky flavor.
 

To top it all off, Siddharth suggested we get their skillet cookie. That's basically a HUGE cookie baked right in the skillet. Served with three types of house-made ice cream - chocolate, vanilla and salted caramel. It was DIVINE. I thought I was full before but clearly I was wrong. It was so good that I would go back just for that. I should go back soon, in fact. Specially the salted caramel, God, that takes it to another level altogether.

Also, the singer for the night was Ramya Pothuri, an amazingly talented vocalist and guitarist. She is absolutely amazing, and she's been performing since the age of 5. Check out her Facebook page. They have live performances pretty often and jazz is a favourite, from what I heard. 
 

VFM: For the variety and complexity of flavors on offer, the price seems to be worth it. The service and the ambience is also fabulous. If you consider that, which you should, then the price is most definitely worth it.
 

Ambience: Amazing! The place is beautifully done up, reminiscent of pre-Prohibition era charcuteries. Loved the vibe. 

 

Service: Very attentive, I didn't even have to ask for a water refill. The servers were just that good.
 

Veg friendly: For a place that specialises in meats, cold cuts, bbq, and the works, I didn't expect much in the way of veg. I was pleasantly surprised about the number of options there. Enough for even a picky vegetarian - I should know, I am one! 

This review was on invite, and the meal on the house. However, all views are unbiased.

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Review - California Pizza Kitchen, Lower Parel

Food: 4.5/5
VFM: 4/5
Ambience: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Veg friendly: 3.5/5

Absolutely adore this place. I've been there multiple times and never got around to writing a review. Must do now!

Veg Platter: 4/5

The usual veg platter has a different combination of starters, but the CPK Dessert Festival is going on, and their platter seems delightful. So I ordered. And it was! 

Hummus with flavoured pita, spinach and corn cakes, bruschetta, quesadilla, cheese sticks and paneer taquitos, with a yummy dip. I loved the cheese sticks (obviously) with the sharp melty cheese. The table had a divided opinion on the paneer taquitos but I liked it. Hummus was good, and so was the quesadilla. 

Capri Pizza: 5/5

Utterly delightful! Exotic veggies, pomodoro sauce (that's tomato, basically), and a rolling of arugula and basil leaves, with lemon herb dressing and thin slices of parm to finish it off. Undoubtedly one of the best pizzas I've had in Bombay. 

 
Lately I have been more open to experimenting with mushrooms and I'm pleased to say that this pizza opened the door a bit more for mushroom to gain entry to my life.
Chocolate Trinity: 4.5/5

The bottom layer is a chocolate devil sponge cake. Then comes baked dark chocolate, cream and chocolate mousse, and a dusting of cocoa powder. With chocolate crumbs sprinkled around and some on top as well. They could have done a way better job of presentation, like see the chocolate? It looks like someone has alread eaten through it. Not great. Yet it tasted good enough to make up for it. But minus 0.5 for presentation definitely.


So I took a picture from another angle.

VFM: It's a tad expensive, but pizza in India is. And if you can spend that much on a pizza chain, it's definitely more worth your money here. Desserts are all worth it. The sundae is amazing too.
 
Ambience: The place is open and airy, yet with booths that afford a sense of privacy.
 
Service: My favourite kind of service here - attentive and unobtrusive. But when there's a rush, they're a tad distracted.
 
Veg friendly: Enough to keep a vegetarian happy, though there are more non-veg options overall.

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