Aliva - Chatpate crackers - Not So Great

After all the advertising bombardment on TV, this weekend when I walked into the store, I picked up a packet of Aliva - Chatpate crackers. I thought the lovely monsoon weekend would make this a great accompaniment for the evening chai.

 

Didn't have it with the chai but instead thought it would be a good support to the pasta we had on Sunday evening.

Disappointed.

I don't know what the intended taste was but it was funny. When you are having such crackers you ideally want a taste which won't let you stop at just one, so you go munching and munching more. But not with this one. Its not as masaledar as expected and strangely leaves a very sweet taste at the end of the bite. Don't know if that's the expected after-taste.

Also noticed a rather odd piece of masala in the pack. Don't know what was this supposed to be?

 

Sorry, but Aliva is not getting added to my regular list of Chatpate of Lays, Pringles and the new Hippo!

Bites of Mahabaleshwar

A holiday is not complete if you are not eating more & something different than what you eat back home. A recent trip to Mahabaleshwar with friends was all about that - eat, eat some more and just eat.

Strawberry Den (in the market)
Ideally strawberry preparations are served good in any of the places in Mahabaleshwar, but we seemed to like this place in particular. He seemed to make his mixes with total focus and the right amount of ingredients. The milk-shake and strawberry+cream are a must haves. While at this place you must also try the french fries.

Hirkani Gardens
After strawberry if there is something you should not miss there it is the corn dishes. Have the corn pattice, corn roll and a meal will give you corn sabji and roti also. We tasted the corn dishes on previous evening at Hill View near the lakeside but seem to prefer this place for it's taste and quantity servings.
The place also offers you a chance to walk through their plantation and pick your own strawberries. But we missed it because we reached there after sunset.

When in Rome do as the Romans. So when if you are surrounded in a Maharashtrian hill station what better way to start your morning then to bite into some local breakfast dishes. We had the kande poha, upma, vada pav, misal pav and some tea to wash it down all. The lal watery chutney served with the misal is an atom bomb so eat at your own risk.

Hotel Panorama
Order whatever sabji you want to, but don't miss the parathas - huge, buttery & fluffy, they will leave you with a stomach full & satisfied having such a rich preparation.

Olive Garden at The Brightland Resort
A rip-off, a freakingly expensive place this lunch outing kept us wondering what we paid so much money for. At an approximate cost of Rs.900 per head (no alcohol included) we thought this place was not just worth the price tag. Thankfully the food was nice and that was the only comforting factor. Maybe it was just our experience, but would love to know what other's think about dining in here.

Can't wait to travel again and enjoy some more food delights.

Chatpat khana at Opera House

What: Chatpat road-side khana peena. Bhel-puri/sev-puri. Dosa wala. Sandwich wala. Gole wala and Khicha wala.

Where: Near Babubhai Jagjivandas Showroom (there is also a shut-down Dawood Shoes store) at Opera House. Opposite Marwari Vidyalaya.

What's a Khicha?
It's a papad like thing but made of rice and a little harder. It's used like a pizza base is used and is made tasty by adding tomato, onion, sev, cabbage and masala. Served hot this is a great evening snack.
 

And of course a good evening snack can't end without something sweet so don't miss out slurping out those golas.

Samosa at Punjabi Karachi Wala

Eating out with the office team is always an adventure. About a month back I visited this dingy place called Punjabi Moti Halwai Karachi Wala at Fort in Mumbai.

Now a single look at this place is surely to put you off if you have not read or heard about this place. I went along only because my colleagues had tried and tested it.

What did we eat?
We called for Samosa and Channa Masala. The chutney is salty and watery like a syrup to drink with the dish.

       

Recommended Eating
Samosa, channa masala, chole bhature and lassi (malai maar ke).

Absolutely cost effective place this is popular for executives from area eating lunch or grabbing their evening snack with a BIG cup of tea to wash it down.

Maggi Cuppa Mania Insta Noodles

I just finished eating the new Maggi Cuppa Mania Insta Noodles (Flavour: Chilly Chow Yo!). The packaging is good which makes the packet truly mobile. The noodles are hard & flat more like pad-thai noodles but taste good and a bit spicy make it fun to eat.

But what's strange is that when you make the Maggi packet they taste fresh, soft and nice. However the cup noodles feel a bit hard in spite of a good 4 minute of boiling water soaking. Maybe because they don't get the cooking heat into them.

Recommended eating: For a bachelors meal kit, quick evening snack or a mid-night meal. Get some and stock your kitchen because you never know when hunger can call.