An aim in life is the only fortune worth finding.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Closed & Coming Soon
Closed: Sea World, corner of Martine & Court, White Plains (evicted September, 2010)
Coming Soon: Cheeburger Cheeburger, Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains
Jury is still out on if it'll re-open or not: Bengal Tiger.
Coming Soon: Cheeburger Cheeburger, Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains
Jury is still out on if it'll re-open or not: Bengal Tiger.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Ganked From White Plains Patch: Bengal Tiger Update
The White Plains Common Council opted to purchase the former site of the Bengal Tiger restaurant, and not Ridgeway Country Club Monday.
By Dina Sciortino
The White Plains Common Council approved the issuance of $1.4 million in bonds Monday, to purchase .23 acres, at 134-142 East Post Rd., to potentially use it as a temporary parking facility. They also opted not to bond $15 million to purchase and renovate Ridgeway Country Club.
The property is located at former site of the Bengal Tiger restaurant. A July fire destroyed the store and six others leaving a massive ugly hole on East Post Rd. and Court St.
"What we don't need is a hole in the ground there for five years," said Council President Thomas Roach. "This will help the local merchants, while at the same time we are receiving revenue for the parking. We will have control of that land and in the future, and will have control of much of that block."
Mayor Adam Bradley said the property could be used temporarily for parking and that long-term plans for the site have not been decided.
"I'm not prejudging saying what we should do, or when we should do it, but I do think that given the essential nature of that portion of our city to the future development of our city—it's wise to take action at this point," said Roach.
Roach explained that the City already owns much of the block. Though the former Bengal Tiger site abuts a City owned parking lot, Roach said there is a lack of parking in the area.
"This is a parking lot. Running a country club is something the City is not equipped to do," said Roach.
Though a bond ordinance to issue $15 million in bonds to acquire and renovate Ridgeway Country Club was moved from Nov. 5 to the Dec. 6 agenda, the council did not approve the issuance of the bonds.
"The issue with Ridgeway you got to remember—the was council seeking some kind of business plan or study that could show it could of supported itself, but that was never provided to us," said Roach. "That really is the underlying basis for the council's failure to move forward with that purchase."
Bradley said that it was "very clear" that the bids Ridgeway received to purchase the site are sealed. Officials for Ridgeway Country Club did not immediately return phone calls from White Plains Patch.
By Dina Sciortino
The White Plains Common Council approved the issuance of $1.4 million in bonds Monday, to purchase .23 acres, at 134-142 East Post Rd., to potentially use it as a temporary parking facility. They also opted not to bond $15 million to purchase and renovate Ridgeway Country Club.
The property is located at former site of the Bengal Tiger restaurant. A July fire destroyed the store and six others leaving a massive ugly hole on East Post Rd. and Court St.
"What we don't need is a hole in the ground there for five years," said Council President Thomas Roach. "This will help the local merchants, while at the same time we are receiving revenue for the parking. We will have control of that land and in the future, and will have control of much of that block."
Mayor Adam Bradley said the property could be used temporarily for parking and that long-term plans for the site have not been decided.
"I'm not prejudging saying what we should do, or when we should do it, but I do think that given the essential nature of that portion of our city to the future development of our city—it's wise to take action at this point," said Roach.
Roach explained that the City already owns much of the block. Though the former Bengal Tiger site abuts a City owned parking lot, Roach said there is a lack of parking in the area.
"This is a parking lot. Running a country club is something the City is not equipped to do," said Roach.
Though a bond ordinance to issue $15 million in bonds to acquire and renovate Ridgeway Country Club was moved from Nov. 5 to the Dec. 6 agenda, the council did not approve the issuance of the bonds.
"The issue with Ridgeway you got to remember—the was council seeking some kind of business plan or study that could show it could of supported itself, but that was never provided to us," said Roach. "That really is the underlying basis for the council's failure to move forward with that purchase."
Bradley said that it was "very clear" that the bids Ridgeway received to purchase the site are sealed. Officials for Ridgeway Country Club did not immediately return phone calls from White Plains Patch.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Culinary Bucket List
Places I want to check out:
Birdsall House
Bollywood Bistro
Bedford Post
Moderne Barn
Half Moon
Tyrinda Thai
Red Plum (to try the coconut fish soup)
Birdsall House
Bollywood Bistro
Bedford Post
Moderne Barn
Half Moon
Tyrinda Thai
Red Plum (to try the coconut fish soup)
Monday, November 22, 2010
Stray Fortunes
Apparently, unconsciously, I've been collecting fortunes from fortune cookies. Usually if I'm reading while eating, I'll just tuck it into a book as a book mark. But now, I've got a few...
I suppose in the future, as I collect these, I'll intersperse them through out my blog entries. At the moment, I'm viewing them as mini pep talks! Hope they help!
It is better to ask some questions than to know all the answers.
Through greater effort and hard work, a precious dream comes true.
You enjoy giving gifts of yourself to others. You will be rewarded!
Enthusiasm is the greatest asset in the world. It beats money, power and influence.
Expect the best!
Through greater effort and hard work, a precious dream comes true.
You enjoy giving gifts of yourself to others. You will be rewarded!
Enthusiasm is the greatest asset in the world. It beats money, power and influence.
Expect the best!
I suppose in the future, as I collect these, I'll intersperse them through out my blog entries. At the moment, I'm viewing them as mini pep talks! Hope they help!
Okay, It's Been a While...
This'll be a panapoly of thoughts regarding places I have been since, oh, say AUGUST. Doing this, rather than getting bogged down in individual reviews, just to get myself back into the groove of posting here.
One late afternoon in July, I checked out Meme's Bakery. Tho they really did put a lot of work into creating their own space (there was a bakery there previously), and the pastries did look delicious, I was in the mood for a late lunch, and opted for one of their paninis. I got the turkey. I don't know if it was due to being so late in the day or what, but the turkey didn't taste fresh. I haven't been back, nor have I had a panini elsewhere. So far my limited dining experience has been, "Meme? Meh meh." I hope to return, and hope to be wowed. It's a great little shop, and the volume/variety of bakeries around here really has been diminishing.
One day, the husband picked me up for lunch, a rare treat, since I work in Westco, and he works in NYC. So off to Haiku Asian Bistro we went. We sat at the sushi bar, and we both had lunch special bento boxes. Fantastic variety and volume of food. Soup. Salad. California roll. Small entree. Rice. Fruit. The lunch special was the way to go. We both thought we might not finish it all. I've been to Haiku repeatedly, and have not been let down. Additionally, it's a lounge set up, so I can imagine how lively it is on a Saturday night.
In August, the husband took me to Le Panetiere in Rye for my birthday. Since our trip to Paris in the spring, the husband has been ga-ga for French cuisine. What a lovely evening it was. The food was wonderful, service beyond attentive and the decor was French country. Cost: an affordable luxury for special occasions.
Now this is where my memory gets murky! I don't remember WHEN, but at least twice we went to Le Provencal Bistro in Mamaroneck. Delicious food, sunny interior (we sat by the windows and people watched and chatted between bites). Last time I was there I had the duck; however, next time, I hope to try the Escargots Bourginion. The last time we were there, as we were exiting, both of us became intoxicated by the kitchen smells... and that's what they were preparing. Their lunch pre-fixe menu makes this a lovely treat for us once every few weeks, as the husband and I have a mutual appointment, after which, we then head out for a lunch date.
Normally, our "go-to" place has been Tarry Lodge in Portchester. Lovely interior. Great wait staff, and a menu that changes from time to time, depending on season or what is available on hand. Every time the gnocchi with stewed oxtails is moved off the menu, we cry a little. We've been slowly but surely working our way thru their menu. Chef Andy Nusser and his staff have never let us down. The food is always delicious, plated beautifully, is hot and wonderful. Husband's favorite pizza is the guanicale/soft cooked egg/black truffle; mine so far is a margherita w/proscuitto. The garganelli with three different mushrooms is delicious, as well as all their grill items. A must have is their warm chocolate cake, served with blood orange marmalade and house made pistachio ice cream.
On a sad note, I've noticed the gal who normally would seat us is gone, not sure if what I heard is true, that she went on to do pastry work at La Panetiere (or maybe I have her confused with someone else?). I'm sad to notice she's no longer at Tarry Lodge.
Granted we're semi-regulars, going there once every 3 weeks or so; however, she was always professional with us. This last time we went (about two weeks ago), the replacement hostess had a bit of an attitude with us. The kind of attitude snooty hostesses at shee-shee clubs in NYC sometimes have. This is PORTCHESTER for goodness sake, plus we're semi-regulars. Arriving 5-10 minutes early, while they're still setting up for lunch, really shouldn't have required us to leave, possibly visit the market on the corner (also a Batali & Bastianich establishment) and return. Why couldn't we have sat down and had water? We were the only ones there, plus we weren't in a rush. Just a place to sit is more than adequate.
It's not so much WHAT she said, but her body language and overall demeanor just made my husband and I feel uneasy. Next time, if this happens again, I'll be sure to say something to a manager, as it's just unprofessional. And let's be honest, in the food & hospitality biz, if you're not "hospitable," I'd just assume let my money do the talking on my behalf and go elsewhere.
As much as I love Tarry Lodge's food, no one should be made to feel like a pariah. Fat or thin, black or white, rich or poor, money is still GREEN.
Ultimately it comes down to this: we learned of about Tarry Lodge via word of mouth. Most of my friends are all foodies, and we rely heavily on word of mouth when it comes to spending our hard earned money at establishments, to ensure we have a good time overall (food, service, etc).
One late afternoon in July, I checked out Meme's Bakery. Tho they really did put a lot of work into creating their own space (there was a bakery there previously), and the pastries did look delicious, I was in the mood for a late lunch, and opted for one of their paninis. I got the turkey. I don't know if it was due to being so late in the day or what, but the turkey didn't taste fresh. I haven't been back, nor have I had a panini elsewhere. So far my limited dining experience has been, "Meme? Meh meh." I hope to return, and hope to be wowed. It's a great little shop, and the volume/variety of bakeries around here really has been diminishing.
One day, the husband picked me up for lunch, a rare treat, since I work in Westco, and he works in NYC. So off to Haiku Asian Bistro we went. We sat at the sushi bar, and we both had lunch special bento boxes. Fantastic variety and volume of food. Soup. Salad. California roll. Small entree. Rice. Fruit. The lunch special was the way to go. We both thought we might not finish it all. I've been to Haiku repeatedly, and have not been let down. Additionally, it's a lounge set up, so I can imagine how lively it is on a Saturday night.
In August, the husband took me to Le Panetiere in Rye for my birthday. Since our trip to Paris in the spring, the husband has been ga-ga for French cuisine. What a lovely evening it was. The food was wonderful, service beyond attentive and the decor was French country. Cost: an affordable luxury for special occasions.
Now this is where my memory gets murky! I don't remember WHEN, but at least twice we went to Le Provencal Bistro in Mamaroneck. Delicious food, sunny interior (we sat by the windows and people watched and chatted between bites). Last time I was there I had the duck; however, next time, I hope to try the Escargots Bourginion. The last time we were there, as we were exiting, both of us became intoxicated by the kitchen smells... and that's what they were preparing. Their lunch pre-fixe menu makes this a lovely treat for us once every few weeks, as the husband and I have a mutual appointment, after which, we then head out for a lunch date.
Normally, our "go-to" place has been Tarry Lodge in Portchester. Lovely interior. Great wait staff, and a menu that changes from time to time, depending on season or what is available on hand. Every time the gnocchi with stewed oxtails is moved off the menu, we cry a little. We've been slowly but surely working our way thru their menu. Chef Andy Nusser and his staff have never let us down. The food is always delicious, plated beautifully, is hot and wonderful. Husband's favorite pizza is the guanicale/soft cooked egg/black truffle; mine so far is a margherita w/proscuitto. The garganelli with three different mushrooms is delicious, as well as all their grill items. A must have is their warm chocolate cake, served with blood orange marmalade and house made pistachio ice cream.
On a sad note, I've noticed the gal who normally would seat us is gone, not sure if what I heard is true, that she went on to do pastry work at La Panetiere (or maybe I have her confused with someone else?). I'm sad to notice she's no longer at Tarry Lodge.
Granted we're semi-regulars, going there once every 3 weeks or so; however, she was always professional with us. This last time we went (about two weeks ago), the replacement hostess had a bit of an attitude with us. The kind of attitude snooty hostesses at shee-shee clubs in NYC sometimes have. This is PORTCHESTER for goodness sake, plus we're semi-regulars. Arriving 5-10 minutes early, while they're still setting up for lunch, really shouldn't have required us to leave, possibly visit the market on the corner (also a Batali & Bastianich establishment) and return. Why couldn't we have sat down and had water? We were the only ones there, plus we weren't in a rush. Just a place to sit is more than adequate.
It's not so much WHAT she said, but her body language and overall demeanor just made my husband and I feel uneasy. Next time, if this happens again, I'll be sure to say something to a manager, as it's just unprofessional. And let's be honest, in the food & hospitality biz, if you're not "hospitable," I'd just assume let my money do the talking on my behalf and go elsewhere.
As much as I love Tarry Lodge's food, no one should be made to feel like a pariah. Fat or thin, black or white, rich or poor, money is still GREEN.
Ultimately it comes down to this: we learned of about Tarry Lodge via word of mouth. Most of my friends are all foodies, and we rely heavily on word of mouth when it comes to spending our hard earned money at establishments, to ensure we have a good time overall (food, service, etc).
Monday, July 19, 2010
Sunday, July 11, 2010
La Manda's, White Plains
La Manda's Restaurant
(No Website)
251 Tarrytown Road
White Plains, NY 10607-1622
(914) 684-9228
Upon the recommendation of a friend who's frequented it, and despite the many negative reviews I've read online, I cajoled the husband to try out La Manda's tonight.
I've lived in Westchester about ten years and have passed this joint to and from work every day, and finally decided "tonight's the night."
Our first red flag was that we were caught off guard when we read on the menu "no credit cards." We quickly checked our wallets and figured out we had enough for dinner.
One of the things my friend raved about was their house salad, a simple yet enjoyable combination of greens and tomatoes, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and maybe some oregano. I totally forgot about this when I saw they had escarole soup on their menu.
Sadly, the escarole soup seemed more like a chicken vegetable with some random noodles in it which they simmered some escarole in the broth. It was also curiously tangy. I'm hoping it's lemon in the broth. I can't think of any reason why escarole soup would be tangy.
As far as me and my stomach are concerned, we're on standby for some agita.
The husband opted for the lentil soup, which was also sorta tangy, which we're hoping was due to whatever tomato puree or other tomato product they put in the soup.
He opted for the chicken cacciatore (boneless) and I opted for the linguine a vongole. Both entrees fell short of our expectations.
For starters, the cacciatore seemed "off," as far as texture. The chicken cubes were stringy and the sauce had the consistency of Campbell's tomato soup, which was thickened with too much starch.
The linguine vongole initially appeared promising, as the bowl atop the dish revealed a veritable mountain of small clams. It was only upon opening each of the shells that revealed the amount of clam meat that would measure roughly that of the fingernail on my pinky. I now feel sorry for all those clams that gave their lives and died in vain for my disappointing meal.
The brodo that the clams and linguine were in, wasn't flavorful enough. No white wine and the garlic was hardly noticeable. Sure there were chunks of garlic, all golden and gently sauteed, leaving the chunks with a sweet and slightly nutty taste, but for garlicky punch... there was none.
We decided to cut our losses and not attempt their desserts or coffee. I'm sure the waitress was on to us, as we had plenty of leftovers which we politely declined being packaged up for left overs.
The decor is old and dated, and part of their charm. It's a place where time has stood still. It's a cozy, familiar local family run place, and probably looks not much different than it did when it opened in 1947.
The location is nice, with plenty of alternate, off street (as in, off of Rt 119) parking.
When we got in there, there was a small line, and a short wait. People seemed friendly enough.
Wasn't there long enough to check out the cleanliness of the bathroom.
Cost for our two soups, two seltzers, and two entrees came to nearly $46. Inexpensive. I could see this as a good selling point for this place.
The husband and I are both split on whether to return to try them out one final time before giving up on it entirely or putting it in the rotation for our "usual spots."
I hold out the (perhaps it may be false?) hope that the "golden egg" of this place is their chicken or eggplant parmesan or perhaps their pizza really is their specialty.
The husband says, and I quote, "There is no force on this earth which would make me go back."
I'm just glad we gave it a try.
For me, for the area, the "Kings" of this "genre" of family style Italian restaurant/pizzeria are Nicky's and Magnotta's. So, I'd like to find out for myself how La Manda's stacks up in the pizza department.
I'll be back. Just don't know when.
(No Website)
251 Tarrytown Road
White Plains, NY 10607-1622
(914) 684-9228
Upon the recommendation of a friend who's frequented it, and despite the many negative reviews I've read online, I cajoled the husband to try out La Manda's tonight.
I've lived in Westchester about ten years and have passed this joint to and from work every day, and finally decided "tonight's the night."
Our first red flag was that we were caught off guard when we read on the menu "no credit cards." We quickly checked our wallets and figured out we had enough for dinner.
One of the things my friend raved about was their house salad, a simple yet enjoyable combination of greens and tomatoes, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and maybe some oregano. I totally forgot about this when I saw they had escarole soup on their menu.
Sadly, the escarole soup seemed more like a chicken vegetable with some random noodles in it which they simmered some escarole in the broth. It was also curiously tangy. I'm hoping it's lemon in the broth. I can't think of any reason why escarole soup would be tangy.
As far as me and my stomach are concerned, we're on standby for some agita.
The husband opted for the lentil soup, which was also sorta tangy, which we're hoping was due to whatever tomato puree or other tomato product they put in the soup.
He opted for the chicken cacciatore (boneless) and I opted for the linguine a vongole. Both entrees fell short of our expectations.
For starters, the cacciatore seemed "off," as far as texture. The chicken cubes were stringy and the sauce had the consistency of Campbell's tomato soup, which was thickened with too much starch.
The linguine vongole initially appeared promising, as the bowl atop the dish revealed a veritable mountain of small clams. It was only upon opening each of the shells that revealed the amount of clam meat that would measure roughly that of the fingernail on my pinky. I now feel sorry for all those clams that gave their lives and died in vain for my disappointing meal.
The brodo that the clams and linguine were in, wasn't flavorful enough. No white wine and the garlic was hardly noticeable. Sure there were chunks of garlic, all golden and gently sauteed, leaving the chunks with a sweet and slightly nutty taste, but for garlicky punch... there was none.
We decided to cut our losses and not attempt their desserts or coffee. I'm sure the waitress was on to us, as we had plenty of leftovers which we politely declined being packaged up for left overs.
The decor is old and dated, and part of their charm. It's a place where time has stood still. It's a cozy, familiar local family run place, and probably looks not much different than it did when it opened in 1947.
The location is nice, with plenty of alternate, off street (as in, off of Rt 119) parking.
When we got in there, there was a small line, and a short wait. People seemed friendly enough.
Wasn't there long enough to check out the cleanliness of the bathroom.
Cost for our two soups, two seltzers, and two entrees came to nearly $46. Inexpensive. I could see this as a good selling point for this place.
The husband and I are both split on whether to return to try them out one final time before giving up on it entirely or putting it in the rotation for our "usual spots."
I hold out the (perhaps it may be false?) hope that the "golden egg" of this place is their chicken or eggplant parmesan or perhaps their pizza really is their specialty.
The husband says, and I quote, "There is no force on this earth which would make me go back."
I'm just glad we gave it a try.
For me, for the area, the "Kings" of this "genre" of family style Italian restaurant/pizzeria are Nicky's and Magnotta's. So, I'd like to find out for myself how La Manda's stacks up in the pizza department.
I'll be back. Just don't know when.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
ON FIRE AT THE MOMENT: BENGAL TIGER
Nothing further to report at the moment; however, there are billows of black smoke coming from the building that Bengal Tiger shares w/Star Cleaners, etc.
ETA:
For more information, check out the article on LoHud.
ETA:
19 hours later... Looks like the Latin American Cafe also bit the dust in this mega fire. I hope they manage to come back after this! Their garlic chicken was orgasmic!
Good luck to all the merchants who suffered in the fire! Glad no one got seriously hurt!
ETA:
For more information, check out the article on LoHud.
ETA:
19 hours later... Looks like the Latin American Cafe also bit the dust in this mega fire. I hope they manage to come back after this! Their garlic chicken was orgasmic!
Good luck to all the merchants who suffered in the fire! Glad no one got seriously hurt!
Sunday, June 27, 2010
10-13 Benefit, Porter House, White Plains
On Sunday, June 27, 2010, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., The White Plains PBA will be hosting a fund raiser held at the Porter House Restaurant in White Plains.
Cost is $25, and there will be a 50/50. Funds will go towards a scholarship fund for his twin sons.
On Saturday, June 12, 2010, Police Officer Michael Perry of the White Plains Police Department died of a heart attack after a foot chase and apprehending a perpetrator.
Cost is $25, and there will be a 50/50. Funds will go towards a scholarship fund for his twin sons.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Mark Your Calendar! 3/21/10
Cochon 555: The only competition in the US featuring heritage pigs from local farms, chefs, butchers, and family owned wineries.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Masala Kraft Cafe, Hartsdale
This Saturday we decided to check out Masala Kraft Cafe, located in the snug downtown area of Hartsdale.
To call Masala Kraft Cafe a "cafe," is sort of misleading. Those who are fond and knowledgeable of Indian food would call this a "chaat house." Chaat being the small or portable snack type things usually found in road side vendors in larger metropolitan areas in India (such as sev puri, samosa chaat, chana bhatura, dosas, etc).
To call it a "chaat house" is not a way to denigrate this fine establishment. I make the distinction to put a finer point on what type of place this is. It would be on par with a deli, sandwich shop or coffee shop, offering a limited menu of items for early to mid-day meals or snacks, rather than an establishment to go for a multi-course dinner.
Masala Kraft Cafe is very thoughtfully appointed with a modern, yet nondescript type of atmosphere. It is clean, modern, and accommodating, with some nice decorator touches, but without the typical decorations one would expect from an Indian establishment. Even the stoneware dishes the food is served upon has the personal touch, as each are emblazoned with the Masala Kraft Cafe name.
The restaurant itself is fairly small with about six tables and a long granite snack bar with high bar stools which face out onto the busy main street to accommodate a small amount of patrons at a time. The place was just about full when we arrived.
Parking is conveniently (and if you're not familiar with the downtown area, it's deceptively) around the corner in a municipal parking garage, we happily parked our car and walked in the cold for what we hoped would be a great lunch.
We placed our order and settled into some bar stools up front to "people watch" until our food arrived.
Masala Kraft Cafe has been open for roughly seven months, and business was bustling for a Saturday, especially one where the temperature outside was near freezing. I can only imagine how busy this place will be once the weather warms up. I gladly snagged one of their take out menus, and intend on enjoying their food by way of take out, rather than fight the crowds with a stomach grumbling.
Service was good. The person taking our order was helpful with suggestions, and the person delivering the food to where we sat was pleasant and unharried.
My husband ordered pao bajji which was on the specials menu (pao = bread; bajji = vegetables cooked on a grill with spices), however we had the option to have it served in a dosa (a crispy south Indian crepe made from fermented rice and white urad, a type of lentil), which came with coconut chutney and a vegetable sambar (a south Indian brothy soup/condiment thing made with thoor dal, another type of lentil, and south Indian spices and tomato). I ordered the channa bhatura, which is a type of channa masala (spicey chick peas with a tomato gravy) with a deep fried biscuit. Both of our items came to us hot, and made to order.
The bhatura was delicious and decadently crispy, almost too brittle for me to wrap around the channa to eat traditionally (barehanded), so I'd tear off some of the bhatura and spoon the channo on top, but I wouldn't even call the brittle-ness a complaint. Every last morsel was eaten gladly.
The dosa containing the "pao" bajji was delicious, and reminded me of a masala dosa. The chutney was fresh and intensely coconutty, and the sambar was traditional, authentic and tasty. Typically dosa is eaten by pinching off a fingerful and dunking in the sambar and then put a bit of the chutney on top for the "perfect bite."
Each component, the dosa and the sambar were delicious independently as well as together. I didn't let a drop of the sambar go to waste. When my husband finished his meal, I slurped the last few spoonfuls of his sambar down. Speaking as an American who is well-versed in south Indian cuisine (I even make my own sambar), I feel sambar could play the part of a (stand alone) soup quite nicely, especially given the cold snap we are having. Sadly, their menu does not appear to have sambar vada (vadas are deep fried fritters made from a batter of rice and lentils). I wonder if I asked for it, if it could be made as a special request.
We topped our lunch off with a faluda, which was served drink style in a tall glass. Faluda was a milky type sweet drink, flavored with rose water, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, some cooked vermicelli and I believe basil seeds. I believe this is something more adventurous Americans would have to acquire a taste for. I love rosewater in sweets, but the notion of the cooked vermicelli is a little odd. But all in all a deliciously unusual treat. (At my own wedding we had faluda, as it's one of our favorite items.)
Though a tidy and limited menu, they seem to offer nearly everything you could want in the "chaat" subset of Indian food. It's all vegetarian, and all made to order. There are daily specials and a wide array of beverages from which to choose. There are interesting twists on their offerings such as their Salad Dosa, Masala Taco, and Bombay Roll; as well as an assortment of traditional items such as Masala Dosa, Papadi Chaat and Dal Vada.
Portion size, quality of food and price are all exceptional.
One last modern convenience: You can place your order online.
I wonder how far they will deliver to? Hmmm?
To call Masala Kraft Cafe a "cafe," is sort of misleading. Those who are fond and knowledgeable of Indian food would call this a "chaat house." Chaat being the small or portable snack type things usually found in road side vendors in larger metropolitan areas in India (such as sev puri, samosa chaat, chana bhatura, dosas, etc).
To call it a "chaat house" is not a way to denigrate this fine establishment. I make the distinction to put a finer point on what type of place this is. It would be on par with a deli, sandwich shop or coffee shop, offering a limited menu of items for early to mid-day meals or snacks, rather than an establishment to go for a multi-course dinner.
Masala Kraft Cafe is very thoughtfully appointed with a modern, yet nondescript type of atmosphere. It is clean, modern, and accommodating, with some nice decorator touches, but without the typical decorations one would expect from an Indian establishment. Even the stoneware dishes the food is served upon has the personal touch, as each are emblazoned with the Masala Kraft Cafe name.
The restaurant itself is fairly small with about six tables and a long granite snack bar with high bar stools which face out onto the busy main street to accommodate a small amount of patrons at a time. The place was just about full when we arrived.
Parking is conveniently (and if you're not familiar with the downtown area, it's deceptively) around the corner in a municipal parking garage, we happily parked our car and walked in the cold for what we hoped would be a great lunch.
We placed our order and settled into some bar stools up front to "people watch" until our food arrived.
Masala Kraft Cafe has been open for roughly seven months, and business was bustling for a Saturday, especially one where the temperature outside was near freezing. I can only imagine how busy this place will be once the weather warms up. I gladly snagged one of their take out menus, and intend on enjoying their food by way of take out, rather than fight the crowds with a stomach grumbling.
Service was good. The person taking our order was helpful with suggestions, and the person delivering the food to where we sat was pleasant and unharried.
My husband ordered pao bajji which was on the specials menu (pao = bread; bajji = vegetables cooked on a grill with spices), however we had the option to have it served in a dosa (a crispy south Indian crepe made from fermented rice and white urad, a type of lentil), which came with coconut chutney and a vegetable sambar (a south Indian brothy soup/condiment thing made with thoor dal, another type of lentil, and south Indian spices and tomato). I ordered the channa bhatura, which is a type of channa masala (spicey chick peas with a tomato gravy) with a deep fried biscuit. Both of our items came to us hot, and made to order.
The bhatura was delicious and decadently crispy, almost too brittle for me to wrap around the channa to eat traditionally (barehanded), so I'd tear off some of the bhatura and spoon the channo on top, but I wouldn't even call the brittle-ness a complaint. Every last morsel was eaten gladly.
The dosa containing the "pao" bajji was delicious, and reminded me of a masala dosa. The chutney was fresh and intensely coconutty, and the sambar was traditional, authentic and tasty. Typically dosa is eaten by pinching off a fingerful and dunking in the sambar and then put a bit of the chutney on top for the "perfect bite."
Each component, the dosa and the sambar were delicious independently as well as together. I didn't let a drop of the sambar go to waste. When my husband finished his meal, I slurped the last few spoonfuls of his sambar down. Speaking as an American who is well-versed in south Indian cuisine (I even make my own sambar), I feel sambar could play the part of a (stand alone) soup quite nicely, especially given the cold snap we are having. Sadly, their menu does not appear to have sambar vada (vadas are deep fried fritters made from a batter of rice and lentils). I wonder if I asked for it, if it could be made as a special request.
We topped our lunch off with a faluda, which was served drink style in a tall glass. Faluda was a milky type sweet drink, flavored with rose water, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, some cooked vermicelli and I believe basil seeds. I believe this is something more adventurous Americans would have to acquire a taste for. I love rosewater in sweets, but the notion of the cooked vermicelli is a little odd. But all in all a deliciously unusual treat. (At my own wedding we had faluda, as it's one of our favorite items.)
Though a tidy and limited menu, they seem to offer nearly everything you could want in the "chaat" subset of Indian food. It's all vegetarian, and all made to order. There are daily specials and a wide array of beverages from which to choose. There are interesting twists on their offerings such as their Salad Dosa, Masala Taco, and Bombay Roll; as well as an assortment of traditional items such as Masala Dosa, Papadi Chaat and Dal Vada.
Portion size, quality of food and price are all exceptional.
One last modern convenience: You can place your order online.
I wonder how far they will deliver to? Hmmm?
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