Best Buys

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Restaurant Review -- Rassa Roadies

I love to watch reruns of my favorite serials. So Saturday evening we were watching Go India Maharashtra series, Kolhapur episode lying lazily on the couch. As we immersed our selves in the land of Kolhapur, we were drawn to the yummy Kolhapur cuisine that followed, the rassas and the non veg fry. By the end of it we could actually taste the food on our tongue, the torture the taste buds were giving us. I got on zomato immediately and started searching for restaurants serving pandhra rassa  near our home and out popped the name - Rassa Roadies and thus that was our dinner destination.

Located in Kalyani Nagar, this is a small restaurant just opposite Marrakesh. This restaurant serves all the delicacies from all over Maharashtra as well as the prominent Rassas in the Maharashtrian cuisine. As we entered we were greeted by waiters dressed as Mavlas. The whole setting is Maharashtrian. The walls are painted with Marathi characters. There is soft Marathi music going in the background, the aroma of the yummy rassas and Marathi cuisine engulfs you as soon as you enter. We were shown to our table by the manager on the upper level, which was a bit more cozy than the ground level. We placed our order promptly, they have thalis. I ordered for a Saoji chicken thali where as hubby dearest went in for a Kolhapuri Thali. Each thali consists of one dry preparation, one curry preparation, pandhra rassa, tambda rassa, egg burji, 2 chapatis/ bhakris, thecha, biryani/dal khichdi/plain rice and Jaljeera to wash it all down.
The variety is awesome and anybody would think its going to be too much to finish, but in reality, the thali is not unlimited, they charge you for everything you need extra and believe you me a person with a normal appetite especially guys will need extra as the quantity served is not much.
Let's start with food, between me and my hubby the Saoji thali I ordered was a clear winner. The chicken fry was really nice and full of flavor and aroma. The chicken was cooked well and tender. The curry I got in the thali was aromatic, full of spices and really nice though the chicken in this was not cooked too well. The pandhra and tambda rassa both were laden with goodness, yummy though lacked in complete authenticity. The Burji was rightly done, not too juicy, nor too dry but very less quantity and cold. Chapatis were not soft. The thali consisted of around 3 - 4 small pieces of chicken which is a little inadequate. The Jaljeera was soothing and refreshing as it washed down all the food.
Now let's have a look at the Kolhapuri thali, here the curry lacked complete authenticity and not too good on taste, chicken fry was good though again not 100 percent authentic.
The overall food was tasty, aromatic and rightly spiced, not too bland neither too spicy.
The service was prompt, waiters stood at a distance and kept an eye on what the customers might need. The manager himself was helpful and warm. The food was served well, the presentation though simple was bang on.
Coming to the pricing, the chicken thalis are priced at 245-255 INR, which according to me doesn't do justice.
Well to sum it all we had a good dinner to satisfy our hungry taste buds. We really enjoyed the Marathi music and food, we were actually transferred to the era of Marathi Mavlas with the whole setting and everything, our experience would have been 100 percent if  it wouldn't have lacked on quantity and authenticity.
We had a great time though, its a really good concept. A Saturday night well spent .


Thursday, January 23, 2014

Valentine shopping with Jabong.com

Valentine day is around the corner, and yes this special day Is all about showing someone special  how very special they are. The best way to do that is by looking your best for that someone and of course an unique gift. No wonder it's raining sales all over the malls with special prices and attractive offers but it also includes never ending lines for billing, as well as no return policy on sale things, over crowded malls.. Urghhhh ,, does everything nice has to have something bad? Not necessarily. Online shopping is the answer to all these worries. There is a vast segment of online shopping sites available, but my search ended at Jabong.com.
Jabong.com left me spell bound with its amazing offers, easy shopping policies, fast deliveries, vast variety. It's a true shoppers delight. It's a one stop shop for all your needs. Check out more interesting information on Jabong fashion website.

Jabong

After actually greedily scanning the site I could not stop myself and bought an amazing Maybelline haul, what with all the amazing offers going on.
The payment procedure is super easy and quick.
The same was confirmed by an instant mail and msg.

I received the delivery within a day. The delivery guy called up to make sure I was at home. The products were neatly packed in bubble wrap.
The after sale service was good too I was asked whether I was happy with what I received inside my parcel and whether the order was correct via a mail.




This is my Maybelline haul all for just Rs 500 thanks to their awesome offers and deals.


I just cant do without these little angel baby lips, they are so awesome I readily swear by them, and my best friend and must have the colossal kajal for jet black eyes. Some bright color for my nails and a little bottle of eyeliner.

I love these maybelline products, they are my favorite and so needed to replenish them for the valentine day. So a small valentine gift to myself or should I say a valentine gift for me from jabong :)

Their return policy is also fair enough though they do not accept return on certain products which are readily replaced by other sites.

But in all I was happy with the overall service and shopping with Jabong, my experience was good enough to take another dive in the vast ocean of shopping yet again and again.

After this maybelline haul now I am eyeing the Lakme products,
especially these ones here.

Lakme Perfect Rad Intense Whitening Face Wash Online Shopping StoreLakme Absolute Plump and Shine Crimson Lip Shine Online Shopping StoreLakme Sheer Stain Lip Gloss 61 Online Shopping StoreLakme 9 To 5 Matte Lip Care R1 Red Coat Online Shopping StoreLakme Absolute Gloss Stylist  Berry Cherry Online Shopping StoreLakme Clean Up Fresh Fairness Face Mask 50 Gms Online Shopping StoreLakme Absolute Forever Silk Eyeliner- Blacklast Online Shopping Store

Lakme Perfect Rad Intense Whitening Face Wash
Lakme Absolute Plump and Shine Crimson Lip Shine
Lakme Sheer Stain Lip Gloss 61
Lakme 9 To 5 Matte Lip Care R1 Red Coat
Lakme Absolute Gloss Stylist  Berry Cherry
Lakme clean up fairness face mask
Lakme absolute silk eyeliner


-- very soon indeed :)

I feel it is so easy to pamper your loved one and buy a valentine gift online, absolutely hassle free and from the comfort of your house in your pajamas while watching your favorite movie. I love this idea.

Mine over now turn to make my hubby happy with a cute valentine gift. I believe that a valentine gift need not be extravagant but a special one to that one person , it can indeed be anything ..

These are some gifts I have chosen for hubby dear from Jabong's special valentine offer to make him feel always loved and cherished.

Skullcandy S5Lwfy-222 Lowrider Brown Wired Headset  Online Shopping Store
skull candy headset here He so loves music and loves it even more when its really loud. All men love their gadgets, now don't they ?

Waterman Hemisphere  Dlx Metal  Ct Ball Pen Online Shopping Store
Waterman Hemisphere metal ball pen here , to remind him of me every time he uses it even at work.


Puma black jacket here . I just loved this jacket and I know he will love it too.

Gadgets/ gadget accessories, favorite music, wallets, personalized stuff, jackets, perfumes, leather goods, outdoor stuff and sports stuff make perfect gifts for guys.


And these are some gift I would love to receive this valentine, I hope hubby dear is listening. (he can order It leisurely from his mobile phone too, all he has to do is just visit Jabong valentine offer for her)

Johareez Brown Stud Online Shopping Storehere Hi Look Pendent Short Necklace Online Shopping Storehere accessories any girl loves them.

      hamper   Boucheron Jaipur Bracelet Edp 100Ml Online Shopping Store perfume gift hampers, perfumes chocolates and flowers are perfect romantic gifts for women.


Wow, my valentine shopping was super easy and super fun all thanks to Jabong.
You can stay updated with the deals and offers and everything about Jabong by

Joining them at
Facebook Twitter Google+ Fashion & Trends


Happy Shopping !!

xoxo
Bhakti



Monday, January 20, 2014

A delicious Sunday meal, Review , Recipe and more..

Weekend is the time where we all want to relax, what with the daily running around but weekend is also the time to finish the chores for the entire week, groceries, and everything else.

The entire week we are so busy that we hardly have time for our self, weekend is the time to sit back and enjoy, have a delicious meal and savor every bit of it. Honestly in today's hectic lifestyle working the entire week one doesn't feel like entering the kitchen to cook something lavish and too time consuming.

That is my exact dilemma every weekend, well I have learnt to come up with easy quick and fast recipes which are utterly delicious.
On this weekend shopping trip I loaded my bag with ready to cook packets, there are so many available in the market. Today, though we will talk about Parampara products. Before that lets see what did we have for lunch.



Goan Prawn curry rice and Maharashtrian Prawn fry -- my mouth is watering :)

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Savory Samosas -- Recipe

One of the popular and common food item found in chaat/ sweet shops. I love samosas. Be it samosa chaat with curd and chutneys or be it samosa pav or just the simple piping hot samosa with tamarind chutney(sauce). The crunchy exterior and the rich filling of potato concoction inside it is yum.
Though I never miss a chance to grab a piping hot samosa from the sweet shop, today I decided to prepare it at home as a snack on our picnic.

Recipe

for 12 samosas

Ingredients for the dough
1.5 cup Maida
1 tbsp. oil
salt to taste
1.5 tsp. asafetida (jeera)
Water just enough to knead a firm dough

Method
Mix all the above ingredients together nicely and make a firm dough, make 6 balls out of it and keep them covered with a moist cloth

Ingredients for the filling

3 medium potatoes boiled and peeled
1/4 cup boiled peas
1/2 cup boiled and finely cut carrot
4 - 6 green chillies ground in a paste optional
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp red chilly powder
1tsp haldi
chopped coriander leaves
salt to taste

oil for frying

Method
mix all the ingredient for the filling nicely and mash them together. Make six small balls and keep them aside.

Now take the maida dough and make small chapatti out of the ball,cut it in two half circles with a knife. Fold the half chapatti in triangles and add the filling balls inside and then seal the edges with some pressure and wet your fingers to help you.

Deep Fry these small samosas in hot oil on medium heat till golden brown.

Tadaa ! your piping hot samosas are ready , you can devour them with hot chai, some milkshake, chaat, or paav or just the way they are.
In my case I packed them for a picnic and were they lovely.

for the filling


for the dough







Enjoy your samosas :)
xoxo
Bhakti

Thursday, January 16, 2014

A small Hike with Big Happiness.


It was Friday night and as I lay in bed at night browsing through my regular sites as usual, a post fascinated me, Thanks to Tes.

I just wanted to go there and explore the place myself. Being Born and brought up in Pune, I love the city too much, I love the hills surrounding it and since childhood enjoyed the small hikes on weekend mornings, but as Pune is growing, the hills surrounding it are rapidly dwindling. So when I saw a post about this hill on Tes's blog I had to explore it myself and bask in its beauty.

I decided to surprise hubby dear, and woke him up early Saturday morning and told him to get dressed. He was really surprised and was really excited to know where I was taking him.

I packed a quick picnic breakfast and we were on our way.

This little hill is some 20 minutes drive away from our home, exactly located right next to the
D. Y.Patil Knowledge city Lohegaon. Its a small hike, taking about 45 minutes to an hour.



Small but pretty


Please do not litter on nature trails, we always carry an extra bag for all the garbage.
Enjoy this beauty and safeguard it, do not destroy it in anyway.



Beautiful

Friday, January 10, 2014

Thailand -- Bangkok Tales -- 1st day -- Terminal 21 mall


The joy on arriving at your holiday destination and knowing your vacation has just begun is amazing and full of enthusiasm and happiness.
We were too filled with all these feelings and more the moment our flight touched the Bangkok soil. Though really tired and sleepy, we arrived in Bangkok at 7 am travelling by Bangkok airways(tickets booked online by Yatra.com hassle free). We were trying to get the first glimpse of Thailand through the plane window and the happiness that seared in.
As soon as we landed we got our visa on arrival which is really convenient and easy. For more information regarding the same check here.
There is an express line as well for the visa, for some nominal amount per person, I suggest taking it on a crowded or a busy day. After that we were really hungry, not much variety to eat at arrivals though. We collected a free map of Bangkok from the tourist counter, took a dtac card for our mobile, I strongly suggest it, has really good deals with internet and all. Took a taxi to our desired location. After checking in we slept like logs as we really were sleep deprived.

Refreshed and rejuvenated in the evening we decided to head to terminal 21 mall. We made a quick stop at Subway replenished ourselves and continued.

Terminal 21 is a relatively new mall on the Bangkok shopping scene. It has been popular in making its mark due to the uniqueness of this mall. How? Well to begin with it gets the whole world packed in this mall. Every floor is designed on a theme to be one of the world's famous city. Rome, Paris, London, Tokyo, Istanbul, San Francisco  take your pick.This is a mid range mall with boutiques of Thai designers.



After seeing the Bangkok traffic we decided to take BTS to the Asok station (direct access via skywalk) for Terminal mall. It is connected to Asok station.

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Our litttle Adventure from Siam to Platinum mall Bangkok !!!

It was a bright and sunny day calling us to explore Bangkok.(oh boy and did we explore in the truest sense)
We decided to go to Siam and check out Siam center, Paragon and Discovery. We took the BTS our daily, friendly, fast, easy and cheap mode of transport. The BTS takes you to Siam and is directly connected to the Siam center. So here we were in the Siam center, enroute we had gorged on street side fruits, which are truly yummy and delicious, the best of them being the guava and then Mango.
Well this was our daily breakfast and oh did we enjoy it.
our breakfast - bags of fresh fruit.. I dint like this fruit much though

 We explored Siam Paragon which is a luxury shopping mall took a look at the Siam underwater ocean world.

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

A mane story


A screaming toddler being taken to the barbers shop to trim her hair again, short really short, after a while the screams give way to silent sobs and sighs. Till then the barber has worked his hands over the hair which now resembles a freshly mowed lawn. The sequence goes on for years and now the girl who is no more a toddler is habituated to the short hair and the easy maintenance of them(perks of short hair). Time passes the girl enters her teens and all conscious of her appearance now, takes the ever longing task of the once toddler In her hands and thus begins the relationship with my hair.

Yes I grew my hair in my teens till then all my life I had a smart boy cut. Smart though it was it can never match the charm of long hair. And this is how I was the proud owner of long tresses of dark brown hair. I played with them unconsciously when I was joyous, rolled them in my fingers in my pensive thoughts, hid beneath it when wanted to escape questions. It was then I realized how I loved my long silky soft mane. They were my best friend. I tried then to recharge it regularly to keep it as beautiful as ever and this marked my introduction to the charming Sunsilk products and thus started the process of recharging my hair to make it healthy, nourish it and make it grow longer .

This relationship with my hair thus continued, when I met a boy once on entering a class and swished my hair behind with one movement of my head. Then I knew, after that the boy never stopped looking at me or my hair. We became friends and I still remember that he played with my hair once and I swished my hair back again in that same movement, and scolded him don't touch my hair. Years have passed and I still let him play with my hair sometimes swishing and scolding him, as he is my beloved husband now and exchanging naughty loving smiles.
I remember him telling me once that since childhood he wanted a partner who had beautiful long hair, and here he fell in love with me and my hair. hehe  I still hide behind my hair when I have done something naughty, I still curl my hair with my fingers when I am thinking.
I love to feel the wind in my open hair when I ride my bike, my most memorable moments with my hubby on our bike rides with the lovely cool wind in my hair.
We love travelling, me and my hubby and I love to get picture perfect snaps with my hair open
I always keep my hair open, I color it, I make it go under so much treatment, I literally torture it from every thing I do still it never complains and remains the same as gorgeous as it ever was.  I love it by recharging it with the best possible care.

I need to recharge my hair with all the care I can get to keep recharging my husbands love for my hair as well as mine. It's my best friend and best friends deserve the very best. Guess in order to recharge me and my life and everything I love in it, I will always recharge them for the rest of my life. I will recharge them to be who I am, to continue being so.
Had it not been for Sunsilk recharge my life wouldn't be the same at all, would it? Thanks Sunsilk for recharging my hair and my life. I owe you big time:)


My Many Mane Moods -- ;p















and thus the mane story continues ......


xoxo
Bhakti

This post is written for Sunsilk contest on Indiblogger.


you might also like