The Travelling Flatbread Festival at 212 All Day Cafe Bar

212 All Day Cafe Bar is hosting - THE TRAVELLING FLATBREAD FESTIVAL for 2 weeks with a specially curated menu consisting of 9 fingerlicking recipes inspired globally yet local at heart. 

I quite enjoyed this journey which literally takes your taste buds around the world and quite deliciously I must add. 

I liked all of them honestly however I will definitely rank my numero uno just for you guys to try. 

Firstly, What is a Flatbread? 

A flatbread is a bread made with flour, water and salt, and then thoroughly rolled into flattened dough. Many flatbreads are unleavened — although some are slightly leavened, such as pita bread.

a type of flat, thin bread made without yeast (= a substance that makes bread swell and become light)

Now lets see these yummy creations.

The flatbreads were lovely and crispy. 

And balanced the toppings perfectly. 

The Meat Special

Chicken Bolognese 

Rs 595 

Spicy minced chicken with Mozzarella and those assorted colourful bell peppers added lovely colour and flavour.  

This was a table favorite and how can one not love those tangy and spicy bolognese flavours balanced with that gooey Mozzarella. 

Highly Recommended. 

The Norwegian - Smoked Salmon 

And Cream Cheese 

Rs 595 

Minimilastic simple flavours. 

The Swiss - Asparagus and Bell Peppers. 

Rs 495 

Emmental cheese and Plum tomatoes

Another rustic, simple and lovely creation. 

Everything was used to the right proportion and not over the top to attain that light yet perfectly balanced taste. 

The Turk - Lamb Kibbeh and Roasted Garlic

Rs 525 

The meat balls were so juicy and perfectly spiced and flavoured, the sauce of those plum tomatoes giving a lovely light sweet tangy flavour with the cheesiness of Mozzarella. The crunchy onion rings thrown in for that lovely sweet spice factor. One bite and it left you asking for more. Lot more. 

This definitely was the Numero Uno for me. 

Highly Highly Recommended 😍

The Italiano - Sundried tomatoes and Jalapenos. 

Rs 495 

On the bed of that yummy plum tomato sauce again with my favorite sumdried tomatoes, capers, Jalapenos - this one boasted of lovely rich tangy, salty and a bit of spicy taste with that creamy rich Bocconcini cheese. Believe me it was rustic Italian and so simple yet so amazing. 

Loved it ❤

The Parisian - Truffle Oil and Mushroom

Rs 495 

This had one word - creamy. 

What else do you expect from a fine amalgamation of Parmesan, Mushroom Ragout and Spinach. 

This was veggie magic. The taste was polished just like a Parisian and the dish was too polished as soon as it was served. 

This was definitely a Numero Uno in the veg selection. 

Highly Highly Recommended 😍👍

The Mexicana - Nacho cheese and Crushed Tortillas. 

Rs 495 

This was a complete flavourful veg nacho bursting with tomato salsa and kidney beans on the flatbread.

Need I say more ... 

Middle Eastern Classic - Baba Ganoush and Hummus 

Rs 495 

Creamy Bacconcini cheese coupled with perfect creamy hummus and that puree of sweet lemony aubergines with pickled veggies. 

Treat for the middle eastern food lovers. 

And that ended our journey on a good spirit with all that bread well we did wash it down with a monstrosity Monster Shake. 

Yes thats yours truly in all my glory 🤓🤣🙈

So rush to 212 All Day Cafe Bar and enjoy this festival till it lasts. 

Let me know how it was.

Until next time.

Bye guys 👋

xoxo

Bhakti 

P.s. a big shout out to Svetlana, Karthik for inviting and hosting me. 

This was a tasting on invite. The views expressed in this post are completely mine based on my experience. 

Cafe Arabia - Journey into the Middle Eastern Cuisine

I Broke my self imposed exilè from food invites finally. ( I will let you on why i was on an exile soon - promise) Reason had to be good now and it sure was, my love for Lebanese cuisine. Middle eastern food has my heart. So here we landed on a busy crowded sunday in Phoenix city food court ( we avoid crowded places on weekends but we had to do this). We were headed for none other than Cafe Arabia.

Cafe Arabia has been there on the city food scene for a long time. Its stood it stand against the test of time and here we were to get our own taste of it. 

There was a consistent flow of clients with yummy huge platters and kebabs. 

As we waited  for ours the aroma of hummus filled my senses and no sooner our table was a battle ground for yummy platters fighting for space. 

Their menu is vast and you can have a feast fit for a king with their kebabs, biryanis, platters and more but we were there on a mission to taste their new variants and we dived head on directly into it. By the way let me tell you I am a hummus pita lover so I can never settle for something which is even a tad bit less than our expectations ( especially husband - he takes being fussy and picky to another level especially when dragged out of the house on a busy crowded weekend ).

So lets start from

Assorted Hummus Platter

Clockwise - Spicy Harissa, Basil Pesto,

 Zaatar Jalapeno and the Classic Original Hummus along with Zaatar Bread. My favorite is the spicy Harissa while husband loves the green ones. That zaatar (mix of spices ) is exceptionally awesome. Be it in any form be it hummus, salad or rub, we completely fell in love with it.

All this for Rs 220. Totally worth it.

Dont you think the presentation deserves an applaud for a food court qsr brand. I can just eat with my eyes. Love my food beautiful .. dont you ?

Must try !! .

Feasting we were!

Al Fahm Kebab 

Chicken drumsticks marinated in yellow chilli paste and cheese creamy garlic. 

These were delicious especially when they are hot. They are all creamy and melt in the mouth. Loved the taste of yellow chillies ( something i tried knowingly for the first time and loved ) definitely gonna find out what all food preps make use of yellow chillies. 

Rs 230 

Must try !! 

Zaatar Chicken Salad 

For the salad lovers, healthy eaters or just for its yummy quotient. 

This salad wins hands down. Filled with proteins, greens, fresh crunchy veggies and a lovely seasoning of zaatar spices and that mayo on top. Roasted chicken - Oh so good! 

You have to have it, its quite filling as well.

Za isnt a salad eater but he picked out all yummy juicy chicken pieces and left me with the vegetables and to find some tid bits of the chicken 🙈

Rs 190 

Must try !! 

Chicken Shwarma Platter.

Deconstructed shwarma on a plate. Its like make your own shwarma with your favorite ratio. Go on add to your hearts content. I made mine with generous amount of everything and dipped it all in with the spicy Harissa. The chicken was perfectly roasted and spiced. Zahir finished this entire thing. 

Rs 230 

Must Try !! 

Falafel

Crispy falafels, high on protein, just dip it right in the hummus and enjoy. 

Rs 120

Shish Kebab on Rice

Buttered herb rice with minced kebabs and creamy hummus with a portion of salad. 

Though I found the kebabs a bit dry ( i like mine juicy)Those delicately balanced flavours with herbs. 

Chicken Rs 240 

And last and in no way the least 

You know your Sunday was awesome when you feast on the Royal Turkish delight - Baklava ❤

Favorite Middle Eastern Dessert or

Dessert meant for Gods - we devoured it within no time at all. Filo sheets with honey and syrup with caramelised nuts ... Burst of flavour in every bite. One of the best I have had in Pune.

Rs 60

Must try! 

All in all we were very happy with our meal. 

Tasty food which they have tried to keep true to its roots. The food is all healthy and they pride themselves on not using any preservatives whatsoever and nothing is processed. 

The quality and taste of all its branches is uniform having one kitchen headquarter which supplies the premixes to everyone. 

So what you waiting for head out to Cafe Arabia closest to you and do try out the yummy stuff on offer. 

Let me know, what you try and how it was. 

xoxo

Bhakti 

Cafe Arabia is located in 

Phoenix market city - Viman Nagar 

Westend Mall - Aundh 

Seasons Mall - Magarpatta 

Mariplex Mall - Kalyani Nagar 

Royal Heritage Mall - Nibm ( coming soon ) 

Friday BBQ nights at The Little Next Door

One small door on kalyani nagar road transfers you to a completely new world.  Walk into it and you are taken into a new experience with a unique european vibe like vacation.

This blue little door turned into yellow and I wanted to check it out to see what new.

Customary snap exploring this little next door. 

The zest, the laid back vibe, the lively pulse and  soothing ambience are still there at its best.
By now you would have guessed I am talking about none other than The Little Next Door and the charm it beholds.

I was excited to check out this place. The soul of the place remains the same but they have sure come out with new exciting stuff.
They have loads to offer in terms of their awesome deals, anti brunches, happy hours, exciting nights and Bbq.
We attended one such Bbq night which takes place every Friday. What an amazing way to begin your weekend. Unlimited Beer / Sangrias / wine with live bbq station dishing out yummy and healthy veg varieties as well as chicken, pork and the entire works.
All this for Rs 849 ++ pp.

The ambience and experience is completely alive with energy, music, banter, foosball, jhenga other board games and more.

Let me take you through our Bbq night. 

but before we begin ... I had to order this . .. and begin the night on an awesome creamy sweet note.

 Baileys +cookies + cream +chocolate syrup = Frosted Oreo ... 

second name for love at first sip.. If you are a chocolate and cream lover like me you can't have enough of this . .. Must Must Try 

I am so missing this along with the vibe of this place... they have awesome offers on alcohol that you can't miss ... Their bottle bank system is so awesome .. buy the entire alcohol bottle, store it with them sealed with your name for the next time you visit with no extra cost or carry it along with you ... isnt that superb ... and the alcohol rates are reasonable ... so the party never stops ... 👍👍and the cocktails to die for ... try this with their signature nachos... What else does one want ... mid week ho ya start ... the party goes on at The Little Next Door.

So let's dive into our party for two with a Bbq spread which is just too good on your palette as well as wallet. 

Indeed a full table..

The Menu keeps changing every Friday.

Hot unlimited Bbq right at your table 

Look at this plate .... just pure smoky love 😍💗

Loved the bbq veg as well as non veg.

Look at these colours of the paneer tikka.. it was yum and all the dips go superbly well with the dish served. 

This was ala carte. Had to order... 

Zucchini fritters 

Mixture of Greek kolokithokeftedes and Mumbaiyya onion bhajias. 

Shivangi from Carpe diem rightly pointing out that it's the best way for kids to have healthy green zucchini.. while my take was why kids even us adults 🙈🙊😁😍 

Crispy fritters with cheese and that green dip... yum .. makes you yearn for monsoons ... these fritters, beer and you are sorted.. we did that on a balmy summer night and it was equally mind blowing. 

Juicy Seekh 

Date nights be on a Bbq night 😛😉

Buttery corn on the cob ...

Classic 

Fresh frozen Strawberry Diaquiri 

Perfect answer to Summer for those who love their cocktails the ice way with Strawberry. 

Sweet potatoes with a mayo based dip . Yummy and healthy 

Look at all these kebabs.

They are just completely droolworthy  

Chicken kebab ... 

Mushrooms ... yum 

Chicken sausages .. 

Soft and smooth ... not chewy at all and utterly delicious 

We didn't try the pork grill as we don't have pork.

Saffron Souvlaki 

One of my favourites here, we had to order this. 

Just look at the colours .. you can just eat with your eyes. 

Chicken chunks marinated in greek herbed lemony olive oil, flavoured with turmeric and saffron and served with red pepper hummus, pita bread, fries and salad. 

Such simple flavours which are bang on the taste.

Must try. 

Another ala carte 

Prawioli 

Must have For the Aglio olio lovers... 

Prawns ravioli bathed in green chilli garlic oil, flavoured with sage and infused with champagne. 

Sweet something or should I say everything you could ask for ... sweet dunked with booze ... 

For the cheese cake lovers. 

Baked Mojito cheesecake 

Shrewsbury biscuit crust with a soft smooth cheesecake topped with berry jello.

Little sweet, little tangy with mojito flavours and softest ever. 

This hands down is my all time favourite no matter what. 

Classic star of this place. 

Presenting ......

Eight texture chocolate cake. 

It's heaven. What else it would be with old monk and hot chocolate. Every bite is indulgence, it's nirvana. 

Pure orgasmic pleasure. This chocolate can sure substitute for absolutely anything. 

Pouring the old monk on that gooey chocolate cake till it melts in the middle and becomes all the more rich. 

I am more than drooling even while just describing. 

Must Must Must Try. 

And this is exactly how I night ended on a high sweet note with this pretty mesmerising place.  

We always love this place and the offers on offer with yummy food and some mean drink.

It's just the start of the week... so build your anxiety and enthusiasm to experience the Bbq nights on Friday. 

We sure had an awesome start to our weekend. 

Check them out. I am sure you won't be disappointed. They have plenty on offer all week round.. so do check them out - relax, unwind , lose yourself into this Little Next Door (it's like magical European time or cafe) 

Let the Party Begin at this friendly economical neighbourhood bar which serves alcohol at almost store prices.. 

So what are you waiting for?

See you at 

The Little Next Door 

D10, central Avenue,

Kalyani Nagar,

Pune 

P.s. a big shout out to Shivangi from Carpe Diem and The Little Next Door for having us over. Always love your hospitality. 

XOXO

Bhakti 

Hola Picantos ! - Review

Hola Amigos !!! 

In case if you Wondering why I am all Mexican today .... scroll down and find out ... 

pic credits Ashay Kully

Passing by the busy Kalyani Nagar you can easily spot this small joint thanks to its bustling colours. You are tempted to stop and check out the place as it intrigues you with its vibrant décor and pulsating vibe.

We did just that, checked out this place on invitation from the owners Shivgauri Rajan and Himanshu Shah and it sure is super cute.

So here we are at Picantos - A Mexican Grill -  a small Tex Mex fast casual dining restaurant which serves food at affordable prices.

They have major plans of expansion and some really creative concepts in pipeline. Think of a Picantos community or village spread throughout the country. Sounds interesting doesn't it. For now lets suffice with the outlet at Kalyani Nagar which is dressed up like a Picantos Jail.

Totally loving the  vibes ...

Picantos means spicy way of making food in Spanish. 

They pride on making all the sauces and their recipes from scratch and I must say they do succeed with flying colours. 

The heat over here is lowered to suit everyone's palette, however you can ask them to raise the chilli quotient as high as you want and believe me you won't regret it as Mexican food means hot, spicy and full of flavour. No wonder I love Mexican food. 

Picantos serves all the Mexican favourites and more, take your pick from their range of Burrito bowls, Enchiladas, Nachos, Tacos, Quesadillas, and more.... couple them with some refreshing drinks or lap it up with some hot chocolate or coffee. Don't forget to Indulge in some sinful dessert and you will be sorted. 

Easy food on the go, great option to order in for a relaxed weekend or just grab a quick bite with friends - it's perfect.

The best thing is you can customise your food according to your preference, spices, dips, ingredients and there lies the magic.

Have a look at what we ate and I am sure you will be left craving for more. 

We started with some refreshers to beat the heat and the list was long.

Iced Tea

Ginger Lemonade

Green Apple Ice Tea

Mixed Fruit Spritzer

Bloody Guava Cooler

Cold Coffee

Crunchy Chocolate Shake

My Picks - Ice Tea, Cold coffee , Crunchy chocolate shake and Ginger Lemonade.

Whilst we enjoyed our drinks the sides started popping up and were we glad cause the bloggers are always a hungry pack ;p

Quesadillas

Spinach and Mushroom

Spicy Chicken.

Now this one was not spicy at all quite not like its name, they said they cater to the masses which prefer to like the food less spicy and serve it instead with a spicy dip but if you are like me a spice lover, then request them to make it spicy and they certainly would oblige.

Honestly it was a bit bland for my taste, add spices and it would really be a cheesy spicy killer.

Quesadilla - a tortilla (a flat bread ) filled with cheese and often a savory mixture (as of meat and vegetables), folded, and usually fried.

Tacos we tried the hard shell as well as soft shell but the former will always be my favourite, there is magic about the crunchy hard shell filled to brim with cheese, beans, meat and spices.

Tacos -

a Mexican dish consisting of a folded or rolled tortilla filled with various mixtures, such as seasoned mince, chicken, or beans.

Must try especially the hard shell ones.  

Nachos - My Love -

Be it veg or non veg .. I love them and how.

Picantos sure delivered both ways.

Crispy nachos loaded with cheese, beans, chicken and served with different sauces/dips -

Spicy Salsa, Creamy Guacamole and cheesy dip. They all went so well with the Nachos and were mind blowing.

Nachos - a dish of tortilla chips topped with melted cheese and often also with other savoury toppings:

These babies just took the experience to the next level.

Chipotle

Baja

Mustard Honey

Mango chilli

all of them were so so good I cant even tell you.

The Mains arrived ,,,,,,

The Chicken Burrito bowl.

This one was a giant bursting with flavours, consisted of Rice, veggies, gravy, spices, sauces, cream cheese, sour cream, honey mustard, and chicken.

Must try - make it according to your specifications. suffices two.

Enchilada

Another Favourite and must have.

Look at the cheese.

Tortilla Filled with meat, veggies covered chilli sauce and melted cheese, this sure gives your taste buds a spin. So filling.

The desserts sure made a grand entrance.

Chocolate Panacotta with Strawberry coolie 

It failed to match the magic it created on its grand entrance. I would give it a pass. You can try if you are a Panacotta fan.

Churros with chocolate.

These babies were the star of the night.

Must Have. 

These hot churros served with chocolate sauce came as a good surprise... I hardly expected them to be so good and they were really very good ... crispy, perfect sweet and soft from the inside... one of the best I have had in a long time... couldn't help munching on tad too much ... now punishing myself with some extra exercise (thinking of ) 🙈 but totally worth it... Must Have 👍👍

Check out my Instagram for more feeds. 

And as the night unfolded and everyone took their time finishing this heavy Mexican fare, I indulges myself with a hot creamy Mexican hot chocolate spiced to perfection with the right notes. 

I completely enjoyed this one. 

Must try. 

On that note we were a tad too much satisfied bunch. 

Had an amazing time at Picantos over their yummy food and refreshing drinks. The quantity is huge and it is a complete VFM place. 

Definitely give it a try ... let me know how you like my favorite dishes there and let me know if you discover any other gems apart from these. 

A big shout out to Picantos and the owner for hosting us. 

Let me take you behind the scenes what say...😋

This is how bloggers dine ... in action Fat Foodie and Go Pune. 

With the ever charming food fanatic Jerlyn behind the counter prepping our burrito bowl.

Full house 

Saquib , Ashay, Ajay, Ashish

Pros of having awesome photographers around you. 

All in a day's work ..........  

Until we meet again..

Stay Happy!

xoxo
Bhakti

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