Gyraah handi haleem ( 11 handi haleem) @ soda bottle openerwala

For decades, the Irani Cafe tradition has grown here and become a big part of our Hyderabadi culture. Persian immigrants landed at Mumbai’s shores in the 18th century and made it their home. From here, some went to Pune and yet others, to Hyderabad. Like all immigrants, they brought with them a slice of their Persian culture - the Irani Cafe tradition to Hyderabad. Indian scholars, artists and local residents patronised these cafes as their addas or hangouts with friends and like-minded people for social and intellectual stimulation. In the 1970s such was the popularity of the Hyderabadi Irani Cafes that the areas around these places became synonymous with names of the cafes - such as Medina and Shadab in Old City. Today Hyderabad boasts of the largest number of Irani Cafes in the world; however, they too are slowly diminishing in number. 

Having served patrons Parsi cuisine, hyderabadi - Irani specialties and Bombay street food, SodaBottleOpenerWala presents Gyarah Handi Haleem all through the month of Ramzaan to showcase eleven spectacular Haleem recipes. Over the past few years, there has been some experimentation in different parts of Hyderabad with different kinds of meat for making Haleem which has largely been well received. To put forth Gyarah Handi Haleem, olive group have experimented with different flavours and worked with home chefs to present eleven mouthwatering preparations of traditional and new age Haleem. 

Explore the myriad flavours of Haleem made using different kinds of meat, something never experienced at this scale in a restaurant.  The Menu includes Veg Haleem, Roasted Corn Haleem, Chicken Haleem, Mutton Haleem, Fish Haleem, Prawn Haleem, Duck Haleem, Turkey Haleem, Special Chicken Haleem , Special Mutton Haleem , Anaida's Original Persian Haleem.

Here is the list of the exotic haleem varieties:

As part of the Gyarah Handi Haleem promotion,  Anaida Pravaneh, Chef and Partner at SodaBottleOpenerWala, Powai showcased her special Persian haleem at the soda bottle openerwala, jubilee hills and it is one of the best and flavorful, non spicy haleem which is rich in flavor and texture which will make you drool for more. It is different from the traditional haleem available in Hyderabad, which is spicy and loaded with spices and dough, which is too sticky and gluely unlike the persian version by Anaida. You should come and try yourself to experience the true taste of haleem at Jubilee hills outlet. 

Apart from the regular Mutton haleem, they are also doing two variants of veg haleem with roasted corn and soya chunks, which is a typical veg haleem which doesn't have the over pouring of flour in it to taste like upma at many places, you can feel the veggies while gulping it. 

The duck haleem, turkey and prawn haleem are some of the off beat haleem which i have tried this season and my favorite was the turkey and duck. The mautton and chicken variants of haleem are done with talawa style and another one was regular and plain meat. 

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The Olive group opens THE HOPPERY

After the successful launch of popular, award winning brands like Olive Bar and Kitchen, Olive Bistro and Bar, Guppy, SodaBottleOpenerWala, Monkey Bar, Fatty Bao, Ek Bar and the newest Toast & Tonic and Lady Baga, across the country, The Olive Group is delighted to introduce its first ever microbrewery to Hyderabad.  

'We have wanted to open a microbrewery for years and are so happy to finally be opening here in Hyderabad. We want to serve really good beer in a lovely setting like nowhere else' – AD Singh, Managing Director, Olive Bar & Kitchen Pvt Ltd.

India’s microbrewery sector has seen a massive growth in the last few years, and continues to induct beer lovers into its culture every single day. Hyderabad, unlike its Western counterpart Bengaluru, is still a market relatively new to the craft beer industry. Beer fans are constantly looking to swap the mainstream fare that's long dominated local markets for palette-expanding microbrews and quaffs. 

At The Olive Group, we are firm believers (and advocates) of the relief that a chilled pint brings during hot summer days. And even more firm believers in the magic of freshly brewed craft beer with flavours so distinct, that bottled beer can only hope to match.

Enter The Hoppery - an urbane getaway in the heart of the city that comes with unmatched brews and views – offering a peerless treat for its visitors. The brewery is spread across a quaint glasshouse, an alfresco and a wooden deck.

Sharing the reason for the choice behind opening The Olive Group’s first ever microbrewery in Hyderabad, Shaaz Mehmood, Partner, Olive Group, Hyderabad says ‘We chose Hyderabad because it is an emerging market, not just for F&B but for microbreweries as well. The current government here is very efficient & pro this industry and has made policies conducive to explore opportunities. Being a true blood Hyderabadi I thought why not bring our first brewery to my hometown state of Telangana?’

We have created a space where guests can indulge in some of the best brews in the country, in a relaxed setting. Together with partners Shaaz Mehmood, Shiraz Mirza and the team, we are confident that The Hoppery will be received with the same love that we have created it with. 

THE LOOK OF THE HOPPERY

A glasshouse nestled between lush foliage and greens, step into this charming, split-level space with arguably the best view in Hyderabad. Sabina Singh, design director for the Olive Group has designed this space in her classic open and spacious style, together with a local, young architect Sanjana Reddy. Choose between the elevated al fresco experience by the windmills complete with wooden benches and tables or a warm ambience inside the glasshouse. Blue Mangalorian tiles, yellow and white striped floors come together in a down-to-earth and simple décor. No forced ‘brewery’ aesthetic here; just a pleasant, contemporary all-day space which transcends through the day as a feel-good brewery to a lively spot at night with friends and family.

The light, airy feel is further enhanced by plants and foliage that are an extension of the interiors, on the walls and indoors. Undoubtedly, it also has some of the best views of the city.

THE BREWS AT THE HOPPERY

Don’t just come for the mind-blowing views. At The Hoppery, the brews do the talking. With Master Brewer Aditya Challa of Bolly Beers on board, the offerings are nothing short of ingenious. The Hoppery will initially have four kinds of beer; HopNotch (IPA), Copperead (Dark Lager), White Spice (Wheat) and HyderaBrew (a root beer inspired by the flavours of Hyderabad). Aditya has handpicked these brews and brought in a fresh approach to handcrafted beer. For the experimental ones, there is an array of beer based cocktails as well. Sip on the Flaming Lips (jalapeno infused vodka, sweet and sour mix, beer) or indulge in The Cure (Espresso, white rum, Kahlua, maple syrup, IPA beer). There’s also a classic Beer Sangria (vodka infused fruits, apple juice, red grape juice, topped with beer) for the Sangria lovers.

THE FOOD AT THE HOPPERY

 Unpretentious and simple, the menu boasts of an array of splendid flavours created by the culinary genius Chef Shaun Kenworthy. The menu comprises small plates which are fresh, with comfort flavours and delicious in taste. Get your hands dirty with Coriander Lime Chicken Tenders, Dry Fried Tender Pork Ribs with Blue Cheese or nibble on Spicy Artichoke Nacho Chips and Bacon Wrapped Sausages. Dig into Grilled Shrimp with Mango Salsa, Mini Buttered Corn Cobs or classic Assorted Fries – all of which make the ideal beer bites. The Hoppery promises bodacious brews, fabulous food and a brewery experience like no other in the city. But, don’t take our word for it – come over and find out for yourself.

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PUNJAB GRILL. ( the modern punjabi grill)

Since my childhood,i have grown up believing that Punjabi food is just confined to Dhaba and it has less varieties to it than kebabs and some butter chicken and lassi. But later on the jynx broke partially after the city hosted some best Punjabi restaurants with a feel good ambiance with more varieties of dishes to relish the cuisine to its best. But when i visited Punjab Grill, the jynx was broken all the myths i had previously and i explored almost the best of the Punjabi, in fact the most authentic till date.

They opened recently with a good marketing strategy which draw huge crowds since day one which is a good sign to know that people of Hyderabad are giving much importance to other cuisines as well.

I was here for dinner with a couple of friends, and who shared the same table and ordered the chefs choice of dishes to relish the best of the  taste.

We started off with the veg kurkure, they are crunchy from outside and soft from inside as they are filled with cheese and minced mushroom which was coated with sev and deep fried. They are simply good with the sweet sauce. Then came the chicken starter which was boneless and made in tandoor. The smoky flavor was evident in every bite, which was enhanced by the mint sauce which was spicy too. They had too kind of mint sauce, one with curd and one with raw paste which is a bit spicy for those who like it hot.

The Tawa machi is one of the best starters of the night, which came in the third position to the table, It was shallow fried river sole, which was very smooth from inside. And the bread crumbs outside made it even crispier to enjoy the taste with different textures at the same time.

The salmon tikka was too string for my flavor, which was served with spicy mint chutney, which balanced the flavor of the strong salmon taste which we can't take it raw. But it was buttery smooth and i loved it.

In the main course, the legendary dal makhni was absolutely outstanding and i completed half of my breads with it. It was creamy and had that flavor in it. Kadai murgh in non veg was another great dish for the dinner, which was done with the chicken legs from tandoor and the creamy gravy was a pure accompaniment for the bread.

Butter chicken was a passer  by, as it had the excessive sweet taste in it with the tomatoes being sweet, made it too sweet for me. The chicken has lost its smoky flavor which is a must for butter chicken in the punjabi cuisine.

In rice, i loved their veg biryani which was served along with the chutney pulao( chicken). The vegetable biryani is one of the best biryani i have had in Hyderabad and if they can maintain the same consistency, they can make the dish as their USP. The saffron flavor was spread equally and the ghee tossing was perfect to ooze out the flavors and with little spice and generous amount of veggies on top, made it an exceptional dish.

In deserts i loved their pinni which is made with rice flour and mixed with sugar and topped with dry fruits. It was heavy and filling too. It was being served as complimentary. In addition to this their paneer jalebi stands out when had with the rabdi. The combination is just spot on.

The ambiance is done exceptionally well and the service also matches the pace of the restaurant. Being a 130 + cover, they managed the service part very well and they are crowded all the time. Its a good sign to start with. They are also doing lunch buffet as a part of the corporate food fall and they priced it at 680++. They haven't recieved their bar licence, but they are making some out of the box combinations in their mock tails, which stand out and are also refreshing. My choice is the lemon pickle with orange juice and paan shake.

I would love to comeback for some special dishes which i really liked in their menu, real soon.

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BURGER KING

The famous American fast food chain BURGER KING finally made it to Hyderabad and today i was invited as a part of the tasting session on a pre launch event here on Saturday. The store is located on the 3rd floor of sujana forum mall in kukatpally, which is quite famous for the weekend crowds.

The store is a limited seat quick service restaurant, which has a wide range of menu for the patrons who look for something tastier and quicker. Their whooper burger is their signature burger in which they are offering them in 3 variants, chicken mutton and veg. The mutton is also available with double patty and is a ground breaker for the people who would like the taste burst in their mouth. Its just juicy and succulent in the mouth with lots of flavors with majority of pickles.

Firstly i started with the cheesy fries which were served with the chili sauce and the cheese dip which was very good in taste and the flavors are awesome for me as they are less oily and good in flavor. The dips are accompanying the taste all the time.

The tandoori chicken burger was one of my favorite and the best of the burger is, they prepare the chicken patty in the tandoor and you will relish the flavor of tandoor in the very first bite with the mint mayo sauce which compensates the taste of the burger all the way. The specific Indian touch is evident in this burger and they didn't made it in desi version. The patty was made with the corn dust and it was soft and good in taste. I loved it and the spice level can be increased as per the palate. They will customize as per your order.

The chicken whooper and the mutton whooper burger are also made with the whole patty and the proportions of veggies to the meat is a bit on the higher side, and with the high concentration of sauce makes the burgers taste less on meat. The chicken strips are the best ones i have had, the honey chili sauce is the perfect accompaniment for the strips and you will love them along with the onion rings which are pretty bulk in size.

The 7 inch extra long were normal in taste, but they replicated the same bread which they serve in US and the filling was normal and a average burger fan can appreciate the real taste of it. The chicken was good for me with the mustard filing and the cheese strips.

In the deserts, they innovated a gems variant which is made with the vanilla ice cream and the gems crush. They promise you, that it can withstand gravity for a minute or so, which can indirectly tells us the consistency and the quality. I loved the gems crush and the vanilla flavor along, which was good. They have another in oreo version.

Overall, it was a great lunch with one of the best burgers in the world and we warmly welcome the burger king to Hyderabad and i wish them all the best for their future endeavors. Looking to hop in the near future.

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Punjabi feast By dippy's kitchen

Dippy's kitchen is a home based outlet and it is run by the home chef dinesh purushottam. He  hails from mumbai and a retired actor from bollywood. He is in Hyderabad since january and he has a great passion for food and he specialized in more of the North Indian cuisine and Gujarati food. He runs his kitchen at his residence which is located in safilguda. 

I was there at his place on a fine day, as i was invited for a lunch over conversation. His place is quite easy to locate. He maintained his home very well and he lives alone in his house. I loved the atmosphere and the ambiance of his place. 

He prepared punjabi lunch for us, like

Dal makhni
Aloo gobi mutter
parathas
4 kinds of chutneys and pickle
jeera rice
chaas 
blue berry cheese cake ice cream from kwality walls

He prepared himself all the stuff and i am amazed to see his energy levels to work for himself and he has got some serious skills, which one should acquire and learn to perfection. 

We started with parathas, which are super soft and crunchy and are made with pure ghee which gave them an extra edge of taste which stood out. The dal makhni was given to accompany with which was very rich in texture and was topped with cream to have. The taste was as authentic as it can be. It was heavy and i could barely eat 3 parathas with that and that concludes the quality concerns. 

Aloo gobi mutter was another item in the menu with which i had the paratha, which was done very well and the spice levels are very well balanced and i felt the taste of my mom. Its very impressive. The same is the case with the chutneys and pickles which he made. 

The grilled muthiya was another star in the menu, which was prepared with the grated bottle gourd, cabbage etc. which was then made into paste and grilled over the pan, which gives you a solid texture and distinctive taste. The best muthiya i have ever had. It went well with the chili chutney which was made by the chef himself. Love the combination. 

In the end we finished the meal with chaas, which was made with the high quality kiaro milk turned curd and was very thick indeed. For my sweet tooth cravings he had a solution in the form of the blue berry cheese cake ice cream from kwality walls which was impressive. 

On a whole, my meal was filled with love and pampering by chef dinesh purushottam and i am completely flattered with his culinary skills and his top notch hospitality. 

Will recommend this place for those who look for the authentic home made food, and a daily menu will be done on prior order. 

Address:

101, 1st Floor, Golf View Enclave, Uttam Nagar, Safilguda, Malkajgiri, Secunderabad.

Mobile: 
+91 7032701270

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CHILI'S New Menu.

The tex-mex cuisine is aiming for a standardised position in the Hyderabad food dairy, which has come again in the disguise of Chili's part two, which is located in the prime location of Banjara Hills. I was here with some of ,my foodie friends and we gathered here for lunch. 

The place is quite catchy when you are on road no.1 banjara hills towards GVK mall. The interiors are very good and colorful background with different poster boards of food and the upside down glass lights and the wooden carved chili's board name...will make your presence a bit more exciting about the place. 

Coming to food, we started with some appetizers, followed by main course drinks and deserts. The classic nachos with cheese dressing were served in veg and non veg variants, which are very good with the mustard layered cheese dressing. The best part is the salsa which was tangy enough to compensate the cheese flavor in nachos. I loved it. The chicken variant is my choice which has got more flavor of sauces or the cheese.

Then we had the chicken appetizer platter in which we had different varieties of chicken made in different ways and are presented in one single platter for each of us. The bone less chicken wings, the winglets, kfc style chicken and the stuffed chicken with carrots. The cream and salad was the best accompaniment one can ask for such beautiful platter, which was very appetizing in both texture and taste. Among them i liked the bone less wings and the winglets which are spicy and tangy enough. The stuffed bone less chicken in a roll, was the best of the lot with lot of barbeque flavor and the chicken was tender enough for me to taste. The sour cream helped me to balance the flavors. 

In the main course, i got the chicken steak and the fajitas. The chicken steak was served with much of breast part with the cream sauce. The chicken tasted good and the sauce was a bit dull in taste and needs some improvement. The fajitas were good, chicken and mushroom combination is not to miss. 

In the quesadillas, they cheese and jalapeno variants in which i loved the jalapeno one, which was loaded with the cheese and jalapeno which gave me the whole flavor of the quesadilla and i loved it with the dry salsa. The cheese one is actually loaded with more cheese and the flavor was one less side, though i loved the cheese burst in my mouth with no thought of flavor. 

The salmon steak was served with mixed bean rice and cream cheese sauce in which the sauce is the best part, which is a bit spicy and sour, which can be accompanied with the fish alone and rice mixed. The taste will be good after a while.  

The drinks were served in between and my favorite among the drinks my favorite was POM-MANGO RITA, it is a combination of mango and pomegranate juice which is dominated with the flavor mango and the crushed ice will diminish the flavor if you wont consume it fast. The less the crushed ice,, the better the taste. 

In deserts the choco lava cake and the cinnamon white chocolate cake are good and the cinnamon with white chocolate is my favorite with the molten white chocolate in between the vanilla ice cream and the cinnamon cake. The taste was excellent and cinnamon tastes a bit strong with the chocolate. 

The service was very quick and prompt, the chef was around all the time explaining the dishes each and every one. Even i had a chance to visit their kitchen and on a whole it was a great experience with tex-mex cuisine at chili's and i will be back for their set menu which was quite impressive and will suit the needs of the office going crowd who looks out for some good change in their plans for lunch every now and then. 

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AB-Absolute Barbeque

What is your feeling, when you just stepped outside of the lift too see a lool of customers waiting outside the restaurant for their turn to dine in, since hours and you just make your way like walk on the water. That feeling comes with some price and pride. The pride is the feeling which comes when you dine in solo, to experience yourself all alone, with a separate seat just for your self and all the remaining seats watching you eat. I AM A FOODIE.....i eat like no one's watching me.

Just happened to experience the same scene today at AB's jubilee hills when i was on the thought of having lunch at this place. With no time wasted i was given the seat and i was comforted with a chilled beer and some starters. Among them i liked the chicken starter and the fish. The chicken was cooked well with the good tangy marination with which the juicy flavor was oozing out, which made me have the endless bites of it with the chilled beer. What better can be had other than this on a sunny day? I am impressed with the start.

With the heavy meal of starters and the beer, i continued to have the mutton seekh kebab, with rice corn cake and cheesy potato, along side with the grilled pineapple. The rcie corn cakes were soft and the batter was very soft and melted in my mouth, with an accompaniment of green sauce, with which it went amazingly good. The seekh kebab was dry and the moisture was less, but it was rectified as soon as possible and was served again with the necessary input from the chef. I liked it this time. The cheesy potato was soggy and the cheese was more of a chili garlic mayo and was tangy. I liked it. The grilled pine apple was one of the best starters i have ever seen and this stand among my all time favorite. I can eat them all day with out any break. The cinnamon coating on the outer side of the pine apple with a hint of white pepper will make you drool over this dish.

The main course was decent and i had butter chicken, veg biryani, AB's spl dal and curd rice. The butter chicken was decent but it was not the same butter chicken in which the chicken was not grilled/tandoor. The grilled flavor was missing, but the taste was excellent with the fine smooth texture. The veg biryani was more of awadhi type and it was decent with not much oil in it. The veggies were well cooked with masala on board. AB"S spl dal was made in dal makhni way with rajma and chana touch to the dal, which made it have the rich texture and the consistency. I liked it.

Among the desert platter, i liked the angoori gulab jamoon, mango cheese cake , ras malai. The ras malai, was good with the taste and the texture. gulab jamoon were small, but amazingly sweet.

With my personal server, pinaki, he made me available what ever i wished and what ever i wanted. I was pampered all the way and was teased with some jokes and was taken care in almost all the ways, where i left the feeling that i was having a solo lunch. Even after paying my bill, pinaki denied the tip and he asked me to take his name when ever i am around and he would be at my service and will treat me like his guest. This truely is the gesture of a hospitality industry and i was floored by the behavioral etiquette and their responsibility towards the customer, makes every one happy and a long lasting memory has been already imprinted in my mind.

With a thumbs-up to this place. Singing off.

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