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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