Flavors Of The Orient At Ching Shihh...

Taking a cue from Pan Asian cuisine and its presence in Delhi NCR, the newest outlet to present Oriental flavors at their authentic best has come up in Logix Mall, Noida and it goes by the name Ching Shihh.

My visit to this place came about as the consequence of a recommendation from a friend. Ching Shihh is located on the second floor in Logix Mall, next to A Grill Company, while the mall itself is located right next to Noida City Centre Metro Station.

Ching Shihh is essentially a themed restaurant drawing from 'The Princess Of The Sea' and the most powerful female pirate lord of her times, after whom the outlet has been aptly christened.

The decor and ambiance have a relaxing vibe to them, the place is well lit and trinkets from the Orient emulate China in its humility.

Also, right as you step into the outlet there's a life-size ship wheel proclaiming 'Steersman Is The Key On The Sea'. The place also has an enclosure or two thus providing for Private Dining Spaces in a sense.

The menu at Ching Shihh has been curated in line with the pirate's voyages and has been fine tuned by chefs to fall in line with her treasure map's trail. We tried the following dishes based on Chef's Recommendations.

Appetizers:

Asian Vegetables in Lettuce Wraps is a star preparation at Ching Shihh, hands down. It is all about huge lettuce cups, assorted veggies tossed in sauce, and one's choice of a topping of one, some, or all of burnt garlic, peanuts, coriander, and lemon.

Corn and Cheese Spring Rolls

Prawn Tempura

Chicken Fingers In Chili Hoisin Sauce

Asian Vegetable Dumpling

Chicken and Chives Crystal Dumpling

Mocktails:

At Ching Shihh, the Drinks Menu pans out like a Chinese fan. Quite an interesting presentation in line with the theme of the restaurant.

Hazy Martini came in a glass filled with candy floss to the brim.

Much to one's delight, the lime and mint concoction is poured over the cotton candy making it melt into oblivion.

Blue Lotus is presented over a bulb of fuming nitrogen, thus borrowing from the Molecular Gastronomy concept.

Ninja is a mystery mocktail that has little to say about itself on the menu even. So best would be to try it for oneself. This one has prominent flavors going into that may or may not appeal to some.

Shanghai Noon was presented in a tall glass and was flavorful with bits of apple lending it a refreshing taste.

Ginger Monk was presented in a skull-shaped glass mug. This one has a prominent ginger flavor and might not appeal to everyone's taste.

Strawberry Colada was a flavorful concoction of strawberry, orange, and pineapple.

Main Course:

Thai Red Curry

Steamed Lemon Rice had a flavor of not only lemon but also lemongrass infused into it.

Stir Fry Vegetables in Hot Garlic Sauce was quite flavorful and authentic.

Thai Prawn Curry

Chicken Hakka Noodles

Desserts at Ching Shihh have been specially curated and it is here that you cannot afford to skip the sweet conclusion to a hearty meal. Rather, you would as well find yourself asking for a repeat helping.

Date Spring Rolls

Homemade Coconut Ice Cream

Frankly speaking, the last time I savored such fantastic Oriental food shall have to be at Feng Shuii. Ching Shihh parallels with that place in its own right.

All in all, Ching Shihh comes across as the go-to place for an authentic slice of the Orient and is a no-frills, humble place that aces the flavors it serves. It is a keep-it-simple-silly kind of restaurant that attempts to revive the long lost charm of fine-dining, which thus succeeds in leaving a fantastic first impression. :)

#HappinessInABox At The Bento Cafe...

On a recent shopping spree at the DLF Mall Of India, I tried exploring a cuisine that I hadn't relished in a long time. I came across The Bento Cafe and decided to treat myself to some nicely done Japanese fare in the heart of Noida.

The Bento Cafe is situated in the EAT Food Lounge at the fourth floor of the mall. It is a vibrantly done space, with yellows and whites dominating the decor.

One of their USPs I believe, apart from the fact the fact that they are catering to a Pan Asian palate, is that they exploit the concept of keeping freshly prepared dishes on display to aid sales.

The Bento Cafe is essentially a QSR (Quick Service Restaurant) that offers the authentic Japanese Bento Box and all other things Japanese i.e. Sushi, Dimsums, Street Snacks, and Rice 'n' Noodle Boxes.

Here's what all I tried when at The Bento Cafe.

Sushi, both of which were on a bed of fuming nitrogen, borrowing from the Molecular Gastronomy concept, served along with Wasabi and pickled Gari (ginger), authentically sushi ginger.

Salmon Philadelphia Roll

Sweet & Spicy Shitake Mushroom

Dimsums, one portion of which comprises five pieces. Tried the chicken variant in this one.

Japanese Pizza is a dish which I found to be a novel preparation was crafted out of a Tempura Flour base, stuffed with cabbage and corn. It was layered with delicious sauce and is a must-have when at The Bento Cafe, apart from their signature Bento Box, that is. You could discover this gem under their Street Snacks section on the Menu.

I was also told that their Sizzlers were the newest kid on the block and decided to try the Fish and Prawn preparations, which were served alongside two spring rolls, Thai Som Tum Salad, and french fries.

To accompany the fantastic food, I also had their Blue Mountain Slush.

Coming to their highly anticipated and popular item on the Menu, The Bento Box.

The Bento Box itself has been categorized into three on the basis of the variety of Mains:

• Veg Bento 
• Chicken Bento 
• Gourmet Bento

#ItsBentoClock I was told when I was led through the three-step-guide to acquiring my own Gourmet Bento Box, those being...

Step 1: Choose Your Rice/Noodle - Asian Fried Rice (Veg)

Step 2: Choose Your Mains - Prawn Thai Sriracha

Step 3: Complimentary Portion of Thai Som Tum Salad which is all about julienned green papaya imparting a zing. :)

A notable gesture in their presentation of the Bento Box is the presence of a slip of the upper left-hand corner proclaiming 'Freshly Prepared For' and 'In Minutes' lending a certain customization. :)

I wrapped up my meal with their Melting Choco Dumplings which is prepared by melting white and brown chocolate on potato starch and then steaming the dumpling, thereafter topping it with shredded coconut. It is a dessert lover's delight, to put it in simple words.

The Bento Cafe is thus my newly discovered one-stop-shop for authentic Japanese fare and I must applaud them for their on-the-toes service and impeccable knowledge regarding the cuisine they serve. :)

#PostcardsFromPersia At SodaBottleOpenerWala...

It is always a formidable task to present the less known cuisines of any country in its true, authentic form. Persian cuisine has been one such less-explored arena for us Indians.

Thankfully, SodaBottleOpenerWala has been the harbinger to revive the dying legacy of the wonderful chaotic, crowded, bustling, colorful, quirky, cluttered, eccentric and so real world of an Irani café.

After their #DoTheNew last year, and as a part of their 3-year-anniversary, SBOW has collaborated with famed singer Anaida Parvaneh, who, along with the chefs at SodaBottleOpenerWala presents a menu that has been curated to showcase traditional Persian dishes made using ingredients from Iran that will be available in Delhi at SodaBottleOpenerWala’s Khan Market and Noida outlets from March 18 to April 30, 2017.

My calling was to visit SBOW, Mall Of India, Noida to relish Anaida's thoughtful creations for dinner. Though SodaBottleOpenerWala retains its characteristic decor with simplistic quirks from the era of late 60's and early 70's, there is perhaps a chalk-and-blackboard list of dos and don'ts when at a Parsi Bhonu's place and the glass tables featuring tips and tricks to feel-at-home when at SBOW in general.

I must remark how the decor had an old-school look and feel to it even with porcelain rose-tinted crockery reminding me of my mother's vintage dinner sets. A life-size family tree tracing Mr. SodaBottleOpenerWala's lineage was also a welcome sight. :)

Coincidentally, the unveiling of the pop-up Menu with Anaida in attendance timed itself well with the celebration of Navroze, i.e. Parsi New Year in the offing a day later. It was a sheer delight to be acquainted with, and concur with Anaida's perception of a holistic aura to food. Also, her perspective of 'No Chili' concurs with mine as I detest spice in my food. It was a pleasure to share the table and a wonderful meal with a like-minded person as Anaida.

With a host of authentic Persian delicacies up their sleeves, each prepared using ingredients that have medicinal and healing properties, Anaida and Chef Hemant have presented the pop-up menu as an A’la Carte and as a vegetarian & non-vegetarian Sini, inspired by the concept of Indian Thalis specially curated with the entire Persian vegetarian and non-vegetarian experience on a platter.

Out of all the dishes on the Menu, Anaida's Soup-e-Jadooi and Salad-e-Salamat were the ones made solely with a holistic and natural healing purpose, borrowing from Anaida's mother's anecdotes.

The Soup-e-Jadooi is a remarkable concoction of chicken with coriander, pearl barley, mixed sprouts, turnip, mushroom, carrots and roasted vermicelli. It acts as the perfect pick-me-up for anyone feeling under the weather.

According to Anaida,

"My mother was a naturopath who hardly allowed us to take any allopathic medication. There was a herbal remedy for everything and over the years I learned a lot from her and studied some of my own. Treating cooking as an art I enjoyed creating dishes with ingredients aimed at certain diseases and the challenge was to make them as tasty as possible to treat food as a healing tool. 

Personally, I also work with foods on energy level, while science still has to catch up with certain teaching I have come across, I like to mix and match certain foods for their energetic properties and this particular soup for me, has the 'good feel' energy." 

Here's what all was relished over some nice company and good banter at Anaida's Persian Pop Up...

To begin with, we had Irani Chai which was black tea brewed with love in a porcelain pot and served with dates and sugar cubes on the side.

Well, summer's here already and what better than to drive away the sweltering heat with a spoonful of delicious variations of Raita presented in the form of Mast-o-Khiyar (Iranian style Raita with a dash of chopped cucumber, dried mint and rose petals flavored with sea salt) and Laboo Burani, which is a Raita of sweetened beetroot in hung yogurt flavored with rose petals. Both these preparations went well with Salad-e-Salamat.

Irani Haleem came from a traditional Iranian recipe made using slow cooked lamb and wheat paste and went well with the quintessential Bambaiyya Pav.

Fesenjan was a specialty from Iran made by slow cooking chicken in pomegranate molasses along with walnuts turned out to be a personal favorite.

Khorak-e-Ghosht or lamb shank slow-cooked in onions, chick peas and mild spices flavored with Persian black lime was also well appreciated when paired with Saffron Rice.

One of the star variations to Ladies' Finger put forward by Anaida was christened as Khoresht-e-Bamiye and consisted of the humble vegetable being cooked with tomatoes and onions, topped with fried eggplant and finely fried potatoes.

Coming to eggplant, Anaida's Kashk-o-Bademjan is essentially an eggplant roll flavored with Iranian eggplant paste paired with fried onions and mild spices, served alongside flavorful Kashk, made from dried yogurt.

Among the rice preparations, we savored Dill and Fava Bean Rice being presented as Baghali Polo on the pop-up menu, and Chef Hemant's special creation, Tahchin which consists of chicken marinated in yogurt, cooked in charcoal, mixed with cardamom and saffron flavored rice. It was also served with a mildly spiced tomato dip on the side.

The curated selection of desserts is a delight, to say the least. Shole Zard or ‘yellow flame’ is a Persian pudding dating back several thousand years prepared with aromatic rice flavored with saffron and almonds. It was traditionally served at special occasions such as weddings, gatherings or new year as it is laden with saffron, an exotic and expensive ingredient.

On the other hand, Persian Halwa made with wheat flour cooked in ghee and rose water flavored with cinnamon and nuts formed for the perfect end to our Persian meal at Anaida's pop-up.

Also, as the outlet has a newly acquired liquor license, they believed in flaunting it by presenting their Vodka sampler. Being a teetotaler, I skipped its tasting but a capture was also good enough to appreciate its presentation.

Before I wrap up this account of my time at SBOW, Noida, I must also commend the staff for being on the toes with their on-fleek service, catering to regular patrons with as much aplomb as they did to us Bloggers. I had a wonderful time at SodaBottleOpenerWala and it remains my go-to place for all things authentically Persian. :)