Zaika - Indian Cuisine, Bangalore - Restaurant Review

Zaika - Indian Cuisine
Ground Floor
34, Raheja Arcade
Koramangala 6th Block
Bangalore
Ph. : 080-25536260

It is apt that the first restaurant review I write for one in Bangalore be Zaika.
Zaika is truly a great place to have food when you are craving for that North Indian food and the wallet is not that well loaded! Personally, I believe that Zaika has not got its share of praise in Bangalore, specifically Koramangala.
The restaurant is located at Raheja Arcade, where on of the most famous restaurants of this are is located. The name of that place reminds people of 'village life'. What's there in the food out there beats me! But that restaurant would be here in a few days to come.

So, coming back to Zaika.

The food here is really well cooked and the aroma of the dishes really soothes your senses. Your just want to get started with the food at the word go! The mesmerizing flavor of the dal makhni and the tingling feeling you get after that serving of kadhai paneer is just amazing to find at such rates. This place, laides and gentleman, assures value for money.
Being a bachelor in Bangalore is good, if you have the lady love alongwith you. But there is a large proportion of singles who end up eating the last meal of the day, all alone. And I unfortunately, am one of them. My only respite is the Zaika Special thali. I can't imagine any other place I would go to for indulging in great quality food seducing me at rates that would make the seduction worth every penny of it!
The Zaika Thali, the object of my affection, is a sumptuous meal for a person who feels he could eat a human and still have the guts to go for a dessert. Well, the Zaika Thali would suffice easily for that person!

The best thing about this place is the music that they play. Instrumental renditions of Hindi Oldies. I can't forget one instance, when I had gone to this place with my childhood friend, Gaurav. Both of us being Paneer freaks, we had ordered 3 dishes. All paneer. What else! So there was this family enjoying their rasam and similar culinary preparations. And one of them had been to Delhi recently. She could not hide her exasperation at the fact that the whole of Delhi loves Paneer and nothing else. We couldn't just sit there and hear insults about our beloved lifeline! So, we turned and gave her the look. And surprisingly just then, the waiter cam and said, 'Sir, your three paneer dishes are here'! Dayem! That was hilarious!

Well, that was that. The cuisines on offer are Rajasthani, Gujarati, North Indian, South Indian, Continental and Italian. They serve a Gujarati Thali on Sundays.
The food is really tasty and it is worth a visit if you are looking for some good North Indian food in Koramangala.

Seduction Meter : Seduced. Service needs improvement (7/10)
Environs : Nothing great. Subtle music.
Platter holders : Usually gang up and are not too courteous.
Mortals awaiting seduction : Almost anyone. Office attire to jeans to sarees.
Burns a hole : 350 bucks wide for 2 vegetarians
Location : Raheja Arcade. Opposite Vodafone Store on the McDonalds side of The Forum


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Berco's @ Connaught Place, New Delhi - Restaurant Review

Berco's
G-2/43, Middle Circle, Connaught Place
New Delhi - 110 001
Ph: 011-41513541 / 23739533
www.bercos.net

This is the place that has a lot of my Delhi memories attached to it. The first 'costly' restaurant we went to. Holding some one's hand for the first time outside at the car park. Long chats and the desire to gobble up the 'best' Chinese food. Well, I guess, it's better we started exploring 'better' places than this.
Now Berco's has been on the culinary circuit for way too long! It is the first name that comes to mind when you think of Connaught Place (CP), hunger and Chinese.
But it's heartening to see the place become a sort of fiefdom of the staff out there. The food is good, but not great either.
The staff treats you according to your attire. Try and go there looking all ruffled up and you'll get a hard nosed treatment.
But enough for the battering. This place needs some justice to be done on account of the wonderful times that it has given me.

I would not say that the food served here is the best, but it is one of the better places to go for oriental cuisine.
The bill of fare at Berco's is pretty exhaustive and offers a vivid variety of Chinese and Thai cuisines. The spread really leaves you asking for more, in a positive sense.

The vegetarian fare is pretty impressive and the chefs do come out with really finger licking preparations, 'at times'. There have been times when I have licked up every speck of the gravy in my plate, and then there have been times when I could not finish even half the serving.

But the food delights you after a long stroll around CP. The Phat Thai noodles are delicious and prepared perfectly. Go for Chili Garlic Noodles with a serving of Veg Balls in a spicy Manchurian sauce for that hair-raising experience. The chefs do entertain requests to keep the chili on the lower side, though.
The non-veg preparations are better than the veg ones. The chicken is really soft and the portions are sumptuous.
I have not tried the Lamb preparations here. If you have, please do contribute to this post.
Finish off the meal with one of the softest and melt-in-the-mouth desserts, the Death by Chocolate. (The name originates from an ice cream parlor chain in Bangalore, the Corner House). We never stop eating our hearts out of this dessert until we have gorged on (yes its gross to write about desserts in such a manner) at least 3 of those.

The restaurant has recently moved from Inner Circle to Middle Circle, near the Costa Coffee outlet.
The service leaves a lot to be fulfilled, almost every time. But on the whole, it is a fun place to be with your pals and have some real good Chinese grub.

Seduction Meter : Seduced ... not really. The service was a turn off (6.5/10)
Environs : Soft lights. Mirrors. Indian interiors for Chinese loving Indians. Weird music though.
Platter holders : Rude. Need to call them at least 3 times before they respond. Remind you of a Government office.
Mortals awaiting seduction : Families. Couples. Asians. Sarees to jeans with smart tops.
Burns a hole : 500 bucks wide for 2 vegetarians

Location : Between Radial Road 6 and Radial Road 7 in Middle Circle

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