Is Häagen-Dazs worth the hype?

After much controversy, Häagen-Dazs, the premium brand of ice cream and yogurts finally landed in India. There is a chic café outlet at the Select City mall in Saket, Delhi. However, we decided to pick up tubs of Haagen-Dazs and London Dairy to do some serious evaluation.

So what is the score? Our choice of flavors were Belgian Chocolate (Haagen-Dazs) and Tiramisu (London Dairy). They both come impressively packaged in good looking tubs, sealed twice with sturdy spoons. A spoonful of the still-frozen ice-cream from both tubs did not taste exceptional. However, the taste changes satisfactorily after you let them be for a few minutes.

Haagen-Dazs is no doubt the creamiest ice-cream I have ever tasted. The flavor is rich and there are fine shaves of chocolate which you just about taste versus the chunks you usually bite into most ice-creams. We let the ice-cream melt completely and it gives us a super-thick and super tasty chocolate milkshake

London Dairy does no justice to tiramisu. It is a bit of vanilla with coffee and chocolate flavors. Not much to write home about and certainly not as creamy as Haagen-Dazs.

The final verdict: London Dairy costs about Rs 75 a scoop but that’s besides the point as I did not like it.

Haagen-Dazs tastes great but at Rs 185 a scoop, is steeply priced. I like to have 2 scoops of ice-cream and Rs 400 for an ice-cream cone is pretty expensive. If you have deep pockets go for it; if not head to Gelato or the home grown Gianni and Nirula’s. They taste is as good and cost less than half!

Thai Curry at home

My other half decided he would wear the chef's hat last Sunday. On the menu was Thai red curry with rice. We used the Asia Kitchen's curry powder (no that’s not cheating!), packaged coconut milk and lots of veggies like broccoli, peppers, Thai red chili and zucchini. It turned out pretty good with zero "out-of-packet" taste. Kudos to the chef. I am going to try convincing him to make it again one of these cool pre-winter evenings.

Lunch@ Dakshin, ITC Hyderabad

Rating: 3.5/5
Price points: Rs 1000 for one (vegetarian and non-alcoholic option)
Date of visit: June 4, 2009

Polished wooden pillars, canvas paintings of the Kakatiya kings and copper bells instead of chandeliers was the theme at the Dakshin. A carpeted dais told me that classical music rents the air on select evenings.

I ordered a vegetarian thali and the first course was a sampler with appam and four kinds of chutneys; tamarind-groundnut, tomata-ginger, mint and pickled mangoes (my favorite). Next was the rasam. Clear, warm and almost watery in consistency, it was perfect to whet my appetite for the large thali to come.

The thali was an elaborate affair with two kinds of dals, sambar, okra, potatoes and tomato-gourd. In tow was thick curd set in a “kulhar” and kheer. I tasted and then tucked into each one wrapping up with some rice which soon had me feeling drowsy. But I realized I had forgotten the kheer. One spoonful, just to taste is what I promised myself. But it was cooked to perfection and I easily finished about half the helping. Someone got me a silver finger bowl with amber color liquid with a slice of lemon. I brought my hands to my nose- it now smelled of tea and lemon. Nice!

Judging this from the neighboring table’s comments between much finger-licking, I suspect it is the sea food which holds court at Dakshin. Did I mention they make a mean gunpowder here? Almost asked one for home!

Falak-Numa: Of Kebabs and Biryani

Rating: 4/5
Price points: Rs 1500 for two (including drinks)
Date of visit: June 2, 2009

The hunt for some good food in Lucknow was on! I would have personally liked to try some street-side eating joint; but for the moment it was out of question. So we headed to falak-numa, at the Clarks. Located on the top floor of the hotel, it has top-to-bottom glass on two sides instead of walls. And for a very good reason. The view of the city from this site is amazing.

You look down at Lucknow, looking like the beautiful and aristocratic city which history says it once was. Well, it still is beautiful. At least from here.

I feel like a tourist even though I am in the city for work. All set near a table next to the glass wall we order food. It is same as the previous night (at Oudhyana, Taj). Kebab platters, dals and rotis. As we scoop up pickles and chutneys with papads (poppadoms) the conversation tilts towards history and politics. Past and present. Future-uncertain and speculative as always.

All speculations are cut short as the food arrives. We decide to dig in. The kebabs-both vegetarian and meat (my colleagues tell me) are good. The spices are just right. I start with my roti soon. Aloo and mixed vegetable alternates between bites. The flavors are rich. Not too spicy. The dal tadka is well cooked and topped with ghee. We halt all conversation and decide to concentrate on our meal.

It is good and there are happy faces all round the table as we polish the last bits!

Dining Awadhi Style- Oudhyana

Rating: 3/5
Price points: Rs 2500 for two (including drinks)
Date of visit: June 1, 2009

The "Oudhyana" is the Awadh cuisine restaurant at the Taj Residency, Lucknow. And what is Awadh cuisine? Good question. Well Wikipedia says that " it is the cuisine from Lucknow". Similar to Mughlai and Hyderabadi food, it includes kebabs and biryani. Cooked using the "dum style" (on slow fire) it has generous helpings of spices and cardamom and saffron.

Ah ha! so are we set for a feast? I thought I was when I headed to the Oudhyana. We ordered mixed vegetable and meat kebab platters, dals and mul mul rotis (supposed to be very very soft).

The food was average. The vegetables etc. could have been marinated better. The dal was OK too and the rotis not that soft. We finished of with a kulfi which was good. So what was exactly wrong with the meal? There are times you head off for a meal, expecting it to be finger licking. And when it is not, you cannot help but be a tad disappointed. Well, that's how I felt about the place.

The service was good, if a bit intruding at times. All in all, I would not repeat a visit here. Unless I was staying at the Taj and it was simply convenient. Instead, I would head to Falak-Numa at the Clarks.