At Live Kitchen!

At Live Kitchen!

The photo above looks quite tempting, right! This is what tempted me to go and try

Live Kitchen in Banani is away from the busy main street, close to the Dish and Dessert, and you must have observation skills to notice the place.
I thought the concept was to give an American experience in Dhaka, but the place seemed more like a service for refuges in a ghetto. The whole restaurant was like in a garage with a kitchen beside it, and there were umbrellas hanging from the tin shade roof. Sitting arrangement s was congested and the tables looked old while chairs had glass slabs on the wooden frame to sit on. That is certainly not American for me.
It was time to order and I had to wait for some time before I could find someone to take my orders.
I remember him mentioning that the meal would come in 10 minutes. I wish it did.
We had to wait for a long time and so I was expecting something spectacular.
Cheesy delight burgers with fries and coke!
Fries failed! They were in between chips and fries, and though crispy on the outside with a soft potato core inside, had only salt and nothing more.
The first bite of the burger was disappointing because the edge of the bun was charred. The next few bites promised a lot. It has a nice buttery taste with a nicely cooked patty that was meaty enough to make me happy, but then I had to struggle later. The burger was a bit on the drier side and it ends up being a boring burger in the end. The only thing that was right here was the patty.
Service is awfully slow.
Ambiance is not right for burgers.
Burgers are big and on offer, but can’t say they are reasonably priced.
I certainly didn’t enjoy it there.

Marisa's Vegetable Sandwich

Marisa's Vegetable Sandwich!
Vegetable Sandwich from the Signature,Multi-cuisine Food Club’s cafe, Coffee Republic!
A vegetable sandwich with a fancy name is still going to be a vegetable sandwich! Isn’t that right!
Why should I post a review on a vegetable sandwich which is so boring and is like salad in between two slices of bread?
That is because a Singaporean with 50% ownership of a cafe called Coffee Republic served me a vegetable sandwich for review.
The man got to know I am a food critic and was excited. He had formal training on coffee in Australia and is a skilful barista, so you would expect himto ask me to highlight his coffee for review, and he characteristically did so. And then he hurriedly went to ask his chef to make a vegetable sandwich for me.
That totally surprised me!
Sir, you just got to know I am a food critic and I expect you to serve me your best. Why a vegetable sandwich then? Have you become so nervous that your brain has stopped working?
That’s what I thought first but then I doubt he was because his he looked totally calm and seemed like he knew exactly what he was doing.
The coffee had a good aroma, nice taste, but not the silky texture I was hoping for in a latte. But I was waiting for the sandwich eagerly.
The sandwich came soon. It was made with brown bread slices, and served just the way you could possibly serve a sandwich-layer one on the other and fries on the sides.
I could see bell peppers, tomatoes and onions and after my first bite, I could taste fresh basil, aubergine, bell pepper, tomato, pumpkin, onion slices and sharply sour feta cheese.
What do you think they should taste like?
To me the whole thing came together to make a fabulous sandwich!
Pesto paste gives a very refreshing feel in the mouth, aubergines make a creamy filling and covers for mayonnaise that is used in most sandwiches made in Dhaka, grilled bell peppers, tomatoes and onion slices work well here and peppers give that smoky flavour, and pumpkin has that pleasant sweetness slightly countering the sharpness of feta cheese. It is much like a ratatouille with pesto dressing. So you have a refreshing minty, sour, slightly sweet, smoky flavour with a creamy gooey texture sandwiched between two slices of fluffy soft brown bread which is easy to bite on and chew.

A Successful Restaurant Manager-Mr. Kamal Hossain

One of my favourite chefs in Dhaka

One of my favourite chefs in Dhaka-Mr. Sayem Manna
I mentioned in one of my posts before about three chefs in Dhaka who have impressed me so far. This man is one of them.
Chef Sayem Manna was the second chef to impress me, and the first to do so with different dishes from the Italian cuisine. The first dish I tasted was Penne Meatball and that very dish seemed so perfect, I doubt even an Italian could get the flavours so right like that. It was that day that I knew this man had the talent I was looking for.
He is from Maulvi Bazar, went to IUB but completed his BBA in Australia. There must have been something in the Australian air that made him work on his passion. That passion was culinary arts. Sayem Manna did Commercial Cookery Level 3 at Australian Institute of Trade and worked at La Camera in Melbourne and Ceasar in Sydney as a proud Bangladeshi.
Chef Sayem has been in this field for the last 14 years and worked in Dhaka for the last 8 years or so. He was a chef at Westin for a short period of time before becoming the Head of the Faculty of Culinary Arts at Tommy Miah's Hospitality Management Institute. Now he is an Executive Chef at Gloria Jean's Coffees Bangladesh, but will be leaving soon for Australia.
The man was much inspired by his mentors Joel Brendan and Sam Xavier, and himself has been a good leader in his kitchen. The chefs he trained are now serving excellent food and many of them have moved to some of the popular restaurants in Dhaka.
What I find best in him is his "never compromise" attitude with food. He sticks to the basics and goes for no cheap substitutes. This ensures texture and authenticity in flavour in his Italian dishes. But that's not his real strength. His real strength has to be appreciation of flavours. He understands flavours well, and can grasp a quick idea about the kind of taste his customers would be demanding and comes up with something exceptional every time. The man can literally play with ingredients to create something new and exceptional.
His best moment in life came when the Vice Chairman of the Company he works at currently complemented him saying Chef Sayem would have been his personal chef, had he been the President. I must say I find no exaggeration in that!
Some of the best dishes I have tasted so far are Lamb Cutlet ( medium rare for me), Spaghetti Bolognese ( I find his version the best in the city), Grilled Chicken Sandwich and Penne Meatball, my all time favourite.
Two dishes I have not tasted yet, but heard people calling them amazing are Sea Bass with Hollandaise Sauce and Bell Pepper Rice with Chicken Coconut Curry.
I wish him to excel and make us proud in Australia. He is the type of chef I have been looking for, someone who has the knowledge and is original, not a copy chef.

One thing I never understood is why people keep going to Abacus restaurant! Do they serve good? Do they serve tasty food? My answer would be 'NO'. I have never eaten good there and I feel they are cheating their guests and still they are there because we are letting them.

Village Restaurant offers a unique buffet in Bangladesh now, which is Tk1/gm, and how could I miss the chance to check in, taste and post my review?
I checked in as early as the first day of October and I must say I didn’t like it.
I went in only for tasting so had only a cube of fish kebab and a very small cube of chicken boti. Both were cooked nicely and had aroma and taste of woody charcoal but the finish was a bit too sour in my mouth. I look for a bit finer and smoother finish than a strong sour kick in the end when it comes to charcoal grilled kebabs. The two cubes were about 18gm on my plate.
Then I went for Chicken Biryani and Mutton chop. Last time I had biryani, it was overpowered with kalijeera, but this time there was a marked improvement. There was a hint of mint and a very nice blend of flavours. Rice was cooked to perfection. Mutton chop was absolutely boring and cold.
I took only a piece of chicken and quarter spoon of rice and just one small piece of mutton chop and yet the weight was 100gm. Now did I eat 100gm? No!
The bone adds a lot to that weight.
Well, the reason I didn’t like this is because for a buffet of this kind, I am not interested to pay any more than Tk1000. If you are having a three course meal here, by the time you reach the main course, you have already had about 100gm of food and your main course will be about 800gm minimum if you are trying to taste a little of everything. You haven’t moved to the desserts yet and if you go for a second serving of the item you enjoyed, weight is clearly going to exceed a 1000gm and unless you can plan your diet stingily, this buffet is probably not for you. You cannot control the flow of your money here without a plan.
So if you love eating, you probably would rather eat by the menu here and not go for the buffet. But if you are planning to go on a strict diet and very strict about what leaves your pocket, this is a very good offer then.

American Burger

One of the best burgers, if not the best, this city offers is the American Burger.
The barbequed patty with the smoky flavour is wonderfully moist and hidden between two soft halves of a bun. The lower half has a nice serving of mayo and ketchup. The burger is well complemented with french fries which are perfectly crispy on the outside and soft inside.
The burger used to be a lot better about 8 years ago. The quality dropped and the bun started being dry and leaving a grainy feeling in the mouth. For me, burger buns must have a soft core which should be easy on my jaws; eaten without much struggle. Burgers with buns that need a lot chewing and moistening with saliva, making you thirsty is something I really hate. Recently they are lifting up their standards and the burgers taste good again.
However, management needs much work. When you are becoming something popular, one thing you must never ignore is the management. Poor management often kills a good business. One night I was charged a price higher than what was mentioned on the menu. The menu said "Vat included", but after my meal they told me that prices were "Vat Exclusive" and they will charge 15% Vat on that meal. If I didn't have extra money, that could have been really embarrassing. What if someone didn't have any extra and ordered by the menu considering what he had in his pocket? Honestly, I shouldn't have paid them another extra paisa. That night, I would say it was a dishonest business!

Cream soup in Dhaka

If you like cream soup and live in Gulshan, I think you are in luck. I always love cream soup and I haven't found any decent cream soup anywhere until recently. My mom makes the best cream soup and the only other place serving good, thick, creamy soup with good portion of chicken or mushroom is PIZZA INN.
I liked the mushroom cream soup more, because I had to struggle eating the chicken from the cream of chicken. Thinly sliced chicken strips are hard to pick with the spoon and I would have preferred cubes here. Otherwise, the soup is quite pleasing, and to me is a comfort food with two slices of nicely prepared garlic bread.
The best part is, the soup is not lumpy and neither made with milk powder and water, making a thin baby-vomit like liquid on the bowl as I have often found in many restaurants in the city.. It has the richness of cream and there is a very subtle taste of garlic.
If I am craving for cream soup on a day mom can't prepare, I will be visiting Pizza Inn Bangladesh.

Buffet lunch at Village Restaurant

Last week I was at Village Restaurant for lunch.
I was there for the buffet. One thing I have learned is that food in the buffet is good only its first hour and like always, I couldn't make it there before the last.
So here is my review of the last week's meal there:

Soups-I didn't find them named and so I had to go for the colour to have thick Thai soup. Soup was average, but I wasn't there to judge their soup. I don't expect them to make the best soup in the world either since I have known them to specialize on BBQ.

Chicken Biryani- This was something really interesting. The aroma kept calling me and I didn't resist. However, I was disappointed with the flavour. Kalijeera overpowered the whole dish and I would have wished for subtle taste of all the ingredients used rather than just one strong flavour. Meat was nice and tender though and the rice was perfectly cooked.

Steamed rice- I liked their choice of rice here and was fluffy and perfectly cooked. It is perfect to complement curry or daal.

Chicken Karai- I picked the breast piece. I expected it to be dry after being out here for so long and they try to retain as much moisture as possible using a foil cover, but that is not possible when you have to take it off to serve the guests every now and then. Yet I went for this dish to check the sauce.
Sauce was nice, cumin gives a pleasant taste and all other spices are balanced well to make it a really good dish.

Naan- Naan was okay but it could be a little fluffier.

Grilled vegetable- I didn't like it so much. It was mainly because of the contrast. Hard carrots didn't go well with soft grilled bell peppers.

Beef Sheekh Kebab- Now this is something they claim to specialize on; BBQ items! Sheekh kebab was quite traditional and had a nice texture, was moist and tastes good with the tamarind sauce they serve. The sauce that complements it is very good. Yet I was disappointed. I was looking for the smoky flavour and I found not a hint of it there. So last night I went to check the kitchen and the charcoal used didn't have enough carbon like pure coal to emit that aroma either. It is kind of difficult to get the taste you get from coal with charcoal.
In many parts of the world food is smoked using particular kind of charcoal or wood chips to infuse certain flavours into the food. The wrong type of wood can ruin it too.

Firni- This was a delight. It was done to perfection. I would have liked a bit of a contrast from the garnish but the almonds were too thinly sliced to give that crunchy bite.

Malai Kulfi- The balance was totally ruined by the malai. Malai was too sweet and sweetness of that level can give you stomach cramps.

I wouldn't say I had the best lunch, but i have tasted worse.
It ended with a cup of tea and if the saying " All's well that ends well" is true, then I think it went well.

The real attraction of this place to me certainly wasn't the food yet, but the interior. By the time its evening, it looks like you are in perfect picturesque village from the second floor with the trees around adding to the beauty. The ground-floor is designed to make you feel like you are dining in a well organized local restaurant outside the city. You may start to feel different though after you look into the menu, but until then, everything is village-like.

Service was good but can be better.

Food needs more work. This is a nicely decorated place with so much space for preparations. It will be a real shame if all those brilliant ideas go down only because what is served on the plate isn't that great. So I have decided to help any way I can to lift this place up, because I need to have good places in the city to dine at.
They have people who can cook, but it's time to avoid those slight errors to serve delights on the plate.

Nando's Bangladesh Quarter Chicken meal!
The other day I was at Nando’s for buy one get one meal. It was disappointing to see what came on the plates.  I asked for one with double fries as sides and the other with coleslaw and fries. But little was I told that one will be breast and the other will be leg. I felt a moment of strong frustrating anger bubbling inside when the unexpected leg was served.
I know leg pieces are perfect for grilling because they retain the juice while the breast loses all the juice very quickly and it is bland compared to the leg. But I just love digging in meaty succulent chicken breasts and I was there to check if the flavours have gone deep into the breast.
They should be serving exactly the same piece for buy one get one meal. Otherwise, it is like buy one and get 70% more.
Now it is time to taste. Fries were actually potato chips and they were good, but not enough crispy for me. I like my chips to have a very crispy outside with soft inside.  They shouldn’t bend, but break. Some of them were crisp while others weren’t. Coleslaw was good and refreshing, but I should have added pepper to it.
I have never enjoyed Nando’s chicken before and I wasn’t sure I would like it this time either. So I had a close friend and a chef with me that evening to help me.
The leg and the breast were grilled to perfection. Flavours did sink deep inside the breast, nice juicy and perfect texture (you know it when you chew). The first few bites were delightful.
Once I was done tasting the meat, I decided to try with their signature sauces. And right then I figured why I never enjoyed at Nando’s before. I know many love those sauces on the table, but the flavour and the sourness of the vinegar just masks the good flavour of the chicken. The chicken is already marinated in those sauces (not many know this I guess) and it’s quite tasty on its own. Sauce just takes away all the flavours the meat acquired when grilled. So if one is enjoying it more with the sauce, the flavour of the meat isn’t probably essential for him or her I suppose.
Every sauce had a strong aroma and a note of vinegar. The sourness itself tells the presence of that ingredient. If you sniff from the bottle, you can smell notes of piri piri, similar to the red chilli in Bangladesh.
I know many will find me crazy for saying it, but I don’t think the sauce has the perfect note to complement the chicken. For me, it lacks one particular flavour for perfection.  And I am on a mission to perfect the sauce.

Pepperoni Pizza

My all time favourite pizza is the pepperoni pizza. Until recently I used to like the cheese lovers pizza with pepperonis in Pizza Hut and they served me the best pizza I ever had anywhere in December 2012. The pizza was topped generously with cheese and the pepperoni slices were under the cheese. So they added a good amount of flavour to the sauce on the crust and every bite was delightful.
However, my last visit to Pizza Hut, as already mentioned, was a horrible experience. I ordered the same pizza and this time they miserly placed the slices on the cheese, making it just any regular pepperoni pizza, requiring less cheese and the pizza was so overdone, the cheese and the slices became crisps on the crust. The crust initially had a taste of old burnt oil, which suggests they are not cleaning the pans properly. Just imagine biting on a pizza with a crust that tastes like old oil, and has crispy overheated cheese and pepperonis making them taste like extra crusts!

Pizza Inn apparently serves the best pepperoni pizzas in the city. Though I sometimes find their pizzas to be a little dry, but they are at least serving better pizzas than others claiming to serve American pizzas. I usually prefer the pepperoni slices to go under the cheese on my pizzas, because there is a good infusion of flavour in the sauce, though the traditional way is to put them on the top. What makes their pizzas special when made perfect is the sauce on a crispy crust. They also serve a thick cream soup, which tastes really good and Pizza Inn keeps reminding me of some flavours from my childhood.

One mistake most Pizzerias do is when they spread the sauce. They have the same method for both Italian and American pizzas. Italian pizzas have a thin crust, a lot of toppings and very less cheese compared to the American type. The cheese holds the toppings in place on the crust. So a little sauce will do in Italian pizzas. You spoon down sauce in the middle of the base and spread it around.
The same method doesn't work well for American pizzas. American pizzas have thicker crust and the toppings are placed over the cheese. So its important to have some sauce everywhere on the base and not only on the sides. Spreading the sauce to the sides leaves the sauce mainly around there, and very little in the middle. You have to wait till you reach the sides for the best bite. I prefer to have some sauce around the base so that the pizza doesn't taste dry and only cheesy. Otherwise, I am eating cheese toasts.

Pizza Inn buffet

Cream of chicken and mushroom soup- I liked the fresh taste of the cream, but didn't quite like the consistency. I think it needs to be a little thicker and some more flavours could have been added. The soup was good, but nothing extraordinary. I like cream soup and always liked the soup since childhood. So I was happy to find the soup there.

Garlic bread with cheese- Now they must try finding ways to prevent them from drying up. They can be great to go with the soup.

Coleslaw/salad- Cabbage needs to be chopped even finer and used in appropriate portion. It has a flat taste. Nothing very significant here.

Crispy chicken- It should have been named spicy crispy chicken, cause its spicy, tastes great, and moist too. Perfectly prepared strips I would say. However, I don't find them consistent with the crisps. Sometimes, they are excellent, and at times they are loose and leaving a floury feeling in the mouth.

Sub Sandwich- I enjoyed the sandwich, but I was looking for a little more chaat flavour inside. Mozzarella is my favourite, but I enjoy it when hot and can be stretched. When the cheese is cold, it retains its cheesy flavour, but is dry. I probably would have used a bit of cheddar, cause it tastes fine even when cold, and thin mayo paste to prevent them from drying up in the buffet,where they will stay for hours before consumption.
I liked the taste otherwise. The taste of cheese is well complemented by garlic.

Pizzas-Now they were very disappointing . The reason I dined there is for the pizzas. The slices were dry, and tandoori pizza had a stronger taste of coriander and meat didn't have the good chaat flavour like it did when I had this pizza couple of weeks ago. When you are leaving pizzas in buffet, its best to add extra sauce. The pizza didn't have extra sauce, rather sauce was too less this time.
In my last review on them, I highlighted the sauce, because of the smoothness and richness in flavour. I would say its their sauce that makes their pizzas so special. But being stingy on its use this time killed their pizzas.

Arabian pizza (dessert)- Using date paste for the base was really smart. I would have liked walnuts with it as a topping too. Bananas and apples for toppings were good, though I would have preferred poached pears to apples. The crust was also smartly prepared. Its like biting on a cracker.
The only problem is the after taste, which is like that of plum chutney. May be use of cinnamon can solve that, but there are several ways to modify and get rid of that taste. Yet i liked the use of dates, making the dessert a healthy and energy packed treat

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My favourite Chef

The top name in the list of my favourite chefs is not Gordon Ramsay, the most talked about Chef, or Anthony Bourdain, the traveling American chef with a great palate (should have visited Bangladesh cutting short his stay in India for some great biryanis cause I find Bangladeshi biryanis better than Indian ones), or Curtis Stone, the Australian Chef who is the eye candy for women around the world and is also really good in his trade (exceptionally good!!!), but its Chef Marco Pierre White. Chefs like Ramsay, Curtis Stone, Jun Tanaka worked for and trained under him. Not often do you find a chef returning his Michelin Stars, but Marco boldly did that. He thinks he had more knowledge than the Michelin Inspectors, and it might sound arrogant at first, but when you watch his videos or read about his work, you will find the justification in the act and in his words.
Certainly no other chef can make you feel the authentic taste of ingredients from the screen merely with words like Marco, and I haven't seen another genius like him. Gordon comes close to him but Marco Pierre White is Marco Pierre White. His knowledge is top class and I bet its hard for even critics to judge his work. Over the years, he polished his skills, and is the best in the world in my opinion. I haven't tasted his food in his restaurants, but he brought the flavours to me wonderfully from his shows. He is a real artist with long hair left to dance clumsily in the air, in a white chef's coat with a broad kitchen knife in his hand to slice through or pick food to taste.
If you want to improve your skills as a chef, follow the man, watch his videos and trust me, you will learn a lot. Like I said, that man is a genius!

Lamb Cutlets at Gloria Jean's Coffees Bangladesh

If you like lamb, you will definitely like biting on these lamb cutlets. They are nicely flavoured and the distinct flavour of rosemary makes them very delightful.  The pieces have a good thin layer of fat above, making them juicier and also adding flavour. However, I never enjoyed eating such fat and had it not been for the rosemary, I would not have been able to put it in my mouth.
Meat was nicely cooked and that part of the sheep is always great to eat. I would prefer French lamb chops to these cutlets to avoid the fat. But if you like the fat, go for it.
Mashed potato was nicely seasoned. Bok choy was perfectly cooked, and first served over-seasoned and then under-seasoned , but got it right in the third serving and I liked how it was flavoured with a bit of garlic.
What I didn't like was how they were served. Eating them on a tray with cutleries is really tough, though the best way to eat them is by holding the rib to bite the meat.
So I would give this dish 8 out of 10.
Price could seem a bit on the higher side, but the portion, quality and service are worth it. So I find it reasonably priced.
Gloria Jean's Coffees Bangladesh always provide a great ambiance.
I am a happy customer and would have been happier had they been French lamb chops than cutlets with the fat. May be next time I will ask them to trim the fat for me.

Honesty is the best policy

One thing I look for from everyone related to the food industry is honesty. When you are in this trade, you must be honest!
Your customers can taste food, and they may not always be able to taste every ingredient and distinguish all the flavours, which sometimes becomes impossible even for the best of us when served with a dish that has all the ingredients in that very rare perfect ratio and complementing each other, but they surely can tell if the food tastes good or bad. So honesty will keep bringing you customers, because they find you serving good, who will help you flourish in the industry.
And one thing I always say is that GOOD RESTAURANTS NEVER DIE!

The Chocolate Excess at Barista Lavazza Bangladesh:

One of the most popular cafe in Bangladesh certainly has a few things up its sleeves to wow their guests and this would make the top of that list for me.The cake is soft and moist, covered in good chocolate, enough to make every chocoholic happy. This is one of the my all time favourites

Three chefs have impressed me so far.
Mr. Sayem Manna (Executive Chef at Gloria Jean's Coffees Bangladesh) for his knowledge of Italian cuisine
Mr. Sushanto (Station Chef at The Westin) for seafood
The Head Chef of Verbanella (sorry I didn't get your name) for steaks and roasted beef.

I must thank Chef Sushanto for last night's dish, which saved my dinner. The grilled shrimps with lemon butter garlic sauce was one of the best seafood dish I have had in the city. However, its only in terms of taste. I didn't like how it was served. The shrimps were cut right through. When you butterfly shrimps,prawns or lobsters, its best to cut them through the top of the shell and the tail. When you cut through the whole body, the two halves curl up with the shell, making it difficult to eat. Had he not done that mistake, I would have given the dish a perfect score.
Its a shame that the chefs at The Westin have the potential but don't serve good. The skill is a waste then. Its high time they start being honest to their guests. I don't mind paying a few grands for a small portion if the flavours are worth it. But I hate paying even a penny for food which doesn't taste good, even if its a large portion.

Imam Bari at Gulshan 1 circle

If you are a grilled chicken lover like me, then there is one place that is a must try. It is the Imam Bari at Gulshan 1 circle.
The chicken is nicely seasoned and spicy but its the sauce that makes it so special. The sauce has a garlicy mustardy taste and the ingredients are nicely blend together to bring the whole thing as one unlike at many other places where the oil separates itself from the rest and leaves a horrible experience in the mouth. The sauce is made with a mayo base and complements the chicken well.
The shawarmas though lack flavour there. Its always the sauce that covers up for that. If there is anything called cheat in culinary arts, it has to be this. When you have such a delightful sauce, you can probably keep going with a not so perfect food and still be popular.
I am yet to find the best shawarma in the city.

Irish Nut Cream Coffee at Gloria Jean's Coffees Bangladesh

I am a regular visitor at Gloria Jean's Coffees Bangladesh because they promise me the standards and flavours I seek for.
And there is this particular coffee called Irish Nut Cream Coffee, which is my favourite.
The coffee has a smooth taste. Its light and has a very distinctive flavour of walnut that takes it to a whole new level.
What worries me is if they will be able to maintain the standards throughout. I will be the first to be disappointed if they ever follow the general trend in Dhaka, where restaurants serve their best for a couple of years before plating garbage

Sky Chef:

This place used to be my favourite in Dhanmondi, but now I wouldn't consider the Sky Chef for even a casual hangout. The food is bland, ingredients used are not fresh and nothing is original about this place.

Penne Pesto at Gloria Jean's Coffees Bangladesh

The pesto sauce may not be the true original Genoese pesto,which is made by simply grinding the ingredients, yet it was truly Italian, just gives the idea that the kitchen in GJC specializes on Italian cuisine a little more than others.
The green sauce says it all about the ingredients. The colour has to be of fresh basil. The smooth taste is lead by refreshing taste of basil and the subtle nutty flavour together with butter makes it a good blend. Butter gives its creamy texture and helps to hold the flavours in the taste buds for a long time. What was even better was that it didn't have any strong odor of the Parmigiano Reggiano. Garlic with basil makes it a perfect Italian combination.
The Penne Pesto is certainly a perfect treat for the Bangladeshi summer. The dish is reasonably priced.

Chicken Tikka Pizza at Pizza Inn:

I discovered a couple of things that might make this pizzeria stand out in the city for American pizzas.
The pizza has a pie than an usual crust, but a thin pie, allowing you to hold the pizza by the edge, and have more space in the middle for toppings and cheese. It was crispy and went perfectly with the base sauce.
The sauce had a zesty, tangy flavour and refreshing taste of basil, which blended well with oregano and other condiments. The sauce is silky and smooth, unlike the one used in Pizza Hut, which has a bit coarser texture and is a little less gentle on the tongue.
The cheese retained its texture and flavour with time.
What i really liked about this pizza is how well balanced the flavours were. Chicken tikka held the taste of chaat masala, but did not affect the taste of the sauce. They used corriander leaves, and the sauce retained its flavour yet. I liked how they used onion rings on the top, making it easier for you to take them off if you dont like them on your pizza . So the pizza has a local flavour on the top and Americano Italian flavour at the base and both flavours were harmonized.
This was the best American pizza I had in the last 6 months. Pizza Inn probably serves the best American pizzas in the city now.
Only time will tell if they can maintain the standards.

Buffet at The Westin:

I know they don't serve the best food for the main course, but their desserts are good. Honestly I have never eaten good here. But then what are the chefs for? Are their chefs qualified for the job?
First I felt they used 0 sense in arrangement. The bread and butter are next to the desserts, and you can't see the desserts from the tables in the front. There is no sign either to direct you unless you get up from your chair and move around before you go "Hey! They hid the good food there!"
So here is my review of the food I tried.

Sushi-nicely made.I have no complain about it. Wasabi paste is always there to help me swallow raw fish without realizing the sharp smell or taste. But its the cold rice and wasabi paste with it why I enjoy sushi so much.

Sirloin steak with herb sauce. The sauce tastes okay. There was nothing special about the sauce.
I love steaks and I hate wasting food. I hated their steaks and I was forced to waste, and I feel sorry for that. May the Almighty forgive me. I really hope they don't dump the two pieces in garbage cause they were untouched and could be given to the hungry beggars outside.

Mashed potato-nicely seasoned. Nothing special here.

Snapper-It was overdone, dry and lacks seasoning.

Butterflied shrimps-The first batch wasn't anything to talk about. Then when I complained to the chef named Sushanto, he personally prepared me Lemon butter garlic sauce on request and grilled a couple of butterflied shrimps. You have to go try to believe me when I say this was the best seafood dish I have tried in the city.
The shrimps were grilled perfectly and nicely seasoned. But what takes it to a different level is the sauce he prepared on request. The sauce was silky, smooth and creamy, garlicky and lemony with the clear taste of butter and all the flavours blended so nicely together. If I am to mark, this dish gets 9 out of 10. This saved my dinner.

Chicken chapli kebab- It was really good.

One thing I know now their chefs can cook and have the potential. Then why don't they serve well?
When you have talented chefs but the kitchen keeps serving food you can't enjoy, then there must be something wrong with the management, including the head or executive chef.

Desserts:
Chocolate creme brulee- It tasted good, and cinnamon overpowered chocolate here. Chocolate and cinnamon, both have strong taste. If chocolate's taste was dominated by cinnamon, then they might have used too much of it.The texture was close to that of a pudding
What still baffles me is the name. There was nothing burnt or smoky about that dessert and "brulee" means burnt.
Chocolate pudding-Really good, but why not call it a truffle, cause the texture was close to one. It was more like brownies with chocolate sauce. I have eaten truffles like what was served to me as chocolate pudding tonight.
Mango cheese cake-This has to be the best dessert there for me. It was garnished with mango jelly and decorated chocolate disc. There was a balance between the flavours of mango and cheese. Well done Chef!
Sorbets-Mango and berry sorbets were the best I have had in the city. I liked the texture. It was smooth and like gelato, n yet fruity and sorbet. But the ice cream spoons were sticky from contacts and you don't like it holding a dirty spoon that makes your hand sticky when scooping out sorbets.
I cant say I am a happy guest. 4Grands for food is a big deal in a country like Bangladesh and food wasn't worth the price.
Ambiance was okay, but not the best.
Front of house was okay, but can be better.

Spaghetti Bolognese at Gloria Jean's Coffees Bangladesh

If there is any Spaghetti Bolognese with authentic Italian flavours, its at Gloria Jean's Coffees Bangladesh. Many may argue that I am being biased but I bet anyone with the knowledge of Italian cuisine will find that dish truly Italian.
Spaghetti is cooked perfectly. The Napoletana sauce with a very generous portion of minced meat and the use black pepper takes it to a different level. What makes this sauce truly Bolognese and so special is the use of grated carrots, oregano, garlic, and celery and all the flavours are blended in harmony, that is, no single flavour overpowered the flavour of other ingredients in the whole dish.
I liked the use of chopped garlic than paste because they emit a very pleasant taste on the tongue and the black pepper gives the kick to the taste buds.
This is the best Spaghetti Bolognese I have had so far in Dhaka.
The dish seemed to be overpriced at first, but once I tasted the dish, I was a happy customer.
Anyone who has visited GJC knows they are well known for the quality of the service. I have had no complains so far.
So GJC is going to be the place for me for an Italian meal.

Aglio-e-Oglio at Gloria Jean's Coffees Bangladesh

The Aglio-e-Oglio at Gloria Jean's Coffees Bangladesh is a delightful pasta treat. The flavours are basic to Italian cuisine with a fresh taste of basil and garlic. Its spicy without being hard on the tongue and generously topped with mushrooms.
The spaghetti is cooked perfectly. The ingredients are tossed nicely to give an uniform taste in the plate and with a gentle sprinkle of black pepper and Parmesan cheese the dish tastes really great. They serve a good portion for the money.
GJC probably has the best service in Dhaka. They give their 100% in making sure their guests are satisfied with their food and drinks. The interior is a lavish one. Overall, it has been a great dining experience. The drink I would suggest with this pasta in this season is a strawberry smoothie

Quarter Meal of Rotisserie Roasted Chicken with mashed potato, corn and carrot salad and cheese macaroni at Kenny Rogers Roasters Bangladesh

The chicken was over seasoned with salt. It had a good crisp on the outside but the inside was totally bland and dry. The gravy to complement the chicken was not as hot as I would have preferred and there was nothing very significant about the flavours to mention.
The mashed potato was another let down with a boring taste and the gravy on top of it tasted like raw cold chicken stock. However, the potato was nicely mashed and tasted good with the chicken after scooping the gravy out .
The corn carrot salad had the natural sweetness but lacked any other flavour.
The cheese macaroni was good, macaroni was cooked to perfection and sauce had a generous serving of cheddar and parmesan cheese.
KRR has a good welcoming environment with a very good service. But the first priority always needs to be the food. Overall I found the meal mediocre.

Introduction

I am like any other Bangladeshi,a foodie but with a sophisticated palate. Since my childhood I have a healthy interest in food and flavours and acquired knowledge on different kinds of cuisines by tasting food and their ingredients, and reading about their origins. And now I will use this knowledge to analyse the flavours of every food I taste and enjoy or dislike and bring to you my experience in words.
My judgement of any restaurant will include the following points:
1)Flavours of the food
2)Ingredients of the food
3)Ambiance
4)Service
5)Price.
A dining experience only gets better with a good ambiance and a nice service.
The purpose of this blog is to enlighten my readers with knowledge of the flavours served at different restaurants and cafes and also help the food industry grow in true senses, authentically specializing in cuisines.