The Overhyped Restaurant – Instapizza

When it comes to pizza, my love knows no bounds! However, there are more places that disappoint, than those which leave you with the classic “pizza euphemism” let alone getting an authentic Italian pizza.  Hence, I stopped experimenting with my pizza and limited it to either Dominos or Fine-Dine Restaurants (Indigo and DIVA being some of the best). In light of all the noise Instapizza was creating, I decided to make an exception. It’s being featured almost everywhere and everyone is raving about it, so even though I tend to avoid hyped restaurants this one I had to try (something about hearing it’s a good pizza, makes you want to take the plunge).

Disclaimer : Aggressively Emotional Article coming your way! Written in two parts, displaying the  encounters with this pizza chain. 

The first experience left me appalled and angry, so it was only after a good few months of letting the anger settle, did I gear up for another round. Sadly, it was just as disappointing and even though I couldn’t try their signature deep dish both times, its safe to say I wouldn’t be visiting them again for it; at-least for the next few months; The first two experiences were just so horrendous!

Order Date: 07/05/16, Saturday 

A weekend order ought to take long, so I had no 30 minute expectations. However, the ordering process itself took about 10 minutes and the order reached me a good 1hour 20mins later which wasn’t good considering I was having a serious hunger pang! Keeping that aside, I was excited because the food was finally here (but not for long).

The packaging was dull. Serving pizza, they ought to recognise that most of the orders would be for delivery or take-away, so going an extra mile to make it more sturdy and comforting isn’t that unreasonable. The sole “specially baked for” sticker with a lighting bolt, did not cut it for me. It felt very uninspired.

Opening the box, the pizza looked pretty much dead {yes, food can be alive and dead, even though technically it’s (almost) always dead}, I was disappointed. It was cold (no doubt) so after re-heating in the microwave, I got ready to dig in.

Create you Own Pizza- 

Selection: New York style crust with smoked chicken, chicken meatballs, onions, capsicum, olives and basil.

The crust was chewy and half-way through, it felt like I was torturing my jaw. New York style crust is supposed to be plump on the edges and flattened out to form a thin crust in the middle, so when you pick a slice it almost falls down and you roll it up to eat (the true New York way) however, it was nothing like that. It was thick all over and even more on the sides. A chewy crust is possibly one of the worst things that can happen to a pizza and exactly what happened to this one. The sauce was good, full of herbs but also spices, like an Indian pizza sauce. Smoked chicken had a strong smoky flavour which I enjoyed, however the chicken meatballs were of terrible quality; the casing of the meatballs was chewy and the inside was soft. Onions and capsicum were overcooked. Basil had lost its colour. Olives were definitely one of the best things on it!

Monster Non.Veg Lasagna–

There was nothing monster about this lasagna! I was expecting quantity along with quality, but sadly both weren’t there. The lamb mince was filled throughout but the quality was not good. The pasta sheets were barely there. Lasagna is supposed to be made with bolognese, but this was just lamb mice in a sauce and way too much of it (maybe, thats what they mean by monster). I left it after just a few bites because the quality of mutton was below par and I had no intentions to put my body through any more harm after the jaw breaking pizza.

To sum it up, they unleashed some serious wrath inside me with this ghastly food! Like I say, food is about emotions and it doesn’t always bring out the good ones, definitely not when its this bad.

Order Date: 16/11/2016, Wednesday 

The second time around I wanted to visit the place in person and experience the interiors and service. It’s a small outlet located on first floor Galleria with a sign that’s glaring strong in the eyes and you can’t miss. A limited seating available outside and inside with wooden slabs and bar chairs, it was clear the decor is worn out. Just beside the seating is the cooking counter and storage space which looked less than clean, but no where close to what I hoped.

After placing the order, I observed the chefs who seemed confused. One person opened some package and added chicken strips to a bowl and chucked them in the oven, while another was opening a Del Monte tinned can of red chillies, which he inverted into their toppings bowl. Not the kind of toppings I want! Fresh ingredients are important and while its not possible for all ingredients but it felt like they use almost all canned ingredients. After a 20 minutes wait, my meal was ready and I took it downstairs to go sit in my car and eat. (It was night time and the restaurant was more crowded with their own staff that customers, so I felt it was the better option.)

Margherita Pizza- 

A chewy crust,mediocre tomato sauce, barely there and not good quality cheese, topped with dead pieces of basil. They add basil before putting in the oven which completely destroys its colour and freshness. I have never regretted eating a pizza as much as this one.

Crispy Fried Chicken Fingers-

The quality of chicken was poor, the fingers were extremely greasy, undercooked and had a very thick coating; couldn’t eat them. However, the peri peri dip accompanying the chicken fingers was quite delicious.

Overall, I repent ever visiting this place a second time. Everyone can keep raving about it, but I am definitely not on the Instapizza bandwagon!

EVERYTHING WAFFLES ! THE WAFFLE REVOLUTION

In the past few years Delhi has seen a surge of Waffles, some shops serving waffles exclusively and some cafe’s including waffles on their menu. Everyone has been raving about waffles. Well, I’m no exception. I love Waffles! I remember having my first waffle on the streets of Singapore. Piping hot Brussels waffles glued together with chocolate sauce and strawberry compote; a perfect on-the-go snack!

Waffles originated in Belgian as easy to eat street food, people would grab while walking to work, baked fresh hot. Belgian waffles are of two kinds – Brussels and Liège.

Brussels Waffles are crisp, light as air and have large pockets. They can be easily distinguished from Liège waffles by their rectangular shape. Traditionally prepared with a yeast-leavened batter, sometimes they incorporate beer. You can imagine people walking down the streets of Belgian, lured by the sweet luscious smell of freshly baked waffles, served with a dusting of Confectioner’s sugar.

Liège waffles on the other hand are denser, chewier, sweeter and can be considered the stronger of the two. It uses pearl sugar which caramelises on the outside making it crispy and rich. Inspired by a brioche, it involves making of a dough, unlike the other waffles which are made with batter. They originated in the city of Liège in the Wallonia region of Belgium. Often known as Gaufres in their home country, they are occasionally served with tea as an accompaniment.

Both waffles have unique flavours and are best eaten on their own without any embellishments (just as they serve on the streets of Belgium).

The North American waffle which quickly became one of the favourite breakfast dishes of the country (and outside), is an adapted version of the Brussels waffle, often referred as the “Belgian Waffle”. It is loaded with whipped cream, fresh fruits, maple syrup, butter and so much more! They are thicker, often round or square in shape and made with baking soda instead of yeast. This Belgian waffle has evolved over time and has become more of a ‘make at home breakfast’ than the original street food. Most restaurants prefer serving the American version of the waffle as its easier and quicker to make than the traditional Brussels or Liège waffles.

While its very easy to find waffles in the city, to find good waffles is a task in itself. My go-to place for waffles, undoubtedly is Di Ghent Boulangerie located in CrossPoint Mall. Though they aren’t  accurately authentic Brussels waffles, they are close; crispy on the outside and soft inside, with a slightly chewy texture. My usual combination includes vanilla ice-cream, dark chocolate sauce and berry compote. They have recently revamped their menu and chopped off the option for Liège waffles but gave me a stellar tip for making (not exactly authentic but still similar) Liège waffles at home.

Di Ghent Tip : Sprinkle some confectioner’s sugar on top after pouring the batter in the waffle iron, this will give it a crispier exterior while maintaining the texture inside. 

However, that’s not where the waffle revolution stopped. The waffle iron is now being used to invent and re-invent an array of dishes like the waffle pizza, waffle cinnamon roll, waffle panini, waffle brownie and so much more! There are absolutely no barriers on experimentation with the waffle iron. Put a donut in the waffle iron and see the magic happen!

LEBENSMITTEL INSIGHT : Stroopwaffles which we often find in supermarkets sold in pre-prepared packs are a popular snack of Netherlands and Belgium. They are eaten broken in half and glued together with a warm syrup in between. 

Article Inspired by Waffles and Dinges, New York; brining back the history of waffles. 

Love For Food: My Food Story

A few months ago I was questioned, why I am in the food industry? My answer was simple: I love food! The counter to this, I did not see coming; Everyone loves food, what makes you different? I was baffled and at that point I couldn’t possibly give the correct or the most sensible answer. Nerves got the better of me and I wrecked the interview (Its fine, happens to everyone I guess).

However, I was left with an afterthought. Everyone does love food; So do I, but they don’t go around making it a career, was I best suited in science?

Well, no.

Yes, everyone does love food, they sure love to eat and more than that, post about it. But, there are a few whose lives are concentrated around it and from that, there is only a niche group who like to learn about it as much as they love to eat. Of course, I love to eat! But even more than that, I love learning about food. I thrive on knowledge, I want to know everything about everything. Everyone wants to travel the world and try different cuisines, does that make me no different from others? It actually does. My reasons for those goals are different. Food for me is about culture, traditions, people, feelings and passion. When people say gastronomic food, that too is a culture, a culture of science. I want to visit different countries and see how their culture is showcased through food, I don’t simply want to eat, revel in joy with a tummy full as potato and come back home with an Instagram following larger than my trip (not that there is something wrong with that). My aspirations are more. I see more to food that just what is presented in front of me, I see the hard work gone into thinking about that dish, the effort in making it, the management ensured for its consistency, the culture behind every traditional recipe, the years and influences from which it evolved, the celebration at the end when someone eats it and simply smiles.

Food isn’t just a plate of ingredients, its science, its emotions, its culture and its knowledge! That is what makes me different; My thirst for knowledge behind the so evident plate of food.

So stay connected as I navigate through this journey and share my knowledge with you!