Hunters: Get Your Gear On!

Hunters Restaurant Review

Hunters is located on the first floor of the aptly named GudFud Tower in Panampilly Nagar, above Donut Factory. They have rather interesting continental dishes and seem to be fine dining inspired to a degree. 

You may notice in the picture, this is the same building that also houses Primate, a 'raw food' restaurant from where we had our dessert (review coming soon)!

It had good seating capacity and was well lit. Large glass windows provide a view outside while you enjoy your meal. 

Hot and Sour Chicken Soup

We started off with a complimentary soup, we opted for chicken. 

It was a typical hot and sour soup, with adequate pieces of chicken and a nice, soothing flavor just like a good soup should be.

Chicken Steak with Mushroom Cheese

This saw succulent chicken fillets slathered with a nice mushroom and cream sauce: one of the best combinations to be had. 

It ticked the right boxes, though we felt that the mushroom flavour could have been a bit stronger but nothing wrong the way it was. Accompanied by a side of vegetables [carrot, broccoli, beans etc.] and French Fries, which we must say were perfectly made being crisp on the outside with a fluffy interior.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Reading the menu, this sounded very interesting so we decided to grab a plate. If you believe in first impressions [we try to be as objective as possible so thats not us!], you may not be too happy to receive what we got. 

Lets be honest, there are places that charge a bit but give a lot too but at Rs 290/-, this dish did not seem too expensive at first. That is, until we were served and realized each mushroom had a net worth just a little shy of Rs 100/-. We received a plate with some vegetables [julienned cabbage and carrot] and a small wedge of lime with a minuscule quantity of something hiding under the sauce. We got three, [yes: 3, t-h-r-e-e] mushrooms. Not big ones either, they were regular sized button mushrooms.  That made it seem outrageously overpriced, especially considering that the other dish had a very reasonable quantity for the price.

HOWEVER, and this is where we hold up to our promise of being objective; the dish itself tasted wonderful...! The creamy white sauce complemented the earthy flavor of the stuffed mushroom which was soft and cooked perfectly. The multitude of flavors was really a joy. To sum it up, this dish tastes great and has potential but regardless of everything, it is still outrageously overpriced in terms of quantity. 

We enjoyed the food here, with some dishes that were well made and plenty of variety to stay interesting. Throughout the meal, we could get a whiff of biryani etc. which also smelled really good. We would like to try this place again sometime, especially to try the Indian fare but likely not very soon. We hope they can fix the pricing of the said dish, that would keep them in good stead. As always, stay tuned for updates!

Type of Cuisine: Continental
Location

GudFud Tower, Panampilly Nagar Avenue.

Parking: Not much of a problem

Ambience: Very Good

Service: Good

What we liked/Recommended for:

All dishes were generally well made and the had good flavor. 

Potential Shortcomings: 
One or two dishes [in review] seemed to be overpriced. Will update after next visit. 

Taxes: Included in price, no fat tax applicable
Phone Number: +91 484 402 5599
Timings: 12:00 - 23:00

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Have you been to Hunters? Share your experience with us, comment below!

Elements: Back to the Elements...!

Elements Restaurant Review

Located at Chitoor Road Kacheripady, Elements is a restaurant that claims to specialize in Modern Indian and Classic Italian dishes. Wanting to try something different from the usual, we obviously went with the Italian fare. Pizzas are available all over the city and are most often associated with 'Italian Cuisine', while places that serve pasta, lasagna and other items have been comparatively fewer in number. So, how was the experience? Read on to find out!

Talking about the interiors; the restaurant itself is quite spacious with good seating capacity. The tables were well lit and neatly laid out. 

There is a cocktail bar at one end and the place itself has a nice, relaxed ambiance with warm lighting tones. A small enclosed area with a conference table is also available for those interested. 

Starting with the menu, it was worth mentioning that the names of the dishes itself were written in rather accurate Italian lending a feeling that the place would be as authentic as possible. The decor was nice and simple with some special highlighting here and there. On to the main event: the food!

Pesto Polo Funghi [Chicken and Mushroom Pizza with Pesto Sauce]

As the name suggests, this is a pizza topped with grilled chicken, mushroom and originally pesto sauce. We however requested that they use tomato base instead as we were not in the mood for pesto-flavored things and they complied. It arrived on a wooden base decorated decorated with a sprig of parsley on it. 

We were happy to see that it was the typical Italian-style thin crust as opposed to the thick [equally delicious nonetheless!] American style ones you would find in most fast food joints. There was a good quantity of mushroom and cheese on top, and a decent but slightly lesser presence of chicken. All in all, rather authentic tasting pizza. In case you were wondering, it was a 10" pizza. 

Ravioli di Pomodori Secchi e Crema di Formaggi [Ravioli with Sun Dried Tomato and Cheese]

For those who don't know, ravioli is a type of pasta with a filling, akin to a dumpling. It is bears some similarities to wontons or similar types of dimsum. The outer layer is supposed to be made with (durum) wheat, and the filling can be anything. Okay. Now that we know what ravioli is, lets see what it tastes like. 

The ravioli came bathed in a nice tomato sauce, this combination worked really well, having the tartness of the tomato balanced with the richness of the cheese. The ravioli were nice and soft and did not feel like they had been prepared ages ago waiting for us to come here and order it before they splashed it with sauce. This is important as pasta dishes must be had as fresh as possible. 

All in all, it was a rather pleasant dining experience: we look forward to the next visit where we hope to try new items and come up with a much more comprehensive review. Until then, stay tuned for more!

Type of Cuisine: Italian, Indian

Location

Chittoor Road, Kacheripady.

Parking: Dedicated parking lot 

Ambience: Nice and comfy

Service: Good

What we liked/Recommended for:

• Great quality Italian food. 
• Very good pricing; affordable option for continental dining. 
• Nice ambiance. 
• Cocktail bar. 

Potential Shortcomings: 
Quantity of chicken in the pizza could be a tad better. Will update after another visit. 

Taxes: Included in price, fat tax not applicable

Phone Number: +91 97466 55355, +91 484 4066977

Timings: 12:00 - 23:00

Restaurant Website: elements.ooo

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Have you gone 'Back to the Elements'? What did you have? How was your experience? Tell us what you think in the comments below!

A Taste of Lil America!

Lil America Review

Nestled in Panampilly Nagar is a small eatery called ‘Lil America. As the name suggests, you can find many kinds of dishes that are not Indian! Their Hot-Dogs are really good, and so are the other dishes like chicken fillet etc. The staff are very friendly and helpful too.

The place itself while small, is done up well with a section having books, games, a digital jukebox etc. The overall design is definitely contemporary and you could spend a long time here hanging out with friends.

Hot Dogs

Hot Dogs are most commonly associated with the American culture and sure enough this was on the menu here. They have a good variety of options encompassing veg, beef and chicken. We tried the two best hot dogs there, the Double Chicken Grill and the Grilled Bacon. Both had rather large hot dog buns with a nice chunky sausage topped with caramelised onion and were drizzled with mustard and ketchup. The Double Chicken Grill had chicken chunks on top and the Grilled Bacon had, well: bacon! Both tasted really good, the tang from the onions and ketchup going well with the tasty hotdog sausage and soft bun. If you are a spice maniac, this is not the item for you as it is about as authentic as it gets; no Indianisation here! If I were to nit-pick, the bacon would have tasted a bit better if they had grilled it longer to a golden brown where it releases its juices; it was rather pale but everyone has their preferences. I am sure the staff would oblige if you tell them, so you might want to keep that in mind.

In case you were wondering: the one on the left is the grilled bacon and the one on the right is the Double Chicken Grill.

Toasties

They also have a variety of great toasties which are basically slices of sesame topped bread with various toppings. We tried the Mushroom Ragout, there were five slices and also came with fries, coleslaw and ketchup. It was delightfully light with crisp toast and a creamy flavor. The mushrooms were well cooked and the fries were nice and crisp. A must-try dish if you do visit here.

Grilled Chicken Fillet

Next up was the grilled chicken fillet. This has a well cooked and super soft fillet of chicken breast and is topped with a delightfully creamy mushroom sauce. It is served with six tiny slices of buttered, sesame topped bread, French fries, coleslaw and a cooked tomato sliced in half.

Type of Cuisine: Continental, Cafe, Fast Food, Hot Dogs
Location
KV Nagar, Panampilly Nagar.

Parking: Nothing dedicated but there is plenty of place on the roads nearby.

Ambience: Great place to hang out, there is a jukebox, board games, books etc. and is a treat to spend time and relax. Except when there are youngsters already hanging out, in which case....!

Service: Friendly and Helpful staff, good service.

Taxes: Included in price
Phone Number: 0484 2323755
Timings: 07:00 - 22:30

This is the only place we know of in Kochi where you can find this kind of food with this level of quality. We will positively return to this joint very soon. Till then, don’t forget to leave your comments below!

Cafe 17: Super Sweet 17!

Cafe 17 Review
Located at Kaloor Kadavantra Road, Café 17 is tucked into the Unisquare building, right next to Bakers Walk and on the opposite side of French Toast and Sreedhareeyam Eye Hospital. There is adequate parking outside. They offer all sorts of foods like steaks, salads, wraps, burgers and so on. They also have a dessert counter which has a decent selection of eats.

The interiors are nice and contemporary with some books arranged on one of the walls, and chairs and tables spaced widely enough. One of the walls had chalk drawings to look at. It is clearly a place designed for the young at heart, and is not as crowded as other restaurants. That makes it a great place to hang out. The owner Mr Praveen is especially genial and is happy to engage in conversation.

Jus-C Lucy Burger

As soon as we walked in and read the menu, this one caught my eye. We had heard about the rather famous Jucy Lucy from Minnesota in which molten cheese is enveloped at the centre of a burger patty and oozes out when you take a bite. Being a foodie and waiting to try something we have never tried before, we immediately decided to give it a shot. While priced a teeny bit more than the run of the mill places like KFC and ChicKing, it is worth noting that the burger itself is heavier and it is a complete meal with fries and salad with each one. For the record, the one shown here is a chicken burger though they also have beef burgers too, if you are so inclined. Here it is:

As you can see, the cheese was on top of the patty instead of being hidden inside it but it had melted well and draped the patty anyways. The ground meat patty was also nice and juicy and was lightly spiced with chilli flakes. All this was enclosed in a delightful sesame bun. The fries were exceptionally nice and crisp too. It was quite a nice meal, and was good enough to satisfy our hunger.

Chicken Fillet in Mushroom Sauce

On our much anticipated second visit to the place, we tried out this dish. As expected, it was a nice and juicy chicken fillet topped with barbecue mushroom sauce. We somehow expected it to be mushrooms in white sauce but this combination works just as well. This was accompanied by mashed potatoes and vegetables like broccoli and carrot. The photo above should make things crystal clear.

Pastries and Desserts

They also had a selection of pastries on display. We tried the Mango Mousse Cake which was rather pale in color but had good flavor and a nice and light, airy texture.

 

We also tried the Chocolate Truffle cake which was nice, albeit just like any other place.

 

We look forward to going back and trying something more. As always, we will update this review once we do. 

Type of Cuisine: Cafe, Continental, Fast Food, Burgers
Location

Kaloor Kadavathra Road, Kathrikadavu.

Parking: Few cars in front, that should be sufficient however.

Ambience: Very comfy [except if near the bathroom]. There are books etc. to read. All in all, a great place to really sit down and relax unlike other restaurants. Good spot to hang out with friends too.

Service: Good.

What we liked/Recommended for:

• Great ambiance 
• Really good food 
• Good place to hang out: can relax and read some books etc.

Potential Shortcomings: 
Pastries were nothing exceptional. 

Taxes: Included in price
Phone Number: +91 484 402 7067
Timings: 11:00 - 23:00
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Have you eaten at Cafe 17? Share your experience, please leave your comments below!

Bloomsbury’s Boutique Cafe & Artisan Bakery: Blooming with Goodness!

Bloomsbury’s Boutique Cafe & Artisan Bakery Review
Bloomsbury’s is located on the second floor of LuLu mall. While we have been buying cakes and pastries from here for quite a while, it wasn’t until recently that we finally decided to try out their other offerings. Serving up a variety of different continental dishes, they have an exciting menu that encompasses pastas, Nasi Goreng, and salads through to pizzas, burgers and more commonplace items.

On the same floor as PVR cinemas, they have a dining area with lots to see in terms of things on the walls and even artifacts like kettles, teapots etc. on shelves suspended from the roof. There are plenty of seats and the service deserves a special mention with attentive staff who are willing to help with your order.

Pizzas

The pizzas here are Italian style thin crust, shaped like a rounded rectangle rather than the traditional circular ones you see everywhere else. Each is about 12 inches lengthwise. We ordered the 'Sollo Pollo' and started tucking into it before we realized we did not have a photo to show! Still took one to give you an idea of the toppings it has.

As you can see it is a thin crust, typical of an authentic Italian pizza. Each slice is topped with a small slice of salami that has a bit of mayonnaise on it. Worth mentioning is the fact that the mayo is really delicious, being nice and full flavored. There is plenty of tomato base to keep it nice and moist. The sausage and ham are also fully cooked and taste delicious. Each pizza is enough for two, and maybe even three if you do order any side dishes. It was different and worth ordering.

Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)

Nasi Goreng is the Indonesian name for fried rice. It is supposed to be one of the most delicious foods in the world so when we found this one on the menu, we just had to try it out. Here, they serve it with satay and dip.

It was presented well with the rice packed tightly into the shape of a dome and had an egg on top. On the side were the two skewers of satay with three pieces of chicken on each and the peanut dip in the small bowl, along with some sliced vegetables (carrot, cucumber and onion).

When we started eating the rice, it became apparent that this was the type made with shrimp paste. Thus it had a rather fishy tone to it. If you love your seafood like just about everyone in Kerala does, you will really love the flavor of this dish. Others may want to think twice before ordering this. Other than that, it had bits of scrambled egg in the rice as well as spring onion and so on. As with the pizza, there was enough quantity for two and maybe even three people.

Chicken satay served with it was just alright: it had a very mild tangy-sweet flavor and the pieces were cooked well, the peanut sauce fared better though.

Cakes and pastries

They arguably have some of the best cakes in town. They are slightly more expensive than others but the size of the portions kind of makes up for it.

They have a rather unique take on the Black Forest cake; it has some liqueur sprinkled over it and marinated cherries in between. This is one of the only places in Kochi that I have ever had a Black Forest like this one and is probably closer to the real Black Forest cake in Germany.

We also tried their Honey Crunch Cake above, Which had walnut for crunch, honey and caramel for flavoring. We found the three layers of frosting is of an almost overwhelmingly rich, butter icing.

What keeps us coming back for more is the Golden Chocolate Cake. While it is said that all that glitters is not gold, this is definitely one of those exceptions. The golden color comes from the golden powder they use. Not only does it look good, it tastes great. It is a chocoholic’s delight as it has a rich and thick layer of chocolate on top of the dense, dark chocolate cake. Don’t take my word for it, have a look at it above, try it yourself and you will see why.

Just in case you were wondering, yes; that is a picture of my birthday cake!

Type of Cuisine: Continental, Bakery
Location

Near PVR Cinemas, second floor of LuLu Mall, Edappally.

Parking: Mall parking at LuLu [chargeable] is fine except on very busy days and weekends when it may get full and you might have to wait to find a spot.

Ambience: Typical mall ambience, love it or hate it!

Service: Very good, highly attentive.

What we liked/Recommended for:

• Quality cakes 
• Good ambiance 
• Great staff 
• Good continental fare

Potential Shortcomings: 

Some items could be better priced. 
Taxes: Included in price
Phone Number: +91 484 4059034
Timings: 10:00 - 22:30

On Zomato:
      

So head over there and enjoy some great food, you will have a great time as long as you know what you are ordering. Which hopefully, you now know! Let us know in the comments below!