Burger Spot: Taking the Spotlight!

Burger Spot Review

Burger Spot is the latest addition to the various joints in Kochi that offer the eponymous dish. So what makes this place different? Read on to find out!

Burger spot has a few branches around town. I had noticed them but shrugged them off as another attempt at taking a bite out of the already solid burger scene in town. It wasn’t until my friend recommended this place that I decided to go see for myself. I found that they sell different kinds of burgers, mojitos etc. On to the food review:

Fries[AME!]/Chips[BRE!]

The burger arrived with a small serving of fries [to be precise: three, I’m not joking, look at the picture!].

I tried the fries, which turned out to be really good: they were nice and crisp outside but the highlight was the fluffy center, just as it should be! Moreover, they were perfectly seasoned with salt and a little black pepper. It was so good I knew it deserved a special mention so we ended up ordering a plate. This came with a dip, as shown below. 

The dip was basically a mayonnaise: smooth and delicious with a good hint of garlic which will please garlic lovers [and may put off those who are not so fond of it! Jokes apart though, it was not too strong for me but I do like the flavor so I guess it may be intolerable for a select few].

Burgers

I opted for a medium range chicken burger [the V2.0 or something to that name] to see how the place performs on average. 

Examining it, the burger came with cheese, an adequate dollop of mayonnaise and of course the prerequisite sesame bun. I took a bite and realized this was my new favorite joint [or should I say, spot?!]. The patty was soft and juicy, perfectly cooked. The best part was that it was really moist thanks to the mayo and the cheese added to the richness. The lettuce too was fresh and crisp. Don’t get me wrong: I like the burgers in other fast food joints like KFC, ChicKing, SFC etc. for their own flavor as well but this burger simply has so much more moisture it’s in a league of its own.

Mojito

I ordered a kiwi mojito. I must mention I was happy to see bits of kiwi seed floating around. You can see for yourself in the picture. 

I took a sip and was pleased with the result. It is extremely cheap yet manages to taste like the real thing, just the right balance of sweetness and flavour. I usually refrain from ordering any drinks from any place because I don’t like having too much to drink while eating but this is one place where I will make the exception. 
We have also tried their lime and mint mojito, which was topped with mint leaves and a wedge of lemon. This was also really refreshing and has the added benefit of aiding digestion. Highly recommended.
For the price, they deliver well.

My family and I have already gone back a few times afterwards to enjoy the food there and we have been satisfied every time. I can safely recommend this to anyone who likes to have good quality burgers and generally chill out without having to break the bank.

Type of Cuisine: Fast Food, Burgers
Locations

Near Sunrise Hospital, Seaport Airport Road, Kakkanad.

University Road, Sheba Square, Kalamaserry. 

Near Al-Ameen/Lulu Mall, Edappally. 

Parking: Most branches have decent space nearby. Can be a problem for the one near LuLu mall though we’ve never had issues.

Ambience: Good. The one near LuLu mall is small but reasonably good regardless.

Service: Good.

What we liked/Recommended for:

• Great tasting burgers. 
• Reasonable prices. 
• Well priced mojitos. 
• Great potato fries/chips. 
• Good for garlic lovers. 

Potential Shortcomings: 
Parking at the outlet near LuLu mall may be challenging. 

Taxes: Included in price
Phone Number: +91 94968 16666
On Zomato:
      

Have you been to Burger Spot? Don't forget to share your experience in the 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
On Zomato:
      

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!

ChicKing: Ruling the Roost(ers)!

ChicKing Review

This fast food chain really doesn’t need an introduction if you live in Kochi but nevertheless, here’s one for those who need it, plus reviews of the most recent items added to the menu.

One of the first and most beloved fried chicken fast food joints in the city, Chicking now has many branches all over the city, namely MG Road, Palarivattom and at Edappaly in the Lulu mall. They also have plenty of outlets in other districts in Kerala, like Calicut, Thrissur etc. The three Kochi outlets have adequate parking arrangements. Offering great fried chicken, burgers and wraps, Chicking is the place to go to if you love fried chicken, which is what attracts most of the crowd. 
I still remember going to the joint for the first time when it had just opened their first branch at MG Road Kochi. They gave us a balloon and a toy (I was pretty young then!!!) and we bought their chicken pieces and burgers. At that time, the chicken used to be Rs 30/- apiece and the Zinger burger [now known as Royal crunchy] was Rs 59/-. Now the number of branches and prices have gone up, a bit too much in some cases but the taste is usually as good as ever. 
The best part about them is the fact that they occasionally add new items to their menu every now and then to keep things interesting. The flavours they currently have on the menu are the original, Mexican and more recently, Tandoori. Many more such joints have come up to follow suit and grab a bite of the success they had but ChicKing still has its own following in the hearts of Kochiites, and 'reigns' supreme. We have reviewed most of these other newer joints in this site too, so be sure to read about those too! Just click here!

Fried Chicken and Hot Chicken Strips

Taking inspiration from the typical American fried chicken, this sees pieces of chicken with skin and bone intact marinated with spices and coated with batter before being deep fried to a crispy, juicy tender serving. One of the biggest reasons it is so popular is because of the spiciness. It has been tuned for Indian taste buds: the spice mix is nice and spicy, without having an Indian curry flavour in any way at all. This coupled with the textural contrast of soft, juicy chicken and crisp, crunchy coating comes together for an experience so good; it will have you coming back for more. Let me make this very clear: even if you can get fried Chicken at your local KFC etc. if you live outside India, you may want to consider trying some for yourself as the chicken has a spicy taste that you will not find anywhere else...!!! A few knock-offs that sprung up around town just could not get the balance right and closed down quickly. 
If you would like to savour the flavour without having to worry about the excess fat from the skin or just want to avoid the bones, the spicy Hot Chicken Strips are exactly what you need. They do taste very slightly different since they don’t have the bone and skin on them, but is equally great stuff with the same spiciness and crunchiness as the chicken pieces. They have arguably the best strips in town. A small lament is that they are significantly more expensive than ever before, which is a disappointment.

Buckets and combos will beat the price down, at the expense of not being able to choose your piece, most of the time.

Chicken nuggets

Thin cut chicken cubes breaded with a thin lightly spiced coating, makes for a light and crispy treat. It may be a little too bland for some though. 

Chicken Tandoori Bites

After Mexican stuff, ChicKing are now trying to incorporate Indian flavours to their menu with their latest addition. KFC did this first, with their rather delectable curry crunch. We tried this at the Calicut branch. We got 6 boneless pieces which were roughly half the size of the strips and bigger than the popcorn. It is loaded with spice powder, and is therefore a fair bit hotter than the normal strips. We liked the taste; the typical Indian spices complemented the crunchy coating rather well. We may still prefer to stick with the usual strips instead, but for someone who likes a certain Indian flavour in their food, this will be the one to order. 

Delite Burger and Royal Crunchy

Delite burgers are the smallest burger available, it makes for a good snack with the carbohydrates from the bun and fiber from the lettuce. It has chicken strips with lettuce and mayonnaise. Ideal for takeaway as it is made very quickly unlike the bigger burgers but should be consumed as quickly as possible to retain the crunch. The Royal Burgers are bigger burgers using much larger fillets. There are veg and fish [tuna] options also available for both the Delite and Royal versions.

Chicken Mexi-Crunchy Supreme

This burger starts with a 6 inch long hot dog roll cut in half. In between, you have the crispy, juicy and spicy breaded chicken fillet accompanied by lettuce, tangy Mexican red sauce and sliced Jalapenos and usually cheese. The creamy soft cheese slice and mayonnaise contrasts beautifully with the crunchy and spicy chicken fillet and the tang from the jalapenos and sauce rounds things off perfectly. This is a great thing to have for lunch, as it is reasonably heavy. 

Royal Wrap

The same crunchy and spicy chicken fillet, lettuce and mayonnaise wrapped with a flour tortilla or maida roti. There is also a tuna and veg wrap, though we have not tried it recently since they usually use frozen tuna. 

Chicken Mexita Supreme

This is a more Mexican version of the Mexi-Crunchy. It has a tangier sauce and jalapenos. What is different though is that they add red chili flakes to it as well. This makes for one really spicy sandwich! It is probably the spiciest one they offer. The chicken is also not the crunchy type of fillet they usually serve in a Mexi-Crunchy either; it is soft, non-breaded chicken grilled fillet marinated with a rather tangy reddish violet sauce which helps cut down some of the spice from the chili flakes. 

Chicken Tandoori Burger

The latest addition to their menu, this burger is like a royal crunchy but with a distinctly Indian taste to it owing to the use of spices. It is not as spicy as we expected it to be in terms of heat, which can be a good thing but has a unique flavor. The fillet is the crunchy type too. Also inside the burger are the standard lettuce and mayonnaise. It is definitely worth a try if you are getting bored of the standard burgers on offer and are looking for a new taste. It is cheaper than the Royal Crunchy too.

ChicKing has pretty much stood the test of time, it has been around for a while and they have aged fine. That being said, they have a few loopholes which we have occasionally noticed. Nothing that should usually detract from the overall experience but worth a mention nonetheless. Sometimes, we feel that the quality control across the branches is not as solid as international brands. We are basing this review off the branch at Palarivattom which is our go-to location. We have also had stuff several times from the MG Road, LuLu Mall, Aluva/Alwaye, Calicut branches and even the erstwhile Bangalore branch; which used to be at Garuda Mall. 
They sometimes falter in consistency of ingredients in the burgers like Mexi-Crunchy [This only happened once] and served up something really sour instead of the jalapeños. 
Sometimes, the fried chicken would taste a little different at different branches; sometimes a tad bit too brown or oily and so on, but we never really thought too much about it. 
Apart from the minor occasional issues with consistency and the ever increasing prices, ChicKing still comes across as a reliable bet for good (spicy!) fried chicken.


Type of Cuisine: Fast Food, Burgers and Fried Chicken

Locations: 
Multiple, Please refer their website link below, they have a full list if you scroll down.
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. All restaurant branches generally have good parking facilities in front or nearby. 

Ambience: 
Typical mall ambience, love it or hate it! Restaurants are fine, even when crowded.

Service: 
Usually good, depends on how crowded they get.

What we liked/Recommended for: 

• An Indian twist on fried chicken. 
• Best. Chicken. Strips. Ever. Always. 
• Good option for spice junkies. 
• Good burgers with decent variety. 
• Decent staff 
• Ambiance fine for families. 

Potential Shortcomings: 

• Prawn-based items [used to be] frozen. 
• Occasional lapses in quality [details above]. 
• Chicken Strips are becoming OUTRAGEOUSLY EXPENSIVE. 

Taxes: Included in price, fat tax applicable.
Phone Numbers: 
+91 484 3262233, 3262233, 2332211, 7736067812
Website: http://www.chickingindia.in/
On Zomato:
      

Did you have royally crispy fried chicken at ChicKing? What did you order? Tell us what you think about the food in the comments below! 

5+5 = SFC Plus?! Let’s Find Out How!

SFC Plus Review

SFC Plus was one of the newest fried chicken joints to come up in 2013. We heard about this in the paper, and hunted for the obscure place, hidden deep in the Bay Pride Mall at Marine Drive. There was just a small signboard near the roof of the mall, out of the driver’s field of vision unless you were on the lookout for it like we were. As expected, we were the only ones inside at that time! After the meal, they told us they would have a stall at Lulu, so we were happy to know we wouldn’t have to go far to get a taste of their stuff next time [Edit: Now open at LuLu]. The Marine Drive one affords a good view of the backwaters, with full glass walls through which you can look out at the boats in the water and the walkway. They have an advantage as far as location goes, as they are in the heart of the city and have a great view.
Strangely their '5+' logo seems to bear some resemblance with HTML5's, check it out for yourselves!

SFC stands for Southern Fried Chicken. Don’t mistake it for South Indian fried chicken; it intends South America. They boast of using skinless chicken, which reduces the overall fat. 

We have tried their pizza, burgers and the fried chicken. Here are the reviews:

Fried Chicken

The chicken, as mentioned, has no skin on it, making it somewhat appear somewhat drier than other competitors but comparatively 'healthier', although healthy and fried chicken probably should not really exist together in the same sentence! The coating is thick and crunchy too, but it’s the taste that is the highlight. Unlike the spicy, Indianized taste of places like ChicKing and other joints, this has a more subtle taste. Specifically that of herbs with a hint of pepper with slightly tangy notes as if it uses something sour like buttermilk. Rather reminiscent of KFC’s Original Recipe chicken, but with the crunchy batter coating instead. It makes for a great change, and is easier on the stomach if you wish to eat fried chicken at night thanks to the reduced fat and spiciness. If you are a hardcore spice fan, then you might find the taste to be a bit bland for your liking but if otherwise, we think it is worth a try. If you want something that is not as spicy as ChicKing, this is a good option. One piece starts at Rs.59/- [2013, prices have increased] and combos or multiple pieces induce further savings.

Chicken Fillet Burger

[EDIT: Prices for the burger have risen drastically, no longer offers the amazing value it used to have.]
They currently [2013] price themselves a few tens of bucks less than the competition, at 95/- instead of the 100+ that you would shell out elsewhere. It would be great if they keep it that way. The burger is slightly bigger too, in terms of both the bun and the fillet. The fillet has the herby taste with a crunchy coating, and the bun is always fresh. While it does not have any extras like jalapeños or cheese, it is currently good value for the size.

Pizza

We checked out the pizzas too. These unlike the fried chicken and burger are not South American style, these are more South Indian. Some of those, like the ‘Chicken Chilly Pizza’ and ‘Southern’ even came with unconventional ingredients like curry leaves or green chillies (!) as part of the topping, and the manager proudly said that it is their own speciality. These we chose to avoid and we finally decided to take a chance on the barbeque chicken pizza. They did put a fair amount of cheese and topping. Unfortunately, like most places, the crust did not taste particularly interesting and the sauce was pretty ordinary. Overall, it was nothing worth mentioning. People with a restricted Indian palate may like them. Unless you want to taste some fusion toppings or spicy pizzas, you can safely skip the pizzas and not miss much. Having said that, at Rs.195/- [2013, prices have increased] for a regular barbeque chicken pizza, you could take a chance if you wish to. You may just like it.

All in all, a good place for fried chicken with a more mild, international flavour. They currently offer good value Edit: Prices for everything have been hiked up significantly, so this is regrettably no longer the case. We find it hard to recommend their burgers anymore but the chicken still deserves a mention.  

Type of Cuisine: Fast Food, Burgers, pizza and Fried Chicken
Location

Food court on the third floor, LuLu Mall, Edapally.

Parking: 
Mall parking lot at LuLu and Marine Drive. The branch at Kaloor Kadavathra Road is going to close down soon. 

Ambience: 
Typical mall ambiance, like it or hate it! The restaurants are rather nice and comfy, generally well lit too.

Service: Generally decent.

What we liked/Recommended for: 

• Burgers provide good value for money  
• Chicken has a unique and mild taste unlike most places in the city 
• Variety to choose from: burgers, pizzas, wraps etc. 
• Skinless chicken should theoretically reduce the amount of calories consumed. 

Potential Shortcomings: 

• Price has gone up reducing value compared to other options. 
• Pizzas are not very authentic. 
• Taste may not appeal to everyone. 

Taxes: Included in price
Phone Number: +91 85899 76486
Restaurant Website: http://sfcplusarabia.com/
On Zomato:
     

Did you eat here and find out how 5+5 = SFC Plus? What did you order? Tell us what you think about the food in the comments below!