Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Tilt and Party to the Hilt

Tilt Bar Republic, located near Biodiversity Circle,is the popular new restrobar for the residents of Gachibowli area in Hyderabad. Known as the IT hub where most people work late shifts, there was a lack of places to go to after work and chill with friends. Tilt fills this gap, created as it is to make people ‘tilt’ with tipsiness, joy and interesting conversations. Tilt is the perfect place to catch up with friends and colleagues over a stunning collection of beers that are sure to help you unwind in good cheer.
























The entrance façade catches the eye with the attractive black and white mural and TILT insignia. This is the perfect selfie spot, a must in every restaurant meant for youngsters. As you move in you see the unique door handle, again a tilted piece of TMT rod. The interiors are spacious and colourful with ample use of wood and chrome and very attractive leather chairs making it rustic and contemporary at the same time. There is a small dance floor, a large bar on one side, quirky quotes on the exposed brickwork walls and peppy music.



 





















The focal point is a long table in the centre that can easily seat 20-30 people together, making it a perfect option for a fun, team-building corporate meal. One side of the restaurant has a fantastic view of the Biodiversity Circle, where you can see the world go by if in a surreal, ruminating mode. Tilt, which is the brainchild of two childhood friends, who are otherwise busy professionals from totally different fields, is indeed an earnest effort to create just the right social hub in the area as they always felt a void when it came to classy, fun places in Gachibowli.

Tilt boasts of an enviable collection of Belgian, Dutch, German and UK Ale and Lager beers that give you such a range of tastes, flavours and experiences! Starting from the prestigious Trappe beers that are brewed in monasteries to light and frothy sweeter versions such as Belgian Kriek, there is a beer for every palate here. Although other drinks such as wine, spirits and cocktails are available, but the beer collection here is simply one of the best in Hyderabad. You can try a range of samplers before deciding which beer suits your taste. I personally loved the Chambourlette and La Trappe Witte, a blonde Ale brewed by monks(yeah, I always knew beer had some spiritual connection!). The beer is served in very beautiful, original glasses meant for that brand, making it almost as elegant as wine. They are also introducing a Juniper flavoured spirit called Jenever, which is relatively unknown in India, consumed in shots like Tequila.

Chermoula Prawns
Cilantro Grilled Fish
As far as food goes, Tilt has an eclectic mix of European finger foods, Indian tandoori items, pizzas and their own interpretation of oriental favourites. It is very difficult to slot which cuisine are they serving exactly but whatever I tasted was well prepared and satisfying. The dishes seemed to be selected after a lot of personal touch and experimentation and what you get is a genuine effort to be innovative and pleasing the palate of a diverse and cosmopolitan customer. I started with Cilantro Grilled Fish and Florentine Saute Mushroom.

Spicy Fried Idli
Florentine Saute Mushrooms
Both the starters were absolutely yummy. The fish is coated with a fine green herb paste oozing with flavours. The mushrooms are simply stunning, with a fine filling of green spinach and crunchy coating outside, very well balanced. They offer me a surprise starter I wouldn’t have ordered otherwise-Spicy Fried Idli. But is actually a pleasant surprise with the aroma of desi ghee and fine spices oozing out of every morsel. The Chermula Prawns are perfectly cooked too.






















For the main course I try the Lamb Chops as I feel getting them right is a sort of litmus test for any new restaurant. Although they have used local lamb (it gets so much easier when its an imported lambchops, but I am all for eating local nowadays) but the dish has a distinct character. Cooked in a rich brown sauce and coated with coarsely ground Indian spices such as whole red chillies and pepper, the dish is a fine fusion dish one would have found in some quaint British style club of yore. I would prefer these flavourful lambchops any day to a more meaty western version. There they have perfectly catered to local Hyderabadi taste, as people here are beginning to experiment but they love their spices too much to go bland.
For dessert I try the Blueberry cheesecake, which is surprisingly light and easy with none of the usual heavy creaminess. Tilt also offers excellent Corporate Lunch deal, which is a set 3 course menu with a drink of your choice. This veg lunch is at just Rs 265 + taxes and non-veg at Rs 295+ taxes. For dinner package they offer a lavish fare of unlimited food at Rs 850+ taxes and Rs 1750/+ taxes for unlimited food and drinks. So your next team lunch or dinner can be a cake walk to organize here. This is indeed an ultimate comfort zone for young and mature connoisseurs.



Wednesday, November 29, 2017

PM Modi and Ivanka Trump dine at the Taj Falaknuma Palace at the GES Inaugural Dinner

As the city of Nizams geared up to host the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES), the historic Taj Falaknuma Palace decked up to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ms. Ivanka Trump on the first day of the summit on 28th November 2017 at the 101 Table – arguably the most opulent and the longest dining table in the world.



The Falaknuma, where grandeur and excess are celebrated and savoured in equal measure showcased various cuisines, heritage and rich culture of India for Ms. Trump, invited dignitaries, ministers, renowned industrialists, and the delegates from the GES.
 
PM Modi and Ivanka Trump sign the visitors book at the legendary Taj Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad after their five course dinner
Prime Minister’s banquet Telangana CM K Chandrashekhar Rao; Chanda Kochhar, CEO, ICICI Bank; Amitabh Kant, CEO, Niti Aayog ; Sunil Mittal, Founder, Chairman and Managing Director Bharti Enterprises; Nirmala Sitharaman, Defence Minister of India; Cherie Blair, British Barrister and Lecturer amongst others.


Here is the historic menu created for the dignitaries, featuring some Hyderabadi delicacies amongst others.