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When it comes to the Pan Asian food, Chinese and Japanese food have surely made inroads into convincing the Indian taste buds. However, Malaysian cuisine is yet to find its feet in a country that already offers varied cuisines, so Jom Jom Malay is quite breath of fresh air, of a spanking new cuisine that Delhi is yet to get used to. 

As you walk into the restaurant, you get consumed by the cheerful playful interiors and bright colours that fill the walls of this happy little place. It’s small, adeptly planned space with quirky elements and authentic tones of Malaysian aesthetics. The menu reads like an exciting chapter of Asian cuisine, expansive yet strictly Malay. 

We started off with a DIY spice tray of Make Your Own Sambal, where the server brings over a cane tray of tinny bowls of condiments out of which we are are expected to make our own sambal, it’s a fun activity, and also gives the diners something to do while the food gets ready! Quite smart there. 

The Satay Platter next reveals the potential for sophistication in Malaysia’s food culture. An array of chicken, lamb, fish and prawn satay sticks looking as juicy and succulent as possible, served with a coarse peanut sauce and curry with fresh salad. Extremely well cooked, the meat was beautifully marinated and cooked to an utter decadence with rich spices. 
Assorted Malay Baos were the piece de resistance for me. For someone who has tasted the best Baos in the country, these came very close to the top. 
Lamb Bao, Chicken Bao and Duck Bao most juicy, stupendously flavoured and soft as cotton on the palate, these were melting in the mouth. 

The seasoning was spot on and I loved the balance of texture and flavours. The Duck Bao was pleasantly sweet not a honey stickler which is usually the case with these but just on point. These were the highlight of my much luxurious meal. 

Lamb Murtabak will be loved by those of a more indianised Palate. It’s basically an eggy fried Parantha stuffed with juicy curry meat bits served with a rich curry sauce. Such a chunky orgasmic starter crunchy yet soft in the centre and oh so lovely. 
The drinks menu is deliciously crafted with Asian flavours and spices. I absolutely fell in love with their green mango mocktail. Try their sweet potions. Complex and delicious. 

The restaurant serves Malaysia classics in a refined manner, which nevertheless retains the punchiness of the typical Malay flavours. 

•Lamb Rendang with Roti Canai: served in a smoke bowl, fancy yet seductively rich looking with most authentic Rendang creamy Curry with succulent pieces of lamb paired with a savoury Parantha like bread called roti Canai. Fabulous. Resembles Indian meals In a way yet very Malay. 

•Nasi Lemak with Chicken and Prawns is a typical Malay dish with curried meaty rice flavoured impeccably with perfumed spices with curry and a runny fried egg on top. Bellisama! 

Not expecting to be even more floored with dessert because well, c’mon I never walked out of an Asian restaurant with love tales of the dessert but Jom Jom Malay had me at my knees with the Coconut Cheesecake. A creamy slice of thick earthy am creamy slightly sweet cheesecake, so fresh and redolent with tropical flavour of coconut, it was a clever dessert, fluffy yet indulgent. Do not miss out on this! 
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*Verdict*

Expect technicolour curries and soups which make your lips pucker, cloying heat of honey-chilli sauces and anonymous bits of meats stuck on to a skewer and sold as satay. 

Full disclosure: we love all that fire, smoke and cheer in Jom Jom Malay but the food is the real revelation.

There is a snob lurking inside each of us. This snob isn’t too easy to please but the one inside me was floored with a rather spectacular dining experience at the Pasta Bowl Company in Gurgaon. I was expecting great things but I was gravely wrong because this place does nothing ordinarily, everything is done magnanimously.

The Pasta Bowl Company features authentic, home-made Italian concoctions, and a very vast overwhelming breakfast menu. Watch out for this one. As you walk into the tiny warm Italiano den, you can’t help but swoon over the Venetian architecture and interiors nestled in with fun elements from the heart of Italy. There’s spunk and excitement, yet this place feels so much like home.

Getting straight to the point of gratification & gluttony, the breakfast buffet blew me off, quite literally with just plain authenticity and quality. The fragrance of the fresh baked bread, the high quality of cold cuts and cheese, the wholesomeness of the salads, the flavours of rustic smoked salmon arranged with excellent meats and the freshness of the great range of fruit in season make the start of the brunch particularly bewildering with the exciting bounty.

This isn’t even the beginning of the farinaceous feast I divulged into. Starting off with Peperoni studded Frittata, each eggy forkful comprised of a motley of soft omelette and meat with hints of herbs ,all cohesively bound together by the perfect seasoning. This was followed by their Italian version of Poached Eggs, a sight so beautiful to behold, I was scared to slice into it, such beauty is hard to cut through and eat, quite really. A thick crusty bread slapped with fresh pungent basil, piled high with crisp bacon under the most gorgeously silken poached egg that was finished off with a creamy dollop of something that tasted like hollandaise. If this doesn’t give you a good boner, I don’t know what will?While the eggs shone in glory, the accompaniments were no less splendid.

Onion & Cheese sausages, grilled chicken patties were outstandingly fresh, chunky and ridiculously juicy, oh I am so salivating right now. Blueberry Pancakes were fluffy like cotton and magically light with a gooey blueberry centre, pure joy in every bite.

Being the greedy glutton that I am, I went ahead and ordered a much celebrated dish on the menu of Pasta Bowl Company. Tortellini Puttanesca comes stuffed with chicken ragout in the most gorgeous Al dente pasta embellished with olives & capers and sitting on a beautiful mild tomato sauce, oh the medley of flavours, so simple yet so stunning,the dish plays out an apreggio on my palate.

I finally try to get on my feet after eating food fit for two because well, everything was so bloody stellar, this has to be one of the most memorable mornings of my life.

Just visit these guys to know what I am talking about. I literally had tears of happiness while I bid ode to the sheer virtuosity gone into making such honest delicious food. Cost of all that luxurious breakfast is stupendous Rs700, yes, that small amount for not so small food orgasms.

Delivering near brilliant fine dining experience in the comfort of your home, Asian Haus is all things wonderful and decadent.

The menu is pretty elaborate and an absolute delight for an Asian food lover like myself. They offer a wide range of cuisine ranging from Chinese, Thai, Malaysian, Vietnamese and Japanese. There is a huge lot to choose from and i can’t wait to try every dish on there.

The order was delivered in good time and boy, the packaging deserves applause. Neat ergonomic boxes and packing which were a feast on the eyes even before I got to the main meal. The food is packed with disposable cutlery, chopsticks and wet tissues to make sure the meal is comfortable and enjoyed at best, even if it is delivered at your doorstep. Special attention is paid to make sure the food isn’t tampered and spilled, attention duly noted and appreciated.

Spicy rice cakes are a vegetarian delight. A south East Asian speciality finely cubed daikon rice cakes stir fried in a aromatic chilly paste, chives and bean sprouts. Sofy, crunchy and has a beautiful flavour texture balance.

Red Thai curry with sticky rice is creamy and popping with lemongrass basil flavour. Recommended.

I could endlessly eat my meal but theta Otak ( fish parcels ) soon break our reverie. Steamed in banana leaves and marinated with red curry paste, the basa fillets are fresh and melt in the mouth.

Chicken in black bean sauce is good, not too raving because it was a tad too acidic. I’d choose the Sichuan Chilly Chicken over the former any day to go with Chilly Garlic Fried Rice or just some hot Steamed Rice.

Shiitake stir fry is lovely in a spicy sauce which goes perfectly with the rice. Spot on flavours and lovely texture on the mushrooms.

I’d personally vouch for the dimsums that are handcrafted with detail and precision. Duck dimsums are my ‘go to’ order overtime I am craving a taste of the Orient. Tender and bursting with flavour, these are the read deal of delicousness. Chicken and Prawn dimsums are just as delicious incase you want to stick to conventions.

Verdict: If you like Asian food and wish to experience fine dining in the comfort of your home, Asian Haus is the place to call. Delicious, hygienic and food worth every penny. They also deliver till 4:00 am now which is an excellent news for a asian food junkie like myself. Give them a call, you won’t be disappointed!

Cost/ person : Rs 700

Will I order again? Yes.

Owl is well could pretty much be the best thing in the genre of food delivery outlets as the year comes to an end and boy! Am I glad I stumbled upon this one!
These guys are just genuinely serving some kickass food and considering that they are a late night delivery service, dear gluttons, be prepared to be floored with major quality and flavours goals, they are serving up a storm of a highly gourmet menu that just doesn’t sound good in theory but is excellent when devoured even hours later in the night!
The food arrives looking like Christmas joy, neatly packed up in white boxes, tagged and taped. Pretty slick and proper.

However, everything boils down to that hungry moment when you bite into deliciousness delivered to your doorstep and your cravings are graced with big flavours and indulgent food!
Pizzas are thin crust, light and bombarded with bangin flavours, vegetarians who can handle some spice must order the Red Dragon pizza which is made with three kinds of chilly and oodles of cheesey goodness. A seafood lover like myself found ultimate nirvana in the Pirates Bounty Pizza loaded with peri peri tossed shrimp, fish, kale over a white bechamel and mozzarella base!

However, this doesn’t even begin to compete with the stupendously delicate flavours of the Lamb-Orgini Pizza made with pulled lamb and caramelised onions. This one was a real marvel, I chomped this down like a cow in no time! So good! Highly recommended.

Keeping up with high standards, behold the burgers! There is no funny business about these flavour bombs, they’re the real deal. Hangover Cure Burger is a meaty beast with barbecue chicken, fried onion rings, coffee glazed bacon, fried egg and candied jalapeño with gooey goodness of cheese. So bloody delicious even after siting in the box for 2 hours.
Funghilicious burger is made with a trio of mushroom patty, porcini drizzle, shallots jam and feta, extremely well made with a beautiful culmination of ingredients and textures. This one was swiped clean even by the carnivores. That’s how yum it was!
Moving on to more grub, the Alfredo pasta was another mouth numbing dish with flavours on point, robust and creamy with abundance of garlic and herbs, this one made me specially happy because Penne Alfredo as simple as it sounds, is most messed up by chefs by being bland or extra gluggy, but this one was a straight winner.
Clearly, having lost our inhibitions, we moved on to the last box of gluttony which had the Chilly Hot Dog made with a chunky pork sausage and pulled pork sitting under creamy slaw, simple and delicious, meaty and on point.

With all this yummy grub into my system, I had one and only one feeling and that was a feeling of satisfaction and gratitude because nothing makes me happy like good food does. The menu here is extremely exciting and not run of the mill like several other late night delivery joints.
The food has a flair, ingredients are fresh and unconventional pairings make every bite refreshingly palatable.
Packaging is ergonomical and food delivers on time.

This place has your gourmet hunger pangs in the wee hours of the night, err, morning, covered and well sorted!

Cost/ person: Rs 400
Will I order again? Yes.

Spago is as fine as it gets!

Slinging in varieties of fresh pastas, grilled game affairs with some sublime seafood, a through wine selection to easily the best desserts in the city,this little dream checks all the mustachioed boxes for what it means to be a great Italian restaurant.

A quaint little space spread across a single floor of nonchalant elegance, wooden sitting and rustic yet sophisticated furniture set across vibrant interiors and a warm vibe, Spago is the perfect date destination when in mood of wooing or just a place to head with family incase you’re looking for a laid back yet indulgent evening which is best washed down with bottomless glasses of sparkling wine.

The menu reads of a lavish luxurious spread of adept dishes as well the usual Italian suspects.

The feast begins with a lavish board of fresh hot buns and soft glistening focaccia served with warm butter that already upped my anticipation by being extremely fresh and well made.
The elaborate bread coarse is followed by a vegetarian delight of Funghi Arrosto roasted mushrooms on a bed of spinach and almonds smothered with a red pepper romanesco and cheese to keep the mouthgasm coming one after the other. This was a straight winner!

Feta Apple Salad is as good as a salad gets, extremely scrumptious with the right balance of sour balsamic, sweet sliced apple, crunchy lettuce and pine nuts brought alive with the creaminess of feta and tart sun dried tomatoes. Magnifique.
Crostini Pollo with herb chicken slathered on bread was considerably average as opposed to the other big flavoured dishes on the menu.

Grilled Prawns in herbs & lemon appear in all their glory, with a buttery sheen on the plump prawn meat that melts in a beautiful garlic medley on the palate.

In creamy contrast is the Ravioli di Spinaci fresh made stuffed with ricotta & spinach immersed in a velvet tomato Parmesan sauce, al dente and delicate, seasoned with dried Italian herbs.

Much to my amazement, I’d still not eaten the culinary magic of Spago until I reached the last course of dessert which could have easily and successful been a meal in itself. Possibly two of the best desserts in Delhi, outright, and that coming from a person who is extremely persnickety about the sweet treats.

Creme brûlée is divine, light and fluffy vanilla custard camouflaged under the sugar glass that cracks open like bright sunshine after a rainy day and tastes of all things heavenly and delicious. Technique and taste on point.
Torta Royale is inexplicable in many ways!
A warm white chocolate & mascarpone cake lying on crunchy praline caramel and more dense chocolate, this one is the dessert that kills, quite literally.
As you proceed into cutting this beauty, it oozes out lashes of creamy chocolate and lies seductively on the glisten of sweetness and tastes so bloody good, it should be made illegal! Intense, rich and worth every bit of the million calories it entails.
Spoon, open mouth, eat, repeat, until the ceramic plate is scraped clean and retains its former clarity.

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Save this one for a special occasion because you will end up splurging on some fine Italian affair and selective wine in a pristine ambience and flavours that will stay with you for months to come, for the least!

Cost/ person: Rs 1500-2000
Will I visit again? Yes.

Sodabottleopenerwala launches a whole new array of Parsi dishes created with a twist on flavours without a fuss and a waft of homeliness in every morsel of their hearty dishes. 

The food may not be the most distinct but it is certainly unpretentious and that’s the thing about good food, you get what you see and what you see is straightforward cooking with simple fresh ingredients that delivers straight to the cords of your hungry heart.

Starters were certainly the highlight of my meal. Bacon Vada Pav and Carnivore Bhel is please the savage non vegetarians who’d put bacon in just about everything. Light and well made.

Chicken Cafreal Salad was a formidably fresh bowl of mixed salad leaves, cured apples with a sharp sweetness to cut the Tart balsamic that embraced the tender chicken bits with delicate smoked onions. Shrouded with snowlike Parmesan, the salad reminded me of a warm Christmas morning!
Adapting to popular conventions the Chicken Cheese Pav would please cheese lovers with a spicy “achar” chutney underlaying stringy cheese! I wish there was mozzarella in it than craft cheese because I missed some gooeyness there. But hey, we all know how fast anything with “that” kind of dairy disappears from the plate and disappear it did, within minutes.

The whole baked Tarela Trout is cooked in rich spices, served in its entirety where you can taste individual earthy flavours, seafood lovers should opt for this or the Jumbo Prawns. The curry is just as beguiling as its name — simply done with a gravy infused with coconut. Humble and tasteful

The Chicken Biryani is just a really nice chicken Biryani which is made with marinated chicken in yogurt and mild essential spices and made texturally irresistible with caramelised onions and ginger slivers. This served with cool raita reminded me of grandma and her kitchen from my childhood. Very homely yet full on flavours.

Paneer Sanju Baba with Malai Parantha is another dish that has hints of nostalgia with a soft malai parantha and a rich paneer sabzi finished with a dash of malai and nuts. Wholesome and very satiating

Our plates soon freer of crumbs of food, our thoughts wandered sluggishly to dessert. Wishing we had four stomachs instead of one, we picked the Coffee ExpressoCake with whiskey caramel sauce. A formidable roundel of decadence so dense and pleasantly bitter, the texture was so gooey, this little baby grows on you with every bite. Strong flavours but what a bomb. Did I mention it’s made sans flour, so well just imagine it in its velvet buttery sheen or just go and eat one!

We pump in several cups of green tea before we catch a breath after a good meal and leave in a sweet reminiscence of modern Parsi cuisine.