Culinary Conquests: Indian

Showing posts with label Indian. Show all posts

Saturday, September 04, 2010

Swagat (Authentic Indian Resto) in Legaspi Village, Makati

For my final send off from my friends, we sought the authentic Indian restaurant in Legaspi Village. I only have Indian food once in a while because it doesn't work well with my stomach, but we loved the food here so much that we were just bore the consequences later.

Indians have been around the Philippines since the Chinese and Japanese times, even long before the Spanish were around. They usually traded with the natives and introduced Hinduism. Eventually, Filipinos associated the term Bumbay (Bombay) to South Asians in the Philippines, including those in Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin. The Bumbays settled here as kind of a scattered bunch, but most of them now settle in Rizal, but the largest community outside of Manila is in Isabela province.

Tasted a lot like the food I tasted in India, except for their Palak Paneer - my favourite Indian dish. I guess the herbs they used were not the same.

Spot the Indian dude at the back, beside him is his Indian date. Beside our table is an Indian guy, behind us an Indian lady. This is an authentic Indian restaurant!

With chandeliers probably from India!

They even got their waitresses to wear saris. Nice touch =)

This portrait makes me imagine old India.

Sweet Lassi, my staple! for Php 40

Murgh Masala - chicken cooked with onions, tomatoes and Indian spices for Php 135

Chicken Tikka Masala - boneless chicken tikka sauteed with herbs, mild spices, tomatoes, butter and cream for Php 250

Shrimps Biryani - shrimps cooked with special Indian rice and flavoured spices for Php 225

Methi Machchi - fish cooked in mild sprices with spinach and sauce for Php 155

Murgh Masala - chicken cooked with onions, tomatoes and Indian spices for Php 135

Palak Paneer - fresh homemade cottage cheese with spinach and fresh spices for Php 155

Malai Kofta - vegetable buns cooked with delicious gravy for Php 140

Swagat Indian Cuisine

119 FCC Building
Rada Street, Legaspi Village

Makati City, Philippines

Tel: 632 501 5079

Monday, February 15, 2010

Moti Mahal, Agra, Incredible !ndia

I was lucky enough to be sent to India to run an event featuring top FIIs. Afterwards, we spent some days exploring major landmarks of Mumbai, Delhi and Agra. Some bits from our Mumbai trip:

I forget the brand of this car, but it was ubiquitous in the city.

CST, or Victoria Terminus, where Jamal and Latika met

Indian babes by India Gate

We flew from Mumbai (the financial capital) to Delhi (the government capital) so we could drive to Agra for the Taj experience (4 hours away from Delhi). We stopped by the famous Moti Mahal for brunch.

Poori Bhaji - Indian delicacy of soft thin bread served with curried potatoes and home made pickels for INR 135

the curried potatoes and pickles

Saag Panner - Cottage Cheese in traditional spicanch and butter sauce for INR 225. Paneer is the mixture of spinach and cottage cheese, but Saag and Palaak (is differentiated by the way the spinach is cut.

Butter Chicken - oven roasted chicken simmered in Oriental spices, tomatoes and butter for INR 235

Sunday, September 06, 2009

The Banana Leaf Apolo in Little India

I asked my Indian colleague how many times she eats in Indian food, and she answered rarely. The same goes for me as a Filipino in a foreign country. Tho admittedly I think it's because of this that every time I have Phil food it's more meaningful and a savour the taste more.

For Friday dinner, the gang brought us to Banana Leaf Apolo in Little India.

Apolo poster boy with the delish warm Plain Naan (SGD 1.6/pc)

Mango lassi at SGD 4.5

Altho it was good, I still prefer PI mangoes.

Murg Walla Dhan at SGD 10

There is a guy that goes around with a silver bowl who gives out your safron rice (SGD 3.5)

Chicken Samosas at SGD 4.5 each

Their signature dish: The Apolo Fish Head Curry

(S/M/L at SGD 20/24/28)

It seemed that every table in the restaurant had this. Or a lot of it did. Imagine how many heads were those

Side dish that comes with the rice

Second side dish that comes with the rice

Palak Paneer at SGD 7. My second fave green dish next to TTR!

(cottage cheese in spinach gravy)

Papadum

Murg Makhni (Butter Chicken) at SGD 9.5

Murg Tikka Masala at SGD 9.5. Boneless chicken pre-baked in tandoor and cooked in spiced gravy

Some collateral damage from the fish head curry war.

Su and I were feeling adventurous and decided to eat the fish eye..

I thought it would be chewy and gooey but it was actually a lot like rubber. In the end I had to take it out because I couldn't chew it so well. Apparently this is what it looks like.