The Pasta Bar Veneto,Chennai-Restaurant Review

We've been in love with pasta for a while now.After shoving it aside and refusing to taste it,we've come to a stage where we do not mind having it for dinner at least twice in a week.I think we are making up for the lost time:)
 
However,we were not too fond of Pasta served in restaurants(whenever we tried).Having taken a liking to it,we had specific tastes as to how a perfect pasta should be.With these thoughts in mind,we decided to check out the exclusive Pasta restaurant aptly named The Pasta Bar Veneto,which came in highly recommended by a dear friend.

We went to the Alsa Mall outlet where we sat facing the popular sandwich carts hoping that our pasta did taste better than those sandwiches and we were not disappointed.The restaurant has a quaint neighbourhood cafe feel.The menu is quite extensive with lots of choices to choose from for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.It takes a while to pronounce those names though.

We ordered for a salad named Instalata Mista and loved it.Reminded us of those lovely platters of salads from Pizza Hut(Do they serve it now?).Crunchy lettuce with roasted bell peppers,olives and zucchini,it was a treat to the palate.The accompanying Garlic bread was just about ok though.Again,I love the ones they serve in Pizza hut.

                                       Malai Curry di Verdure
I chose to have Pasta Indian style.Farfalle pasta with fresh green peas,capsicum,broccoli and sweet corn in a cashewnut based malai gravy.Yeah,I know the choice is strange.Ajay frowned when I ordered but it turned out fine.I love my pasta and the accompanying sauce as well so was slightly disappointed with the almost-dry looking pasta but the flavors were awesome.The portion is quite huge and I couldn't finish it all my own.I had ulterior motives here as I wanted to dig into the dessert section!

For dessert,I had absolutely no doubts what to choose.The oh-so-popular Mud pie.Loved the way they recommended it to us.If you are a chocoholic like us,you'll flip on this one.Chocolate and chocolate all the way through.Perfect way to end the meal.

A meal for two with salad,two main dishes(including non-veg)and a dessert would cost approximately 700-900 INR.They do home delivery in specific locations too.

Food - 8/10
Ambience - 7/10
Service - 8/10

The Pasta Bar Veneto is at -

Egmore: 1st Floor, Alsa Mall, Egmore, Chennai. Ph 044 4214 5534. 

T.Nagar: 32 / 59, Burkit Road, T.Nagar, Chennai. Ph 044-4212 6680. 

Disclaimer-This is not a paid review.I liked the restaurant and thought of sharing my experience with my readers.

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Eggless Dates-Fruit and Nut Cake

Blink and it is December already!I've been planning so much for the 'first week of December' since last few months and now that it is here,I am caught unawares.Let me elaborate.We are finally shifting to our own abode by this weekend and I am excited as ever.But all the packing and disposing stuff is taking up most of my time.
 
Blogging,blog-hopping,even baking has taken a back seat.I had decided to bake this cake much early than this and schedule the post but see what happened.I saw Sweet Punch posts popping up all over the blogosphere and I was jolted out of my daydreams.Luckily,I had decided on this recipe so everything happened quite fast.Baked this cake yesterday night and posting it here now.
 
This would probably be my last bake in my present kitchen and last bake of the year too.Can't wait to set up stuff in my new kitchen and start baking and blogging from there:).


Dates Cake is a constant bake in my home,here and in Ernakulam.The nutty taste with the delicate flavor of dates is a winner.So I was eager to see how this new recipe would turn out.I modified the recipe a bit by adding grated carrots and chopped nuts into the cake making it a fruit and nut cake.Check out the video here by Lakshmi Nair.

Eggless Dates Fruit and Nut Cake Recipe
Recipe source - Lakshmi Nair


Ingredients


Seedless dates - 200gms,chopped fine
Carrot - 1 medium,grated
Mixed nuts - 50 gms(I used Cashews,Almonds and Walnuts)
Sugar - 1 cup
Garam Masala* - 1 rounded teaspoon
Oil - 1/2 cup
Water - 2 cups
Flour - 2 cups
Baking soda - 2 tsp


Method

In a thick bottomed saucepan,mix in the dates,carrot,mixed nuts,sugar,garam masala,oil and water.Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes.
Switch off the flame and cool to room temperature.

Sift together flour and baking soda.
Mix the sifted flour with the cooked date mix and beat with a wooden spoon till you get a smooth batter.

Preheat oven to 180C.Grease a 6 cup Bundt tin**.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack.


Notes

• *Garam masala in a cake is a unique trick I learnt from Deeba of PAB.I assure it would not give out a curry taste.The flavor of the mixed spices elevate the cake to a fruit cake level.Of course,you'd have to use homeground garam masala.The readymade ones give out a funny taste.
• You could make your own masala for this cake by powdering together 3 cloves,1/2' stick cinnamon and 1 cardamom.
• **I have used a Bundt tin here,you could use an 8' round or a 9' square cake tin.

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Beansaa Talasani/Beans stir-fried with Garlic

One thing I wasn't prepared for after marriage into a South Canara(Mangalore)family was the extensive use of Garlic.Here I am,from a typical amchi household where we didn't even cook with onions even!Of course after I started cooking North Indian and Chinese dishes(without Garlic of course),onions did a slow entry into our house,but Garlic was a no-no.

 
I realized that garlic is something I'd never fall in love with.

To start with,the pungent flavour kind of puts me off and the fact that most of the times,it is added as whole cloves into a curry or stir-fry(as opposed to paste or minced garlic)was a further bummer.Ma-in-law completely understands my plight and removes a portion aside for me before adding the whole garlic tadka.


Ajay,on the other hand loves garlic.I mock him sometimes saying that even if I made a garlic stir-fry,he'd eat it with full gusto.So I guess you'd know by now that this stir-fry is a garlic loves delight.Simple beans stir-fry elevates to a different level when made this way.Don't go by my word,if you like garlic,you'd love this for sure.


Beans Talasani Recipe


Ingredients


Beans - 1/4 kg,ends cut and side strings removed
Red chillies - 2-3,roughly cut
Whole garlic cloves - 5-6(or more,if you like-keep the peels),crushed slightly
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt to taste


Method


Chop the beans side wise into even pieces.
In a kadai add oil and saute the garlic cloves in it till they start turning brown.Mix in the chillies and saute for a minute.
Tip in the beans,add salt to taste,sprinkle a few tbsps of water.
Cover with a lid and cook for 5-10 minutes or till the beans are cooked.
Serve with rice and dal.


Notes

• Talasani is the generic name for stir-fries using garlic as tadka/seasoning.Beans can be replaced with yard long beans,gherkins or any vegetables of your choice.
• Of course,if you are like me and do not like garlic,skip the garlic and make a tadka using mustard seeds and red chillies.The stir-fry would still taste great!

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