Eat Organic - Drink Organic at FARM OUT , A Coffee shop and Sandwich and Salad Bar...

That feather which helped me to know about the Cafe and build friendship with the man behind this beautiful Cafe .

My story of Farm out begins with this Logo painted on the wall in first floor of  Farm Out - A Coffee shop , Sandwich and Salad bar in Gurgaon. Few months back I got a chance to attend their Organic Coffee event ,and to know about their products . While enjoying  their Sandwich and special Cold Coffee , my eyes were not moving away from the logo and i couldnt stop myself asking the owner Arijit Ganguli about the logic to paint the feather on head and to know more about  his Cafe.
So here is my discussion with him 

In this time of Fusion and world cuisine what inspired you to open this Organic Cafe. ?

Arijit - "The inception happened with the founders Arijit and Amit were sitting in a farm early in the morning thinking what to eat - finally ending up using some fresh veggies from the same farm and making some really healthy sandwiches and salads. The initial idea behind farmout was to use farm fresh ingredients in the recipes but doing some more market study and realising how much harm non-organic produces are causing silently, we decided on using organic produce and that actually add a higher value to the product offering". Is it all Organic ? Arijit - "All the vegetables, tea leaves, coffee beans used in the cafe are organic. We have tied up with few organic farms for the vegetables and plan to tie up with more in the coming months. The tea leaves we use are full leaf and organic and the arabica coffee beans are sourced from couple of organic farms in south India." Your Juices and Drinks are very different than most of the other Cafes. Is it your inhouse signature recipes. Arijit - "Most of our drinks are created in-house after lot of experimentation and trying out in different tasting sessions. For example - The Watermelon Mint chiller initially started with watermelon + mint juice. What we are serving is now is a thicker version where we blend them rather than juice them and we also added a tint of ginger to create a balanced taste"

You had mentioned about hindi classes for expats, is it in regular basis Arijit -

 "We organise events once in a week or two - it started with a coffee tasting session, followed by a session on Imaginary theatre and finally the last one was on learning Hindi in a restaurant setting that was more for travellers and expats"

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A simple and cute ambiance 

While chit chatting with Arijit , I went through their menu and found some interesting list of beverages . While asking about them , I got to know that apart from 12 Hot teas , they serve 4 varieties of Ice Teas . The Ice Tea is prepared every morning (sometimes twice or thrice in a day) and do not use any concentrate or artificial flavours . The best sellers are Himalayan Spices and Tulsi -Rhododendron for Hot Teas and Mango Green and Orange Mint for Iced Teas.

Recently they have started providing the facility of Home Delivery within Gurgaon which is a boon for Gurgaon people in this scortching heat. Although I came out happy after enjoying a nice organic sandwich , Chilled Cold Coffee and chit chat with Arijit Ganguli , the suspense of adding the feather in the organic basket still exist . Let me keep it pending to know about it on my next visit . :D

Quinoa Salad 

Tea 

Oriental Bagoda 

Chicken Salad 

The Kitchen Espion team wishes a great success to the team of Farm Out and recommend the place for some refreshing salads and Beverages. To reach SF 116- First Floor Galleria Market, DLF Phase 4 Gurgaon. Buzz +911- 9599914161, +91 1244019060

Espion review : LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION - AIR BAR. , Rajouri Garden, New Delhi.

Having a meal  at Lights Camera Action means , you will be distracted by its beautiful ambiance around you. If you remember my last review on Pre-launch of LCA, I was truely impressed by its Ambiance . The Restaurant is influenced by Bollywood theme and once you settle down, you will find intresting and funny quotes on wall and the cushions . Ever since I went for their pre-launch party , i wanted to check their main course and service , so me and my fellow blogger +Shalini Pereira of  @All Things Nice  planned to visit this place on last Friday .

As you enter the premises , which has two floors ( 3rd and roof top) , one huge Iron Man( cast iron statue)  will welcome you near the lift. As I have mentioned above, you will be distracted by bollywood themed slogans on wall and few attractive art pieces here and there . According to  the name "Air-Bar" , they have a huge terrace with Bar and dance floor.

Beautiful set up at outside sitting area 

Menu 

Bar at Terrace - They call it Air Bar 

A corner at Air Bar 

Interesting corner . 

Talking about Food

It took me 15 minutes to read the Funky Menu and choose the dishes . I am using word "Funky" be'cos all the names of the dishes are funny and with Bollywood theme . You will get to know as you read the details of the food . Chef Aman along with owners Varun Puri and Viveik Bhargav have introduced some fusion food with Molecular Gastronomy. It was my first experience to try something with Molecular Gastronomy or food created by using Liquid Nitrogen. Chef Aman is very talented and creative in fusion cooking. He was very excited to show us his fusion "Dhokla Chaat" and "Dhahi Puchka " with liquid Nitrogen. 

I found the spoon and fork holder very interesting 

Normal Popcorn served stylishly in a horn 

So after persuing the menu , me and Shalini decided to start our meal with Martini which came with flavoured Popcorn. Chef Aman insisted us to start our meal with a glass of "Rajnikant Chai" , initially i was little hesitant and thought why should we drink tea in this storching heat . Later got to know that it is one of the innovation of Chef in Simple Rasam. It was presented very interestingly. Hot Rasam was served in a glass as Chai and fried Curry leaves as Tea leaves where as Dried coconut powder as Milk for Chai. I thoroughly liked both the drink and the concept .
After drinking refreshing Chai or Rasam. , We agreed for Chammak Challo , Dhokla Chaat, Dahi Puchka, Chicken Chameli , and  Rara Gosht Quesadilla . 

Rajnikant Chai

Ready Rajnikant Chai 

Chammak Challo 

Chef Aman .. Very ambitious and obsessed with creating interesting fusion dishes . 

Chef demonstrated us how a flavoured curd solidifies with Liquid Nitrogen 

Making of Dhokla Chaat with Molecular Gastronomy

Dhokla Chaat with Molecular Gastronomy . 

Dahi Puchka 

Rara Gosht Quesad

Chammak Challo is a refreshing salad with Lettuce , Orange segments , Onions with a dressing of orange juice and other ingredients . It was light and soothing in Delhi heat.  Chef Aman gave us a live demonstration of making of Dhokla Chaat with Liquid Nitrogen. I was amazed to see the creation by dipping a fresh soft dhokla into Liquid Nitrogen and making it crisp till our last bite , so as the flavoured curd for the chaat. Chaat was chilled and crisp till our last bite on plate. Dahi Puchka was another funky and interesting dish. Dahi was freezed and shaped with Liquid Nitrogen and long strip of Namkeen replaced Puchka , Aman guided us to take a bite of Puchka and gulp down the dahi . Eating these dishes were quite playful and funny. Next we had Rara Gosht Quesadilla which was gost served with Tortillas . It was served with two types of sauces and presented quite well. Chicken Chameli was simple chicken tikka served with Mint Chutney. But interestingly it was served on small customised Tandoor and was giving smoky flavour till we finished the dish. 

Sweet Tooth

Dessert Section is again with some funky and funny names . We picked "Bole Toh" and " Jalebi Bai " Bole toh was a mix of Rabri and Oreo with some chocolate syrup to which i was not so impressed as i am not oreo person. Jalebi Bai completely won my heart . It was Churros made with a batter of Jalebi and served with Rabri and crushed Pista. It is a Rock star sweet dish at LCA..

Bole Toh

Jalebi Bai - Rockstar of sweet dishes 

I found it very impressive 

My overall experience was fantastic , laughed alot by reading slogans and quotes on walls and cusions . I was told that , they are working on introducing some interesting Cocktails . Looking forward to their cocktail range for my next visit to LCA.  The Kitchen Espion team wish all success to Varun Puri , Viveik Bhargav  and Chef Aman.


To reach

LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION
J2/6 , 3rd and 4th floor , B. K . Dutta Market
Rajouri Garden , New Delhi. 
Although it was an invitation call but by studying the menu , we calculated ,meal for two will be 1800/- 

Salad Festival at Westin Culinary Academy ,Westin, Gurgaon .

As an  ardent food enthusiasist , I always look for trying out new dishes and keen to learn new cuisines. When I got an invitation from Linopinion , for a Summer Salad event at Westin, Gurgaon, I immediately booked my seat as I didnt want to miss this chance to learn from Chef Arun Awasthi.
Westin, Gurgaon regularly showcases excemplary cuisines of India and  across the Globe.
The event "Summer Salad " was a one day event on 16th of May, Saturday.

Chef Arun Awasthi is Sous Chef in Westin , Gurgaon and has been with the Hotel from 2012.  So he picked up three low calorie Summer Salad Recipes  from their Restaurant Menu. .

1. Wanut and Beetroot Salad
2. New Olive and Tomato Salad
3. Quinoa Salad with Zesty Lemon Dressing. 

They say, you always learn better if you see the process in front of you rather than reading the recipe . Chef Awasthi had explained about each ingredients and its value for health so well , that it made the entire session more interesting.

Although I am a hardcore Nonvegetarian, I  loved  all the Salads . Quinoa Salad was the rockstar salad of the day.. Let me share few photographs of Salads and the recipe of Rockstar Salad - Quinoa with Zesty Lemon Dressing with you.

Chef Atul Awasthi , Westin, Gurgaon 

Ingredients for Beet Root and Walnut Salad
Beet root, boiled and diced, Orange segments, walnuts toasted, White Wine Vinegar, EVO, Salt and Black Pepper

Beet Root and Walnut Salad 

Ingredients for New Olive and Tomato Salad
Red pepper, Green Pepper, Tomato, Green olives, EVO , Red wine Vinegar, Bread croutons, Black pepper and Spring Onion

Tomato Dressing 

Pesto Dip 

Final touch to the Tomato Salad with the pesto dip on top 

New Olive and Tomato Salad 

Ingrediets of Quinoa Salad , the rockstar of the event

Quinoa Salad with Zest of Lemon 

Recipe for Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
Quinoa- 50 gms
Water- 1 cup
Corn- 30 gms
Chopped Spring Onions - 20 gms
Chopped Walnuts- 20 gms
Chopped Cucumber- 50gms
Apple( Peeled and chopped)- 5 gms
Fresh Coriander (Chopped)- 5 gms
Pitted Black Olives- 20gms
Sea Salt to taste.
Method of Preparation
     Bring the water and add a pinich of slat ot a boil in a large sauce pan. Add the quinoa and bring the water back to the boil. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low absorbed. This usually takes 20-25 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the quinoa to cool. 

Transfer the quinoa to a large mixing bowl and add the remaining ingredients . Mix well. Drizzle zesty lemon dressing . Over the salad and stir in. Season to sit for 30 minutes to allow the flavours to develop before serving.

Zesty Lemon Dressing
Ingredients
Freshly squeezed lemon juice - 25 ml
Extra virgin olive oil- 25 ml
Lemon zest- 50gms

Method of preparation
 Mix the Lemon juice and olive oil , and stir in the lemon zest. Serve over summer quinoa salad.

And I got a certificate too . 

*  I want to thank Mounisha Chakraborty, Gunjan Kar and Sukhdeep Bahra for giving me the oppurtunity to learn these fanstastic Salads from Chef Arun Awasthi 
Their site - seasonaltastes.gurgaon@westin.com

Lights Camera Action, Rajouri Garden - Pre launch.

Lights Camera Action is a brain child of Varun Puri and Viviek Bhargav . These Hotel Industry professionals are die hard Bollywood fans., and they have chosen to show case the bollywood movies and songs through their food joint.  On 6th of May , My team from The Kitchen Affair got an invitation to  have a first look of the outlet . We were welcomed with some amazing flying lanterns with "THE LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION" imprint on it.

The outlet has two floors ,  one floor is  with beautiful ambiance with Bollywood slogans on walls and Terrace as "Air Bar". I always find Varun as a very ambitious and sincere person at his work. Very few outlets have come up with Molecular Gastronomy , Varun Puri has introduced some amazing dishes with this method.  The Chef of LCA showed us one Dhokla Chat with this method of freezing with liquid Nitrogen.
  Although we didnt try the maincourse but had some good appetizers with spirits. Very soon Me and my team are going for a Food Walk to relish their main course. Sharing some photos of the Pre-launch of the outlet "LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION". The Kitchen Espion team wishes Varun and his partners all success in his new venture. We all will enjoy his success..

demonstration of making Dhokla Chaat with Molecular Gastronomy. 

Dhokla dipped in Liquid Nitrogen

Making of Chat. 

Ready Chat .. 

Amazing Lassi Shots . 

Chicken Sattey. 

Some Poison. 

Chicken Lollipops 

A very interesting way to serve Pav -Bhaji 

Pizza slice.

Honey chilli Potatoes. 

Air Bar... Photo imported from Lights Camera Action team 

Photo courtesy : Lights Camera Action team 

Rustic look 

I had been following all Varun Puri's posts for this ceative Iron Man 

Major attraction.. Photo has been imported from the team of Lights Camera Action 

I want to thank my friend Kaajal Pradhan Lamba for all the brilliant shots , and Vikram Lamba for the Air Bar shot..


To reach
J 2/6B, 3rd and 4th Floor ,
B K Dutta Market , Rajouri Garden
Delhi.
Ping - 08800002598