Soothing ambiance. Delectable food. Amiable company. What more does one need for a perfect afternoon? Indori Zayka and Vidorragot together to deliver this perfect afternoon to the best upcoming food bloggers in town, and it was my absolute pleasure to be a part of it!

The setting was quite formal yet friendly. We were welcomed by Mr. Rakesh Dawani, the founder of Indori Zayka and Chef Lucky who interacted and shared his wisdom with us throughout the meet. It was a joyous experience to be among people who share your interests and taste. We were told that there’d be seventeen starters (including soups and salads) and five main course dishes from six cuisines namely Indian, Lebanese, Thai, Chinese, Pakistani, and Burmese. The menu was specifically designed for the meet by a team of skilled chefs, hard at work. The food bloggers had to rate each dish on a scale of one to ten and write a small review justifying the rating.

More than a meet, this was a feast! We started with a warm bowl of Chicken Coriander Thick soup which reminded me of those times when, you have a cold and a bowl of soup is way more effective than any medicine! The stock was full of chicken flavor that just bursts onto your palate with the first sip. The freshness of the coriander and the subtle wine flavor worked very well with it. All in all, it was the most comforting and well-seasoned chicken soup I have ever had!

Next came the salads, which we were told can be either warm or cold. There were a couple of both and all of them were exceptional! A salad, in my opinion, is supposed to be fresh, light, and with dressings on the side to give it that wow-factor, if one wants. All the salads stood up to this expectation in various ways. If one was savory, the other one was mellow which clearly showed the chef’s creativity.

The starters were a mix of rich, zesty, and scrumptious food. All of them were unique in their own way but some stood out. The crispy lettuce wrap was everything you want in a snack! The delicious and fragrant assortment of water chestnut, corn, mushroom, and vermicelli coupled with the tanginess of the tamarind was a perfect balance of flavors. Wrapped up in fresh iceberg lettuce, its crunchiness against the ingredients, when eaten whole with hands was an experience in itself! This one definitely deserved a five star rating.

Mutton Ka Panja was another starter that left an impression. A perfect combination of minced mutton and chicken with Indian spices, it was a crowd pleaser. I am someone who can’t eat spicy foods at all and always try to stay away from them. But this one I just couldn’t resist! It was because of its overwhelming aroma and I’m glad that I tried it.

Next came the main course with dishes from various cuisines. The Thai curry was my personal favorite among the three vegetarian main dishes. The vegetables were fresh and succulent, the coconut flavor divine, and the flavor of herbs was just spot on! Paired with some steamed white rice, it was a complete dish.

Mutton Bhutti ka Neelgiri was the best among the non-vegetarian dishes. It was a green spinach based gravy, the best I’ve had in a long time. Its presentation in itself was mouth-watering but upon tasting, it was so much better than expected. A big thumbs up to this one!

We were served with an assortment of some very inventive drinks such as the creamy pie mocktail, cranberry mocktail, raspberry bull, and espresso. Sipping these delicious drinks while eating such tasty food was heavenly!

The perfect end to this perfect meal were desserts. I especially loved the coconut pancakes which were hot, fluffy, and full of flavor.

The whole experience was very informative and fun. A big thanks to everyone whose hard work made this day possible. Looking forward to having more such experiences!