The 'Q' in Q's Kitchen stands for a gentleman named Quereishi, according to a story printed in the restaurant's menu. He has, to put it in a nutshell, sought out delicious Mughlai recipes to present before you - a veritable gastronomical feast, the menu boasts. Not exactly true. But, the food's definitely palatable and the prices are easy to swallow too.
Ambience: Pounded stainless-steel glasses, which sat incongruously alongside ordinary dinnerware, were the only indication of the cuisine we were about to try, aside from the mention of "kebabs and curries" on a signboard at the entrance, and some barely-noticeable marigold petals scattered besides three, tall metal vases.
And while the boxing match on the television screens pinned up on walls, had most of the waiters engrossed, a dance reality show or even saas-bahu dramas may have kept the one family we saw entering, from leaving without so much as a drink.
Service: The sure-fire test of a Mughlai restaurant's service lies in its ability to deliver "non-spicy" food on request. And here, Q's Kitchen didn't do as well as we had hoped. One of the waiters recommended Murg Gilafi, and though the kebab was well-cooked, tender, it was anything but non-spicy, and definitely not something we'd recommend for kids, or for anyone who can't stomach chillies.
We loved: The attention we commanded here. The waiters were attentive and even set up a fan when we inquired about the stuffy interiors. "The mall's central airconditioning isn't very good. But we are trying to organise our own AC soon," one of them explained.
Price list: Soft drinks were priced at Rs 25 a glass, a serving of Murg Afghani, Murg Makhani or a half-portion of Tandoori Chicken would set you back by Rs 135, and a single-but-massive piece of Jamun-O-Gul (the waiter explained that it's not the same as Gulab-Jamun because of its shape) costs Rs 50.
It was a relief to see that they weren't generous with food-colouring.
Group Discount: For a party, the manager assured us that Rs 325 to Rs 350 per person would include starters, main course, soft-drinks and desserts for a mixed-cuisine menu (with both, vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes). That's a pretty good deal for kitty-party-groups, isn't it?
At: Orchid City Centre Mall, 265 Bellasis Road. Call 32918565
Get back in vogue for Rs 500
It's just been a month since Disha and her dad went into business together, but the store is fully stocked with a range of casual Western-wear as well as embroidered tunics and an assortment of accessories. Disha attends to customers herself, keeping overheads low - a necessity we think, if she plans to stick to the current prices.
Service: As she designs the garments for sale here, Disha didn't need to check a single tag to tell us which fabric was used in a particular garment, or how much a tunic cost. She was happy to show us a pair of dungarees (Rs 750) from her younger collection, and displayed the larger-sized tunics with equal zeal. The only thing at the store she was a bit uncertain about was the range of accessories, since these are purchased from a supplier.
Stock Up: With embroidered tunics available between Rs 500 and Rs 1,250, and T-shirts priced between Rs 300 and Rs 750, we think everyone would find something here. Tunics were available in Western as well as ethnic styles, and in small to extra large sizes. "We go up to 5X (52 inches)," Disha said.
Accessories: Leather and beaded belts were priced at from Rs 500 and above. A trendy range of necklaces and earrings displayed in one corner of the small shop, were priced at Rs 300 and above.
At: Raghavji Building, 1st floor, Gowali Tank. Call: 9820357818
Go on a Naked ride
The idea behind designing Nike Air Zoom Victory+ was to give the wearer a "naked ride". Technically, this new product is crafted with only what was absolutely necessary to guarantee a lightweight ride. Weighing in at approximately 257 grams, the shoe designed by footwear designer Sebastien Mermet, is probably one of the lightest and fastest training shoes the brand has ever created, without compromising on cushioning or support. We bet mad-about-marathons industrialist Anil Ambani already owns a pair.
Price: Rs 6,500 (men) and Rs 6,200 (women)
At: All Nike outlets across the city
