Tigers Experience at Cafe Torque - Vasant Vihar

Café Torque:

Torque of the town

Lets make a picture of a BIKER - Long Hair, Beard , Tattoos, Denims, Boots ,handlebar muchhas, bracelets, chains onthe neck , ears pierced , funky glares, bandanna tied on the arm, pack of ciggies in the jacket pocket , A big Mean Machine under his ass , A girl friend who is a ditto of him Lol ..  What does he like Beer , Mean food , loud metal music , ddoesn'tmind dirt probably hasnt had a bath for a couple of days heheheheh forget brushing his teeth  , big time meat eater hates veggies .. spends a lot of time at the cafe becos HE BELONGS to Cafe Torque. 

One of the new concepts in town most probably in India also.. well timed with the Bike rush going on in the city , so many Biker groups some ride old faithful Royal Enfields -Bullets, some Harley and last i saw was even the hero honda sorts.. well doesn't really matter they are Bikers , Some cruisers , some off roaders some show offs heheheheh. I have been on one of the rides, in my car and it was quite impressive to see how they drive in formations of 2 x 2 with marshals patrolling making way making people catch up , handling breakdowns , super team work and the lingo that they use . Then i saw them in their true elements .. revving up their bikes drinking barrels of beer doing bike stunts , fighting , going gaga about each others bikes ,loud rock music .. they are a Tribe Apart .

Cafe Torque incites all these sorts hehehehehehe, and us foodies too .This brand new grub hub’n’pub greets you from afar, because you can’t miss the elevated motorbike tearing through a beverage can. Step inside, and you’ll instantly want to get the party started. The grungy garage interiors, with super-bikes for sale on display, a World map made of nuts & bolts adorning a prominent wall, banisters propped with chains, guitars made of heavy metal and a bar mural paying tribute to intricate design, Cafe Torque is ruddy and raw, yet welcoming - not only for riders but anyone looking for a delicious meal in a fun place. Located in Vasant Vihar , Opposite Priya Cinema with loads of parking space of u and your mean machines.

  Chef Arun Chanda has curated a amazing menu leaving aside the names which are every biker types he has done a great job in making a menu matching the name .  So keeping Tigers profile which almost matches that of a good biker heheheh  was invited to review the menu .

Sporty Interiors a bit dark to actually make all the elements stand out , the bikes shine , the back drops glow and they have installed some amazing pieces of metal on the walls .. all mechanical outstanding collection... they have couple of Superbikes hanging around .. feel free to start and zoom out lol . Cafe torque is two floored .. they have a Stage for performances , a live Dj console on the first floor a cute smokers room with low seating ...  nice casual hangout , picture me sitting there with a beer mug chillin to nice rock music ... its so cool .

Chicken Bacon Shockers

Listen I love bacon so anything with bacon makes me Drool and cant ever be bad lol ..nice shockers Bacon Wrapped chicken supreme grilled .. juicy textured flavorful interesting topped with arugula Pesto sauce and  the plate painted with Chipotle sauce

Creamy Garlic Rolling Stones

Basic cramy white cheese sauce mad ein butter sauteed mushrooms on a bed of rocket leaves and parmesan lavash , as simple as that can get . I love mushroom in any form and specially laden with cheese butter and a dash of wine its divine .

Paan Asian Mojito

Meetha paan in a Mojito - very interesting cocktail .. was reluctant to try it but honestly speaking loved it the most amongst all the other cocktails i tried . Very very refreshing with the special buzz in it . A must have.

Mountain Nectar

Very techinical elaborate  cocktail ... Pears ,Thyme,Tamarind juice and Himalayan rock salt ...  quite thick for a cocktail ... didn really hit the bell with me .

Orangade - Orange and cumin Coolant

Fresh Orange Juice ,fresh mint and sea salt rimmed with cumin .. now this was certainly a nice cocktail . Sorry these were mocktails.

Let It  Roll - Zucchini Rolls

Grilled Zucchini stuffed with feta and two other variety of cheese, Three types of Bell peppers,Jalapenos topped with pinenuts . Pop this humble  roll into the mouth there is burst of acidity, fire and pleasure .... great starter .Healthy options for the bikers lol .

Mediterranean Veg Gateaux

A Stack of awesome Grilled Veggies - Zucchini, Aubergines, Bell peppers,Tomato baked with cheese and white sauce , made to look like a Gateaux / cake served on a bed of Sicilian Pesto  sauce . Im quite  a veggie fan .. this dish certainly impressed me ... nice chunky dish for the veg option in a bikers cafe . Are bikers veg??

Turkish Roast Chicken 

This was my true biker dish .... solid one half of chciken grilled and then rubbed with a nice sweet tangy Turkish masala (basically the garam masala with excess of star anise ).. 4 hours marination .. chicken superbly char grilled .. peels so easlily .. but you have to use your hands so dont be a angrez and use your damn hands to enjoy this bird . Let the nimboo mirchi be for aesthetics only u dont need them ,its completely flavorful and delicious ..my winner dish .feeds Two for sure . 

Indian Inspired Lamb Chops

Simple spicy tangy lamb chops served with mint jelly . The chops were pink and well cooked , grilled rubbed with the masala then pan seared to perfection .Chat pata option , well done Chef Arun.

Brotherhood Thump - Lamb Burger 

Brothers in Arms .... Hunk to eat a hunk .... Buns home made , 8 oz patty ,lettuce tomatoes , cabbage leaves then patty , then mushrooms then caramelized onions topped with freta cheese. The dressing has Pickled Kasundi mayo.. which is a riot when it mixes with the onions...A nice bun , juicy patty , tangy sauce , fresh veggies thats what a good burger means to me ..... i split the burger into half for photo and also i was no way going to finish it .

Apple Rings

Simple Fresh Apple crushed made into  rings shaped like donuts topped with cinnamom , sugar and painted with caramel . Loved it .Excellent option , good creativity.

Bailey's Banana Trifle 

Caramelized Banana's,Crushed browny ,double cream, , baileys, toffee sauce  and shredded chocolate ..as Lethal as it could get . Ek dum Lethal but ate it hehehehehehe

The Cafe Torque Crew

Tigers Overall Experience: Do in Rome as the Romans do .. feel like a biker , oops was going to say a junglee nahi nahi nahi .. feel the energy in you when u command a wild beast between your legs hehehehe oh not again .. Great experience . Rustic , causal, affordable , makes you feel so U . The food is a wee bit sophisticated for the ambiance .. need more rustic meats in the menu . Probably put a steel kee balti for the bones under the tables , a rack of ribs , a full goat if rquired hehehehe. Very energetic place for sure . Chef Arun has crafted a thoughtful menu . Satya his partner in crime is a musician sorry both of them are musicians .. they play instruments and sing fabulously well . I would go back for a nice energetic meal and also check out the full item , trustme arun is a great chef . Cafe torque has started gig nights for the bikers and foodies (ladies night , karaoke etc etc )

Cafe Torque - hard biking and good food.

I personally feel a Cafe like this was needed in Delhi ... have noticed professionals , business men turning 40 + all want to get back to riding ... and why not . And Why NOT..... One Life .

Food : Too soft for a bikers cafe .. need some more hard hitting dishes , big in size , high on flavor and spices .... i found the food very gentle and kind hehehehehehe kidding . It is a very thought about menu keeping a mix of fusion, traditional dishes .. they have played a lot with their cocktails which was impressive .. i love the Paan Aisan , The cumin lined drink . Very intrretsing desert also . loved the apple rings . Overall good selection . The names of each of the dishes are amazing .... true tot he biker community . They have a neat menu covering soem amazing meats and delcacies  , please read it carefully laugh at the names and read the description to decide what you wanna eat . In the Meats both the chicken and the lamb were good options , also please while i was eating all this Satya ordered a fish asian style which looked amazing too ... would have grabbed it but no place left heheheheheh

Ambiance : Super duper . Perfect Hangout .Rugged.  I have actually planned an evening with a bikers group to feel the place , to see how they relate to it . 

Service : The crew is well informed , dressed in great looking dangaris from the pit stop . Phata Phat tyre ka pinchar lagate hain .. heheheheheh

Lifted off the Menu : Please learn these before entering the Bikers Zone.

Jargoning is almost imperatively integral to biker communities. And they’re quite touchy when it comes to guarding and propagating their vocabulary. Nevertheless, here we take the risky liberty of acquainting you with some of the ‘must know’ jewels of this unique form of communication.

• 1%er – A biker belonging to an outlaw motorcycle club, like the Hell’s Angels. The term was coined by the AMA, when they mentioned that these biker gangs represented 1% of the biker population. Often, you will find a “1%” patch on their vests.
• BAMBI – Born Again Motorbiker, a biker who having reached middle age, starts riding again after years of not riding.
• Brain Bucket – A helmet
• Bubble Gum Machine – The signal that there is police up ahead. The signal is accomplished by patting the top of your helmet several times so that opposing bikers can see they are riding towards a police trap.
• Burnout – By holding the front brake and accelerating, the rear wheel of the bike will start spinning and burning rubber, hence the burnout.
• Duck Walking – Sitting on your motorcycle, and pushing it with your feet, usually done when parking your bike, or moving forwards a few feet (like at a gas station).
• Gearhead – Someone who is very interested and passionate about mechanical objects, like cars and motorcycles.
• Hammer Down – Accelerate very quickly.
• Organ Donor – A biker who rides without a helmet, or rides likes a squid.
• PMS – Parked Motorcycle Syndrome, usually the result of not being able to ride in the winter.
• Poser – A wannabe biker, or a biker with all the gear, shiny and new, but rarely rides. Usually found at motorcycle shows with very low mileage full-chrome motorcycles.
• RUB – Rich Urban Biker, a biker who rides an expensive motorcycle only on the weekend, and never very far. Often RUBs are Posers.
• Squid – A biker who rides with no protection, and rides very dangerously.
• Wave – A greeting between bikers on the road, involving raising a hand, usually below the handlebars. The Wave is done to bikers on the opposite direction.
• Wrench – A mechanic.

Tigers Experience at La Vie - Khan Market

If a man lets go of a 8 Lakh Rupees rent to open a restaurant .. he is got to be Passionate about Food , and sure about restaurant business. I wonder how many battles Anirudh must have got into with his family to open La Vie . Beautiful location , on the ground floor of Khan Market , two side open easy to access , fantastic visibility and a great business potential . 

La Vie has a man with 35 years of Experience in food Industry Chef Naresh Verma.Chef Naresh Verma became part of team La Vie as soon as the owner Anirudh Gupta saw in him a passion for European cuisine and a passion to try and deliver the same in its truest possible form to an ever evolving Indian connoisseur.

Chef Naresh moved to Europe way back in 1983. During his long and educative stay in Europe he worked in Germany, France and Italy. He spent twenty-five years of his life mastering the art of Pizza making and Regional as well as International European Cuisine. During his stay in Europe he spent years and years learning the craft by being associated with each establishment for ample time to be able to mold himself into a master chef.

His passion to serve mouth-watering pizzas and chic cuisine to a discerning client is evident within the first few minutes you spend with Chef Naresh. It comes naturally to him, having spent almost half his years doing what he loves in a part of the world, which he calls his second home.   The man speaks better Italian than his own mother tongue... see the influence , imagine the influence he has had on his cooking knowledge.

A two side accessible cafe on the ground floor of Khan Market its on the right side of the market if facing bahri sons .. you can also enter fom the rear side where all the fruit stores were .  Narrow but tastefully done interiors to give it a chic modern  look , keeping space constraints in  mind they have tried to accommodate as many a possible  into this Cafe .. the concept is a road side Italian bistro / cafe under the hands of a well trained Indian origin Italian chef.

Hot Lips / La Vie Da

Nice refreshing drinks .

Tomato Basil Soup / Wild Mushroom Delight

hmmmmm out of al the soups int he world my litmus test  of a good soup is definitely the tomatoes and the mushroom soup... Tomato Basil soup .. thick , fresh with fresh basil , lil butter and loads of pepper is heaven .. this one was a bit  too sour but i guess that is something you really cant control. Mushroom soup hmmmmmm the one they serve is a mixture of couple mushrooms but dont they al taste the same , ya they do except the potency of the flavor varies .... passable.

Pizza - Half plain Cheese and Half pepperoni 

Yes indeed the pizza were awesome , chef Naresh's passion is very very visible in the pizzas they serve ... thin crisp crust well bakes , gorgeous puree and delicious choice of cheese .. I embarrassed them a bit - took a slice scrapped the cheese and the topping off to taste each component seprartely .. and they kept wondering what i was upto ... i did this becos long back a pizza king told me that to figure out how good the pizza is eat each layer on its own to see if they taste good and then have it together . Yes they did taste good. Chef Naresh makes usre he procures all the ingredient himself and yes the result is very evident . I had a all chese pizza and the other half was a pepperoni (wonder why they only put one on each slice hehehehehe).  Totally wood fired - even the wood Chef Naresh chooses.

Caesars Salad

Seems very basic and easy to make that is if u can get your porpotions of each element right .. the perfect freshness of Salad or lettuce is a must - if this goes limp the story ends right there. La vie is almost der the salad had Lettuce / Salad leaves combo- pepper, olive oil parmessan cheese , croutons, egg a dash of Worcestershire sauce, for the tinge ... well done Chef Naresh.

Pasta Carbonnara

Trust me it ws fantastic and different .. no cream to kill the bacon flavor, even if there was cream it was minimum  .. simple olive oil - The Carbonnara normally available has egg yold cream loaded in it - guess this was the dieters speicial that i ordered for ... The bacon crisp , the herbs no overpowering (hate it being too herby) not greasy and a delight . Maybe chef Naresh read my mind ...

Rosemary Garlic Bread

They insisted i tried their Oven toasted garlic bread withthe several variations of olive oil ... nice crusty bread wit chiili flakes garlic and herbs sprinkled on it .  Nothing beats anything thats fresh .

Cordon Bleu 

Sorry about this but im from a school of thought, anything fried is Delicious and you cant go wrong with it . The pleasure of this particular dish is that when you cut the meat the cheese oozes out .. Cheese wrapped in ham and then punded meat is the complete dish .. exteremely rich and heavy but delcious . Definitely worth a try .

Chocolate Truffle

Made in House is the first question i ask each eatery i vist .. yes indeed said Anirudh .. Dark Chocolate with a nice crucnhy base and sprinkled with choco powder .. na na karte hue bhee we finished it hehehehehe, was definitely nice .

Overall Tigers experience : This place wil do well for all reasons . it is a road side cafe , a cafe with an extremely experience chef , two side open , ground floor of Khan Market , very visible .. the food is simple and tastefully done .. a great place to grab a coffee and desert , a super place to drop in for a perfect pizza and a refreshing drink .. tho i didnt find the main course really exceptional but the spaghetti was light and nice , the chicken dish was quite accurate tot he original . The interiors are modern , seats are bit uncomfortable but then what else do u expect from a ground floor in khan market . Personally i wudn plan a ful meal here but yes if im visiting khan market and am in a hrurry then wil pakka drop in. Yes they do have a lot of competition fromt he biggies but i feel the location wil be a win win for them backed by Chef Naresh's eexpertise.

Food: Pizza - Tops ,Salad was nice , Spahghetti was awesome , Chicken dish too heavy was a wrong choice on my part , the desert was well made . 

Ambiance - As i said modern good use of mirrors to make the place look big , seating a bit uncomfortable probably i need to loose wight heheheheheh. close seating ,hence no private conversations ... Great for a short visit eat and out.

Service- fast quick prompt efficient.. u raise an eye and u have the server by your side . Advantage of running a small place . 

Tigers Experience with Asian Haus - Home Delivery

Home delivery is normally done when your maid or cook is on leave , you don't feel like cooking , guest have landed up accidentally , or no gas for cooking etc etc etc but Asian Haus is a planned Home Delivery of nice hot Asian Cuisine at your door step and prompt too . Asian Haus has filled a gap in the market by giving good quality tasty food at your door step  - getting good restaurant food to your door step  a service which was not really available in the market .. people always complained that the food u eat at the premises is different from the one delivered, well in this case Delivery of good food is the only option . 

Getting down to what makes a home delivery delightful : Ease of ordering , Easy to understand menu , Good Prices , Good choices ,trusted quality of food ,Food Served Warm , Packaged well , Hygienic and Promptly delivered , or may be i can say delivered as per your Expected /predicted delivery time . 

Well it was one of those Sundays when i woke in the morning got a blasting from wife about how badly the domestic staff behaves , how irresponsible they are , never get breakfast ready on time etc etc .. i was like overdosed  and also with it she told me how i never take the in laws out for lunch ... so i quietly came down to office .. downloaded Asian haus menu , called the toll free number placed a huge order for 6 people , went back to the bedroom and told her lunch is organised for her and her parents so now she can chill and probably give the domestic staff a day off .. she was like must you make it more difficult for me , who will wash the bartan , why do u waste money and so on .. all i cud keep saying was relax babe chill enjoy your Sunday .. i have taken care of everything ... blah blah and went onto read the paper in silence . 

While all this is going on i had my fingers crossed hoping  that Asian Haus doesn't goof up with the food and delivery timing. OK so order placed at 12.43 for a promised delivery by 1.30 . As a house rule we eat sharp 2 pm on Sundays.

Sharp 1.26 the bell rings and Asian Haus is here WOW , I was like impressed. I thought tomy seldf why not blog this so  dragged the smart delivery  man back to his bike made him pose and repeat the full drill ; till my entrance door hehehehehe . The boy was worried ,thought aaj kismat khul gayee with so much bhao ,ya phir this man is going to complain to the boss .. but he was a smart guy , very well versed with the food and had perfect manners ... What impressed me most , i asked him to come inside and put the boxes on the dinning table  and on his own he removed his shoes before entering , not that we insisted but on his own which is a great gesture .

The Delivery

Wish i had remembered his name .. He came in with his ruck sack , which was well insulated , zipped it open and one by one checked if all mentioned in the bill was there .. then explained all dishes to me , recommended that if we were eating in an hours time to warm it once in the micro .. but if instantly then its perfect temperature ... getting impressed even more heheheheh.  I loved the packaging Spill proof , good insulation , clean hygienic and attractive . He tallied the bill took money and off he was . Since we were going to eat right away i told him to take the corrugated boxes with him and not waste them .. saaala uska discount to de deta heheheheheh.

Variety of South Asian food ,Outstanding delivery and Packaging are the two elements behind  the success story of Asian haus....

The Packaging

Ps: The pictures are bit more on the orange side thanks to my point shoot camera and also the room decor :(

Individual Packing

Beautiful recycled plastic containers - quantity is good enuf for two people .. you can simply peel and serve no fuss of taking out bartans etc etc ... they are microwave friendly too .  Heat Aroma flavors all remain intact .

The Sauces

The Tools

Hmmmmm so considerate . Chop sticks, Wipes what else do u need .Im sure they have disposable cutlery also.

Oriental Greens

Chinese greens stir fried with a thick garlic sauce; garnished with roasted garlic and cashew nuts. Whats the magic about Chinese greens the crunch and the freshness shud not die with the cooking . I loved the dish - Garlic sauce not over powering , the cashew just right and the choice of greens perfect .And the art is to keep the Textures of the veggies intact .

Baby Pok Choy

Stir fried baby pok choy covered with thick oyster shitake mushroom sauce. Dont about you guys but i love Mushrooms in any form and specially shitake mushrooms , nice chewy texture , combined with other vegetables a perfect dish to eat with simple steam rice .

Basil Rice

Fried rice with garlic, beans & basil - A haus Specialty simple fried rice with a hint of basil loaded with veggies . Sorry the colour is not correct ,its more on the whiter side .

Singapore Prawns

Medium sized crispy prawns in thick reddish sauce flavored with garlic & fresh red chilies - Overall a great dish but a piece of advise for the chef . maybe im wrong but i feel Prawns go limp by the time they reach destination ,specially when they are deep fried .. rather cook them in the sauce  wil make the dish even better . Overall loved the dish the sizeof the prawns was super , nice tangy sauce , spicy and quite like the original Singapore prawns tried by me .

Hawkers Noodles

Chilly garlic noodles - Awesome just Awesome  - let me tel u why - they were different from the regular dry noodles .. they were a bit sticky , thicker not flooded with bell peppers ... nicely dosed with garlic and chilies .. with burnt onions on top .. a standalone win win dish for me . Dunno what they mean by hawkers noodles is it the Van Style Noodles?

Sichuan Spicy chicken

Stir fry chicken with chilies & spices, served with crispy garlic .. Yes Spicy and fun , wish i cud eat this with my hands masal masal ke hehehehehheheh - A bit over spiced for my family but a good spicy tangy mix , The chicken went hard on re heating inthe micro, bad idea.

Cantonese Chicken

Diced chicken, dried red chilies & roasted cashew nuts in a mix of dark Chinese sauces - Loved it ... why .. sorry Asian Haus people pardon me for what im going to say .. was nice and ketchupy .. just loved it m yet gain the mix of the chicken and cashew married beautifully . I checked the same for the coloring it was natural . 

Roti Canai

South Eastern thin & light, flaky bread - Please eat this with the rendang curry you will love it .The riot is the common street food of Malaysia and eaten with such thick gravies . it definitely has an indian origin .. flat bread which is flaky .Very popular in south east .

Chicken Rendang Curry 

Chicken in thick coconut gravy, flavored with lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves - More like pulled chicken , chatpata .. desi bhai log will  love it . The rendang curry is a slow cooked dish , normally served at festivities , it is very popular in Indonesia , Malaysia and Singapore .. Spicy is the name.

Vietnamese Shaking Mutton

Wok shook lamb on the bed of sticky rice with brown sauce & onion vinaigrette - The most popular dish on the menu ..... very simple dish - wok fired lamb with simple dressing and sauces goes perfectly well with the sticky rice - a dish just perfect for one person . This is a very popular dish in Vietnam made with beef called Bo Luc Lac .. where Luc Lac only means shaking of the meat in the wok til cooked.

Haus Khao Suey 

The Haus version of the traditional Burmese soup with yellow noodles, chicken and shrimps; garnished with fried onions, crushed peanuts and chopped scallions. And the real test .. the Khao Suey Thai style .. yes base for al is coconut whether it is original Burmese , Singapore style or thai .. the colors vary as they have a different set of ingredients in each region - the Asian haus one is more thai . I was impressed by the presentation and condiments(9 thinigies go into making a Successful Khao Suey ).. all of them in detail .. Excellent as i would call it , serves three people for sure . 

Chicken Scallion

Star shaped dimsum stuffed with minced chicken & scallion - Yes they were awesome , thin wrappers well ground meats which merged well with the hara pyaz  and perfectly steamed and yes juicy.. the family loved them and the unique packaging . 

The Table

All laid out on the table waiting for family to attack ,Yes Attacked before it gets cold, the plastic dhishesdidn look bad for serving directly on the table , ya for a casual family lunch its perfect .... we had a wonderful meal thank you Asian Haus . Ps the soup bowls are mine lol 

Overall Tigers Experience : This may be one of the first blogs i have written where there is no Ambiance , Smells ,Service to complain about hehehehehehehe very interesting. And end from where i started this blog .. WIFE was super happy as the rest of the family was Happy... so it was a good Sunday . 

Asian Haus has truly mastered the art of delivery ..  right from taking order to finding the menu online .. i believe they are soon going to be taking orders online also .. And the star of the whole experience is the packaging.. wonderful . being served warm food is a delight. I was actually from the school of thot that Chinese food shud never be ordered for home dining as everything goes limp , but i take my words back .. they have done a great job in enusring the food is almost as fresh as they would serve you in any restaurant.. Yes the food is slightly more spicy than what a normal palate can handle but im sure they can manipulate the same on request . Our experience has been excellent at appx 700 per head for 12 dishes is good and for so many dishes i think they are doing fine .. and i have been told that the consistency of the food is commendable , which speaks high of Asian Haus. 

The Menu is very very exhaustive covers the entire belt of South East Asia .. from China to Malaysia ... all handpicked dishes.

Delivery : Prompt , hot , fresh , zero error. In South Delhi and Now Gurgaon.

Menu : Salads/ Dim Sum/ Soups/Meal Box/Seafood/Curries/Poultry/Mutton/Vegetarian

Ambiance : Hehehehe My Homes comfort , TIgers Den.