Cinco – Attracting your five senses! — Reviewed!

Newly opened Cinco, translates to 5 in Spanish, at The Mills, is a stylish resto-bar with tasteful, elegant, interiors. The seating areas are different as per the dining preferences — Contemporary, modern Patisserie, European-theme based open-air Al Fresco and voguish, vibrant pub.

Ample parking is available.

The menu is the blend of European and Indian cuisine which can be paired with unique cocktails and mocktails to elevate your spirits. With the limited choice for vegetarians in appetizers, I found Veg Chimichanga, Mezze Platter and Coin Paranthas quite interesting. Mains also have some eye-catching dishes like Fettucini in curried Coconut sauce, Wild Mushroom Tortellini, Vegetable Couscous with chickpea curry to name a few. We tried the following dishes....

• Spicy Tomato Soup (3/5)
• Fenugreek Salad (3.5/5)
• Mezze Platter (4/5)
• Mangalore Ghee Roast Mushrooms over Coin Parantha (4.5/5)
• Cottage Cheese Rosttii with Caponata (4/5)
• Raw Banana Croquettes (3/5)
• Crispy Potato, Caramelized Onion and Feta Pizza (3/5)
• Hazelnut Torte (4.5/5)
• Black Sesame Cake with Lemon cream (4/5)

Monsoon days and soups are a perfect match made in heaven. We had Spicy Tomato Soup in two orders and surprisingly both tasted different with garlic overpowering in one. Mild spicy because of the bare minimum use of jalapenos. It was thick and creamy though. I wish the consistency of the taste remained the same.



Decent looking Fenugreek Salad was served next. It was power-packed with carrot ribbons, greens, coconut, and tamarind coulis. Overall a balanced salad but I would have preferred Quinoa Salad or House Salad over it.



A nice Mediterranean wholesome, colorful Mezze Platter with delicious, crispy falafel, soft and fresh pita bread, muhammara and pickled veggies. A fulfilling and scrumptious dish. Loved it.

One of my most favourite dishes of the meal was the Mangalore Ghee Roast Mushrooms over Coin Paranthas. First bite and the ghee and whole spices are quite evident. A bit spicy but totally worthy. Loved every bit of it. Highly Recommended!



We also tried Cottage Cheese Rosti with Caponata. Crispy, layered cottage cheese rosti was cooked beautifully and a vegetarian feast to be reckoned with. Crunchy crust, medium-spiced, sweet, savoury caponata (chopped, fried eggplant and veggies dish) and crispy leeks not only added the texture but elevated the taste. Must try!



Raw Banana Croquettes on the menu caught my attention. It is healthy, full of nutrition and satisfying savoury snack. Cylindrical-shaped tikkis were thickly crumb-coating minimizing the taste of banana. The crust was overpowering the filling however teaming it up with the chilli-vinegar gave it a nice taste.



Another unique dish from the menu was Crispy Potato, Caramelized Onion, and Feta Pizza. Least I would have imagined potato chips over a pizza! Thin-crust, wood-fired pizza was generously topped with cheese, caramalized onions and potato wafers. A good attempt there. The baking time differed with the other toppings and the wafers burnt at some places. I would rather suggest adding thinly sliced potatoes than wafers. But, kudos to the unique idea.



All is well that ends well. The Hazelnut Torte was pure bliss. Insanely buttery, chocolatey dessert with a rich caramel layer was soul-satisfying. If you love chocolate, this decadent torte is a must-order.

Black Sesame Cake was a surprise! The cake was soft, moist, nutty topped with a crispy sesame tuile and served with vanilla icecream. Very unique and delicious.



Overall, a nice place. Some teetering issues here and there on service because of the initial stage. I am sure it will improve with time. Cinco is also planning to start breakfast soon, which is a very smart move since currently, no one around is serving in that area. Wishing them all the success.

The Great Kabab Factory – Deliciousness Personified!

What: Indian, Mughlai Cuisine especially Kababs

Where: The Great Kabab Factory, Radisson Blu Hotel, Kharadi
When: Dinner only
Cost: Rs.1199++

Contemporary, Stylish, Indian specialty restaurant – The Great Kabab Factory at Radisson Blu, Kharadi is an epitome of elegant service and endless delicacies. With over 450 dishes in their kitty, one can experience the unique veg and non-veg kababs prepared in seven different styles of cooking – slow, roast, shallow fried, steamed, grilled or deep-fried. The extra oomph factor makes them the pioneer in kababs. A distinct unlimited set menu is served to the patrons every day.



Ambience: Vibrant energy, spacious seating area, factory theme interiors, rawness, ethnic look, beautiful paintings adorning the walls, open kitchen, dark tapestry, private dining areas are some of the features of the restaurant. It seems like dining in a virtual modern and luxury food factory.



Food: One can rave so much about the food, especially kababs, but you need to visit the place to experience it. With a lined up delicacies, I was looking forward to the palate cleansers as well. One can order and share the preferences about the time and gap between each course. If in a hurry, you can finish the meal and leave within an hour or if you want a relaxed dinner, you can even sit and enjoy each dish served hot till you are stuffed. The portion size is fulfilling and you can anytime ask for another serving.

What we had from the vegetarian menu....

• Subz Galouti Kabab
• Kandhari Paneer Tikka
• Punjabi Aloo
• Matar Cheese ki Tikki
• Tandoori Kumbh
• Koobideh Kabab
• Pineapple Chaat
• Dal Factory
• Paneer Butter Masala
• Subz Dum Handi
• Bharwan Langcha
• Moong Dal Halwa
• Angoori Rasmalai
• Kulfi

Post settling down comfortably, we were served fruits and super yum Jaljeera with papdi as a palate cleanser. Then came the refreshing and crunchy Apple-walnut salad and boiled corn chaat in a cute, tiny cooker. It was so delicious and fresh. 

Along with the meal, we were proposed a mocktail – Maratha Empire, a guava based medium-spiced drink, which paired well with the Indian cuisine served at the restaurant.



The first appetizer, Subz Galouti Kabab, was one of the finest kababs I have ever had. A delectable treat from the land of Nawabs, traditionally made in non-veg, the Subz Galoutis were melted in the mouth. The Kababs are made by finely minced yam, dal mixed with Indian spices and cooked to perfection. Placed over a bit-sized parantha, it is best devoured with the mint chutney. Smoky flavour elevates the taste and with the first bite, your taste buds go singing. #Highly Highly Recommended!



Next was the Kandhari Paneer Tikka. The USP was the fresh ground whole spices, subtle marination and even cooking. The paneer was juicy, soft and the marination was just perfect! Utter deliciousness. Highly Recommended!



Tandoori Kumbh or Mushrooms was served next. Button mushrooms nicely battered and tandoor cooked were plated beautifully in the mini skewers. Again, a well-spiced dish – not too spicy. Mushroom lovers must try this.

One after the other, the dishes were surprising us. Next was the Punjabi Aloo and Matar cheese ki tikki. Baby potatoes were slightly tossed in spices and cooked well. Placed over the papad crush, the key is to eat them both together to feel the crunch. Matar Cheese Tikki was well made but needed that extra cheese. Who would say no to it? Haha. You have to savour the tikki with chutneys to avoid dry-eating.

We were also served veg Koobideh Kabab. More like a frankie or Kathi roll, the veggie packed roti was stuffed and toasted on tawa. Loved the crunch of veggies and the outer layer of roti as well. Beautifully made. One bite will leave you asking for more. Highly Recommended.



Sizzling Pineapple Chaat was last but not the least appetizer. Marinated pineapple chunks, skewered and grilled served on the sizzler platter was not only delicious but healthy as well. The skills of the chef can be witnessed by the fact that the chunks were grilled nicely keeping the juices intact. Chaat masala, spices were well identified. Lovely dish.



Stuffed until brim, could not try much of the main course, but we definitely tasted a spoonful of everything. I was excited to try the popular and signature Dal Factory. We had thick, creamy, mild sweet Paneer Butter Masala, Medium spiced Subz Dum Handi and the 16-hours cooked Dal Factory or their version of Dal Makhani. The buttery, creamy, smokey dal was deliciousness personified. You can devour it like that only or accompany it with the range of bread. The sweet Sheermal and Bakarkhani is not to be missed. Highly Recommended!

From the range of desserts, what stood aside was the Bharwan Langcha. Warm gulabjamun like was stuffed with khoya, dry-fruits and just melt-in-mouth. I wish Kulfis had real pulp and wouldn't mind Moong Dal Halwa drenching in ghee. The more the merrier.



Priced at Rs.1199++, the deal is a win-win for non-vegetarians, while vegetarians have limited choices but each dish is worth craving for.

The best part is, unlike the traditional buffet where you have to get up and help yourself each time, at The Great Kabab Factory serves you delicacies at your table. Pure indulgence! Overall, a perfect place to bring along family, friends, for a complete royal dining experience. Special mention to the hospitality, chef and the team for making our meal a memorable one.