With a sporty decor and delicious food, SBX sports bar is a must visit for foodies, says GITA HARI.
If IPL and World Cup matches are in the order of the day, it is time to unwind with friends and have fun watching the games on big screen. In such a scenario can foodie indulgences be far behind? A visit to newly launched SBX Sports Bar, of Galaxy Entertainment Corp. Ltd., in Bhandup was a refreshing experience. SBX sports bar, as the name suggests, has a casual look with sports memorabilia and sepia toned framed pictures of sports stars adorning the walls. Red hues dominate the upholstery and poufs.
The menu is Indian and oriental with a splash of continental. By virtue of its location in a mall (Neptune Magnet Mall), the place caters to a young crowd on weekends as well as a family one who come shopping or to watch movies in the multiplex.
Weekday evenings are mostly taken up by young adults who unwind after a day’s work, nursing a glass of drink and munch on appetizers while they discuss sports and other trivia, reveals the enthusiastic GM Ashish Bhatia. Bored of watching the LCD screens, SBX is the ideal recreational zone with exciting games such as a pool tables, basketball cage, dartboards and punching bags.
Apart from munching on masala peanuts with a glass of SBX signature cocktails like Maria Sharapova which serves a Grand Slam of apple/mash melon with vodka but I preferred my Sania – a smooth lychee and vodka based drink that kept good company to some lip smacking starters of Sesame Chilly Paneer (fried yet soft cottage cheese tossed with bell peppers), Dimsum Basket of steamed chicken and vegetable momos with hot chilli dip; vegetable and soya bean stuffed Spring Roll was scrumptious with crisp rolls gently holding crunchy and flavoured vegetables with onion greens. We followed it up with Sweet Corn Soup which had the right proportion of tender and plump corn kernels in a semi-thick corn starch soup.
From the well-stocked bar from where you have exciting cocktails and delicious mocktails being churned out a la the fizzy Captain Cool (mango, orange, pineapple juices with strawberry puree and lemon lime soda) or a frozen delight of banana, coconut milk and fruit juices with raspberry syrup called Very Very Special.
It was time to tuck in the main course and in keeping with our Chinese starters we decided to go oriental all the way. Our order for Crisp Manchurian balls sat blissfully on soyabean and Worcestershire-based sauce smattered with finely chopped garlic, spring greens and the works. Fish in Black Bean sauce sported sliced fish cooked with crushed black bean and exuded the aroma of Chinese spices. Fried Rice and noodles tasted excellent with the side dishes. Must give it to Corporate Chef Rakesh Mirchandani for having clinched a perfect menu with tasty bites and selective main dishes for a sports bar.
On the Indian front, Paneer Tikka, Murg Kastoori Kebabs, Jhinga Koliwada, Chicken Gilafi, Makai aur Cheese ki Seekh and more comprise the starters while the mains offer tempting dishes like the spicy Kolhapuri Vegetable, Punjabi Butter Chicken, Dum ka Gosht, Paneer Lababdar and superb Dal Makhani with pulao and different types of rotis. Desserts are limited to Honey tossed Noodles or Brownie with ice creams with both scoring high points.
Murg Kastoori kabab
INGREDIENTS:
l 300 gms Chicken
l 1 tsp Kasoori Methi
l 1 cup Curd
l A sprig of Mint
l A small bunch of Coriander
l 1 tsp Chat Masala
l 2 tbsp Ginger Paste
l 1 Egg
l Salt to taste
l 2 tbsp Mint Chutney
l 6 slices Kuchumber (for serving)
l 1 or 2 Lemon wedges
l 1 tbsp Garlic Paste
l 1 tsp Cumin Powder
l 1 tsp Kitchen King Masala
l 1 tsp Haldi
l ¼ cup Cream
l 1 tsp Green Chili Paste
l 100 gms Butter
Method:
For the chicken marination take curd add in ginger garlic paste, green chilli paste, turmeric, salt, lemon, cream, kitchen king masala, coriander, mint paste, kassori methi and mix well. Cut chicken leg into 8 pieces and marinate the chicken for an hour. Skewer the chicken and cook upto 80 %, remove. Whish egg white and coat on the chicken and put it back in the tandoor, let it cook till it turns light brown. Then sprinkle chat masala, put it on a platter and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with coriander chutney, lemon wedge and cucumber.
Exotic veg pasta
INGREDIENTS:
l 200 gm Penne Pasta
l 2 Tomatoes
l 1 Onion
l 3-4 pods Garlic
l 3 tbsp Cream
l Chilli flakes as required
l Parsley for garnish
l A few leaves of Basil
l 2 Bay Leaf
l 5-6 Black Pepper Corns
l ½ cup Parmesan Cheese
l 2 tbsp Olive Oil
l 1 tbsp Olives
l 8 Broccoli Florets
l 6 slices Zuchini
l 6 slices Bell Pepper
l 6 slices Green Capsicum
Method:
Boil water, blanch penne pasta. remove and let it cool. Heat olive oil in a sauce pan add in chopped garlic and chopped onions. Sauté, add in bay leaf, then add in blanch chopped tomatoes and let it cook. Add in crushed black pepper and stir. Now take an other sauce pan add in olive oil. Add chopped garlic, chopped onions and stir add the sauce and the blanched pasta. Add seasoning, chilli flakes, oregano, parmesan cheese and toss well. Boil water in another sauce pan add salt to it and boil the broccoli, remove. In a pan heat oil sauté green pepper, bell peppers and zuchinni. Add in the pasta. Serve it with grated parmesan on top and garnish with basil and parsley.
