Story and photos by Dr. Michael Lim The Travelling Gourmet TM
Copyright all rights reserved
All food photos are of real food with no photoshop
The resourceful and debonair Travelling Gourmet TM tries the cuisine with Bollywood Bling Bling aka “B3” at Clarke Quay’s NEWEST restaurant and night club called…
MAZIGA! Maziga actually means food cooked in a clay pot in Hindi.
The name Maziga sounds like the top secret code name for a CIA black operation, but you will find delicious food here which is unlike the mundane Indian food you are used to. The avant garde dishes are the brainchild of my good friend, cheerful Chef Javed Ahamed, who likes to serve Modern Indian Cuisine with touches of Fusion Cuisine. The cocktails here also have an Indian influence and I was thrilled with my “Bollywood” cocktail called Mithaa Pata Vodka Martini which was infused with aromatic cardomom. If James Bond were Indian he would love this martini! The spacious decor is very contemporary and stylish. On level 2 is a night club with dance floor. Bollywood music thumped in the background as I tasted Chef Javed’s specialities.
Smoke and Test Tubes!
An appetiser that impressed me with its wild and wooly presentation was Puri with Pyrex test tubes filled with chilled Coriander Water Sauce and Mint & Tamarind Sauce.
The Travelling Gourmet TM experimenting with Puri!!!
White smoke from the dry ice and water mix swirled seductively around the Puri perched on wire Doll’s house chairs! The way to savour this is to make a hole in the crispy Puri which is hollow inside…carefully pour some of the sauce in…and then pop it in your mouth! Yummie!
Ricotta Cheese in an Indian Restaurant!
One dish that truly epitomises the name of the restaurant is the Ricotta Cheese with Spinach and Mushroom presented in a terracotta bowl! Pour the sexy and velvety Saffron Kurma Sauce on it and enjoy! This Italian inspired dish is very yummie! Comfort food par excellence…
The Make Up Box…
A shocking red “Make Up Box” specially ordered from India arrived. It contained Magarita Cheese Naan spiked with Bloody Mary Sauce! I liked the kick from the Bloody Mary Sauce. As you may know, the Bloody Mary cocktail which contains Vodka, was created for Ernest Hemingway by his friend and bartender in the Cipriani Hotel. Like lamb? Then try the meaty Lamb Chops perfectly seasoned with Indian spices, Special Sandalwood, Nutmeg and Royal Cumin imported from India. A glass of Buronga Hill cabernet Sauvignon from Australia went nicely with the juicy lamb! For those with bad teeth ofr no teeth, do not despair…go for the Pilaf Kebab Burger Ha! Ha!. This unique burger dish dish is inspired by the Jilawat Kebab that was specially prepared for the Mahaharajah of Lucknow who had NO teeth. Therefore, this tasty and meaty lamb patty melts-in-your-mouth and has a minty flavour. You do not need good teeth to enjoy it capisch! 🙂 Vegans will like the Potato patty Burger which is meatless.
Mixed Berries Briani and Goji Berries Yoghurt
The char-grilled Prawns Fritters are also excellent and are served with a Sweet Chilli Sauce. Perfect with Mixed Berries Briani and Goji Berries Yoghurt. It is very unique and a very refreshing change from the run of the mill Chicken Briani. It comes baked  in a bowl covered with a crust of Naan! The healthy long grain Basmati rice has plump and sweet sultanas and raisins…and melds so well with the creamy yoghurt, which also protects your tummy from overly spicy food. I would suggest adding some Cranberries and Dried Cherries to the Briani which will make it even better! I enjoyed the lamb and prawns with this unusual dish. A Mexican inspired dish is the Chicken Tikka Masala Quesadilla which is very tasty.
Sweets for the Sweet!
Desserts! Forget overly sweet and cloying Gulab Jamun, but enjoy instead Masala Chai Kulfi Ice Cream spiked with Pistachios with a lovely after-taste of Chai Latte Tea. Enlightened Chef Javed makes sure his desserts are not too sweet because in this health conscious age, diners do not like overly sweet desserts. A must-taste is Ayurvedic Cheese Cake which is made with Chyawanprash. The Chyawanprash gives the cake a most unusual flavour which reminded me of Sarsasprarilla, which you may know better as “Sarsi”. What is it then you ask?? Chyawanprash is an Ayurvedic herb medicine that ha been used for thousands of years. It is a jammy cooked mixture of honey, sugar, Triphala, Ghee, Sesame Oil, Berries and other herbs and spices that is carefully prepared following the instructions in ancient Ayurvedic texts. It is widely used in India as a dietary supplement, especially for chidren to make them strong and healthy.
Forget strawberry and vanilla but try instead Rose Petal Ice Cream. So perfumed and most enjoyable…as The Travelling Gourmet TM I always say: Life is like ice cream, eat it before it melts!
Enjoy!
Maziga Indian Grill and Bar and Nightclub
Tel: 6253 7307
Website:Â www.maziga.com.sg
The Travelling Gourmet 