Month: May 2023

Categories
Indian One Esterra Food Hall

One Esterra: Thali

Every week I eagerly await the new episode of Top Chef. It’s currently on Season 20–Top Chef: World All-Stars.

Thali Time recently aired forcing the chefs to make their take on Thali. The episode was intense, and Padma talked about all the flavors of a good Thali.

Lo and behold, Thali was being served at the One Esterra Food Hall. Himalaya is a rotating Global Cuisine option at many of the cafes and has remained a staple at Microsoft for good reason.

Call me Padma, and call me hungry because I’m ready to eat.

I went with the Three Thali Plate. It included:

  • Garlic Naan
  • Saffron Rice
  • Buttered Chicken
  • Chicken Tikka Masala
  • Paneer Curry
  • Raita
  • Mango Chutney

Everything was so flavorful. The spice in the curries was warming, not spicy. The chicken was moist and tender.

Someone has to teach me how to cook paneer. I’m clearly a meat eater, but if I could cook paneer like this, I’d consider shifting towards the vegetarian front.

The Garlic Naan was delicious. I’m not 100% sure how to eat Thali, so I ate it like a Gyro Platter, ripping off bits of naan and grabbing a bit of everything. The best food isn’t just tasty; it’s also interactive.

If I had one complaint, the rice was a little dry. Adding some mango chutney or raita made it fine.

Talking about the mango chutney and raita, mixing it in every other bite added a world of flavor. I felt like Remy from Ratatouille having flavors swirl in my mind and mouth.

At $8, I’m not sure what competes on having such diverse selection and flavor. Each component packed a punch. There was nothing to grow tired of as each bite was unique.

I’d eat this again.

Categories
Asian Cafe 25

Cafe 25: Lemongrass Pork Banh Mi

I love Vietnamese food. To be less specific, I love East Asian food.

Tropical East Asian food perfectly blends sweet, sour, and savory. Rickshaw at Cafe 25 does just that.

Banh Mi is a Vietnamese sandwich. If you ever felt your Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki wasn’t well balanced, Rickshaw’s Lemongrass Pork Banh Mi would be its more sensual cousin.

Ordering the Lemongrass Pork Banh Mi gets you:

  • Banh Mi Sandwich
    • Pork
    • Pickled Carrot and Daikon
    • Jalapeno
    • Cilantro
    • Cucumber
    • Spicy Mayo
    • Toasted Bread
  • Salad
    • Spring Greens
    • Spinach
    • Pickled Carrot and Daikon
  • Lemongrass Dressing
    • God’s Gift to Humankind

I’m not sure if Cafe 25 bakes its own bread. Some of the Sub Shops on campus do. The bread has a nice sponge and is toasted beautifully on the grill (just look at those tan lines!). The crust has a good chew.

Inside, the pork and pickled vegetables offer an experience that feels kind of naughty. You have the savory pork with a nice perfectly burnt char flavor dancing with the sweet and tangy pickled carrot and daikon. The jalapeno adds a kick and reminds you you’re alive, while the cucumber helps mellow and balance everything out.

Make sure to add some of the Lemongrass Dressing. I’m not sure what’s in this elixir from the gods, but it’s sweet and tangy in all the right ways. Part of me wants to know how this would taste with gin and soda water, and another part of me knows I shouldn’t drink on the job.

The dressing goes great on the sandwich. It goes great on the salad. Any remaining amount also goes great as a shooter at the end of the meal.

I can’t write enough about the dressing. I’m worried it’s a one-sided inappropriate relationship, so I’ll stop, but the dressing is great and makes the meal.

At $8.80, I’d eat it again. Cafe 25’s Lemongrass Pork Banh Mi touched my taste buds in all the right ways. Cafe 25 has a nice outdoor seating area with a water feature. This sandwich–and the dressing–are perfect for eating outside on a summer day.