Category Archives: Reviews

India, Restaurant, Restaurant Reviews, Reviews

The Clock Tower, Gurugram: Gastropub Full of Life

16 Comments

We all work hard to earn well, but it is equally important to relax and unwind; mentally and physically. So, this weekend, we thought to relax back and just visit the famous Gastropub – The Clock Tower in Gurugram.

The Clock Tower Gurugram

The clock Tower, Gurugram located on the golf course road, is the manifestation of concept of some great minds with a huge British style clock representing it. We felt the place is a “life” in itself; as it is not food alone that contributes to the experience, but it’s entire atmosphere and ambiance which makes one happy and this place is a perfect example of it. So, the combination of three words – Ambiance, Staff and Food, defines everything here.

The clock Tower, Gurugram

Ambiance

Loads of green and natural shades at the entrance makes the place look earthy and soothing. The statue at the entrance is an attraction it itself whereas the interiors are infused with the colonial designs. The high ceiling, tall windows, intelligently done wooden work around, plastered walls covered with the souvenirs and old time cartoons, and minimalist lights, makes the place look quite picturesque.

Charlie Chaplin at the entrance of The Clock Tower

Indeed, the mezzanine structure and decor is enough to lift up mood and spirit. The sofas, tall seating’s and table crafted on the old things perfectly gel in the atmosphere.

The Clock at The Clock Tower, Gurugram

The Clock tower Gastropub is divided into three floors and open terrace; with bar on each floor. The whole edifice is like a time machine as it takes you back to the boarding school days. The walls are covered with the memorabilia of India’s old and famous boarding schools.

The wall with souveniors of boarding schools at The Clock tower

And to add to it is the Alumnus corner on one side which has a large table with the comfortable seating to talk and relish the old days.

Staff

The dedicated, well-dressed perfectionist staff is what makes the place best and believe us the Clock Tower has it all. On the toes and with a big smile they guide and serve you the best of the menu, making you extremely comfortable.

Food

The extensive Menu of the clock tower, Gurugram serves (both vegetarian and non-vegetarian) Indian, Italian, Chinese, Tandoori cuisines. The presentation of the most of the items we ordered was simply gorgeous and appealing. The taste was at par including the serving size.

Chicken at The Clock Tower

We tried few items like Peanut salad, Grilled Fish Tikka,  Dahi Ke kabab, Pork, Dal Makhani Tart and loved all of them. The Peanut Salad was neither spicy nor bland and had a perfect aftertaste.

Dahi Ke Kabab at the Clock Tower, Gurugram

The Chicken was fresh, juicy, well-cooked and presented. The flavors too were a well fit. The Dahi Ke Kabab had a unique taste with a slight sweet tinge.

Fish Tikka at The Clock Tower, Gurugram

The another favorite to our list is Grilled Fish Tikka, which was fresh, soft, well grilled with light flavors added a crunch to the bite. The Dal Makhani Tart something new for us, had a Punjabi Tadka twist to the original Tart.

Dal Makhani Tart at The Clock Tower, Gurugram

In the main course, we ordered Veg Italian Queen Pizza. The thin crust pizza was of apt size, loaded with mozzarella, tomato sauce and basil. A bite and it was like love at first bite.

Chocolate Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream at the clock tower, Gurugram

We were almost full by this time but Chef Siddharth suggested to try the Dessert too. Agreeing to him, we tried Chocolate Cake Brownie with a Vanilla Ice- Cream. The cake was soft, spongy and the dark chocolate on the top made us say wow. Additionally, a choco-vanila ice cream with it, completely won our hearts.

Microbrewery

The Clock Tower, Gurugram has an in house brewery serving a variety of freshly brewed beers along with the finest collection of wines, liquor, single malts, cocktail and many more.

The Bar at the Clock Tower, Gurgaon

Starting with the beer, the place offers apple cider beer, German Wheat, Alphonso Mango flavored, strong/ light wheat and Chocolate Beer which are quiet liked by youngsters these days.

The menu also had a collection of classic as well as signature cocktails and mocktails.

Cocktail at The Clock Tower, Gurugram

Just adjacent to the Bars are well defined Smoking Zones. One of the smoking area is open and gives a city views whereas the other one has transparent curtains giving the open feel and is well air conditioned. The dim light here adds a glory to the place.

House on Party at the Clock Tower Gurugram

Our View on The Clock Tower, Gurugram

So, whether it’s a solo visit, a date night with your spouse, or a family / friends get together, the Clock Tower Gurugram will set your mood and make you happy with its relaxed ambiance, wonderfully flavorsome food, music and amazing drinks. The place is definitely recommended for a visit, from AllGudThings.

Gurgaon views from the clock tower, Gurugram

If you do visit this place, appreciate its awesomeness and don’t forget to let us know too!

A Special Thanks to Mr. Devki, Ms. Ayushi and Chef Siddharth for taking care of us.

You can book a Table by calling 9599199314/ 9599199315 or Registering here.

Hotel Review, Hotels, India, Reviews, Tourism, Travel, Uttarakhand

Review of Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi

23 Comments

I and my husband love road trips and we just hit the roads by deciding route but never the location. That means no prior bookings for a stay. This is because we have a strong belief that “unplanned trips are the best ones” and we can actually stop anywhere on the way or worst sleep in our car. Anyways, during our last trip to  Tehri in Uttarakhand, we planned to visit Uttarkashi. Now the question was where to stay. So here my Google Baba, I mean Google  Maps (search by area option) helped and it searched out Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi nearest to us.

Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi

%CODE3%

Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi

The Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi derives its name from the colorful bird Monal, which is a state bird of Uttrakhand. It is a double storey, handcrafted guest house by a mountain lover and trekking enthusiast Mr. Deependar Panwar.

Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi

The Monal guest house is located at Kot Bungalow Road, on the Uttarkashi-Gangotri Highway. It is almost 2 km away from the Uttarkashi town. The place is amidst by spouting River Ganges on one side and lush green fields on others. The whole environment is peaceful, green, clean and at a walking distance from the Uttarkashi town. The blue color of the sky here shows how this place is unpolluted and is a true nature’s paradise. It truly deserves the title of Land of Gods.

Little History of Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi (MTH)

Mr. Deependar, after graduating from NIM (National Institute of Mountaineering, In Uttarkashi), was working as a porter, instructor and guide with a renowned trekking company. While working in a job he was determined enough to build up his career further in Tourism. Seeing that enthusiasm at such a young age, a father motivated his son to convert their present home to a guest home and here was the result – the beginning of Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi and from there the place never looked back.

Rooms at Monal Tourist Home

There are total 8 rooms; which are divided further into wings A & B. Wing A only houses rooms whereas wing B apart from rooms, also comprises of a restaurant, library, and sitting area.  The 4 rooms have double beds, 2 have 3 beds and other 2 have 4 beds.

During our visit, most of Uttarkashi hotels were without tourist and closed due to off season. So,we were the only guests (should I say masters) in this home stay and had the option to choose our room. We opted for the room in wing B in front of garden and restaurant. Check out the room and the morning view from the window. Isn’t that worth admiring?

View from my room at Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi

%CODE2%

The rooms of Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi are not big luxurious rooms. They are small, cozy, clean budgeted rooms with a balcony. The room has a double bed, side table to work and attached washroom with hot water facility. They are equipped with all the basic amenities including geyser, tea and coffee maker which one needs for a comfortable stay and Yes! This actually needs a special mention – There are No Televisions and Intercom services for the room and this is done intentionally, as they consider these as a distraction during a holiday.  The prime aim here is to make the guests feel the pristine peace, coolness, and beauty of Uttarkashi.

[huge_it_slider id=”21″]

On the top of the rooms, there is a wide terrace where you can sit, relax and spend some time soaking your eyes with the wonderful views of snow-capped mountains, Ganges, and surrounding fields. Tariff for all the rooms varies between INR 700 – INR 2000 and for our room it was around Rs. 1600/-.

On the top of the rooms, there is a wide terrace where you can sit, relax and spend some time soaking your eyes with the wonderful views of snow-capped mountains, Ganges, and surrounding fields. Tariff for all the rooms varies between INR 700 – INR 2000 and for our room it was around Rs. 1600/-.

View from Terrace at Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi

Food at Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi

The Monal guest house serves really delicious food, but only on prior requests. Timings for the breakfast are from 7 am -10 am and for dinner are 8 pm -9 pm. In seasons you may not face the problem of the prior request, but in off season make sure to inform them for all the meals. They serve meals only in the restaurants and do provide tea and snacks in the rooms.

Restaurant at Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi

Activities 

As the owner himself is an advanced trekker so a small talk with him can supplement you with all the hiking and trekking trails nearby. He also helps in organizing various walks, treks, hikes, mountain cycling, biking and angling tours. Additionally, you can try your hands on some traditional cookery and mud work art classes.

%CODE3%

Conclusion

I didn’t get the chance to explore the trails and do activities with Monal Tourist Home but yes the property is surely worth staying and relaxing. In short, it is more than Value for money. Comfort is one, but the views you get from Monal Tourist home, Uttarkashi are incomparable. They are just like tranquilizers which make you long for more and you realize the power and beauty of nature.

Rating:

I personally rate this Monal Tourist home,  Uttarkashi (4.5 out of 5). The number is really high because of its location; away from the city rush and mind blowing views from its terrace and garden.

Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi

Some Additional Info about Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi:

  1. They provide pick and drop service to Uttarkashi town, but only on prior requests.
  2. One needs to climb few stairs to reach the guest house.
  3. Laundry and Lunch services are only available on request.
  4. For prior information and bookings you can speak to Mr. Deependar on these numbers 91-9412984183, or 91-1374-222270 and their email id is [email protected]. Mr. Deependar prefers pre-booking for Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi because he likes meetings his guests personally and treating them with the best hospitality services. I was really impressed by his attitude; he waited for us till 11 pm, just to meet and greet us.
  5. From Uttarkashi town, you get the sharing cabs till guest house and nearby tourist spots.

This is not a sponsored post and it is written purely based on my own views, stay and after a talk with Mr. Deependar. I didn’t  mention to him that I will be talking about  Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi on my blog post. For more details, you can refer to their website here.

%CODE3%

You can pin here.

Review of Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi

Book, Relation, Relationship, Reviews

Kalpana: an Imagination! Book review

5 Comments


Kalpana an Imagination - Book reviewAuthor – Yogita;   Publisher – Yogita;

Date of Publishing – 2016; Category – Fiction;  Language – English

Love is the most beautiful thing. It has the strong power to make up or break up. Love is everywhere, between everyone – be it friends, a mother and son/daughter, a student and teacher or brother and sister. Love gives one the courage and motivation to face each situation and circumstance of life.

About the book

Kalpana is a Hindi word and name of the book; which itself means an imagination. It is a fictional story of a girl named Kalpana. The purpose of writing this book is to uplift the society from their orthodox thoughts, to highlight the social stigmas, to follow at least some ethics and fill the gaps of disparity.

Kalpana is a beautiful, cute innocent kid born to the lovable Indian family with their own traditions and culture. She is an apple of everyone’s eye and lives in her own imaginary world. The changing circumstances and scenarios at each step of life from infant to childhood, teenager, and adulthood taught her new lessons. She was courageous and didn’t lose heart or break anywhere but stood as a much stronger and bold person after each setback. At the age of 21, she is a much more mature person compared to youngsters of her age.

Nidhi, the first and eldest child of the joint family, was a teacher, friend, sister and guardian to Kalpana. She was a role model but just a single mistake by her ruined the honor of the family. The whole family went into depression and became conservative. Rules changed for other siblings too and they had to fight for every action. Kalpana had to fight even for her future and education. The fight didn’t end there. Further the malicious or false allegations of pregnancy made her life worst.

The writer has clearly coordinated the role and significance of each person in the family, especially towards a growing child. How a single incidence can spoil or change the environment of the house and simultaneously impact the relations. She has smartly marked the emotions like a struggle, trust, gesture, feelings, learning etc with the relations and incidents happening in the family.

As such there is no end to this story but then, this is just the part one of Kalpana. The writer promises to tell us what continues with her in next phases of life. So stay tuned to know ahead and I personally feel there is something exciting ahead which will tell us more about the truths of life.

My Verdict on The Book Kalpana

I won’t say Kalpana is the best books I have read till today, but surely it is a great effort by the young author and technocrat. She holds a good motive to bring the gender equality, to make women realize they can choose what they like or not and fight for her rights. The book is simple and breezy read.  It holds you till the end to know what will happen in the next chapter. The book can be read in a calm and relax manner. It runs over 99 pages and has strong deep hidden messages on each page. I recommend this book to all the readers (both men and women) and especially to the youngsters, so we get some inspiration and together make an effort to change the social marks of disgrace for everyone.

Ratings – 3.5/5 stars from me.

Oh! You want it right away. Buy here at Amazon.in!