My TripAdvisor Review No.194: Windmills Craftworks Restaurant, Bengaluru.

“Fine Dining and Freshly Brewed Beer.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

This is quite a popular place in Bangalore, so it is better to reserve a table in advance, especially if you are coming from afar. It is located in Whitefield and took us nearly an hour to reach from RT Nagar.

They have a unique system of ordering. You are given an i-pad which you can use to explore the menu options as well as select your choices, from the drinks, starters and mains. You can then buzz your waiter and hand over the tablet with your saved order. It is a good system, but at times the device would hang.

They have their own brewery from which they serve five different varieties of beer or ale. You are given a guided tour of their mini brewery if you so desire. They serve a variety of wines, cocktails and mocktails too.

The food is mostly Continental dishes, both vegetarian as well as non-veg. Among the starters we tried out their ‘honey chilli potato’ and ‘Greek salad’. From the mains we had ‘fried fish and chips’, ‘five spice chicken wings’ and ‘shepherd’s pie’.

The restaurant is lined with bookshelves so you can browse while waiting for your order. The seating is well spread out in a large hall and there is an option to sit out in the balcony and dine in the open air as well.

Though the prices were on the higher side, with service charges included in the bill, we quite enjoyed our dining experience at this unique restaurant.

• Visited November 2016
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g297628-d3667278-r447739479-Windmills_Craftworks-Bengaluru_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.193: New Shanti Sagar Restaurant, Bengaluru.

“Good Vegetarian Fare.”

Reviewed 4 days agoNEW

This is a good vegetarian restaurant located prominently at the centre of RT Nagar, 80 Feet Road (Main Road), serving South & North Indian, as well as some Chinese dishes. The service is quick and efficient and the waiters are courteous. The prices are very reasonable.

For a quick bite you can grab a snack at the ground floor level. They have an ac section on the first floor where you can dine with family. We visited the restaurant a couple of times when we were in Bangalore. Once I tried the mini South Indian thali, which was quite filling and economical at Rs.80. Another time we ordered North Indian dishes, ‘methi mutter malai’, ‘pudina parathas’ and ‘palak rice’ and quite liked the taste.

The restaurant opens early and serves breakfast dishes like idli, wadas and dosas too. These South Indian 'fast foods' are available throughout the day too.

• Visited November 2016
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g297628-d5902769-r447075285-New_Shanti_Sagar-Bengaluru_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.192: Hotel Janai Palace, Gadhinglaj.

“Good for an Overnight Stop En route Goa.”

Reviewed 2 days agoNEW

We decided to stop here for an overnight halt on the way from Pune to South Goa. Gadhinglaj is off NH4 and is about 70 km from Kolhapur and 14 km from Sankeshwar. At Sankeshwar you have to get off NH4 and turn right at the underpass. Gadhinglaj is an agricultural town on the Aajra – Amboli – Sawantwadi route to Goa.

The rooms at Janai are fairly decent, spacious and airy, though not very large. There is a balcony attached and we did not need air-conditioning since it was quite cool in the rainy season. There is an ample car parking area next to the lawns. The bathroom was clean and had running hot water. The room rate was very reasonable at Rs.850.

We had dinner at the restaurant which served Indian and Chinese dishes. The dining hall was large and clean, but the seating was not very comfortable as they had divan like benches which did not have a back rest. However, the food was tasty and the service was good.

We had a good night’s rest and left the next day for Goa.

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• Stayed July 2016, travelled as a couple
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g4013743-d8325051-r405517343-Hotel_Janai_Palace-Gadhinglaj_Maharashtra.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.191: Garden Court, Varca Goa.

“Rustic Garden Restaurant.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

This is a small garden restaurant located between Club Mahindra Varca and Zuri White Sands Resort. It is not a beach shack, but rather more like a garden shack. You have to park your car on the narrow road outside, or better still walk to the place if you are staying in one of the nearby resorts.

However, the food compensates for the lack of ambience. They have a good selection of local Goan dishes as well as Punjabi and Continental food. Their ‘Toast Salad’ was actually a ‘Tossed Salad’ in which they had forgotten to add the mayo. It was rectified immediately when we brought it to their notice. Their ‘kadhai veg’ and ‘dal fry’ were tasty and well prepared. The service was courteous, and their efforts to satisfy were sincere. Prices were reasonable.

• Visited August 2016
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g1096236-d2274894-r405249398-Garden_Court-Varca_Goa.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.190: Kentuckee, Colva.

“Beach Shack with Good Variety of Food.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

This is a good beachside shack restaurant next to Colva Beach. There is plenty of car parking available in the public parking area next to the beach.

There is a large variety of dishes available ranging from Goan, Punjabi, Chinese and Continental. They are open for breakfast too. The service is fairly good, but a bit slow. The menu rates are on the higher side. We tried their ‘Salad Necosa’ (with tuna fish flakes) and ‘mushroom cheese spaghetti pasta’ and both were good.

However their seating is a bit congested, with the tables a bit too close for comfort. Only a few tables have a view of the beach while the rest of them are inside. Luckily we found a table directly under a fan to keep us cool with our drink, while we waited for the food.

• Visited August 2016
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g1064392-d1737941-r404853856-Kentuckee-Colva_Goa.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.189: The Farm House Bar & Bistro, Benaulim, Goa.

“By the River Sal.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

This restaurant in Benaulim is not on the seaside but situated besides the River Sal in Benaulim. It has a beautiful riverside setting with boating and fishing facilities, and an excellent garden with a water fountain and ducks to keep the kids entertained. It is located a little ahead of the ‘Shop and Save’ grocery store on the Colva - Cavelossim road. You will see the sign board about 500 meters ahead of Shop and Save, and a small country road on the left leading down to the restaurant.

The open air restaurant is large and spacious and the tables are well spaced out. There is a separate section for smokers and non-smokers. The ambience is like a large farm house; very rustic, peaceful, and relaxing. There is ample parking space for your vehicle.

We ordered a ‘Prawn in Papad’ starter with our drinks, and followed it up with ‘Goan Green Salad’, ‘Fish Curry Rice’ and ‘Fish n Chips’. We quite enjoyed our meal, though the rates were a tad expensive.

I would like to visit this place again for the true Goan experience.

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• Visited August 2016
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g306994-d8743043-r404512284-The_Farm_House_Bar_Bistro-Benaulim_Salcette_District_Goa.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.188: Papa Joe's, Orlim, South Goa.

“Authentic Goan Food and Ambience.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

We always visit Papa Joe’s for a meal whenever we go to Goa. This is a covered garden restaurant surrounded by a lot of greenery and gives you the true ambience of dining at a Goan home. It is indeed the home of the Mirandas, and you are served by the family members themselves.

The food is authentic and on the various occasions we have visited we have tasted their fish curry and prawn curry with rice, butter garlic prawns, shark rechado. They also have some select vegetarian dishes on their menu. Their rates are very reasonable too.

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• Visited August 2016
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g297606-d2086750-r403961437-Papa_Joe_s-Salcette_District_Goa.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.187: Cavatina Cuchina, Benaulim, Goa.

“Fine Dining Experience.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

We visited this restaurant between Benaulim and Varca since we were staying at a resort nearby. It is located very close to Joecon’s Resort and the Taj Exotica, but it is not a beach restaurant.

The restaurant was well furnished and air conditioned. Many of the items on the menu were unique and exotic and different from those of a regular Goan beach shack. There were many grilled and baked dishes, with a variety of fish and meat items available. The service was courteous and polite.

We ordered a Greek salad, with olives, bell peppers, lettuce, tomato and dressing, and a Fish Sizzler. Both the dishes were excellent and we enjoyed our very nutritious dinner.

The restaurant is closed on Mondays.

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• Visited August 2016
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g306994-d3648177-r403588024-Cavatina_Cuchina-Benaulim_Salcette_District_Goa.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.186: Club Mahindra Emerald Palms, Varca.

“Good Place to Experience A Goan Monsoon.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

This was our second visit to Emerald Palms. This time it was to experience the rainy season in Goa. Yes, it did rain quite a lot when we were there, but luckily it would stop when we wanted to venture out.

Of course, it is advisable to go there in your own vehicle. The taxi union at the resort does not allow you to hire from anywhere else, and their charges are exorbitant too. There is a good parking area inside the compound for the private vehicles, though it gets full during the weekend.

The area around the resort is very beautiful and green, with a lot of coconut and other trees, surrounded by wild grassy meadows. We had a very good view of the beautiful scenery from our first floor balcony. However the beach is a ten minute walk away and visible in the distance only to a few west facing rooms. It is very nice to go out for a walk in the mornings, when you can even see and hear peacocks in the wild. Evenings were best to watch the sunset if the monsoon clouds let you.

The rooms are very spacious and tastefully furnished. The 1BR apartments have two bathrooms, and a walk in closet. There are also two LED TVs, tea/coffee maker and a pair of comfy sofas. The central air conditioning was very efficient and cooling.

There is a medium sized swimming pool in the resort which we used often. It was clean and well maintained. Swimming in the sea can be dangerous at this time of the year.

The restaurant serves buffet and ala carte meals, but the prices were on the higher side. There were very few local Goan dishes on the menu, so we would go out and enjoy the local delicacies at the nearby restaurants. There are many good restaurants between Colva and Varca which serve food with a local flavour.

All in all we enjoyed our stay at Emerald Palms, and enjoyed the Goan greenery in the monsoons.

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• Stayed August 2016, travelled with family
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g1096236-d3240619-r403097205-Club_Mahindra_Emerald_Palms-Varca_Goa.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.185: Lingmala Waterfall, Mahabaleshwar.

“Best Attraction of Mahabaleshwar in the Monsoons.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

This waterfall is tucked away between two hills. It lies at the head of the Venna Valley. It can be accessed either from the Pune - Mahabaleshwar Road or the Satara Road. There is a small winding road through the forests leading to the falls. You can park your vehicle outside the Forest Office (Satara Van Vibhag) and buy your token to enter the ‘Lingmala Nature Trail’.

There is well paved track leading down to the falls. There are log benches to sit and rest for a while if you get tired climbing back. It takes about 10 minutes to walk down.

There are two parts of the falls. The left track leads to the minor falls, where the falling water forms a pool where one can take a dip. Be careful of the rocks, though. The right track leads to the point from where one can view the main falls, as it showers down into the valley below.

The Lingmala Falls are best visited after the start of the monsoons in July and August. Then one can see and feel the forces of nature in all its glory.

However, even at other times of the year it is a good place to visit, just to experience the walk through the forests on the Lingmala Nature Trail.

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Visited June 2016

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g635749-d4139087-r385538734-Lingmala_Waterfall-Mahabaleshwar_Maharashtra.html#