Noc Noc Bistro - Time to Wake Up!!
Hyderabad is embracing newbies in a fast rate over th epast year and a half where we see new places every alternate day and by that it means only more competition. So its very important to get launched at the right time and with the right tools. Noc Noc Bistro is one such newbie to be opened over this weekend which might be a good competitor considering my experience on their soft launch trial. The location is very easy but often to be confused its more of a pass-by and not a landmark location. Located in Madhapur this adds to the numerous options the area offers and with bistro setting, this has to pull more crowd if they keep pricing and service in mind. Located in the place of sweet nirvana near state art gallery, the ambience is nothing but spacious and lots of greenery. Packed with ample outdoor and indoor seating, the place keeps you having options for any kind of mood though we felt completely comfortable only in inside considering the summer tortures. But I guess the place should have a different and special feel over the evenings where the outdoor space and the open bar setup should appeal to the youth and peppy crowd .
Note: This review experience is based on Management Invite and was on the house & review shared is honest and unbiased in the interest of fellow readers and foodies.
We started off with some refreshing mocktails including Melon Breezer which was my kind of drink for any summer day. The freshness from the melon and the mint leaves was perfect for the hot weather out and it could have more zest by a tinch of may be green chilli just for the after kick.Yogurt banana Smoothie was also refreshing with the thickness from yogurt and banana and nicely complimented the weather again. Peanut Choco Shake didn't WOW me much though I like chocolate drinks. This one was little lagging on the thickness consistency for me and I would prefer my shakes to be more thicker to give you the heaviness and richness coming from it. Could have more appeal to it .
We then continued with an array of starters that kept flowing at a steady phase from the kitchen. Started off with Fattoush Salad which is basically Levantine bread salad made from toasted or fried pieces of pita bread combined with mixed greens and other vegetables, such as radishes and tomatoes.I loved the freshness from the lettuce and the crumbled feta cheese and the crunchiness coming from the fried pita bread slices. Nice balance but I could have been Wowed if they had more of a dash of olive oil just to give that extra taste profile. Apple Walnut Blue Cheese Salad was next and this definitely impressed me. The walnuts could have been a little bit more fresher as it wasn't that crunchy and thin green apple slices were spiced well with herbs and other seasonings. Again a dash of olive oil could have made the salad even more appealing but freshness was there.
Fried Chicken waffle with chilli spice sauce was to my liking as I always love friend chicken strips and the waffle was also nicely baked at right texture and flavor. The sweet and regular waffle version with whipped cream and honey syrup was also everybody's favourite as its a classic breakfast and is many people's favorite.
Continuing the starters, Mutton baos came in with some nice spicy drink to get an after or before kick along with nice steamy boas stuffed with minced kheema. It was a nice conceived dish with a slice of jalapeno on the top for the spiciness to it. I would have loved some chilli flakes mixed with the minced kheema stuffing as it would have complimented the softness and kind of sweety texture from the dumpling.
Charmola paneer looks like our typical hara bara paneer kebab and tasted also the same. The paneer were soft and cooked near perfect. Flavors could have been bit more enhanced to avoid the blandness from paneer.
Tandoori Chicken momos was a hit on the tables due to the fusion of brining in tandoori flavors from the spice mix and nicely cooked chicken chunks in the dumplings, the Indian flavors on a pan-Asian dish definitely worked for us.
Reddy Fried Chicken was also very good considering the freshness and the crispiness of the fried chicken chunks and the cheese shavings on the top definitely complimented a new flavor aspect to the otherwise typical Andhra style chicken fry.
Fish & Chips turned our regular affair but tasted definitely very good but Hot Pot impressed me both visually and also flavor-wise. Looks like a quinoa based dish but it has got our traditional upma layered with veggies and another layer of quinoa and then tomato sauce and cheese to drizzle over on the top to give a dish a very appealing look. flavor was definitely impressive.
Butter Chicken Risotto was a bit confusing to us mainly of the condiments provided which included salsa, fried potato chips, curd and ghee and sour cream. I immediately could relate this dish to Tandoori Chicken risotto from Glocal Junction. The did definitely didn't impress me on first bit but as when I tasted it along with the crispy chips , it definitely tasted better. Its more of a liking you need to develop towards this dish and though id didn't impress me in first glance, I was eating most part of the serving as the chicken cook was perfect.
Dak Bungalow Paneer was the biggest let down for me on the brunch as it didn't carry much of any flavors and was so bland. Paneer could have been cooked a bit more and rice was again flavorless for me.
Beef Burger come in when I was almost full and I couldn't resist the look and appeal of it. So had just a small bite of it and it was pure WOW. the soft cook on the meat and the freshness and little bit of sweetness from the bun definitely made this another very good quality dish. Do try it out when you are here.
No matter how many times I say this, but no meal is complete without desserts and when the management mentioned cheesecake everybody literally readied themselves though we were stuffed to the rim. Blueberry Cheese Cake was an instant hit. Considering the quantity cut for 200 Rs which was literally made into servings for 3 people, I can definitely vouch for its quality and quantity. The richness and dense layer of cheese was splendid and so was the little bit too sweetish but nicely made blueberry jam over it. This is one of the good versions of cheese cake out there at economical prices in Hyderabad. Do try.
Churro Ice Cream was cute and definitely impressed visually. The fried churros dipped in cinnamon powder and topped with vanilla ice cream definitely worked the magic. I finally ha d a good version of churros here though I have not tasted them in the famous Churraltos yet. This definitely impressed me to a good extent.
Service & Hospitality:
This sector is apt for a newbie and does show their homework and training done to train to serve customers. Food items kept coming at constant speed and also they kept attending everyone so that no one had too many plates around and never ran out of drinks and water. Courteous smiles will definitely be their strength and I just hope they can handle the capacity crowd as its quite a big place to fill in.
Verdict:
Noc Noc Bistro -from Owner Kapil & his team is definitely equipped to be a quality bistro with some nice food menu and definitely very competitive pricing for the area. If they play it consistent and don't experiment much but make sure every customer is well attended to, I guess this can be a favorite youth and peppy crowd hang out place mainly because of its outdoor décor and ambiance. I wish them all the best and definitely more success as they open up this weekend.
Note: This review experience is based on Management Invite and was on the house & review shared is honest and unbiased in the interest of fellow readers and foodies.