THE THIRD INNINGS

The menu is finally on the tables... it looks the same but with a few additions in almost every section.. The steep price hike of commodities and gas forced us to increase the rates, which we did not for the last two years or so.

Dehati Mutton which i have been preparing for two years now, but, only for parties is now on the menu . It took me two long years to research the methodology of giving the same taste as the real mutton, which i cooked overnight on a slow fire, from a Frying Pan to be churned out in ten minutes. Then i got it ... and Voila... its finally on the menu and selling like hot cakes... oops... steaks....

Working on the interiors of the place as well... growing herbs in trays... enhancing the plants and trying to get seasonal flowers everywhere. The dance parties of PNC are back with a loud bang. Lights, Strobes, Scanners and the DJ Hi Fi sound i bought almost four years back is now coming to use.

I would introduce recipes and methodologies and tricks from 2009 on the blog. This would help all amateurs to know what goes behind the scenes in making the food of PNC special...

So till then... cheers ... its festive time, and i might not get time to blog... so wait for 2009

merry Christmas... Happy New Year 2009

THE MENU TRANSFORMATION

1999
One A4 size sheet printed on one side was all that boasted the menu then... The unique concept was the MINI MEAL. A vast variety ..

• Stuffed Parathas with curd and pickle
• Dal and Dry Vegetable with Tava Roti... another first then
• Paneer Preparation with a Roti / Naan
• Chicken / Mutton Curry
• Four dishes of Chicken and Mutton
• A bit of Chinese ( Basic soups and Noodles with Chilly and manchurian etc)
• Snacks... The burger was a big hit... is still is
• Nobody did better French fries than us

2000
The kitchen got bigger and organised, and, so did the menu
6 pages now
Soups .... almost all that we have now
Salads... half of what is available now
Kababs... Always there.. and yes, they were always Fat Free.. till date
Chicken ... atleast 10 varieties
Mutton... 5 varieties
Paneer ... 8 varieties.
chinese ... A full section.. with momos etc

2003
Add ons in each category... the menu was now 10 pages
Continental was added and yes Pizzas.... The tomato concasse is still as good as then... the pizza is still as close to authentic as an indian palate can.

2004
The newest of things were added on....
Dhaba Chicken.... became a rave... still is the best selling chicken preparation on the menu
2006
Some more additions... some more Mini Meals
The new rave... KUCH BHI.... (For those times when u can't decide on a dish; chef's own recipes, might vary every moment, don't expect the same dish every time u order a KUCH BHI)
Kuch Bhi literally translates to Anything
We now have a 18 page menu ... Surprised yes we do... and to top it... everything on the menu is available always... 11.00 am to 11.00 pm.... 361 days in a year... Yes we are closed for 4 days in a year

2008
Still continuing with the old menu... wait patiently for the new menu... very shortly...............

A PROFILE

PACK N CHEW RESTAURANT ….. A PROFILE

Remember the story of David and Goliath, we all read as children in school. The Giant Goliath invades a town and threatens to kill everyone, the army fails to capture him. The little lad of town, David, brings him to his knees with his catapult. Moral of the story: - Its not the might of size, it’s the might of the brain which is bigger.
PACK N CHEW, the open-air restaurant has been one such David, slowly but steadily rising to the corporate and masses of Lucknow, bringing down many a Goliath of the Food World.

May 19, 1999 

PACK N CHEW started as a small shack and a handful of employees as a takeaway with a sit out on a busy Vidhan Sabha Marg . It was an instant hit with the young corporate crowd with funky music and affordable food. The journey started and spread like an infection within the corporate world. Quick MINI MEALS to elaborate LUNCH BUFFETS, to OFFICE PARTIES, it all started happening…….

June 14, 2000

came a new rustic look at Gokhle Marg which housed the open-air restaurant. INDIAN, CHINESE, CONTINENTAL, BAR BE QUED Food was the essence of the 5,000 sq. ft. of open area. Known widely for the detailed flawless BANQUET ARRANGEMENTS, PNC as it was fondly known amongst its regulars had become an addiction. BIRTHDAY PARTIES were  an instant hit with children and adults too. Big open spaces with small shack like huts a la Goa. Theme parties, Specialised high profile banquets became  a speciality.

Surrounded by trees and greenery all over,  a cozy grove where you could hear birds chirping, the leaves rustling, the wind blowing and the rain drops singing. Not to forget an occasional squirrel rushing past your lunch table. The ambience could only be experienced.

July 5, 2007 

Consultancy and diversification was the order of the day and a fine dining Multi Cuisine Restaurant was setup at the prestigious Lucknow Golf Club. Running successfully with the elite of Lucknow.

October 2007

Another blow, the area that proudly housed PNC was to be vacated as the land owners wanted to build on it.  PNC had to move again... call it a blessing in disguise. The not so young entrepreneur in me was scared, after eight long years we had to move again.. I searched for land and finally zeroed in at Gomti Nagar, the fastest developing area of town. 

The photo above is the first Bhoomi Pujan ( Religious Methodology) of my life.

May 10, 2008 

Finally the gates of PNC opened to the public of Gomti Nagar and all the fears and troubles got kind of submerged in the very busy work schedules. Another add on the USP of the open air restaurant was maintained and added with  an airconditioned space also. Not to forget we are now called PACK N CHEW, RESTAURANT... not open air restaurant.

I Cook

yes!!!! Finally i get a space to express my passion for cooking... I've been wanting people to know all about my restaurant and about the way i manage to keep pace with the growing restaurant market in lucknow. But, very strangely the effort i make in serving some of the very authentic recipes are not at all coming to light as the big names are serving all distorted versions of dishes. 

Can you imagine Chicken 65 features in the Chinese column of mostly all restaurants of Lucknow.. can somebody please tell me what is so chinese in the preparation???

HISTORY!!!

Well for me ..  I grew up in a family of gourmets. My mother claims I started teaching her to make jalebis ever since I saw it being made on my way to primary school. The passion to cook grew with age and was refined in my days at IHM. Being awarded with the prestigious 'Chef of the Year' award in 1994 at College, gave me the confidence of trying out new recipes. Slogging from 1995 when i started working at 21 years of age till 1999, I learnt the tricks of the trade and decided to work on my dream... my own restaurant.

1999 may 19... the first pack n chew was established after a lot of hardships... three employees and rupees ten thousand to  boast of. We started the first restaurant that could be called ours... a team as small as a weed trying to challenge the big jungle ahead of us. The restaurant was designed as a take away with a small capacity to sit ... thats how the name Pack N Chew was established... i owe this contribution to my elder brother .. Thanks Atul dada.. we searched the web to find a suitable name... PACK N CHEW... THE CONVENIENT FOOD STORE... the store got substituted by RESTAURANT.. after two months of operations.. it was too modern for lucknow. 

Hardships continued and the struggle too... lows and high and then tie ups happened.. good food done in a very homely fashion stuck to the taste buds of the corporate of lucknow. The restaurant started buzzing.. known for good music and good food. Before the year could finish tragedy struck.. PNC as it was now called by regulars had to move from the Vidhan Sabha location... No place to go.. i closed the restaurant after serving breakfast and shifted to my grandmas garage. Operated from there for two months and searched for another location. Part of the hardships of a first generation entrepreneur.

JAN 2000 :  Found a sick open air restaurant in the heart ofthe city.. land owned by a big business house of the country. Met up with the owners and the lady said.. i like your smile.. and gave me the place. WOW!!!  Things were happenning again, new addition to the name.. PACK N CHEW, OPEN AIR RESTAURANT..