Experience a Culinary Extravaganza: Novotel Vizag's Bao Food Festival Takes Center Stage

By Author

Published on February 3, 2024

Date: February 1st to 10th, 2024

Venue: Red Bowl - The Pan Asian Kitchen

Get ready for a delectable adventure as Novotel Visakhapatnam Varun Beach presents the city's first-ever Bao Food Festival at Red Bowl - The Pan Asian Kitchen, from February 1st to 10th, 2024. This culinary fiesta, masterfully curated by Chef Vikram, pays homage to the globally celebrated Chinese steamed bun, promising a unique and unforgettable dining experience.

Embark on a gastronomic journey featuring an array of mouthwatering bao tacos, each carefully crafted to surpass the last in deliciousness. The festival menu boasts a diverse selection of flavors, including exotic mushrooms, tofu, vegetable tempura, Schezwan cottage cheese, ginger scallion pokchoy, bell pepper, Cantonese vegetables, Sriracha mayo prawns, ginger chicken, char siew pork, Hosi Chilli duck, Schwejwan chicken, and five-spice prawn bao and tacos.

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Chef Vikram, renowned for his mastery of Asian cuisine, dedicated months to perfecting the Bao Food Festival recipes. The freshest and highest-quality ingredients were sourced to ensure each bao bursts with flavor. His passion for Asian cuisine is palpable in every dish, showcasing meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to culinary excellence.

Lakshmi Sridhar, General Manager of Novotel Visakhapatnam Varun Beach, expressed excitement about hosting this groundbreaking festival at Red Bowl - The Pan Asian Kitchen. She stated, “Chef Vikram has created a truly exceptional menu, and we are confident that our guests will love every bite. This is an opportunity for food lovers to indulge in a unique culinary experience that they won't find anywhere else in Vizag.”

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For those seeking a distinctive culinary adventure, make your way to Red Bowl - The Pan Asian Kitchen. Immerse yourself in the enticing flavors of the Bao Food Festival, where each bite tells a story of culinary expertise and passion. Mark your calendars from February 1st to 10th, 2024, and elevate your dining experience with the city's first Bao Food Festival.


Loya Unveils Summer Cocktail Menu Inspired by North India

Loya Unveils Summer Cocktail Menu Inspired by North India

By Hariharan U

Published on March 26, 2026

Loya is bringing a refreshing twist to summer with its new seasonal cocktail menu, inspired by the rich flavours and culinary traditions of North India. Known for its storytelling-led dining approach, the restaurant continues to blend regional ingredients with modern mixology techniques, creating drinks that feel both familiar and elevated.

The summer menu features a selection of thoughtfully crafted cocktails that highlight Indian botanicals, spices, and house-made infusions. Designed for the warmer months, each drink offers a balance of flavour, aroma, and lightness while staying rooted in Indian taste profiles.

One of the highlights is the Indus Gin & Tonic, a refreshing take on the classic that combines Bombay Sapphire with orange blossom, citrus, and a house-made tonic syrup. Finished with soda and garnished with paan leaf and dehydrated citrus, the drink delivers a crisp and aromatic experience ideal for easy summer sipping.

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Another standout is the Loya Manhattan, a bold reinterpretation of the classic cocktail. It brings together Indian single malt and rye whisky with a house amaro infused with 21 spices, along with sweet vermouth and bitters. Served chilled with a spiced cherry garnish, the cocktail reflects Loya’s signature spice-forward approach.

The cocktails are available at the Loya bar and are designed to pair seamlessly with the restaurant’s North Indian menu, offering guests a well-rounded and seasonal dining experience.

With a continued focus on regional ingredients and craftsmanship, Loya’s latest cocktail offerings highlight its effort to redefine the Indian bar experience through innovation and flavour-led storytelling


Burger Singh Raises INR 82 Crore in Series B and It's Building Something Bigger Than a Burger Chain

Burger Singh Raises INR 82 Crore in Series B and It's Building Something Bigger Than a Burger Chain

By Author

Published on March 24, 2026

Burger Singh just closed its Series B round and the numbers tell a strong story. The Gurugram-based burger chain has raised INR 82 crore at a valuation of INR 520 crore, with the round led by Artal Asia Pte Ltd and participation from Negen Undiscovered Value Fund, Aurum Rising India Fund, and a mix of new and existing investors.

But what makes this funding round interesting isn't just the size of it. It's what Burger Singh plans to do with it.

The brand is not simply opening more outlets. It's building what Founder and CEO Kabir Jeet Singh describes as India's franchise-first restaurant growth platform, a structured, scalable system that allows local entrepreneurs to open and run successful franchise-owned outlets with the right support behind them. That's a meaningfully different ambition from just expanding a burger chain.

India's quick-service restaurant industry has grown significantly over the past two decades, but most of that growth has come through company-owned stores or master franchise arrangements. What hasn't developed at the same pace is a well-organised platform that genuinely enables individual entrepreneurs to succeed in the restaurant business at scale. Burger Singh sees that as the gap worth solving.

With 200 plus stores already operational across 100 plus cities including Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Jaipur, Chandigarh, and Amritsar, the franchise backbone is already in place. The fresh capital will now go towards deepening that infrastructure across store design, training systems, operating manuals, supply chain integration, technology, and on-ground market support.

The brand's FY 2024-25 revenue of INR 117 crore reflects consistent growth across both metro markets and emerging cities. Products like Nikku Singh, Udta Punjab 2.0, Churmur Pandey, and Bunty Pappeh Da Aloo have built genuine recall in a crowded category, helped along by accessible pricing and a menu that has been built specifically for the Indian palate rather than adapted from somewhere else.

Kabir Jeet Singh was clear about the larger mission behind the raise. "India has no shortage of entrepreneurs. What it lacks is enough high-quality operating platforms that allow those entrepreneurs to succeed in the restaurant business at scale. That is the gap we are solving. We are not just opening outlets; we are building the platform Indian entrepreneurs can plug into to create successful restaurant businesses."

Founded in 2014, Burger Singh was built with a specific premise: not to imitate foreign burger chains but to reinvent the burger for Indian tastes at an affordable price. More than a decade later, that premise is now the foundation of a platform play with real scale ambitions.


The Filter Coffee Expands in Bengaluru with Three New Outlets

The Filter Coffee Expands in Bengaluru with Three New Outlets

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on March 24, 2026

The Filter Coffee has expanded its presence across Bengaluru with the launch of three new neighbourhood outlets in Sadashivanagar, Jayanagar, and Church Street. With these additions, the brand now operates ten outlets across the city, bringing its signature filter coffee and familiar South Indian meals closer to more communities.

The Sadashivanagar outlet, opened on February 9th, 2026, is spread across 2,300 sq. ft. and features a 66-seater casual dine-in space with full service. It also offers the traditional banana leaf dining experience, reflecting the brand’s roots in everyday South Indian food culture. Located in one of the city’s well-known residential areas, this outlet marks a key step in the brand’s growth.

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The Church Street outlet, opened on February 23, 2026, is located at 1 Sobha Mall and spans 1,100 sq. ft. This is the brand’s first food court format outlet, designed to serve a high-footfall area in central Bengaluru while maintaining the same consistency in taste and quality.

The upcoming Jayanagar outlet, spread across 2,100 sq. ft., will follow a casual dining format with full service and a traditional banana leaf experience. Located in a neighbourhood known for its strong vegetarian dining culture, the outlet aims to connect with customers who appreciate classic South Indian cuisine.

“With every new outlet we open, our commitment to food quality and consistency remains unchanged. Consistency is the foundation of trust, and it’s what enables us to expand without diluting the experience our customers expect,” said Sankrit Iyer, Co-founder of The Filter Coffee.

Known for its focus on authenticity and simplicity, the brand has built a strong connection with customers looking for comforting South Indian meals served with warmth. Each outlet is designed to offer a relaxed and welcoming space, staying true to the idea that food is best enjoyed in a comfortable setting.

“We’ve seen strong demand from customers asking for The Filter Coffee closer to where they live. Expanding into these well-known neighbourhoods allows us to serve a wider audience while staying true to the everyday dining experience we’re known for,” said Avinit Bagri, Co-founder of The Filter Coffee.

With these new openings, The Filter Coffee continues to grow steadily across dine-in, takeaway, and delivery formats. The brand remains focused on offering familiar meals rooted in tradition while adapting to modern dining preferences, making each outlet a regular go-to spot for coffee breaks and everyday meals.

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