buffet lunch at NYC, Radisson blu Plaza after a relaxing spa session at R The Spa

Last couple of years have been so hectic with so much travel and work I started craving to be home with a relaxed mind. The garden has been suffering and the overall management of home and kitchen suffers too when I travel so much. Being at home for more than a month now feels like a luxury sometimes, can't imagine I used to crave for traveling not too many years ago.

So I am enjoying being at home right now, doing things at my pace and taking a walk in the garden more often, even though I rarely actually work in the garden these days. But that will start too as I can feel my hands itching more often. I have been overworked for so long I was neglecting my personal time too.

So 2 weeks ago when I got an invite from Radisson blu Plaza for a weekend spa session I didn't hesitate to go and check how it is. All with a good mind to book myself a good spa session for myself as a birthday treat later this month if I like the experience. The last spa session I took was last year though I treat myself with foot reflexology regularly.

R The Spa is actually a luxury spa with many treatments to suit your requirement, we felt really relaxed after a session that lasted couple of hours. The therapists are perfectly skilled at their work and make you feel completely comfortable and relaxed. I am definitely booking it again as a gift to myself.

We went to the multi cuisine restaurant at the hotel after the spa session for lunch. This restaurant has live kitchens and extensive spread on the counters, a very vibrant restaurant where you are spoilt for choices. This is an all day restaurant with an exhaustive buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The best thing that I liked was the spread of salads. There are larger platters of salads too but the small single serving bowls of salads are very very convenient. You don't have to dig out things from a large platter where other guests have excavated valuables, a mini salad neatly arranged in a small bowl is ready to be devoured in it's totality. This way you feel like trying many salads available on the buffet and I liked quite a few of them.

Pickled onion rings with grilled courgettes, prawns with passion fruit salsa, grilled chicken with tomato salsa and a slice of avocado, prawns with mango salsa and pomegranate were some of my favourite salads in the single serving bowls.

I tried a grilled mushroom salad, bacon wrapped prawns and Amritsari machhli too and everything was perfect. Amritsari machhli is a fish fry with a besan batter infused with ajwain and red chilly etc.

I rarely like besan batter fish fry but this Amritsari fish fry is so good you feel like having second and third helping, of course with loads of green salad on the side.

This thyme infused grilled chicken wings was also good.

NYC at Radisson blu Plaza is the place where you can stick to your diet regime whatever you are following, I ate loads of salads or all types and had some Thai green curry later. Thai green curry is one of the best in town thanks to Chef Yenjai Suthiwaja from Neung Roi. Arvind tried some Meen moilee and Rogan josh and liked each of them.

And yes, don't forget to enjoy the Figs and walnut ice cream there. I rarely eat ice creams but this one is really good, worth each calorie consumed.

On Saturdays The Pastry Shop at the hotel has been conducting baking classes, we got a glimpse of that too. We did not have the time to attend the class but Chef Qureshi was teaching Macaroons and Tiramisu when I peeped in.

You could go and attend one of these classes if you want to learn baking authentic desserts. Chef Qureshi was sharing how all five star hotels use good quality chocolate only and how this category of desserts have become more and more popular in the last decade or so.

The fruit bread from The Pastry Shop is so good it feels like home baked pound cake studded with fruits and nuts.

I haven't been baking breads and cakes for very long but this bread made me feel like baking some really soon. Stay tuned a nice healthy cake is on the way.