MasterChef Telugu: Go-to food points in Vizag of this former contestant

MasterChef Telugu Season 1 is a Telugu culinary reality show that is currently being telecast on Gemini TV. With several competitions and challenges, the contestants are tested for their sense of taste, choice of ingredients, as well as the flexibility to adapt and manage time, and resources, in preparing a dish. Ever since the show started, this programme has been garnering attention for creating mouthwatering recipes and dishes. And to satiate that urge in each of us, Manisha Panda, a MasterChef Telugu Season 1 contestant from Vizag shares her best food points in the city with Yo! Vizag.

Manisha is a Safety Officer from Vizag, who loves to explore new realms in life. A classical dancer and an avid reader that she is, with the advent of the internet, she started a personal blog called _what.panda.eats_. Through this blog, she curates her experiences of eating at different corners in Vizag and shares them as creative & informative posts on Instagram. Today this MasterChef Telugu contestant from the city has curated the 5 best food points in Vizag and what she likes the most in each of these food points. 

#1 The Spicy Venue

“This place is famous for the MLA Potlam Biryani. If you are in Vizag you must also try the Apricot Delight – dessert. On the whole, as the name suggests, if you want to taste the spice of Andhra, The Spicy Venue is a must-visit”. 

#2 Hotel Maa Nathi Vindu

“If you are looking for proper desi Andhra food, this place is for you. My personal favourite is ghee avakai muddapappu. What is fascinating about this food place is its consistency in taste and essence”.

#3 Six Degrees & Hungry Hippo

“The best thin-crust pizzas available in Vizag are at the Six degrees and Hungry Hippo cafe. In 6 degrees there are all non-veg pizzas. They also introduced the 21-inch pizza recently. The best all veg pizzas could be found in Hungry Hippo”.

#4 Tossed Wok

“All the Chinese cuisines are available at the Tossed Wok in Vizag. I have tasted their entire offerings and Chopsey is my favourite. For continental cuisines, the final one-stop destination would be Upland Bistro. 

#5 Dessertino

“Dessertino is the best place for desserts in Vizag. If you are a chocolate lover, and a craver, Dessertino in Vizag is a good place. The best I have had in this place is the sizzling chocolate brownie. You could also try out the Kesar Thick shake, it’s like sipping rasmalai”.

On the MasterChef Telugu front, Manisha Panda from Vizag fared well, impressing the judges and the contestants with her tasty dishes. During one of the challenges, she failed the Mise En Place test, wherein she had to keep everything – preparing, cutting, marination, etc, in place. Manisha failed in replicating a few ingredients of her replica and was eliminated from the show. While a dejected Manisha left the show with a promise to follow her passion for cooking, little did she know that a re-entry challenge was on cards for her. The re-entry challenge offers one last opportunity to the eliminated contestants to prove their candidatures to continue on the show. She competed against stalwarts like Madhavi Mohan and Priyadarshi Sahgal for the challenge and cooked Crispy skin chicken with coconut curry leaf curry served with pudina rice and beetroot curd – Coastal Wonder and made it to the show once again. However, Manisha Panda was later re-eliminated from MasterChef Telugu Season 1 on 16 October, 2021. 

Also, read here to know which of the MasterChef Telugu contestants are from Vizag.