caldron magazine august + september 2015

CALDRON MAGAZINE, AUGUST + SEPTEMBER 2015 | 1

AUG-SEP 2015DUAL ISSUE

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5CUP CAKE PLACES IN NEW YORK7 CITIES COVERED THIS MONTH15REVIEWS IN THIS ISSUE

5 IMMUNITY BOOSTING DRINKS4 PARSI DISHES YOU MUST TRY!22 DELICIOUS RECIPES!

MAKE RESTAURANT GUESTS HAPPY!

GET TO KNOW YOUR DIM SUM

BELLY WOES: GASTRO-ENTERITIS!

KNOW YOUR PARSI FOOD

A WEEK SPENT IN LADAKH

2 STEP BY STEP RECIPES IN THIS ISSUE

PALEO: A DIET THAT WORKS!

PAGE 38

Delhi/NCR Mumbai Bangalore Kolkata Chennai Pune Dubai New York

2 | CALDRON MAGAZINE, AUGUST + SEPTEMBER 2015

REVIEWS08 Uzzuri Delhi & Bar, New Delhi10 Latest Recipe, Gurgaon12 Vintage 31 Bistro, New Delhi14 Tangerine & Salt, Gurgaon16 Biere Club, Bangalore18 Taj Vivanta Saturday Brunch, Bangalore20 Fenny's Lounge & Kitchen, Bangalore22 Absolute Thai, Chennai24 Quench, Mumbai26 Hoppipola, Mumbai28 Mejwani Thali @ Four Points by Sheraton, Vashi30 Afraa Restaurant & Lounge, Kolkata32 Cucina, JW Marriott, Dubai34 Ibby's Falafel, New York36 NY Restaurant Week, New York

ISSUE BONUS48 Correcting Guest Experiences Gone Wrong64 Good Food Equals Safe Food84 The Bengal Cookbook88 The Hundred Foot Journey

100 Belly Woes: Gastroenteritis136 The Truth About Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and

Heart Disease176 CaLMEET #1 @ The Piano Man

TRAVEL44 Heaven Descended: A Week in Ladakh94 Heart, In the Right Place

146 A Legacy of Elegance: Lalit Great Eastern, Kolkata166 The Big Terrain Rider: Nissan Terrano

40 Finally, A Diet That WorksAfter reading about the many diets out there that promise health to their followers and experiencing quite a few of them, Charis Bhagianathan finally

found one that works - the Paleo diet! Not only did she think it effective, but she also felt the basic premise to be simple and very do-able.

CONTENTS

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Aug-Sep 2015


FOOD & FLAVOURS68 A Thousand Years of Fusion82 Top 5 Cupcake Places in New York90 You Dim Sum, You Lose Some

MATTERS OF SPIRIT80 Reinventing Like the Phoenix

RECIPES72 Boti ni Akuri74 Bhaji Dana Ma Gos76 Lagan nu Stew78 Maiwhalan86 Muri Ghanto89 The Hundred Foot Omelette

106 Pesto and Chili Bacon Pull-Apart Rolls108 Cheese Gougeres110 Whole Wheat Atta Bread112 Kheema Stuffed Pao114 Pain au Chocolat116 Pomfret Rawa Masala Fry118 Goan Green Masala Fish Fry120 Coconut Masala Mussels122 Macchi ni Curry124 Illish Paturi126 Kesar Kaju Katli128 Zaffrani Sheer Khurma130 Atta Sooji ka Halwa132 Channar Malpua134 Hayagreeva162 Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp Scampi164 Rose Smoked Pulled Chicken with Rumali Roti

and Avocado Mint Chutney

DRINKS & COCKTAILS54 Muskmelon, Bottle Gourd and Lemon Nectar56 Pineapple, Bell Pepper and Fennel Seed Nectar58 Apple, Beetroot, Carrot and Mint Nectar60 Wheatgrass, Cucumber and Coriander Nectar62 Orange, Celery and Ginger Nectar

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Step by step recipe


useful informationWEBSITEhttp://chefatlarge.in

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The TeamSID KHULLAR (Delhi/NCR)[email protected]

PARUL PRATAP SHIRAZI (Delhi/NCR)events editor [email protected]

NATASHA ALI (Bangalore)associate [email protected]

JASWINDER SINGH (delhi/ncr)wine & beverages [email protected]

CHARIS ALFRED BHAGIANTHAN (New york)associate [email protected]

kuki ravindran (chennai)associate [email protected]

Dr. Sushma Ayyalasomayajula (UK)Editorial [email protected]

Dr. Gita mohan (bangalore)associate reviewer, [email protected]

devangi thakkar (dubai)associate [email protected]

nadeem khan (delhi/ncr)data [email protected]

RHEA MITRA-DALAL (Mumbai)quality analysis & [email protected]

MANISH BHALLA (London, UK)recipe curation [email protected]

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VIJAY NAIR (Dubai)global events coordination

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Cook at home partner


If you missed us in August and all of September, it probably means we're doing something right. We spent the last few weeks revamping our processes, training new folks who came on board and in essence, making Chef at LargeTM and CaLDRON MagazineTM even better

for you. To make up for our disappearance, this issue is a whopping 180 pages stuffed full of the most brilliant recipes

and articles and is bound to keep you busy for a few days, more if you decide to try the recipes.

As it turns out, this time, we're quite a bit about health. This month's cover story is on the Paleo diet, which is one of the few such out there that I find works. What's not to work? When you read the article you'll find yourself nodding in agreement and wondering why you didn't think of it yourself. Besides the Paleo diet, we also bring to you a quick reckoner to better understand gastroenteritis, which you'll agree us foodies are particularly susceptible to. We have also this time, included a very technical and very informative guide to better understanding the relationship between saturated fat, cholesterol and heart disease. This is one area where myths flourish and we believe this article will dispel many of those.

I'm also quite sure you'll enjoy reading about the journey of Parsi food and your families will love the included Parsi recipes.

If there was ever a time I felt truly connected to Chef at Large, it was this month. Processes needed revamping and there was no doubt it would be a month of hard work for all of us, including three very new team members. Each and every person in the team and I mean that, rose to the challenge and ensured everything in the system worked as well as it should. Some of us took on new roles and some of us shed older ones. Everything's squeaky clean now and we're all set for future issues!

We've also begun Events that promise to be a load of fun for CaL members and which we're going to roll out in 10 cities by next year. Don't forget to come!

Stay well.Sid

editorial


Joseph 'JJ' Johnson is an award-winning chef at The Cecil and Minton's in Harlem.Johnson was born in 1984 in Long Island, New York, but spent his youth in the Poconos, where at the age of seven was inspired to become a chef.

After seeing a commercial for The Culinary Institute of America,

Johnson told his mother that he wanted to become a chef. But, it was only after watching his Puerto Rican grandmother serve up butternut squash soup and other ethnic dishes, that he knew he had to.

After graduating from The Culinary Institute of America, Johnson spent time in Ghana

studying West African cuisine, before returning to cook at several New York City restaurants, including Tropico, Jane, Tribeca Grill, and Centro Vinoteca.

In 2011, Johnson (26) competed and won Bravo's Rocco's Dinner Party cooking competition, quickly catching the eye of restaurateur Alexander Smalls. Smalls invited Johnson to breakfast to introduce the concept of Afro-Asian cooking to him. A year later, Johnson joined Smalls on a 16-day trip to Ghana, where they prepared a series of American-themed dinners.

Upon their return, Smalls and Johnson developed 36 different menus that would ultimately be narrowed down to one Afro-Asian inspired menu for The Cecil in 2013.

Since its opening, the restaurant has garnered several awards including "Best New Restaurant in America (Esquire).

Johnson himself was ranked among Forbes 30 Under 30 in the Food & Wine category (2014), Zagats 30 Under 30 (2014) and Eater's Young Guns (2014).

BORN THIS MONTHJOSEPH JOHNSON BORN AUGUST 1ST, 1984

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Close, But No Cigar

Connaught Place appears to have located its trousers and is donning them with vengeance. A far cry from a time in the recent past when this brilliant commercial area was anathema for entrepreneurs due to its deserted corridors and nearly complete lack of leisure visitors, we are now witness to more and more new openings in Connaught Place. A most interesting section of Connaught Place, for me, is Janpath, and on Janpath are the triplets of Cafe Coffee Day, Beer Cafe and Uzzuri Deli & Bar, all three in a row, each representing a very different need and each seemingly well suited to fulfil it. Cafe Coffee Day has good coffee and awful food. Beer Cafe has good beer and awful food. Uzzuri Deli & Bar is therefore ideally placed to fill that gap. Does it?

A fortnight ago, I found myself lunching at Uzzuri Deli & Bar and despite how unassuming it

looks from the outside, its just as spacious and brightly lit on the inside. Walking past the cold counter stuffed with baked good, I found myself in a 32 cover space, the whole done in shades of wood from blond to a light mocha. A cool, light and airy area, the dining room is at ground level while the bar is located upstairs. The bar menu was small, with what I thought were tasteful selections in multiple categories including

a neat cocktails and mocktails section, in addition to smoothies, shakes and other soft beverages.

The food menu at Uzzuri however is another animal and a splendid one at that. Most menus in the city display an overwhelmingly ingratiating temperament; were they people, they would have been the sort who have a perpetual ear to ear grin plastered on with their heads rapidly nodding

Uzzuri Deli & Bar is off to a great start but needs to iron out some wrinkles. As long as you are willing to micro-manage your order and

accept the odd goof up, it is one of the places you should earmark for a visit the next time you are in Connaught Place.

The Salmon Nicoise was superbly done and I couldn't ask for more.

RESTAURANT REVIEW

SID KHULLAR / DELHI

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agreement to every request, heard or unheard. The Uzzuri menu on the other hand I would compare to Jeeves; good posture, confident and capable of delivering. Then again perhaps I spoke too soon, as I was denied two of my first choices from the menu, my waiter citing unavailability. Nonetheless, the menu was still a delight to behold a well stuffed breakfast section complete with classic egg preparations like Eggs Florentine, an overflowing selection of appetizers in addition to some very tantalising sandwiches, burgers, pastas, pizzas, main and desserts.

My plan was to ask for a soup, a salad, a vegetarian and non-vegetarian starter and a two main courses, vegetarian and non-vegetarian. Normal dining protocol states the dishes arrive in the order above though one could argue the position of the starter. Things were a little different at Uzzuri. I started with the salad and ended with the soup, the starter and main course in between.

My first, a Salmon Nioise (INR 525++), was superbly done and I couldnt ask for more from a Nioise. Theres something incredibly comforting about a Nioise is it the eggs or the potatoes or both? Perhaps the dressing? Maybe the crunch of the fresh leaves interacting with the softness of the eggs and potatoes? Im never sure. What I do know is that every texture in this salad complements the others and I tend to eat the lot together; a bit of egg, a bit of potato, a bean, a leaf and so on. This one had a piece of slightly overdone fried salmon perched atop the pile with a dollop of olive

tapenade crowning the lot, making an already interesting Nioise even more so. Crisp salmon skin is so very good, isnt it? Add to that boiled eggs, boiled baby potatoes, olive tapenade, crunchy lettuce and beans, and we have a winner.

Next were a pile of crunchy, oily, overfried vegetables fritters masquerading as the Vegetable Tempura (INR 275) I had asked for, followed by a platter of fish pakodas, each sporting a thick, soft and leathery coating of fried batter, instead of the Traditional Fish & Chips (INR 375) I thought I had ordered. The kitchen would do well to note that there exist different sorts of batters for different sorts of batter fried dishes. My vegetarian main course, Three Cheese Leek Souffl (INR 375), couldnt be served, my waiter citing a lack of moulds, which was strange. Considering individual portions of souffls are baked in individual moulds of which a reasonable restaurant must at least own a set of 6, it is quite unlikely that the entire set would go missing.

Rohit Singh, a customer and corporate communications professional thought the Chili Lime Tilapia he had ordered during his previous visit and raved about on his social media account, would be a good choice for lunch that day too. Wrong choice apparently. It was disappointing., he said, The exotic vegetables I loved the last time, like baby carrots, were missing this time and the quantity of fish served is noticeably less too in addition to the fish not being as fresh as the last time. I also observed his other

order, a cold coffee, being botched to the extent of an inedible product delivered to his table.

Lamb Shank (INR 475), my remaining main, was a good example of a brilliant winter dish. A shank of lamb surrounded by crisp vegetables laid atop a smooth pile of potatoes mashed with wholegrain mustard, the lot drenched in possibly the meatiest brown gravy. Delicious, no doubt but better suited to a wintry evening than a summer afternoon. I cant wait for winters to arrive so I can return for Uzzuris delicious lamb shank platter. Finally, my meal ended with the soup of the day, Cream of Broccoli (INR 180), which was served with two slices of garlic toast and delicious too. While it did need what nearly every other vegetable soup in the city needs, a good vegetable stock, it still was an example of one of the better vegetable soups Ive eaten.

Uzzuri Deli & Bar is off to a great start but needs to start the process of ironing out wrinkles, which Im sure theyll do at the earliest. In the meantime, as long as youre willing to micro-manage your order and accept the odd goof-up, Uzzuri is one of the places you should earmark for a visit the next time youre in Connaught Place.

PRICE: INR 2500++ (Meal for two)

ADDRESS: 1/3, Scindia House, Next to Tribhuvandas Jewellers, Janpath, New Delhi

PHONES: 011 436 56516, 17

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Some Chefs can do no wrong! And thats a bold statement to make I make it nonetheless. This update is a long time coming. For one thing, it is very easy to imagine this kitchen as one helluva fun place to be! Im talking

about Le Meridien Gurgaons all day dining, Latest Recipe. Having retained most of the original staff, it is a pleasure to have access to the sense of awe, albeit with a differ-ent brand it is the same delight even then! I suggest you consider the menu like a journey, across the

span of Asia, a bit longer in the Far East and perhaps not long enough in the Middle. Nevertheless, this menu is revelation of flavours and a learning for the lovers of good food!

Starting with the Prawn Cocktail: Shrimps Get Wild (INR 650) was possibly an ace for Chef Tanveer. This was the dish I call the hook the moment you know this meal is going to be fabulous! Apart from the expected freshness and bal-ance, the key to this dish was the choice of mayo Chef chose to use, Japanese Mayo or some say, Kew-pie.

Being thinner and tangier, there is a whole different bouquet of flavours to play with here and the

The Latest Recipe for

Lasting Memories

RESTAURANT REVIEW

PARUL PRATAP SHIRAZI / DELHI

When Chef Tanveer designs a menu, you can picture a

scene from Alinea's kitchen or the French Laundry's. It's not just

very good food; its the thought, the planning,

the flavour palates involved that make all

the difference.

LATEST RECIPE, LE MERIDIEN GURGAON

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consistency is perfect. Calm the palate with either the Charred Corn Tabbouleh with feta salad and falafel (INR 550) or the Quinoa Roasted Pumpkin Salad with Pine Nuts and Goats Cheese (INR 550), both of which do terrific justice to the vegetarian angle in this menu. The charred corn is smoky and the Tabboulleh is corn-sweet and light, while the Quinoa brings in a fluff-iness with a perfect caramelized sweetness from roasted pumpkin.

Dont miss the Chard Bread with the salad. The nuttiness is all the texture you need to set off the pine nuts; its like drama you can taste! Then things continue to get excit-ing! The humble sounding Cab-bage and Onion Salad with plum, avocado, seaweed and tanuki (INR 550) ups the ante with the awe-some Asian twist of Tanuki. These tempura crumbs are a perfect pick me up the for the limp but hugely flavourful seaweed and if youre a meat eater gone vegetarian, this is going to bring back some amaz-ing memories of the glory days! So many textures, onion crunch, buttery beans, soft avocado, moist seaweed, intelligent Tanuki, it was very chirashi like, this salad!

The menu goes on to become a vegetarians delight with Harra Moth ki Chaat (INR 550) and Dahi ka Cheela (INR 550) but the real stars would have to be the Blow Torched Salmon with Wakame salad and pineapple wafu dressing (INR 650) which tastes just as good as it sounds and has not a trace of propane to boot! Wafu is a Japanese vinaigrette of sesame oil, wasabi and rice vinegar. Add pineapple to that and you have the Japanese penchant for per-fection at its best! The Salmon is served in rosettes, like a cousin of Sashimi, with a hint of green apple in case the pineapple isnt tropical enough. The Chicken Oyster and

Wild Mushroom Salad with wasabi aioli and tobiko (INR 650) comple-ments the Salmon very well. fleshy mushrooms, rich with fish roe and peppery arugula leaves to make it more earthy. Also the aioli is bottle worthy. It has everything to do with the combination of mush-rooms, shimeji, king brown and shiitake, beautifully done!

If you wish to bring in a bit of red meat instead, there is the Warm Vietnamese Shaking Black Pepper Lamb Salad with Lychee (INR 650); hot and cold at play, soft lamb with Japanese flavours, a lick of spice and then the cooling lychees. You see how it works, almost like magic!

Dont leave the fun part in all this food and I dont mean dessert! Do try the Okonomiyaki (cabbage and corn or prawn and bacon) (INR 650). This super fun Japanese style savoury pancake looks like a pizza. It is flour based with a variety of ingredients in the batter, which is then poured on hot skillets or pan grilled to make wholesome mini meals. I chose prawn and bacon, the combination of the sweet sea and the salty fat put this in my top three dishes of the day and those were some hard choices! Pair your meal with a variety of specially curated cocktails and mocktails, and enjoy!


ADDRESS: Le Meridien Gurgaon, Sector 26, MG Road, Gurgaon

PHONES: 011 331 05305

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So many textures, onion crunch, buttery beans, soft avocado, moist seaweed, intelligent Tanuki, it was very chirashi like, this salad!

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The urge to become a restaurateur has never been more evident as it is today. Combined with rising levels of income, overseas exposure, information access and dietary experimentation, more and more entrepreneurs appear to be choosing the culinary route than other traditional and possibly less risky alternatives. Is it perception of glamour that attracts or the (fictitious) promise of untold wealth? Perhaps it is the satisfying prospect of feeding people that appears? We can never be sure of any of this but for the fact that there are plenty of restaurant start-ups out there, most belonging to folks not from hospitality backgrounds. I visited one of these a few weeks ago; Vintage 31 at Delhis Meher Chand Market.

From a certain perspective, there are two types of restaurants those started by hospitality folks and those by amateurs. The former are bound to have the right processes in place, the right words to the right people in the right manner

and quite likely, the same food and decor youve seen a hundred times before. The latter, I find progress slowly, stumbling and learning from each fall and to the experienced eye will have a dozen things out of place that could do with relocating. Whats

usually different however about restaurants led by amateurs, who havent given in to the mediocre visions of restaurant consultants, is the food and the overall look of the premises. Theres usually a refreshing quality about both, mostly because we probably havent seen them before. Such interiors cause us to do a double-take every few paces and thats what I did at Vintage 31. Started by Vimi and K.D. Singh, an ex-Indian Air Force couple (he flew fighter aircraft), Vintage 31 is what I can never expect a professionally managed restaurant to be, and I mean that in the nicest manner possible.

The decor at Vintage 31 seems an attempt to recreate a Victorian

Given it's provenance, Vintage 31 has a few rough edges to be rubbed away and a few wrinkles to be ironed out. The decor however is great,

the food, honest making the whole experience quite quaint.

Counting Flowers on

the Wall

The Caramel Custard was light and delicious though I thought a little darker caramel would have been nicer.

RESTAURANT REVIEW

SID KHULLAR / DELHI

VINTAGE 31


parlour, with classic dining room chairs used for most part at the tables, all-cushion wingback chairs and other furniture in the easily spotted Queen Anne style with the distinctively curved cabriole legs though the staircase could have used balusters to keep the theme going. Unlikely for the look were the stucco surfaced inside walls though I thought the handpainted roses adorning parts of nearly all the walls, quite breathtakingly beautiful. The look continues with the use of white porcelain jugs for water service and ends with the menu, which definitely isnt Victorian.

Starting with a Seafood Chowder (INR 310) that Avanti thought had the right flavors but could have used the traditional thickening method, we continued our meal with a portion of Stuffed Mushrooms (INR 285), which we thought delightful, with their stuffing of cheese and yoghurt mixed with herbs. Ive begun gravitating towards salads and other forms of food that feel healthier than my usual haunts and

chose the Boiled Egg Salad (INR 330) that afternoon along with a portion of baked Chicken Wings (INR 350). While the egg salad was filling and well made, with strips of ham and sliced boiled eggs in a forest of dressed greens, the wings were a bit of a surprise; abundantly crisp inspite of being baked. Id love to know how they did it!

Given our shared memories of sweating vegetable cutlets in foil boxes on the Indian Railways, we couldnt resist asking for a portion of Indian Railway Cutlets (INR 350) and the default main course if it exists on a menu Pork Chops (INR 475). The cutlets, which needed better plating (potato cutlets with potato wedges) werent really reminiscent of the railways to me and I also thought the (unnecessary) flour binding changed the texture in an undesirable manner.

The pork chops however were quite nice and the stroke of genius with this platter were the caramelised shallots. Caramelised onions Ive eaten with pork

chops though I never thought caramelised shallots would make so much of a difference! Roughly mashed potatoes and a mild demi glace completed the job to an end most memorable. We finished up with a well made Caramel Custard (INR 225).

Given the non-hospitality backgrounds of its owners, Vintage 31 has a few rough edges to be rubbed away and a few wrinkles to be ironed out. The decor however is great, the food, honest making the whole experience quite quaint. Youre likely to have a good time when you visit and if you brush up against any of those rough edges, do seek out and let the owners, Vimi and K.D. Singh, know. Theyre happy to listen.


ADDRESS: Shop -31, Mehar Chand Market, Lodhi Rd, Lodhi Colony, Delhi 110003

PHONES: +91 98738 17391

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We loved the caramelised shallots that accompanied the pork chops.


Gurgaon is spreading and for the lack of a better term, its quite like wild fire! The good part is that what comes with the expan-sion is a new set of strip malls and stand-alone restaurants that make weekend binges easier both on the wallet and the palate. Yes, there are pockets which attract crowds but if you know where to get good food and good value you wont

be stuck grappling for parking or tables. Thats how we found Caf Tangerine & Salt. I personally love the name; I once did Tequila shots where the lemon wedge was substi-tuted with a tangerine wedge and its an awesome memory to relive - thats what cafes should do, bring back something good or create something better!

The caf itself is pretty big, over 70 covers and even though I felt

the tables were a bit too close, it tends to create a sense of cama-raderie which comes with a caf that has a thriving bar. The bar is a big talking point; it holds court by the back wall and takes up most of it, adorned with quirky number plates that have names of local

villages and alpha numeric names of popular drinks. I wanted to take home the Old Monk one! There are mason jars converted into light fixtures, bird cages that twinkle and 80/90s retro music, which is more than enough to have me hooked! As much as it seems like a typical beer, burger, Caesar salad sort of place, it turned out to be way more than that, considering the menu is massive and its hard to imagine a kitchen pull off that much!

Start with the Shish Taouk (INR 325), juicy, well cooked chicken

No Tequila Required!

RESTAURANT REVIEW

PARUL PRATAP SHIRAZI / DELHI

Check out Caf Tangerine and Salt for great deals on liquor, a family brunch, good service and the chance to win a discount if you

play darts!

CAFE TANGERINE & SALT


(which is hard to do with a lean meat!), Indian spiced (probably to keep with the local palate) but accompanied with excellent hum-mus and house baked pita. Follow it up with the Pizza Diavola (INR 415). I love all things devilish and in food it always translates into super hot, which the pizza wasnt but it was hot enough. What was better was the base, perfect thin crust! I had to squeeze in a Caesar Salad (INR 275) I believe it is the simple things that are most telling of a kitchen and even though the chicken in my salad was warm, I enjoyed the warm and cool sen-sation in each bite and found the dressing to be sans any artificial after taste; very appreciable.

There were two dishes I ordered rather hesitantly but it had to be done the Braised Belgium Pork Belly (INR 695) which turned out to be great, crackle and all, and the Seafood Platter (INR 895) which could have been better. There is nothing particularly Belgian about

the belly but it is very well made for the price point and as much as I liked the Lebanese Chilli Fish and the Prawns in the seafood platter, the Calamari Rings needed a bit of work!

The meal was duly completed with a round of Chocolate Mousse Can-noli (INR 130). I loved it, it could be have been more crisp but then the filling was so perfect I cant complain. This is the only caf I have found in town that serves Cannoli! I didnt care much for the Panna Cotta (INR 150). I found it a bit heavy and strangely enough, a bit buttery too, nothing another Cannoli couldnt fix!

Do check out Caf Tangerine and Salt for great deals on liquor, a family brunch, good service and the chance to win a discount if you play darts! They also have board games which are way better over beer than coffee and my all time favourite concept, all day break-fast!


ADDRESS: Good Earth City Center, Sector 50, Gurgaon 122002

PHONES: +91 99108 06727

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The caf itself is pretty big, over 70 covers and even though I felt the tables were a bit too

close, it tends to create a sense of camaraderie which comes with a caf that has a thriving bar.


RESTAURANT REVIEW

NATASHA ALI / BANGALORE

As Bangalores oldest microbrewery/brew pub, The Biere Club on Lavelle Road is a well recognized spot in town. In my four years as a resident of the city, Ive frequented it many a time from choosing it for birthday bashes to farewell parties and you know, just because! In fact, there are times in the warm weather when I yearn for not just a beer, but a brew from Biere Club.

The beers here are consistently good and we always have a good time. A couple of months ago, they brought out a new menu and of course, we had to see what had changed (and remained constant, too!). Thus, a pleasurable Sunday afternoon was spent, trying rather too many of the items off the new menu, enjoying some cold brews, and a wayward game of pool. (wherein my date bested me in a resolute fashion!)

PLEASING THE LOCAL PALATEThe food menu contains the old standards, of (yummy) flatbread pizzas, various kebab and mez-ze platters and the like, and has a whole host of new inclusions, which have been created with an eye to be crowd pleasers and cater more to the local palate than before. The Biere Club was earlier what I would term Mediterra-

nean in its offerings, whereas now theres quite a number of Indian flavors, as well as pastas and a few Asian dishes amongst the mains, and the ubiquitous burgers. Start-ers that are of the South Indian bar food styling have a place, as do the more pub grub offerings like fries, cheese platters and sliced meats. There is a leaning towards the non vegetarian guest, but enough to

I admire and applaud The Biere Clubs efforts to keep innovating and trying different things. It adds that element of something new to try, it means new items to add to your favorites list, and of course, youre

always assured of a choice of half a dozen beers on tap to accompany your meal.

There's More To Love At Biere Club Now!

The Fish and Chips at Biere Club are nice

presented and deliicous to boot

BIERE CLUB


keep the meat abstainers uncom-plaining, too. This is an establish-ment that knows its way equally well around a hummus or three (Three Hummus, INR 260) as a Chilli spicy coriander chicken (INR 280). If you are a fish fan, then dont miss out on the Rava fried fish (INR 350) or the Mini fish and chip cones, served with sea salt and malt vinegar (INR 350).

When it comes to salads, I find they do a good job with them all and though it may seem a bit of an oxymoron to have a salad with your pint, I always do here. Meaty mains run the course from English style chicken tikka (INR 400) and Chicken Massaman curry (INR 400) to Beef Stroganoff (INR 460) served in a jar and steaks, pork and lamb chops. Other than the Stro-ganoff, which came cutely served in a mason jar, but was not great in taste, we liked all the other offer-ings. I was almost scared to take a look at the desserts, fearing my two favorites would be absent, but breathed a sigh of relief! they, the sticky toffee pudding (INR 200), the warm chocolate stodge cake (INR

220), remain, as has another crowd favorite, the Knickerbockerglory sundae (INR 220). To this already decadent list has now been added, amongst others, Deep fried bounty bars with vanilla ice cream (INR 200), an ode to Elvis and State fairs, I dare say.

KEEP ON INNOVATINGA lot of people might go with the 'dont fix it if it aint broke' phi-losophy, but like their 1st floor experiment with The Chophouse (sadly now defunct), I admire and applaud The Biere Clubs efforts to keep innovating and trying dif-ferent things. It adds that element of something new to try at every visit, it means you have new items to add to your favorites list, and of course, youre always assured of a choice of half a dozen beers on tap to accompany your meal (or maybe the reverse, and some new nosh to accompany your cold brew!). However you slice it, theres a reason The Biere Club remains a favored spot, and that has not, and will not be changing for me!

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PRICE: INR 1800++ (meal for two)

ADDRESS: No.20/2, Vittal Mallya Rd, Sampangi Rama Nagar, Bangalore

PHONES: 080 421 24383

4/5

The caf itself is pretty

big, over 70 covers and even though I

felt the tables were a bit too close, it tends to create a sense of camaraderie which

comes with a caf that has a thriving bar.

The interiors are a little busy but in a good way


RESTAURANT REVIEW

NATASHA ALI / BANGALORE

Brunching is something weve all come to adore as a weekend activity. I have fond memories of Sunday brunches that my mum made it would vary, from paranthas and anda bhurji to bacon, sausages and eggs or farm-ers omelettes. It was something to look forward to, especially since she always rounded the meal off with one of her superb desserts.

Fast forward a quarter of a century and brunching is still a favourite pastime. However, Sunday seems to be de rigueur for this activity, and after a late Saturday night, sometimes one isnt quite in the mood. Plus you know, Sunday: day of rest and all that. But Saturday is the start of the weekend, one is peppy, bright eyed and bushy tailed, looking for something fun to do. Vivanta by Taj, Yeshwantpur decided it was time to step into the breach and present Bangalore resi-

dents with a new option Saturday brunch at their Mediterranean Cafe Azure. Named Mou Taverna, the vibe was of a Souk a little marketplace, that included Chan-napatna wooden toys for the kid-dies to buy and play with, cheeses, sauces and potted plants for sale, and of course, a very delectable spread.

AN IMPRESSIVE SPREADThere is a lot of food, arrayed across three spaces, so make sure you take the time to walk around and get a good look, else youre sure to miss out on some deli-ciousness. The outside area has live grills, including Shawarma and crunchy fried shrimp that youre unlikely to stop after just one of. These items, along with a few

The vibe was of a Souk, Channapatna wooden toys for the kiddies, cheeses, sauces and potted plants for sale, and of course, a very

delectable spread - that's Saturday Brunch for you at Azure.

Yay For Saturday Brunch!

We kept returning for the perfectly fried, crunchy and very delicious prawns.

AZURE, VIVANTA BY TAJ, YESHWANTPUR

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other starters were brought to our noisy table of children and adults. There was a bar set up in the middle of the room, with Chandon sparkling wine (avoidable if like me, you are a bit of a champagne snob), good Jacobs Creek wine, a range of cocktails, and a lovely bartender who will happily whip up a drink to suit your palate and mood. He offered up a lemony, fizzy concoction for us when we asked for something non sweet.

Our walkabout had shown us apart from hot mains, a salad selection that was so beautifully presented that it almost seemed a sin to eat! In particular was this Italian sushi (no not really, but thats the most apt way to describe the look and feel of it.) prawn dish that we went back for seconds of, and as befitted a Mediterranean feast, dolmas, hummus (carrot hummus new to us and lovely), babaghanoush, mu-tabbal, moutawmeh and tabbou-leh. Another standout from this section was the poached pears so good we all attacked and probably could have kept eating had there not been so much more to try.

DESSERTS HAVE THE FLOORMy brunch date dragged me to try the desserts long before we had hit mains, and a good idea it turned out to be. The spread, set up in a separate room, looked enticing and tasted delectable. The gateaux and puddings were rich and decadent, and there were a couple of lemony/raspberry laced ones that were tart and hit the spot. After this we headed to main course, which included a pasta station, beef, chicken, jambalaya and more the standout here was an incredible pork belly. And then we made our way back to the by now gutted des-sert section to sweeten the expe-rience before we left, the last ones to do so, too! We are all thrilled to finally have a worthy Saturday brunch to go to, and it was well worth the travel to Yeshwantpur to partake in it!

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PRICE: INR 1600++ and 1800++(per person, without/with alcohol)

ADDRESS: 2275, Tumkur Road, Yeshwanthpur, Bangalore 560022

PHONES: 080 669 00111

4/5

The outside area has live grills, including Shawarma and crunchy fried shrimp that youre unlikely to stop after just one of.

These poached pears must not be missed when you visit!


RESTAURANT REVIEW

DR. GITA MOHAN / BANGALORE

On a festive Friday afternoon, I decid-ed to venture out for lunch in the busy neighbour-hood of Koramangala in South Bangalore, a locality that offers a multitude of choices for the die-hard foodie. Restaurants old and new, low-priced, mid-range and the high-end were chock-full of diners. I quickly hopped across the busy road near Forum Mall to a 3rd-floor Goan-themed restaurant, Fennys.

Charming InteriorsFennys Lounge and Kitchen is a delightful dining option with seat-ing at various levels. The interiors are very much in tune with the Goan theme with pub bench-es, mosaic chips in the flooring, ornate mirrors, low thatched doorways, and plenty of wooden beams that are the hallmark of the Portuguese style of architecture in

traditional Goan homes. There are a couple of seating arrangements at a higher level, accessed by wooden stairways, while an entire upper floor is dedicated to larger parties. A surprising element were the Pen-ny Farthings converted into high tables with a single round block of wood! The two nearly-century-old Bonsai trees add to the greenery in this rooftop venue. Much has been said and written about Fennys award-winning, record-breaking wine bottle chandelier, and the Limca National Record is proudly displayed at the entrance.

Though sans reservation on a busy Friday afternoon, the hostess was quick to find me a table. Almost every table was occupied, with the bar area half-full, while the wood-fire pizza chef was kept on his toes throughout. The 20-feet Pizza Tower deserves special mention, because Fennys tower is construct-ed using traditional Goan laterite

stones, along with local bricks. This attention to detail adds to the charm of Fennys.

F&B to suit all palatesThe beverage list is long and its cocktails and mocktails are always a hit with diners. Other than the usual suspects, the Classic cock-tails, there are innovatively named specialties, such as Tina Maka Dina, Anncestral Recipe, Maldai Mango, London Sour and others. This time, I settled for a rather simple Fresh Lime Water.

Fennys prides itself on specializ-ing in Mediterranean and Euro-pean cuisine that suits the Indian palate. Fennys food options are wide-ranging, from soups and salads, to vegetarian and non-veg-etarian starters, main courses, pastas, sizzlers and their in-house specialty the wood-fire thin-crust pizzas. Vegetarian choices were aplenty, and I settled for

Warm Goan hospitalitycoupled with an elaborate Mediterranean and European menuthat suits the Indian palate makes Fennys Lounge and

Kitchen a popular choice in Bangalore.

The Goan Susegado Spirit In Bangalore

FENNY'S LOUNGE & KITCHEN


an old favourite Crispy Potato Wedges (INR 125). Other starters on the menu included Tikki Brus-chetta, Ginger Pineapple Strikers, Lyonnaise Mushroom, Boiled Egg Croquette, Chicken Quesadilla, Crab Piccanta Sticks, Batter Grilled Fish and even Potato Beef Bolog-nese. The wedges were perfectly fried and seasoned, and an abso-lute delight to dig into while taking in the balmy afternoon breeze.

All of the main course options appealed to me, so it was a tough choice. Since the wood-fire oven chef was busy, I chose not to go for a signature pizza. I can vouch for them, as on a previous occa-sion, I had tried their Farm House Pizza, and it was spot-on. This time, I was intrigued by an un-usual lasagne the Bread Lasagne (INR 275). The Fennys employee assured me it was a popular dish. He also did add that it was rather heavy for an afternoon meal as it contains too much cheese! It was

definitely a humongous por-tion meant for not one, but two persons! The wonderful aroma triggered my olfactory senses instantly. It had a couple of layers of bread, instead of lasagne sheets, and roasted vegetables and cottage cheese in alternating layers. Two crisp slices of Garlic Bread com-plimented it perfectly. The lasagne was seasoned beautifully and just melted in the mouth. The Bread Lasagne is also available with beef, instead of vegetables.

Other interesting Main Course options included Veg Newberg, Chicken Mexicano, Rosemary Baked Beef, Beef Stick Steak, and Pasta dishes such as Penne Alfredo, Tagliatelle Arrabbiata and Sizzlers in Vegetarian, Chicken and Lamb versions. Moving on to the des-serts, again, I was stumped as all of them appeared equally appetizing. The Sticky Toffee Cake with But-terscotch Sauce (INR 170) won against the Chocolate Brownie.

One of the best Ive tasted in India, it was artistically presented and extremely flavoursome.

Time and again!What draws me to Fennys every time is not just their food and bev-erages, but also the attention paid to all customers. It is rare to see a restaurant/lounge treating a lone diner as well as Fennys do! It is not always nostalgia for my school and college days in Goa that draw me to Fennys their hospitality means a lot more than nostalgia, though the latter also lends to the wonderful, warm feeling that en-velops diners here.

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ADDRESS: 115, 3rd Floor, Opposite Raheja Arcade, 7th Block, Koramangala

PHONES: 080 412 82428

4/5

The Bread Lasagne was

delicious, cheesy and so very

filling!


RESTAURANT REVIEW

KUKI RAVINDRAN / CHENNAI

For one of the most popu-lar cuisines in the world, its surprising that in Chennai, Thai cuisine has had only singular representation in the form of an exclusive restaurant all these years. Fortunately the monopoly is all set to be broken this week, when Absolute Thai moves out of soft-launch phase and opens its doors to hungry Thai-food lovers in the city.

From the Foodies Kitchen, the boys who brought you Sushi in a Box (home-delivered sushi), comes their second and more ambitious venture, Absolute Thai. A stand-

alone, exclusive Thai restaurant located in the heart of town, Absolute Thai ticks all the boxes in terms of location, dcor, and menu.

abundant fareWithin seconds of being shown to our table, two shot-glasses of an interesting, liquid amuse-bouche (literal translation mouth amuser) were placed in front of us. The slightly spicy, somewhat sweet, ginger and lemon drink was a tasty, refreshing palate-tick-ler. The pictorial menu makes choosing both easier and tougher as everything looks good, so to avoid unnecessary debate and

decision-making, we settled on the Absolute Thai Combo Platter (INR 750) which had 4 pieces each of Royal Money Bags (vege-tarian), Thai Fish Cakes, Chicken Spring Rolls and Prawn Tempura. Served piping hot with a sweet chilli Sauce, each appetizer was fresh and flavoursome. The Royal Money Bags were little pouches of delicate pastry encasing a finely minced and beautifully seasoned filling of crisp but tender veggies. The Tempura Prawns were crumb-fried rather than tempura-battered, but the perfect marriage of crisp, crunchy coating with tender, juicy prawn was delicious! The Chicken Spring Rolls were good, compe-

The second, exclusive Thai restaurant to open in the heart of the city. The menu with all the old-favourites, the more-than-competent execution,

the pleasant service and the cosy interiors, all make it a joy to visit.

Absolute Thai... Sawadeeka!

ABSOLUTE THAI


tently executed, but not memora-ble. The piece de resistance of the platter however were the Thai Fish Cakes - they were light and burst-ing with flavour.

By now, we were pretty full but decided to soldier on and order dessert - Thai Coconut Pumpkin Custard (INR 225) and Water Chestnuts in Coconut Milk (INR 175). The custard was smooth and

paired with a creamy coconut ice-cream made a sublime dessert. I enjoyed the water chestnut dessert more though- the perfect, soothing end to a spicy, delicious meal.

Absolute Thai showcases the best of Thai food - spicy, sweet, sour and savoury experiences in a multitude of fresh and colourful dishes. It is a long overdue second option for Thai food lovers in the

city and I look forward to going back soon.

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ADDRESS: 24, Cenotaph Rd, Teynampet, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600018

PHONES: 044 476 01000

4/5


RESTAURANT REVIEW

SACHI KUMAR / MUMBAI

The Insatiable Quench

Starting a bar in Mumbai is a big gamble, given how many there already are, and flex-ible customer loyalty. While many are open-and-shut cases, others survived and built a de-cent clientele for them-selves. Quench All-Day Bar and Caf falls into the latter category. Its USP is the viable costs of the drinks and un-intimidating food, so patrons can focus on having fun with their friends rather than on whats on their plates. The walls are adorned with ghetto-inspired paintings of The Beatles, Jim Morrison, Elvis Presley, etc, which add a spunky vibe to the dimly lit bar. The other high spot is the red chequered glass window overlooking the busy street below, and the beer bottle chandeliers. FARE FRAUGHT WITH CONFUSIONAfter a quick glimpse at the drinks menu we settled on the Snake Bite (INR 449) and Monkey on the Island

(INR 429). Staying true to its name, Snake Bite was a deadly combination of Tequila, orange liqueur, lime cordial, topped with red wine. However, the wine overpowered the taste of all others, lending it a slight bitter taste. We could barely discern any tequila in the Monkey on the Island or vodka for that matter, whilst the Dukes lemonade played a blink-and-miss-it role in the cocktail. Quenchs food menu is largely influenced by typical bar food, making it easy to pick out the appetizers like the Labna Mushrooms (INR 209). Labneh is a yoghurt

Quench All Day Bar and Caf has pimped up the bar food with so much cheese almost all the food tastes the same. Its still a

favourite with regulars who come for its well-priced drinks and retro music.

The Labneh marinated Labna Mushrooms were delicious!

QUENCH ALL DAY


dip that is a staple in most Middle Eastern meals. Our server in-formed us that button mushrooms were marinated in this dip, which was also infused with basil. The pungent taste of garlic elevated the taste of the dish, and our plate was empty within minutes, even though the flavour of yoghurt was conspicuously missing. The Grilled Chicken Olive (INR 239) was dressed in a thick pine nutty sauce and bursting with flavours of basil. We devoured the grilled chicken olive, partially be-cause of the overload of cheesiness the first of many to come. We were glad we did not miss out on the popular Herb Paprika Chicken (INR 249) especially since chicken and paprika is considered a win-ning combination and we were won over by this creation. A CHEESY AFFAIRWhen it comes to innovation, the chef might not win any awards. In the Thai Basil Fish (INR 239), the only sign of the basil was a solitary basil leaf atop the fish. The Pesto Penne (INR 329) was hardly in-spiring and very sweet for our taste buds, because of the cashew nuts in the pesto, which made it evident that this was the poor mans pesto. The Prawns Newburg (INR 419) were supposed to be spicy mari-nated grilled prawns with mush-rooms and red yellow bell pepper served with pimento rice. It was spicy, check. It was grilled, check. There was no trace of wine that ought to have gone into its making to give it a nice glaze and a tangy flavour. The rice it was served with did not have pimento. Perhaps calling it Grilled Prawns served

with a side of spiced rice would have been more accurate. Our self-proclaimed gluttonous appetite could not do justice to the heavily piled up dish of Hakka noodles tossed with spicy chicken, topped with crispy noodles, with a fried egg in the Triple Schezwan Fried Rice (INR 309)! And that is saying a lot. We just about saved some space for dessert, and our server suggested we try the Quench Special Sizzling Brownie (INR 209). It surely would not win brownie points for origi-nality, but the brownie base, which we were told was infused with beer, was definitely not rock hard as we have had in other places and could even soak the gooey syrup poured over it. Quench does not harbour any pretensions about being a gour-met destination, so the no-frills food does not come as a surprise. What however comes as a bit of a disappointment is that it follows a four-gravy system, where each of these gravies are overladen with cheese, which after a point just numbs your palates.

So, if you are looking for a bar to have a quiet conversation, Quench might not work for you. But for hipsters who want some easy grub and unpresumptuous drinks (not high street beverages, mind you!) with some good retro music blaring from the speakers, without pinching their pockets, Quench has an undeniable lure.

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ADDRESS: 4th Floor, Tian Building, 48 Gulmohar Road, Juhu, Mumbai 400 056

ADDRESS: 022 301 51959

3/5

Quench does

not harbour any pretensions about being a gourmet destination, so

the no-frills food does not come as a

surprise.


Do you have mem-ories of getting whacked on the back of your head for playing with your food as a child? Well, the good folks at Hoppipola, Powai encourage you to do exactly that. They believe that eating out should not be about plonking your behind on a cushy cushion, ordering from a menu, having a subdued conver-sion with your dinner companion, fumbling with your mobile phone to catch up on whats happening

on your social media networks or mails, eating your meal, pay-ing your bill, and heading out the door. Once you push the heavy wood-en swinging door to enter the restaurant, you are tempted to pick comics from the wall mounted book stand at one end of the room, or doodle on the chalkboard that doubles as a table top, or challenge your friends to a round of Scrabble or Jenga that the staff is happy to

provide you with basically do more than just walk in, eat, pay and leave. The idea is to get people to stop staring into their smart-phones while out for a meal and actually engage with each other, of course with some food and drinks thrown into the hubbub. Now isnt that a recipe for happiness?

We thought so. Especially when we trooped in to Hoppipolas Powai outlet on what we thought was early for a Friday evening, but were

RESTAURANT REVIEW

VINITA BHATIA / MUMBAI

Tired of fine-dining? Try fun-dining at Hoppipola, Powai where mealtimes

go beyond ordering, eating, paying, and exiting a restaurant;

it's more about entertainment, entertainment, entertainment!

When You're Hoppi And You Know It

HOPPIPOLA

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surprised to find the bar packed to its high ceilings. Not many seemed interested in playing the sedate games mentioned above, but some were quick to jump off their high chairs and shake a leg, while the DJ belted out tracks from the 90s that not many in the crowd related to, but nonetheless danced enthusias-tically to. ITS RAINING MEDIOCRITYThe nub of our visit was to check out the Monsoon Menu, which will be available till the end of August, 2015. This adjunct to the main menu is all of six dishes, with three vegetarian and three non-vegetar-ian options. Like everything else in this establishment, the titles and descriptions on the menu are quirky enough to raise a chuckle as you peruse through it. The Tempura Tamarina (INR 180) was fairly run-of-the-mill and something you would get at any Mumbai street side vendor under the pedestrian name of Kanda Bhajia. Yes sir, it was onion fritters in a pimped-up guise. Had the Nuke-A-Zuke (INR 180), or zuc-chini fritters, not been so oily or salty, it would have gone very well with the accompanying dry and spicy burnt chili garlic chutney. It appears that by the time menu writers reached writing the de-scription for the Crack-A-Cheese (INR 190), their creativity dried up so they succinctly summed it up as Chilli Paneer, which is exactly what it was. This unspectacular tangle of cottage cheese, capsicum and onions tossed in a concoction of cornflour, soy sauce and ketch-up is something you could share with your friends over drinks, if

you are unfussy about whats on your plate. Having sampled the vegetarian variants, we realised that the first half of the Mon-soon Menu does not even try to take baby steps towards reaching gastronomic heights. Luckily, we had ordered a round of fairly well concocted beverages, which kept our spirits from deflating. It was easy to see why many tables at Hoppipola had glasses of Long Island Ice Tea (INR 295). The bartender had mixed this wicked cocktail perfectly well potent enough to make you forget the travails of the week gone by whilst bolstering you for the hectic week coming ahead. Our taste buds were equally grateful for the lush fla-vours of the Vodkatini (INR 195), which had the right proportion of vodka. FINALLY GETTING IT RIGHTThe Kheemo-Therapy (INR 270) was lamb mince served along-side crispy garlic bread slices and pita bread. The mince had a well-rounded flavour, sans too much spiciness, despite its looks; when lathered on the bread slice made for a pleasant DIY bruschet-ta of sorts. The Indoo Shahkuti (INR 195) is a re-imagined om-elette on buttered pav, with Chick-

en Xacuti thrown in to keep things interesting. The best choice on the limited Monsoon Menu was the innovative Aapdo Chorizo (INR 285). Imagine a finger sized green Bhavnagari chilli. Next, imagine a mixture of Goan chorizo and prawns in a spicy and sweet tomato salsa. Then, imagine the latter stuffed into the former. Now, imagine biting into this pile of spiciness, sweetness and tanginess in a single chew! Lets just say it makes for a fascinating mouthful. Hoppipola might not win any awards for the food, but then again, we dont think it was angling for any in the first place. Seeing how the place was mobbed on the day we visited from women on a girls nights out, colleagues letting down their hair, to guys drinking in bonhomie food is the clasp that binds the geniality of time well spent and is not the focal point of the evening. Also, the menu prices do not make you whip out a pocket calculator and frantically calculate what the damages to your pocket comes to on a night out. The pulsating vibe of the place rubs off on you and we urge you visit Hoppipola more to soak in that feel, than to tuck into the food.


ADDRESS: 136 & 138 A, Galleria Shopping Centre, Hiranandani Gardens, Powai, Mumbai

PHONES: 022 401 50436

3/5

The pulsating vibe of the place rubs off on you and we urge you visit Hoppipola more to soak in that feel, than to tuck into the food.


Navi Mumbai is generally perceived as a place starved for good food with not much beyond run of the mill Indian or Chi-nese joints. You couldnt be more wrong! These days Navi Mum-baikars are spoiled for choice and the Four Points by Sheraton hotel is making a concentrated effort to give patrons a taste of cuisines from India and abroad via special food festivals focused on a single cuisine.

Now such food festivals are hardly unique but the most recent one they had caught my attention for two reasons the first was that it was a purely vegetarian menu, and the second was that this menu was curated by a food blogger not a chef.

Mukul Jha, Executive Chef at the Four Points explained how the on-going month of Shraavan (where locals turn strictly vegetar-ian abstaining even from alcohol)

was a major factor in influencing the decision to do a completely vegetarian festival showcasing local Maharashtrian food. Saee Koranne Khandekar, restaurant consultant and food blogger, pointed out how most people perceive Maharahstri-an cuisine to be all about Malvani curries, over spiced versions of Kolhapuri food, or batata vada completely unaware of the flavour-ful, complex, sometimes rustic and sometimes sophisticated Brahmin food of the Desh and the Konkan.

RESTAURANT REVIEW

RHEA MITRA-DALAL / NAVI MUMBAI

The Mejwani Thali at Four Points by Sheraton

had two vegetarian, yet sumptuous

meal options that showcased Kokanastha

and Deshastha Brahmin cuisine from Maharashtra; a rare

chance to enjoy home cooked food at a

starred property in Navi Mumbai.

Majedaar Maharashtrian Mejwani

The Kokanastha Thali had whole wheat puris, brinjal and onion fritters or bhajjis, an amla and coconut chutney, cabbage and moong koshimbir or salad.

MAHARASHTRIAN MEJWANI THALI PROMOTION AT FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON

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The Mejwani Thali was a two week event organised by the Four Points in association with PRestaurants, a company that does focused food events, and Saee Koranne Khandekar showcasing Kokanastha and Deshastha Brah-min cuisines, popularly known as KoBrah and DeBrah cuisines. The two are quite distinct and reflect the produce and ingredients of their regions. While the Konkan is abundant in fresh produce, veg-etables, etc., the interior regions of the Desh (or mainland) have a relatively frugal selection of fresh produce and therefore rely more on spices and dried ingredients, pulses, peanuts, etc. This contrast was clearly visible in the two thalis that were served.

The Kokanastha Thali had whole wheat puris, brinjal and onion frit-ters or bhajjis, an amla and coco-nut chutney, cabbage and moong koshimbir or salad. It also had batatyachi (potato) bhaaji, tomato che saar - a tomato and coconut soup-like light preparation, alu cha phadphada colocasia leaves and stems spiced and cooked to a thin puree, vaalacha birda bitter field beans in coconut, and tondli masale bhaat spiced rice with ivy gourd. A bowl of fresh curd to soothe the tummy and a bowl of ghavlyachi kheer rounded off the meal perfectly. Ghavlya are a sort of rice shaped whole wheat pasta traditionally made in Kokanastha households commonly used in kheer and also in savoury prepara-tions.

This incredibly elaborate meal was an adventure for me from start to finish. The biggest plus point was that the food did not have

the ubiquitous red/brown/white gravy that one sees in restaurants serving Indian food these days. From the chutney to the koshim-bir, and from the birda to the saar, each dish had its own distinct taste. They looked different too in consistency and colour and this amazing variety of flavours and textures made this one of the best vegetarian thalis I have ever eaten. So many flavours in a single plate!

The Deshastha Thali was quite different in appearance and fla-vours. A more robust cuisine with a limited arsenal of ingredients, it was quite a revelation how varied and interesting the Brahmin cui-sines of Maharashtra are. This one had the same whole wheat puris, a raw mango and chilli chutney that was just lip smacking, green chilli pickle, koshimbir of cabbage, carrots and moong daal, and crisp

on the outside and jelly on the inside sabudana wadas. I could have munched on a dozen of these babies without complaint! The mains on this thali included the same dry batatyachi bhaaji as in the Kokanastha thaali, bharli vaan-gi baby brinjals cooked in a spicy coconut and peanut masala, whole masoor usal, shevgyachya shen-gachi aamti toor daal cooked with tender drumsticks and spiced with goda masala (made following Khandekars great grandmothers recipe), and masale bhaat with green peas. For dessert this thali had a unique offering called rataly-ache kaap - sweet potatoes cara-melised in clove scented jaggery. An incredibly simple dessert but oh so sophisticated, I was floored. Im not a great fan of dessert but the ratalyache kaap was simply irresistible. Ghavlyachi kheer was also served with this meal and that was a lovely bonus which made my husband very happy indeed!

Both thalis included plain curd, and a basket of kurdai (wheat milk papads) and mirgunda (poha papads), and at the end we were served vida (paan), and dried can-died amla.

Priced at a mere INR 375 + taxes, the thali cost less than INR 500, which I thought was an absolute steal considering the sheer variety of dishes on these thalis.

PRICE: INR 375++ (per thali)

ADDRESS: Plot 39/1, 6 To 15, Sector 30A, Vashi, Navi Mumbai, Mumbai

PHONES: 022 615 87777

4/5

Saee Koranne

Khandekar, restaurant

consultant and food blogger,

pointed out how most are unaware of the flavourful, complex, rustic and sometimes sophisticated

Brahmin food of the Desh and the

Konkan.


Afraa Restaurant and Lounge in City Center I is currently celebrating its 'A Taste of Tuscany' food festival, and although I was invited a while back, call it divine intervention, or a twist of fate, I could not go there any earlier, but, at the very last weekend, suddenly, D asked me what I was up to, and as we were both thinking of eating something meaty and catching up, we decided to meet up at Afraa.

We both decided on a glass of Folonari Leggero Bianco, a light new white with a soft floral nose, which is off-set by tones of mild sweetness that complement the semi-dry finish. It is a good choice for those who like a wine which is not too sweet or too warm on the palate, and is great for fish, chick-en, pizza, or light pastas. As I ini-tially thought of ordering a pasta or the fish, I was all for it. Howev-er, then the bread basket came, and before I knew it, I was tucking into the crisp, warm slices of toasty gar-lic bread, and D groaned briefly in

despair, looked at me with baleful eyes, and then munched on a slice as well.

There were also pretty triangles of Lavash bread, studded with seeds, and thin grissini sticks, but we had promised ourselves to not fill up on bread, so we reluctantly left the bread alone. Meanwhile, the Chefs

had come over, and after a brief tussle about the meal, we settled for a light repast of the non-vege-tarian antipasti platter, and some chicken to follow.

The Antipasti Platter was much larger than we had expected. There were wafer thin slices of pepperoni on crispy flat bread, slices of boc-

RESTAURANT REVIEW

POORNA BANERJEE / KOLKATA

Afraa Restaurant and Lounge in City Center I dreamt up the Taste of Tuscany festival, featuring food from that delicious Italian region and Poorna

Banerjee thought the world of it.

A Taste of Tuscany

The breads, which included a crisp and tasty lavaash, were well made and I think we ended up eating more than our fair share.

AFRAA RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE

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concini and tomatoes spread over crunchy crostini, and topped with a bit of sun-dried tomato relish (or so I thought!), which we downed in no time. I was not much fan of the ham wrapped around thick wedges of melon. I would have preferred if the melon was shaved, as well as the ham, and the mor-tadella and salami were nice, but unremarkable. We also got a bit of olives and an assortment of dips, including one which was quite strong and herbal, and a red relish which was rather mild, despite the fact that it looked rather fiery and intimidating.

The Pollo di Graziella was a gener-ous portion of chicken legs, cooked to perfection, and served with gravy, an assortment of vegetables, and a risotto which was not too wet, and veered more towards a wet pilaf. However, the creamy rice accompanied the meat nicely, and we attacked the mildly flavored meat with gusto. The server asked if we wanted more wine, but we

were looking forward to sharing a dessert, so we decided to skip it.

Dessert was Affogato, served with Bailey's, so we shared the scoop of vanilla ice cream, topped with Bailey's and a shot of espresso, taking sips from the Martini glass, and scooping out bits of the boozy ice cream from the bottom. Afraa is a great destination for that impromptu lunch or an even an outing with the family. Do look out for their special festivals when theres more than the regular stuff on the menu. It is always a good idea to call ahead and reserve first.


ADDRESS: #G-Block,6th & 7th Floor,City Centre Mall, Salt Lake City,, Sector 1, Salt Lake City, Kolkata

PHONES: 033 235 81111

4/5

The Pollo di Graziella was a generous

portion of chicken legs, cooked to perfection, and

served with gravy, an assortment of vegetables, and a risotto which

was not too wet, and veered more

towards a wet pilaf.

Their anti-pasti platters were generous and well made, ensuring we polished it all off within minutes


With an obvious commitment to quality and freshness of produce, Cucina is a great choice for un-fussy Italian fare in a rustic Medi-terranean setting. Located within the opulent 5-star interiors of the J W Marriott, this warm and rustic restaurant is a slice straight out of a local, family-owned Pizzeria some-where in picturesque Italy.

Cucina takes not just your palate but all your other senses too on a gastronomical journey to Italian homes, as you lose yourself within the warm interiors of this place. As we weaved our way through the dimly lit tables, I stopped to mar-vel at the service hatch - a close replica of the old-world elevators with fenced grills. Right across from the hatch is the sprawling counter for the lavish spread of sal-ads and antipasto, and just behind the counter, you find smiling chefs tossing their pizza dough heaven-wards. One look at the wood-fired oven behind them and you are reminded of a countryside casa in Italy.

Little ItalyThe walls are beautifully adorned with carefully hand-picked jars, cutlery and ceramics that speak Italian - literally! And, as a stark contrast, the very non-Italian staff are extremely friendly, exuding a bonhomie that only accentuates the dining experience. Friends who had visited the place on earlier occasions swear by the vibe creat-ed by the staff s periodic, random

bursts into song. We were looking forward to it, but considering there were not too many of us dining there that afternoon, they probably decided to give their performance a miss.

The quaint-looking wooden shelves housed a variety of oils, ol-ives and condiments, interspersed with antique lamps and frames. A small flight of wooden stairs lead to the upper deck, which had more seating for diners.

Simplicity at its coreWe like to whet our appetite with a good soup. Almost always. And were pleasantly surprised with the vegetarian options on the menu. The chickpeas and sundried to-mato soup with a generous dash of fresh basil was a little dense for my liking, but more than matched my expectations. The chickpea-basil combination worked really well with the lightly toasted breads, but would have been better had the seasoning and texture been mild. The minestrone soup, on the con-trary, though fresh and flavourful with crunchy vegetables, was all

RESTAURANT REVIEW

DEVANGI THAKKAR / DUBAI

Devangi Thakkar thinks Cucina a great choice for unfussy Italian fare in a rustic Mediterranean setting, given the obvious commitment displayed

towards quality and freshness of produce.

Savouring Italy

The decor at Cucina is rustic and the effect as a whole is quite charming.

CUCINA, JW MARRIOTT, DUBAI

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too familiar. The complimentary bread basket had an assortment of freshly baked breads and chips.

The vegetable cannelloni suffused with the richness of Mediterranean herbs and baked with a generous helping of tomato sauce was one of the finest I've eaten. A well balanced mix of all the elements resulted in a portion just right for one person. I usually find can-nelloni either cooked with a very dense sauce and filling or served in large portions, leaving little room for anything else. The way this dish came together with simple pro-duce, dairy and herbs reminded me of my grandmother's cooking.

The gnocchi in red pepper cream sauce had pine nuts, which my little one lovingly picked out. The flavour of red pepper was lost in the cream and the lack of any other kind of seasoning left us with little to enjoy. I must admit, though, that I am yet to come across a gnocchi that has been both experimental and successful.

Dining at an Italian joint without trying the pizza translates into an incomplete dining experience. We asked the server to bring us his recommendation, albeit vegetari-an. And so, calzone it was. It was stuffed with the most decadent mozzarella cheese, along with tomatoes, mushrooms and black olives. Of course, it is an Italian dish. A casual glance at the menu told me that all the risotto dishes had alcohol, so for someone who doesn't drink, risotto would not be an option.

We mulled over the dessert menu the longest, contemplating wheth-

er to go with the traditional fare or to devour something new. The Tiramisu, being a personal favou-rite, was a little hard to let go of. Of course, we could have called for that too, but we just didnt have room for more. We settled for a caramelised lemon tart with rose-mary apple sauce. We had never before tasted rosemary apple sauce and it cut through the sharp lemon flavour quite beautifully.

A special place for a special occasionCucina offers Italian fare in the most authentic ambience. It is not pretentious and delivers exactly what it promises as you walk in through the door. The pricing is mid-range and value for money. It is the kind of place that would be perfect for an intimate gathering or celebration. It is also the kind of place that would be perfect for a very relaxed meal while catching up with an old friend.

PRICE: AED 350 (meal for two)

ADDRESS: Abu Baker Al Siddique Rd - Dubai - United Arab Emirates

PHONES: +971 4 607 7588

4/5

The chickpea-basil combination worked really well with the lightly toasted breads, but would have been better had

the seasoning and texture been mild.

A well equipped salad bar churns out bespoke salads made just the way a diner desires.


Comfort food means different things to different people a mothers biryani, a college dhabas samosa or even salty chips, straight from a bag. For me, in a new city where Ive lived only four months, my current comfort food stop is a walk down the street - a tiny restaurant called Ibbys Falafel. Serving an array of Middle-Eastern dishes, Ibbys Falafel is located at Grove Street, Jersey City, nestled between some Indian grocery stores and nail salons. When you walk into the tiny cramped space (half of which is covered with tables and chairs), youre immediately greeted with that familiar and deeply comforting

aroma of roasting meat. There are framed reviews up on the walls, alongside the brief menu, and often there is Middle Eastern music playing that makes you wish you knew how to belly dance. Through the day, a wide demographic of people walk through Ibbys doors. Hungry office goers who need a quick lunch, tired moms who dont want to cook lunch, and students on a budget. Open until midnight, Ibbys is also an extremely popular post-drinks joint in Jersey City to eat in after a long night of dancing. The most popular items on the menu are the Falafel sandwich and the Shawarma sandwich

(chicken or lamb). The falafels are fried to order and then nestled in a soft, warm pita envelope that has generous filling of shredded lettuce with onion slivers and fresh tomato chunks and is finally doused with a creamy tahini sauce. The chicken and lamb shawarmas are both well spiced and full of flavor but I do enjoy the meatier taste of the lamb. The spinning meat grillers that rotate tirelessly

RESTAURANT REVIEW

CHARIS BHAGIANATHAN / NEW YORK

Charis found her go to place for comfort food to be just a short walk

down the street - Ibby's Falafel. Apparently, the familiar and comforting aroma of roasting meat helped. If you're looking for meaty sandwiches, middle eastern salads or simply ourstanding

hummus, Charis suggests you first try

Ibby's Falafel.

Not Just FalafelIBBY'S FALAFEL


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all through the day make the spiced and marinated meat slightly charred and crisp on the outside, yet gorgeously tender and juicy on the inside. These sandwiches are an easy to-go meal and most patrons drop by to pick one up for a quick meal. Those who can handle heat, often add a lashing of Ibbys hot sauce to the sandwich. This sauce is not the faint hearted though it looks and tastes like a pure red chilli paste. There is also the option to get the shawarma as a platter (with salad) instead of in bread (as a sandwich). Ibbys also specializes in Middle Eastern salads that are a great choice for the health-minded. In particular, the Fatoush salad thats piled high with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, pita croutons, olives and dressed in vinegar, lime and olive oil is deliciously fresh and perfect for a summer lunch. No Middle Eastern restaurant worth its salt has anything less than outstanding, poetry-inducing hummus, baba ghanoush and tzatziki , and Ibbys has certainly got their's right. Their hummus is a thick, creamy chickpea puree with hints of garlic, lime and sesame, while the baba ghanoush is a generous portion of roasted and lightly charred eggplant flesh blended with parsley, onions and lime. The yogurt-based tzatziki goes well with meat, and has a strong garlic flavor that I love. My standard order at Ibbys is the lamb shawarma with a side of the baba ghanoush so I can smother the rich eggplant dip onto my meaty shawarma before every delicious mouthful.

Ibbys also does lamb and chicken kebabs on the skewer, but I dont think theyre a patch on the shawarmas. Other popular items on the menu include stuffed vine leaves (filled with seasoned rice and mint), ful madammes (fava beans cooked with cumin and finished with lime and olive oil), and tabouli (a fresh couscous and vegetable side dish). For such a small restaurant, Ibbys certainly does not disappoint on the dessert front they have a few specialties that are baked fresh every day. Whether it is the classic

Baklava (filo pastry speckled with nuts and drizzled with honey), the small bites of Mabrouma (twisted filo dough cups topped with assorted nuts) or their signature rice pudding crowned with plump raisins and dusted with cinnamon, there is enough to choose from to end with a sweet treat. The Middle Eastern flavors of Ibbys Falafel have become to me, a comfort on more weary days. On days I miss home, the spices in the lamb and the garlic in the tzatziki remind me of mothers mutton biryani and raita. Its both strange and wonderful how as we grow up and travel, new tastes and flavors bring us comfort, joy and remind us of home. For many in this neighborhood like me, this small restaurant with honest, delicious food is like a piece of home.

PRICE: under US $10(price range)

ADDRESS: 303 Grove St, Jersey City, NJ 07302

PHONES: +1 (732) 409-123

4/5The spinning

meat grillers that rotate tirelessly all through the day make the spiced

and marinated meat slightly charred and crisp on the outside,

yet gorgeously tender and juicy on

the inside.

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Ibby's platter


The first ever Restaurant Week in New York happened over a decade ago in 2002, where a week-long, lunch-only event caught the attention of the public. Fast-forward to Restaurant Week 2015, and you have an all-out food extravaganza with some of the best restaurants in the city participating. The Restaurant Week concept is that restaurants offer a prix fixe lunch and dinner menu (price this year was 25$ for lunch and 38$ for dinner) for a three course meal. The menus do have choices, typically 3 or 4 choices per course, as well as supplement offers where you can get a fancier dish for an additional charge. This year, Restaurant week lasted from July 20th to August 14th almost a whole month.

The idea of Restaurant Week, I believe, is beneficial to both consumer and business. The consumer is able to sample food in restaurants they would not normally eat at because of the price. It is worth mentioning that

there were many Michelin star restaurants participating in this years event including Ai Fiori, Hakkasan and Gotham Bar and Grill. For many, the price would be a deterrent for dining at these restaurants, but during Restaurant Week you could sample a three course menu at a fraction of the regular price. For the business, Restaurant Week means opening doors to a whole new pool of customers, filling tables at restaurants that dont always have full houses and chefs cooking a shorter menu. Most patrons will also most likely buy a drink with their meal, which means higher alcohol sales.

What Do The Menus Look Like?This extended period gave me the time (and stomach!) to sample menus at several restaurants across NY. For instance, this is the Restaurant Week dinner menu of a very popular American restaurant called The Gander. Diners must choose one option for each course from multiple options provided by the restaurant.

Located in Manhattans Flatiron

district, this new and trendy dining spot runs a tight ship and the captain is Chef Jesse Schenker who has made a name for himself with his beautifully crafted American creations. We found every dish prepared with delicacy and a light touch the octopus appetizer in particular was exquisite, easily the most tender Ive eaten. Often, diners like us will pay the extra supplement to taste a special dish like the Tenderloin in this case, and it is well worth the extra cost.

Great Meat, Great PricesRestaurant Week is a great time to visit steakhouses if youre a carnivore like me. Good meat often costs a lot and during this time you can get slightly smaller portions of your favorite cuts, cooked to order, and usually with some delicious sides. The Mark Joseph steakhouse in Financial district is considered by many as one of the better steakhouses in the city. They boast of an on-site dry-ageing system and their signature dish is a 40oz Porterhouse steak cooked in its own juices. We stopped by for lunch and werent disappointed

RESTAURANT REVIEW

CHARIS BHAGIANATHAN / NEW YORK

Charis thinks NYC Restaurant week has the potential to be a fantastic experience for a food lover. The trick is to pick the right restaurant from the

long list of those participating.

Restaurant Week in NYRESTAURANT WEEK IN NY


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by the Restaurant Week menu. I was particularly pleased with my Baked clam appetizer and although there were only three on the plate, they had been cooked lovingly with lime, pepper and finished with white wine. For the mains we ate the 14oz Sirloin and the 8oz Filet Mignon (5$ supplement), both cooked exactly like we asked (medium rare) and served with buttery mash on the side. All that was left to do was to pick a good red wine to wash all that meaty goodness down and thank the Lord, for he created cows! During the course of Restaurant Week we also ate at two other steakhouses Empire steakhouse and Capital Grille, both of which were excellent.

Hits and MissesDepending on the popularity of the restaurant in general, Restaurant Week could either be a hit or miss on some aspects. For instance, Andanada, a Michelin-starred Spanish Tapas restaurant in the Upper West Side served us extremely small portions and though service was pleasant, it certainly didnt live up to the

Michelin star status. At Empire steakhouse, the choices were many and the portions were generous but because the restaurant was packed, plates were coming out to us without even being wiped clean. Our starter of Thick cut sizzling Canadian bacon looked rather unappetizing, although it tasted great. But then there was Marseilles, where everything just worked like a well-oiled machine. A romantic dinner spot, Marseilles specializes in home-style Mediterranean food with bold flavors put together by Executive Chef Andy DAmico whos inspiration comes from his big Italian family. Our appetizers here were a Spinach, leek and Goat cheese tart which was flaky and gooey with marinated tomatoes and capers for freshness, and the Crispy pork belly tartine which was cooked perfectly tender with a crisp crackling on top and sitting on a bed of tomato relish spooned over a garlicky, toasted brioche. Our mains were Cripsy chicken

with a smooth as silk green garbanzo puree and asparagus tossed in zaatar, as well as the golden Pork schnitzel which was such a generous portion (three large schnitzels!), I doggy-bagged half and it was lunch for me the following day. Dessert really blew us away- the Yoghurt panna cotta wobbled just right and was delicately touched with a rosewater gelee while the Classic crme brulee had a gorgeous sun-kissed crackle sitting over a pale just-set custard. Highlight of the evening? Rod Stewart was eating two tables away from us!

NYC Restaurant Week has the potential to be a fantastic experience for a food lover. The trick is to pick the right restaurant from the long list of participating ones. Always look at the menu before hand, pick weeknights for dinner and book ahead. All in all, its a wonderful opportunity to try restaurants at a reasonable price and find new favorites.

Andanada, a

Michelin-starred Spanish Tapas

restaurant in the Upper West Side

served us extremely small portions and though service was pleasant, it certainly didnt live up to the Michelin star status.

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A DIET THAT

WORKS!

F I NA L

LY


After reading about the many diets out there that promise health to their followers and experiencing quite a few of them, Charis Bhagianathan finally found one that works - the Paleo diet! Not only did she think it effective, but she also felt the basic premise to be simple and very do-able.


COVER STORY THE PALEO DIET by Charis Alfred Bhagianathan

I first heard about Paleo from my then boy-friend (now husband) in early 2013 when it was emerging as an extremely popular fitness and health trend in the United States. From the very start, enthusiasts have insisted that Paleo is not a diet, but a lifestyle. Being successful at Paleo means choosing not only to eat like our Paleolithic ancestors, but also emulating behavioral aspects of the caveman life. This includes more physical activity and (much) more sleep.

Diet-wise, all man-made foods like refined flour, sugar, trans fats and processed food has to be elim-inated. Paleo means going back to the basics and eating clean fresh, chemical-free produce like fruits and vegetables, and organic meat and fish. Unlike most other diets, Paleo actually encourages the consumption of fat but this must be good fat like animal fat, coconut oil, nut butter or even clarified butter (ghee). In those early days, a few of us friends decided to embark on a 30 day Paleo project (htt

caldron magazine august + september 2015

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