Location: Next to Kora Kendra, Borivili West
Overall rating: 2.5/5 stars
Food rating: 2.5/5 stars
Service rating: 2.5/5 stars
Ambience: 2.5/5 stars
Prices: Not expensive. Meal for 2 under Rs.500.
Recommendation: Worth a try. On the healthier side.
Googled to check which restaurant I could go to and found an unheard of one -- Granville Green. It is part of the Hotel Granville. It is a huge open air place with umbrellas (I believe they have an A/C version in the basement). It is not a new place. Seating being 4 cane chairs around a big table. The huge shadi ka fans blowing on you from both sides
I liked the way their Menu has been structured simply. For each cuisine, there are just a few dishes. The cuisines they have are: Indian, Chinese, Mexican, Italian, and Continental. Remember the menu items are not extensive.
We went in for Mexican.
(Good -- is used in this article to refer to food that is above average. Sort of 2.75/5. Not really recommending it, but saying that you will not be disappointed if you try it.)
Cream of Red Bean Soup -- Decent
I love bean soups. This was a fairly decent thickish red bean soup. A few crushed red beans could be found at the bottom.
Mexican Salad -- Good
The quantity was very good for its low price of Rs.75. Red and yellow peppers,lettuce leaves, rajma (red beans), fried taco bits (like fried papad ka chura), with oil and lemon juice dressing. Quite tasty.
Mexican Bhel -- Good (from nutrition point of view, taste was OK)
Red beans, fried taco bits, corn. Absolutely heavy -- so calling it a bhel is rather a misnomer. Price: Rs.105. I think it is a good side dish to fill you up and pretty nutritious.
Tacos -- Good
3 corn(+maida) tacos filled with -- yes, you guessed it, red beans paste -- and finely shredded cheese. Served, interestingly, on a bed of shredded cabbage. Rs.140
Enchiladas -- Good
2 enchiladas with, yes, you guessed it, red beans filling. There was a topping of cheese that had melted and with tomato sauce. Rs.240.
Nutrition notes: Mexican cuisine seems to be a healthy cuisine which is full of tortillas (corn or wheat flour) and rajma and veggies. One must go a little easy on the cheese to make it even healthier. Like any cuisine, this one also has been messed up by the Americans (Tex-Mex) and everything is fried and more cheese is added -- so such dishes need to be avoided.
Overall experience: It was a reasonably good experience for a reasonable price. (Rs.545). Service was OK. What I liked about the meal is that is was on the healthier and nutritious side. Taste-wise it was OK. Not a bad place to have a meal once in a while. There are so many other cuisines and dishes to try. Notable about this place is that we get these, er, exotic dishes at a reasonable price in Borivali!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Currying favour at 360°, Vikhroli with South Indian FPSM
Fixed price set menu of Rs.99! (Check earlier reviews for details of the location, ambience, details, etc.)
Overall rating: 3/5 stars Good!
Value for money: Rs. 200 for Rs.99!
Nice experience of a south Indian lunch at a very affordable price in a good setting.
Lentil Soup -- Good
This was a very good dal soup. Quite thickish. Made of tuar dal mainly.
Banana Tadka Salad -- Good
This is what I mean by creative. Ever imagine making a salad with ripe bananas? Well, slice the bananas into roundels and pour a tadka over it. You can make the tadka with a bit of oil, thinnish tamrind paste, salt, chat masala and lots of curry leaves. Recipe is my invention. I liked it.
Lemon Rice -- Good
Mostly I have had lemon rice with regular fluffy fat grains of rice and not dainty basamati. The rice was nice and fluffy. Could have done with a bit more lemon and more masala.
Sambhar -- Good
This was a fairly decent sambhar with drumsticks and squash/pumpkin. Sort of felt that it could have done with more tomatoes and more tamrind.
Vegetable Porial -- Excellent
This porial was somewhat like a veg kurma and a veg jalfrezie. It really did not have a very south Indian touch. But it was very tasty with its tang and sweetness. Beans, carrots, and other vegetables but in slivers. Bit oily for my comfort.
Payasam -- Good
This was a rather thinnish payasam with moong (?) dal, milk and sugar.
Overall -- Good
Really nice set meal. For Rs.99, it is a steal.
Overall rating: 3/5 stars Good!
Value for money: Rs. 200 for Rs.99!
Nice experience of a south Indian lunch at a very affordable price in a good setting.
Lentil Soup -- Good
This was a very good dal soup. Quite thickish. Made of tuar dal mainly.
Banana Tadka Salad -- Good
This is what I mean by creative. Ever imagine making a salad with ripe bananas? Well, slice the bananas into roundels and pour a tadka over it. You can make the tadka with a bit of oil, thinnish tamrind paste, salt, chat masala and lots of curry leaves. Recipe is my invention. I liked it.
Lemon Rice -- Good
Mostly I have had lemon rice with regular fluffy fat grains of rice and not dainty basamati. The rice was nice and fluffy. Could have done with a bit more lemon and more masala.
Sambhar -- Good
This was a fairly decent sambhar with drumsticks and squash/pumpkin. Sort of felt that it could have done with more tomatoes and more tamrind.
Vegetable Porial -- Excellent
This porial was somewhat like a veg kurma and a veg jalfrezie. It really did not have a very south Indian touch. But it was very tasty with its tang and sweetness. Beans, carrots, and other vegetables but in slivers. Bit oily for my comfort.
Payasam -- Good
This was a rather thinnish payasam with moong (?) dal, milk and sugar.
Overall -- Good
Really nice set meal. For Rs.99, it is a steal.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Italian FPSM at 360°, Vikhroli
Fixed Price Set Menu at 360° for Rs.99!
(Please read earlier reviews for more details of the place and experience.)
BTW, OK/Average is a rating of 2.5/5.00, which is not a bad achievement.
Minestrone Soup -OK/Average
Surprisingly, it was thin. Minestrone in Italian means big soup! Big soup = thick soup. But here it was water thin! Had some 50 per cent veggies -- that is what I like about the soups here. More of cabbage. Tomato flavoured soup. Had bits of parsley, I thought. Quite a decent soup with a nice tang (specially for the low low price). Strange that they don't serve the soup HOT! It is merely warm and almost ruins the taste of a good soup.
Cucumber and Dill Yoghurt Salad -- OK/Average
Cubes of cucumber in dahi with dill. Surprisingly, I could not taste the dill. Served cold, it was a bit of a nuisance having it with hot fettucine!
Fettucine ala Sorento -- Average/Good
This was an excellent fettucine pasta in pesto sauce. It was actually Good -- but surprisingly, the salt was very uneven. Some portions were salty and some almost devoid of salt. Vegetables were also a bit less and overcooked. Could not really taste the pesto. Served hot. Sorento btw is a very famous Italian area/style of cooking. They also had a Fettucine alla Verdure (Fettucine Pasta with Vegetables) for the non-veg part. Fettucine as you know is the tape pasta.
Fruit Salad with Vanilla icecream -- Good
This time, it was a bit cold. The fruit cubes were of different sizes. 3 Fruits = Melon, Papaya, and Pineapple. I love this fruit salad.
Overall
From my past reviews, you can make out that I am very fond of this place, specially the CHEAP promotional price! Each of the item is worth nearly Rs.99 and yet we get all (including a soft drink!) for just Rs.99! Today, was a very average experience. Is it diminishing marginal utility? The more ladoos we have the last one does not taste as good as the first one?
(Please read earlier reviews for more details of the place and experience.)
BTW, OK/Average is a rating of 2.5/5.00, which is not a bad achievement.
Minestrone Soup -OK/Average
Surprisingly, it was thin. Minestrone in Italian means big soup! Big soup = thick soup. But here it was water thin! Had some 50 per cent veggies -- that is what I like about the soups here. More of cabbage. Tomato flavoured soup. Had bits of parsley, I thought. Quite a decent soup with a nice tang (specially for the low low price). Strange that they don't serve the soup HOT! It is merely warm and almost ruins the taste of a good soup.
Cucumber and Dill Yoghurt Salad -- OK/Average
Cubes of cucumber in dahi with dill. Surprisingly, I could not taste the dill. Served cold, it was a bit of a nuisance having it with hot fettucine!
Fettucine ala Sorento -- Average/Good
This was an excellent fettucine pasta in pesto sauce. It was actually Good -- but surprisingly, the salt was very uneven. Some portions were salty and some almost devoid of salt. Vegetables were also a bit less and overcooked. Could not really taste the pesto. Served hot. Sorento btw is a very famous Italian area/style of cooking. They also had a Fettucine alla Verdure (Fettucine Pasta with Vegetables) for the non-veg part. Fettucine as you know is the tape pasta.
Fruit Salad with Vanilla icecream -- Good
This time, it was a bit cold. The fruit cubes were of different sizes. 3 Fruits = Melon, Papaya, and Pineapple. I love this fruit salad.
Overall
From my past reviews, you can make out that I am very fond of this place, specially the CHEAP promotional price! Each of the item is worth nearly Rs.99 and yet we get all (including a soft drink!) for just Rs.99! Today, was a very average experience. Is it diminishing marginal utility? The more ladoos we have the last one does not taste as good as the first one?
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Mexican FPSM at 360°, HomeTown, Vikhroli
FPSM = Fixed Price Set Meal (Rs88 for Veg, Rs.98 for nonVeg plus taxes) FPSM is my terminology.
Here is the 4 course meal, served as soup, starter-cum-main course-with-accompaniments, fruit salad with icecream. One free soft drink is also offered!
Pepper Pot Soup
One of the finest soups I have had in recent times. Felt like it was a 5-star hotel soup. Pepper was very, very bearable. The consistency was divine -- slightly thinner than a thin coconut milk consistency. It was mainly made up of carrots and tomatoes. Very little tomatoes, I suppose, as the tang was not there. There were plenty of thin granuales of garlic (size of a smallish sugar crystals). If the temperature was 5-10 degrees hotter, it would have been perfect/great/divine! But given the rainy day today, it was OK. Still I would give it 4/5 stars.
1- Bad 2-Poor 2.5-Average 3-Good 4-Perfect 5-Divine
Pineapple Salsa
The chef has a way with food. He really combines the food and tastes and textures so well, that the food really seduce you. I am not sure whether this can be called a salsa. I have heard of only Tomato Salsa. Well, these were very tiny cubes of pineapple (say 1/8th the size of a sugar cube), with even tinier pieces of ginger, garlic, corriander and green chillies (w/o the bite/theekapan). I really enjoyed this one -- though the serving was tiny. Was served in the smallest flat chutney dish. Not complaining, just describing! 4/5 stars
Burrito with tomato salsa and cheese, accompanied with gaucomole, sour cream, with side portions of Mexican rice and refried beans (er, rajma). The burrito had a decent spinach filling and the burrito was topped well with stringy cheese. Apparently, it was splashed with tomato salsa, but I could just see a very thin sauce on the side. The wrap was OK, but a tad undercooked. If I were the chef, I would definitely try to improve the wrap (looked like one of the readymade ones). 2.75/5 stars
Gaucamole was indeed novel -- it was surprisingly thickish and roughish (freshly made and not the smooth, bottled one!) with chunks of, I believe, er, avocado! Loved its nice fresh green colour, with hints of yellow. Taste was different but good. 3/5 stars
Sour cream is an international favourite. I think it is a lip smacking taste. This one was really sour, very much like dahi, but with a cream consistency. 2 tablespoons. Passable. 2.5/5 stars
Mexican rice was nothing but thin long grained rice with brown colour! Disappointing. Cannot believe that such a creative chef could mess up on this one. But, er, take my criticism with a pinch of salt because in reality there may be no such thing as Mexican rice. Any Mexican or someone who has been to Mexico should be able to clarify this one for us. 1.5/5 stars (This rating may be very mean, but do remember that it is very subjective. Also, the problem is with the name/description. If you call it brown (colour) rice -- the rating is 2.5/5 stars!)
Refried beans/rajma A fistful. Just right for me. This was again average. 2.5/5 stars. It was not very flavour-full. Maybe the burrito and the other stuff, which were really good in many ways, overshadowed it.
Plated Serving: All these were served on a single large 10 inch oval plate. So most of the stuff stuck to each other and made it difficult to really, really enjoy the meal. But, I understand, for such a low promotional price and during the rush lunch hour, this is the best that they could do.
Fruit Salad: This is one of the best fruit salads I have had. I skipped the ice cream. There were 3 fruits: Melon, Papaya, Pineapple. Not sure whether there was black grape also. All fruits were cubed perfectly, a little smaller than a sugar cube. Served, perfectly, at room temperature. Each fruit had a distinct taste -- which means they were added in the bowl individually and not kept mixed (which would rub the taste on one another!) The fruits were of the right consistency and taste -- firm and with the right amount of tartness and sweetness. 4/5 stars
I LOVED the Mexican meal. It was just perfect for me in terms of size, taste, and price. But to have a great meal created by a good creative chef is indeed a blessing. To pay just Rs.100 for the entire experience is a double blessing. Each of the courses, themselves are worth Rs.100 each. Rs.399 would actually be a good price to pay for such a meal (portions being adjusted here and there). But thanks to the promotional offer, I had it for just Rs.99 (88 plus taxes)!
Please note: available only for lunch (NOT for dinner). Lunch time could get crowded as today, and service could be a bit tardy.
Here is the 4 course meal, served as soup, starter-cum-main course-with-accompaniments, fruit salad with icecream. One free soft drink is also offered!
Pepper Pot Soup
One of the finest soups I have had in recent times. Felt like it was a 5-star hotel soup. Pepper was very, very bearable. The consistency was divine -- slightly thinner than a thin coconut milk consistency. It was mainly made up of carrots and tomatoes. Very little tomatoes, I suppose, as the tang was not there. There were plenty of thin granuales of garlic (size of a smallish sugar crystals). If the temperature was 5-10 degrees hotter, it would have been perfect/great/divine! But given the rainy day today, it was OK. Still I would give it 4/5 stars.
1- Bad 2-Poor 2.5-Average 3-Good 4-Perfect 5-Divine
Pineapple Salsa
The chef has a way with food. He really combines the food and tastes and textures so well, that the food really seduce you. I am not sure whether this can be called a salsa. I have heard of only Tomato Salsa. Well, these were very tiny cubes of pineapple (say 1/8th the size of a sugar cube), with even tinier pieces of ginger, garlic, corriander and green chillies (w/o the bite/theekapan). I really enjoyed this one -- though the serving was tiny. Was served in the smallest flat chutney dish. Not complaining, just describing! 4/5 stars
Burrito with tomato salsa and cheese, accompanied with gaucomole, sour cream, with side portions of Mexican rice and refried beans (er, rajma). The burrito had a decent spinach filling and the burrito was topped well with stringy cheese. Apparently, it was splashed with tomato salsa, but I could just see a very thin sauce on the side. The wrap was OK, but a tad undercooked. If I were the chef, I would definitely try to improve the wrap (looked like one of the readymade ones). 2.75/5 stars
Gaucamole was indeed novel -- it was surprisingly thickish and roughish (freshly made and not the smooth, bottled one!) with chunks of, I believe, er, avocado! Loved its nice fresh green colour, with hints of yellow. Taste was different but good. 3/5 stars
Sour cream is an international favourite. I think it is a lip smacking taste. This one was really sour, very much like dahi, but with a cream consistency. 2 tablespoons. Passable. 2.5/5 stars
Mexican rice was nothing but thin long grained rice with brown colour! Disappointing. Cannot believe that such a creative chef could mess up on this one. But, er, take my criticism with a pinch of salt because in reality there may be no such thing as Mexican rice. Any Mexican or someone who has been to Mexico should be able to clarify this one for us. 1.5/5 stars (This rating may be very mean, but do remember that it is very subjective. Also, the problem is with the name/description. If you call it brown (colour) rice -- the rating is 2.5/5 stars!)
Refried beans/rajma A fistful. Just right for me. This was again average. 2.5/5 stars. It was not very flavour-full. Maybe the burrito and the other stuff, which were really good in many ways, overshadowed it.
Plated Serving: All these were served on a single large 10 inch oval plate. So most of the stuff stuck to each other and made it difficult to really, really enjoy the meal. But, I understand, for such a low promotional price and during the rush lunch hour, this is the best that they could do.
Fruit Salad: This is one of the best fruit salads I have had. I skipped the ice cream. There were 3 fruits: Melon, Papaya, Pineapple. Not sure whether there was black grape also. All fruits were cubed perfectly, a little smaller than a sugar cube. Served, perfectly, at room temperature. Each fruit had a distinct taste -- which means they were added in the bowl individually and not kept mixed (which would rub the taste on one another!) The fruits were of the right consistency and taste -- firm and with the right amount of tartness and sweetness. 4/5 stars
I LOVED the Mexican meal. It was just perfect for me in terms of size, taste, and price. But to have a great meal created by a good creative chef is indeed a blessing. To pay just Rs.100 for the entire experience is a double blessing. Each of the courses, themselves are worth Rs.100 each. Rs.399 would actually be a good price to pay for such a meal (portions being adjusted here and there). But thanks to the promotional offer, I had it for just Rs.99 (88 plus taxes)!
Please note: available only for lunch (NOT for dinner). Lunch time could get crowded as today, and service could be a bit tardy.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
360° restaurant in Home Town, Vikhroli
Table d'hote Menu at 360° restaurant in Home Town, Vikhroli (LBS Marg, 1 Km from flyover)
Gurudath Baliga, a friend, put a status on Facebook that the soups and pasta at this place was good. Thanks -- Gurudath! So I went and the place had a lot of surprises.
Had 4 course meal in this special set menu for a fixed price. Read to the very end for several surprises.
Soup:Lemon coriander soup
Small serving. Full of finely diced carrots and cabage, full of corrainder leaves, flavoured with lemon -- in a sort of white soup. I liked the soup. 3/5 stars
Salad:Khimchi
I liked the decent serving of khimchi. In addition to the cabbage, they had slices of cuccumber in it. Quite good. 3/5 stars
Vegetable: Vegetable Singapore
A small bowl (200 ml) of this vegetable. This was full of cauliflower, babycorn, red capsicum, etc. Sour and sweet, the taste was really good. The veggies were perfectly crunchy and very well cut. 3.5/5 (I am a little mean here -- should actually give it a 4/5.)
Noodles (or Rice): Hakka noodles
Got a huge mountain of very tasty noodles (say a 500 ml bowl overturned). The noodles were perfectly cooked with tons of spring onion green leaves finely chopped. I loved the caramalized onions in it. I could eat this the whole day. Believe me the onions were cooked to perfection. It had lots of thin slivers of green capsicum too. (Gave in to gluttony today -- and finished the whole bowl as the server was a bit reluctant at first to give me only half!)One of the best hakka noodles I have had in recent times. 3.5/5 (This time I am not mean!)
Dessert/Drink: Icecream/softdrink (I am not sure whether you get both or you choose one. But I did not have either of them.
Ambience: Excellent A grade. Nice decor and comfortable seating. Feel of a posh restaurant
Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!
Guess how much I paid for this royal treat? Rs.499? Rs.399? Rs.299? Rs.199? Rs.99!
You will not believe me! But the price is Rs.88 plus taxes. Which makes it Rs.99! I had one of the most memorable meals of 2010 (No5 I think) for just 100 rupees!
I could not believe it when I began eating and repeatedly asked several waiters about the price. I thought the price is Rs.88 per course -- and it would have still (well, almost) been worth it!
Here come another surprise! Tomorrow, it will be Mexican. Every day the set menu changes.
Third surprise: the same set menu is available for dinner also at the same price!
BTW, this is a full fledged open throughout the day restaurant. As the name suggests it is multi-cuisine and has everything from Indian to Chinese to Pizzas and Pastas and Chats. The rates for all these are quite decent (and not exorbitant) for a class restaurant albeit in an odd location.
Unbelievable, isn't it? Well, this is a promotional offer! So rush before they stop the offer.
Their phone number as in their card: 6177 5253
They are on the First Floor of the Home Town (home decor mall), located in 247 Park.
Gurudath Baliga, a friend, put a status on Facebook that the soups and pasta at this place was good. Thanks -- Gurudath! So I went and the place had a lot of surprises.
Had 4 course meal in this special set menu for a fixed price. Read to the very end for several surprises.
Soup:Lemon coriander soup
Small serving. Full of finely diced carrots and cabage, full of corrainder leaves, flavoured with lemon -- in a sort of white soup. I liked the soup. 3/5 stars
Salad:Khimchi
I liked the decent serving of khimchi. In addition to the cabbage, they had slices of cuccumber in it. Quite good. 3/5 stars
Vegetable: Vegetable Singapore
A small bowl (200 ml) of this vegetable. This was full of cauliflower, babycorn, red capsicum, etc. Sour and sweet, the taste was really good. The veggies were perfectly crunchy and very well cut. 3.5/5 (I am a little mean here -- should actually give it a 4/5.)
Noodles (or Rice): Hakka noodles
Got a huge mountain of very tasty noodles (say a 500 ml bowl overturned). The noodles were perfectly cooked with tons of spring onion green leaves finely chopped. I loved the caramalized onions in it. I could eat this the whole day. Believe me the onions were cooked to perfection. It had lots of thin slivers of green capsicum too. (Gave in to gluttony today -- and finished the whole bowl as the server was a bit reluctant at first to give me only half!)One of the best hakka noodles I have had in recent times. 3.5/5 (This time I am not mean!)
Dessert/Drink: Icecream/softdrink (I am not sure whether you get both or you choose one. But I did not have either of them.
Ambience: Excellent A grade. Nice decor and comfortable seating. Feel of a posh restaurant
Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!
Guess how much I paid for this royal treat? Rs.499? Rs.399? Rs.299? Rs.199? Rs.99!
You will not believe me! But the price is Rs.88 plus taxes. Which makes it Rs.99! I had one of the most memorable meals of 2010 (No5 I think) for just 100 rupees!
I could not believe it when I began eating and repeatedly asked several waiters about the price. I thought the price is Rs.88 per course -- and it would have still (well, almost) been worth it!
Here come another surprise! Tomorrow, it will be Mexican. Every day the set menu changes.
Third surprise: the same set menu is available for dinner also at the same price!
BTW, this is a full fledged open throughout the day restaurant. As the name suggests it is multi-cuisine and has everything from Indian to Chinese to Pizzas and Pastas and Chats. The rates for all these are quite decent (and not exorbitant) for a class restaurant albeit in an odd location.
Unbelievable, isn't it? Well, this is a promotional offer! So rush before they stop the offer.
Their phone number as in their card: 6177 5253
They are on the First Floor of the Home Town (home decor mall), located in 247 Park.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Kandhe Pohe & Dhansak
Thanks to Facebook, one discovers one's true friends. I had not updated my status for 3 days and there was Mohan Sule enquiring why it is all quiet on the gurudutt front.
A phone call to him and I was enquiring what Meenal was cooking these days. So mad about food this year -- in fact, I remember starting a discussion on breakfasts at the local Reliance Super store. I came to know from the 70-year old from Jabalpur (?) that he had Jalebi and yoghurt (dahi) for breakfast. BTW, Pushpesh Pant mentioned this in his last article too!
I had given a surprise visit to Mohan and Meenal on January 26, 2000 (?) The date is easy to remember, but the year! Well, in 1999 Yukta Mookhey won the Miss World, and on Jan 26, 2000 my daughter won the society fancy dress competition posing as Miss World (She wore a similar costume to that worn by Yukta Mookhey.)
But to me what was most memorable that day was the Kande-batata pohe made by Meenal. Nice big poha, perfectly puffed up, nice yellow colour and perfectly warm. I think she had already put the limbu in it too. (Not served separately as I like it nowadays.) Now, you will ask me what is so great about Kandhe pohe (kande means onions and poha is flattened rice)? I have had this so many times, but it was never perfect! Perfection or excellence is what I am talking about. All the ingredients need to be right, perfectly cooked, and served well.
You can have kande pohe in most Maharastrian restaurants. None of them are a match. Of course, the ambience and friends also contributes a little to the experience and rating. Their well kept house with the right amount of artistic touches and their friendship might have added to the experience.
My friendship with Mohan goes a long way back. I remember visiting him, and his mother would always make a perfect cup of tea. I would always look forward to that cup of tea. It is too long back, so I cannot remember the snacks she made for us. I would rate her's as one of the 5 best teas I have ever had in my life.
When Meenal got married to him, I am sure I must have tasted several of her snacks too. But I really enjoyed the Dhansak she made. Those days I was not too much into food and was in fact tasting it for the first time. I really enjoyed the nice, fluffy, long-grained rice. The Dhansak dal was superb with the right consistency and taste. It was very interesting that the pumpkin was totally mixed with the dal. The garnish of fried, brown onions is one of the tastiest garnishes. In fact, I could eat is as a complete meal. These onions added to the taste and overall experience. Above all, I remember, both the dal and the rice were hot and steaming. Mercifully, these were pre-microwave days. Apparently, even then I was interested in cooking as I remember her telling me the secret to the fluffy rice.
Meenal is from Ahmedabad and it would not be wrong to say she is half-gujrati in some ways. Ahmedabad is also a food paradise and if there is one outstanding community known for its love of food it is the Gujaratis. Just at the char rasta opposite Iskon Temple/Food bazar there I had a decent plate of roadside kanda poha (note the change in spelling) for Rs.2 (?) for a katori (plate made out of dry leaves) full. For a road-side vendor to give me such a nice, cheap snack at 9.30 am in the morning was indeed good! It was decent and if I give it say 2.25/5.00, I would give Meenal's a 5/5!
I think the secret ingredient of Mohan's mother, Mohan's children's mother (er, Meenal) and all mothers is simple -- they just add a dash of love and of course their years of expertise. Restaurant foods don't have this ingredient -- so you know why they taste so ordinary.
A phone call to him and I was enquiring what Meenal was cooking these days. So mad about food this year -- in fact, I remember starting a discussion on breakfasts at the local Reliance Super store. I came to know from the 70-year old from Jabalpur (?) that he had Jalebi and yoghurt (dahi) for breakfast. BTW, Pushpesh Pant mentioned this in his last article too!
I had given a surprise visit to Mohan and Meenal on January 26, 2000 (?) The date is easy to remember, but the year! Well, in 1999 Yukta Mookhey won the Miss World, and on Jan 26, 2000 my daughter won the society fancy dress competition posing as Miss World (She wore a similar costume to that worn by Yukta Mookhey.)
But to me what was most memorable that day was the Kande-batata pohe made by Meenal. Nice big poha, perfectly puffed up, nice yellow colour and perfectly warm. I think she had already put the limbu in it too. (Not served separately as I like it nowadays.) Now, you will ask me what is so great about Kandhe pohe (kande means onions and poha is flattened rice)? I have had this so many times, but it was never perfect! Perfection or excellence is what I am talking about. All the ingredients need to be right, perfectly cooked, and served well.
You can have kande pohe in most Maharastrian restaurants. None of them are a match. Of course, the ambience and friends also contributes a little to the experience and rating. Their well kept house with the right amount of artistic touches and their friendship might have added to the experience.
My friendship with Mohan goes a long way back. I remember visiting him, and his mother would always make a perfect cup of tea. I would always look forward to that cup of tea. It is too long back, so I cannot remember the snacks she made for us. I would rate her's as one of the 5 best teas I have ever had in my life.
When Meenal got married to him, I am sure I must have tasted several of her snacks too. But I really enjoyed the Dhansak she made. Those days I was not too much into food and was in fact tasting it for the first time. I really enjoyed the nice, fluffy, long-grained rice. The Dhansak dal was superb with the right consistency and taste. It was very interesting that the pumpkin was totally mixed with the dal. The garnish of fried, brown onions is one of the tastiest garnishes. In fact, I could eat is as a complete meal. These onions added to the taste and overall experience. Above all, I remember, both the dal and the rice were hot and steaming. Mercifully, these were pre-microwave days. Apparently, even then I was interested in cooking as I remember her telling me the secret to the fluffy rice.
Meenal is from Ahmedabad and it would not be wrong to say she is half-gujrati in some ways. Ahmedabad is also a food paradise and if there is one outstanding community known for its love of food it is the Gujaratis. Just at the char rasta opposite Iskon Temple/Food bazar there I had a decent plate of roadside kanda poha (note the change in spelling) for Rs.2 (?) for a katori (plate made out of dry leaves) full. For a road-side vendor to give me such a nice, cheap snack at 9.30 am in the morning was indeed good! It was decent and if I give it say 2.25/5.00, I would give Meenal's a 5/5!
I think the secret ingredient of Mohan's mother, Mohan's children's mother (er, Meenal) and all mothers is simple -- they just add a dash of love and of course their years of expertise. Restaurant foods don't have this ingredient -- so you know why they taste so ordinary.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Konkani Lunch -- 2nd Best Meal of 2010
My first best meal of 2010 was in the first week of January. I had not started the blog, so I did not note it down. So I do not remember the meal entirely, but for the fact that I had the world's best pathrodo (the Konkani version of alu vadi or patra). My sister-in-law Manju, according to me, makes the best pathrodo in the world. It is quite spicy, very surboos (fluffy?), the alu leaves just shine. I have a feeling that tingalavra bendi and rice was also part of this meal. Tingalavra is a white bean, do not remember its English name now.
My second best meal of 2010 I had yesterday. Same venue, same master chef -- my sister-in-law, Manju.
I can never wait for food. I began eating this meal and thought -- hey, I should take a picture. So with my left hand, I took the cell from my right pocket and quickly took this picture. Not a great picture, but you get the idea.
You see the rice and a fantastic tomato dal. I just don't know what is the magic in her fingers but believe me I have never tasted such fantastic dal before. Still trying to figure out what made it so tasty. BTW, what I loved about the dal is that it was watery. Hey, dals should be like this! Not the thick sauce consistency for me. Needless to add, it was not dalitoy (Konkani dal) -- which is regarded as the kuldevata (reigning deity) of the konkanis.
Then, starting from left, in anti-clockwise direction, you can see a small roll of patrodo. This must be the 10th time I was having this dish made by her. It tasted the same. Only thing is this time, I could taste the hing (asfoetida). Today, it was double than the normal size. You feel less guilty! Naturally, I put lots of coconut oil on it.
Next to it is the Batate song (spicy red konkani potato dish). Amazingly spicy and tasty.
Next to it is the harve kela phodi (raw green banan shallow fried with a rava/sooji coating). Absolutely crisp and tasty. Cut in the right size, so cooked uniformly.
Next to it is the tendle bibbe upkari (tondli/gherkins and cashew nut dish). As far as I know, Konkani's are the only one's to have a dish like this. This is a favourite and is served at most amchigele (konkani) marriages. The kajoos were really huge -- almost an inch long sometimes.
What more can a person ask for, when he is served 3 of his favourite dishes in one meal. Well, the picture is there and these words (which are but a poor attempt to explain a divine meal) are there. 2 great meals in 5 months is not a bad life at all. So when I have the next best meal, I can always come back here as a reference point.
Could it have been even more heavenly? Yes, ambe upkari (a konkani dish made with small sweet mangoes, a bit of jaggery, and a rai tadka) is yet another of my all-time favourites.
For more pictures and more information on konkani and amchigele food, join the Konkani Amchi Food group on Facebook.
My second best meal of 2010 I had yesterday. Same venue, same master chef -- my sister-in-law, Manju.
I can never wait for food. I began eating this meal and thought -- hey, I should take a picture. So with my left hand, I took the cell from my right pocket and quickly took this picture. Not a great picture, but you get the idea.
You see the rice and a fantastic tomato dal. I just don't know what is the magic in her fingers but believe me I have never tasted such fantastic dal before. Still trying to figure out what made it so tasty. BTW, what I loved about the dal is that it was watery. Hey, dals should be like this! Not the thick sauce consistency for me. Needless to add, it was not dalitoy (Konkani dal) -- which is regarded as the kuldevata (reigning deity) of the konkanis.
Then, starting from left, in anti-clockwise direction, you can see a small roll of patrodo. This must be the 10th time I was having this dish made by her. It tasted the same. Only thing is this time, I could taste the hing (asfoetida). Today, it was double than the normal size. You feel less guilty! Naturally, I put lots of coconut oil on it.
Next to it is the Batate song (spicy red konkani potato dish). Amazingly spicy and tasty.
Next to it is the harve kela phodi (raw green banan shallow fried with a rava/sooji coating). Absolutely crisp and tasty. Cut in the right size, so cooked uniformly.
Next to it is the tendle bibbe upkari (tondli/gherkins and cashew nut dish). As far as I know, Konkani's are the only one's to have a dish like this. This is a favourite and is served at most amchigele (konkani) marriages. The kajoos were really huge -- almost an inch long sometimes.
What more can a person ask for, when he is served 3 of his favourite dishes in one meal. Well, the picture is there and these words (which are but a poor attempt to explain a divine meal) are there. 2 great meals in 5 months is not a bad life at all. So when I have the next best meal, I can always come back here as a reference point.
Could it have been even more heavenly? Yes, ambe upkari (a konkani dish made with small sweet mangoes, a bit of jaggery, and a rai tadka) is yet another of my all-time favourites.
For more pictures and more information on konkani and amchigele food, join the Konkani Amchi Food group on Facebook.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Pav Vada Contest Mumbai Winners
The results of the Pav Wow Contest was announced. Here are my opinions:
Winner
Nitin Patil, IC Colony
I am not sure whether I have had it here.
But I did have Pav Vada once on the busy street/khau gulli of IC Colony. It was quite OK -- comparable with any vada pav (hey, I think this is the correct term) you can have anywhere in Mumbai. Most vada pavs in Mumbai deserve a rating of 2.5 or less. In other words, they are all good!
1st Runner Up
Jain Sweets and Farsan, Kandivili
I have had this several times, albeit at least a year or two ago. As per the earlier note, this vada pav was no different, although the pav and the vada are slightly biggish. This is the case with most restaurants. Would rate a 2.5 and was good or pretty OK.
2nd Runner Up
Ashok Vada Pav, Kirti College, Dadar
I have had this several times over the year -- albeit, brought as a parcel. Of course, when it is not hot the taste factor just disappears. But my own feeling is that when it is hot it would deserve a 2.5.
After reading these reviews and contest don't try to find these joints. If you find a good joint in any neighbourhood, just try it. Most probably you will not be disappointed.
All of them have the same pav, the same chutney (the dry red lasoon powder), the same vada with very thickish coat, the same potato bhaji. In most places, they will give it to you hot off the oil, so they will really taste good (however, average they may be).
BTW, I regard Vada Pav as the most abominable fast food. No wonder it is called the Indian Burger. What the burger has done to USA, the Vada Pav will do to Indians -- make them all obese. In 2009, I think I had 1 vada pav! 2010 -- I am not even sure if I had a vada pav yet. In the years before 2009 -- I think I would have had an average of 1 per day!
The one at Santa Cruz East, opposite the Raheja Palace (?)/SVC Bank lane, was one of my favourite. (Not the one on the corner, but the one slightly inside on the left!) It is indeed my most memorable vada pav experience.
Karja vada pav too is quite famous and justifiably so. I do not know why, but I would give it a 2.6 or a 2.55!
Ramakant at Shil Phata, Khopoli is also famous as Ramakant or Khopoli vada pav. Here too, I would give it a 2.6 or a 2.55. Again, not sure why the bias? Hype? Too much of crowd? Always hot?
Where does Jumbo King stand in this rating? Er, 2.5 again. Or should I make it 2.6 because it offers you so many options.
What's wrong?
What's wrong with most of our vada pavs is that the bread is mostly stale, the vadas have a very thick coat, and by and large there is no real zing to the whole thing. The chutneys are the same and do not have the zing any more. I feel thicker the coat, more the oil absorbed -- so you are more prone to obesity. Why don't these guys make it paper thin? The taste would improve as you get into the bite immediately.
Innovations
At my neighbourhood bakery, they have a baked vada pav for Rs.20 a piece (it is next to the Konark Restaurant -- my favourite --Thakur Village, Kandivali East). I had expected a baked vada with the regular stuff. But this is just the potato filling within the pav! Technically, a bread roll, if you ask me. Indeed, it is a healthier version of the vada pav.
Favourite Memories of Vadas (NOT vada pavs)
Er, Happy Mother's Day, Mom. But my favourite vada was that made by my mother. Golden yellow in colour, a thinnish outer cover, and a very nice potato filling.
At Kallianpur (South Kanara), opposite RoboSoft and the Tile Factory, my best friend Ramesh (han, maska mar raha hoon -- but it is the truth) took me to a roadside vendor. I think they were priced at 0.50 paise each. I think I must have had some 25 -30 pieces. I think about 4-6 of them would make a regular vada. They were absolutely amazing in taste.
Abroad/Outside Maharastra
I don't remember having vada pavs abroad. Similarly, I do not remember having vada pavs outside Maharastra. It is called the Bombay Vada Pav and now the Mumbai Vada Pav. I am sure it should be available all over India.
If you have any favourite memories of vada pav or favourite joints let me know. Do put your comment on my Facebook page, if you are a friend.
Only 3 people read this blog -- I, me, myself. The comments below -- even I don't read! Meaning, I don't get to know there is a comment, so I don't read.
Winner
Nitin Patil, IC Colony
I am not sure whether I have had it here.
But I did have Pav Vada once on the busy street/khau gulli of IC Colony. It was quite OK -- comparable with any vada pav (hey, I think this is the correct term) you can have anywhere in Mumbai. Most vada pavs in Mumbai deserve a rating of 2.5 or less. In other words, they are all good!
1st Runner Up
Jain Sweets and Farsan, Kandivili
I have had this several times, albeit at least a year or two ago. As per the earlier note, this vada pav was no different, although the pav and the vada are slightly biggish. This is the case with most restaurants. Would rate a 2.5 and was good or pretty OK.
2nd Runner Up
Ashok Vada Pav, Kirti College, Dadar
I have had this several times over the year -- albeit, brought as a parcel. Of course, when it is not hot the taste factor just disappears. But my own feeling is that when it is hot it would deserve a 2.5.
After reading these reviews and contest don't try to find these joints. If you find a good joint in any neighbourhood, just try it. Most probably you will not be disappointed.
All of them have the same pav, the same chutney (the dry red lasoon powder), the same vada with very thickish coat, the same potato bhaji. In most places, they will give it to you hot off the oil, so they will really taste good (however, average they may be).
BTW, I regard Vada Pav as the most abominable fast food. No wonder it is called the Indian Burger. What the burger has done to USA, the Vada Pav will do to Indians -- make them all obese. In 2009, I think I had 1 vada pav! 2010 -- I am not even sure if I had a vada pav yet. In the years before 2009 -- I think I would have had an average of 1 per day!
The one at Santa Cruz East, opposite the Raheja Palace (?)/SVC Bank lane, was one of my favourite. (Not the one on the corner, but the one slightly inside on the left!) It is indeed my most memorable vada pav experience.
Karja vada pav too is quite famous and justifiably so. I do not know why, but I would give it a 2.6 or a 2.55!
Ramakant at Shil Phata, Khopoli is also famous as Ramakant or Khopoli vada pav. Here too, I would give it a 2.6 or a 2.55. Again, not sure why the bias? Hype? Too much of crowd? Always hot?
Where does Jumbo King stand in this rating? Er, 2.5 again. Or should I make it 2.6 because it offers you so many options.
What's wrong?
What's wrong with most of our vada pavs is that the bread is mostly stale, the vadas have a very thick coat, and by and large there is no real zing to the whole thing. The chutneys are the same and do not have the zing any more. I feel thicker the coat, more the oil absorbed -- so you are more prone to obesity. Why don't these guys make it paper thin? The taste would improve as you get into the bite immediately.
Innovations
At my neighbourhood bakery, they have a baked vada pav for Rs.20 a piece (it is next to the Konark Restaurant -- my favourite --Thakur Village, Kandivali East). I had expected a baked vada with the regular stuff. But this is just the potato filling within the pav! Technically, a bread roll, if you ask me. Indeed, it is a healthier version of the vada pav.
Favourite Memories of Vadas (NOT vada pavs)
Er, Happy Mother's Day, Mom. But my favourite vada was that made by my mother. Golden yellow in colour, a thinnish outer cover, and a very nice potato filling.
At Kallianpur (South Kanara), opposite RoboSoft and the Tile Factory, my best friend Ramesh (han, maska mar raha hoon -- but it is the truth) took me to a roadside vendor. I think they were priced at 0.50 paise each. I think I must have had some 25 -30 pieces. I think about 4-6 of them would make a regular vada. They were absolutely amazing in taste.
Abroad/Outside Maharastra
I don't remember having vada pavs abroad. Similarly, I do not remember having vada pavs outside Maharastra. It is called the Bombay Vada Pav and now the Mumbai Vada Pav. I am sure it should be available all over India.
If you have any favourite memories of vada pav or favourite joints let me know. Do put your comment on my Facebook page, if you are a friend.
Only 3 people read this blog -- I, me, myself. The comments below -- even I don't read! Meaning, I don't get to know there is a comment, so I don't read.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Chibda Hershale -- Muskmelon sweet dish
Er, I am a fake chef and a lazy chef. So if you landed here for the original recipe, sorry.
Chibbud is konkani name for muskmelon, mashmellon, kharbooja, cantalope, or honeydew melon. Chibda Hershale or Haashale is a sweet dish made of kharbooja. You simply grate the fruit, add sugar, and elaichi.I remember having both the versions, with or without milk. You can obviously add milk too!
Today, I had my own version of Chibda Hershale for breakfast. I scooped the nice, juicy green flesh in spoonfulls (using a small, round cutter and scooping perfect balls would be even better and will look quite sophisticated). So from one thickish slice, I would have scooped some 10 spoon shaped pieces. Then I added milk to it. I added corn chivda/flakes (I could have used poha or beaten rice/rice flakes also.) to it. Of course, two spoonfulls of Lion Date Syrup. Dates have iron and I want to increase my haemoglobin and hence its usage. I then garnished it with pieces of almonds and with black raisins. Almonds are good to fight cholesterol, so I had about 8 of them. Raisins contain a lot of antioxidants!
It was early morning (as usual I had skipped the gym) and I was in a tearing hurry to get breakfast done with. So I simply used a microwave bowl. But the picture is quite good (even if I say so)! You can see the large green chunks of kharbooja, almonds, raisins, milk. Fortunately, I had not used too much date syrup -- so the milk is not brown.
One of my favourite sites is Aayi's Recipes as it gives a lot of Konkani Recipes. Here is a link to it, where a Muskmelon Milkshake recipe is provided.
Aayi's Recipes -- Muskmelon Milkshare
Chibbud is konkani name for muskmelon, mashmellon, kharbooja, cantalope, or honeydew melon. Chibda Hershale or Haashale is a sweet dish made of kharbooja. You simply grate the fruit, add sugar, and elaichi.I remember having both the versions, with or without milk. You can obviously add milk too!
Today, I had my own version of Chibda Hershale for breakfast. I scooped the nice, juicy green flesh in spoonfulls (using a small, round cutter and scooping perfect balls would be even better and will look quite sophisticated). So from one thickish slice, I would have scooped some 10 spoon shaped pieces. Then I added milk to it. I added corn chivda/flakes (I could have used poha or beaten rice/rice flakes also.) to it. Of course, two spoonfulls of Lion Date Syrup. Dates have iron and I want to increase my haemoglobin and hence its usage. I then garnished it with pieces of almonds and with black raisins. Almonds are good to fight cholesterol, so I had about 8 of them. Raisins contain a lot of antioxidants!
It was early morning (as usual I had skipped the gym) and I was in a tearing hurry to get breakfast done with. So I simply used a microwave bowl. But the picture is quite good (even if I say so)! You can see the large green chunks of kharbooja, almonds, raisins, milk. Fortunately, I had not used too much date syrup -- so the milk is not brown.
One of my favourite sites is Aayi's Recipes as it gives a lot of Konkani Recipes. Here is a link to it, where a Muskmelon Milkshake recipe is provided.
Aayi's Recipes -- Muskmelon Milkshare
Gharayi - Jackfruit Payasam - Lazy Chef Version
Gharayi is a konkani sweet dish made with jackfruit. You can call it Jackfruit Payasam.
It is quite an elaborate dish -- not for ladies and chefs perhaps, but certainly for a Lazy Chef (hey, I like this moniker better than EPC -- Experimental Packet Chef) like me.
As you know I made Daliya Delight for breakfast and mentioned how you could add more milk to make it more of a porridge or payasam consistency. So for my 4 pm snack, I decided to have my version of Gharayi. I cut about 2 segments of the jackfruit (each one is called a gharo in amchigele or konkani) in thin, long strips. I took my Daliya Delight, poured more milk in it and then added the jackfruit strips. Added about a spoon of Lion Date Syrup (I avoid using sugar.) Then microwaved the stuff.
I was in a great hurry to have my hot snack, the pictures came terribly! Food photography is an art. I am one of the biggest amateurs of it! But the idea is to give you an idea of how it looks. Hope you get the idea -- payasam/kheer consistency and with pieces of jackfruit.
You will notice that the jackfruit has been cut very grossly! Ye aapun ka style hai, Boss! Fine pieces, specially too fine pieces ruins nuttrition according to me.
I have not had the original gharayi for a long time now and I did not recollect that it contains coconut. So if you wish you can add the packet coconut milk (paste diluted with a little water if you wish) to give it more nutrition, taste and make it closer to the original. The original has rice, whereas mine had organic dalia.
The idea of writing this blog is to share food and nutrition ideas.
Click here for more information about the original gharayi:
Gharayi details at CusineIndia
It is quite an elaborate dish -- not for ladies and chefs perhaps, but certainly for a Lazy Chef (hey, I like this moniker better than EPC -- Experimental Packet Chef) like me.
As you know I made Daliya Delight for breakfast and mentioned how you could add more milk to make it more of a porridge or payasam consistency. So for my 4 pm snack, I decided to have my version of Gharayi. I cut about 2 segments of the jackfruit (each one is called a gharo in amchigele or konkani) in thin, long strips. I took my Daliya Delight, poured more milk in it and then added the jackfruit strips. Added about a spoon of Lion Date Syrup (I avoid using sugar.) Then microwaved the stuff.
I was in a great hurry to have my hot snack, the pictures came terribly! Food photography is an art. I am one of the biggest amateurs of it! But the idea is to give you an idea of how it looks. Hope you get the idea -- payasam/kheer consistency and with pieces of jackfruit.You will notice that the jackfruit has been cut very grossly! Ye aapun ka style hai, Boss! Fine pieces, specially too fine pieces ruins nuttrition according to me.
I have not had the original gharayi for a long time now and I did not recollect that it contains coconut. So if you wish you can add the packet coconut milk (paste diluted with a little water if you wish) to give it more nutrition, taste and make it closer to the original. The original has rice, whereas mine had organic dalia.
The idea of writing this blog is to share food and nutrition ideas.
Click here for more information about the original gharayi:
Gharayi details at CusineIndia
Breakfast Notes -- Dalia Delight
As you all know, I am a firm believer in the thought that women should be treated to a well-deserved rest on Sunday. Hubbies should do the cooking -- at least the breakfast, if not the cooking for the entire day. This I call the HSBC formula -- Hubbies Sunday Breakfast Compulsory.
Well, for those who are too tired to cook or don't have any skills -- they can take a small walk and get some nice jalebi-fafda or idli-vada-sambhar or daal pakwan! Of course, one of my close friends-cousin relies on thambi.com (not a real website but a small joint in Kandivali West offering idli-vadas). He just calls his thambi (brother in Tamil, I think) who delivers some fantastic idli-vada-sambhar.
Wives can also make it easy for their hubbies by having a nice usal cooked the night before, order some pav and some farsan. You have a delicious Maharastrian breakfast of Missal Pav!
I had some organic dalia and I thought of making SMS -- Sunday Morning Surprise! This was sweet dalia with nice alphonso pieces. But I hate removing the skin of mangoes (in fact I make it a point to eat them) and at 8:00 am I cannot miss Rangoli! So SMS turned into a simple Dalia Delight.
I simply microwaved the organic dalia in milk for 5 minutes and then added Lion's Date Syrup. Had to keep on adding milk as the dalia kept on absorbing it! But had it in a decent consistency -- almost a sheera consistency. Needless to add, you can add more milk and have it like a watery porridge.
Dalia is nothing but broken wheat (lapsi). So it is healthy -- full of vitamins, minerals and nutrition, not to mention fibre. The full of course is a bit of an exaggeration, right!
I sort of enjoyed my Dalia Delight. The organic dalia was rather very fine and hence it was almost like rava, so the dalia turned out to be very smooth.
I had forgotten that we had some nice ripe jackfruit gharo (gharo is Konkani word for segments of jackfruit). I could have easily added strips of these segments to give it another nutrition and taste boost.
Of course, earlier I used to do this with normal lapsi (broken wheat) and organic gud (jaggery). This turns out even better.
Hope my student/other friends in UK, France, USA, Korea and rest of the world, who have to cook for themselves got an idea for a quick breakfast.
Also, I hope I have inspired some hubbies to take up the ladle and do some cooking. Believe me, it is fun! So, enjoy!
Well, for those who are too tired to cook or don't have any skills -- they can take a small walk and get some nice jalebi-fafda or idli-vada-sambhar or daal pakwan! Of course, one of my close friends-cousin relies on thambi.com (not a real website but a small joint in Kandivali West offering idli-vadas). He just calls his thambi (brother in Tamil, I think) who delivers some fantastic idli-vada-sambhar.
Wives can also make it easy for their hubbies by having a nice usal cooked the night before, order some pav and some farsan. You have a delicious Maharastrian breakfast of Missal Pav!
I had some organic dalia and I thought of making SMS -- Sunday Morning Surprise! This was sweet dalia with nice alphonso pieces. But I hate removing the skin of mangoes (in fact I make it a point to eat them) and at 8:00 am I cannot miss Rangoli! So SMS turned into a simple Dalia Delight.
I simply microwaved the organic dalia in milk for 5 minutes and then added Lion's Date Syrup. Had to keep on adding milk as the dalia kept on absorbing it! But had it in a decent consistency -- almost a sheera consistency. Needless to add, you can add more milk and have it like a watery porridge.
Dalia is nothing but broken wheat (lapsi). So it is healthy -- full of vitamins, minerals and nutrition, not to mention fibre. The full of course is a bit of an exaggeration, right!
I sort of enjoyed my Dalia Delight. The organic dalia was rather very fine and hence it was almost like rava, so the dalia turned out to be very smooth.
I had forgotten that we had some nice ripe jackfruit gharo (gharo is Konkani word for segments of jackfruit). I could have easily added strips of these segments to give it another nutrition and taste boost.
Of course, earlier I used to do this with normal lapsi (broken wheat) and organic gud (jaggery). This turns out even better.
Hope my student/other friends in UK, France, USA, Korea and rest of the world, who have to cook for themselves got an idea for a quick breakfast.
Also, I hope I have inspired some hubbies to take up the ladle and do some cooking. Believe me, it is fun! So, enjoy!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Breakfast Notes -- Sevai Usli
Plan to provide details of my breakfast experiments in this note.
Sevai Usli / Rice Vermicelli Upma
Made an excellent Sevai usli (rice vermicelli) with green peas, sambhar powder and tomato ketchup for breakfast. Last time, I had messed up the vermicelli. This time I got it right. Wish there was a faster way to cook it!
I tweak most of the Indian breakfast recipes and typically add mushrooms, green peas, brocolli and other vegetables to make them more nutritious.
The tomato ketchup is added for the lycopene content! Many times, I simply add tomato paste also.
As you will notice, most of the stuff for this recipe are available in a packet. So now you know why I call myself an experimental packet chef!
Monday, April 26, 2010
Pizzas in Cones! Italian Cuisine
Café de Cono has opened a branch in Oshiwara according to a report by Naomi Canton in Hindustan Times. This company is offering pizzas within a cone (a hard baked one, like in an ice cream cone!). They are priced between Rs.69 to Rs.99!
My first reaction to such reports is to normally rush to such spots and try it out! However, good sense prevailed and I have decided against it. Everyday, in Mumbai some 3 restaurants must be opening and 3 must be shutting down -- or is it 6? Of course, this is just a manner of speaking.
I think it is an absolutely horrid idea -- imagine eating a hard ice cream cone and you get pizza stuff within it! Imagine they are going to open some 15-20 such joints soon all over the city, in the top malls and the like!
I know for the jaded Mumbai taste buds anything new is worth a try. I am sure many will try it for the first time. But will they keep having it again and again. I doubt it.
They have other Italian stuff too -- which seem more sensible. Hopefully, at least that would catch on.
I am not a fan of Italian cuisine at all. The Pizza, risotto, most Italian dishes are over-rated. I think it is a convenience food. Eggplant parmesan is the only dish which I sort of like -- made at a cousin's house in USA and not in a restaurant. In most restaurants it is average -- which means it is edible. If you are hungry, you can eat it. Not something which you will relish, savour and remember days and years after you have eaten it!
Eggplant parmesan is a dish which Prof M. V. Kamath, the renowned journalist, taught us in our journalism class! Next time I catch up with classmate Mohan Sule, I will try and exchange notes on this dish.
My first reaction to such reports is to normally rush to such spots and try it out! However, good sense prevailed and I have decided against it. Everyday, in Mumbai some 3 restaurants must be opening and 3 must be shutting down -- or is it 6? Of course, this is just a manner of speaking.
I think it is an absolutely horrid idea -- imagine eating a hard ice cream cone and you get pizza stuff within it! Imagine they are going to open some 15-20 such joints soon all over the city, in the top malls and the like!
I know for the jaded Mumbai taste buds anything new is worth a try. I am sure many will try it for the first time. But will they keep having it again and again. I doubt it.
They have other Italian stuff too -- which seem more sensible. Hopefully, at least that would catch on.
I am not a fan of Italian cuisine at all. The Pizza, risotto, most Italian dishes are over-rated. I think it is a convenience food. Eggplant parmesan is the only dish which I sort of like -- made at a cousin's house in USA and not in a restaurant. In most restaurants it is average -- which means it is edible. If you are hungry, you can eat it. Not something which you will relish, savour and remember days and years after you have eaten it!
Eggplant parmesan is a dish which Prof M. V. Kamath, the renowned journalist, taught us in our journalism class! Next time I catch up with classmate Mohan Sule, I will try and exchange notes on this dish.
Millions of Food Blogs -- Roti
I frequently do research on the Internet about food. Today, I did so on roti after reading Pushpesh Pant's article in Times today.
Wikipedia was a great help in telling me the difference between chapati, phulka, roti, naan, kulcha, paratha, etc. The French pride themselves in having some 365 (?) different cheeses! I have a feeling that we should be having at least that many number of rotis. Just imagine the variations we have in parathas. The plain paratha itself can come in three shapes, round, square and triangular! Stuffed parathas --well, there are as many as there are fillings!
There are millions of food blogs and each one more delicious than the other. It is amazing how you can now practically find any recipe you want in any of these blogs.
I salute all these bloggers -- specially, all these ladies abroad -- who are keeping our traditions flying abroad. They are preserving our culture.
There are a large number of GSB or amchigele or konkani (not to be mistaken for those from the konkan region) bloggers too. Many are active in the Konkani Amchi Food group on Facebook and every day someone is posting wonderful pictures of konkani, Indian and world cuisine and their recipes. Good discussions also take place.
Thanks to all these bloggers and those who maintain various sites on food. We are never short of information on food.
Wikipedia was a great help in telling me the difference between chapati, phulka, roti, naan, kulcha, paratha, etc. The French pride themselves in having some 365 (?) different cheeses! I have a feeling that we should be having at least that many number of rotis. Just imagine the variations we have in parathas. The plain paratha itself can come in three shapes, round, square and triangular! Stuffed parathas --well, there are as many as there are fillings!
There are millions of food blogs and each one more delicious than the other. It is amazing how you can now practically find any recipe you want in any of these blogs.
I salute all these bloggers -- specially, all these ladies abroad -- who are keeping our traditions flying abroad. They are preserving our culture.
There are a large number of GSB or amchigele or konkani (not to be mistaken for those from the konkan region) bloggers too. Many are active in the Konkani Amchi Food group on Facebook and every day someone is posting wonderful pictures of konkani, Indian and world cuisine and their recipes. Good discussions also take place.
Thanks to all these bloggers and those who maintain various sites on food. We are never short of information on food.
Copper Chimney - OMG - Rs.299
Copper Chimney, Oberoi Mall, Goregaon East has a lunch buffer for Rs.299 (did not check whether there was an * and taxes/VAT are to be added -- most probably not). Ops, not even sure about the period when this offer is on. Er, just wanted to alert you, just in case you are in OM and want to have a bite or more!
Did not check what they have in the buffet -- but I am sure it would be a worthwhile deal. I think for the Non-veg, it would be a steal!
Weekends -- OM is so crowded. All the restaurants, food court, just about everything.
Did not check what they have in the buffet -- but I am sure it would be a worthwhile deal. I think for the Non-veg, it would be a steal!
Weekends -- OM is so crowded. All the restaurants, food court, just about everything.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Vaishali Garden, Chembur
Food: 2.25
Service: 2.5
Ambience: 2.25
Location: Opp Rly Stn
Lasooni Mushroom was a very red, coloured, concoction of mushrooms strewn with bits of garlic and also a few whole garlic. I think there must have been a bit of flour as binding agent. More on the spicy side. Not at all appetizing.
I should remember never to order this dish anywhere. The names are always so tempting.
Chaas/Butter Milk strictly OK.
Tandoori Roti strictly OK -- more of maida in it, than wheat flour.
I think this is an old restaurant which requires some refurbishing. The rates I felt were a bit exorbitant.
Good point -- they gave a cabbage salad in a quarter plate, and some diced onions. A thin, wet towel was also offered on entry.
Meal cost: Rs.400
Will I go there again? Not, if I can help it!
Service: 2.5
Ambience: 2.25
Location: Opp Rly Stn
Lasooni Mushroom was a very red, coloured, concoction of mushrooms strewn with bits of garlic and also a few whole garlic. I think there must have been a bit of flour as binding agent. More on the spicy side. Not at all appetizing.
I should remember never to order this dish anywhere. The names are always so tempting.
Chaas/Butter Milk strictly OK.
Tandoori Roti strictly OK -- more of maida in it, than wheat flour.
I think this is an old restaurant which requires some refurbishing. The rates I felt were a bit exorbitant.
Good point -- they gave a cabbage salad in a quarter plate, and some diced onions. A thin, wet towel was also offered on entry.
Meal cost: Rs.400
Will I go there again? Not, if I can help it!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Konkani Food Glossary
Going through the pictures and discussions on the Konkani Amchi Food Group on Facebook is amazing. Saw a picture of Karaonda (karvand) nonche/pickle and gointa (padwal) upkari and was wondering what are the English names of them.
So I am planning to start maintaining a glossary of Konkani Food terms. If you wish to contribute or provide me links, you are welcome.
Most probably, I will have to include Hindi, Marathi and Kannada terms too.
Alas, there are many terms which do not have English names!
BTW, the web is full of confusions or at least in some parts there is confusion. Or maybe the confusion is in my mind.
Hopefully, the glossary will be a valuable addition to knowledge.
So I am planning to start maintaining a glossary of Konkani Food terms. If you wish to contribute or provide me links, you are welcome.
Most probably, I will have to include Hindi, Marathi and Kannada terms too.
Alas, there are many terms which do not have English names!
BTW, the web is full of confusions or at least in some parts there is confusion. Or maybe the confusion is in my mind.
Hopefully, the glossary will be a valuable addition to knowledge.
When will we Change?
Yesterday, at Subway, Oberoi Mall, I ordered an Aloo Patty at the bargain price of Rs.50. I was wondering whether I should pay by Rs.500 or remove the Rs.100 emergency note that I had hidden. I decided on the Rs.100. Guess what -- the guy at the counter almost barked at me -- Give me Rs.50? I was shocked -- the hyper sensitive soul that I am! I did give him a Rs.50 note that I had.
I have seen people give Rs.500 to pay for Bus tickets! For share taxi fare of Rs.20! Someone I know even gives these to pay autorickshaw fares! None of these people felt guilty. Here, I was, made to feel awful just because I paid Rs.100 when the amount payable was Rs.50.
In many malls, theatres I have had this horrid experience of no change. So invariably I ask if they have change upfront and only then carry out the transaction. I walk away proudly when they say they have no change!
Honestly, it is beyond me to understand how these people do business? How can you do business without change? The question is -- when will people change? When will businesses have enough change so that we don't have to ask whether they have change before we do a transaction?
PVR is a multi-plex which I love to hate! I like it in many respects but hate it for a few reasons -- the rates are never displayed, very exorbitant prices for evenings and weekends. One more reason -- sometimes even they say they do not have change! Yesterday, he could not give me change for Rs.500 and I paid Rs.130 by credit card! (or was that on some other day!)
In USA, in any mall, any retail outlet, I have never faced the change problem. This was a long time ago. I remember how the malls keep the 25 cents (which they get in nice round cylinders from the banks or wherever). Not sure now, whether it was 25 cents. But basically they would give back the complete change. NEVER, NEVER would they ever ask for change irrespective of the amount you gave them. At D'Mart/Reliance I am always frightened at how they will demand change! Even from a very thoughtful customer like me -- who always offers whatever change is asked for!
I loved the Hong Kong Taxi guys. They too had plenty of 10 cents coins (again not sure of the denomination). So if the fare was 9.90 -- they would insist on happily (with a broad smile) returning you the 10 cents. Yes, positively insist! Here taxi and autorikshaw wallahs will happily filch Rs10 or Rs20 claiming that they have no change!
Business -- can you please understand that you are doing business! You need change to do business.
While businesses must change, people should also change! Imagine 10 customers all paying with Rs.500 or Rs.1000 notes at the start of the day!
How do you manage change? Do you also have change problems? Do share them with me?
I have seen people give Rs.500 to pay for Bus tickets! For share taxi fare of Rs.20! Someone I know even gives these to pay autorickshaw fares! None of these people felt guilty. Here, I was, made to feel awful just because I paid Rs.100 when the amount payable was Rs.50.
In many malls, theatres I have had this horrid experience of no change. So invariably I ask if they have change upfront and only then carry out the transaction. I walk away proudly when they say they have no change!
Honestly, it is beyond me to understand how these people do business? How can you do business without change? The question is -- when will people change? When will businesses have enough change so that we don't have to ask whether they have change before we do a transaction?
PVR is a multi-plex which I love to hate! I like it in many respects but hate it for a few reasons -- the rates are never displayed, very exorbitant prices for evenings and weekends. One more reason -- sometimes even they say they do not have change! Yesterday, he could not give me change for Rs.500 and I paid Rs.130 by credit card! (or was that on some other day!)
In USA, in any mall, any retail outlet, I have never faced the change problem. This was a long time ago. I remember how the malls keep the 25 cents (which they get in nice round cylinders from the banks or wherever). Not sure now, whether it was 25 cents. But basically they would give back the complete change. NEVER, NEVER would they ever ask for change irrespective of the amount you gave them. At D'Mart/Reliance I am always frightened at how they will demand change! Even from a very thoughtful customer like me -- who always offers whatever change is asked for!
I loved the Hong Kong Taxi guys. They too had plenty of 10 cents coins (again not sure of the denomination). So if the fare was 9.90 -- they would insist on happily (with a broad smile) returning you the 10 cents. Yes, positively insist! Here taxi and autorikshaw wallahs will happily filch Rs10 or Rs20 claiming that they have no change!
Business -- can you please understand that you are doing business! You need change to do business.
While businesses must change, people should also change! Imagine 10 customers all paying with Rs.500 or Rs.1000 notes at the start of the day!
How do you manage change? Do you also have change problems? Do share them with me?
Thursday, April 15, 2010
EVENTS - Cookery Demos by Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal
Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal has more interesting cookery demos lined up:
Mumbai
SATURDAY 17th April 2010 (4-6 PM),
Godrej Nature's Basket,
133, Hill rd, Bandra West
Delhi
FRIDAY 23 April 2010 (5:30 - 7:30)
D 15Defence Colony
New Delhi.
Last time around, I stalked her and attended all her demos! These will focus on wraps and sandwiches, etc. More details as we soon as I get them....
You are welcome to ask her your cookery questions or questions about the products at Nature's Basket. She is a Food Consultant with them.
Above all, you get to interact with fantastic ladies (mostly, very few men -- competition -- around) who share their recipes, ideas, questions. Many of them have very profound knowledge of cooking, baking, etc!
I am looking forward to attend it! See you there! (& friends, Facebook friends, total strangers -- in case WE do make it there -- we can have some nice early dinner there -- hundreds of beautiful places/options in Bandra! Bandra, me thinks, is the food mecca in Mumbai!)
Mumbai
SATURDAY 17th April 2010 (4-6 PM),
Godrej Nature's Basket,
133, Hill rd, Bandra West
Delhi
FRIDAY 23 April 2010 (5:30 - 7:30)
D 15Defence Colony
New Delhi.
Last time around, I stalked her and attended all her demos! These will focus on wraps and sandwiches, etc. More details as we soon as I get them....
You are welcome to ask her your cookery questions or questions about the products at Nature's Basket. She is a Food Consultant with them.
Above all, you get to interact with fantastic ladies (mostly, very few men -- competition -- around) who share their recipes, ideas, questions. Many of them have very profound knowledge of cooking, baking, etc!
I am looking forward to attend it! See you there! (& friends, Facebook friends, total strangers -- in case WE do make it there -- we can have some nice early dinner there -- hundreds of beautiful places/options in Bandra! Bandra, me thinks, is the food mecca in Mumbai!)
Again -- KOMALA'S -- South Indian Fast Food
Food 2.5
Ambience 3.0
Service 3.0
I was phoenixing today! Phoenix Mill is the happening place (they have a nice slogan -- will note it down and share with you next time). PVR there is also pretty good!
I remembered the decent coffee at KOMALA'S and went there. The place looked much brighter and more cheerful! Yes, having 6 seater benches is rather like an industrial canteen -- but it was OK. They have a decent Gents/Ladies. I like their quaint wash basins -- a big round basin with a circular hole all around for the water to seep in and a big tablet in the middle.
This time the coffee was served right with a 1 cm gap at the top! Surprise, surprise -- the coffee was not too thick and just right. Today, it seemed more dark brown and rather black. Earlier, it had the hue almost matching that of tea (which I liked)! The taste today was again slightly different. It was pretty good! Not by Bangalore or South Indian standards -- but for a fast food joint, it was good.
Onion Uttapam -- This was served on a large tray with half a banana leaf, with a bowl and a small chutney container with two parts (red and white chutney). The onion uttapa looked really good. It was golden in colour with shiny bits of onions peeping out every where. There were plenty of fairly largish onion pieces (almost half inch) -- unlike other joints were they skimp on onions. It is one of the thickest uttapas that I have had, but the size was regular, say the size of a six-inch plate!
The consistency was good and it tasted well too. The sambar which was full of broad beans (a surprise inclusion for me, never had it anywhere)was average -- nothing to complain about! Chutneys again were average -- as I mentioned, in such places, I expect it to be a notch better.
A major grouse with fast food joints is the plastic spoon. Imagine I was given one reasonably firm one. Can you tear a masala dosa with it? I have my doubts. There are issues of washing and more than that stealing! I have been meaning to carry my own spoons -- but with all security checks, I would have a tough time!
Uttapa is now synonymous with sixes! While the uttapa itself was a lovely six, the sambhar -- 3 runs, the chutneys, 1 run each! The coffee today (3 runs), last time (4 - chouka!)
Going by the last 2 matches, I think we should appreciate how difficult it is to get 4's and 6's!
Ambience 3.0
Service 3.0
I was phoenixing today! Phoenix Mill is the happening place (they have a nice slogan -- will note it down and share with you next time). PVR there is also pretty good!
I remembered the decent coffee at KOMALA'S and went there. The place looked much brighter and more cheerful! Yes, having 6 seater benches is rather like an industrial canteen -- but it was OK. They have a decent Gents/Ladies. I like their quaint wash basins -- a big round basin with a circular hole all around for the water to seep in and a big tablet in the middle.
This time the coffee was served right with a 1 cm gap at the top! Surprise, surprise -- the coffee was not too thick and just right. Today, it seemed more dark brown and rather black. Earlier, it had the hue almost matching that of tea (which I liked)! The taste today was again slightly different. It was pretty good! Not by Bangalore or South Indian standards -- but for a fast food joint, it was good.
Onion Uttapam -- This was served on a large tray with half a banana leaf, with a bowl and a small chutney container with two parts (red and white chutney). The onion uttapa looked really good. It was golden in colour with shiny bits of onions peeping out every where. There were plenty of fairly largish onion pieces (almost half inch) -- unlike other joints were they skimp on onions. It is one of the thickest uttapas that I have had, but the size was regular, say the size of a six-inch plate!
The consistency was good and it tasted well too. The sambar which was full of broad beans (a surprise inclusion for me, never had it anywhere)was average -- nothing to complain about! Chutneys again were average -- as I mentioned, in such places, I expect it to be a notch better.
A major grouse with fast food joints is the plastic spoon. Imagine I was given one reasonably firm one. Can you tear a masala dosa with it? I have my doubts. There are issues of washing and more than that stealing! I have been meaning to carry my own spoons -- but with all security checks, I would have a tough time!
Uttapa is now synonymous with sixes! While the uttapa itself was a lovely six, the sambhar -- 3 runs, the chutneys, 1 run each! The coffee today (3 runs), last time (4 - chouka!)
Going by the last 2 matches, I think we should appreciate how difficult it is to get 4's and 6's!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Jiggs Kalra's Punjab Grill, Palladium, Phoenix Mills
Review of a restaurant where I have not eaten...
Tried out only one drink here -- Aam Panna!
Food: 2.0
Ambience: 3.0
Service: 2.5
Location: Palladium, 3rd Level, Phoenix Mills
I have the knack of landing at restaurants when they have just opened. So a month or two back, I landed at Phoenix Mills to check out Palladium. It is one of the poshest, hippest malls in Mumbai. It spells million bucks! The only thing I could afford in this place is the ice cream and maybe the chocolates (however expensive they may be for suburbie!)
We spotted the word Punjab Grill and my eyes lighted up! Then we saw the words Jiggs Kalra and my eyes shone like strong flashlights or a 1000 watt bulb (make that 500 watts -- let us save some electricity.)
Just this morning I was trying to figure out who is the culprit who has been responsible for making me into an incorrigible foodie or a foodomaniac (trying to say, a nymophaniac when it comes to food). The big name that came to mind is Busybee aka Behram Contractor. I think he is the one who started it all with his Round and about or was it called Eating Out. He wrote such detailed, wonderous accounts of food and restaurants. He grew, and grew and grew in stature as a writer and I am sure he made the whole nation into foodies! On second thoughts, there were other culprits too -- Jiggs Kalra, CY Gopinath (still remember his poetical Samosa review -- I remember rushing to the joint in Worli and trying it out!), Gul Anand, and then Karen Anand, Prahlad Kakkar, et al. I am not sure whether I would include Rashmi Uday Singh in this list of guilty!
Jiggs Kalra with his food writing really turned us all into food junkies/gluttons or gourments or gastronomes (hey, I am a French to English translator and still have to go back to the dictionary to figure out what is the difference.) So those two words (Jiggs Kalra) made me step in.
As usual, as in all such posh places, there were 2-3 security guards or guest executives. They were very helpful and we were ushered in. (We had already eaten our lunch, then had a snack below -- so stepping in, was just paying obeisance (matha tekne ke liye -- brushing our foreheads) to this temple of food!)
We were escorted to a nice table and someone came and checked whether we were comfortable. A plate was kept in front of us and a white longish tablet placed on it. The server poured water over it and magically the white tablet turned into a fluffy white paper towel! We religiously washed our hands and faces with it. Quite refreshing.
We ordered two drinks. My drink was Aam Panna -- my all time favourite drink. Don't remember what my wife had -- Kokum Sherbat. I specifically asked the server to make my Aam Panna with less sugar (after having confirmed that that was possible). Guess what -- when it came to me, it was sweet as sugar syrup! I protested and they said that they would retry! I had a feeling that it would get messed up with the addition of water (if that is what they would have done). So I politely declined and swallowed that horrible glass of sweet syrup!
This was a solid goof-up and Punjab Grill is not on my list of restaurants to visit! I recently went there to check out some other restaurant and Punjab Grill did not even come to mind!
I know it is a little harsh! But let me be honest, I feel very stifled in snooty places or appearing to be snooty places. I have a mind to avoid all restaurants which insist on a reservation or have security guards at the entrance. Give me a Punjabi Dhaba any day. In Thakur Village, we had a small little Punju Joint (forget the name) with a chef from Punjab. It had really nice rustic taste to it. I really used to enjoy the food! Alas, it is closed. Now, I think there is another Punju joint! It is just a poor imitation of the original.
In her review, Rashmi Uday Singh makes a point that Punjab Grill does not look like a Dhaba. Yes, that is a good point for a restaurant in a posh place. Yet to me -- even symbolisms and tokenisms may make me feel at home. I love the atmosphere at Urban Tadka and Pappa Pancho da Dhaba (menus on slates, cheap glasses, rustic atmosphere -- and above all matching good food).
Also, give me some bhangra-shangra music (Daler paaji, Mika paaji, et al) and I think any shortcomings in the food will be overlooked! I loved the nice Marathi music played at Divya Maharastracha. The music was good, but the food was outstanding. I could visit that place several times.
Punjab Grill -- will I visit again. Maybe? Even though it is too classy for me!
Tried out only one drink here -- Aam Panna!
Food: 2.0
Ambience: 3.0
Service: 2.5
Location: Palladium, 3rd Level, Phoenix Mills
I have the knack of landing at restaurants when they have just opened. So a month or two back, I landed at Phoenix Mills to check out Palladium. It is one of the poshest, hippest malls in Mumbai. It spells million bucks! The only thing I could afford in this place is the ice cream and maybe the chocolates (however expensive they may be for suburbie!)
We spotted the word Punjab Grill and my eyes lighted up! Then we saw the words Jiggs Kalra and my eyes shone like strong flashlights or a 1000 watt bulb (make that 500 watts -- let us save some electricity.)
Just this morning I was trying to figure out who is the culprit who has been responsible for making me into an incorrigible foodie or a foodomaniac (trying to say, a nymophaniac when it comes to food). The big name that came to mind is Busybee aka Behram Contractor. I think he is the one who started it all with his Round and about or was it called Eating Out. He wrote such detailed, wonderous accounts of food and restaurants. He grew, and grew and grew in stature as a writer and I am sure he made the whole nation into foodies! On second thoughts, there were other culprits too -- Jiggs Kalra, CY Gopinath (still remember his poetical Samosa review -- I remember rushing to the joint in Worli and trying it out!), Gul Anand, and then Karen Anand, Prahlad Kakkar, et al. I am not sure whether I would include Rashmi Uday Singh in this list of guilty!
Jiggs Kalra with his food writing really turned us all into food junkies/gluttons or gourments or gastronomes (hey, I am a French to English translator and still have to go back to the dictionary to figure out what is the difference.) So those two words (Jiggs Kalra) made me step in.
As usual, as in all such posh places, there were 2-3 security guards or guest executives. They were very helpful and we were ushered in. (We had already eaten our lunch, then had a snack below -- so stepping in, was just paying obeisance (matha tekne ke liye -- brushing our foreheads) to this temple of food!)
We were escorted to a nice table and someone came and checked whether we were comfortable. A plate was kept in front of us and a white longish tablet placed on it. The server poured water over it and magically the white tablet turned into a fluffy white paper towel! We religiously washed our hands and faces with it. Quite refreshing.
We ordered two drinks. My drink was Aam Panna -- my all time favourite drink. Don't remember what my wife had -- Kokum Sherbat. I specifically asked the server to make my Aam Panna with less sugar (after having confirmed that that was possible). Guess what -- when it came to me, it was sweet as sugar syrup! I protested and they said that they would retry! I had a feeling that it would get messed up with the addition of water (if that is what they would have done). So I politely declined and swallowed that horrible glass of sweet syrup!
This was a solid goof-up and Punjab Grill is not on my list of restaurants to visit! I recently went there to check out some other restaurant and Punjab Grill did not even come to mind!
I know it is a little harsh! But let me be honest, I feel very stifled in snooty places or appearing to be snooty places. I have a mind to avoid all restaurants which insist on a reservation or have security guards at the entrance. Give me a Punjabi Dhaba any day. In Thakur Village, we had a small little Punju Joint (forget the name) with a chef from Punjab. It had really nice rustic taste to it. I really used to enjoy the food! Alas, it is closed. Now, I think there is another Punju joint! It is just a poor imitation of the original.
In her review, Rashmi Uday Singh makes a point that Punjab Grill does not look like a Dhaba. Yes, that is a good point for a restaurant in a posh place. Yet to me -- even symbolisms and tokenisms may make me feel at home. I love the atmosphere at Urban Tadka and Pappa Pancho da Dhaba (menus on slates, cheap glasses, rustic atmosphere -- and above all matching good food).
Also, give me some bhangra-shangra music (Daler paaji, Mika paaji, et al) and I think any shortcomings in the food will be overlooked! I loved the nice Marathi music played at Divya Maharastracha. The music was good, but the food was outstanding. I could visit that place several times.
Punjab Grill -- will I visit again. Maybe? Even though it is too classy for me!
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Copper Chimney -- Oberoi Mall, Goregaon
Food: 2.75
Ambience: 4.0
Service: 3.0
Location: Oberoi Mall, Goregaon East.
Copper Chimney opened its new branch at Oberoi Mall yesterday. It is right next to Cream Centre, which I like! Both have a different approach to their cuisine. Copper Chimney is traditional, mostly Mughlai and Punjabi cuisine. In the good old days, Copper Chimney was the place to celebrate as there were hardly any other class places then. Kwality's was another, I think. However, I do not remember any of my food experiences then. Vivek, my brother, reminded me that the Worli branch, had a live counter where you could see chefs throwing/swirling the Roomali roti. Yes, that was fun! Roomali roti was such a novelty. I think during those days, that was the default roti I ate.
As it is a new place in the fairly swank Oberoi Mall (one of my regular haunts), Copper Chimney is also swank and plush and cool. There are two guards at the entrance, I mean two charming girls, to check your entry. I gave my name and I was escorted to the lone table with two chairs. At 7.30 pm, when there are hardly any guests, on a Monday -- why should restaurants treat lone guests as pests? Why can't they seat you wherever you wish? I have always felt good when I was led to a good place -- rather than seats reserved for two!
At Sanjeev Kapoor's Yellow Chilli on a weekend at around 7.30 pm when almost all the tables were taken -- I was royally led to a very nice table! I politely declined and took the two seater table at the entrance! I really love the Yellow Chilli and its tasting menu!
Having been accustomed to this rudeness or lack of mehmaan-nawaazi, I quietly accepted the table. The guest lady professionally put the napkin for me. We spoke in English. Everywhere the language is English. To be honest I feel uncomfortable -- I feel it is a bit snooty. Not talking about Copper Chimney, just a general rant.
I asked for Chaas (butter-milk) and I was asked whether I want it Sweet or Salted! Small discussion follows. I opt for Masala Chaas. A nice tall glass of it with quite a lot of foam at the top. I hate the foam! Chaas is pretty good. The consistency is just right, there are bits of ginger. The flavour is mostly a delicate roasted zeera (cumin seeds) and light salt! Perfecto! is the word that comes to mind!
Roti is also Perfecto! It is a brownish, thinnish roti, which is rather crisp. It is chewy and tasty -- just the way I like it! You can sort of taste the wheat and its tandoori origin.
Mirch ka Salaan is one of my favourite dishes ever since I heard that it is the favourite dish of a prince from the Holkar family. He was a film star -- Vijayendra Ghatge! I must have tasted this dish at least 10 years after the interview! BTW, ITC has a fairly OKish (tending towards OK) packet Mirch ka Salaan which you can buy from any hypermarket! The MKS gravvy was quite tasty with the right amount of tang, but a little lacking in heat (teekapan). I did not get the peanut taste (not saying that one should get it!) as the recipe requires it.
Google detour: Just checked from Tarla Dalal's site that indeed it is made with peanuts! She also says that it is a Hyderabadi saalan (vegetable curry).
The Bhavnagari mirchis in the saalan had a decent amount of teekapan (heat). I loved it! I don't know why in Indian cooking (or should we call it Indian overcooking) there is so much of overcooking. The mirchis were almost wilted completely (now, try to understand that!) The ITC packet stuff is even more wilted! If I try this recipe I would sort of leave a lot of life in the mirchis!
Vegetable Biryani was quite good. Really long grain, reddish coloured rice with lots of vegetables. The biryani was tending more towards pulao. If the spiciness was any less, I would have called it a pulao. (Don't get me into a debate on the difference between Biryani and Pulao! I am not yet clear!) BTW, I had this as a take-away -- so I am not sure whether they give any accompaniments with the Biryani, like raita or a smallish curry.
Navratna Korma is one of my slip of the menus (like slip of the tongue). I always order it, forgetting that I will always be disappointed. But mind you, this was was quite palatable, even though very creamish and almost sweet. One had to search for the vegetables and it was almost only gravvy, fairly waterish (sort of sauce consistency) at that. It was a mistake ordering it, but it made a good substitute for raita with the biryani. I am in an eternal search for a good korma! Navratna is a restaurant code for cream, rich, and sometimes fruits!
Interesting, I was not asked for dessert!
Bill (for 3): Rs.975 (including service charges and VAT). Not bad at all.
Will I go there again! But, of course!
Confession time: Chef Sanjay Malkani walked in when I was seated. I greeted him and remarked that I did not know that he was associated with the restaurant. I am a fan of Sanjay Malkani. I liked his cookery demo. I would like to re-affirm that this review has in no way been biased by my acquaintance of the Chef! (He is the big chef and he oversees all the operations of Blue Foods!)
Feedback form: I dutifully filled up the form. It was nicely designed -- you could either say it was excellent, good or bad (my words). I chose excellent for all.
One of the marketing executives chased me outside the restaurant and asked me for feedback. I was delighted to give him my feedback. I told him that I would write a review and he could see some finer points (barikiyaan) in the review. BTW, I make it a point to compliment chefs or point out my preferences and opinion. I am not sure whether any of them takes me seriously.
Ambience: 4.0
Service: 3.0
Location: Oberoi Mall, Goregaon East.
Copper Chimney opened its new branch at Oberoi Mall yesterday. It is right next to Cream Centre, which I like! Both have a different approach to their cuisine. Copper Chimney is traditional, mostly Mughlai and Punjabi cuisine. In the good old days, Copper Chimney was the place to celebrate as there were hardly any other class places then. Kwality's was another, I think. However, I do not remember any of my food experiences then. Vivek, my brother, reminded me that the Worli branch, had a live counter where you could see chefs throwing/swirling the Roomali roti. Yes, that was fun! Roomali roti was such a novelty. I think during those days, that was the default roti I ate.
As it is a new place in the fairly swank Oberoi Mall (one of my regular haunts), Copper Chimney is also swank and plush and cool. There are two guards at the entrance, I mean two charming girls, to check your entry. I gave my name and I was escorted to the lone table with two chairs. At 7.30 pm, when there are hardly any guests, on a Monday -- why should restaurants treat lone guests as pests? Why can't they seat you wherever you wish? I have always felt good when I was led to a good place -- rather than seats reserved for two!
At Sanjeev Kapoor's Yellow Chilli on a weekend at around 7.30 pm when almost all the tables were taken -- I was royally led to a very nice table! I politely declined and took the two seater table at the entrance! I really love the Yellow Chilli and its tasting menu!
Having been accustomed to this rudeness or lack of mehmaan-nawaazi, I quietly accepted the table. The guest lady professionally put the napkin for me. We spoke in English. Everywhere the language is English. To be honest I feel uncomfortable -- I feel it is a bit snooty. Not talking about Copper Chimney, just a general rant.
I asked for Chaas (butter-milk) and I was asked whether I want it Sweet or Salted! Small discussion follows. I opt for Masala Chaas. A nice tall glass of it with quite a lot of foam at the top. I hate the foam! Chaas is pretty good. The consistency is just right, there are bits of ginger. The flavour is mostly a delicate roasted zeera (cumin seeds) and light salt! Perfecto! is the word that comes to mind!
Roti is also Perfecto! It is a brownish, thinnish roti, which is rather crisp. It is chewy and tasty -- just the way I like it! You can sort of taste the wheat and its tandoori origin.
Mirch ka Salaan is one of my favourite dishes ever since I heard that it is the favourite dish of a prince from the Holkar family. He was a film star -- Vijayendra Ghatge! I must have tasted this dish at least 10 years after the interview! BTW, ITC has a fairly OKish (tending towards OK) packet Mirch ka Salaan which you can buy from any hypermarket! The MKS gravvy was quite tasty with the right amount of tang, but a little lacking in heat (teekapan). I did not get the peanut taste (not saying that one should get it!) as the recipe requires it.
Google detour: Just checked from Tarla Dalal's site that indeed it is made with peanuts! She also says that it is a Hyderabadi saalan (vegetable curry).
The Bhavnagari mirchis in the saalan had a decent amount of teekapan (heat). I loved it! I don't know why in Indian cooking (or should we call it Indian overcooking) there is so much of overcooking. The mirchis were almost wilted completely (now, try to understand that!) The ITC packet stuff is even more wilted! If I try this recipe I would sort of leave a lot of life in the mirchis!
Vegetable Biryani was quite good. Really long grain, reddish coloured rice with lots of vegetables. The biryani was tending more towards pulao. If the spiciness was any less, I would have called it a pulao. (Don't get me into a debate on the difference between Biryani and Pulao! I am not yet clear!) BTW, I had this as a take-away -- so I am not sure whether they give any accompaniments with the Biryani, like raita or a smallish curry.
Navratna Korma is one of my slip of the menus (like slip of the tongue). I always order it, forgetting that I will always be disappointed. But mind you, this was was quite palatable, even though very creamish and almost sweet. One had to search for the vegetables and it was almost only gravvy, fairly waterish (sort of sauce consistency) at that. It was a mistake ordering it, but it made a good substitute for raita with the biryani. I am in an eternal search for a good korma! Navratna is a restaurant code for cream, rich, and sometimes fruits!
Interesting, I was not asked for dessert!
Bill (for 3): Rs.975 (including service charges and VAT). Not bad at all.
Will I go there again! But, of course!
Confession time: Chef Sanjay Malkani walked in when I was seated. I greeted him and remarked that I did not know that he was associated with the restaurant. I am a fan of Sanjay Malkani. I liked his cookery demo. I would like to re-affirm that this review has in no way been biased by my acquaintance of the Chef! (He is the big chef and he oversees all the operations of Blue Foods!)
Feedback form: I dutifully filled up the form. It was nicely designed -- you could either say it was excellent, good or bad (my words). I chose excellent for all.
One of the marketing executives chased me outside the restaurant and asked me for feedback. I was delighted to give him my feedback. I told him that I would write a review and he could see some finer points (barikiyaan) in the review. BTW, I make it a point to compliment chefs or point out my preferences and opinion. I am not sure whether any of them takes me seriously.
Monday, April 12, 2010
The Teapot Café!
Food 2.5 Good
Ambience 2.5 Good
Service 2.4 Average - Good
Location: Homi Modi Street, Opp Andhra Bank, next to Indian Coffee House, Fort
This is a smallish, quaint little cafe in Mumbai's business district, which I know as Fort or Flora Fountain! It has a few functional tables and chairs, a nice sofa and two side sofas, a pastry counter at the entrance. Each table has a game on it -- Crunch (Brainvita), cards, card games (hey, don't expect me to go to each table and check it out), etc. Does not really remind you of the Friends cafe, except for the today's special written with coloured chalk on a black board. And, er, Delna Palia, the owner and our very own Rachel Green. Er, in the case of Delna, she knows her food or beans (both the green ones and the coffee ones)! She has a very welcoming smile. The food was pretty decent, so I was wondering whether she is our very own Monica, that is the food chef par excellence (not referring to the control freak!).
Google Detour: Central Perk. Hey, come back -- or better still go there later!
Basically, I am saying -- it is a relaxed place! The Assamese/Nepali looking girl helpfully puts an Elle/Bazaar or some such hip ladies magazine on your table the moment you step in! Out of 5 tables, 4 were occupied by single ladies -- who came, ate, browsed, and left!
On a Monday at 1 pm I was thinking that we would have difficulty getting a place! But apparently, Rashmi Uday Singh's article had not done too much for the business. We did find a place and very soon it was full!
Basil Coconut Soup (Rs.50) This was loaded with vegetables. I have never seen so many vegetables in a largish soup bowl! Delna -- please teach this city how to make a decent soup with loads of vegetables. Most of the vegetables were largish chunks, with nice whole long strings of green beans (1.25 inch plus!). Plenty of sweet corn and a lot of other vegetables. Naturally, the base was a watery coconut gravvy with sprigs of basil popping now and then! Mercifully, we had ordered only one between the two of us! It was a really hearty soup and fairly well made. Full marks!
Hawaiian Salad Rs.60 -- this was a decent salad with vegetables on a bed of lettuce leaves. I was expecting pineapple bits, but there were none (which was good!). I thought going by Vir Sanghvi's logic that Hawaiin was a code word for Pineapple. I remember having a fantastic salad in Guam (which is a sister island of Hawaii!) in a similarly cute café with a similarly cute owner-chef!
We had a Veg Stroganoff Rs.100, this was satutéed vegetables with white sauce in a ring of broken rice (tukda rice). Came to know from Wikipedia that: Beef Stroganoff is a Russian dish of sautéed pieces of beef served in a sauce with sour cream. I normally hate white sauce, but this one was OK. I liked the vegetables, the sauce and the rice tukda. Each rice separate and bone dry and crunchy! I think there were strings of carrot! How cute and interesting! Bits of large garlic -- don't know why they did not have the sharpness!
Next, Dhansak with brown rice (Rs90). The rice again was very well done -- and the chef really knows how to do things in the kitchen. Had lovely, crispy friend onion on top! Really nice! The Dhansak dal was rather too thickish for my comfort. I prefer it a tad watery -- it should flow smoothy, rather than plonk in big blobs! But ofcourse, less flowing than the dal tadka. Consistency of a maa ki daal would be just fine!
Chocolate cake Rs40. I am calling it a cake as I don't know what it was -- it had a very bebinca/halwa kind of structure. Quite OK, with shaved rolls of chocolate (hope you understand what I mean)on top!
Chocolate Tart Rs35 The tart was a bit hard biscuity and the chocolate filling was OK.
Total Bill (for 2 persons): Rs.375.
BTW, The Teapot Café is a Café, Takeaway, Conference Room, and Lunch Service. It has a very homely atmosphere! The food is good and I think reasonably priced.
Like the French, I wish I had coffee after the meals (more so without the desserts).
Will I visit it again! Definitely! Ummmm, the delicious friend onion slivers!
Ambience 2.5 Good
Service 2.4 Average - Good
Location: Homi Modi Street, Opp Andhra Bank, next to Indian Coffee House, Fort
This is a smallish, quaint little cafe in Mumbai's business district, which I know as Fort or Flora Fountain! It has a few functional tables and chairs, a nice sofa and two side sofas, a pastry counter at the entrance. Each table has a game on it -- Crunch (Brainvita), cards, card games (hey, don't expect me to go to each table and check it out), etc. Does not really remind you of the Friends cafe, except for the today's special written with coloured chalk on a black board. And, er, Delna Palia, the owner and our very own Rachel Green. Er, in the case of Delna, she knows her food or beans (both the green ones and the coffee ones)! She has a very welcoming smile. The food was pretty decent, so I was wondering whether she is our very own Monica, that is the food chef par excellence (not referring to the control freak!).
Google Detour: Central Perk. Hey, come back -- or better still go there later!
Basically, I am saying -- it is a relaxed place! The Assamese/Nepali looking girl helpfully puts an Elle/Bazaar or some such hip ladies magazine on your table the moment you step in! Out of 5 tables, 4 were occupied by single ladies -- who came, ate, browsed, and left!
On a Monday at 1 pm I was thinking that we would have difficulty getting a place! But apparently, Rashmi Uday Singh's article had not done too much for the business. We did find a place and very soon it was full!
Basil Coconut Soup (Rs.50) This was loaded with vegetables. I have never seen so many vegetables in a largish soup bowl! Delna -- please teach this city how to make a decent soup with loads of vegetables. Most of the vegetables were largish chunks, with nice whole long strings of green beans (1.25 inch plus!). Plenty of sweet corn and a lot of other vegetables. Naturally, the base was a watery coconut gravvy with sprigs of basil popping now and then! Mercifully, we had ordered only one between the two of us! It was a really hearty soup and fairly well made. Full marks!
Hawaiian Salad Rs.60 -- this was a decent salad with vegetables on a bed of lettuce leaves. I was expecting pineapple bits, but there were none (which was good!). I thought going by Vir Sanghvi's logic that Hawaiin was a code word for Pineapple. I remember having a fantastic salad in Guam (which is a sister island of Hawaii!) in a similarly cute café with a similarly cute owner-chef!
We had a Veg Stroganoff Rs.100, this was satutéed vegetables with white sauce in a ring of broken rice (tukda rice). Came to know from Wikipedia that: Beef Stroganoff is a Russian dish of sautéed pieces of beef served in a sauce with sour cream. I normally hate white sauce, but this one was OK. I liked the vegetables, the sauce and the rice tukda. Each rice separate and bone dry and crunchy! I think there were strings of carrot! How cute and interesting! Bits of large garlic -- don't know why they did not have the sharpness!
Next, Dhansak with brown rice (Rs90). The rice again was very well done -- and the chef really knows how to do things in the kitchen. Had lovely, crispy friend onion on top! Really nice! The Dhansak dal was rather too thickish for my comfort. I prefer it a tad watery -- it should flow smoothy, rather than plonk in big blobs! But ofcourse, less flowing than the dal tadka. Consistency of a maa ki daal would be just fine!
Chocolate cake Rs40. I am calling it a cake as I don't know what it was -- it had a very bebinca/halwa kind of structure. Quite OK, with shaved rolls of chocolate (hope you understand what I mean)on top!
Chocolate Tart Rs35 The tart was a bit hard biscuity and the chocolate filling was OK.
Total Bill (for 2 persons): Rs.375.
BTW, The Teapot Café is a Café, Takeaway, Conference Room, and Lunch Service. It has a very homely atmosphere! The food is good and I think reasonably priced.
Like the French, I wish I had coffee after the meals (more so without the desserts).
Will I visit it again! Definitely! Ummmm, the delicious friend onion slivers!
KOMALA'S -- South Indian Fast Food
Food - 2.25/5.00 (Nearing Average)
Ambience - 2.0/5.00 (Average)
Service - 2.25 (Nearing Average)
Location: KOMALA'S, next to Sai Service, Phoenix Mills (Below PVR and behind Food Bazaar)
Sorry, if that is sounding very harsh. But your mileage may differ! You may actually find all about it good!
Maybe the problem was with my expectations! When a renowned gastronome(heart = fan of!) pointed out this restaurant, I thought it would be one of the posh places. A few weeks back I had been to Jiggs Kalra's Punjab Grill (heart)next door and felt that it was very, very posh! In contrast, Komala's look like ...(chodo...see it for yourself). It turned out to be a fast food restaurant (I think we should stop using the word restaurant with Fast Food.)
It is a self-service place. I hate such places! They have a quaint system -- you pay, give the bill to another counter, which gives you a token on a stand, you go and sit at your table with the token stand on display. After some time, you get the food delivered on your table! WITHOUT WATER! I hate the McDonalidazation of our restaurants! Imagine, for each dish I ordered I had to ask for water! (Guys -- please go to any Udupi restaurant -- you will have a continuous supply of cold water!)
I had a Rasam Vada (Rs60) -- one of my favorite menu items to order in a South Indian restaurant -- something which I invariably order. It came in a biggish plastic container -- I was delighted by the size. Finally, the restaurant had got something right. Vadas floating or swimming in the rasam! The vadas were pretty OK, so was the watered down sambhar, ops, I mean rasam!
Honestly, I don't really know the difference between rasam and a sambhar*. But my suspicion is that this was a watered down sambhar. I did not get that zing or the burn of the pepper at all!
*Google Detour: Here is the answer: more pepper! http://akshayapaatram.blogspot.com/2008/08/rasam-powder.html
But to be fair, the Rasma Vada was pretty OK. (Sorry, but I am one of the khadoos teachers who gives good very sparingly!)
Next, after taking a small walk around the mall, I returned to this place again. Naturally, they were delighted to see a returning customer! I asked for their recommendation. Malabar parotta! Another -- Onion Masala Dosa (OMD).
OMD was pretty average. The triangular dosa was rather on the dryish side and a tad burnt at the top of the triangle. Could see a lot of black burnt spots! The good part about the dosa was the plentiful onions which were semi-fried. I really loved them! The potato bhaji was the pits! Very watery and pasty -- just like the one's you get on the roadside! (BTW, roadside dosas are fantastic!) Tasted pretty average. Dosa was very thin and not crispy -- something interesting, but not to my liking. Most people I think prefer it crispy. Even though I prefer it non-crispy, I did not really enjoy this one!
The dosa was served on a real banana leaf! Chutneys were served on one tiny and one smallish plastic container. The red chutney was average, and so was the white chutney. In any restaurant in Mumbai, this would be the minimal standard!
Like in any McDonald restaurant, here too they were promting "Any drinks, Sir?" So the second time around I opted for Filter coffee Rs25) ! The Coffee was good! (I am being a tad generous!) It was served in a rather large thermocole cup, filled right upto the brim. When I poured in the sugar and the spoon, the coffee spilt out! My mistake -- according to the waiter -- I should have used the stirrer! Indeed, he was right! Yet, I would maintain that any drink should never be served upto the brim (My friend Vasu has a solution! Sip it before serving it to your hubby -- it is a sign of love! Er, try this ONLY at home!)
The coffee was nice and thick, a tad less thick would have been better. It did not have that true zing of freshly ground coffee! BTW, this too was from a coffee machine! Really surprised that you can get decent coffee from a machine!
KOMALA'S apparently is a big name and surprisingly with a big history. So it is all the more disappointing for me. Here is their link: KOMALA'S. My only hope and prayer is that they improve! I feel commercialization has ruined our hotel industry!
Ambience - 2.0/5.00 (Average)
Service - 2.25 (Nearing Average)
Location: KOMALA'S, next to Sai Service, Phoenix Mills (Below PVR and behind Food Bazaar)
Sorry, if that is sounding very harsh. But your mileage may differ! You may actually find all about it good!
Maybe the problem was with my expectations! When a renowned gastronome(heart = fan of!) pointed out this restaurant, I thought it would be one of the posh places. A few weeks back I had been to Jiggs Kalra's Punjab Grill (heart)next door and felt that it was very, very posh! In contrast, Komala's look like ...(chodo...see it for yourself). It turned out to be a fast food restaurant (I think we should stop using the word restaurant with Fast Food.)
It is a self-service place. I hate such places! They have a quaint system -- you pay, give the bill to another counter, which gives you a token on a stand, you go and sit at your table with the token stand on display. After some time, you get the food delivered on your table! WITHOUT WATER! I hate the McDonalidazation of our restaurants! Imagine, for each dish I ordered I had to ask for water! (Guys -- please go to any Udupi restaurant -- you will have a continuous supply of cold water!)
I had a Rasam Vada (Rs60) -- one of my favorite menu items to order in a South Indian restaurant -- something which I invariably order. It came in a biggish plastic container -- I was delighted by the size. Finally, the restaurant had got something right. Vadas floating or swimming in the rasam! The vadas were pretty OK, so was the watered down sambhar, ops, I mean rasam!
Honestly, I don't really know the difference between rasam and a sambhar*. But my suspicion is that this was a watered down sambhar. I did not get that zing or the burn of the pepper at all!
*Google Detour: Here is the answer: more pepper! http://akshayapaatram.blogspot.com/2008/08/rasam-powder.html
But to be fair, the Rasma Vada was pretty OK. (Sorry, but I am one of the khadoos teachers who gives good very sparingly!)
Next, after taking a small walk around the mall, I returned to this place again. Naturally, they were delighted to see a returning customer! I asked for their recommendation. Malabar parotta! Another -- Onion Masala Dosa (OMD).
OMD was pretty average. The triangular dosa was rather on the dryish side and a tad burnt at the top of the triangle. Could see a lot of black burnt spots! The good part about the dosa was the plentiful onions which were semi-fried. I really loved them! The potato bhaji was the pits! Very watery and pasty -- just like the one's you get on the roadside! (BTW, roadside dosas are fantastic!) Tasted pretty average. Dosa was very thin and not crispy -- something interesting, but not to my liking. Most people I think prefer it crispy. Even though I prefer it non-crispy, I did not really enjoy this one!
The dosa was served on a real banana leaf! Chutneys were served on one tiny and one smallish plastic container. The red chutney was average, and so was the white chutney. In any restaurant in Mumbai, this would be the minimal standard!
Like in any McDonald restaurant, here too they were promting "Any drinks, Sir?" So the second time around I opted for Filter coffee Rs25) ! The Coffee was good! (I am being a tad generous!) It was served in a rather large thermocole cup, filled right upto the brim. When I poured in the sugar and the spoon, the coffee spilt out! My mistake -- according to the waiter -- I should have used the stirrer! Indeed, he was right! Yet, I would maintain that any drink should never be served upto the brim (My friend Vasu has a solution! Sip it before serving it to your hubby -- it is a sign of love! Er, try this ONLY at home!)
The coffee was nice and thick, a tad less thick would have been better. It did not have that true zing of freshly ground coffee! BTW, this too was from a coffee machine! Really surprised that you can get decent coffee from a machine!
KOMALA'S apparently is a big name and surprisingly with a big history. So it is all the more disappointing for me. Here is their link: KOMALA'S. My only hope and prayer is that they improve! I feel commercialization has ruined our hotel industry!
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Konkani Amchi Food Web Site and Facebook Group
If you are a lover of Konkani food, then you must join the Facebook group:
www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=182144290454&ref=ts
They also have a web site:
Konkani Amchi Food Group
Both the site and the Facebook page is rich with photos.
Udupi Cuisine and Mangalore Cuisine are quite famous. Konkani Cuisine is by and large from the same region.
Do not confuse with the Kokan regional cuisine -- which is the cuisine from the Kokan region of Maharashtra. Unfortunately, it is also spelt Konkan and misleading gives rise to Konkani Cusine. It is also called Malvani Cuisine.
www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=182144290454&ref=ts
They also have a web site:
Konkani Amchi Food Group
Both the site and the Facebook page is rich with photos.
Udupi Cuisine and Mangalore Cuisine are quite famous. Konkani Cuisine is by and large from the same region.
Do not confuse with the Kokan regional cuisine -- which is the cuisine from the Kokan region of Maharashtra. Unfortunately, it is also spelt Konkan and misleading gives rise to Konkani Cusine. It is also called Malvani Cuisine.
100 Indian Drinks in Summer
100 Indian Summer Drinks or 100 Indian Drinks in Summer -- Plan to write a blog on it. Would love to know from you the summer drinks that you had, which one's you loved? Paanak is my all time, all season favourite drink (it is a Konkani drink), next is Aam Panna! Samovar serves a fairly good Aam Panna.
Ops. I meant Indian Drinks in Summer in India. Indian Summer according to Wiktionary:
Indian summer (plural Indian summers)
- a stretch of sunny and warm days during late autumn (figuratively) the late autumn of life;
- a late flowering of activity before old age.
Ops. I meant Indian Drinks in Summer in India. Indian Summer according to Wiktionary:
Indian summer (plural Indian summers)
- a stretch of sunny and warm days during late autumn (figuratively) the late autumn of life;
- a late flowering of activity before old age.
Summer Drinks to Keep Cool
I almost faint when I see 2 litre and 4 litre bottles of sugared water being purchased. OK, they are cheap in a way and there are offers galore to lure you to buy them! But are you idiots or what? Why should you pay so much for sugar and water and colour?
I read somewhere that one of this drinks adds 12 spoons of salt -- may or may not be true. Then adds, tons of sweetness to mask the salt! Why? Because the salt will make you thirsty!
Time and again you have experienced it! You felt hot and thirsty. You drank the brown coloured liquid (which Baba Ramdev says is fit as a Toilet Cleaner)! Were you satisfied? NO! Yeh dil mange more! You drank more and more!
I am grateful to Aamir Khan for having lured me away from these useless, nutritition devoid, drinks. He said in an interview ages ago, that his children (then 5-10)were allowed this treat (some drink) only on Sundays! It was quaint that he was advertising for the drinks and not allowing his children to have it every day! For some reason, I stopped drinking them.
Confession time -- I did have it with Rum for a large number of years. Mercifully, now my all-time favourite is the bloody mary! And thanks to learning French and the health benefits bandied about, I am drinking more wine. A beer or two also now and then -- as it is good for the bones.
I am wondering why we drink some foreign imported sugared water, when we have hundreds of great, cool, summer drinks? Have been having some wonderful chaas for some days now! Tried kokum sherbet once! Plan to try out Kokum Kadi for dinner one of these days. Gajalee and Divya Maharastracha and Saayba have some fabulous Kokum Kadi.
If we begin counting, I am sure we can count a hundred summer drinks! Shall we start counting....
I read somewhere that one of this drinks adds 12 spoons of salt -- may or may not be true. Then adds, tons of sweetness to mask the salt! Why? Because the salt will make you thirsty!
Time and again you have experienced it! You felt hot and thirsty. You drank the brown coloured liquid (which Baba Ramdev says is fit as a Toilet Cleaner)! Were you satisfied? NO! Yeh dil mange more! You drank more and more!
I am grateful to Aamir Khan for having lured me away from these useless, nutritition devoid, drinks. He said in an interview ages ago, that his children (then 5-10)were allowed this treat (some drink) only on Sundays! It was quaint that he was advertising for the drinks and not allowing his children to have it every day! For some reason, I stopped drinking them.
Confession time -- I did have it with Rum for a large number of years. Mercifully, now my all-time favourite is the bloody mary! And thanks to learning French and the health benefits bandied about, I am drinking more wine. A beer or two also now and then -- as it is good for the bones.
I am wondering why we drink some foreign imported sugared water, when we have hundreds of great, cool, summer drinks? Have been having some wonderful chaas for some days now! Tried kokum sherbet once! Plan to try out Kokum Kadi for dinner one of these days. Gajalee and Divya Maharastracha and Saayba have some fabulous Kokum Kadi.
If we begin counting, I am sure we can count a hundred summer drinks! Shall we start counting....
Friday, April 9, 2010
Idli Vidli with Pasta Gravvy
There is an Idli Vidli stand at Broadway.
They serve Idli (mini) with chutney and gunpowder perhaps. Quaintly, they also have Idli with Pasta Gravy. I was curious and tried to find out what it was. It is just that -- Pasta in tomato gravy! Imagine having idli with pasta in tomato gravy.
I am not a fan of fusion foods and I think this is the pits! Imagine having an idli and there you get bits of pasta in it! It is like you are in a classical music concert and suddenly you are hearing some western notes!
Idli Manchurian is again another abomination! Mind you, even my taste buds have been corrupted for a long time. These are interesting experiments.
Just came to know that Idli Vidli has an outlet in Malad too and they have a web site too at http://www.idlividli.com/.
Comparing Foodie Notes
Hi again,
Here I go again. I think foodies love to eat. But we also love to talk about food, interact about food, learn about food.
The number of food blogs on the Internet is amazing!
Confession -- I have always wanted to be a food critic. I gave up this idea after listening to Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal, Vikram Doctor and two others at the Kala Ghoda Festival. Imagine going to a restaurant a couple of times to review it! Most restaurants today are so, so average that honestly I feel like puking.
After listening to these greats (in fact there were two other greats, don't recollect names easily), I even gave up the idea of becoming a food writer. Hey, I am a vegetarian and with not much knowledge about food, and even less knowledge about nutrition.
Coming to the point -- well, notwithstanding everything, I can blog. I can always write a blog on food and it is out in the world to take it or leave it.
So here I am again.
I have fallen many times in the blogsphere. But I have always risen again some time later.
Hope this time it is for real. So welcome to my blog.
Love.
Guru
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