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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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?

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!)

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!

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!

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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....

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