Traveller's Tales

The Connemara in Madras

2009-12-02T05:26:00.002+05:30

The Taj Connemara in Chennai is home to some unmatched culinary pleasure the city has to offer. However, what makes this hotel even more interesting is its intriguing history. Lord Connemara was the Governor of Madras from 1886-1902. As the story goes, Lord Connemara had a weakness for pretty young women and ended up in frequent dalliances with the fair sex. When the Lady Connmara chanced upon one such liaison, she walked out in a huff. Out of the Governor House into the only hotel in town for Englishmen: the Albany. By the time she left, the hotel had been renamed The Connemara in her honor. Incidentally, the hotel was built in 1867 and for the first twenty years was called the Imperial Hotel.

As I strolled through the hotel corridors, I was drawn to the framed black and white photos from those early days. The Connemara of Madras - with its colonial facade and small English garden, where nights fell to the sound of crickets and the whirr of ceiling fans, as the saabs and mems drew mosquito-nets down to keep out the annoying little predators.

People cheered from the vantage point of this hotel as Queen Elizabeth II passed by in a motorcade during a trip to India. The bar inside served up nimboo paani for the memsaab and martinis - stirred by the saab's koi hai! These were easy-going times with food every few hours starting with the Chota Haziri - or small breakfast, usually toast with tea and maybe eggs - served right at dawn. Then came a hearty breakfast that included fish, stewed steak with onions, eggs, curried fowl and rice with tea, coffee, bread and butter followed by Trichnopoly cigars for the saab. The tiffin or lunch was simpler; the afternoon tea with its cakes and scones, and finally the evening meal of soup, fish, side dishes, pudding and fruits. On special evenings, hushed laughter and the rustle of silks and taffeta alternated with the cultured clink of cutlery and the waltz in the Ballroom.

I returned to the Raintree restaurant for dinner, but the mosquitoes spoilt the dining experience. Hip Asia turned out to be the find of this trip. I wasn't expecting too much, and the fact the restaurant was almost deserted at lunch time didn't seem to augur well. But the food was a revelation. Right from the excellent salad - very cold, crisp with peanut and crystals of sugar - to the miso soup, maki sushi, teriyaki fried rice, fish, veggies and prawns, this was an amazing culinary ride! When I finally settl;ed down with the Thai dessert of water-chestnuts in coconut milk, I was completely satiated.

The only discordant note? The manager decided to take it upon himself to deny photographing the dishes. Even without a flash.

Southern Spice

2009-11-21T16:59:00.007+05:30

Opulent South Indian decor envelops you as you step into this restaurant in the Taj Coromandel, Chennai. The floral patterns on the backlit dome in the ceiling grabs your attention immediately, as does the pretty Kanjeevaram saree-clad hostess and the shiny brass and silver tableware. I am shown to my table, as a trio of musicians settle down to entertain us with South Indian classical music on a jugalbandi of violin and ghatam. A loud squawk momentarily unsettles us. We turn around and see the astrologer - tarot cards and bored parrot in tow - for the Western tourist who craves for Indian exotica. It is 8 PM on a Friday evening and the place is still filling up.

Before the Europeans discovered the Malacca Straits with their spice islands, much of these spices arrived at the Coromandel coast (India's east coast). They were then transported across land to the Malabar coast (India's west coast) before making their way to the Arabian kingdoms and the princely states of Europe.

Romans valued spice so highly that pepper was used to pay off ramsons. And yet, even in 1 BC, the Roman knowledge of the spice route extended little beyond India's west coast. Ports in and around what is now the city of Chennai were a vital link in giving the Western world a taste of the spices of the Far East, but few outside India knew about the world beyond India's Malabar coast.

So here I was, sampling the cuisine of region that had spices in their culinary creations much earlier than the rest of the world. Where locals lavishly spiced up curries of fish and pork when the Italians hadn't yet discovered the pleasure of freshly grated pepper on their pasta!

The waiter was willing to combine half portions of two starters so I could taste as many of their delicacies. The Uslampatti Kari Sukka is a dry lamb preparation from the rural south of Tamil Nadu. Hot, spicy and exactly how I had hoped it would be. The Kori Chimbli are chicken nuggets in a spice mix which are fried and tossed with onions, curry leaves and green chilli. This dish was milder than the lamb but interesting and different.

They served me some basundi in a little silver bowl which almost tasted like North Indian rabdi. There was the usual variety of papads and chutneys too as I waited for the main course. Meanwhile, the musicians had made may for a Bharatnatyam dancer.

The Karaikudi Kozhi Seeragam, a cumin flavored chicken curry from the house of Karaikudi Chettiars, was excellent. Again a very different tasting curry that I liked very much. The Alleppey Fish Curry was good too, but not a new discovery. The Idiappam and Appam -which I used to soak up the spicy curry - were as good as they get.

I finally ended with a rich dessert of Khubani Ka Meetha with a dollop of ice-cream, a nawabi dish from Hyderabad made of apricots.

Within a couple of hours I had sampled delights from rural Tamil Nadu, coastal Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. Quite a delightful journey that!

This restaurant has remained unchanged for 15 years as has been the menu. But that may soon change. The manager told me the restaurant was scheduled for renovation later this year and may re-emerge in a different avatar.

Discovering Mahabalipuram

2009-11-13T05:11:00.003+05:30

Mahabalipuram is an ancient town on the outskirts of Chennai that was a flourishing sea-port for hundreds of years (1-100 AD). This town was a vital part of the trade-link between the Coramandel coast of India and the Far East - a link hidden to Arabia and Europe, who thought of India as the single source for all exotic spices. In reality, mace and nutmeg - once among the most treasured of spices - actually came from islands of Indonesia and Malaysia via Mahabalipuram and other nearby ports. This fact was cleverly hidden by Indian merchants who traded these spices to Arabs for large profits on the Malabar coast .

Mahabalipuram is also home to some of the most extraordinary stone sculptures from the ancient world, the time when the Pallavas ruled the South. India has many rock-cut architectures from even older times and in larger scale, such as those in the Ellora and Ajanta caves. However, what makes Mahabalipuram special are the free-standing monolithic temples carved out of single granite rocks and the exquisite hill-side stone reliefs - some of which sport the oldest known Devnagari scripts along with scenes from the Mahabharata.

It seems like every rocky hillside and stone formation became the canvas for these artists of old. Their ebalorate reliefs and life-like statues tell stories that have lasted thousands of years. They have lasted in spite of the assault by salty ocean sprays, the tides and the infrequent tsunamis and hurricanes.

I was attending a business event very close to this old seaside town and my host offered to be my guide to these ancient wonders. Thank you, Mani! This was a well-spent two hours that made a far greater impact than my history books at school ever did.

The large, detailed relief popularly called Arjuna's Penance shows Arjuna praying for divine support before entering the big war. One can see the Gods and demons looking on in awe. Another interpretation of this relief has Bhagirath praying to bring the goddess Ganges to the earth. On one corner, you can even see a pious cat praying to fool the mice into coming closer - some of our folk stories are that old apparently! The large elephant in the middle of this (and other reliefs) lead some to believe a Buddhist influence exists in these art-forms.

Another relief, this time within the confines of a hall with pillars - all carved out of a rocky hillside - shows Krishna holding up a hillock to protect his fellow villagers from heavy thunderstorms unleashed by Indra. In each of these detailed artwork in stone, the detailing of these popular scenes from Indian mythology is quite amazing.

We drove past a gaint granite stone balanced precariously on a hillside and got down again to stroll around the Panch Rathas i.e., the Five Chariots. These are five monolithic temples in the shape of chariots each made in a different style and named after a character from the Mahabharata.

Finally, I visited the Shore Temple which has been the landmark most associated with Chennai. Early European travellers refered to this location as the Seven Pagodas, setting off a legend about a city under the sea. Interestingly, the tsunami of 2004 uncovered more ancient underwater ruins that has given recent impetus to archeological expeditions. Who know, maybe the other six 'pagodas' are indeed waiting to be discovered under the sea after all!

By the time I returned to my hotel, it was dark. The pepper-fried squid on the in-room dining menu was particularly delicious! Try it, if you are ever at The Trident in Chennai.

Dinner at Stax

2009-11-08T17:49:00.000+05:30

Stax is the Italian restaurant in Hyatt Regency, Mumbai. Located very close to the international airport, this hotel is a popular choice with business travellers flying in and out of Mumbai. Stax is a feast for the senses. With exciting contemporary decor and ambiance, this restaurant is never too crowded and always an excellent location if you are looking for a quiet evening over Italian food.

The degustation menu looked tempting but I was looking for something simpler tonight. I started off with the tomato soup with roasted Canadian scallop, fresh thyme and crispy Parma ham. The soup was excellent and revived me instantly; the only gripe I had was with the fact that there was one single piece of ham and one scallop in this large bowl of soup.

The bread was good as was the tomato-pesto-olive oil dip. I chomped away happily as I waited for my entree to arrive.

The home-made tagliatelle was sauteed with artichokes, scampi, carmelized capers and tomato with extra virgin olive oil. This signature dish was pretty good.

While the food doesn't touch the stratospheric level, overall this restaurant has promise. The service cannot be faulted and the overall ambiance is wonderful. The dinner didn't leave me feeling heavy and I breezed through the check-in process at the airport feeling rather energetic at midnight.

The flight to San Francisco was eventless. I watched Angels and Demons on the flight and a few episodes of Mad Men. BTW, Bose has finally upgraded their noice-cancelling headphones with the new QC15. It improves on a product that was already very good!

Trendy Tamarine

2009-11-01T11:00:00.001+05:30

Like I read somewhere, Tamarine can be best described as a book you can judge by its cover! Stylish and sophisticated with an entralling bar area of bamboo and glass this restaurant makes an impression the moment you enter. Waiters in Prada black and dining rooms seperated by heavy black curtains add to its trendy elegance.

This restaurant run by Anne Le and executive chef Tammy Huynh, is contemporary reinvention of modern Vietnam cuisine. I have already reviewed their other classy restuarant in San Francisco, Bong Su. I was already looking forward to another great experience.

We ordered some starters including the Tamarine Spiced Wings and the Spring Rolls. The spiced wings were served with a pineapple-jicama slaw and a gingery sauce. Wasn't particularly great. The spring rolls - we had ordered a vegetarian version - were filled with beansprouts and mint with a hoisin chilli sauce. It was ok-ok, nothing to rave about.

The Clay Pot Cod was thankfully much better. The Alaskan black cod was carmelized in onion, black pepper, garlic and molasses and was extremely tasty.

The Hoisin Lamb Chops were very good too. The dish was made in hoisin, garlic and rosemary grilled chops served with baby bok choy and sweet potato fries. Nicely done and the sweet potato fries were an interesting touch.

I have to also mention the Empress Fried Rice which you have to order every time! Sticky rice, garlic, leeks, ginger and eggs go into making this fabulous dish. It is served with a sweet soy drizzle.

There were a few other dishes on the table, some of which I didn't sample. Others not particularly remarkable. The Chili-Lime Aubergine is grilled Japanese eggplant finished with onion oil, scallions and a chili-lime fish sauce. The Curried Long Beans is beans sautéed in red chili, kaffir lime leaves and onions. The Sake Mushrooms have Shiitake mushrooms, garlic & sugar snap peas wok fired in an oyster-sake sauce.

Overall, I would say the food is good if you select carefully. The decor, ambiance and service cannot be flawed. What I enjoyed most was the company tonight: my friends, Mythili and Shekar - thank you for a wonderful evening!

PS: I just now realized Bong Su in San Francisco closed earlier this year. Sad.

Farallon And Ryowa Ramen

2009-10-27T19:03:00.011+05:30

A study in contrasts: one extravagent and ostentatious, the other small and simple. Farallon and Ryowa Ramen. Farallon, located within a block of Union Square in San Francisco is an unique restaurant that recreates an opulent undersea environment with jelly fish lamps and coral reef walls. In complete contrast, Ryowa Ramen brings the small noodle restaurants of Tokyo into the heart of Silicon Valley. A three-sided bar and a few tables with a television showing one of those kawaii Japanese talk/game shows completes the decor.

First, my visit to Farallon. The interiors are very much the highlight of this restaurant, especially the bar area. I nibbled on my bread and sipped a Pinot Noir as I looked around. The restaurant was crowded on this evening as was the bar.

The baby Arugula salad with aged balsamic on a carpaccio of French butter pear and sweet coppa - thin slices of Italian pork shoulder - was absolutely fantastic. I had been a little worried seeing the mixed reviews when I was planning to visit this restaurant, but this was a promising start!

My entree was the Hawaiian Ahi-tuna. Grilled rare, the tuna was served on a bed of roasted French fingerling potatoes, gypsy pepper piperade and Niçoise olive tapenade: the latter two being exotic European sandwich spreads made of pepper and olive respectively. This dish seemed huge but I was able to polish it off. While I liked the interesting play of flavors and textures on the palate, I would not rate this dish as extraordinary.

The bittersweet chocolate custard cake was served with Gianduja sauce, vanilla bean chantilly and hazelnut crunch. The Gianduja is an Italian chocolate that is flavored with hazelnuts. Again, the dessert was good but short of amazing.

Net-net, there were some hits, some misses, but I will remember Farallon as much for the food as for its unique ambiance.

Now, to Ryowa Ramen. A colleague (thanks Joe!) took me to this little place in Mountian View for lunch. With few seats, Ryowa fills up quickly; however, we were early and found seats at the bar.

The lunch consisted of a large bowl of ramen noodle soup garnished liberally with Japanese bbq pork. I ordered an extra serving of pork. The dish came with pot-stickers and fried rice. I chose the Shoyu broth which was very flavorful as was the pork.

The lunch turned out to be absolutely great: completely authentic, hot and delicious and completely filling! The pot-stickers were so-so, but overall this was a good meal.

San Francisco Love Parade

2009-10-19T09:38:00.014+05:30

I woke up late on Saturday and walked down to a diner close-by for brunch. Mel's Drive-In is a recreation of the popular restaurant chain from the 50s. Retro neon lighting, quaint juke boxes and super-busy staff behind the bar dispensing fried eggs, toast, orange juice and coffee. Quite a charming place to begin a lazy weekend.

As I walked back to my hotel, I began noticing something strange: girls and guys in costume. Wondering what was going, I walked along with them and came across a large parade in Market Street. Floats blared out dance music and hordes of young girls and guys in costumes swayed and danced to the music. Others just lined the streets as the parade made its way slowly towards the City Square.

LovEvolution is a dance music parade and festival organized every year. The parade starts from 2nd & Market Street in downtown San Francisco with about 25 floats heading west down Market Street. The floats arrive at Civic Center plaza where they park to becomes 25 stages on transformed festival grounds with food, beverage, a live electronic and performance stage, and outstanding revelry.

With 25 different DJs belting out electronic dance music and about 100,000 people filling the city center, it was one big party through the day! It was a windy evening and clearly alcohol was helping keep the under-dressed partygoers warm; there were some completely stoned and drunk as can be expected. However, the mood overall was cheerful and full of fun and the after-parties continued late into the night.

I strolled out much earlier and decided to get some dinner on my way back. I went into Ame at the St.Regis, a place I have dined before.

The sake, Miyasaka Yamahai, was dry and earthy and warmed me up as I waited for my starters. The Trio of Sashmi was a great start. The crudo of halibut with horseradish, the salmon with a thin slice of of cucumber and tartar sauce, the red snapper with string beans were a study in contrasting tastes and textures.

The cream of Sunchoke soup with foie gras tortellini had promise but was ruined by excessive saltiness. The broiled sake marinated Cod in Shisho broth was heart-warming and as good as I remembered.

The grilled quail on risotto was wonderfully tasty with a hint of gaminess; it was a whee bit difficult to dig in with a regular sized steak knife - one of those times when I would have loved to dig in with my bare hands! The wheat berries, pioppini mushrooms and foie gras sauce enhanced the taste considerably.

The dessert - Green Tea Affogato with pistachio ice cream - was interesting to say the least! It was like having chikki with green tea and ice cream. :)

Oysters in Santana Row

2009-10-11T10:41:00.006+05:30

No seafood quite captures the essence of the sea like the oyster. Unlike previous times, I was determined to be a purist and enjoy them raw on the half-shell. I was at Bradley Ogden's fresh seafood restaurant, Yankee Pier on Santana Row. Like a wine-menu, the oyster menu can be daunting for first-timers. However, the extremely friendly and helpful waitress explained some of the basics quickly.

I chose half a dozen of the Hama Hama Pacific Blue oysters, specified as not too sweet and not too briny. The shells were larger than I had expected and it was great fun slurping down the raw oyster with the briny seawater and slowing figuring out its very complex taste. They had provided a couple of dips and finely shredded horseradish along the oysters.

After that, I settled for the Alaskan King Salmon, grilled medium-rare with the middle still very pink and on a bed of sauteed spinach and jasmine rice. Excellent combination: the flavor of the salmon and the fragrant rice complimenting each other.

The dessert was a butterscotch custard with a dollop of whipped cream on top. Decadent and completely delightful! This restaurant is always dependable for an evening of excellent seafood. They also have lot of seating space both indoors and outdoors.

The weather throughout this visit has been extremely fickle. While I enjoyed some unusually warmth during the weekend in downtown San Francisco, the temperature dropped precipitously the very next day. But I did get a chance to try some interesting stuff - keep watching this space!

BTW, my previous visit to Yankee Pier is posted here.

Pan Asian in Kolkata

2009-10-01T05:22:00.001+05:30

Kolkata has been home to some of our country's earliest immigrants from China. During childhood days, I remember stories of the most exceptional handcrafted shoes in Kolkata's China Town - the only Indian city to have one. And later in life, I would be constantly directed to the Tangra area in China Town for the best Chinese food in that city. Some interesting blog posts on those Chinese who have remained behind can be found here and here. Sadly, what remains now is a dilapidated area inhabited by a decreasing number of the older generation.

Pan Asian continues this heritage by bringing its eclectic mix of Chinese, Japanese, Mongol and Korean cuisine under one roof at the ITC Sonar in Kolkata. Interactive kitchens with seating around them encourage contact with the chefs with bespoke culinary options. The Chinese kitchen features delicacies from Sichuan and Beijing provinces. The Mongolian Brazier facilitates the cuisine of the Mongols dating back to the days of Genghis Khan, whose soldiers grilled meats on their battle shields heated over charcoal. You can choose combinations of meats, seafood and vegetabls with seasoning and sauces. Then there is the Japanese Teppan Grill featuring Teppanyaki and the Korean Bar-be-que and Hot Pots with in-built grills in the tables. If that is not enough, there is a Japanese sushi and sashimi Bar.

Tonight I began with a small plate of salmon sashimi and then followed with a Mongolian stir fry: fish, spring chicken, spring lamb, pork tenderloin, shitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, carrots. Salad oil and the chef's condiments. Noodles.

The sashimi seemed fresh and tasted pretty good. However, without Japanese chefs at the bar tonight, the cuts weren't the same calibre. Also, the wasabi wasn't the best - far less intense than the real thing.

The Mongolian stir fry was excellent. Lots of seafood and meat and the right amount of spices and condiments. Completely filling too!

For dessert, I tried the amazing jasmine tea creme brulee. Vanilla bean ice cream on the top. Bewitching! A thin layer of creme brulee with specs of carmalized topping and a large dollop of home-made ice-cream. I strongly recommend this dessert to anyone who visits here.

The restaurants at the ITC Sonar have some of the friendliest waitstaff, especially in their speciality restaurants. I also enjoyed some very Bengali selections during breakfasts such as Radhabollobi with Cholar Dal on one day, and Kochuri with Ghugni on another. Finally, the Kayakalp spa is luxuriously laid out across lotus ponds and swaying palms.

Aaheli in Kolkata

2009-09-27T05:38:00.005+05:30

For a taste of authentic Bengali food in Kolkata there is no better place than Aaheli. Located in the historic Esplanade area within Peerless Inn, this restaurant serves up elaborate local cuisine in a traditional setting. Local paintings adorn the wall and brass oil lamps on tables enhances its unique Bengali experience.

Traditional Bengali food consists of multiple courses with a clearly defined order in which these are eaten. As a person who spent most of his childhood outside Bengal, I remember being chided by my aunts when I offended their sensibilities by ignoring these 'rules'. While all courses are served together in bowls around the plate, one is expected to know which one to start with and which one comes next. This elaborate ritual is still the norm in many homes in this city steeped in history.

A Bengali meal always demands leisurely attention. The secret to relishing it lies in lingering over every course and letting its layers of taste unfold. Steaming hot gobindobhog rice forms the center of every Bengali meal. Its richness springs from the variety: warm dal and fritters give way to the more complex notes of vegetables, finally culminating in the spicy magic of fish and meat.

I began with the Aam Pora Sharbat, a tangy drink made of raw mango and seasoned with mustard seeds.

When they brought the large brass plate of rice and pooris and explained the contents of the many bowls surrounding it, I was reminded of my many elaborate meals during summer vacations in Bengal during school days. Those days, the journey from Mysore to Kolkata took an entire three days by train. I still remember the verdant green surroundings, lotus-decked ponds, tube-wells in the bathrooms, varieties of fish for lunch and dinner, and of course sweets of all shapes and sizes. Not much has changed!

The bhaja-moogh'er dal is a distinctly Bengali twist to the popular Indian lentil dish. The lentils are lightly roasted before being cooked and tempered giving it an unique taste. You eat the dal with some rice and the fritters.

The chorchodi, a medley of leafy vegetables cooked with eggplant and whole spices in mustard oil is a favorite of mine. This simple dish was excellent and I polished it off in an instant.

The sorse dharosh, okra cooked in a paste of mustard was good too, but not terribly exciting.

The bhetki paturi, fish wrapped in banana leaf and steamed with spices and mustard paste was tonight's stand-out dish. It was brought sizzling to my table, and the heady aroma of mustard and the freshness of the fish was nothing short of delicious.

The Ilish bhapa is fresh-water Hilsa fish - from the famed waters of the River Padma in Bangladesh - steamed with a coating of yogurt and spices. The fish was fresh, as tasty as ever and amazing. Of course, if you aren't Bengali you may have some trouble with the numerous thin bones that make eating this fish as troublesome - and as fulfilling - as eating crab.

The chingdi mach'er malaikari was next. Another common delicacy, this dish is made of jumbo prawns in a very delicately spiced gravy of coconut milk. The preparation here was good too, but not particularly outstanding; actually, I think I like the one at Oh! Calcutta better.

There was a portion of ghee bhat and pooris accompanying these dishes. Ghee bhat is the Bengali version of pulao, with rice tossed in home-made ghee, raisins and cashews before being steamed.

Finally, the desserts. A traditional Bengali sandesh followed by payesh. Payesh is the Bengali name for kheer or payasam. The best is made of notun gur or khejur gur, date palm jaggery that is harvested during the winter months.

Along with everything else, I also enjoyed the aam khejur'er chutney, a thick sweet-sour chutney made of dried ripe mango and dates.

All in all, a very satisfying meal. There were many more items on the menu I would have loved to explore. Exotic items include those made of thod and mocha, the stem and flowers of the banana tree and probably unique to Bengali cooking.

Aaheli is located within the Peerless Inn at 12 Jawahar Lal Nehru Road, Esplanade. Ph:2228-0301

For visiting foodies, other options for Bengali food in Kolkata include:

13 Parbon, 49C Purna Das Road in Golpark. Ph: 2463-2016. They serve age old Bengali cuisine in a refurbished way. Try their boneless Bhapa Ilish.

6 Ballygunje Place at that address in Ballygunje Phari, Ph: 2460-3922. Try their Daab Chingri.

On my evening to Esplanade, the streets were crowded as only Kolkata can be: a teeming mass of people as far as the eye can see. The occasion: shopping for the coming Durga Pujas. Other than for this dinner in Aaheli, I didn't venture out into of the ITC Sonar much. As I write this post, Durga Puja is being celebrated by Bengali everywhere. Durga Puja is to Hindu Bengalis what Christmas is to Christians and Ganesh Chaturthi to Hindu Maharashtrians. It is as much a cultural expression as it religious, celebrated with much pomp and splendor. Wish all my Bengali readers a very happy festive season!

Dum Pukht in Sonar Kolkata

2009-09-22T07:30:00.006+05:30

Another business trip. Usual. To Kolkata. Very unusual! The trip was held hostage until the last day due to the Jet Airways strike and other intrigue in the workplace, but I am glad I made it to Kolkata; the trip was well worth the time I spent.

The ITC Sonar Kolkata brings to life the mood of the colonial era with its sprawling homes and gardens along the Hooghly River. And to tantalize the food buds in a city known for its culinary sophistication, the Sonar Kolkata has some of ITC's best, including Dum Pukht, Pan Asian, Peshawari. Having loved the food of Dum Pukht at both New Delhi and Mumbai, I decided to try their Kolkata namesake as well.

Dum Pukht recreates the 200 year old legacy from the kitchens of the Nawabs of Awadh, show-casing the culinary tradition of dum cooking - a style of cooking food over slow fire in sealed deghs - that has regaled connoisseurs from the world over. Characterized by the subtle use of spices, this restaurant brings to life the culinary sophistication of the nawabs.

They offered me a 'bespoke menu', a tailor-made menu that allowed me to taste multiple dishes in smaller portions. The feast began with multiple exquisite kabab offerings.

The Jhinga Dum Nisha, jumbo prawns marinated in cheese and hung yogurt, is flash cooked in a tandoor before being finished on 'dum'. Excellent stuff, the crunchy fresh prawns combined with the heady but delicately fragrant spices making for a great beginning.

The signature Dum Pukht Kakori, a delicate melt-in-your-mouth kabab of finely minced lamb flavored with cloves and cinnamon is wrapped around a skewer and char grilled. This exotic kabab's origin is the stuff of many stories. The kabab - served on a ulte tawa ka paratha -was excellent, even if it tasted different from that in The Great Kabab Factory.

They rounded this platter with a Hara Kabab, made of spinach, spices and cottage cheese. There was also some garlic achaar that I hadn't run into for a long time.

Next came the Murg Rizala, a dish of boneless chicken stuffed with herbs and chillies and dum cooked in a gravy of yogurt with a hint of almonds and garnished with egg white, bell peppers and tomatoes. I enjoyed the sharp tang of fresh green chillies in this dish - very unique.

The Subz Miloni stood out too - a melange of seasonal vegetables cooked in a smooth green puree of spinach and fenugreek. The dish was simple, but expertly cooked!

The Dum Pukht Koh-e-Awadh was a chef's special qorma of elegantly exposed lamb shanks that were dum cooked in their own cardomom tinged juices and marrow and finished with saffron. Pretty good, but the richness of the gravy made it difficult to finish. Incidentally, qormas, qualiyas and salans were the three classification of Mughlai gravy dishes: while qormas were thick gravy preparations that frequently used pastes of dry fruits, qualiyas were lighter with haldi - turmeric paste - as a key ingredient. Everything else was classified as salans, even thoough the ones in Hyderabad are characterized by peanut paste.

Finally, I have to mention the Dal Dum Pukht, a yellow dal of arhar cooked with yellow chillies, yogurt, and tempered with caramelized garlic, that last ingredient enhancing the magic of this dal considerably!

The Khaimiri Roti and Warqi Paratha - two exotic Indian breads - were excellent and prepared fresh. There is so much variety in Indian breads, but some - such as the ones I tasted tonight - are not easily found.

It was time to try their speciality, the Dum Pukht Biryani and I was already full. I had to try a few spoonfuls of the fragrant basmati rice that had been simmered with mace, itter and kewra before being finished in a sealed handi. The biryani, prepared in the Lucknow style, is distinct from its Hyderabadi cousin.

The Kulfi Lub-e-mashooq ended the elaborate meal. This creamy saffron and pistachio kulfi was served with falooda - wheat starch noodles - and a herbal syrup.

The Dum Pukht is open all the way up to 11:45 PM which allows you to have a leisurely meal - the way kababs and biryani are meant to be enjoyed. Among the three locations, I have found the ones at Delhi and Kolkata more vibrant and lively than their namesake in Mumbai.

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Samudra and Cinnamon

2009-09-19T12:00:00.001+05:30

I was back at Samudra, the seafood restaurant in Trident, Chennai. For seafood which gives a contemporary spin to South Indian dishes, there is no better place in town. The cheerful pastels that enliven the walls and tables, the bright yellow zinnea in small glass bowls and the oceanic artifacts add to the unique atmosphere. But the centerpiece is clearly the splendid fish-tanks: their unique collection of colorful fish swimming in crystal clear water.

While the menu is clearly inspired by South Indian cuisine, the chef uses a light hand with spices. I began with the signature seafood platter consisting of very juicy crab-cakes made with Chettinad spices, crunchy fried prawns with the intense flavor of fresh pepper, and fish tikka. The platter came with mint and spiced raw mango chutney and the latter was particularly tasty.

They served a glass of hot and spicy rasam with papadums. Then came the Andhra Fish Curry. The rich red sauce liberally tempered with mustard seeds was delightful and the fish was tasty too. What I had thought was gravy made of tomato turned out to be a combination of red chillies and tamarind pulp, giving the curry its unique tangy taste. Delightful!

I ended with a local dessert, the Yelneer Payasam, made of tender coconut and milk. The young chef came out to talk with me and told me this recipe was passed on to him by his grandmother. The coolness from the crushed ice and the flavor of cardomom on the palate was quite refreshing.

I have enjoyed staying at the Trident. Among the hotels close to the airport, I like this one best. Until last year, this place was called the Hilton Trident, but now the Oberois plan to run it on their own.

Cinnamon, the other restaurant in the hotel, is a great option for lunch and dinner buffets. The items on the lunch buffet were meticulously prepared - one of the few places where I liked the items on the salad counter too. The Mutton Qurma, the Murgh Biryani, Fried Eggplant, Dal Makhani, and Melon-Wrapped Bacon were all delicious. As were the Gulab Jamuns and the other desserts I sampled at the end.

The Kingfisher guest relations girl in Chennai and the staff in Samudra recognized me from my last visit here, which was nice. Chennai seemed to be business-as-usual with business travellers crowding the hotel and the airport. There was some distraction on one day when Rahul Gandhi decided to visit our hotel for a press conference. BTW, The Trident at Chennai is also home to an excellent spa with trained Indonesian and Thai masseuses.

PS: My previous experience at Samudra and the Trident is posted here.

Kababs and More in Chennai

2009-09-15T06:50:00.000+05:30

I was back at The Great Kabab Factory in Chennai, this time for a business lunch. For those who are unfamiliar, this concept restuarant was a trend setter that has been much copied since it was first introduced in the New Delhi Radisson Hotel. Designed to look like a factory - waiters in factory uniforms, heavy-duty cutlery, unlimited kababs flowing to the table, etc. - this restaurant offers four different kababs, two speciality Indian breads, biryani and a dessert selection during lunch. The kababs change every day but always includes their signature Galouti Kabab.

They started us off with a tropical salad of greens, fruits and strawberry dressing and a shot-glass of badam milk. The kababs began streaming in quickly after.

The Galouti Kabab is made of very fine mince of mutton marinated in 123 different spices - or so they claim. This delicate kabab was served with a Ulte Tawa Ka Paratha, a flaky Indian bread made with saffron milk. The waiter recommended spreading the kabab on the paratha, adding onion rings and mint chutney and rolling it all up like a kathi kabab. The kabab was mild, very flavorful and good as always.

The Zaffrani Murgh, succulent chunks of chicken coated with red chilly powder, yogurt and saffron came next. This was was good, but not as juicy and tender as it could be.

The Pudina Macchi, fillets of fish coated with spices and mint before being shallow-fried in a pan was excellent. They recommended using a peanut dip along with it, and the experience was wonderful. We ordered another round of this kabab as we sipped from glasses of Chaach, soothing buttermilk tempered with mustard seeds.

The last one was the Lagan Ki Nalli, shank with meat on the bone, marinated with almond paste and other spices. The meat was delicious, rich with the taste of almond, and easily fell away from the bone.

Today's biryani was the Murgh biryani, cooked in the Awadhi fashion which is drier, less spicy but very flavorful. By now we were quite full.

Among the desserts, the Pear Rabdi was excellent and a creative variation of the traditional one. Also in the sampler was vermicelli payasam, cham cham, beetroot halwa - another unique spin, this time on the more common gajar halwa. Finally, they served us small portions of kulfi in earthern pots.

The Great Kabab Factory continues to delight and is a wonderful destination for that occasional craving for kababs.

PS: My previous visit to TGKF is posted here.

India Jones!

2009-09-10T18:52:00.003+05:30

India Jones. How could I resist a name like that? I was at the Trident Hotel in Mumbai - yes, one of the three hotels that were attacked on that fateful night. The story behind the name? Bharat (India) Joyent (Jones), born in August 1947 on Independence Day created this culinary experience. His extensive travel and gourmet experience from his journeys to the Far East has been distilled into the creative menu here. The menu, in the form of an old traveler's map and diary, is an eclectic selection of dishes from Burma, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and India.

The restaurant itself is very contemporary and decorated with artifacts that - I suppose - are from India Jones' adventures abroad. Many items on the menu can only be ordered for two, which limited my options. I started with the Trilogy of Prawns: steamed laksa prawns, wok-fried salt and pepper, and braised with lobster sauce. I liked the prawns; they were crunchy, fresh and the combination of sweet and sour, spicy and crunchy varieties made for a great starter..

The Kai Gaeng Phed, Thai red curry made with red chilli, lemongrass and coconut milk was not very spicy and pretty good with the steamed rice.

I ended with a Thai dessert of water chestnuts and coconut milk. Soothing and cool after the spicy red curry. The service was excellent throughout. They also have a bar called the Opium Den adjoining this restaurant that continues the India Jones theme.

While India Jones is a good place for a business lunch or dinner if you are staying at the Trident, I didn't find anything extraordinary about this place. In a city that is home to the excellent China House at the Grand Hyatt and Pan Asian at the Grand Maratha, India Jones doesn't seem to merit a special visit. However, I must point out again that I couldn't try some of the best items on the menu because I was dining by myself (and those dishes can only be ordered for two).

Ten years back when I last got my B1 visa, I couldn't have anticipated I would make over 40 trips to the US before my visa actually expired. After a decade, I was visiting the American consulate in Mumbai to renew my visa. Pune airport seemed dead: very few passengers, the airline girls chatting away or keeping yawns in bay as they killed time between flights.

The flight was only a third full too. Was it the economy or H1N1? Probably the recent helicopter crash and Air India 747 that caught fire that something to do with this too. Well, I wasn't complaining. It is a rare pleasure to be in an airport where you can choose a seat of your liking and have the flight attendant's complete attention when on-board. :)

I drove over the new Bandra-Worli Sealink on my way to the Trident, but due to the gloomy, rainy day, I could barely see the cityscape across the sea. However, the Trident in Nariman Point was an hive of activity with bus-loads of Japanese businessmen entering the hotel.

Incidentally, while browsing through the spa menu at the Trident, I discovered a rather interesting option called the Mumbai Masala which includes a 'fire massage' - a hot lava shell massage, whatever that means. If you try this and survive to tell the tale, please do share!

Pune Dining: August Updates

2009-08-29T18:09:00.009+05:30

This has been a bad month for dining out in Pune. With the swine flu scare in the city, dining out has considerably reduced. But not entirely. :)

Oh! Calcutta moved away from their buffet lunches and instead launched a gourmet platter for the lunch hours. They pamper you with three different starters, a mutton dish with poori, two types of fish entrees with steamed rice, and a couple of desserts at the end. You need a good appetite to finish that.

The first starter was the Murshidabadi Murghi - a special batter-coated chicken - named after a town popular for its unique silk saries. The second was the Gandhoraj Bhetki - fish coated with a fine paste of mustard and gandhoraj (a variety of lime sourced from Bengal that literally means 'the king of aroma'!) before being delicately cooked. The last starter was the Kachra-Chingri Bhapa, crab-meat and minced prawns mixed with spices and steamed inside a banana-leaf. The accompanying chutneys were excellent - one made of tamarind, another of tomato and mustard paste, etc.

The Kosha Mangsho is a personal favorite. Even though it was very heavy and oily, I ended up scooping up a considerable portions of this mutton dish - made in a very thick gravy- with the accompanying pooris.

The Macher Jhol, a staple in Bengali fish preparation, was a different version - made in a tomato based gravy. Finally, the Chingri Macher Malai Kari, or prawns cooked in a gravy of coconut milk and delicate spices. Both were reasonably ok, but the highlight were the starters.

Desserts consisted of mini Roshogollas and Malpua - again not particularly remarkable. The restaurant is also running a Ilish Festival - a fish that is particularly sought after in Bengal. The restaurant sources it straight from Bangladesh; the best Ilish are found in the River Padma. As you can imagine, that makes the prices for these prized dishes quite steep. Also, non-Bengalis be warned! The Ilish is filled with thin bones that needs expert handling. If you wish to try this fish, order the few boneless dishes on their special menu. The fish, incidentally, is incredible and very different from any other.

Having moved into Kalyani Nagar recently, I was hunting for new home-delivery options. Turns out there is a new kabab place in town, actually right in the heart of Kalyani Nagar where Casa de Goa existed before. Kabab King has a chef from Lucknow and an imposing menu that covers a lot of ground - from Lucknow to Hyderabad. The two kababs we ordered: Murgh Kali Mirch and Shahi Murgh Tikka were both better than those available from run-of-the-mill kabab places. Promising find; lucky me! Kabab King is located next to the Lifestyle mall in Kalyani Nagar in Floriana Estates. Ph: 3234-1333.

In the middle of all the swine-flu chaos in Pune this month, one new restaurant bravely opened its doors. Sen5es is a all-day dining restaurant in Oakwood Premier, the plush new five-star aparments that have come up in Koregaon Park just after the Kalyani Nagar bridge. No, that wasn't a typo - it is Sen5es indeed (you have five of them, remember?). Karen Anand went ga-ga over the Italian dishes she sampled in today's Times of India, but my interest was piqued by the fusion dishes on the menu: basil and prawns biryani, garam masala seared tuna with coconut lemon butter sauce. Sounds very interesting, doesn't it? Ph: 4142-8888

Finally, someone contacted me from The Courtyard by Marriott because they like this blog! They even invited me to their Momo Cafe once more for a dinner experience. What can I say? Keep watching this space. :)

Other recent posts on Pune's dining scene:

The Restaurant on the Fifth

2009-08-18T13:33:00.008+05:30

Hotel Palomar is unusual in more ways than one. A boutique hotel that combines arty decor with a chef-driven restaurant, this place only has its entrance lobby at street level -- everything else is five floors above. Ensconced in a discreet corner of this hotel is The Fifth Floor: an elegant restaurant adorned in rich fabrics and dark wood, that comes alive during the evening hours.

I had visited this place a few months back. This time I decided to try Chef Jennie Lorenzo's tasting menu but without the wine pairings. Unlike Cortez, all items on the tasting menu are available on their regular menu as well.

My waiter quickly served two different types of bread and a slab of butter. From my last experience and this one, I can say Fifth Floor serves some of the best bread in town. The one made with red wine was particularly interesting.

The amuse was a shot glass of chilled beet, milk froth and a few other ingredients, but the end result was unremarkable. I continued to nibble on the excellent bread and my fruity Pinot Noir waiting for something more exciting.

The Tuna "Zuke" starter was nice! Sashimi strips with green tea soba noodles, yuzu vinaigrette and greens. The burst of 'fishiness' from the salmon caviar mixed with the tangy soya flavor enhancing the taste of the tuna. The crisp greens added another layer of taste and texture that was both unique and satisfying.

It took a while for the next course to make it to my table. The English Pea Soup was served in a soup plate and garnished with spiced oil powder and calamari - a la plancha, i.e, grilled on a metal plate. The warm soup had a nice gingery-spicy taste that I liked.

Next came my first entree, the Tea-Smoked Duck Breast with maitake mushrooms, glass noodles and blueberry infused dark sauce. This was the second dish today that was clearly inspired by Japanese elements. Did I mention Chef Jennie once worked for Ame, run by Japanese chef Hiro Sone and his wife? As for the duck: aha, this was excellent stuff! We were hitting the sweet spot now. The duck had been expertly marinated, and the contrast between the crispy skin and the flesh was wonderful. The slight tanginess of the noodles was a nice touch too.

The second entree was the Slow Roasted Pork Belly with a potato 'risotto', chorizo and broccoli florets. The dish looked large and I wondered if I could finish the whole thing. But once I got started, there was no looking back. This was a winner too and the taste of the spices came through the potato-based risotto very nicely.

They offered an intermezzo of yogurt sorbet with peach that felt intensely cold, buttery and fresh -- all at the same time. Then came the dessert of chocolate goodies with a cup of chocolate 'soup'. Nice. Very nice!

As I waited for my cheque, they followed their tradition of bringing a small platter of freshly made sweets: a mini macaroon and a other French goodies.

This trip made a better impression on me that my previous one. Fifth Floor is a hidden gem tucked away from view, and a great choice for inventive, fresh creations in classy settings. Fifth Floor is also among the few to be awarded a Michelin star in this city.

Back to Cortez

2009-08-14T12:21:00.011+05:30

I had enjoyed the food at Cortez so much I returned to this lively restaurant again during this trip. Interestingly, while Silicon Valley was warm and sunny, neighbouring San Francisco was cold, windy and rainy. However, I covered the distance to the Hotel Adigo on foot, hoping the restuarant would not be too crowded.

Like the last time, the restaurant excelled in its food and service. The chef's tasting menu (available only Mon-Thu; they have a different menu on weekends) is moderately priced considering it's Michelin star status. I decided to go with this for today - the menu combines some surprise items with popular ones on the regular menu.

The amuse bouches were delivered in quick succession as I watched the place begin to fill up. A spoon of appetizing mixture of almond, sour cream and some other tiny goodies followed by a shot-glass of chilled melon soup, a prawn and a sliver of ginger.

My first course was Purple Cherokee tomatoes with burrata, olive oil and sea salt. They served it with very thin slices of sourdough crisps. I loved this one! Gourmet preparations of organic tomatoes are suddenly in vogue in upscale restaurants! Crunchy and delightful in their intermixing of tastes and textures on the palate, the juicy and fleshy goodness of the tomatoes made this a great start. This dish was paired with a very interesting white Italian wine that was similar to Riesling.

Next came a 'surprise' starter: Alaskan salmon with blossoms/greens that I cannot remember. While the dish was good, it wasn't particularly memorable. This starter was paired with an Austrian sparkling wine.

The Sauteed Sea Scallops in lobster consomme and pomme puree was next - the first entree, and very good. This dish was served with spinach and spring vegetables. Squeaky fresh, cooked just right and very tasty with the lobster and potato sauce. The Chardonnay went very well with this preparation.

The second entree was the excellent Due of Niman Ranch Beef which I had so much enjoyed during my first visit here. The dish consists of a hanger steak paired with braised cheek, with glazed Thumbelina carrots, cipollini onions, date puree and preserved lemon jus. The contrasting textures and tastes of the two different chunks of meat were amazing. Cipollini onions are smaller, flatter onions that are sweeter than the regular variety but less than shallots. The wine? A Napa Valley Cabernet. I think my tongue just orgasmed at this point!

I went through my dessert slowly - a mango custard over shortbread and strawberry sorbet with sesame. They had served this with an Italian sweet wine that was delectible too. Man, that was good!

I walked back to my hotel, a happy man, enjoying the evening scenes of downtown San Francisco, past the Union Square and its large shopping malls. This was another great dining experience. Cortez does an excellent job of combining great food, excellent service and an interesting but non-intimidating atmosphere for even casual diners.

Oases and Watering Holes

2009-08-09T11:36:00.009+05:30

Ancient travellers found much needed food, rest and supplies in the oases and watering holes of North Africa, in the dim-sum tea houses houses of southern China or the dhabas that still dot the Indian highways. For the modern jet-set traveller, business hotels attempt do the same - some a little better than others. Here's a quick post of my memorable food moments within business hotels during this trip to the Bay Area.

Having spent the previous 24 hours on an airplane, all I wanted was a quick dinner so I could hit the bed, which looked very welcoming indeed. Bay 223, the restaurant of the Sofitel is bright, cheerful. The food here - a mix of American and French influences - can be quite good. Here are pictures of the potato-burnt garlic soup and the grilled salmon on a bed of ratatouille with pesto sauce. The chocolate-mango sorbet combination of my dessert was a nice touch too!

I actually two meetings on Sunday. One during lunch, the other over dinner. We grabbed lunch at Wahoo's Fish Tacos at Santana Row. Wahoo's is an interesting spin on Mexican food. A casual, outdoor ambiance - lots of surfing memorabilia - their signature dish are the Fish Tacos which I ordered along with their spicy white beans.

For my dinner meeting, I went over to the nearby Four Seasons hotel in Palo Alto. It's Italian restaurant, Quattro, offers a Sunday supper menu which we decided to go with. Quattro features Northern Italian seasonal and light cuisine with an fresh Cal-Italian twist at breakfast and lunch.

We began with the Jota Soup with Savoy Cabbage, Borlotti Beans, Poached Egg. The soup was good, especially since my jet-lag was now begining to hit me! The house-made Spaghettoni with Mamma Cartumini’s Famous Meatballs was not bad. But what I liked most was the seasonal dessert sampler: check out the pictures below.

On another evening, after a day full of meetings I ordered a Cheeseburger at Bay 223. Look at the interesting way my French Fries were served. And yes, the cheeseburger was pretty good - I had decided to choose blue cheese, which main the burger a little more interesting than usual.

And finally, the excellent Palomar hotel in downtown San Francisco. They surprised me with a platter of very artfully presented strawberries with chocolate sauce! The hearty breakfast in the morning was good enough to keep me going through the busy day too.

The last week has been particularly maddening here: I was moving house, there was a crisis at work and now we seem to have a near-panic situation in Pune due to swine-flu. The good news is, the coming weeks can only be better!

Dining at Michael Mina

2009-07-28T10:03:00.002+05:30

I chanced upon Micheal Mina, the celebrity chef's signature restaurant when strolling past Union Square in downtown San Francisco. Located in the historic St. Francis Westin hotel, this restaurant is resplendent in hues of brown and rich leather. I noticed with interest what turned to be Murano lighting accents on the high ceilings and soaring columns. I had no reservations, but they were able to find me a seat in the causal lounge co-located with the dining room.

Egyptian-born Michael Mina stated his career in the Seattle area, but it was only in San Francisco that he found fame after setting up Aqua. At this time he has dozens of restaurants, but the one I was in is considered his best.

Having narrowed down what I wanted to eat tonight, I picked a Hirsch Vineyards 2007 Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast - turned out an excellent choice. Also, while the bread was good, the butter was particularly amazing - very yellow and apparently hand-churned. From my seat I could see the large clock in the lobby that is somewhat of an attraction given that it has been hard at work since 1906.

My starter of the Hudson Valley Foie Gras made its appearance quickly. Layered over a cracker, this dish also had young ginger, peaches and greek yoghurt. The foie gras was fantastic - buttery soft, rich and a tantalizing medley of taste and texture. I savoured every morsel slowly with the toast and wine.

I had chosen the Elysian Fields farm lamb chops as my entree. The dish was served with polenta, mustard greens, lamb tongue vinaigrette and was delicious . I enjoyed the taste of mustard greens in this dish - popularly known in north India as sarson ka saag, these greens were a particularly good combination with the chops.

Dessert was their famous Root Beer Float with warm chocolate chip cookie. Now this was completely awesome and made for a fabulous end to my dinner. Scoops of homemade ice cream and tangy sorbet tantalized the tongue with the fizziness of the root beer. And the gooey, warm chocolate chip cookie was among the best I have ever had. This was truely the highlight - in addition to the foie gras.

Next time, I have to make a reservation so I can try out their main dining section. However, the prices in the lounge for the same dishes are lower and a great way to sample their most popular fare. Also the casual atmosphere here makes it a better choice when I am dining alone.

Michael Mina is one among only four restaurants in the entire Bay Area that have been awarded two Michelin stars. From what I could sample at this restaurant, becoming a celebrity chef with 20+ restaurants hasn't had a negative impact on the food. This is also among the few grand old hotels I have seen in America, and that was an additional bonus. When I return I have to try their Maine Lobster Pot Pie and the Quail presented three ways!

Dom Perignon and Caviar in the Sky

2009-07-23T12:57:00.001+05:30

Luxury at 36000 feet over the Pacific Ocean! It is easy to forget you are in a cramped aluminium tube, full of people packed like sardines just behind the curtains. Easy to forget that is, when you are comfortably tucked into the spacious cocoon of Singapore Air's first class cabin. What made my trip particularly enjoyable was the fact that I hadn't even requested an upgrade.

I was flying my usual route from Mumbai to San Francisco via Singapore on business class. I slept through the flight to Singapore and in the morning I realized the flight was going to be late. By the time the flight landed, my connecting flight was already boarding - at the farthest end of the terminal. However, the efficient Singapore Airlines staff had a buggy waiting to transfer me (and another passenger) quickly to the gate. It was in Seoul, where the flight makes a brief halt, that I was upgraded to first - a very pleasant surprise.

Singapore Air's first class cabin is configured like the business class, only four seats in a row. However these seats are are a full 35 inches wide and upholstered in fine-grain leather and mahagony wood. A high-resolution 23 inch LCD TV made movie viewing experience a delight.

They have a choice of Dom Perignon and Krug Grande Cuvee on their menu and I chose the former. As I sipped on the chilled champagne and nibbled on canapes of chicken and lamb satay, they handed out Salvatore Ferragamo amenity kits, Givenchy sleeper suits and suede slippers.

I watched three episodes of Mad Men back to back over drinks and dinner. I chose from the menu created by Alfred Portale of New York's Gotham Grill. Cauliflower panna cotta with smoked salmon, lemon oil and salmon caviar. This was followed by a pretty good corn chowder with spiced prawns and basil oil. Then came the main course, grilled sirloin in red wine sauce, braised red cabbage, baby carrots, Kenyan beans, and Yukon Gold-blue cheese potatoes.

Dessert consisted of a warm frangipani tart with fresh raspberry. This was surprisingly good and after a cup of Royal Darjeeling I dozed off.

With all that royal treatment in the skies, it was no surprise I was particularly well-rested the flight arrived in San Francisco on a lovely, warm day. There was a long line at the immigration but it took only 30 mintues to get through immigration, baggage claim and customs.

Earlier in Mumbai, I had dined at Stax, the restaurant within Hyatt Regency. While there were just enough items on display, everything I tasted was excellent. The tenderloin-fried onion soup was hot and tasty; I had been feeling a little under the weather and the soup instantly revived me. The tava arbi starter was very interesting too. The Macchi Masala was superb as was the Murgh Lazeez and the Bhuna Pyaz ka Gosht.

Pune Dining: New Updates

2009-07-16T14:30:00.004+05:30

The Courtyard by Marriott in Hingewadi, Pune offers an excellent buffet. Until now, Seasons in Aundh was the only place for a decent business lunch in this part of town. But now at the Courtyard's Momo restaurant, superior quality breads, a variety of delectible dishes and mouth-watering desserts makes it worth the drive from the city. During evenings, they even have an al-fresco open-air barbeque (when it isn't raining). The menu is creative and the food made with attention to details. I am in love with the Fruit Rabdi here!

Casanova in Kalyani Nagar no longer has an upscale feel to it. I returned to this Italian restaurant on a weekend. The pastas and soups were pretty good, but the place was not too filled and the waiters didn't know the menu very well. Also, the Volcano - their name for the chocolate lava cake - didn't taste as good as it did the first time. There was too much flour and too little chocolate, I guess.

Mainland China continues to delight; I haven't come across many restaurants in this price range which can be so consistent in its quality. The Peppery Lemon Soup is my all-time favorite, the Jumbo Prawns in pepper-salt is yummilicious, and this time I discovered the Lotus-wrapped chicken fried rice, which is very fragrant and a great accompaniment to the Chengdu Claypot Chicken.

We also decided to party one evening with a friend at the Hard Rock Cafe. Only to find it was a dry day in Pune: no alcohol due to a religious festival! The virgin cocktails weren't too exciting but the Nachos with the Spinach and Mushroom Cheesy Dip was very appetizing.

Among interesting new openings, Red Dragon opens its doors in Kalyani Nagar. The chef from the Tangra area of Kolkata which is home to many Chinese immigrants has lined up interesting Chinese fare. What is unique are the 'stir fry bowls': Korean rice bowl, Oyster Chilly bowl, Okayo in seafood, etc.

Foodies, note that Yellow Chilli now has a 'tasting menu' but this being no Michelin starred restaurant, it is very modestly priced.

Other recent posts on Pune's dining scene:

Delectible Chinese Fare

2009-07-10T06:40:00.005+05:30

I was on a three-city tour that took me to Mumbai, Bangalore, and New Delhi within the span of four days. This whirlwind tour was particularly draining as I moved from hotel to car to airport every few hours, but at the end of it all there was a sense of achievement. However, since this is not blog where I talk about my Clark Kent persona, let me quickly morph into SuperFoodie and tell you about some fantastic culinary discoveries in these cities.

Taipan, the rooftop restaurant at The Oberoi in New Delhi serves up some of the best dim-sums in this country; they even have dim sum lunches on weekends. I discovered this on the day I was flying back home.

It seems dim sums first began appearing in the many tea houses that lined the Silk Route in southern China and Hong Kong. While initially it was taboo to serve food in tea houses, that began to change. Soon, there were places that specialized in dim sums lining the streets of Canton and the small cities frequented by weary travellers. At this time, dim sums places open as early as 5 AM in the morning to dish out the most sumptuous steamed dumplings to locals. Many places continue through the day when tourists pour in to sample these delicacies that touch the heart (dim sum literally means ' little bit of heart').

The dim sum lunch at the Taipan included a choice of soup, a small selection of starters, lots of dim sums, noodles and a choice of dessert. I began with the Szechwan hot and sour soup with chicken. Starters included a shrimp wanton, prawn on roll and chicken spring roll. But what really got the taste buds going were the items to follow.

The Peking Duck pancakes were excellent. I didn't want to stuff myself so I could do justice to the dishes that were to come, but I couldn't resist polishing off both the pancakes they served.

Then came a series of bamboo dim sum containers with shrimp har gau, scallop and prawn dumplings, shrimp and asparagus dumplings, chicken and shrimp siewmai, chicken and lotus root dumpling, chicken and bell pepper, chicken and red pumpkin... you get the idea? Mouth-watering dim sums, one after the other, bursting with taste, flavour and occasionally singeing my mouth as I greedily dug into them.

I particularly remember the Chicken nor mai gai - lotus wrapped sticky rice and chicken - and the Charsiew bao - barbecue pork filled buns. I wondered who could order noodles after that feast. But I had to try a dessert. My waitress recommended the chilled mango pudding, the lightest among the selection of desserts which turned out just right for me.

Taipan is a truely elegant restaurant set against a panoramic view of the city and perfect for the dim sum lover. This is a great place for a business lunch or for an intimate dinner.

A few days earlier, I dined at the opulent China House within the Grand Hyatt in Mumbai. A restaurant like no other, China House exudes a sense of magnificence that is difficult to match. Featuring multiple interactive Chinese kitchens, private spaces and a high-energy lounge, this place creates a new paradigm for Chinese dining, where the cuisine is contemporary and presented with flair and creativity in captivating surroundings.

Located on the lobby level, China House has four distinct areas: the garden, the restaurant, the I Deck private lounge and the high-energy lounge. The restaurant itself flaunts five eye-catching open kitchens and private dining rooms (called Ginger, Chilli, Cinnamon and Nutmeg).

The most interesting feature here are the interactive open kitchens that consist of five stations – an appetiser section, a noodle and dumpling station, the Peking Duck station, the wok section and the dessert station. The Pick Your Fish corner, where guests can select their favourite seafood and the wood-fired Peking Duck oven are also a foodie's delight.

The Claypot Chicken with Smoked Bamboo Shoots in Chili sauce was quite delightful, with delicate flavors that brought out the best of the fresh ingredients. We paired this dish with the Seafood Fried Rice which had a liberal amount of seafood.

The dessert of a Green Tea flavored mousse with home-made passion-fruit (?) ice-cream was incredibly good. This is a restaurant now on my must-return list. The only dampener was they do not like cameras within the premises - Bollywood stars frequent this place often and that's probably the reason why.

Airports and Lounges

2009-07-06T06:39:00.002+05:30

I took the midnight flight out of San Francisco by Singapore Air. With the Air France crash still fresh in my mind, I was painfully aware of every turbulent stretch over the Pacific. It was early in the morning when we finally landed in Hong Kong. The Krisflyer lounge had some interesting items to nibble on: freshly made dim-sums with a chili-oil dip and ice-creams in cookies-and-cream flavor.

This time, I also watched more movies on the flight than usual: Coraline (a very unusual animation movie, the storyline quite dark and quirky but very creatively rendered), Watchmen (I wasn't very impressed), Taken (yawn!) and Valkyrie (not particularly gripping). After a hour's break in Hong Kong, I was re-boarded to continue on to Singapore.

I had a complimentary invitation to Singapore's CIP JeyQuay lounge. 'All the hotshot millionaires of Singapore use this lounge' or so I was told. Apparently, there aren't many high net-worth individuals left or they aren't travelling - the lounge was completely empty. The girl waiting for me right at the arrival gate gave me a buggy ride to the lounge. They even have a special immigration/customs counter for their guests! The lounge is equipped with meeting rooms, massage chairs, nap rooms, food, drinks, etc. You can even have visitors from the city meet you here.

My friendly escort was from Mongolia. When I told her she was the first I had met from her country, she was pleasantly surprised. She said most in Singapore don't know Mongolia is a country, and assume Mongols are from China. She is currently studying in Singapore and was working here as an intern but wants to return to Ulan Bator. She said she likes the opportunities in Singapore but doesn't like the way people are treated here. I also learnt that many from Mongolia prefer to emigrate to Europe rather than to the US or other countries in Asia. Most learn Russian as their first foreign language, but English is fairly widespread now-a-days. Apparently the job situation is getting better too in Mongolia with more global companies entering the country to exploit its rich deposits of gold, minerals and oil.

With a few hours to kill, I spent most of the time writing up these blog posts. Since I began blogging, it has been relatively easy spending these long hours at airports. By the time I get home, I usually have a set of drafts written out that only need to be cleaned up and posted after putting together pictures from my digicam.

There was a huge crowd at the immigration counters and it took over an hour to get out of Mumbai airport. The traffic management continues to be pathetic; my driver took another 30 mintues to get his car, but we were finally outside and reached my hotel without further ado. I hope they use the current downturn to solve the traffic issue before airport traffic goes up again.

Dining at Cortez

2009-06-25T09:44:00.000+05:30

This Michelin starred restaurant in the heart of San Francisco's theater district is one long narrow room - albeit one that has been tastefully converted to give a fun, clubby feel. The lights fashioned out of colored spheres that are suspended from metal tubes would certainly appeal to an art-lover.

The restaurant is more lively than the Fifth Floor where I had dined only a day earlier. The bar area and the main restaurant were located in the same area which made for a higher decibel level. I actually like that when I am dining alone! Given its star rating, the items on the menu seemed priced very modestly; even the chef's tasting menu was a steal. However, the tasting menu is only available Monday through Thursday, so I picked the special Dine About Town menu.

They got me going with a combination of amuse bouches: a spoonful of something delicious and sweet - can't remember what it consisted of - and a shot glass of hot potato soup which was absolutely brilliant. That also set the tone for the rest of the evening.

While the service quality was nothing remarkable, the food certainly beats Fifth Floor hands down based on my recent dinner at both.

The Slow Roasted Baby Beets & Burrata was a work of art with micro-greens and edible blossoms adorning this dish. The beets were juicy and flavorful while the burrata - an Italian cheese made of mozzarella and cream - was fresh and equally delicious.

My main course was a Duo of Niman Ranch Beef containing a bavette steak and braised cheek, glazed Thumbelina carrots, caramelized onions, date puree and lemon jus. The beef was heavenly, and melted in the mouth. The flavorful, glazed onions were mouth watering good too.

I ended with the Strawberry Sorbet with basil candy, lemon verbena creme fraiche and Hawaiian black sea salt. This was amazing stuff too, and the sea salt made it particularly delectable. This restaurant definitely merits a repeat visit!

Cortez is ensconced in the Hotel Adagio and its kitchen is overseen by chef Jenn Puccio. The stroll back to my hotel past Union Square did me some good too. There was a nip in the air, but it was pleasant. I also noticed the large Virgin Megastore seems to have closed down - the economic downturn continues to take its toll.

Fifth Floor at Hotel Palomar

2009-06-20T08:42:00.002+05:30

Fifth Floor is the name of the restaurant at Hotel Palomar in downtown San Francisco. Of particularly interest to me is the fact that this restaurant has continued to maintain its Michelin star even as chefs have changed during the last few years. As for the hotel itself, the Palomar fancies itself as an arty hotel in more ways than one. Categorized as a boutique hotel, this place is known for its wine receptions that bring together wine and art during the evenings.

In the evening, I went up to check out the art on display. There was a silent auction going on and the art on display included original drawings and etches from Chagall's stained glass windows in Jerusalem with bid prices starting at $3500. After a while, as the art exhibition wound down, I made my way to the Fifth Floor.

Dark wood, luxurious linens, chic chairs and small tea-lights on the table make up the minimalist but elegant decor. Executive Chef Jennie Lorenzo (earlier part of Gordon Ramsay's team), sommelier Emily Wines (!), and pastry chef Leena Hung are the all-female culinary team behind this fancy restaurant. Women chefs are making their presence known in the Bay Area and the list of starred chefs is not limited to Alice Waters.

The Fifth Floor serves modern French inspired by the Gascony region of France. It was obvious I had to begin with the Foie Gras, the most popular delicacy of this region. This was an Artisan foie gras terrine, with kumquat and almond bastilla and a red wine-armagnac gastrique. It was a really tasty dish, silky smooth with a hint of tangy sweetness on the palate.

Before the foie gras, they had served a couple of amuse bouches: A cold pea-soup shot along with a spoon of duck liver and cheese thingy that I can't recall too well. Also, they served up some excellent bread: one was pecan-encrusted multi-grain bread, the other a sweet white livened up by star anise.

My entree was the L'Agneau, parlsey-crusted loin of lamb, white and green beans, glazed bok choy and eggplant marmalade. I relished the flavors and textures of this dish slowly with the Riesling I had chosen tonight.

For dessert, I tried the Croustade Gasconne, a version of an apple pie with anise-orange blossom syrup, apple crisp and green apple sorbet. This dessert wasn't particularly memorable for me, but the rest of the dinner had made me quite contended. Another pot of Earl Grey and I was ready to hit the bed.

Incidentally, Chef Jennie Lorenzo worked for a little while at my other favorite restaurant nearby, Ame.