Tag: Mumbai

The Big Fat Lentil Wedding

It was a morning of a date which is quite unclear in my memory. I woke up to the rising sound of traffic and the fluttering of pigeons eternally stuck in the window railings. I picked up my toothbrush, squeezed the last remains of the toothpaste, and tucked the brush into my mouth. I needed some company before sitting on the toilet seat, so I walked towards the door and pushed it open. Lying there was my roll of newspapers, with colorful bunch of pamphlets. But along with it was an envelope addressed for me.

It was strange as no courier guy or postman would have delivered it so early in the morning. It didn’t carry any seals or stamps, and who had sent it. Curious to know, I first tore it from the corner, and then ripped through the edge with a single slide of the finger.

Before I could open it, I could smell something. There was a pungency of garlic and mustardy feel of turmeric in the envelope. I was now almost sure of the contents of the envelope, this was a highly familiar smell.

I could not help but smile. Finally my beautiful friend from Hyderabad was about to marry one of my closest friend from Mumbai. Yes, the Sambhar from Chutneys was finally set to marry the Dal from Bhagat Tarachand.

The Bride- Sambhar from Chutneys

I had known her (the Sambhar from Chutneys) since my trips to Hyderabad became frequent after 2010. I visited Chutneys on almost all my visits, skipped my rendezvous with 5-6 chutneys on offer, and always spent the most time with her. This sambhar had a smooth texture like none I had ever tasted. There were no obstructions of drumsticks or pumpkin pieces so pervasive in sambhars all across India. The flavor was rich with spices and a more than generous helpings of black pepper gave it the perfect zing. But what set it apart was its use of Garlic, something which I haven’t frequently encountered in sambhars across the country. Over the years the sambhar from Andhra had been my favorite (Andhra>Tamil>Kerala>Karnataka style sambhars, especially don’t like Manglorean/Udupi variety popular across many Mumbai eateries, which has a dash of sweetness from jaggery/sugar), but this one climbed to be top of my list.

The Groom- Dal from Bhagat Tarachand

I first met him (the Dal from Bhagat Tarachand) on of my countless trips across Mumbai in search of good food. I found him hiding in one of those countless Bhagat Tarachands (so many of them at Zaveri Bazaar), where my encounter with him offered peace in between the maddening crowds of Zaveri. I mostly met him with his best friends, Papad Churi and a Ghee laden Chapati, at either his Zaveri Bazar home, or his more suave R City adobe- Shvatra. Like the sambhar from Chutneys, the brilliant use of Garlic was its forte, but what set it apart was the use of Ghee-fried onions, similar to ones used frequently with Biriyanis (possibly a connect with the Hyderabadi Sambhar). We hit an instant friendship and both of us being in the same city (and him staying close by in Ghatkopar) meant countless encounters.

So when both of them agreed to come together, no one could have been happier, as I was the one who connected both of them. I can’t even imagine how awesome their kids would be. Surely healthy with so much of protein running in their veins.

—-

I reached the wedding venue few hours prior to the wedding. As expected the environment was somber and lacking energy. Both of them have had a tendency of moving under the radar, when some of their other contemporaries have been involved in maximum showoff with minimal flavors. Gracing the occasion were the family members, friends from the spices community- with peppers dominating the group. The pandit was busy preparing the holy fire and doing other preparations.

The pandit seemed adept at handling both the mantras and kitchen equipment, as he placed a huge vessel over the fire. He started pouring in lots of ghee, and then crackled a bit of jeera (cumin seeds) in the vessel. As the crackling voice soaked the environment, the bride and groom entered the proceedings. Both of them wet, soaked in water and fresh and ready for the wedding.

The sambhar had a garland of curry leaves around it, and the dal looked composed with a pot of ghee in his hands. The background was infused with sounds of ceremony and usual wedding banter, and smells of spices and fresh coriander. As both the bride and groom settled down in the mandapam, the pandit started the fiery rounds mantras. With each swaha, he tossed a clove of garlic in the ghee-jeera mix. Pandit then took out a shining silver spice box, and started adding them one by one in the mix. As the ceremony proceeded, the attendees were handed ghee-fried onions for sprinkling at the bride and groom during the seven rounds across the fire. These onions were the ones which had set apart this dal from the rest for so many years, and it was a great way of welcoming the bride in this family.

After the rounds around the holy fire, there were the usual ceremonies of sindoor (made of red chilly powder) and a mangalsutra (made of raw mustard seeds).

The wedding ceremony ended with a feast with no parallels, with a mix of cuisines from west and south dominating the platters. I was as always indulged in the glory of the dishes and sat along with the rest cleaning my banana leaf and waiting for the servings. A little girl was going around with the gulaabjal sprinkler, used so often during weddings to welcome guests. The girl came towards me, gave me a smile and then sprinkled a bit on me. It was hot. I wiped the drop of my lips and tasted it. It was the sambhar, or was it the daal? It was sweet!

And I woke up to my wife trying to wake me up, sprinkling drops from her hot steamy-sugary cup of tea on my face. The dream was broken, and I had a smile on my face thinking about it.

There was a rising sound of traffic and the fluttering of pigeons eternally stuck in the window railings. I picked up my toothbrush, squeezed the last remains of the toothpaste, and tucked the brush into my mouth. I needed some company before sitting on the toilet seat, so I walked towards the door and pushed it open. Lying there was my roll of newspapers, with colorful bunch of pamphlets.

But along with it was an envelope addressed for me. From Hyderabad…

I wrote this sometime back in October, and posting it now. There are striking similarities to two of my friends who got married just a few days back! Wishing them and the pulses loads of luck

January 22, 2014
The Curious Case of Carter Road

Over the past year or so nothing as intrigued me more than the appearance, sudden rise, and equally sudden demise of certain eateries in Mumbai. Places like the western suburbs of Bandra and Andheri have seen a sudden surge in the number of places opening up, with one of the key growth segments being that of stores specializing in desserts and confectioneries. As Antonie Lewis points out in his brilliant piece Mumbai’s extreme restaurants which appeared in HT Brunch few days back,

The sweetest section of the city
It’s 400050 or Bandra West.Burrp.com lists 86 eateries that either specialise in desserts, confectioneries, cakes or devote a substantial part of their menu to sweet affairs. From mithai to muffins, cookies to cupcakes, Bandra’s got most places to take care of your sugar fix.

I am assuming atleast of these 86 would have appeared in the year or two. Among these the most prominent category which is attracting equal attention of entrepreneurs, consumers, an investors alike is that of Frozen Yoghurt. According to Burrp there 9 exclusive Frozen Yoghurt shops in Bandra (with others such as Ci Gusta, Quiznos Sub, and Cuppa Joe also serving Frozen Yoghurt)*.

To be honest, I am not a big fan of the category. This frozen dessert with a pleasantly sharper flavour than ice-cream is usually served in berry or fruity flavors. The tart in the dessert is complimented with toppings ranging from crunchy nuts to fresh and canned fruits. It is obviously a healthier option than ice-cream with its lower fat content, but I am still to acquire a taste for it.

Personally I have been a big fan of yoghurt since my childhood. While as a kid the thick Kesar-infused Shrikhand or the aamrakhand (Mango Pulp mixed with Hung Yoghurt) captured my taste buds, I discovered the slightly softer matho with a variety of flavors and toppings in Gujarat. I have had the best matho at Surat but as one of my friend insists, nothing beats Rajkot in matho. One of my favorite flavors of matho back in Gujarat is the American Dry Fruit- a unique mix of chocolate chips, nuts and jelly whisked with a hung yoghurt (I feel matho has a slightly thinner consistency than Shrikhand, which means it has a relatively higher water content).

And then there is Mishti Doi, malaidar curd which is at its best when sweetened using Date Jaggary, a product popular from those earthen kulhads in Durga Pujas to Mother Dairy plastic cups on the Delhi University campus.

To understand the difference between these two distinct usages of yoghurt (eastern and western) one needs to understand the differences in culinary cultures. We as Indians (and lot of parts of Asia including the middle east) have been consuming yoghurt for a long time. But for the western world, Yoghurt was an alien concept. People hardly appreciated its sour flavors and it was difficult to get it. It first gained popularity during the hippie movement as simpler food habits were being encouraged as part of their communes. Later on some genius added sugar and fruits to the sour yoghurt and started marketing what we call “Flavored Yoghurt”. They sold it on promise of health and taste. With the growing consciousness towards healthier foods and emergence of functional foods, brands like Yakult and Danone became household names, and LactoBacillus, a bacteria which makes yoghurt what it is, was embraced for its perceived health benefits by millions around the world.

You can watch a detailed documentary on the emergence of this category (presented from the perspective of UK markets) and others here:

Documentary on the emergence of Yoghurt

I haven’t got to read and watch much about Frozen Yoghurt’s origins, but the Wikipedia entry traces it to New England region in North East U.S.A.

Frozen yogurt was introduced in New England, north-east USA, in the 1970s as a soft serve dessert by H. P. Hood under the name Frogurt

So while the western world had to go through a series of manufacturing and marketing innovations to make yoghurt mainstream, we have always had it as part of our natural diet. And hence the opening of Frozen Yoghurt shops (and the stocking of Flavored Yoghurts pods in supermarkets) is slightly confusing.

Are companies trying to sell us a fancy concept, a new experience, a differentiated dessert or a functional food item?

I have been looking for answers myself. So when earlier this year I was at B-School in Mumbai helping a batch of students with their placement preparation, I thought of throwing the question to them. Here is a summary of the case study, with a structure to approach the problem, and few ideas from my end:

The Curious Case of Carter Road from Abhishek Deshpande

I don’t know if I have been able to solve the problem or make it simpler. All I know is that I will always prefer an American Dry Fruit Matho or a Kesar Shrikhand or a Mishti Doi over frozen yoghurt.

So FroYo makers, do you have anything better to offer?

*Specific input from Anuja Deora

April 28, 2013
A Butter Bath at Sardar
All of us imagine and keep designing some colourful imaginations once in a while. People imagine future scenarios, their possible adventures on travel, or a date with Katrina or John Abraham. But for some people like me, imaginations can be as simple and weird as taking a bath in my favourite dish. Be it drowning in the Sambhar at Chutneys (Hyderabad) or diving into the Vindaloo gravies at Goa, I have always thought about extremes with food.

I have also ventured into surreal territories of taking a hot rasam bath or a cold Rabdi snaan. Most of these thoughts were triggered by the nomenclature of Bangalore Idli Joints (those famous Darshinis and Sagars), which had dishes like Kesari Bath, Kara Bath and a Chinese sounding Chow Chow Bath (a mix of Kesari-Kara).

In a realistic scenario taking a bath in these delicacies doesn’t actually mean me jumping into them, but rather the overall experience of their flavours dominating me and all my senses.

Out of all these weird imaginary baths, none is as rich, as good for taste, and as bad for heart like the Butter Bath at Sardar.

Sardar Paved Bhaji located at Tardeo is not just another Pav Bhaji place. It is a temple, a shrine for all Amul butter pilgrims. If Butter was a religion, and Amul Butter its religious head, its janmbhumi would be at Anand, but its karmbhumi will surely be Sardar.

My visits to Sardar have almost always been with Prateek (fellow DAIICTian and SPite, and co-inventor of the now famous DK index). Almost all our visits to this place begin with questions like:
1. How much Amul Butter does Sardar use in one day? (Our guesstimates based on number of tables, rotations, and approximate number of parcels have led us to a figure of anywhere between 168-190 KG. Although we later realized that we grossly underestimated the parcel count)
2. Is this Amul’s frontline store which is being used to promote its brand, or is it just another Pav Bhaji place?
3. Do they have a tightly integrated supply chain with a Butter factory and a Dairy to replenish their Butter supplies?
4. Do Sallu Bhai and Sanju Baba actually get Pav bhaji specially parcelled for them?
5. One can eat one pav bhaji, but is there any possibility that he or she can get through another? (Believe it or not, Prateek has got through two)
I got to know a lot about the history of Sardar and Tardeo through some interesting conversations with the taxi drivers in and around Mumbai Central. The staff at Sardar seldom reveals much, but the Taxi Drivers narrate stories of the days when Tardeo was the go to place for movie lovers in Mumbai with a number theatres (few of them like Maratha Mandir playing DDLJ and Ganga Jamuna still survive). People used to watch a movie and come straight for a Pav Bhaji at Sardar. I met Taxi Drivers who have had it for Rs. 12, Rs. 25, and Rs. 30. A movie at Maratha Mandir for Rs. 15 followed by a Pav Bhaji for Rs. 15, those were the times!

Although the rates have now changed significantly (touching Rs. 100), what remains constant is the Butter Bath given to every Pav Bhaji. Every lot of Bhaji is meticulously prepared from scratch and serves around 70-100 plates of Bhaji.

Here is a short clip on the final Butterification of Bhaaji, whereas the other Tawa is busy being prepared for Masala Pav.

Butterification of Sardar Pav Bhaji

Here are a few pictures of the Pav Bhaji creation process.

The Making of Sardar’s Bhaji

Pav Swimming in Butter

When it comes to the actual dish the Bhaji lacks the tanginess of the Bhaji my Aunt makes, the simplicity of Canon Pav Bhaaji (opposite CST station subway exit), the tasty garam masala induced spicing of a Bhaji in Delhi, or the pleasure of eating Pav Bhaji past midnight near any local station in Mumbai (especially Andheri). But it is still so special and unique.

The Great Sardar Bhaji

When it comes to Masala Pav, what they offer is simply the best. Although I have been recommended DP (at Matunga near Ruia) for the same, but this one beats all other competition in Mumbai.

Masala Pav

Also do try the Mango Shake at Sardar, pretty good.

Mango Shake

In between the weird imaginations and stark reality, whenever I think of Sardar the image of Pavs floating in Butter will keep coming back to my mind.

Butter Bath at Sardar

Long live Amul Butter and the happiness it spreads in life of many like me.
April 20, 2013
Taste of Mumbai, Baklava Hunt, and Tea Centre

In terms of eating and exploring stories around food, this has been a relatively weak year. But the weekend which just went by, I think I did some justice to what I truly believe in, and enjoy doing.

It all started with the Taste of Mumbai festival, which was held at the Grant and Wilson Gymkhana Grounds from 22^nd to 24^th Mar, 2013. Taste festivals are organized globally across major cities with a promise to offer world-class cuisine, demos, interactions with leading Chefs and other events.

I attended the festival on a (really) hot Saturday afternoon. I was initially lost observing the details of the venue (minus the Taste festivities) as after my reading of Ramchandra Guha’s Corner of the Foreign Field, I have started looking at these Gymkhana grounds in a special way. Although the thoughts of the Palwankar Brothers and origins of Cricket in Mumbai quickly faded out soon as I set my sight on some amazing food.

My favorite set of dishes came from the Caperberry stall. Caperberry is a Bangalore based restaurant which is introducing the concepts of molecular gastronomy in India. It is just not a simple extension of the famous El Bulli school of cooking, but rather an experiment with Indian flavors contributing significantly to it.

At the festival they served Assorted Spherifications, Cauliflower Espuma, and Stuffed Morel.

(Clockwise starting from left) Assorted Spherification, Cauliflower Espuma, Stuffed Morel from Caperberry

I have been waiting for the spherifications to burst in my mouth ever since I read about El Bulli and the concepts of Molecular Gastronomy. These forms and textures just hit with you a pleasant surprise. I loved the Mango-Feta one with a hint of Ginger, although it seems the public opinion was vastly in favour of the Pani Puri one. When you are having something like this your taste-buds wait with a certain expectation, but the surprise hits you hard, in a delightful way. The Cauliflower Espuma had quite easily the best flavours of the afternoon for me. Cauliflower subjected to a series of Nitrogen induced experiments (or what is popularly called Cryo-Cooking) was a delight to consume.

With Chef Abhijeet from Caperberry

It was great to have a chat with Chef Abhijeet, the man behind these delightful creations. We had a chat on the different viewpoints about Molecular Gastronomy, with a significant lobby of Chef being not in favor of such techniques, as you play around with natural forms. Chef’s simple reply to the argument was, “ In order to be different and successful, you sometimes need to face a bit of criticism”. As the taste of the Mozzarella Sphere lingered in my mouth, I couldn’t agree more.

I got to taste a few more interesting dishes as the afternoon progressed (check the entire set here). Somehow I had a strong craving for Prawns and I loved the Garlic Prawns from Arola and the Aglio Olio from Westin Prego. Kofuku is one place is on my hit-list as I got a Wasabi-attack after a long time from a Sushi place. Will be visited soon for some Sushi.

(Clockwise starting from Top-Left corner) Porcini Carpaccio from Arola, Aglio Olio and Tiramisu from from Westin Prego,and Tempura and Sushi from Kofuku

There were cooking demos, book launches, and some drinking happening on the sides. I had some good cocktails at the Mai Tai lounge and some fennel flavored beer. In between everything I finally caught up with Sneh and Aditi and tasted some of their amazing breads from The Baker’s Dozen. Do try them out if you happen to visit Prabhadevi.

Breads from The Baker’s Dozen

On the sidelines of the event caught up with Shivani, Prachi, and Richa. It was also great to finally meet Pooja Dhingra from Le15 and Roxanne (The Tiny Taster).

It was a great event but the name is slightly misleading. As I was chatting with someone the other day, calling it the Taste of Mumbai with no Malwani Seafood, Gujarati Snacky food, or Matunga Idlis is not that correct. Nothing against the festival though, hope they keep doing it every year.

Orange Chocolate Fountain was a topic of much debate

By the end of it I was a bit tired with the heat, but a discussion on the Orange South American Chocolate Fountain tasting like Orange Cream Biscuits we had as kids, and the journey ahead kept me alive.

Disclosure: The organizers of Taste of Mumbai festival covered all the expenses associated with the food tastings mentioned above. For more details refer my disclosure page.

Post the festival I roamed around the Hindu Gymkhana looking at the Cricket match for sometime. Thoughts of Palwankar Brothers were again interrupted by a call my friend Harsh (my partner in Crime). He had been talking so much about this Baklava place at Bhindi Bazaar (which he had tried looking for a week back, rather unsuccessfully), that we felt like we should try once. Rushina had a written a detailed post on this two years back. Given that Harsh is generally so excited about sweets (read his recent post on Baklava and its sister concerns) our journey through the cramped roads of Bhindi Bazaar felt as if it was just a short walk.

I could see the tinkle in his eyes when we were about to reach the store. even my tiredness was all gone when I sensed his energy and quickly moved pass the heavily fragrant attar shops.

The Baklava Story at the Iranian Sweets Palace, Bhindi Bazar

We reached the Sweets Palace but unfortunately couldn’t catch-up with the owner, Hasan Bhai. The Baklava was very different from the ones I have had (very high proportion of the filling to pastry), and the Louse Pista was fascinating. Regret not buying the Louse.

After the long tiring day we celebrated the Baklava achievement with a peaceful evening at Tea Centre. I had been to the Tea Centre after almost two years, a long time to stay away from a place I have liked so much in the past.

Tea Centre

Looking forward to more such weekends. Hope I keep exploring Mumbai with the same rigour in the days to come.

March 25, 2013
Happy High on Coffee

Coffee? Vodka? Caramel?

The first whiff of the drink had me confused, and a bit curious. My sense of smell was elevated, probably as a result of my blindfolded vision. I could almost see what I was smelling. A cup of filter coffee, a shot of vodka, a bowl of caramel pudding, or an interesting new note of fragrance. Ok it was time to taste.

The tip of the tongue had a bit of caramel on, with some coffee at the back of it, but I knew it is Vodka as it rolled down my digestive system with a slight tingling feel. The after taste was more coffee than anything. A sweet, coffee taste. I loved it.

Just to make things clear I am not a coffee expert. But I have my set of memories and experiences associated with it, be it the tongue-tingling Indian Styled Espresso, or my favorite filter brew at Matunga. I love my filter coffee, milky and strong, but without sugar. Over the past year though, my coffee consumption has risen, as the Vodka consumption has fallen. Given the circumstances Smirnoff Espresso seems like quite a discovery.

I was introduced to this new flavor this weekend at an Espressology event hosted by Tim Judge at Out of the blue, Bandra. The audience was mix of interesting people, bloggers, popular faces from twitter and some f&b experts. The event was a well-organized one, a neatly laid out space (although a bit cramped leading to 6-7 glasses breaking during the session), but the arrangements and a energetic facilitation by Tim ensured that the audience was hooked on for the entire duration.

Neatly laid out table setup

A bit of spice

Tim started by providing an overview of the coffee and vodka market, and gave just the right context before we started experiencing the drinks. First up was the blind tasting, followed with a few cocktails: an Espresso Martini, an Irish Coffee, and a really innovative Vodka-Cola-Sorbet. Also I got a chance to create a new cocktail, the Vodka Hazelnut Rabdi along with Karishma.

What’s more, in possession of a bottle right now and planning to use for a house party soon. You are invited for an Espresso Martini, Shaken not stirred .

In case you can’t make it, here is the recipe.

Espresso Martini using Smirnoff Espresso

The Smirnoff® Espresso Martini

Ingredients:

60ml of Smirnoff™ Espresso, 10ml of Sugar Syrup, Double fresh Espresso Coffee shot

Method:

Fill shaker ¾ with ice. Pour in all ingredients & shake. Strain into cold martini glass or pour on the rocks in old fashioned glass

Serves 1

Alcohol content: 17.77gms

December 19, 2012
Catching Up with Chef Sergi Arola

I got an opportunity to interact with Chef Sergi Arola this weekend at Arola, JW Marriot, Mumbai. Chef Arola is visiting the country and HT Café organized this interactive session with a group of food bloggers.

In many ways the work of Chef is similar to that of a management consultant. Both have a strong set of methodologies and belief systems, something which they seldom move away from. Most of the chefs believe in simplicity and simplifying the problem, or in their case the cuisine in question, a trait common with the most successful consultants who can break a complex problem into simple, solvable sets. And above all they are beautiful presenters of both their thought process and the final end product, with the presentation always being a critical component of delivering the solution.

One of the most intriguing things about Chef Arola is his association with one of the Chefs I adore, Ferran Adria (the King of Molecular Gastronomy). When I got an opportunity I was quick to grab and ask Chef Arola about his experiences with Adria and El Bulli. Although he was appreciative of his association, I think he doesn’t identify much with the concepts of Adria and what he does with his food. Perfectly fine.

The table layout was a simple one, with minimal ingredients, which was in line with the Chef’s philosophy around simplicity in Catalonian food. He believes in bringing the best of Spanish Culture for Mumbaikars, through minor customizations to suit the Indian palette.

We made three dishes, a popular tapas (Patatas Alioli), a tandoori lobster with a simple dressing, and a brilliant dessert. In between the recipes Chef also shared a Tandoori Roti customizations of the Spanish Bread and Tomato staple.

Patatas Alioli

Tandoori Lobsters

And the Dessert

Tandoori Roti with Tomato, Garlic, and Olive Oil

For me the dessert was the dish of the evening, with the foamy custard, cream-cookie mix and the cookies mixing perfectly. It was the lightness of the dish which struck me, as it gave the dessert a slightly guilt free feel.

I look forward to visiting the Arola sometime soon, and I am surely ordering the plate of Patatas and the dessert.

Check out the pictures from the event here.

Disclosure: Restaurant’s Public Relations agency covered all the expenses associated with the food tastings mentioned above. For more details refer my disclosure page.

December 18, 2012
Foodie Tweetup: Ghatkopar Style! #KhauGalliChaRaja

When: 5:30 PM-7:30 PM, 15th Dec, 2012

Where: Khau Galli, Ghatkopar (E), Starting Point: Achija Restaurant

Inviting you for a street food tweetup at Ghatkopar (E), Khau Galli, one of the most exciting street food zones in Mumbai.

Ghatkopar offers a wide range of a street food delicacies, from traditional Gujarati items like Masala Khicha, Fafda-Jalebi, Undhiyu, Patti Samosa, Dhoklas, Khandvi, to the more adventurous Gujju-Pasta, and remixed Dosas. And then there would be the standard fare of frankies, kachoris, panipuris and Pav Bhaji.This is an attempt is to introduce you to this wonderful part of Mumbai, tweet a bit, eat a lot, talk about Gujarati food, share experiences related to street food, click a few pictures, and top it all with a Badshah Malai Gola and a Nimbu Soda to digest it all.So are you coming? And who will be #KhauGalliChaRaja? To confirm please visit the event page.

Damages: 300-400 Rs. per head (approx)

Drop a mail to beingdesh@gmail.com, or tweet to @desh for any additional information.

p.s.: All items are 100% vegetarian. I am not liable for any health-related impacts. I will eat, what you will eat . Expect a bit of chaos in the market, it is very crowded.

Thanks tomy dear friend Dhairya Parikh for introducing me to this amazing place :).

December 11, 2012
Breakfast, Bagels and more at Grain & Bagel, Malad

For most of us the definition of the weekend means going southwards in the city to explore the various interesting treats the new cafes in Bandra have to offer. It was in one such place earlier this year that I was introduced to the concept of Bagels. But couple of weeks back, I got an opportunity to head northwards to Malad to learn more about Bagels.

After I moved from Andheri I have rarely been to Malad. But Malad is developing, with a string of residential and commercial complexes coming up, there is a visible need for interesting cafes and restaurants. Grain & Bagel is an attempt to tap into this market, currently dominated by elaborate food courts and restaurants in malls in the area.

The first thing which is noticeable is the approach to the cafe, it’s hidden somewhere between concrete towers behind Infiniti Mall. It might give you an impression of an office cafeteria from a distance but once you enter the place, you find an open, warm and welcoming place.

The location works to its advantage as it offers peace inside a corporate park, as compared to the roadside noise of numerous other cafes elsewhere in Mumbai. The interiors are spacious and open and they do have FREE WIFI! Now about the food.

Breakfast menu: Maggi, Eggs and Pancakes

From the time I checked up the menu I was most excited about the Mornay Maggi. The dish is reminiscent of some lovely cheesy Maggi you will end up having in a hill station Maggi-Momo shack. Maggi is prepared in a creamy cheddar cheese sauce and plated with some parsley on top. Be it the excitement of having Maggi after sometime or the simplicity of the preparation, it took us no time to gobble it up.

A breakfast place is almost inconceivable without the presence of eggs (neglecting the brilliance of South Indian Veggie joints). We ordered a couple of egg dishes- the Irani Omelette and Scrambled Eggs with Pesto. The Irani omelette was quite “normal”, something which I won’t feel like having in a nice café. But the Eggs with Pesto made my day, the dash of pesto in scrambled eggs just takes them to a lovable level. The eggs were garnished with bits of Feta and some fresh Parsley, but the sad piece of bread and hash-brown served with it could have been avoided, or presented in a better way.

We ordered the regular pancakes (with maple syrup) which were soft, fluffy and simply delicious. The best bit is that they have an eggless variant, hopefully equally tasty!

Bagels

I am still getting used to the taste of Bagels and its texture. Caramelwings enlightened me about how the dough is hand shaped, boiled and then baked to achieve a dense and rather chewy consistency of Bagels. Reema added that these Bagels represent the New York style of Bagel making, popularly served with a healthy spreading of Philadelphia cream cheese with some simple toppings. I am lucky to be in this awesome company!

We first tried the Veggie Bagel with a Rye Bagel with lots of fresh veggies, a garlic cream cheese spread and a schezwan sauce. Simple and I would assume I still need some Bagel education before I can comment on their quality.

Although I loved the Fluffy Scrambled Eggs with Chicken and Cheddar Bagel. It was plated with salad and I somehow feel that softer fillings rather than crunchier ones will suit me better, given the texture of Bagel.

The next step: Risotto and Spaghetti Bolognese

Thankfully I am much more informed when it comes to Risotto, the one we ordered with Mornay Risotto with Asparagus Tips. The dish looks simple yet elegant with Asparagus tips on top. Asparagus adds a crunchy and distinct element to an indeed well-done dish.

Spaghetti Bolognese was a bit of a disappointment with the lamb meat tasting rough and not smooth enough as expected. I was expecting meat to be soft, but it was of chewy consistency, something which disturbed the neatly done flavors of the sauce.

Desserts

We were served an assortment of desserts (Ganache, Mousse, Cupcake with amazing frosting) but I will talk about just one. Mandarin Pot De Crème was my favorite dish on the menu. As I heard the girls discussing its complex recipe with Chintan (one of the owners) I tasted the most amazing mix of Chocolate and Orange, which took me straight from the simple childhood delights of Amul Orange Chocolate to the complex world of orange reductions and cooked chocolates. Who cares, brilliant dessert!!! The best.

All in all Grains and Bagel was an interesting journey, I learned a lot about Bagels, scrambled through the remains of the delicious scrambled eggs with pesto, fell in love with the creamy Risotto and ended it all with the zest of Orange in Chocolate.

Definitely worth a visit, especially if you stay in the neighborhood of Malad.

I was accompanied by Ashrita, Amrita, and Reema for the review.

Disclosure: Restaurant’s owners covered all the expenses associated with the food tastings mentioned above. For more details refer my disclosure page.

September 11, 2012
Four Seasons Wine Tasting | A Simplified Guide to Wine Tasting
The more I understand wine the more I start noticing the human side of it. It can narrate stories- of its lineage, of the farms it belongs to, of the winemaker involved; its love of food is unparalleled and it finds a way to be paired with food of all varieties; it’s colorful, sparkling with energy and bubbly at times. But more than anything else desires thoughtful attention and accompanies intelligent conversations.

Last week I attended a wine tasting featuring wines from Four Seasons, produced in a vineyard based out of Baramati, India. The event was hosted by Shamita Singha at Neel (at Tote on the Turf) at a strikingly chlorophyll green Mahalaxmi Race Course, Mumbai.

Shamita comes across as an extremely warm and knowledgeable host. Throughout the sessions she chose her words carefully, was open and candid about her experiences related to wine, and avoided lots of glossy terminology associated with this art. As compared to few experts I have come across, Shamita is much less opinionated and focuses on the wine-drinker evolving their own language for enjoying wine. This brings us to the first lesson from the event:

Wine tasting is a very personal experience, and you need to evolve your own language to understand it.

Before we started the tasting, Shamita introduced us to the French style of wine-making which Four Seasons follow, also touching upon the production process for different varieties of wine. I was curious and wanted an answer to a series of questions, mostly related to pairing of food with wine, especially Indian food. Literature on this topic tends to highlight the pairing of wines with other cuisines and tends to avoid to provide a meaningful view on spicy Indian food. Shamita along with the Chef at Neel had created a salivating menu for the event. A look at it and I thought for second, maybe I can chuck the drinking and concentrate on just food today. The talk of food and wine bring us the second lesson from the event:

The pairing of food with wine is ideal when you are able to taste both the wine, as well the food, without any one experience overpowering the other.

When it comes to tasting the wine the 4S method provides a simple approach:
- See the wine. Notice its color especially against a well-lit background. Check for a clear liquid without any signs of cloudiness. Also notice the tears which wine deposits on the glass wall.
- Swirl the wine. This is done so as to release all the flavors and aromas locked in the wine. There are two ways of doing it, one by lifting the glass holding it from its bottom and swirling it, and the second by holding the glass by its stem against the support of the surface. I prefer the second one as I tend to spill the wine using the first technique.
- Smell the wine. Dig your nose deep into the glass and smell the wine. Try to relate the aromas with fruits and spices. White wines would give a whiff of white tropical fruits, like Litchi or Guava; red wines would give a feel of red berries; and the aged wines tend to release a spicy, woody fragrance. Again create your own language.
- Sip the wine. Let the first sip stay in your mouth for some time, roll it around, relate to the the flavors you feel and then push it down your system. Just let your mouth do the thinking for some time before you actually gulp it.
The process of tasting the wine brings us to the third lesson from the event:

4S method provides an effective approach to taste the wine, try it, the interpretation still remains your own, just that giving the process a structure helps.

Coming to the wines we tasted, here is a summary of what they were, how they were, and what they were served with:
- Four Seasons Chenin Blanc. Served with Aloo Panch-Foran (Sigdi barbecued Baby Potatoes marinated in Mango Pickle) and Murgh Nawabi Tikka (Tandoor roasted yoghurt marinated Chicken). The wine reminded me of fruity aromas similar to that of fruits like litchi. It is a kind of wine which would go well with lightly spiced food. Both the Aloo and Chicken Tikka dish were mildly flavored and gave good company to the wine.
- Four Seasons Blush. Served with Bhoona Paneer Kathi Roll and Tulsi Patte Ka Jhinga (Tandoor cooked, Holy Basil flavored prawns). I personally love Rosé and its my favorite variety of wine. The wine is produced from the same grapes, but the skin of the grapes is left in contact with the juice for some time before it separated, inducing the wine with a pinkish tinge. This wine goes well with the hot humid weather of Mumbai, and the mild berry flavors of the wine are refreshing. Again given its mild flavors it pairs well with flavorful seafood. Overall the Basil flavored Jhinga was the dish of the evening for me.
- Four Seasons Shiraz. Served with Peshawari Paneer Tikka and Bhoona Gosht Kathi Roll. Shiraz reminded me of the flavors of deep red berries (such as mulberries, raspberries, ripe strawberries) and left a Jamun like after taste. The wine leaves the mouth dry and couple of glasses can create a very dry effect in the mouth. It would go well with strongly flavored dishes like garam masala based curries and well-spiced Biryani.
- 2009 Four Seasons Special Barrique Reserve Shiraz. Served with Kesari Khumb Tikka and Lucknow Seekh Kabab (one of my favorite dishes anyway). The Reserve Shiraz was smoother and carried an oakier and woody feel to it. This is aged for about 9-10 months before its bottled. The color is slightly paler than the Shiraz. More than the berries I could visualize aromatic spices such as cinnamon in it. The aftertaste was similar in dryness but with a stronger flavor. This would be a great company for heavily spiced dishes (not loaded with masalas, but more like the single spice dominated flavor).
Another lesson from the food-wine pairing:

Red meat with red wine and white meat with white doesn’t always hold true. Also it is not always about complementary flavors, even similar flavors of wine and food can click, the base rule remains the lesson #2, one should be able to enjoy both the flavors of food and wine without any flavor intruding in others territory.

The tasting ended with a Rabdi Kulfi which could have been slightly smoother, maybe it wasn’t well churned and was a bit icy. Also as a parting gift Shamita handed us a bottle of blush, which I plan to have with basil flavored baby potatoes cooked by me. Also looking forward to visit the Four Seasons vineyards in Baramati sometime soon.

Met some really nice people at the event, here are their blogs:
- Shamita Singha, a superb host and my go to person from now on when it comes to wines. Looking forward to visit her new place, “The Bar” in Bandra. @ShamitaSingha on Twitter
- Karishma, a simple girl from Doon here in the complicated world of entertainment. Blogs about fashion and lifestyle on Ginger Snaps. @karishmarawat on Twitter
- Deepak Sir, a really passionate photographer who posts one picture about Mumbai life every day. Blogs on Mumbai Eyed. @magic_eye on Twitter
- Jaswinder, a travel company marketing manager and a stand up comic. Blogs on Latin Sardar. @LatinSardar on Twitter
- Karina, Hyderabadi Maadu interested in alcoholic beverages, interesting!!! Blogs on Giggle Water. @Giggle_Water on Twitter
- Nikhil, a very warm and simple person, a great person to have a conversation with. Blogs on Nonchalant Gourmand. @nikhil_merchant on Twitter
- And the awesome Ashrita, blogs on Caramelwings. @Caramelwings on Twitter
Featured image by Mumbai Eyed.

Disclosure: Restaurant’s Public Relations agency covered all the expenses associated with the food tastings mentioned above. For more details refer my disclosure page.
July 16, 2012
Mini food-sammelan at Out of the Blue, Powai
Few weeks back, I joined a bunch of interesting people for an extremely engaging and mazedaar discussion on food. The discussion was accompanied by a lovely dinner served at Out of the Blue, Powai. Before I start I would like to thank Reema (my afternoon post-lunch-food-discussion-buddy on Twitter) who made sure Shirin sent me an invite for the meet. Also thanks to Kunal and Shirin for organizing this.

Out of the Blue is amongst one of my most frequently visited places in Mumbai, and the visits have increased since they have opened closer to home at Powai. I have visited the Bandra one many times quite memorably after losing a drinking bet in Bandra; once with a pretty girl, once with a dumb girl (I think both of them were the same, maybe); with friends and with family. The visits to Powai have been mostly with my colleagues. But this time I got a chance to meetup with few foodies at a food bloggers meet organized by Burrp.

From right: A retired chef, a baker, and a big bhookad

The bloggers included:
- Shirin, works with Burrp, eats and writes for a living, what an awesome life!!!
- CaramelWings, a commercial pilot, looks-Punjabi-is-Marathi kind of rare girl, loves KRK, makes lovely brownies which she doesn’t share with everyone and writes about food at Caramel Wings.
- Krytie Saxena, ex-Marriott Chef currently working for a production house, and reinstated my belief in Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential. She writes at Foodietryingstein.
- Reema , is a Bong-Mumbaikar who is married to a Tam and is a converted vegetarian. She ensures that I feel hungry post-lunch by posting tweets about Gulabjamuns and Jalebis. She writes at Sumthinz Cooking
- Adarsh, works with Zapak, used to work with Zomato, and possibly created that chik-chik feature (shake for recommendations feature) on their app. He has promised to take me for an Andhra meal. He reviews restaurants at The Big Bhookad.
- TheBlackSakura, works with Zapak again, loves baking, knows a lot about seafood, is quite fit for a big-time foodie, and blogs at Thoughts on a Plate.
- BellyfirstTweet is a Capoeira dancer and a well-traveled photographer. I am sure Bhagyashree (of Maine Pyaar Kiya) hates her as she ate off a Pigeon once. She writes at Belly First. And her photographs are brilliant.
- Kunal, works with Out of the Blue and leads their marketing efforts. I need to ensure that he too starts blogging.
We started with Chicken and Ham Fondue and my favorite dish at Out of the Blue, Desi Fondue. More than the striking similarity with my name, I like it because it gives me a feel of a creamy Dal Makhni, but with a lighter seasoning and a decent helping of cheese. When I asked Chef Juliano (Exec Chef, Out of the Blue) about its origins, he replied that it was an accidental innovation, with its recipe being a closely guarded secret. To be honest I have tried something similar myself at home and it hasn’t turned out to be half as good as the Desi Fondue at Out of the Blue. That’s one reason I will keep coming back to this place.

During this period we had a lengthy round of introduction with topics switching between humble origins of the Fondue, street food in Indore, how to check freshness of fish, abuses and awws for the Britannia uncle, great old-time restaurants in Mumbai losing their charm, cupcakes, traveling to China, Brazilian martial arts, how to clean and cook a pigeon, roadtrips in Punjab and many more.

Switching back to food, for the main course I ordered a Grilled Rawas which was served with Lemon Butter sauce. I loved the dish for its simplicity. The fillet was grilled with a simple parsley-dominated marinate which as the Chef described allowed the one to enjoy the natural flavors of fish. I like my fish to be simple and not over-influenced by masalas, and I got exactly what I wanted. I tasted lemon butter sauce for the first time that day, and I think it will go as well with Aloo Parathas as it went with the fish. Contrary to what I had assumed the lemon butter sauce requires much more effort than simply mixing the core ingredients. Chef uses two different utensils (ceramic and steel), melts the butter in steel, shifts it to ceramic and mixes fresh lime juice (as citrus doesn’t go well with metal). Talking to a Chef always throws up so many interesting insights, these guys do put in a lot of effort in every dish!

On the other plates I noticed Grilled Basa served with Caper sauce, Lamb Shanks which looked really bulky but equally yummy (and got Salonee extremely excited) and a four meat sizzler. Somehow I didn’t want to complicate the simple flavors of my fish that day, and I didn’t play around a lot with other items.

All dishes were accompanied by a Caesar salad which gave an extremely fresh feeling in the mouth, lettuce and cherry tomatoes were topped with a creamy dressing and just the right amount of croutons.

After this I had to run out for a late night office meeting and I missed out on the fun everyone had at the dessert counter. It was an evening where I realized that there is no better appetizer than talking about food itself and nothing better than meeting people who think and eat like you.

Featured image by Salonee

Disclosure: Restaurant’s Public Relations agency covered all the expenses associated with the food tastings mentioned above. For more details refer my disclosure page.
May 24, 2012