THE GRUBHOGS BLOG

In pursuit of Tea…After all, Tea is the drink!

noreply@blogger.com (Purnima) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:40:00 +0000

Being the second most consumed beverage in the world, the history of discovery of Tea has been shrouded in myths and mystery. This is the reason why today we perceive it as an exotic wonderment.
God bless the man who first discovered Tea! According to legend, Shen Nung, an early emperor of China, whilst sipping boiling hot water in his garden, caught a leaf from a nearby tea plant in his cup. The taste of the water was altered and he greatly enjoyed the result.
“The effect of tea is cooling, and as a beverage it is most suitable. It is especially fitting for persons of self – restraint and inner worth” - Lu Yu, Ch’a Ching
A Victorian critic, John Ruskin once said, “To see a thing and tell it plain words is the greatest thing a soul can do” and that’s exactly what Lu Yu did.
Lu Yu?! You might wonder, a peak into the past reveals that he was a highly respected ‘Sage of Tea’. He was best known for his greatest contributions ever – a monumental, first ever treatise on Tea - Ch’a Ching (The Classic of Tea) around the 8th century B.C.E. Yes, that is how far back Tea has been in existence in this world. In this book, Lu Yu talks about the character of Tea, having the combination of Peace, Harmony and Balance. He also gives the 10 aspects of Tea starting from growing to drinking and critical evaluation, while constantly reminding the reader that “its goodness is a decision for the mouth to make”
At around 1000 B.C.E. the Chinese evolved poetic names for Tea, a tradition that still prevails today, like ‘temple of heaven’ and ‘dragon well’ et all..They also claimed that Tea was an important element in the ‘elixir of immortality.’
Even the Zen Buddhists drank Tea before Bodhidharma (monk who introduced Zen to China from India) in temples as a ritual. Many of the rituals and customs of the Japanese Tea Ceremony can be traced back to this. Later it is said that when the Mongols took over China, Tea was not encouraged. Although, it is said that the custom of social tea drinking continued to prevail.
It was around the 1400 C.E., under the rule of the Ming Dynasty the concept of Tea started becoming global. The Europeans first heard about it as the ‘elixir of the east’ from the Arabs who then controlled the entire sea travel between the East and the West. First sold in apothecaries and a few coffeehouses, the acceptance of tea into British culture was relatively slow.
In 1667 Thomas Garraway, the owner of a coffeehouse known as Garraway's, was one of the first to serve tea. According to Garraway's advertisements tea in Britain had only been used as "regalia in high treatments." He advertised it as a medicinal drink, capable of curing almost anything, and charged £6 to £10 for a pound. Coffee preceded tea by only a few years, but in no time, Tea along with chocolate gained mighty importance. Thanks to a Portuguese Princess, Catherine Braganza, who married Charles II, made tea as the fashionable drink of the court! This high status led to the East India Co.’s greed to become the monopoly in trade and went on a mighty spree of importing Tea from both China and India.
The Assam Tea, although initially considered as an inferior to the Chinese varieties, quickly gained popularity and established itself as a breakfast tea of choice among the Brits even today!
Today, the philosophy of tea is not mere aestheticism in the ordinary acceptance of the term, for it expresses conjointly, with ethics and religion, our whole perception of man and nature.

The Grub pig meets the Tweet bird!

noreply@blogger.com (Grubhogs) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:50:00 +0000

Grubhogs.com is now on Twitter!

Get the latest on restaurant openings near you, great deals, exciting happenings and the best in your city every time Grubhogs.com tweets.

Click on the image below to follow Grubhogs

Love it or hate? - Cool reviews on Grubhogs.com

noreply@blogger.com (SN) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:23:00 +0000

People are spilling the beans on Grubhogs.com all the time. Here are some cool restaurant reviews on Grubhogs.com! Do you agree, maybe strongly disagree?

Grubhogs Mumbai

Mayuri S finds Mumbai's Tasting room in "Good taste" She writes "Soak in the atmosphere and munch away on the tray of goodies placed before you, various types of bite-sized breads, crisp bread sticks and a sinful swirl of garlic butter...." Read more here: Review

Grubhogs Chennai

Madras Yogini was disappointed that "Sparky's" did not live up to all the hype. "The food was mediocre but it was the service and presentation that was pretty bad. It seemed like there was no effort made ......" Read more of the review here: Review

Grubhogs Goa

Neil S and his 14 friends could not have liked "I-95" more. He writes "It boasts an excellent menu and lives up to it. We were personally attended to, with a touch of flair, flamboyance and finesse...." Read more of the review here: Review

Read these and more reviews on Grubhogs.com

What's new in Goa, Mumbai, B'lore and Chennai?

noreply@blogger.com (SN) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:51:00 +0000

Grubhogs.com gives you some of the cool, new and quaint dining spots in each Mumbai, Chennai, Goa and Bangalore.

For these and more great places in each of your favorite city visit Grubhogs.com!

Mumbai's new dining menu!

The Kabaab factory churns out kababs of every kind and size. The place is becoming popular for kababs that are not easily found elsewhere like Kakori kabab and Galawat kabab.

Kalbadevi gets a Rajasthani, Marawari and Gujurati specialty restaurant in Adarsh Annaporna

Goa's quaint and hidden finds!

Tucked away behind a busy street and away from all the retail mania you will find The Secret Garden. Continental food is on the menu but its also a place you can hang out over a cup of coffee and french toast.

Other cool spots we suggest you try: Shiro, Thalassa, Chef Fernando's Nostalgia

Chennai newest spots!

Crimson Chakra is a new cafe housed in a bungalow, a seemingly popular trend in Chennai. With special attention to detail this makes for a cool place to hang out on a lazy afternoon.

Shop a bit and feed your hunger at Abhirami Mall at the new restaurant Mingala, that specializes in Burmese cuisine

Bangalore's Latest!

Mast Kalandar opens another branch at Koramangala. The menu includes VFM combos and everything is a 100% vegetarian.

Dosas, Chettinad Biryani, spicy powders and more at this new South Indian speciality restaurant called Southin.

For these and more great places in each of your favorite city visit Grubhogs.com!

Chennai's evolving "Grub" Scene

noreply@blogger.com (SN) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 20:24:00 +0000

Here are some the most recent openings that are adding to Chennai's food repertoire

Dawn and Dusk: Who says Chennai sleeps at 10? Dawn and Dusk is the latest among the 24 hours delivery windows to open in the Nungambakkam area. Now food is just a phone call away at anytime of the day! Click here for more info: Dawn and Dusk

Mast Kalandar: This 100% Vegetarian Bangalore chain has opened its first branch in Shastri Nagar, Chennai. With various combo meals and VFM food, this place might be a good option for a quick or business lunch. Click here for more info: Mast Kalandar

New Tandoori Tadakka: Meat is not scarce here, have it any way you like cooked in the tandoor. They offer Valet parking, so more time to eat and less to bake in the heat looking for a spot! Click here for more info: Tandoori Tadakka

36 Degrees: Beat the heat in this cool ice cream and dessert place. Leave the heat and traffic behind at this calm spot with its green interiors and beige couches. Its right opposite the Chettinad School. Their smoothies are supposedly pretty good. Click here for more info: 36 Degrees

And two cool Cafes to check out!

Mocha Mojo: A definite stand out in the cafe scene. There is attention to detail and the menu. A very varied menu with foods from around the world. The interiors are colorful and contemporary. Click here for more info: Mocha Mojo

Cafe Evo: Tucked away in the campus of the Russian center this cafe has a great menu and often has some form of live entertainment. The management describes it as " a RestoCafe, a one-of-its-kind, a place for the evolving mind to reverie & recharge to mesmerize the world..." Click here for more info: Cafe Evo

Now go check them out and don't forget to tell us at Grubhogs.com if its a thumbs up or down!

Get dined and pampered at Mumbai's newest!

noreply@blogger.com (SN) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 17:27:00 +0000

Its been another few months and Mumbai has seen several new and unique restaurant and spa openings. Here is a sampler and remember to check out more new openings on Mumbai Grubhogs or in our "New to Grubhogs" section.

Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty and Kiran Bawa open the Iosis Medispa in Khar. Shetty aims to bring affordable(?!) and unique proven methods of beauty care to Mumbai women.

Click here for Iosis Medispa

For the folks in Andheri (W) there is the new venture by restaurateur Pappi Singh, Oye! Punjabi while Borivali (W) gets a Goan-Portuguese inspired cozy restaurant called Tavira

If you are looking for a new Cafe, there is Cafe Indilite in Andheri (W) and Cafe Mangii in Khar(W). Both have received rave reviews. Cafe Mangii gets a thumbs up from us for its decor.

And if its your pets that need a spa treatment, head to Dog-aholics. A pet grooming speciality store where your pet will get all the fussing it deserves!

These and more on Grubhogs.com!

Mumbai gears for a "sea" change!

noreply@blogger.com (SN) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:45:00 +0000

The 40-minute drive across 1930s colonial-era Mahim Causeway from Worli to Bandra that includes battling 23 light signals and thousands of motorists is about to undergo a dramatic "sea" change!

On June 30th, 2983 days, 2.57 crore man hours, numerous delays and 340-million-dollars later, the Bandra-Worli Sealink will open to traffic.

The eight lane freeway hopes to cut down the commute to under 15 minutes and is expected to carry over a 100,000 vehicles a day from the suburbs to South Mumbai.

The spectacular engineering marvel has also inspired Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) to share it with non-motorists in the way of a ferry trip to the sea link from Bandra-Kurla Complex. This would be in addition to the planned open deck bus tour of the bridge.

Either way the ride across the bridge does not come free! The one-way toll is set at Rs 50 for light motor vehicle (cars), Rs 75 for mini-buses and Rs 100 for heavy motor vehicles (buses and trucks).

Congrats Mumbai! If anything this means easier access to all those restaurants, bars, and spas listed on Grubhogs Mumbai!

Oh Coffee! - Part II

noreply@blogger.com (SN) — Sun, 31 May 2009 05:14:00 +0000

This week we present the second in the series on coffee. Taking a break from the history of coffee we delve into one of the most successful cafe's in India- Cafe Coffee Day.

Café Coffee Day is a part of India's largest coffee conglomerate, Amalgamated Bean Coffee Trading Company Ltd. (ABCTCL), the first to roll out the ‘coffee bar’ concept in India with its first café in Bangalore’s Brigade Road in 1996.

In this section we get the answers directly from the source. What was the inspiration behind this overwhelmingly successful chain, what drives its continued success and many more questions that you might have wanted to ask.

Inspiration? "Chairman Mr. V. G. Siddhartha drew inspiration from the many chic cafe mushrooming abroad that served everything from beer to coffee and often doubled as a place to surf the net. Using his background in coffee he decided to translate the same experience here in India but with coffee being at the core."
Management style? "All Café Coffee Day cafes are self-owned and not franchised"
Where do the beans come from? "Café Coffee Day serves the coffee it grows on the 7400 acres of its own estates plus another 2500 acres of managed estates. The group also sources coffee from 11,000 small growers, making its holder the largest individual coffee plantation owner in Asia"
Greatest Achievement? "Revolutionizing the ‘coffee culture’ in India by pioneering the ‘café’ concept."
What the Future holds? "By this calendar year end, Café Coffee Day will reach a total of 1000 cafes in India."
Challenges? "A challenge in this format of business is the ever fluctuating real estate prices."
Strengths? "We have a strong base of loyal customers who have grown with the brand from visiting our regular cafes as a student or young working professional to visiting our ‘Lounge’ format cafes with their families. "
New on the Menu?
Morning Glory (double shot of espresso, sweetened and spiced… on the rocks!)
First Light (rich caramel sauce, espresso with a swirl of cream),
Solar Eclipse (Cappuccino with spicy tones & Chocolate swirls)
Summer Breeze (Coffee on the rocks with milk foam). Caramellow (Coffee with rich caramel sauce & fruity banana flavouring dressed with whipped cream)
All-Day Refresher (Creamy cold coffee with the crunchiness of cookies).
Sunset Brew (Sinful combination of dark chocolate brownie with the richness of coffee).

(More from this interview in later posts- stay tuned)

Is this your favorite CCD?

Which is your favorite CCD? Log on to Grubhogs.com to rate and review your favorite!

Archie chooses his bride!!

noreply@blogger.com (Grubhogs) — Thu, 28 May 2009 20:29:00 +0000

This might not have anything to do with all that we usually cover on Grubhogs.com, but news this big does deserve a place on our blog. Many of us in our thirties spent a great many years following the oh so envious adventures of Arhcie and his friends, Jughead, Veronica and Betty. In Archie world Veronica was the epitome of beauty and all that woman should be while Betty with her girl next-door goodlooks, intelligence and wit was the best platonic girlfriend you could have. Yet, the books always kept you guessing, who would Archie end up with?

Well it seems that question is about to be answered. Archie comics publisher announced that Archie is getting married and now the media is all abuzz.

Who does Archie choose? Veronica or Betty?

Well read no further if you rather wait for the issue on stand this September.

Unfortunately or fortunately all indications are that Archie picks the one he has been vying for his entire elongated teenage life - Veronica!!!

Here's to the new couple!

As for Jughead and Betty, there no suggestion that they might actually pair up. Jughead remains preoccupied with feeding his hunger. Hey, there you go, a Grubhogs connection. Jughead could sure use us!

The Latest on Mumbai and Bangalore's Food Menu!

noreply@blogger.com (SN) — Sun, 24 May 2009 17:04:00 +0000

The food scene is continuously evolving.Here are some of the new Restaurant openings in Mumbai and Bangalore. Read about them, try them and dont forget to review them on Grubhogs.com

Recently in Mumbai:

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf : The International Cafe chain opens its second location at the CR2 in Nariman Point. Click here for more details: CBTF

Masalacraft: China Bistro and Harmony have been replaced by a Mughlai-Coastal food restaurant, Masalacraft. Masalacraft bills itself as an "Ethnic Indian " Restaurant. Click for more details: Masalacraft

Firangi Paani: The BJN group opened another of its English pub styled restaruant in Bandra. Click for more details: Firangi Paani

Recently in Bangalore:

Suburbia: A place to "Eat, Drink and Play", try their coastal and continental creations, drink at their lounge or place Charades! Click for more details: Suburbia

12th Main: A Mediterranean & regional Indian specialty restaurant at the Mercure Homestead Residences. Click for more details: 12th

Chili's Bar and Grill: The popular international chain opens its doors in Bangalore. Click here for more details: Chili's

B'loreans gets a few more hours to live it up!

noreply@blogger.com (SN) — Wed, 20 May 2009 05:35:00 +0000

Bangloreans now have a few more hours to live it up.

Bowing to the demands of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) the State Government now allows movie theatres to screen their last show to end at 11:00pm. This ends a 25 year rule that pushes the final show of the day to begin at 8:30pm. Late eh!

Also no need to bury that after movie dinner tradition just yet! Eateries in the city can now stay open until midnight instead of 11 pm. While those at the airport, railway station and bus stand will be stay open 24/7.

Bars and pubs will have to stop serving liquor at 11 pm as earlier though they can serve food till 12 am.

This might not be much for a lot of us but at least the deadlines are moving in the right direction! Enjoy!

Check out the most happenings placed on Grubhogs Bangalore

Oh Coffee!!! - A series on the world's favorite drink

noreply@blogger.com (SN) — Tue, 19 May 2009 19:46:00 +0000

The wonderful aroma, the heavenly flavors, the warm feeling of true bliss with every sip, we all know of the many excellent qualities of a great cup of coffee. I believe it can change the world one cup at a time if you choose to follow me down the coffee bean road. Here I present a brief history of coffee; the first in a many part series.

Today, coffee is a giant global industry employing more than 20 million people but it might just have had its humble beginnings in Caffa Ethiopia were the plan grew naturally. As the story goes a sheep herder Kaldi decided to try some of the "red berries" from this shiny green plant. He had noticed his sheep a bit more hyperactive after consuming them and was pretty soon just as hyped up as his herd! A monk, passing by, might have scolded him for "partaking of the devil's fruit" but pretty soon the monks themselves were all over the coffee beans. They discovered that this fruit could help them stay awake for their prayers!

Long before the Turks became the first to adopt coffee as a drink the Galla tribe in Ethiopia used to wrap the beans in animal fat as their only source of nutrition while on raiding parties. And long before "Starbucks" and "Coffee Cafe day" the Turks often added spices such as clove, cinnamon, cardamom and anise to the brew.

The Mysore Connection!
The virtues of the drink spread over continents but not without some drama. The transportation of the plant out of Muslim nations was forbidden by the government and like all good products the actual spread of coffee was started illegally. Arabia made export beans infertile by parching or boiling thereby controlling the spread. But only until the 1600s when Baba Budan an Indian pilgrim-cum-smuggler left Mecca with fertile seeds strapped to his belly. Baba Budan smuggled beans to mountains near Mysore, India, and started a farm there. Baba’s beans bore fruit and initiated the coffee industry in India as we know it today!

From Constantinople to Bangalore!
As the virtues of coffee spread around the world each country developed its unique blends and qualities. The First coffeehouse, Kiva Han, opened in 1475 in Constantinople, Starbucks opened its first store in 1971 in the Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle and Coffee Cafe day opened on Brigade Road, Bangalore in 1996!

Damn the "Devil's Drink!"

Coffee might have remained an elusive drink hard to come by many orthodox Christians had their way. But Pope Vincent III decided to taste it before he banished the "devil's drink". He enjoyed it so much he baptised it, saying "coffee is so delicious it would be a pity to let the infidels have exclusive use of it."

"Devil's Drink" to "National Drink"

In the 1700's, coffee found its way to the Americas by means of a French infantry captain who nurtured one small plant on its long journey across the Atlantic. This one plant, transplanted to the Caribbean Island of Martinique, became the predecessor of over 19 million trees on the island within 50 years. Coffee was declared the national drink of the then colonised United States by the Continental Congress, in protest of the excessive tax on tea levied by the British crown.

Today, coffee is a giant global industry employing more than 20 million people. This commodity ranks second only to petroleum in terms of dollars traded worldwide. With over 400 billion cups consumed every year, coffee is the world's most popular beverage. If you can imagine, in Brazil alone, over 5 million people are employed in the cultivation and harvesting of over 3 billion coffee plants.

Fun Fact: Espresso, a recent innovation in the way to prepare coffee, obtained its origin in 1822, with the innovation of the first crude espresso machine in France. The Italians perfected this wonderful machine and were the first to manufacture it. Espresso has become such an integral part of Italian life and culture, that there are presently over 200,000 espresso bars in Italy.

JOIN US NEXT TIME FOR MORE ON COFFEE!

Check out all the many cafes on Grubhogs.com
or Check out all the cafes at Grubhogs Cafes

Grubhogs Origins - "Grubbing with a dentist"

noreply@blogger.com (Samyuktha P.C.) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 04:56:00 +0000

Grubbing with a Dentist

Chai Kadai, a conversational online magazine, interviewed the creator of Grubhogs, Samir Nanjapa, taking him through a journey of food, ideas, and places. How did Grubhogs happen? Where is Grubhogs heading? He talks about the histories and unravels some mysteries about Grubhogs talking with Samyuktha PC. Read it here (or click on Grubbing with a Dentist).

And the Winners are!!

noreply@blogger.com (Grubhogs) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 17:59:00 +0000

Last November we announced the "Free your Inner Critic" contest with a 1000 rupee prize money. All you had to do was write a great review on Grubhogs.com!!Today we announce our winners:

SIDDHARTHA KHULLAR for his review of Baby Dragon in Noida

VERA MASCARENHAS MALKANI for her review of Hotel Fanoos in Bangalore

CONGRATULATIONS Siddhartha and Vera!!

Check out Grubhogs.com for the best and worst in your city.

www.grubhogs.com

Your opinion actually pays!

noreply@blogger.com (Grubhogs) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 05:32:00 +0000

"`FREE YOUR INNER CRITIC" CONTEST`

Contest Official Rules

This contest is exclusive to members of the Facebook group and Fan Page "Grubhogs-You Hungry" . All members are invited to free their inner critic and write a great reveiw on Grubhogs.com. Reviews are automatically entered to win a gift certificate worth Rs.1000.

ELIGIBILITY:

All entrants must over 13 years of age and a registered member of Grubhogs.com
Contest is only open to members of the the Facebook group "Grubhogs-You Hungry"
Entrants must write a complete review and answer all survey questions for any business listed on Grubhogs.com to be eligible.
Eligible reviews must be entered between Nov 8th, 2008 and Dec 25th, 2008.
There is no limit to the number of reviews per member that can be entered into the contest
The prize winner will announced within a few days of terminaton of the contest.
The prize will mailed to receipient anywhere within India.

Contest sponsor, advertising and promotional agencies and their respective affiliates and associates and such employees immediate family members and persons with whom such employees are domiciled are excluded from this contest.

JUDGING:

All entries will be judged based on their style, relevance and overall appeal. Conduct of the contest and selection of the winners are the sole discretion of Grubhogs.com. All decisons are final and binding.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

For questions and concerns regarding the contest please email: mailto:grubhogs@grubhogs.com?subject=Free%20your%20inner%20Critic

For information regaring the Facebook Group Grubhogs-You hungry:Grubhogs

Everyone's raving but these Grubhogs are ranting!

noreply@blogger.com (Grubhogs) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 03:05:00 +0000

"the grubhogs gab"
The grubhogs.com Newsletter
October Issue -1

Everyone's raving but these Grubhogs are ranting!

Have you read the reviews at Grubhogs.com yet? We must say Grubhogs do have very discerning tastes and no issue splitting ranks with the masses. Here is a sampling of an interesting trend where popular and otherwise highly rated restaurants have not found many fans among us Grubhogs.

"BARBEQUE NATION" heralded a new concept in dining with its on table grills and unlimited kababs. It got so popular that the restaurant wasted no time in opening branches in most major cities. Bangalore itself has three branches. A hot favorite in Bangalore, Barbeque Nation in Indiranagar does not seem to have won any fans on Grubhogs, Hungry hound thought it was a "cool concept but there could be more" and Maaz K rated it poor for the "cold service".

People throng BANANA LEAF in Mumbai for its clean, plush environs and authentic south Indian food served, you guessed it, on banana leaves. But is there more hype than substance? Mayuri S says "its a big Na Na". Her very informative review might make a good read before you visit the restaurant.

AGNI at the Park Hotel, Delhi may have been voted as the "Bar of the year" by The Hindustan Times but Tanya L says the music is Okayish, alcohol expensive and as for its clientele its just "ancient people of Delhi checking out young lil' things in short tiny bare nothings".

FREE YOUR INNER CRITIC AND WRITE YOUR OWN REVIEW TODAY!

BROWSE OVER 8000 RESTAURANTS, SPAS, SALONS, BARS, CLUBS, GYMS AND MORE AT GRUBHOGS.COM

Celebrity Owned Restaurants: Recipe for Disaster?

noreply@blogger.com (SN) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 04:27:00 +0000

"the grubhogs gab"
www.grubhogs.com Newsletter
September '08 - Issue 2

Celebrity Owned Restaurants: Recipe for Disaster?
Grubhogs.com explores this trend in India

These days, the own-your-own-restaurant trend continues, with actors, sportsman, musicians and even fashion designers getting into the act. Despite the fact that a restaurant is a risky place to park your money little seems to scare the celebrities away. Those establishments with real staying power serve great food and wine in a theatrical setting, which is why a few of the following might be worth a visit.

In MUMBAI we found ace cricketer Sachin Tendulakar's, TENDULKAR'S and model turned actor Dino Morea's CREPE STATION. Celebrity Chef Sanjeev Kapoor of Khana Khazana fame has two restaurants "THE YELLOW CHILLI" in NOIDA and "THE YELLOW CHILLI" in DELHI.

Then there is designer Himansu Dimri and Sonali Sattar's restaurant and boutique in the outskirts of BANGALORE called GRASSHOPPER Actor Mohanlal sailed into the restaurant world with HARBOUR MARKET also in Bangalore.

"Free your inner critic" © and tell the world what you really think!
Review these and other restaurants now at Grubhogs.com

[www.grubhogs.com]

The Grubhogs Gab arrives!

noreply@blogger.com (SN) — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 22:44:00 +0000

Grubhogs.com now pulishes a newsletter "The Grubhogs Gab"
Stay in touch with what's new, old, exciting and unique in your city and on Grubhogs.com!

Sign up to receive the newsletter: Send us a message with your email address to grubhogs@grubhogs.com

Grubhogs in the news!

noreply@blogger.com (SN) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 20:18:00 +0000

LIVE IT UP -- By Sunayana Suresh

One space that is completely changing everyday is the Internet. Newer and innovative sites come along in an effort to only make people like us live life to the fullest and make it easy too. It was the same idea that made Samir Nanjapa, who is in the US to follow his passion of having a guide for exploring ..........

Making traditional wines... from Goa, and from tropical fruit

noreply@blogger.com (fredericknoronha) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 20:32:00 +0000

By Frederick Norohna

Dr. John Rodrigues of Chichinim, who was formerly doing product
development for Hoechst medicines now swears by the power of wine. He has four variants of Kokum wine in both sec (dry) and demi-sec (semi-dry)
types. You can smell it, taste it and buy it to drink at home. He talks, in May 2008, about the wide range of wines he has been working on, from the village he lives in, in Goa. See an earlier report at http://osdir.com/ml/culture.region.india.goa.saligao/2006-05/msg00009.html

Grubhogs is hiring!

noreply@blogger.com (Grubhogs) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 03:10:00 +0000

Grubhogs.com is a food and entertainment review website for 7 cities in India is looking for Community Officers, Community Managers, Front-end Website Developers and photo enthusiasts.

For a more detailed description of the job please click here: Careers

Please email us at grubhogs@grubhogs.com if you or anyone you know might be interested.

Include the following in your email:
Brief CV (no more than 1 page)
Brief description of how you fit the job
Your salary expectations

The 'Food-lanes' at Ghatkopar

noreply@blogger.com ((mira)) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:11:00 +0000

By Parvathy Nair

Ghatkopar, a suburb in Mumbai, famous for its food-lanes, Dandiya dresses, hobby shops, matching centres and good tailors. Pre-dominantly occupied by Gujaratis, this place has a culture of its own and you can smell it in the air as soon as get off the local train, at Ghatkopar railway station. You move out and you see roadside stalls lined with clothes, footwear, flower garland shops, xerox centres and food. Bad luck for all those of you who relish non-vegetarian food. This place is meant for pure vegetarians. Did I hear you say that you don't mind being a 'one-day vegetarian'. Great! Then move away from the station and come to Pant Nagar, the 'khau galli' or 'food-lane' of Ghatkopar. You will find yourself confused, what to have and what to have...no what not to have, because you will start praying to God to give you an extra stomach to relish all that you see in these lanes.

Lets start with something as simple and as mundane as dosas. I hate dosas, have been having it since my mom discovered that I could chew food. But here, dosas seem so exotic. Chinese dosas, palak dosas, jain dosas, paneer dosas, onion dosas.............hmmm.....and many many more. And the chutneys, mind-blowing. Fine, the dosas are done with. Keep walking. Stop! Look at those crushed ice golas - red, purple, yellow, green - dip it into the glass of sherbet and sense the cold crushed ice in your mouth...do I need to say anything more. A treat for the hot summers.

This place is famous for its Pav Bhaji and Chaats. You also get the popular Dhabeli. Its a potato mixture filled inside the local bread (pao), and garnished with roasted peanuts, chopped onions, pomegranate and some chaat masala. Its heavenly if you are treated by the right Dhabeli waalah (as they are popularly known as). The one to look for is a dhabeliwaalah who has stationed himself close to the famous Agarwals. He operates from under a tree. Word of caution here - only look at the dhabelis, avoid looking at him or the tree or the surroundings.

The paanipuris (Delhiites please read as golgappa) are also a delight here. Now comes the most popular Gujrati dishes, the dhokla and the khandvi. You can buy this from most local food shops here. Also check out other stuff like Khakra, Choonda, Thepla and some exotic mukhwaas. All this and more at Ghatkopar. A must checkout food-lane in Mumbai.

The author Parvathy lives in Mumbai and blogs at http://paro-kickingboredom.blogspot.com

Grubhogs in the news!

noreply@blogger.com (SN) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 06:28:00 +0000

Grubhhogs was once again featured in the news.

Read the article at Indulge
See what everyone is talking about at www.grubhogs.com

An unusual hotel from Panjim...

noreply@blogger.com (fredericknoronha) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 20:31:00 +0000

By Frederick Noronha

A brief video report of Anandasharam, a simple yet popular place serving traditional Goan Hindu food, known for its tasty curries and fish-based preparations. You can eat home-style food, and the cost of a rice-plate: Rs 25 (as of August 2008).

The author and videographer Frederick Noronha lives in Goa and blogs at http://fredericknoronha.wordpress.com/

Blogged with the Flock Browser

"Cool Food Quotes"

noreply@blogger.com ((mira)) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 05:34:00 +0000

Compiled by Parvathy Nair

These are a few quotes on vegetarians, non-vegetarians, eggetarians and humanitarians. Please take it in the right spirit. If you think you will be unable to tolerate it, don’t read beyond these ellipses…

Avoid fruits and nuts. You are what you eat.
- Jim Davis

Many aspects of my method are based on my feeling and experience. For instance, I always give my bird a generous butter massage before I put it in the oven. Why? Because I think the chicken likes it and, more important, I like to give it.
- Julia Child

I love Thanksgiving turkey...it's the only time in Los Angeles that you see natural breasts.
- Arnold Schwarzenegger

Ever wondered about those people who spend $2 a piece on those little bottles of Evian water? Try spelling Evian backward.
- George Carlin

It is after you have lost your teeth that you can afford to buy steaks.
- Pierre August Renoir

I am not a vegetarian because I love animals; I am a vegetarian because I hate plants.
- Whitney Brown

I was a vegetarian until I started leaning toward the sunlight.
- Rita Rudner

Vegetarian: A person who eats only side dishes.
- Gerald Lieberman

Vegetarian - that's an old Indian word meaning "lousy hunter."
- Andy Rooney

I did not become a vegetarian for my health; I did it for the health of the chickens.
- Isaac Bashevis Singer,

How can you eat anything with eyes?
- Will Kellogg

Animals are my friends... and I don't eat my friends.
- George Bernard Shaw

The author Parvathy lives in Mumbai and blogs at http://paro-kickingboredom.blogspot.com

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