Traveller's Tales

Frascati, Artichokes and Pecorino

2012-05-20T13:15:00.000+05:30

Living out of a rented apartment for a week in Rome allowed us to discover several local culinary delights that are native to the region. Ancient Rome had played a pivotal role in the history of wine-making. What earlier used to be the privilege of the ruling classes was swiftly democratized by the Romans, who considered wine a daily necessity for life, even for their lowly slaves.

While bottles of Chianti are everywhere in Rome, interesting in their traditional straw baskets, this wine comes from the northern region of Italy. The most famous local wine of Rome is Frascati that pairs perfectly with fish, appetizers and fresh cheeses.

Est! Est!! Est!!! wine is another popular one with a story behind its unusual name. A bishop in the 12th century traveling to meet the Pope in Vatican City sent a scout ahead to survey the villages ahead. The scout was so impressed by the local wine, he wrote Est! Est!! Est!!! (Latin for 'It is') on the door of the tavern so the bishop would not fail to stop here.

Finally, the Cesanese wine from the south, a sure winner with Saltimbocca or gnocchi dishes. Trivia: this wine earned some publicity several years back when American porn star Savannah Samson decided to get into the wine-making business and chose this rare Lazio grape over others.

Rome has several interesting wine bars where you can sample some of the country’s best with a platter of cheese or sausage. Cavour 313 is one such place that has been around since the 70s. Located within walking distance from the Colosseum on via Cavour, its rustic interiors, excellent appetizers, and artisanal products are a delight to experience.

The menu at Cavour 313 only contains appetizers and desserts. However, the appetizers are absolutely fantastic! The organic mix in olive oil from the Rizzeli farm contained eggplant, dried tomato rolls, artichokes seasoned with herbs, small onions grilled, grilled mushrooms, tassel hyacinths, turnip tops and stuffed hot peppers.

The Pantesca salad from the Pantelleria Island on the Mediterranean was made with potatoes, sweet tomatoes, red onions, olives, capers and oregano. Another winner!
The only annoying thing here was a Bangladeshi flower vendor who would come in every 30 minutes at the tables to sell roses.

An unique thing I noticed in Rome was the concept of Library Bar - wine and books brought together under one roof. There were several of them in the winding lanes right behind our apartment, in the Monti quarter of Rome. We also discovered a delightful eatery at the Piazza della Suburra which served the most awesome roasted veggies and seafood risotto.

I would frequently go out to buy some cheese and salami from the small store in front of my apartment. The Pecorino Romano and the Grana Padano varieties were particularly interesting. Incidentally, Grana Padano was one of the world’s earliest hard cheeses while Pecorino Romano was a staple of the Roman legionnaires.

Rome also has some good salami for the discerning foodie. The Romano Salami which I particularly liked is crafted from a blend of ground pork, garlic, sea salt, black pepper and spices. The drying process and the surface of cracked peppercorn provide this salami with its distinct taste and texture.

Finally, artichokes. This is probably Rome’s most venerated vegetable. Its most celebrated preparation is the Jewish style alla giudia in which it is deep-fried whole until its outer layers are crisp and its inside soft and delicate.

Previous in this series: Piazza Hopping in Rome
First in this series: Roman Holiday

Piazza Hopping in Rome

2012-05-12T10:45:00.000+05:30

Strolling through the piazzas of Rome is an experience you don’t want to miss. These historic city squares of Rome serve as a place to meet, dine, watch people and chat. So if you truly want to ‘do as the Romans do' when in Rome, you want to indulge in this simplest of pleasures.

Piazza Navona is the most famous of the Roman piazzas. A large cobblestoned square surrounding the magnificent fountains designed by baroque sculptor Bernini, Piazza Novona has an unique charm. Scores of artists and street performers set up shop in the center, while cafes and gelateria busily attend to their customers around its perimeter.

While at Piazza Navona, we took an outdoor table at Tre Scallini, the place in Rome to eat the famous Tartufo dessert, a rich handmade chocolate ice-cream truffle. This restaurant has been serving customers since the early 19th century! By all means try the tartufo here but avoid their gelato.

Piazza Campo de’ Fiori is another popular destination that is close by and famous for its open farmers’ market. We brought back with mushrooms, olive oil and pasta from here. Interestingly, public executions used to be held in this square during the Roman Empire. A lovely place to sample some caffe from the sidelines and watch the hustle and bustle of the marketplace.

The most crowded piazza we visited was clearly the Trevi Fountain. The largest baroque fountain in Rome, this piazza gets a lot of tourists. Throwing a coin into the fountain is said to make your wish come true. This city has had fountains for over 2000 years. Roman aqueducts fed the city’s fountains and provided drinking water to the people for a very long time. Even today, old timers prefer the water fountains that are fed from the old aqueducts to the more modern taps.

The Piazza di Spagna at the foot of the Spanish Steps is another popular one. We climbed the steps which were covered with flowers in full bloom. Students of English literature will be interested in the fact that poets Shelley and Keats stayed here - Keats actually died right here at the young age of 25.

The Pantheon on Piazza della Rotonda is intriguing. Among the best preserved old buildings of Rome, the Pantheon was a temple to the pagan Gods but was subsequently turned into a Roman Catholic church. It is especially fun to be here on a rainy day when the water spatters down from the open cupola of the Pantheon high above.

There were so many more that we passed through during our long walks - some large and adorned with works of Bernini and other famous artists, other that were more modest but possessing an unique allure with their shops, cafes, trattorie and gelateria.

Next in this series: Artichokes and Frascati
Previously in this series: Trattorie of Trastavere

Trattorie of Trastavere

2012-05-05T09:27:00.000+05:30

It can actually be fun to get lost in Trastavere! This Roman neighborhood beyond the Tiber retains its character since the medieval times. Narrow, winding cobblestoned streets lined with old houses, several tiny pubs and interesting restaurants, Trastavere was easily my favorite haunt in Rome, especially during lunch-time.

The first time we visited here was on the recommendation of our landlord (or rather lady). Trattoria sora Cencia turned out to a busy place that served a variety of fresh pasta and meats. We were hungry and went with the fixed three course meal. They started us us on bruschetta before our pasta entrees. I had chosen the Rigatoni pasta with tomato sauce and wild boar - and it was out of the world! I followed with a escalope of veal in marsala wine and roasted sweet potatoes.

After this, we would return to Trastavere every day and try a different street and a different restaurant. During the entire week, I don’t think we had a single bad day during lunch! The bottle wrapped in a basket of straw (picture below) is how Chianti from the North is traditionally packaged.

A place we loved was Osteria del Rugantino, with its tavern-like interiors decorated with legs of ham, bottles of Chianti and horse-shoes. The Gnocchetti with pecorino cheese, pepper, olives and parsley was divine.

My wife had ordered the Pennette Puttanesca, penne pasta made with capers, black olives, chili pepper and tomato sauce. I could see she loved it.

The second course, Abbacchio Scottadito, a traditional cut Roman grilled lamb was excellent too!

We ended with desserts of panna cotta and creme caramel. Creme caramel is commonly available in India as caramel custard, but not everyone can turn out one which looks great and tastes even better. The ones in Rome were uniformly excellent and our most popular dessert choice here.

Another good discovery was Ristorante Carlo Menta. Like most others, this restaurant has al fresco dining as well as a good number of tables indoors. The menu is quite diverse with pastas, gnocchi and other Roman delights. We stayed with our routine and went with the chef’s fixed offering. Another great lunch - four courses this time:

Bruschetta of garlic bread, tomato and rocket salad; Sphagetti alla Carbonara made with eggs and bacon; Saltimbocca alla Romana, escalope of veal wrapped in parma ham and cooked in salvia sauce; creme caramel for desserts. Everything was great!

Finally, Piatta del Giorno, a cosy little place with al fresco dining as well as a space inside that had been designed to look like an old Roman street-side. It was funny seeing the details such as the clothesline with women’s intimate wear hanging above.

The gnocchi in tomato sauce and the Rigatoni pasta made with porcini mushrooms, sausage, cream and cheese were outstanding. My daughter decided to order a pizza which she polished off all by herself!

The walk to and from Trastavere was interesting too. Initially, we would stroll across the Tiber island which has been associated with healing from medieval times. The two small bridges that connect the island to either banks of the Tiber are populated with artists and their easels as well as vendors selling fake Gucci and Versace bags. On other days, we would cross the Tiber on Ponte Garibaldi.

Next in this series: Piazza Hopping in Rome
Previously in this series: Roman Holiday

Roman Holiday

2012-04-28T08:33:00.000+05:30

Travellers' Choice 2012, an annual rating by millions of travelers on TripAdvisor, recently rated Rome higher than Paris as a tourist destination. While I may not rate these two fabulous cities in quite that order, I can see why Rome has continued to fascinate so many travelers through the ages.

We had rented an apartment on Via die Serpenti, a quaint little street that sloped gently down from the towering ramparts of the Colosseum, lined with tiny shops and graffiti-adorned wooden doors. An old fountain gurgled in the middle of a small cobble-stoned piazza. Wrought-iron chairs and checkered table-cloths spilled out of trattorias around the piazza. Micro-cars, scooters and bikes lined both sides of the tiny streets. The late-April morning in Rome was refreshing cold as I looked out of my window, a full ten degrees lower than the hot Pune summer I had left behind!

The ancient city and all the important tourist spots in Rome are within a few miles of each other. Walking through the city is therefore the best way to explore this historical city - particularly easy for me since our apartment was centrally located. Walking about 5 to 7 km also allowed us to build up big appetites and we gorged on the most delectable three-course lunches every day.

The ruins of the Colosseum, Roman Forums and Palentine Hill are clustered together. A single ticket usually covers all these attractions and is valid for two consecutive days. We realized you can save a lot of time by buying tickets at the Roman Forums (instead of the Colosseum, which is far more crowded). I recommend renting an audio guide too, since the remains aren’t labelled.

For history buffs like me, it was an erie feeling walking the cobbled streets of the ruins of the Roman Forum. Several centuries back, these streets had resounded with the sounds of an triumphant Roman army as Caesar returned after another hard-fought victory. And a few years later awash with blood as he was murdered in the Senate building - now reduced to a mound of stones, a few inscriptions and a few pillars that refuse to fall.

Rome is a city that has so many layers of history. It seems you will uncover some ancient wonder every time you take a shovel to the ground here. The ruins in the ancient city are several feet below the level of current streets and buildings. Old and new merge seamlessly as you walk though the streets. You may suddenly come upon an ancient fresco peeking through a broken wall or an ancient bronze statue of a mighty Roman emperor that has survived the ravages of time.

We had reached Rome on the day of its 2765th birthday. The origins of Rome are shrouded in myth. As the story goes, two brothers Remus and Romulus had been abandoned to die on the banks of the river Tiber. A she-wolf found and suckled them to life after which they went on to found a city which was named after Romulus. The statue of the she-wolf sucking the two infants is a popular tourist attraction on top of Capitoline Hill.

Finally, Vatican City. You have to keep aside a full day to do justice to the treasures on display in its museums. This was the only time we took a metro to get somewhere in this city. Unlike London or Paris, Rome isn’t very well connected by the metro. However, if you do need to buy tickets, they are usually available at cafes and bars.

It was spellbinding to be standing in front of original works of such greats as Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio, Raphael and Michelangelo. The highlights for me were the Sistine Chapel and its famous frescos, the impressive Gallery of Maps and the Sala degli Animali.

After every long tour of the ruins or the Vatican, we would inevitably catch our breath with a delectable pizza, a tall glass of beer and at least two flavors of gelato. :)

Next in this series: Trattorie of Trastavere

Pepper Crab In Singapore

2012-04-21T16:14:00.000+05:30

The last time I was here, I had feasted on Singapore’s celebrated dish, the Chilly Crab. Discussing this dish with local friends, I also realized there are two kinds of crab lovers in this food-loving nation-city: those who swear by chilli crabs and those who prefer the pepper crabs instead. Aha, I thought, what better excuse than this to plan another primeval crab dinner, the Singapore way.

Off we went in the hunt for the perfect Black Pepper Crab, with my friend Steven acting as the local guide. No Signboard, a highly regarded seafood chain, was our first stop. However, we could not manage seats there. So we took a taxi to the nearest Long Beach Seafood Restaurant, the chain that claims to have invented this dish as far back as 1959.

The moist paper towel comes in a strange packaging - the babe in the red swimwear serving crabs in the picture is that of an American beauty queen from 20 years back! Not sure how she ended up promoting crabs for Long Beach.

Steven wanted me to try something new. He ordered a starter of steamed bamboo clams with glass noodles. I had never this creature before, let alone eaten one. As you can see below, the bamboo clam gets its name from its unique shell. The dish was put together very well - the seafood, noodles and the spicy garnishings making for a very tasty bite before the crabs. The bamboo clams are more commonly known as Razor Clams in the western world.

A kilo of crab can seem overwhelming. But we were hungry and it didn’t take too much time to polish off all those hard-to-get but oh-so-delightful pieces of crabmeat. Some Chinese fried buns and Tiger beer helped them on their way! Given my penchant for spicy food, I think I will rate the Black Pepper Crab a wee bit higher than the Chilly Crabs of Singapore.

We ended with another dish very unique to this part of the world. The Durian Ice-Cream is made from the stinky durian fried. The fruit has a very intense smell which many find offensive and yet you find it everywhere in Malaysia and Singapore, even though you are prohibited (!) from carrying it in a public transport in this country. If you are familiar with the smell of a ripe jackfruit, this one has a little more intense smell. However, the ice-cream itself was good, served in a special glass bowl with smoke or vapor of some kind in a lower chamber to give the dish an interesting effect.

The next day, I tried the room service at my hotel, The Conrad. They have a rather nice Cantonese restaurant called the Golden Peony in the hotel; select items are available in the room-service menu. The Golden Peony Style Fried Rice was fantastic as was the artfully presented Dessert, called the Study in Apple and consisting of green apple trifle, apple mousse and apple tart tat in.

Overall, Singapore continues to be a fun place to spend a few hours. You never have to repeat a restaurant here!

Murray Circle in Sausalito

2012-04-15T14:19:00.000+05:30

I was back in the lovely precincts of Cavallo Point, a resort hotel overlooking the Golden Gate and the San Francisco Bay from Sausalito. Since this was a business trip, I did not have the time to relax in their super-cosy rooms with their real fire-places. Unlike the last time, a constant drizzle and cold winds kept us indoors the entire time.
Murray Circle, the restaurant of Cavallo Point Lodge has changed. It is more bistro now than fine dining. However, the food continues to please.

We began with a Cauliflower Soup with olive oil, chives and ground espelette (a variety of chili peppers found in the French province of Espelette). The hot soup was very refreshing in the cold weather.

Next came Mixed Lettuces with ruby red Grapefruit, toasted Hazelnuts, and Cabecou Crouton with citrus Vinaigrette.

I had selected the Niman Ranch New York Steak that came with broccolini, potato rosti and béarnaise sauce. Incidentally, the brocollini is a man-made creation - a cross between a broccoli and kai-lan, also known as Chinese brocolli. The steak was alright but not particularly flavorful or even as tender as I expected it to be.

For dessert, I chose the Roasted White Chocolate Coffee Cake with cocoa nib butter and 'mudslide' ice cream.

Overall, the food was good. What was better was the time we spent over food and drink in the warm confines of this restaurant, de-stressing from the intense meetings that preceded our dinner. Murray Circle had been awarded a Michelin star in 2008 which it lost in 2011. BTW, like I had predicted, Benu did well in the Michelin Guide 2012 getting itself two stars; here’s a complete listing if you are interested.

RN74

2012-04-01T14:09:00.000+05:30

If you are looking for a hyper-trendy, sophisticated restaurant for an evening of drinks and dinner in San Francisco, RN74 may be just the place for you! Flickering candles, colored glass and loads of atmosphere characterize this offering from Michael Mina. Incidentally, this place gets its name from a highway in Burgundy.
I had actually planned to walk over to Boulevard, a restaurant I like visiting occasionally. I happened to pass by RN74 and couldn't resist trying it out.

RN74 can be called a wine-bar and a restaurant rolled into one. However, the prices of their wines are quite astronomical. However, the food was creative, indulgent and highly satisfying.

Now that time is ticking for Foie Gras in California, I decided to go ahead in indulge in this luxury while it still lasted. The Foie Gras Terrine was exquisitely presented, with strawberries, black truffle, black walnuts, duck prosciutto and brioche. Doesn't get much better than this! This was also one of the largest portions of foie gras I have seen served as a starter. The rich, velvety dish was perfect on the palate. Also, I felt less guilty since I had worked out and only eaten a Caesar Salad for lunch. :)

Between courses, the waiter brought me an amuse from the chef: a small serving of tuna tartare with pine nuts and heart of palm.

For my mains, I had chosen the Grilled California White Sturgeon. The fish was served with Asparagus, Potato Rosti, Black Trumpet Mushrooms and Meyer Lemon. This dish came with a side of Mussels Billi-bi, a wonderfully flavored soup.

While sturgeons are popularly harvested as a source of caviar, their flesh is quite delectable too. Fun fact: In England, sturgeons are classified as royal fish along with whales and every one that is caught becomes the property of the Royal Crown!

The fish was very interesting; fresh, flaky and interestingly contrasted with the steamed mussel soup.

Overall, a great experience. I would recommend RN74 for those who are like drinking and dining in a hip and stylish setting. But be ready to spend big if you drink a lot of wine.

Timeless Cuisine of the Nawabs

2012-03-17T11:48:00.001+05:30

Dum Pukht has been one of the finest restaurants showcasing the 200-year old legacy of the nawabs of Awadh. Characterized by the subtle use of spices, this restaurant serves the renowned Dum Pukht biryani and the Kakori kabab, best enjoyed at a leisurely pace. Dum Pukht at the ITC Maratha in Mumbai recently reopened its door after a complete renovation. While the menu remains the same, the decor has been changed for the better.

The newly done up dining room is resplendent in white and gold and enhanced by the the crimson red of flickering oil lamps clustered in the center of the room. The soft ghazal playing in the background completed the effect.

I began with a sampler of their signature kababs: the kakori and the gilafi. The former, a melt-in-the-mouth kabab of finely minced lamb flavored with cloves and cinnamon, wrapped around a skewer and char grilled in the tandoor before being drizzled with saffron. The later, made of minced chicken laced with crisp juicy tomatoes and capsicum, and complemented with green chillies and onions. Very different tastes and textures, but equally amazing on the palate!

The sheermal bread that accompanied the kababs was flaky, sweet and well executed too.

The Murgh Handi Qorma and the Dal Dum Pukht came next. The Qorma was made of boneless drumsticks of spring chicken that has been simmered in brown onion, garlic and yogurt based gravy which also had a hint of saffron, rose water and almonds. Absolutely delightful!

The highpoint of a meal in Dum Pukht was clearly the next dish: their 'dum' cooked mutton biryani. Made of basmati rice simmered with lamb in mace, ittar and kewra, and finished in a sealed handi - a traditional Indian cooking pot. The Burhani raita that is served with the biryani was also very good.

The dessert was an interesting one: Shahi Rabdi: succulent morsels of gulab jamun mixed in a bowl of the thick rabdi topped with slivers of almond and rose petals.

All in all, the dinner was everything I had come to expect at Dum Pukht. Loved the new interiors.

Dum Pukht style of cuisine was born in the Awadh region of North India about 200 years back. The food itself became synonymous with the slow, regal and luxurious lifestyles of the Awadi nawabs. Interesting this cuisine came about during a period of famine when arrangements were being made to feed the poor. Ultimately, Dum Pukht food is about aroma when the seal is broken at the table and the fragrance from a royal era floats up in the air.

Speaking of nawabs, I was in Hyderabad recently for a press event. This is the other city in India famous for its princely past and its own variation of Nawabi cuisine. At Kababs and Kurries, the restaurant of the ITC Kakatiya, I was able to sample a few delectable kababs unique to this city and the local version of biryani.

The Tala Gosht is a spicy kabab made from boneless cubes of baby lamb marinated with ginger, garlic and chillies before being cooked on a iron griddle. Pathar Ka Gosht is lamb escalopes marinated in native Deccan spices and cooked on hot stone. Then there is the Charminar Kabab, a combination of mutton boti covered with lamb mince and cooked on a traditional grill.

They were nice enough to combine sampler sized portions of these kababs into my starter course. All of them were fiery hot - no surprise when you are in Hyderabad or anywhere in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Four different chutneys and juliennes of onion drizzled with chaat masala provided some relief to the palate!

The Burhani Murgh and Daal Bukhara were delicious. The savory dish redolent of brown onions, caramel and mace.

And finally, the Hyderabadi biryani - spicier than its Awadhi counterpoint, but every bit as delectable!

They crafted a bespoke dessert for me that combined a portion of Shahi Tukra and Shahi Kulfi making for a very decadent ending to another lavish meal. Burp!

I remember the Satyajit Ray movie, Shatranj Ke Khiladi, which painted a picture of the nawabs and their muses, highlighting how their pride and genteel lifestyle becomes more important than safeguarding their princely states - which eventually fall easily to the British without giving a fight. But after a filling Mughlai meal at Lucknow or Huderabad, one can almost forgive the Nawabs for their callousness during those times!

Two Days of Michael Mina

2012-03-11T19:34:00.001+05:30

Michael Mina celebrated 20 years of cooking in San Francisco just a few months back. Through these years Mina has set up a culinary empire that spans the country. But San Francisco is still special, for it was here he first began his meteoric rise. A couple of years back, he moved his eponymous restaurant to the same location where Aqua once existed, and where he began his climb to stardom.

I was in San Francisco for a big industry conference. As usual, there were several dinner meetings scheduled during the week; it was just my luck that two of them (in a row!) turned out to be at Michael Mina restaurants.

The first was Bourbon Steak within the historic St. Francis Hotel on Union Square. The interiors were still the way I remember it from a couple of years back. The menu was new.

I ordered an Ahi Tuna Tartare followed by the 10 oz Wagyu Flat Iron. As I sipped on a glass of Pinot Noir, the waitress brought me their famous Trio of Fries. Fried in duck fat, each of them had been seasoned differently and there were three dips to go with them.

The Tuna Tartare was served with scotch bonnet peppers, pine nuts, mint and sesame oil. The waitress expertly mixed these ingredients at the table. The result was actually very good!

The steak was fantastic: juicy and cooked just right with a side of roasted cauliflower that had been tossed with a garlic-cashew 'crunch'. They made my dinner even more satisfying by adding another (complimentary) side of lightly fried asparagus in meyer lemon sauce.

The next day we were at Michael Mina's on California Street. They started us off an amuse bouche of hot soup with cheese toast. The bread came with an interesting dip of ricotta and honey.

My starter was a seared day boat scallop and foie gras with persimmon, sun choke, red ribbon sorrel. Good stuff! Foie gras is on its way to being outlawed in California which is a pity.

We shared a portion of Carnaroli Risotto with oyster mushrooms, Maine lobster, lemon and parsley puree. Loved this dish too!

My entree was Steelhead Trout covered with a layer of kataifi - a Middle Eastern variety of very fine vermicelli, arugula puree, and a lobster-mushroom royale. The dish was an interesting medley of flavors and textures but not particularly the highlight of this meal.

This was another good experience made better by being in the company of several colleagues from around the world. Next time though, I will pick the Duck or the Venison entree!

Overall, I must say Michael Mina restaurants are expensive but they consistently deliver.

Coi in San Francisco

2012-03-04T15:23:00.014+05:30

Coi is clearly not for everyone. Chef Daniel Patterson's culinary journey is best appreciated by foodies who are willing to stretch their boundaries and appreciate the special ingredients and complex preparation that goes into every serving. Coi's philosophy is based on sourcing the best local ingredients: cultivated plants grown from heirloom seeds; wild-harvested leaves, flowers, barks and roots; local fish, seaweeds and coastal grasses; pastured meat, poultry and eggs from small farmers. The 11-course dinner here reminded me of an excellent Kaiseki dinner I had experienced in Tokyo.

Coi (pronounced Kwa) means quiet and tranquil in archaic French and the ambience within is in keeping with its name. Minimalist decor in earthy tones and a peaceful and quiet ambiance characterizes this restaurant. Service throughout was faultless: waiters in black suits hovered unobtrusively making sure everything was just right.

And now for the food itself. You have only one choice: the 11-course menu with or without the wine pairing. Each course was tastefully presented in small portions and the focus was clearly on bringing unique twists to conventional tastes and textures.

We began with Brown Rice Crisps with a avocado cream dip. The wine for the first course was a fresh and tangy white, the 2010 Do Ferierro Albarino, Rias Baixas from Spain.

Then came the Romaine, crafted in the form of a creamy dollop made from celtuce, a rare version of the popular greens, which is more stem than leaf. The celtuce was topped with a sea-weed crisp. Interesting creation but not particularly satisfying.

The Live Scallops were small and delicate, presented on the crimson red juice and pulp of blood orange. The scallops seemed very fresh but the texture of this dish was somewhat off. The wine this time was a German Riesling.

Next was the Oyster, so pretty in its reduction of beet and served with radish and jellied seawater. I liked this one! I thought the flavors and texture went really well. The wine, a white Chenin Blanc from Loire Valley, France.

The Dungeness Crab was topped with a yellow floret of some kind and they poured a consommé at the table - a light golden colored butter crab broth. Another good one. They paired this dish with a Chardonnay from Burgundy.

Next came our most popular course of the night. Asparagus cooked in its own juice! Unbelievably crafted, the high quality of the asparagus was highlighted in this delicately flavored dish - pretty much everyone around the table loved this course. The wine, an Italian white from Piedmont.

Then the waitstaff brought out the Popcorn Grits. One of them described the process in making the grits in great detail; the grits tasted heavily of butter popcorn, and had a thick layer of butter coating it. A dish that combined a common comfort food and a traditional one into something more interesting. This was paired with a Californian Chardonnay.

The next course was a winner too: the Monteray Bay Abalone gilled on the Plancha. I really liked the warm salad of abalone, which came with lettuce and sprouts. The abalone was nicely warm and extremely tender. The dish went well with the fruity rose wine from Provence.

The final savory course was Anderson Ranch Lamb in Two Servings. Both dishes were fantastic. The first a tartare with wheat grass and sprouts. The second one grilled over pine, with potato pine-needle puree and wood sorrel. A fine Lebanese red wine accompanied the lamb.

The cheese course was the Fromage Blanc Tart. Soft cow cheese in a shell of beeswax and gooseberry, topped with coriander leaves. The wine was a bright golden Le Tertre Du Lys D'Or Cuvee d'Exception Sauternes.

The first dessert consisted of Oro Blanco, a butter-milk and ginger ice-cream with a hint of citrus fruits and epazote.

The next one was a Silken White Chocolate with figs and ground coffee seeds. This one was so very creamy and provided a great ending. The dessert wines served were from Italy and Hungary.

As some of us sipped on coffee, they also brought in a few 'slabs' of buttery honey almond toffee with a hint of salt to balance the tastes. In spite of the small portions, I found myself pleasantly full. And with all those wine pairings, a little bit drunk!

Coi has two Michelin stars and only a limited number of seats made available through OpenTable. Therefore, if you plan to dine here, plan ahead. Coi's avant-garde cuisine is worth a visit for sure.

Pune Dining: New Updates and Reviews

2012-02-25T12:55:00.012+05:30

Kiva first opened on Range Hills Road in Pune and quickly became the drinking hole of choice for students and youngsters in that side of town. The tastefully done interiors looked like something out of the Star Wars movie - Tatooine for those who know their Star Wars universe well! They went on to open a second, larger restaurant and bar in Koregaon Park, this time done up in Pacific island themes, totems poles and all. Now they have three more, each of them uniquely themed with a satisfying bar menu and great food.

Kiva Ivy opened their doors last year on Baner Road (opposite the Symantec building). Themed like an Irish Pub, this place has ample seating and is popular during the evening hours for their cocktails and flaming shots. Their beer selection is steadily improving too and they do stock Irish Stout. Kiva Ivy makes for a great choice for a quick business lunch or a relaxing evening with friends.

The pictures here are of the food we tried on my first visit to this place a few weeks back. A nicely plated lamb dish served with fries, herb rice and lamb cooked in red wine and baby onions. My friend who was off meat due to Lent, chose grilled Paneer on a Skewer. We also ordered a starter of stuffed mushrooms. Everything today pleased us.

Kiva Nea, in Aundh, is the only Kiva restaurant that didn't fit the high standards they have set. This one is a restaurant that serves several Indian staples, including kababs and curries. While the names and descriptions of some of the kababs seemed inspired, the actual execution was poor. Even the decor seemed relatively plain. Also note, this place is designed to be a family restaurant rather than a bar-lounge like their other outlets. We tried their chicken chilly kababs, shaped like giant chilli peppers and made of chicken breast stuffed with spices, minced chicken, peppers and cheese. The saag gosht was tasty but they were stingy with the meat pieces.

I was back at Sigree on Boat Club Road after a long gap. The restaurant recently won another award for the best North Indian food in a standalone setting. We decided to forgo the buffet and choose from the a la carte menu, which turned out to be a good idea.The Dhuandaar Mugh Tikka was great - including the presentation where they bring the smoking skewer table-side to serve you. The Amritsari Mahi Tikka was another winner - great texture, taste and wonderfully complemented with the tart mango chutney.

And finally, we stopped by and sampled the fare at South Indies which won the Best South Indian restaurant award in Pune in a ceremony organized by Times of India recently. Located in the same complex as Little Italy (right beside Central mall on University Road), this restaurant only serves vegetarian food. However. everything is tasty and very authentic.

We especially loved the starters of Podi Tossed Idlis - tiny idles with traditional gunpowder and curry leaves, and Keerai Vadai - deep fried lentil dumplings with spinach and spices.

Among the entrees, I loved the Bisi Bele Baath and Curd Rice done just like in the South Indian heartland. Overall, a great choice for those sudden cravings for authentic South Indian food. South Indies also serves a special breakfast buffets on weekends as early as 7:30AM.

Dining at The Hyatt Chennai

2012-02-19T10:52:00.007+05:30

The Hyatt Regency opened its doors last year in Chennai. All the floors are not ready yet, which can make for some rough edges if you choose this hotel for a business trip. However, what tilts the balance in it favor are its excellent restaurants. The hotel is home to three restaurants: Stix specializes in Chinese cuisine from the Sichuan region and street hawker-style cooking from the East; Focaccia serves up home-style Italian food from the southern part of the country; and, Spice Market which provides you an all-day dining experience in a pleasant and airy setting.

When I entered Focaccia, I did not expect to be delighted. The menu options seemed conventional enough, but the execution on these simple dishes by Milanese Chef Pauletto was exceptional. This was easily one of my memorable dining experiences in Chennai.

They started me off on fresh Focaccia drizzled with olive oil as I sipped on my glass of Syrah. The minestrone soup was hearty and full of authentic Italian veggies.

The spinach gnocchi was out-of-the world. Exceptionally rendered, these soft dumplings of spinach and ricotta was heavenly in the palate. Served in a bed of white sauce and olive oil, this dish was the highlight of this dinner.

The pan-seared wild sea bass was served on a bed of baked seasonal vegetables and lemon sauce. Again, an expertly turned out dish with impeccable texture, taste and flavors.

They insisted I try their tiramisu which I did. They brought out a huge dish of tiramisu and let me serve as much as I wanted to. I only could take a couple of spoonfuls given how full I already was. Which was a pity, since the dessert was every bit as good as the rest of this dinner was.

I had dined at Stix during my earlier trip but neglected to post my experience here. Focaccia was still not open then. I ran into a hotel employee who was familiar - he used to work at the Trident which I frequented before the Hyatt opened. On his recommendation, I walked into Stix. The chefs here were transferred from The Grand Hyatt in Beijing. Specifically, from Made in China, a restaurant that I love and have reviewed here.

I asked the chef to give me anything he wished. He made me a delicious egg-drop soup with crab and tofu, followed by a fried rice preparation with wok-tossed tiger prawns in XO sauce. Everything was fantastic and I hope to be back here for more soon.

Spice Market is interesting, not so much because of the food but because of the interesting statues that dot the restaurant showcasing how crazy India can seem when it seamlessly melds the ancient with the modern.

Net-net, I think the Hyatt Regency Chennai is a must-try destination of any foodies looking for a brief stopover in Chennai.

Another Whirlwind Trip

2012-02-08T10:01:00.000+05:30

Another quick trip to San Francisco and Silicon Valley. I expected downtown San Francisco to be very cold but the weather turned out to be pleasant, unusually so for this time of the year. Emirates had upgraded me to first class on my entire onward journey from Mumbai to San Francisco, and I was nicely rested by the time I arrived. By the time I checked in, showered and thought of lunch, it was pretty late in the afternoon.

I strolled over to California Pizza Kitchen which was right in front of my hotel. For some reason, I had never eaten at this restaurant chain before. The meat lovers pizza was a delight, as was the super friendly waitress who served me. The generous toppings of cheese and meats (compared to those I get in India) took care of my hunger pangs very nicely indeed!

I was back at Alexander's Steak House in Cupertino after a long gap. After they were awarded the Michelin star a couple of years back, this restaurant is even more popular. It took me a 45-minute wait to get a table at lunch-time on a week-day; thankfully, I did have the time! Hamachi shots, a steak and truffle fries later, I asked for the cheque. Along with the cheque came a cotton candy which was cherry flavored and actually quite nice!

The view early in the morning from my downtown San Francisco hotel was phenomenal. Here's a picture taken through my window on the 34th floor just before I walk down for my morning fix at the neighboring Starbucks.

I am going to retrace this trip in two weeks' time; I expect to have a lot more to write then. Hopefully, Emirates will also have an upgrade available for me again. I could get used to that! :)

Quick Bites at Phoenix Mall

2012-02-01T13:41:00.000+05:30

Large department stores and shopping malls began opening in Pune about a decade back. Few have lasted long, but newer ones continue to open every year. Right now, the shopping district of choice is clearly Nagar Road where three new malls have recently opened their doors. The biggest of them all? Phoenix Market City.

With their experience in running one of Mumbai's better known shopping malls, Phoenix Market City seemed to have figured out the best combination of shopping, entertainment and dining - all under one roof. This is also the first shopping mall in this city where brand-name restaurants have been added within the shopping complex. By that, I am discounting the McDonald's and KFC outlets which are ubiquitous in most upscale malls.

For those of you looking for a desi version of Tex Mex food, pop into Chili's which recently opened its first Pune outpost here. Much as I always do in Chili's restaurants in the USA, I ordered a Classic Margarita followed by a Fajita platter. The Margaritas turned out pretty good but were served in beer glasses.

The fajitas - a trio of chicken, shrimp and paneer - were very tasty too. The sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo, etc., were all very authentic. The paneer was of course part of their localization exercise for India. All in all, not bad at all. Not unless you are looking for an exact replica of the US experience where the portion would be larger and the paneer replaced with beef. The tortillas and the fried beans made for a decent meal.

Pollo Campero is another international chain which opened its first city outlet in this mall. Known as the 'other fried chicken restaurant', Pollo Campero brings a flavor of Latin America into their fried chicken. It so happened that I was watching Season Two episodes of Breaking Bad where a chicken restaurant called Los Pollos forms the backdrop for a major storyline. The moment I saw the red-and-yellow colors of Pollo Campero with a chicken-man advertising the store in the mall, I was struck by the similarities and wanted to try it.

Pollo Campero is a Guatemalan fast-food chain, actually the largest in the Americas. The fried chicken Picante (meaning spicy) was good - but not particularly better than that from KFC which I love. The wraps were quick good and their virgin Mojitos are definitely better than any other drink you get at these outlets.

Up South is a quick serve South Indian place which actually serves up very good and authentic tasting stuff. Parothas, puris, mini-idles are combined with the best sambhar and chutney Pune serves. But the thing you really want to try is their authentic South Indian 'filter' coffee.

Which leaves us with Malaka Street. Classy, like its sister restaurant in Korgaon Park, Malaka Spice focuses on the many delicious street foods from the South East Asian countries. Satays, 'top hats', tossed prawns, Pad Thai, Nasi Goreng. You get the drift?

There are many more. ZK's has a second outlet here and the best news? Jiggs Kalra's Punjab Grill is expected to open here too!

Tasting Malaysia

2012-01-21T21:40:00.016+05:30

KL can be an exciting place for foodies with its incredible variety of street food and cuisines - brought together by the different ethnic groups that make up this interesting country. I had a chance to sample a selection of foods, some for the very first time. There are three distinct sets of cuisines associated with the major ethnic groups: Malay, Indian and Chinese, but there are also some lesser known ones such as Nyonya (of the Straits Chinese ethnic group) and Sarawak (a community that lives on the island of Borneo).

Madam Kwan's is a restaurant on the 4th level of KLCC that offers local Malay cuisine. The popularity of this place during lunch was easy to see: there was a long line of people outside waiting for seats. Malay food has a lot of similarity to that of its neighbours, Thailand and Indonesia, but with some unique twists.

Belacan and Assam are probably the most common ingredients you will find in their dishes. Belacan is made from fermented baby shrimp which is then dried and formed into small cakes. A tiny amount is added to most Malay dishes to add that special 'kick'. Assam is essentially tamarind paste commonly added to fish and vegetable dishes to make them more tangy - probably a practice that came from South India many years back.

We ordered several great dishes: Assam Laksa, an aromatic tamarind broth with lai fun noodles and fish; Sambal Petai, a hot and spicy prawn dish topped with local twisted cluster beans; Belacan kangkong, a variety of local greens stir-fried in the spicy shrimp paste. There was also an interesting fish cake followed by a lovely dessert called Sago Gula Melaka which is made of tapioca (sabodana in India) with palm sugar. Absolutely loved this one!

On another day, we went to Mum's Place, another delightful eatery here. I ate the tear-inducing Fried Cencaru Fish with Chili Padi Paste and Petai Beans; Fried Jenahak Fish with Mum's Special Belacan Paste, Beef Rendang - popularized by Malaysian restaurants worldwide; Smoked Chicken with dip and Tom Yum Soup.

Then came Steamed Beancurd with minced chicken meat, Fried Aubergines with Chili Padi paste and finally, Pulut Tekan - glutinous rice served warm with kaya.

As you can see from the pictures, that was a lot of food, but everyone of them delightfully different and exciting for me. There are several more delicacies such as Fish Head Curry that came into Malaysia and Singapore from the Indian immigrants. However, it was the tastes of belacan, petai beans, the Durian fruit, and Assam that made for my most authentic and unique experiences this time around. Incidentally, both Petai and Durian have strong (and to some, offensive) odors in their uncooked form.

For those you interested in the authentic street food experience, there is no better place than Jalan Alor, which comes alive in the late evenings. Watch where the locals are crowded the most and go have a feast!

Enter The Dragon

2012-01-15T20:58:00.001+05:30

Kuala Lumpur was decked in gold and red as the city got ready to celebrate the Chinese New Year - the Year of the Dragon. Chinese restaurants in the city advertised special menus with names such as Prosperity, Happiness, Wealth. The upscale malls of Jalan Bukit Bintang were crowded with well-heeled shoppers out to have a special time for the New Year. Seeing all the excitement, one wouldn't realize that only 20 percent here are of Chinese origin while the majority are Malay who are predominately Muslim. This is one reason why Malaysia advertises itself as Truly Asia. With a vibrant multi-cultural population of Malays, Chinese and Indians, this country is a melting pot of religions, cuisines and cultures, not very unlike India.

I was at the Westin hotel in KL which is surrounded by some of the most upscale malls in the city. I strolled down to The Pavilion mall, past a long line of bears painted by artists representing the countries of the world. This seemed to be part of some kind of global awareness event. The atrium was ablaze in red and gold with a large dragon snaking through the four floors.

Several Chinese vendors show-cased Chinese artistry. One that caught my eye immediately were the delicately painted snuff bottles. Unbelievable as it sounds, these bottles are hand-painted from the inside by painstakingly manipulating a bent brush through the narrow neck of the bottles. The bottles were expensive, but I had to buy myself one - and I did. This art-form was perfected by Chinese artists during the Qing dynasty several years ago and can still inspire awe.

During dinner that night I began with an Yee Sang. This dish of raw fish salad is unique to Malaysia and Singapore and only found during the Chinese New Year. Long strands of carrot, turnip and other vegetables were surrounded by colorful heaps of condiments that were ceremonially mixed together and topped with raw slices of salmon. But the fun part is the 'prosperity toss' where the entire family joins in tossing the salad with chop sticks trying to toss from as high as possible. My waiters joined me in this, while wishing me success on everything thing from health, wealth and even promotions! :)

After this uniquely Malaysian ritual, I followed with a dish of steaming hot udon noodles tossed with black pepper sauce and red grouper. A dessert of Durian ice-cream topped with red bean paste in a pumpkin sauce made for a very different dessert experience. Incidentally, Durian is a seasonal fruit popular here which is notorious for its smell.

I saw the term 'China Doll' bandied around in newspaper headlines and conversations - turns out they weren't referring to the delicate porcelain ones, but real girls. Apparently, there has been a influx of pretty girls from mainland China in massage parlors, hotels and other types of hospitality industries with the aim of finding sugar daddies from among local Chinese and rich expats. This has led to a public backlash from local conservatives and Chinese wives who are up in arms against what they see as lax immigration procedures.

Next: Malaysian Cuisine in KL

Shisha & Addah

2012-01-07T19:42:00.011+05:30

Shisha is Persian for hookah. Which gives you some idea of what to expect: a Persian themed cafe run by an Iranian where a flavored hookah can be ordered at the table-side. However, what makes Shisha truely popular with the locals and foreigners alike is the refreshingly different interiors, the greenery all around, and the live jazz on select weekend.

Shisha is a great place for a casual date or even a late-evening rendezvous with friends and colleagues. But it isn't a place you visit with kids in tow! The large restaurant has two levels and on most days is packed during the late evenings. The restaurant opens for a late breakfast and lunch, if you are nostalgic for some Iranian staples in the city.

This is one of my favorite places for a meetup with friends over drinks, but it has been a while since I had come here. I was glad to see that the food seems to have improved over the years.

We choose Jujeh Kababs followed by Keema Mutter with Garlic Naan. The Iranian kababs were perfectly cooked over charcoal. The Keema Mutter was an instant hit with our American colleagues and we were left with no space for desserts.

Shisha has an extensive menu with Persian staples, North Indian kababs, Mughlai curries, as well as some Italian options. However, it is the overall atmosphere of the place that makes the experience outstanding.

Now for another Koregaon Park dining spot, Addah.

The word addah reminds me of spirited conversations with steaming cups of coffee at Calcutta's iconic Coffee House. However, Addah, in a more generic sense means a gathering place for friends - a place to spend time chatting over food and drinks. And for this the rooftop restaurant of the O Hotel in Pune is quite perfect. Addah can be a brilliant spot to wash away the day's stress with a glass of your favorite tipple and platters of succulent kababs.

Addah is co-located on the rooftop with a open-air bar and the swimming pool. We were here early and the place was still empty. The evening was very pleasant with only a slight nip in the air. The skies were clear but the lights all around the Koregaon Park area made it difficult to see any stars in the night sky. Still, the Pune skyline all around made for a wonderful backdrop.

They brought us some papads and green salad as we perused the menu which consists for a good selection of kababs, curries and desserts. We weren't hungry enough to order the kabab platter, and so settled for the gosht sheek kababs and murgh malai tikkas.

The kababs were quite delicious - succulent, smoky from the charcoal fire and a little on the spicier side, the way I like them!

The Rogan Josh, with chunks of mutton in a red gravy made with fried onion and red chillies was excellent as were the Lasooni Naan that we had ordered with the dish. Rogan Josh is not on their menu, but the chef was willing to make it for us.

We ended with a rich, warm dessert of Badaam Halwa which was perfect for the winter evening. By now the restaurant was quite full and the noise level had begun to go up. However, the service was pretty good all through the evening.

Overall, I would say Addah is a good choice is you are looking for an interesting rooftop dining experience. As for the food itself, it was all good, but I did not find anything that was particularly memorable.

Overall, both Shisha and Addah are both interesting options but I would pick Shisha over Addah on most days.

Tuk-Tuks and Temples

2012-01-01T17:31:00.011+05:30

There were no signs of the recent floods during the day we spent gallivanting through Bangkok. We had decided to take some time off from our beach vacation in Koh Samui to soak up some culture and food in this captivating city. Our hotel, the Royal Orchid Sheraton, was located right on the banks of the Chao Praya River, giving us the flexibility of choosing between a taxi, tuk-tuk or a riverboat. In addition to the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew - which I have visited before - we took a diversion to some other temples off the beaten path.

Wat Ratchabhopit, a temple dedicated to the Buddha, was a-glitter with gold and red motifs. Far away from the tourist hordes, this temple provided us a peaceful oasis from which to admire the thought and intricate workmanship that went into building Thai temples, many of which such as this one is a combination of influences - local Thai, other Asian and European.

This temple is co-located with the Royal mausoleum containing the ashes of the Queen, daughters and concubines of King Rama V who built this temple complex. The manager of the temple complex gladly gave us a detailed tour of the temple, explaining the significance of the different Buddha statues.

It was here I learnt about the Buddha's different postures that are associated with days of the week. Thai devotees prefer to keep images of the Buddha that represent their birth weekdays. The posture for Sundays has the Buddha standing with his hands down in front of his body, while Mondays has him standing with his right hand raised palm outside. And so on.

Gems have special meaning in Thailand too. Rubies from Thailand are very popular the world over, but beware the scam artists when in Bangkok. In fact, if a friendly tourist policeman at the Grand Palace helpfully points you to a different place followed by a tour to the 'famous' Royal Factory' which is selling rubies and gemstones for a discount only on this day, it is most surely another scam. Unless you are an expert at gems, stay clear of expensive stones in Bangkok.

The cultural highlight of our visit to Bangkok was clearly the Siam Niramit theater. We strongly recommend this to anyone who hasn't experienced this show before. Siam Niramit is a lavish spectacle put together with the panache of a Las Vegas extravaganza.

The show begins at 8 PM, but gates open at 5:30 PM for visitors to get a little taste of Thai history and culture through street-side performances and live displays of village life. There is also a great buffet restaurant to sample the cuisine right on-site. The show covers Thailands history: the ancient kingdom of Lanna in the North, the traders who came in from the South Seas, the heritage of the Khymer kingdom and Ayuttaya, the mighty capital in the central Plains.

The show ends with depictions of their common beliefs in the Laws of Karma and the worlds of Hell, Himapan - gateway to the heavens, and Heaven itself.

All throughout this trip, we tasted some of the very best in Thai cuisine. Even the 'regular' Thai curries tasted so much more better in the country of its origin. We always ended up ordering more food than we could finish in our eagerness to taste everything!

Bangkok posts from my previous trip here: Siamese Wonders, Snapshots, More Goodness, A Dinner to Remember.

A Tropical Xmas

2011-12-28T15:11:00.000+05:30

Christmas at the Four Seasons Koh Samui was a lot of fun! The gala dinner at Lan Tania on Christmas Eve turned out to be a gourmet's delight, and for my daughter the highlight was clearly Santa who arrived with an elephant in tow. In addition to the Castaway Dinner which I wrote about in my previous post, they had a Bounty of Thailand evening showcasing the culinary delicacies of the country featuring live cooking stations and Thai dances. For those who did not wish to leave their villas, they had in-villa dining options that included Xmas turkey specials and bar-be-que dinners.

We decided to go with the special seven-course Thai dinner at Lan Tania. The restaurant had been transformed for the special evening with festive decorations all around.

Our dinner started with a trio of starters: the Goong Shair Narm Pla was a raw tiger prawn salad with lemongrass, garlic and spicy lime sauce. The Pooja turned out to be deep-fried stuffed crab shell, and the Hoi Nang Roam was a large Thai oyster with seafood sauce and garnished with fried onion and tamarind leaf salad. The oyster and the crab were particularly good!

The soup came next. Tom Som Pla, a fish soup with lemongrass, fresh turmeric and lime leaf was delicately flavored and excellent!

The entrees after that. The Paneng Kang was rock lobster in a dry red curry with peanut and kaffir lime. The Sua Rong Hai was grilled beef strip loin with spicy herbs and roast rice cracker sauce. While the lobster was very good, I found the beef hard too tough and chewy to enjoy.

Finally, the desserts! The Kao Niew Mamuang, mango sticky rice was made with an interesting twist: the sweetened rice and the mango pulp had been blended separately and served chilled in a glass like ice-cream. And to end it all, a serving of their deliciously creamy coconut ice-cream, tonight served in half of a tender-coconut with long gratings of its soft kernel.

Christmas morning arrived with other gifts: goodies in a Xmas stocking, pastries and fruit breads from the kitchens. Then Santa himself made an appearance for the kids with a baby elephant in tow making this Xmas particularly memorable for my daughter when she got to ride the elephant.

We tried both the Lan Tania and the beachside restaurant, Pla Pla, multiple times during this trip. The food was consistent good and the prices reasonable too - by Four Seasons standards.

During Castaway Dinner we had gorged on grilled sea bass, red snapper, rock lobster, blue crab and calamari with sides of baked potatoes with sour cream and bacon, corn on the cob, grilled veggies on skewers and several local salads and a seafood carpaccio shake. Therefore at Pla Pla, I decided to try a different fish, a Thai sole, which turned out extremely flavorful and tasty.

Even the in-villa dining made for a great experience. They would lay the table expertly on our outdoor deck, plating the food at the table and in the evening even light a candle to give us that perfect outdoor dining experience.

We loved the authentic flavors of Thai curries, salads and noodle dishes. While we now get good Thai food in India, everything seemed that much more tasty here. Southern Thailand, where Samui is located, is known for its spicy food and also dishes influenced by Indonesian and Indian cuisine. We loved every dish we tried. As you can see, this was pretty much a gastronomic Christmas Holiday for us!

Previous in this series: A Vacation in Koh Samui

A Vacation in Koh Samui

2011-12-24T10:53:00.012+05:30

Since our last vacation at the beautiful resort island of Landaa Giraavaru in the Maldives, I was looking for something different but equally breathtaking. Koh Samui turned out to be just that. The lush green jungles and coconut groves on the hilly terrain of this island dramatically gave way to the most amazing view as the ground fell away steeply. The 360 degree panorama painted by the blue-green waters of the Gulf of Thailand, the large expanse of clear skies, and the white sands of the beach snaking far below is awe-inspiring even for the most demanding hedonist!

The Four Seasons report at Koh Samui is set on a private bay at the northern tip of the island. After a brief welcome drink at the picturesque reception sala at the hill crest, we were quickly escorted to our villa in a golf cart. The villa was luxuriously large with its own outdoor deck and infinity pool overlooking the Gulf. The resort is built on a steep and thickly forested hillside affording great privacy and views of the ocean, beach and swaying coconut trees. However, the winding roads are steep - very steep! They have golf buggies that will quickly take you anywhere within the resort.

Within minutes of arriving, we were in the infinity pool. The water was a little cold but that didn't discourage us one little bit. Before the evening was over, our daughter was already planning her activities at the Kids Club. They have a calendar of cool activities to keep the kids busy the entire week: building sand-castles, lotus flower folding, Thai dancing, kids yoga, baking cookies, and learning to make jasmine necklaces, sea-shell bracelets and decorative candles.

We had made reservations for a Castaway Dinner experience at the beach. They had set up six tables in a small sandy cove. The tables with their flickering lanterns, the waves crashing on the sandy banks just a few away and the variety of fresh seafood grilled to order made for a memorable evening.

We were reluctant to get out of our soft bed next morning. Our daughter was already up and dressed in her Kids Club ready for the day's activity. We took a golf buggy to the hill crest restaurant called Lan Tania. The breakfast buffet was quite delightful: a lavish spread of excellent breads, pastries, Asian staples, exotic tropical fruits and live egg and pancake stations.

My wife and I had the rest of the day to laze around in our amazing villa, at our pool and strolling on the sandy beach. The day was overcast and the temperature pleasantly warm; the busy lives we had left behind was long forgotten!

Next in this series: A Tropical Xmas

Eclectic Bay Area Dining

2011-12-17T16:13:00.006+05:30

Christmas was very much in the air! Finely decorated trees and festive lighting were everywhere: hotel lobbies, shops and malls. And the people didn't seem to have heard of the global recession and pessimism that fills every newspaper and business magazine. Downtown San Francisco was packed with people busy with their shopping. The Westfield Mall on Market and 4th was teeming with families as was the Apple Store nearby. I had arrived on a weekend for a short business trip and found the weather pleasant and warm - unexpectedly so for this time of the year!

I strolled into the new Osha restaurant on 3rd St., which they took over after Bong Su went under. This restaurant has a completely different ambiance from the one on 2nd Street. Unlike the older, larger and more popular 2nd Street restaurant, this one has a different menu and a quieter dinner experience. They have wisely decided not to modify the tastefully decorated interiors from its previous avatar.

The Mango Salad was refreshingly nice with shredded green mango, warm shrimps, onion, lettuce, cucumber, and lemon juice. It was tangy and spicy in the way I like Thai salads.

The Volcanic Beef with rice made for a pretty picture. The dish was garnished with a trio of onion rings on top and tasted as good as it looked.

I ended this lunch with a ginger flavored vanilla creme brûlée topped with a raspberry. I still miss Bong Su which combined style and great food unlike any Asian restaurant I have seen before. However, Osha does a good job and this is a good place for a quiet Thai dinner in stylish surroundings.

On another day, I was back at Parcel 104 with a group of colleagues. When you tell people you are going to a restaurant located within a Marriott hotel, they shake their heads sadly. Little do they know! Parcel 104 is an unusual gem and this visit was even better than my previous one.

One of Bradley Ogden's outposts in California, this restaurant boasts of a new menu every day. This restaurant in the heart of Silicon Valley was as busy as ever. After a couple of martinis at the bar next door, we walked into the large, expansive dining room.

I began with the Confit of Sonoma Duck made with cheesy hash brown, sake poached pear and what the menu promised was a whole roasted wild hen of the woods. I knew tonight was going to be good at the first bite into the fat infused duck-meat! I am salivating even as I write this now. Hope this shows up on their menu the next time too.

My entree was an oak-grilled Creekstone Farms Ribeye Steak with a soft-poached egg, smoked mushrooms and golden chanterelle 'cream'. Another winner that really tickled the tastebuds. I had asked for medium-rare, and the steak was cooked absolutely right.

The sweet ending was fitting too: a Citrus brioche, bananas & caramel and Tahitian vanilla frozen cream! Doesn't get much better than this.

I had an opportunity to eat at the much regarded - and Michelin starred - restaurant at Saratoga, The Plumed Horse. Unfortunately, that dinner didn't turn out to be as memorable as this one.

A Stopover in Lion City

2011-12-10T08:01:00.010+05:30

After Hong Kong returned to China in the late 90s, Singapore pretty much became the top choice for the white man's outpost in Asia. Modern and efficiently run, this city of steel and glass considerably eases the transition from the West to the East. At some level, expat businessmen and their lives here are probably not very different from British governors from another age - but that's another story. To me, this tiny city is like a sampler platter of delicious morsels that you can savor over a single meal. You can take that literally too! Singapore's culinary scene is quite mind-blowing: from swanky restaurants run by global celebrity chefs, humble hawker centers, and everything in-between.

Today, Singapore's cosmopolitan character allows for a seamless melding of cuisines where you can dig into crispy Peking duck skin with five-spiced foie gras at renowned chef Susur Lee's Chinois or order Laksa pesto linguine and roast Chilean sea bass with chai poh and chicken congee at Wild Rocket, another delightful eatery on Mount Emily.

Between business meetings, my colleagues took me to a Cantonese Chinese restaurant called Taste Paradise for lunch. I wasn't too worried that it was situated in one of the shopping malls - I have tasted some interesting foods in Singapore malls before. Two girls in traditional regalia greeted guests at the entrance while bright orange slats curved like a dragon's back above the dining room and lit up the hand-painted portraits of emperors on the walls.

Taste Paradise was started by a local restauranteur who began with a small coffee shop but now owns a string of successful eateries in this city. I decided to let my host order for all of us, and what a good thing that turned out to be!

We began with a soup of chicken. The waitress brought out the large pot to the table and ladled out clear soup into our bowls. She fished out pieces of chicken and neatly put them on a plate, but apparently these were not meant to be eaten. Carmelized cashews and cups of steaming green tea followed.

Then came a series of dim sums: Ha Kau, Siew Mai, Xiao Long Bao, Char Siu Bao - the last one being among the best roast pork buns I have eaten.

The steamed Cheong Fun with honey BBQ Pork filling was excellent too as were the Crackling Pork Belly. The XO Carrot Cake is a popular item on the menu and it was certainly interesting but not exceptional in my opinion.

For me, the stand-out items were the ones we ended with. The Custard Bun, Liu Sha Bao, with its molten bright yellow middle was fabulous as was the unusual dessert made of chilled avocado with a scoop of coffee ice-cream that was served in a dish with heavy white fumes coming off its base!

On Friday evening, after a long day a few of us headed to the watering holes in Orchard Road. First in Alley Bar, a dim-lit and high-ceiling L-shaped place popular with expat businessmen and hipsters alike. I was meeting with some old friends after a while and it was fun chilling out over glasses of Guinness and Truffle Fries.

We then walked down to Marche, a Movenpick owned restaurant themed like a bustling open marketplace in the basement of one of the swanky malls on Orchard Road. I settled for grilled sea-bass, German sausages and beer.

Finally, we walked down at Wine Connection to give in to our sweet cravings with a glass of Kracher wine and Tiramisu. I had a flight to catch so by midnight, when the night was still young, I headed back to my hotel. The Holidays were in the air with Christmas trees, lighting and sweet cakes and pastries on display everywhere.

Note: You can find my posts from previous visits to Singapore here, here and here.

Dario's

2011-12-03T17:59:00.006+05:30

There are few restaurants in Pune that can boast of surroundings such as this. Lush green vegetation, an occasional peacock from the neighboring Osho ashram, and a large outdoor dining space under a canopy of tropical trees. But oodles of atmosphere is not the only charm here. Dario Dezio's eponymous restaurant in tony Koregaon Park is also known for its extraordinary and authentic Italian salads, pastas and wood-fired pizzas. The care they take to make their food safe is lore: for example, they wash their greens in mediclorex and then in silver colloid to to kill bacteria and neutralize the taste of chlorine.

Dario Dezio moved into Pune from his native Silicy about 20 years back. He was the chef at Little Italy for several years before starting his own restaurant. The one thing you need to note is this restaurant serves only vegetarian food. It is a testimony of how good the food is that you may not even notice!

This time I was here for a leisurely lunch experience with my family. We sat outdoor with the sun playing hide-and-seek through the green canopy overhead. Maroon-robed sanyasins, expat couples and Indian families occupied other tables. A peacock shrieked loudly somewhere beyond the trees. We sat back enjoying our cocktails - my mojito, a perfect complement to the setting!

We started with Nachos Messicani for our daughter - a large platter of Mexican style nachos with melted cheese sauce. She was delighted with it; actually, even we couldn't resist digging in!

I had ordered the Carpaccio di Bietola, thin slices of beetroot with feta cheese, rucola, extra virgin olive oil and lemon. Another dish made great by a deft combination of fresh ingredients.

My wife began with a Santa Benedetta salad made of mixed lettuce leaves, pineapple chunks, matured Ricotta cheese, pomegranate, fresh home-made cheese and cold pressed olive oil.

We shared a main dish of Gnocchi Ai Formaggi di Salaparuta, excellent home-made gnocchi with a trio of Italian cheeses, white wine and thyme. Absolutely lip-smacking!

Finally, we shared slices of their Picciutti pizza made of fresh tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, artichokes, mushrooms, garlic, olives, broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes.

We were too full by now, so we had to ask them to pack the remaining pizza and gnocchi - which they did rather nicely as you can see here.

Dario's has a pretty good list of desserts that include the popular Tiramisu and Torta al Caffe. Their breakfast menu is good too with a selection of waffles, croissants, crepes and sandwiches. This is a place you must try for that special dinner date with the wife or girlfriend, a lazy weekend lunch with the family, or just the food in tranquil surroundings.

Dario's is located within the gardens of Hotel Sundarban, Lane 1, Koregaon Park. Ph: 26053596, 26053597, 32405960.

Showering at 40,000 Feet on Emirates' A380

2011-11-26T06:29:00.003+05:30

I recently travelled First Class on Emirates from Mumbai to New York City on their latest aircraft. While I have briefly reviewed the Emirates experience in the past (here and here), the First Class cabin on the A380 - especially the Shower Spa on-board this aircraft - deserves a new post!

Emirates provides a free limo pick-up service for its business and first class passengers. The Mercedes-Benz with a prominent Emirates logo picked me up from my Mumbai hotel about two hours before departure time. Once I got past the crowded outer gate of Mumbai airport, it was smooth sailing. The First Class check-in counter was free and within minutes I had breezed past immigration and on my way to their excellent upper-class lounge.

The lounge itself is easily the best in Mumbai: large, well-designed and stocked with a variety of food and drinks. There is complimentary Wi-fi too. Soon, they were ready to board us for the 2.5-hour flight to Dubai.

The aircraft had their new short-haul cabins, with its futuristic pod-shaped seats in the first class with an attached mini-bar. The seat folded out completely into a lie-flat bed. Very soon we were landing in Dubai. The sun was up and I looked out of the window at the sandy expanse below and marveled at man's enterprise that could turn this wasted desert land into a ultra-modern oasis of steel and glass with its fountains, green lawns, trees and flower-beds.

The Emirates First Class lounge at Dubai airport is very large and luxuriously appointed. There are multiple dining areas serving light snacks, a full dinner buffet, drinks and beverages. They even have a spa for those with more time to kill between flights. After dining on a Middle-Eastern version of the biryani - fragrant rice cooked with meats and spices and garnished with nuts - and some Mediterranean staples such as Hummus, Baba Ganoush and Pita bread I sat down with a cup of Royal Ceylon tea. Soon it was time to board the A380 - directly from the lounge level and into its upper level without having to get into the crowded general boarding area. I love this part of the Emirates upper class experience when you fly the A380 from Dubai or from JFK.

A pretty Korean flight attendant showed me to my private suite. Emirates First Class suites come with their own coat closets and you don't have to put your bags into overhead bins - there is ample space within the suite to store them. Soon the purser come up to introduce himself and ask me if there was anything I needed. The flight attendant returned with a elegant bag that contained a set of pajamas, an amenity kit, slippers and eye-shades. The suite itself was equipped with a mini-bar with sparkling and still water, fruit juices, etc. There was a basket of chocolate bars, mint and wafers and a vanity mirror with a set of skin-care products.

The seat itself is large but not as comfortable in the sitting position as Singapore Airlines. However, it is far more comfortable as a bed, especially with the down-filled pillow and duvet. As for the entertainment system, Emirates provides one of the largest selections: almost 400 channels including a good selection of Bollywood and world cinema. What I also enjoy are the three camera which let you look under, ahead and over the tail of the aircraft. This is especially good if you like watching take-offs and landings.

Food is served a la carte and on-demand. This is another very nice feature of first-class travel - not having to wait for the service to complete before you can get some peace and quiet. Therefore, even before the flight had taken off, I was changed out of my clothes into pajamas, a glass of Dom Perignon in hand, not able to feel as depressed as I should have been with the headlines on my copy of the Financial Times.

Another interesting Emirates touch: a serving of dates and Arabian coffee poured out of a long-necked traditional brass jug.

After we were airborne, my flight attendant came over to chat with me and explain the shower spa on-board for the use of first class passengers. I reserved a slot for 1.5 hours before landing. They have a couple of attendants to ready the shower-spa after every use, so you find it spotlessly clean when you enter. There are two of them - right at the front, on both sides of the large staircase that goes down to the lower deck of the aircraft.

The shower spa is probably three or four times the size of a regular aircraft restroom. A full-size basin, large mirrors, leather seating areas and a capsule-shaped shower stall are available here. A tray is filled up dozens of spa creams and lotions. The shower itself is timed - water will flow for a full five minutes, which I realized is more than enough.

When I was done showering, the spa girls had a cup of green tea with honey ready for me. In my suite I also found a plate of fruits waiting for me. Doesn't get any better than this, does it?

On landing, they handed out Quick Connect cards to those who had connections to catch within three hours. The card allowed me to breeze through the Express lanes in both Immigration and airport security at JFK. For those familiar with this airport, you can imagine how much of a boon this is!

Overall, this is probably the best flight experience I have had until now. One caution however, and that is related to service quality which can tend to be a little erratic on some trips. I think Singapore Airlines has a slight edge here as also in its dining options.

Pan Asian Delights at Red Zen

2011-11-19T14:30:00.010+05:30

Pan Asian cuisine seems to be the latest rage in Pune's dining scene. Red Zen, which opened at the new Courtyard, is probably the third restaurant in town that is helmed by an expat Thai chef. The Courtyard Pune City Center, the latest Marriott hotel to open, is located on Bund Garden Road right next to Jehangir Hospital. The restaurant has been tastefully designed with beautiful red lamps and a large granite counter in the center. An open kitchen in the back show-cases the cooking techniques from the Far East.

Red Zen was meant to be a noodle bar and I recommend you try their noodle meals. All the seven varieties on their menu looked interesting and the three we ordered turned out very good.

We took a table indoors. Since they haven't gotten their liquor licenses completed sorted out, we ordered cocktails. The chef soon sent a complimentary amuse: a nice little wonton in sweet chili sauce and slivers of onion and tomato. They also put some prawn crackers in front of us.

We began with an appetizer of Goong Hom Sabai, deep-fried prawns wrapped with noodles that was served with plum and sweet chili dips.

I had asked for the Mee Goreng, a complete Indonesian meal in a bowl consisting of stir-fried noodles, chicken satay, Ayam Goring - Indonesian fried chicken, kroepoek - Indonesian crackers with a fried egg on top and served with a spicy sambal.

My wife decided to try the Khanom Jeen Gaeng Kiew Waan Gai, a bowl of Thai rice noodles served with chicken green curry.

My daughter ordered the Laksa, one of my favorites. Laksa is a popular Malaysian noodle soup made with prawns and coconut milk and is served with a variety of toppings including chill, crisp fried onions, florets of cauliflower, sprouts, etc.

All three noodle meals were quite delicious and completely filling! Please remember these dishes are a complete meal by themselves.

In spite of being quite full, we had to try our favorite dessert in Thai restaurants, Tub Tim Krob. This lovely dessert was served to us in cocktail glasses: red rubies of water chestnut mingled with crushed ice in cold and sweetened coconut milk. They also brought us a variation that included lychees and ripe jackfruit along with the water chestnuts which I loved even more.

Service was excellent throughout with the young waitstaff eager to please. Given the quality of food on offer (and at reasonable prices too) I would have expected more people here on a Friday evening. I guess the hotel is new and its restaurants haven't been discovered by many of the local foodies yet.