RESTAURANT REVIEW: MALGUDI TIFFINS, TERMINAL 1, BANGALORE AIRPORT

For helping ease airport angst

I keep track of airports. They drive me nuts and the only way I can think of dealing with them is to minimize the time I spend there. I prefer the tiny airports we had earlier, where you could walk up to your plane and climb into it but thanks to Messrs. GVK and GMR those are becoming harder to come by these days. Of the renovated leviathans my preferences in order of decreasing fondness are:

1. Hyderabad
2. Terminal 3, New Delhi
3. Bangalore
4. Terminal 1, New Delhi

and last and definitely least, Mumbai. That airport is an absolute hole.

I find myself most often at Terminal 1, New Delhi and while the infrastructure is sound it has absolutely no enjoyable places to eat. The restaurants are sub-par and the food court soul destroying. I've seen better options in B grade malls in B towns. Which is why I was so excited to see the shiny, stylish Malgudi at BIAL.

Looks Like

Considering the confines of airport décor Malgudi does an excellent job of appearing glossy with tasteful south Indian accents, as would be appropriate for an establishment serving this cuisine.

Tastes Like

Since this was to be my last meal in Bangalore, I decided to pull out all the calorific stops.

I love that a meal here starts with a complimentary shot of rasam. This should be made compulsory at all restaurants serving south Indian food.

 The Mutton Sukka (dry mutton) exploded like curry leaf flavored fireworks on the tongue - chunks of tender, boneless mutton doused and battered with a slew of south Indian spices. This dish mandated the ordering of Majjige (buttermilk) which was thinner and less seasoned than what I'm used to but I didn't have time to complain as the Mutton Sukka seared into my tongue. Refusing to learn my lesson I ordered the Ila Set Dosa, slightly sweet but also with the tinge of sour fermented batter brings paired with a fiery, wham-bam-pow Chicken Chettinad. This is the kind of chicken I want to eat with a fat heap of rice and a drizzle of ghee ever Sunday afternoon and follow the meal up with a 2 hour nap. I'd have liked to try the Payasam but had already eaten 2 people's worth of lunch.

Feels Like

Service was prompt and pleasant. A wonderful way to tuck in one last (mostly) authentic south Indian meal before flying out of Bangalore.

 

DIVE BAR REVIEW: PECOS

For losing time

Pecos is the sort of dive bar fans and patrons embrace wholeheartedly, defending each atmospheric flaw, protective of each grimy detail. So why write a review of Pecos? Because often you don't write for other people, often you're writing for yourself, trying to fix a feeling down before it washes away in a flood of daily mundanities. Because not every review is really a "review" in the sense of being a compilation of merits and screw ups - some are just references to memories and experiences. And lastly, because there might be some poor sod who's planning to go to Bangalore but hasn't heard of Pecos. Unlikely, but a risk I'm not willing to take. So for all you dive bar enthusiasts, known more commonly as drunks, your journey through India isn't complete if you haven't been to Pecos. I obviously refer to the original establishment and not the hundred, shiney new versions that appear to have mushroomed all over Bangalore.

 I first saw the place as a second year law student and remember it as an airy, laid back, cave sort of space. 8 years and a couple of extra coats of grime later, I realize it isn't all that airy but time has only added to Pecos' character. The Ghee Pork Roast is as explosive and the beer as watery as ever.

Time slows down inside Pecos and I feel myself grow calmer as I watch three college girls gossip and puff their way through a pack of Classic Milds. Over the course of the next couple of hours I see an elderly gentleman, a couple of couples and two guys bemoaning marriage walk in and settle down with their pitchers. The waiter smiles warmly as I ask for the bill.
 

As my friend said, "You could lose years here beautifully or lose beautiful years here." 

 

RESTAURANT REVIEW: KOSHY'S ST. MARKS ROAD, BANGALORE

This dusty little gem has been sitting pretty at St. Mark's Road since 1940 and has in its time served the likes of Jawaharlal Nehru, Nikita Kruschev and Queen Elizabeth II. It's easily the oldest establishment mentioned on this blog and I'm proud to be writing about it.

For those younger and more stylish than I, you might be wondering why I'm not writing about the latest microbrewery that's opened up in Bangalore. I'd like to bring to your attention that Koshy's is very stylish and if you don't believe me, according to the restaurant's website Koshy's is the winner of the MTV's most stylish in Bangalore award. Turns out MTV has better taste than I gave it credit for.

Looks Like

Housed in an statuesque, old building covered with vintage typography, Koshy's is solid in a way buildings just aren't anymore. Enter and you'll enter into high ceilings, slow, bulky ceiling fans and naturally sepia tinted photographs. Make yourself comfortable. It's quickly apparent that it's been a while (probably since Nehru last dropped by) since any of the staff felt the need to rush, so expect your menu and consequently your order to follow at a stately and dignified pace. It made me happy to see that the restaurant, though old isn't rickety or dilapidated, though not hep is not populated only by nostalgia hungry geriatrics and though relaxed is not inefficient or irrelevant. We need to show places like this more love.

Tastes Like

Whilst there are Indian options available, I was looking for a filling breakfast and decided to go in for the Indian "club" food genre. Buttery, hot, Fried Eggs cooked perfectly with just enough runny yolk to mop up with thick slices of Minced Mutton Toast. The toast was comprised of the fattest slices of soft, white bread topped with generously spiced mutton mince and dotted with curry leaves. I added a side of meaty, pork sausages, crackling bacon and washed the entire thing down with a refreshing fresh lime soda made the old fashioned way. That's when they give you a glass, with lime juice and sugar syrup and the soda by the side.

In the evenings the local young people and some not so young people gather to drink Iced Tea and Rum (a combination I'd never heard of before) and catch up on the day while the owner bustles around proudly, making sure the crowds, (or equally likely) the staff aren't overwhelmed.

 
Feels Like

The large hall, minimal foofery and hardcore nostalgia make this place impossible to forget. There was an India before microbreweries and malls and it may not have had wifi but it had grace and authentic charm. The liveried waiters, old ceramic crockery and white table linen hark back to a time when it feels like we had much more class.  

PRODUCT REVIEW: HOKEY POKEY ICE CREAM

For troubled times

 

There are days that can only be survived with the aid of your most comfortable {and most tattered} pyjamas and a tub of ice cream. My preference is usually mango or in particularly dire circumstances, double chocolate. Nature’s Basket and Modern Bazaar are now stocking gloriously creamy tubs of Hokey Pokey for exactly those kinds of days. India’s answer to Ben & Jerry’s, Hokey Pokey’s quirky, yet delicious, flavour blends include Live and Laugh Brownie {Fresh Cream Ice Cream with Crumbled Brownies, Roasted Cashews and Dark Chocolate Fudge} and my current favourite, Manic Monkey {Chocolate Ice Cream with Almonds, Crunchy Praline and White Chocolate Fudge}. The adorable packaging and unabashedly rich ingredient layering all recommend Hokey Pokey over its more mundane, plain vanilla competitors {I can’t wait to try Cherry Chipchunks and the Black Forest Blend} but what really caught my eye was that the products contain no added flavours or preservatives.

 

A walk down HKV revealed that they’re opening up a full fledged ice cream parlour where you can realize all your ice cream fantasies but till then we’ll have to make do with their pint tubs!

 

Dig into a tub of Hokey Pokey and you’ll find the texture is palpably creamier than most Indian brands, and you don’t have to feel guilty about having bought a product with a larger carbon footprint than you. No added colouring and preservatives mean there’s less chemical gunk floating around in your system at the end of the tub. Crazy flavour combinations mean you’ll never get bored.

 

Available at Godrej Nature’s Basket  and Modern Bazaar stores across town.

Find more on their Facebook page, here.

Photos courtesy Hokey Pokey

PRODUCT REVIEW: JUGMUG THELA - ARTISANAL TEAS AND COFFEE

 

There’s more than one chaiwala gaining social currency in the capital these days. Jiten Suchede decided to put his talents as a designer to unexpected use by cobbling pallets into a makeshift thela that serves exceptional tea and coffee across the city.

 

Disgruntled by the step motherly treatment being meted out to tea shops in a city increasingly invested in café culture, Jiten decided to make the chai ki dukaan relevant again. Metamorphosing that run down, unglamorous fixture of our youth into a charming mobile dispensary of teas, {surprisingly} coffees, and homemade snacks, so Delhiites can reconsider rushing into impersonal coffee chains and reconvene at their favourite artisanal chaiwala.

 

 

Stop by for a cup of tea, a refreshing Vietnamese Iced Coffee, or the fiery Mattha. Unfortunately, till Jiten sets up his café, we have no option but to chase him down at the various exhibitions that’ll sprout up across the capital this winter. If you’re too lazy to bother, Foodcloud and Jaypore will home deliver you some Jugmug!

 

Making the conventional chai ki dukaan, relevant again, Jugmug Thela serves up teas, coffees and homemade snacks. Till they set up shop, catch them at exhibitions around the capital, or order online.

 

Follow them on Facebook page, here.

Shop online, here.

RESTAURANT REVIEW: BACI, SUNDAR NAGAR

For the love of a market

 

I'm a huge fan of the aptly named Sundar Nagar Market, there's something so lovely and old wordly about the quiet, genteel place with its overpriced but charming antique, jewellery and tea stores. Unfortunately as I have little need to spend much time buying antiques, jewellery or tea, the only reason I go is to eat or for their Diwali Mela. The eating options are pretty restricted though, limited to a standard issue Nathu's, the all looks no substance Harem O, and the heavy Indian at Lazeez Affaire. So considering this dearth and the great publicity bestowed on Baci I went in expecting a safe bet. Suffice to say I'm going to start collecting antiques if I need a reason to go back to Sundar Nagar.

 

Looks Like

I quite like the way the décor is restrained in shades of beige, wood and white. I love the playful black and white photos of travel through (just a wild guess here) Italy. I particularly like the tiny balcony that looks out on to the tree lined park in the centre of the market.

 

 

Tastes Like

I'd heard so much about the place I was expecting excellent Italian. What I got was pretty middle of the road and maybe if I hadn't had high expectations going in I wouldn't have been so disappointed, but, oh well.

The biggest problem was the summer special of Prosciutto and Melon with listless pieces of melon and rancid strips of prosciutto. Any restaurant capable of serving up spoilt meat is not a restaurant I'll be going back to. As my boss often says, there's a standard below which it is inexcusable to fall.

The Spaghetti Al Frutti Di Mare (Spaghetti Pasta with Fresh Mixed Seafood, Oregano and Tomato) was average. The tomato and oregano sauce mediocre. Much, much better was the Penne Alla Matriciana (Penne Pasta with Bacon, Black Pepper and Fresh Tomato Sauce) with a punchy sauce and chips of glorious, crunchy bacon.

Ordinarily when I have a mediocre meal I give the place another chance but I'd bee having a really busy week and I'd only gotten time to meet my friends for one short lunch and to have that ruined was just so infuriating! I eat out all the time and I get served bad food all the time but I draw my line of tolerance at poor hygiene levels. Baci knows better and can easily afford to make sure they don't serve meat that's stinking off the plate. What really gets my goat is that the customer has no real means of hauling a restaurant up in the face of such an egregious bumbling of health and safety norms. I can send the plate back and get the amount deducted from the bill but that just doesn't seem to be enough. There's an expectation of enjoyment that an establishment may or may not meet but we have a right to clean food that will not make us ill and each restaurant owner, chef and waiter has a duty to make sure that happens.

I guess I'm just tired of restaurants dropping the ball on standards because they know our authorities will drop the ball on enforcing them and eventually no matter how angry a customer is they'll walk away and forget about it.

 

Feels Like

The staff is fine, not stellar and could use a little more training on the menu. They had no idea what to do when they realized their kitchen had messed up though - something they should probably have been taught.

 

Should you go? Don't bother

Liquor License: Yes

Smoking Area: Yes

Address: 23, Main Market, Sundar Nagar

Phone: 011 30146033 Extn 978

BEST RESTAURANTS FOR AMAZING WEATHER! PART I

“Don't knock the weather. If it didn't change once in a while, nine out of ten people couldn't start a conversation.”
― Kim Hubbard

 

1. Indian Accent, Friends Colony - Generally the best restaurant in Delhi at any point of time but when the weather cools down the sunny patio is the perfect place to enjoy Chef Manish Mehrotra's culinary genius.

 

 

2. Market Café, Khan Market - This laid back terrace is where you want to catch a gentle breeze and a drink with a friend without worrying about the frenetic Diwali shopping going on in the market below.

 

3. Le Bistro Du Parc, Defence Colony - A perfectly pretty balcony suitable for romantic evenings and gossipy lunch dates.

 

 

4. Townhall, Khan Market - Bright and full of buzz, watch Khan Market's young and beautiful get their sushi fix on this spacious terrace.

 

 

 5. Café Lota, Pragati Maidan - Amazing food, an adorable craft store next door and a patio meant for breezy afternoons and pleasant evenings.

 

 

RESTAURANT REVIEW: LE BISTRO DU PARC, DEFENCE COLONY

For Bread Baskets and Jazz Nights

 



Find the food blogger.



I really wanted to like this place and that compulsion might end up coloring this review. Le Bistro Du Parc has opened up across Flavors in place of another French place I was really fond of. I forget the old place's name but can't forget a memorable winter evening I spent there elbow deep in fondue while eavesdropping on a gay couple who were celebrating their dog's birthday. The place wasn't very crowded but I got the feeling (and this may just be because of the cheese induced endorphin rush) everyone there was happy. It's a specific kind of magic Delhi sometimes bestows us with on its winter evenings.

 

But this is not a review of the last French restaurant at the site, this is about Le Bistro Du Parc.

 

 

 Looks Like

 

I love the bright blue wooden French windows of Le Bistro Du Parc and when I went around Christmas time the blue was even prettier against the festive orange of the marigold garlands. See that kind of tiny aesthetic pretension - using indigenous marigold to decorate for our tropical Christmas instead of foolishly copying a gimmicky American Christmas ambience thrills me to bits. Of the spate of French restaurants trying to take over the city, Le Bistro Du Parc gets my vote for trendiest interiors.

 

 

Unfortunately, beauty comes at a price and the much lauded menu on a chalkboard is kind of a pain. The handwriting isn't very clear and I couldn't go through the options as leisurely as I'd like because I felt really bad for the poor waiter holding it up.

 

In the pursuit of cuteness the tables are so tiny and scrunched together so tight that on a busy night you're knocking elbows with the sweet couple of strangers by your side. Also, tiny tables drive me nuts - where am I supposed to put my bag? And how is the waiter supposed to fit more than one dish at a time in front of me without setting up a food version of Jenga?

 

 

Tastes Like

 

I love that the menu is specialized and limited but the consequent implication that they serve a few but excellent dishes doesn't hold true. The options keep changing so what I ate might not be available anymore but the sum of my experience was underwhelming. I appreciate that the restaurant tries to use fresh, local produce - I wish that conscientiousness could extend to the cooking of said produce so I wouldn't have such a hard time writing this review.

 





Love their bread basket! They have really nice, yeasty, slight sour bread.



Le Bistro Du Parc has a lot of promise and clearly also the self awareness and resources to be very good. But right now, at the prices they charge I could get a much more satisfying meal elsewhere.

 



Fresh Garden Salad with Grilled Chicken with overcooked chicken



 Feels Like

 

In terms of ambience Le Bistro Du Parc accomplishes its goal to come as close to a bistro atmosphere as Delhi will permit. The service is mediocre and lacks the sophistication you would expect from this kind of establishment. The kitchen is also really slow considering the limited number of dishes they're working with.

 



Gruyere and Walnut Souffle which was a little too doughy though I'm not even sure it had flour in it.

Le Bistro Du Parc is a fun way to peek into the lives of the chatterati of Delhi who flock here in droves and their jazz evenings sound nice. But if they aspire to be more than just this season's place to be seen they're going to have to knuckle under and figure out their food and service. 

 

BANANA STRAWBERRY CHOCOLATE BITES

“Behind all your stories is always your mother's story. Because hers is where yours begin.”
― Mitch Albom, For One More Day

 

 

My mother recently pointed out that she'd had two kids by my age. While I don't have any plans to push any out in the near future, this lovely list of lessons from a mother to a daughter (read it here) inspired me to put together my own list of lessons learnt for any future female progeny.
 
1. If you can't figure out why someone is doing what they are - look at what they've done in the past.

2. Learn to play a team sport.

3. Wear nice shoes and take care of your feet.

4. You don't have to be a great cook but you need to be able to: (a) fend for yourself in the kitchen if there's not takeout available, (b) feed the ones you love once in a while, and (c) have a signature dish that you do amazingly well.

5. If you can help, do it.

6. Sunscreen is for everyone.

7. If s/he is telling you someone else's secrets then be sure they'll tell yours to someone else.

8. Marriage is not the solution. You are.

9. Find a shade of lipstick that works for you and wear it when in doubt.

10. Travel. A lot. Often.

11. Carbohydrates, gluten, men, women and/or math are not the enemy.

12. If you take their money they'll take your freedom.

13. Don't stop dreaming but nobody promised you a rose garden.

14. Make mistakes, everyone does. Just be honest about them.

15. There's nothing wrong with liking nice things but try to save atleast a little of your salary every month.

16. If he left someone for you, he will leave you for someone else.

17. There are some things we do for money and some things we do for love - know which is which and that both are valuable.

18. You should be able to wear/say/do what you want but the world is unfair. Make the most of what you've got. You're better off than most.

19. Value old things. Half your story is where you came from.

20. Pick your addictions, friends and fights well.

21. Cleanse, exfoliate, condition, moisturize. That's pretty much all of it. Don't let beauty magazines tell you there's more.

22. Don't change for a man and don't expect a man to change for you.

23. You need to be able to pay for your existence by 24.

24. Massages, bath products, great food, books and live performances are always worth it.

25. Diet pills, fairness products and cheap shoes are not.

26. Don't believe everything you read.   

27. Don't believe everything you hear.

28. Don't believe everything you see.

29. You don't have to pick a signature scent.

30. Hydrate.

31. Call me if you're in trouble. Any trouble.

32. Worry about the environment.

33. You have every right to pick your job, husband, religion, politics and wardrobe. Just remember all choices come with consequences.

34. Move abroad, if you like, it's probably a better life but I'd like if you made a difference here.

35. Don't worry about making people angry.

36. Life is only ever going to get busier. Learn to make lists.  

37. Hobbies are necessary.

38. Vote.

39. Sometimes the smartest thing to do is get out.

40. When you feel overwhelmed, walk away, drink a glass of water and wash your face.

41. Your surroundings reflect who you are and who you want to be.

42. Keep a journal.

43. The curative properties of a hot bath are greater than those of alcohol.

44. If you have an option, choose handmade.

45. Do not sideline your friends for a relationship. This has never worked out for anyone.

46. Know the difference between how you look in crepe, chiffon, georgette and silk.

47. You don't have to get along with your gossipy aunt, busybody cousin or chauvinistic uncle but you have to be polite to them.

48. Mentor someone.

49. Donate. Many in our country have very little.

50. There is a middle ground between what your heart says and what your mother says. Look for it.

51. Be kind to those who work for you, children and animals.

52. Learn how to tie a sari.

53. Your boss will lie to you. It's part of the job description.

54. Everyone needs a good dentist, tailor, gynecologist, dry cleaner, financial advisor, dermatologist and mentor.

55. Firsts are overrated. This first love/job/apartment drama is a scam - some people only get it right in their 35th try and there's nothing wrong with that.  

56. "This is how things have always been," "this is not our culture," "what will people say," are not valid arguments.
 
57. Don't put up with anyone who makes you feel bad about yourself.

58. This too shall pass.

59. Be ambitious.

60. Call your friends home often.

 

About 15 – 20 bites

Recipe adapted from Oh She Glows

 

What you’ll need:

3-4 bananas

Handful of strawberries
½ cup of chocolate (melted)
¼ cup of chopped almonds/ walnuts/ shredded coconut (whatever you have on hand)

How to:

1. Chop up the bananas and strawberries into the same number of pieces and make little skewers of strawberries and bananas.

2. Put together an assembly line to avoid getting melted chocolate and nuts all over the place with the bowl of chocolate first and then the bowl of chopped nuts.

3. Dip the skewer first in the chocolate and then quickly coat the melted chocolate with the nuts/coconut. 

 

4. Sit the skewers in cupcake liners and stick them in the fridge for a minimum of 15 minutes.