Moplah Cuisine - FlyLite March 2011

Marie Claire - February 2011

Times of India - Bangalore Times

 

 

 

Dining under the stars (http://bangalore.burrp.com/valentines/)

Are you ready to paint the town red? Shalini Bhattacharya gives you a peek into some of the most romantic restaurants in town.

It's that time of the year again: the market is flooded with its annual surge of red, greeting cards are back in vogue, road-side Romeos hit the streets with new-found zeal and the local florist triples his prices.

So why not celebrate the non-commercial spirit of the season and make it just about you and your loved one. Here' s a list of five centrally-located date destinations that are guaranteed to earn you brownie points!

1. Secret Garden Cafe

True to its name, this quaint little terracotta-tiled rooftop restaurant is veiled in a nook on Edward Road and is one of Bengaluru' s best-kept secrets. It claims to offer a " fresh home- cooked, fine-dining," experience with an assortment of 30-40 dishes with recipes borrowed from Mexico, Morocco, Spain, Italy, Oriental countries and our very own Coorg. The dynamic blackboard menu adds to its enigmatic atmosphere.

Recommended: Watch out for their salads (avocado and prawn cocktail and the mozzarella and ham salad), sea food (crab cakes and fresh fish with sauce of the day) and desserts (apple crumble and crème brûlée).

Location: No 7/1, Off Queens Road, Edward Road, parallel to Cunningham Road.

Tel: 080-41131365

Approximate budget for a couple: Rs 1,000

Note: The restaurant does not serve alcohol. Opens only for lunch (12 - 5 pm) and is closed on Sundays.

2. Liquid and Pink Poppadom

Fancy a night under the starry sky? Liquid, the rooftop alfresco lounge, offers that and more. You can sink into the soft white cushions on the couch and order from its variety of beverages and appetizers. Once the heady feeling of love has descended, hop across to The Pink Poppadom for dinner. As you walk through its doors, you are greeted by an impressive wine- display wall. The dining area literally makes you feel like you' re seeing the world through rose-tinted glasses – hues of pink have been used to create a chic yet cosy ambience. Pink sheers hang flirtatiously around the tables giving the room a rather regal atmosphere. What makes this restaurant different from your run-of-the-mill Indian diners is that it' s the first of its kind to serve pre-plated

Indian food.

Recommended: Tandoor dishes

Location: Hotel Ista, next to Lido Mall, 1/1, Swami Vivekananda Road, Ulsoor

Tel: 080-25558888

Approximate budget for a couple: Rs 2,300 (for dinner at The Pink Poppadom)

Note: Liquid has recently introduced jazz nights on Fridays and progressive/techno music on Saturday nights.

3. Caperberry

Caperberry in Hebrew translates to 'provocation of desire,' which is evident in this restaurant' s menu. While the interiors are simple with interesting art adorning the walls and bursts of white lilies in over-sized vases, the food is anything but ordinary. Each dish looks like it has been taken straight out of an episode of MasterChef Australia with its attention to detail and presentation of their pre-plated meals. With innovative and edgy food, the chef is constantly pushing the boundaries by sending you on a gastronomic joy ride. While the dishes refuse to be pinned down to one country, the menu admittedly has a strong Spanish influence.

Recommended: Try their salads (such as Jamón Serrano made of cured Spanish ham with figs and caperberries), tapas (authentic Spanish dish), pork chops and fideua (baked, glaze- crusted vermicelli dish).

Location: 8/1 Ground Floor, The Estate Building, 121 Dickenson Road, in Tanishq building next to Manipal Centre.

Tel: 080-25594567/9845177162

Approximate budget for a couple: Rs 1,800 (excluding alcohol)

Note: Its Tapas Lounge (timings 5:30 – 11:30 pm) serves up some daring cocktails along with interesting starters. Timings for lunch and dinner service: 12:30 – 3:00 pm and 7:30 - 11:30 pm, respectively.

4. 13th Floor and On the Edge

With the sparkle of city lights peppered across the horizon, 13th Floor offers a breathtaking view - perfect for starry-eyed couples. Conveniently located on MG Road, it is an ideal place to gauge the pulse of the city. The music here is primarily retro and its colourful cocktails keep the energy levels of the lounge high. For those who prefer a more intimate setting, try 'On the Edge' across the hallway. This restaurant offers Indian, Thai and Continental among other cuisines. With similar decor and an 'almost-as-stunning' view, On the Edge has a calmer, cosier ambience.

Recommended: Bar stools outside, Thai curry platter, Indian finger food and cocktails like green apple martini, passion fruit margarita and Champagne sangria.

Location: No. 84, 13th Floor, Ivory Tower Hotel, Barton Centre, MG Road

Tel: 080-25589333/ 080-41783355

Approximate budget for a couple: Rs 1,800 (excluding alcohol)

Note: 13th Floor offers a variety of starters but limited main course dishes. It has a cover charge of Rs 1,000 for couples on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Club rules apply.

5. Olive Beach

One step through the tall blue gates and you are transported to a chic Mediterranean set-up with pebbles scattered along the pathway, yellow fairy lights embracing the trees and the winding staircase. The food, like the music, ranges from fun to seductive with an array of tantalising Mediterranean fusion food. With ornate chandeliers, a well-stocked bar, wooden barrels, and brightly-coloured cushions contrasted with white stucco walls, this award- winning restaurant is most likely to exceed your expectations.

Recommended: Pizzas served with unique toppings, fresh seafood (oysters and grilled jumbo prawn) and cocktails.

Location: No. 16, Wood Street, Ashok Nagar, parallel to Castle Street, opposite Brigade Towers


Tel: 080-4112840


Approximate budget for a couple: Rs 2,500 (excluding alcohol)

                                             Note: The restaurant follows a strict dress code (no casual footwear). Also, children below the age of ten are not allowed during dinner service. The restaurant usually hosts a flea market and serves brunch on Sundays.

Milestone 1 - Rishikesh

Bags packed.  Alright, bags and baggage. Overpacked.  Mum and I embarked upon our trip to the mighty mountains. We had made all the requisite bookings (travel and transport) for our trip, however one week was too short a notice for thorough research on our half-month long trip, so we decided to just go with the flow.

Our first stop – Delhi; note to readers – do not under-estimate the size of the city/the traffic/distances to be covered. After having a very close shave, we finally boarded our train to Haridwar and secretly thanked our stars for the harmless inefficiencies of the Indian railways!

We then proceeded on an hour long drive, through highways, forests and bustling markets to finally reach our destination – Rishikesh. What could be better than a full bodied bellow of a welcome by the ganges, herself?

The morning brought with it coffee, hot puris and a stunning view! Rishikesh had already managed to surprise me and it was just the beginning. The government guesthouse we were staying in, offered us a panoramic view of the city, which was perfect for a shutterbug like me!

After enjoying a relaxed morning, we ventured out across the Ram Jhula to the ghats in anticipation of what the city had to offer. Fortunately, it didn’t disappoint. Rishikesh brought forth a montage of beautiful people, landscapes, colours and moods along with an effortless air of calm amidst the chaotic bustle of people, prayers and the much revered, cattle.

Strike a pose

 While in Rishikesh, you can’t help but indulge in people-watching. It was hard to miss the Shiva-look-alikes, herds of tourist groups easily spotted by their travel-agent sponsored leopard-printed sarongs/scrafs, forigeners with dread-locks and psychadelic t-shirts. It felt like we were witness to one big fancy dress party in which we were the minority, who didn’t get the memo!

The other thing that stood out - everyone walked with purpose; and some chose me, as theirs. 

More than once, we were stopped and asked “photo you?”, assuming they wanted a picture of me, I walked on. They persisted. Till I finally realised that they wanted me to take pictures of them!

It was quite amusing to see them adorn their best angry-young-man face with the typical one-hand-on-hip and the other holding onto things that give the shot, erm, intensity? I soon got used to people walking into my frame and patiently waiting for a “click”.

Evening Aarti

With the afternoon well-spent, exploring unassuming restaurants and sampling the street food, we headed towards the evening aarti to ‘Parmarth Niketan Ashram’. It was hard to miss the ashram as it was crowned by a dramatic statue of a horse drawn chariot and was the only one with a steadily swelling crowd.

We arrived to a gathering of over a hundred people and immediately noticed that the banks of the Ganges had suddenly been engulfed in saffron hues; adorned by priests, disciples and tourists alike. The experience was surreal. Sitting on the steps of the ashram, in the midst of strangers and incense,
feeling at home. There were Bhajans as well as some suprisingly upbeat devotional songs being sung against the backdrop of a large meditating Shiva statue.

This was followed by the floating of arati bowls, said to be sacred offerings to the ganges. The river was soon spotted with little flames, that had been set afloat with earnest prayers only to be consumed by rapid currents.

Rishikesh, is a land that thrives on tourism, hence it is no surprise that the city offers an array of activities to satiate the palates of experience hungry tourists;

-  For spiritual seekers -  there are a number of ashrams that offer to teach yoga and meditation.

-    For adventure sports enthusiasts -  Rishikesh boasts of world class white water rafting, rock climbing, kayaking and trekking experiences , however, ensure that you plan your trip during the season (March to June), to make the most of it!
-   For appreciators of history/mythology- There are a number of temples and ashrams one can visit.

Personally, Rishikesh has etched itself as a collage of aspiring actors, flirtatious swamijis, mesmerising, incense-filled aartis, bustling markets, leopard printed scarves, saffron engulfed banks and piping hot chai. However, it is its in-your-face yet mysterious quality that has quite suitably earned itself the title of - ‘Gateway to the Himalayas’.

Traveller Tips:

-        Do not compromise on a room with air-conditioning especially if you        
a. Are a spoilt Bangalorean or

      b. Plan your trip during/around summer.

-        Most of the government guesthouses like the restaurants
in Rishikesh offer only vegetarian food.

-        Keep change handy – you’ll save a lot of time.

-        Share-auto’s  are the most easily available form of transport.  They’re comfortable and safe. However, for long distances or travel to remote parts of the city, I recommend booking a cab through the guesthouse 

      itself.

-        Find out about the timings of the evening aarti in advance and get there earlier to find yourself a good spot.

-        Wear comfortable footwear that can be removed easily,
as the city is best seen on foot and all ashrams along the
ghats require you to remove your footwear.

Something BIG

Something BIG is going to happen! Not sure what. But that's what I woke up thinking. It's the same nervous-excited alarm that goes off before something big, like a birthday..holiday..wedding!

It's only 11 and I'm notably restless! Need to get things done today! Will keep you posted!

Coping with the quarter life crisis

Turning 25 in a fortnight. Jobless, clueless and bank balance a lot less!

What's worse? It's already/only (viz. the moolah) month number 2 of unemployment. If there were anything like a quarter life crisis, this HAS got to be it!

My equivalent of showing life the hand, step 1:  Throw a party!

That's as far as I've planned for now =)