Grain & Bagel

Dexter’s Lab *

Hearty breakfasts are the ultimate comfort food: syrup covered pancakes, perfectly scrambled eggs, crisp hash browns, french toast and cream cheese topped bagels. These make the kind of meal one dreams of waking up to. I find it quite odd that Bombay has only a handful of restaurants and cafes that open early and serve breakfast. Grain & Bagel does.

I woke up early last Saturday and headed over to satisfy a craving. The meal got off to a great start. We were welcomed by smiling faces and an open spacious dining area flanked by a huge black board with a handwritten menu. After a fair bit of deliberation orders were placed. First to arrive: soft doughy bagels with a barely there layer of cream cheese. Disappointing, for a place that’s named after bagel. It lacked the pre-requisite crunchy exterior. This was just a bun with a hole. Needless to say the bagel sandwiches too were disappointing.

Anyway, the eggs and pancakes made up for the blotched bagel. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say those were the best buttermilk pancakes I’ve ever had. I assumed all the other pancakes would be just as good. Boy was I wrong! We ordered the peanut-butter pancakes topped with apple syrup. The pancake itself was no different from the buttermilk one. There were no tangible traces of peanut butter. And the apple syrup was a ghastly looking green liquid that looked like it should be used to color a cheap birthday cake. It tasted synthetic and smelt positively sickening. The minute I poured some on the pancake the table was enveloped in a brain tingling green apple smell. It was like being in Dexter’s lab. All that was missing was the green fumes.

Yet another treat from the lab was a Raspberry Mango smoothie. Am I wrong to expect a breakfast joint to use fresh fruit? I thought synthetic fruit flavoured syrups were reserved for street side stalls and McDonalds. Had I skipped the apple-syrup and smoothie, I may have returned. But I’m pretty certain those outlandish pink and green syrups aren’t something I will ever want to subject my senses to.

It’s a shame really. Still looking for the perfect breakfast.

Location: Behind Infiniti Mall Malad.

Damages 300-400Rs per head for Breakfast

 

 

Botticino : The Fine Art of Making Ravioli and a Fine Italian feast.

This weekend I was invited by food consultant Nikhil Merchant and Botticino (an Italian restaurant a the Trident) for a very special cooking demonstration followed by lunch. The event was every bit informative and educative as I expected, and I had several firsts, which made the lunch especially memorable.

I spent most of Saturday morning lazily getting ready, drinking  lemon infused water and eating fresh fruit ; preparing my palette for the opulence that would follow. I also began bracing myself for a long lonely drive to Nariman point when thankfully our very thoughtful host, sent a gentle reminder, that the event was at the other  Trident. Who knew there was one tucked away in BKC? Anyway it was perhaps the best news of the day as it meant my lonely drive would not be so long after all. The Suburban Trident is designed more for corporate clients and caters to BKC’s high end office crowd. Bottocino is one of it’s specialty restaurants. ‘Bottocino’ is a province in Italy, which I assume inspires the name.

As soon as I reached I was welcomed with a glass of Prosecco, a dry Italian sparkling wine. Though I enjoy wine as an accompaniment and it is usually my preferred spirit, I do not claim to be very informed about wines. So I willingly listened to all the knowledge shared by the Manager about the Prosecco and all the other wines that followed.

This was followed by an introduction to Grappa, a fragrant grape brandy. This brandy is consumed after a meal, in the form of a shot or even sprayed on post-meal coffee. Incidently Italians describe this Grappa topped coffee as ‘caffe coretto’ or ‘corrected coffee’. The meal ends on a high note, literally.

Finally the cooking demo. So far I had seen pasta being made only on television. Though I love to cook, I had never tried making pasta from scratch and so I was pretty excited about learning the fine art of making Ravioli, which is undoubtedly my favourite form of pasta. My trusty apron went with me but sadly it was a demonstration and I didn’t get a chance to dig my paws into the dough. It was a treat to watch Chef Vikas Vichare’s skillful well-trained hands mould thin sheets of dough and deftly craft Chicken stuffed Ravioli.

The Fine Art of Making Ravioli

After watching mouth-watering food being made, I was obviously hungry and ready to feast. A beautifully laid table waited for us. We were served some Chianti and an amuse bouche. For all the lovely multiple course meals I’ve had, I’ve never been served an amuse bouche. In this case it was the Chef’s special take on the classic Caprese salad; made with the reddest tomatoes I’ve ever seen, fresh mozzarella and basil salt. It did everything an amuse bouche was meant to do, got the juices flowing and set the mood for the courses to follow. Just like foreplay is to the act of love making.

Amuse Bouche

For an entree I chose another of the Chef’s specialties; the Pan Fried Goose Liver. Having never eaten foie gras before I was apprehensive, more for ethical reasons. I’ll try everything once and have no qualms about eating any meat as long as it is bred for consumption. I do however try to be aware of ethical debates where food is concerned and hope for a world where we achieve a balance between our need to consume and our moral/ecological responsibility. This foie gras dish was delicious. The strong fatty liver is an acquired taste, but the sides of potato galletes toned it down perfectly.

( After a little research about foie gras I have come to the conclusion that it isn’t for me. Geese are unnaturally force fed and fattened to make foie gras, which translates to ‘fat liver’. Everyone has an opinion about what is morally correct. To each his own. I have certain boundaries set for myself. Just as I wouldn’t eat shark fin soup, where the rest of the shark is left to die, I don’t feel comfortable eating the liver of a bird that has been unnaturally, brutally fattened. )

Pan Fried Liver Pate & pecorino salad with arugula and balsamic dressing

The meal ended with a Ice Cream platter. When I read this on the menu I wasn’t so excited. I’m not a huge ice cream fan, and was hoping for something more distinctly Italian. These unusual ice cream flavors however, took me by surprise and left me wanting more. Much much more. The Lemon cheesecake flavor was excellent, light and tangy with clumps of buttery biscuit mimicking the cheesecake base. My favourite by far was the Sea Salt and Burnt Sugar ice cream. Strange as it sounds, the salt and sweet caramel created a mind blowing burst of flavor, that had me wanting the next bite before I had swallowed the first. It is by far the best ice cream I have ever had in my life. I will probably go all the way to BKC just to have this glorious creation!

Terttulia (South Main Road, Koregaon Park, Park)

Ate. Drank. Didn’t quite love. ***

The best-friend had been making quite a fuss about a certain Pear & Galangal Martini. So as soon as the sun set on my first night in Pune, we began preparations to hit the place that served it. Tertullia, a place most definitely on the city’s list of the hip and happening.

Being a saturday night the place was full of party-people high on the good life, so we were pretty lucky to get a table. We were met by a lovely hostess with darling dimples who sat us down. The drinks were ordered and the aforementioned Martini lived up to the praise it had received. I highly recommend it, and not just for the ladies.

A small black board at the entranced mentioned a Tapas menu, so we tried a few. First to arrive was a plate of Chicken wings with a Blue Cheese dip, which incidentally we hadn’t ordered. They were consumed non-the-less, very unapologetically. They were delicious, so was the dip which could have done with a bit more zing, something sour an acidic. The Portabella Mushrooms stuffed with Bacon and Cheese were also fairly good. The Karari Roti which was at every table is clearly a crowd pleaser, but has a very distinctly south asian flavor which felt out of place at an otherwise european inspired menu.

My main course of Lamb and root Vegetable ragout with buttered Spaghetti was delectable. My only complaint; one small lonely piece of potato was the only root vegetable on my plate. I also tasted the Vietnamese Fillet of Basa, which was perfectly cooked and laid on a bed of sautéed vegetables. Unfortunately a rookie mistake of serving bitter zucchinis ruined a few bites. Otherwise it was lovely.

As we were finishing our mains, the owner of the place came over to exchange pleasantries. He made some very convincing desert recommendations that had our mouths watering. Our plates were cleared and we waited, and waited and then waited some more. No highly spoken of desserts arrived. The manager forgot to place our order ! And this wasn’t their first slip in service. Service all night was sloppy, we kept having to repeat, prompt, push, non-verbally suggest, sternly look at watch, etc. Which, I must admit, the dimpled hostess made a huge effort to make up for.

Finally the Croissant Pudding arrived with a whiff of warm Bourbon and sugary raisins. Though I’m not a lover of bread pudding, this one had me floored. This rendition was absolutely stellar. The limp coconut cheesecake with a soggy barely-there crust was completely ignored.

Tertullia did give us some memorable dishes but missed top marks in my books for careless mistakes and sloppy tiresome service. I would need the promise of good company to visit again, for the restaurant itself didn’t charm me enough to revisit.

Damages: Approximately 800-1000 Rs without alchohol for a hearty meal.

The name had me curious: the Spanish word ‘tertullia’ is a social gathering of people, usually artists, writers, political activists, poets and other people of refined taste. Similar in meaning and usage to the French word ‘salon’; where people of like-minds come together to share an evening to spirited conversation and revelry. 

Pali Village Cafe (Pali Naka, Bandra West)

Though the looking glass  ****

Hidden in the cramped darkness, the only way to spot Pali Village Cafe is to look for the glass facade with moving images. Every evening, a projector lights up the panes with a movie or a game. Make your way through the dingy entrance and you’ll find yourself in a surprisingly large ruined colonial bungalow. Lit by a few candles and flickering bulbs, the place feels like a discarded hand me down. Like it was pompously left behind by a wealthy heiress, and then was converted into something charmingly quirky by her enterprising black sheep of a cousin.

I was in the company of two beautiful young ladies, childhood friends who I had known since the days barbie themed parties. Our setting seemed fittingly elegant, in a way symbolizing the evolution from  awkward protected little girls to passionate spirited individuals at the cusp of independent lives. Much time had passed since we last met, and there was so much to share. And shared it was over some goblets of sangria and some absolutely delectable food.

It look a while to order; everything on the menu was tempting. We selected about four dishes the share between us. The Chicken and Jalapeno risotto was packed with flavor. What came as a welcome change was that it wasn’t painfully cheesy, like most others locally available. The Asparagus and Leek Ravioli with a tomato based sauce had a lovely texture; the stuffing wasn’t overcooked and the chunks of pasta were coated with just the right amount of sauce.

Since I was in the mood for something light and refreshing, I ordered the Roast Duck salad. The dish fulfilled all my expectations. It was tangy & sweet, with fresh greens and a surprising burst of pickled beetroot, a perfect complement to my Melon Sangria. We also shared a Parmesan Gnochi, which was rich and thankfully a small portion. The cheese was creamy and the gnochi was soft, perhaps too soft. But since it was shared by a group and we had other sharper flavors at the table, it went down well.

Desert again bought up a debate, but we finally settled on a Vanilla Panna cotta and Meringue with Berries & Fresh cream. Both were perfect for the hot humid weather. The Panna cotta is perhaps the best I’ve ever had. I say this, because most have a uniform texture which after a few bites get boring. This one had that extra something; a sour acidic passion fruit jus which cut the sweet creaminess of the pudding. The other dessert was also good, but unfortunately in my eyes was out-shined by the panna cotta. I wish there was more of the meringue and less of the berries & cream. That would have added the necessary crunch, which the dish so sorely missed.

The evening left me feeling extremely happy. It’s evenings like these that are fondly cherished. The food lived up to the company, which is perhaps the best complement I can give Pali Village cafe.

Damages : The place is pretty expensive, and very evidently caters to the expat community. A meal with one drink cost us 1,500 each. I would revisit, but the costs would definitely make my think twice.

Discovering Dimsum

I’ve always appreciated the craft of dimsum making. I love to watch nimble fingers deftly shaping dough into little parcels of love. There’s such finesse and skill involved, yet the concept of dimsum is so simple. If I ever get the chance I would love to study this art from some old wrinkled Chinese man who learnt the art from his father, like his father before him.

Though there was no wrinkled man involved I recently had the lovely opportunity of attending a dimsum making demo and workshop. Rushina (of A Perfect Bite) and Trikaya (Versova, Andheri west) hosted this dimsum making session. Chef Nilesh Vaidya taught a bunch of excited bloggers & food enthusiasts how to make the dimsum pastry, the filling and how to steam dumplings. There was about an hour of kneeding, rolling, stuffing and pinching the bunch of us amateurs made a few odd looking lumps. It was a fun process, and we got a sense of what the dough should feel like and what the dimsum should look like. But to perfect the art, of course one will have to practice.

After our dimsum making session we were fed a lovely meal where we tasted the work of the experts. We had some beautiful Leafy rolls, Chicken dumplings and Vegetable Kothe, enough of each to satisfy my every desire. This was followed by some more of Trikaya’s lovely food. At the end I left with a light smell of dough and sesame oil on my fingers, a smell I deliberately left lingering on for a bit, and of course that happy happy belly. ( And a small little certificate which says I’m a dimsum maker!)

Sketch & Design by Rushina M.G. of A Perfect Bite

When the Wine was Out of Place

This Friday I had the opportunity of being part of a very special dinner. Masala Bay (at Taj Land’s End, Bandra) hosted a food tasting and an interactive session with Chef Abida Rashid, who had specially cooked what could only be described as a royal feast. Hailing from Calicut, Chef Abida’s culinary expertise lies in Moplah cuisine, of north Kerala. The food she served was rich in spice, coconut and history.

The Taj aims to share these food traditions with it’s customers, and with Chef Abida’s help has tried to elevate Moplah cuisine to what is conventionally thought of as a ‘fine dining’. Though I commend the effort, I cannot but question popular notions of what fine dining really is. It didn’t sit well with me, that what should have been an Indian thali style meal, was restructured and served in multiple courses with wine as an accompaniment. Since I was eating Indian food, I was hoping for an Indian fine dining experience. Why not eat the way Indian royalty eats, with heavy thalis, ornate bartans and silver katoris? Would that not be the way to do justice to the food and culture that it comes from? The way food is eaten is as relevant to a fine dining experience as the food itself, and am strongly against such westernization Indian cuisine.

I would very willingly trade in my wine glass for a class of cool Roohafsa, Kokam sharbat or Jal Jeera, which would have eased the spices in my meal. I felt absurd trying to eat a fish Biryani with a fork. I felt like my cutlery kept getting in my way and my food quite literally turned cold in yearning for the the touch of warm hands. I am not being Nationalist, I have nothing against the poor wine, I’d gladly drink wine while eating a steak. But when I have pappadums on my plate, I think wine is out of place.

Sernyaa ( Oshiwara, Andheri West )

Meaty mouthfuls ***

In the sea of cheap Chinese joints that dot the Oshiwara landscape, one may easily miss this tiny Tibetan treasure. Had it not been for some recent twitter buzz about Sernyaa, I may have never ventured there. (thank god for tweeple!)  What I discovered was a low lit, little hole with a lot of soul and an underground appeal. It was packed, I had to wait for a table. Every one waiting had a knowing air;  like they were all a part of a secret that I had only just been let in on.

Luckily I was famished, so my appetite that day allowed me to really indulge. The pork momos were gorgeous, and a great start to the meal. The accompanying sauces perfectly complemented the dumplings. Based on many a recommendation, we had the Pork spare ribs and Tibetan chicken sausages. Both gloriously meaty mouthfuls. The tender peppery meat on the ribs, fell right off the bone. The sausages were spicy and with perfectly crisp outsides. I didn’t mind that they were made with chicken, as opposed to the more traditional pork variety.

The main course is not worth a mention. The dishes are essentially Indian Chinese-ish with tongue twisting Tibetan names. Next time I visit I will definitely stick to the starter selection, and if the weather permits try the soups. I highly recommend Sernyaa to all meat lovers; I was too distracted by the pork and lamb to try any of the vegetarian food. Don’t judge me; it was melt-away meat that fell right about the bone. I would unabashedly and unapologetically eat all that meat again.

Damages – Rs. 250-300 / head. (They do not serve any desert and only packaged sodas )

Location – Link Road Oshiwara, soon after the HP Petrol pump

The Tasty Tangles

Set right ! ***

Tasty Tangles has a rather enthusiastic twitter presence, where their set menu lunch was frequently mentioned. I like set menus; they offer little choice, so there’s no pussyfooting around what to order. The dark cloud of the impending bill doesn’t loom over the meal; ones goes in pleasantly aware of the damages.

Coming to this particular set menu, I was offered a concise list of items, and I all but had to check the corresponding boxes to make my choice.  I ordered Aromatic Spicy Chicken Dumplings to start. I’m a sucker for dumplings and if they got this one wrong, I would have written off Tasty Tangles completely. However, they triumphed. The dumplings displayed some very refined hand skills, and the spicy flavor was well balanced. Two just quickly melted away, and I was compelled to ask for another round.

The Char Kway Teow Beef noodles were also good, made particularly special by the tender well marinated chunks of meat. Something about the Steamed fish in XO sauce reminded me of my stay in China. The dish had a home-made charm, but the strong fishy smell is probably an acquired taste for most.

Asian restaurants usually fail when it comes to dessert. So my skepticism was warranted when I reluctantly ordered Cinnamon Honey fried wonton with Ice Cream. I’ve had countless renditions of this dish, but I finally found a place that got it right. I would go back for those fried strips of wonton drizzled with cinnamon powder and honey. I also sampled the fruit pudding, which was summery and fresh.

The ambience is boring, even borders on cheap. But the staff is polite and the food itself is well presented. Something about it fits all Asian restaurant stereo types, with Chinese paper lanterns and odd looking plastic pens. But I’d readily ignore all of that for this lunch. i

Damages : Rs.499 per head

Location : Khar west, in the lane next to Nike show room, above Sancho’s