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

Café Mangii (J.P.Road, Versova)

Sigh! **

For about a month I’d been tryin to peep in through Café Mangi’s large windows, and catch a glimpse of what promised to be elegant interiors. I subtly sighed everytime I drove past hoping my hints would prompt a date night. Finally my sighs were heard and I can drive by in peace without straining my respiratory system.

On a cold winter’s evening, the first floor dining space was perfectly warm and cosy. The open air dining space on the roof was definitely tempting, but I just wasn’t ready to brave the cold. It certainly is charming though, with a visible pizza oven emitting mouth waiting aromas.

Unfortunately, here’s when I began to sigh again. This time they were sighs of exasperation. We started with a plate of Mushroom Aglio Olio e Pepperoncino; nothing spectacular and unexpectedly spicy. We were expecting a salad, but our Alla Fiama pizza came out first. Since the place boasts of its pizzas we really had our hopes up. However, it was mediocre at best, the topping was sparse and the base a little burnt. The pizza too was spicier than we expected.

Now here’s where it got downright disappointing, the Caprese salad was a neatly arranged line of tomato slices and buffalo cheese, topped with pesto sauce. I was promised “field greens” ! Somehow the elaborate description on the menu did not lead me to expect what I was served. Lastly, we ordered a medium-rare Minute Steak, which was served to us well done, with partially uncooked potato wedges and almost rare broccoli florets. By this point I was ready to cry, partly from rage and partly because of the big hole this disappointing meal was about to burn in my pocket.

Since we were still hungry, we ordered a Caramel Banana pie, in a last feeble attempt to redeem the meal. We didn’t have our hopes up, but we were finally served something delicious. It didn’t save the meal, and I certainly won’t be visiting Café Mangii again, but at least I know where to get a damn good Caramel Banana pie.

Damages: Rs.2500 for a meal for two, without drinks.