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Easy Drinking – Deva Wines (SDU Winery, Bangalore)

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I am a food nerd – a sucker for little pieces of information, a gatherer of trivia and a lover of all things food and drink related. Which is why, I could not pass up an opportunity to visit the SDU vineyard and their boutique winery last week. I came away a little wiser and a whole lot more drunk than anticipated! If you are a wine snob or a wine connoisseur or have a serious interest in digging deep into the anvils of the universe of wine – this post might not intrigue you. But if you, like me, enjoy drinking wine and have always wondered if there was an easy way to unravel its mysteries, read on! 
The Nandi Valley appellation is considered by many to have the perfect conditions for growing wine grapes in India – a mixture of clay and red loam soil but with poor fertility. (Trvia 1: Poor fertility forces the vine to develop deep roots to dig for nutrition, which in turn contributes to a more concentrated flavor in the grapes). The two SDU vineyards call this picturesque location home and the winery is located close by. This boutique winery uses grapes solely from their vineyards for the production of their red and white wines. With a state-of-the-art facility, Italian machines and wine tanks that match international standards and renowned Italian winemaker, Andrea Valentinuzzi at the helm, the winery has launched their own wine brand “Deva” this year. Deva means divine in Sanskrit and epitomizes both the ‘Indianess’ of the wine as well as the simplicity they intend to portray.
 We were lucky to have a quick tour of the winery to understand the wine making process before we sat down to an elaborate spread with different wines later in the day. Mohit Nischool, the business head at SDU was kind enough to explain the wine making process to us. Being a level 3 certified trainer from Wine Sprits and Education Trust (WSET), he was literally a vat of wine info! It will please you to know that I was paying rapt attention but I feel better lifting parts of the ‘process’ from their website for accuracy undiluted by the effects of alcohol 😉

WINE MAKING PROCESS: First the ripe grapes are plucked and taken in crates to the winery. When the grapes hit the crush pad, they go through a crusher-destemmer. If it is a white wine the grapes go through a pneumatic press to separate the skin from the pulp. (Trivia 2: It is the skin that provides colour to the red wine along with the tannins). The extracted grape juices are then fermented in a stainless steel tank with automatic temperature control. (Trivia 3: Yeast is added to start the fermentation process. The sugars in the fruit aid the fermentation). The tanks are insulated to ensure robust refrigeration to preserve the fruitiness of the grape.

After fermentation, the wine is allowed to age in the same stainless steel tank. It is subjected to routine analysis, frequent tasting and quality assessment – ensuring the wine’s character and quality is garnered. (Trivia 4: Wines have a maximum of 15% alcohol, because yeast cells will start to die after that) When the wine is ready, it is bottled and packaged in the winery using a machine for capsule placement and pressure-sensitive labeling. The entire bottling process is automated. (Trivia 5: Dark colored bottles are generally used to ensure the wine does not react to sunlight.)

The winery matures a selected portion of its wines in French Oak casks for a minimum  of 6 months to produce its ‘Reserve’ wines. (Trivia 6: French Oak casks are used to impart a subtle flavor to the wine and sometimes for softening of the harsh tannins and flavors present at the end of fermentation).

After this information download and a gazillion ooh’s and aah’s at the fancy machinery, we headed upstairs to the most elaborate picnic spread of cold cuts, cheeses and fruit to enjoy our first taste of the wines. While we nibbled on candied pistachios, brie and figs and heaped on lovely smoked salmon on fresh bread, Mohit helped us to act all hoity-toity with our wine. There are few parameters that serious wine drinkers use to evaluate a wine.

Appearance – Color and clarity. The wine should be clear not murky and the deeper the colour the younger the red wine. It is reverse for white wines as they assume a deeper colour as they age. (Trivia 7:  You can hold the wine glass angled over a white tablecloth to asses the true colour of the wine.)
Aroma – Much of the romance of a wine is in the aroma. This is a complex blend of the type of grape, the fermentation process, the aging, the oak barrels and finally the myriad by-products of the process that make up it’s ‘bouquet’. (Trivia 8: Typical associated smells are apple with chardonnay, melon and citrus with sauvignon blanc, cherry and blackcurrant with cabernet sauvignon, blackberry and black pepper with zinfandel)

 

(Trivia 9: A wine that has gone bad on the other hand will smell of wet cardboard, musty smells, rotten eggs or look brownish)
Taste – The human tongue can perceive sweet, sour, bitter and salty tastes. A lot of white wines have citrus or fruity flavours that result in a sweet tatse. (Trivia 10: To figure out if a wine is actually sweet vs the feel of sweet because of the aroma – stick the tip of your tongue into the wine glass. This is where most of the sweet receptors lie).
Body – This essentially means how heavy or light the wine feels in your mouth. How dense is the liquid? (A more acidic wine will be lighter). Does it have a lingering taste in your mouth? (Trivia 11: The tannins present in the skin of red grapes have a dry, puckering effect on your mouth)
Overall – Is there an overall balance and harmony among the different elements in the wine like the fruit, alcohol, acidity and wood.
For us novices – we can still resort to the see, swirl, smell and sip routine. And then conclude – most importantly, whether our palate was impressed with it or not!
Deva wines though crafted with the utmost passion are still marketed as easy drinking wines. They do not want the wine lover to be overwhelmed with the wine but to have an experience that is enjoyable and pleasing to the palate. In this endeavor they have two wines out in the market right now – both reds. Mohit gently cajoled us into figuring out the different wines we tried that day and here is a quick recap.
The Deva Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from their own vineyard. This makes it a varietal, boutique wine. (Trivia 12: Wines made from one variety of grapes are called varietal wines, where as wines from different grapes are simply called blended wines).  Tasting notes: Dry red – Fragrant and fruity, with a good body, accompanied by soft and smooth tannins, which lead to a lingering finish.
The Deva Syrah is a 100% shiraz (red wine) made from their own vineyard as well. (The difference lies in the type of grapes used) Tasting notes: Dry red – fruity and easy to drink with a hint of spice leading to a silky & smooth finish.
Out of the two, I preferred the Syrah and was quite amazed that being a white wine drinker, I easily drank quite a few glasses of this. (Trivia 13: Red wines need to be served at a temperature of 14-16 °C and not at the oft proclaimed ‘room temperature’).
We also tried a soon to be out (September?) Deva Chardonnay. Tasting notes: This was a medium bodied white wine with fruity aromas of pineapple and white apple. (Trivia 14: Chardonnay is an important component of many sparkling wines around the world, including Champagne). 
We took a quick walk to see the French Oak barrels where the Deva Reserve wines were being aged. It’s a beautiful sight to see these rows of neatly aligned barrels (Quite of few of us had a photosession here!). Mohit opened one of the barrels (don’t tell Antonio) and we were hit by the interesting aromas of wine and wood. We were also lucky to be served the Reserve variety of the Cabernet Sauvignon with our lunch. If I had to pick my favourite wine of the day – it would have to be this. Can’t wait for it to hit the market soon!  
Who says wine needs to be reserved for special occasions? After relishing a wonderful lunch against the idyllic backdrop of the vineyard, capped off with copious amounts of their fine reserve wine and deep conversation (ok frivolous friendly banter) – I can finally admit that wine can be made for easy drinking! Forget all the rules and just open a bottle of wine for a night of long conversations with your best friend or even at dinner today – Deva is a great companion!
Since the founding of the Nandi Valley appellation in south Karnataka, SDU Winery has focused on crafting new age fine wines. Our meticulously cared-for vineyards have perfect combinations of French grape vines, picturesque hillsides and ideal growing conditions. The bouquets in the Deva wines are a reflection of the pristine locale. The level of richness, balance and complexity found in our world-class wines are the impact of the gentle, authentic winemaking approach that has helped us define who we are.- Shaambhavi Hingorani, Director SDU Winery.
Currently available in retail outlets across Bangalore – Deva Cabernet Sauvignon is available in 350ml at Rs 325 and 750 ml at Rs 600, while Deva Syrah is available in 350 ml priced at Rs 275 and 750 ml priced at Rs 500.

P.S. They don’t do winery tours – we just got lucky 😉

For more details log on to www.sduwinery.com

Who wants to eat at The Tuck Shop? (Koramangala, Bangalore)

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If you studied in a school in Bangalore your most likely hangout would be the canteen or what we convent-educated kids liked to call it, “The Tuck Shop”. This was one place that you would rush to, as soon as the Tea break or lunch break was announced with a loud bell. The place where you would buy fryums and samosas and wolfed down cutlets and burgers (if you were lucky and feeling rich) even wash it down with a milkshake. So of course this little eatery will pull at your heartstrings with nostalgia!

Started by two young (really young) entrepreneurs and hotel management graduates Mayank Agarwal and Ahmad Sharif, The Tuck Shop tries to help you re-live your fondest school memories. The ambience is one of a spruced up garage made pretty with creeping vines, casual seating and fun paintings of crazy kids in a school bus. Though the target audience is college goers, surprisingly the place has an equal number of office goers and families that throng the all day diner. Being in Kormangala also helps to tap into the myriad educational institutions and offices that dot the surroundings!

The all-day breakfast is the hero here and has a small but interesting supporting cast. My eyes were instantly drawn to the Classy English Dictator (double egg omlette, bacon/salami, sausages, mashed potato, caramelized onions, baked beans, buttered toast served with your choice of beverage). At Rs.250/- this was a steal but, I settled for the Puny God. (Let’s say I didn’t have it in me to deal with a dictator that day!). Now the Puny God was not that puny in my opinion and made for a lovely start to the day – A double omlette with your choice of stuffing. I picked bacon, onion and cheese. My only grouse was the fact that the onion could have been sautéed before its addition to the omlette. (Not a fan of raw onions!). I quickly glanced through the menu and found quite a few vegetarian offerings – Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich anyone?  
I ordered the juice of the day to keep me company and Watermelon it was. Sweet, not cloyingly so and immensely satisfying! Though the mint leaf infused chilled water goblet at every table would have been perfect too. A lovely touch, especially because I have felt obliged to order for a bottle of water in other restaurants because the water offered looked suspect! Another thing that was bought to my notice was that everything from the mayonnaise to the baked beans to the bread and even the ketchup on the table, was made in-house. This took it up a notch in my book but there will be issues of standardization and consistency that they may have to keep a close eye on, in the future.
Apart from the Breakfast offerings a recent addition to the menu has been their Burgers. Gaining a steady fan following, the burgers are probably what will give them the most traction. The creative name calling continues with ‘The Hot Chick’ (Pulled Chicken Burger), ‘Mary had a little Lamb (the lamb burger) and the Jumping Jhapang (a desi twist to the meat burger). I settled on a Fried Nemo – A fish burger. It was made with basa and not the real Nemo, so stop frowning! Two fish fillets deep fried and served with home made tartar sauce, onions, tomatoes and a slice of Lettuce cabbage. The addition of cabbage was apparently a conscious decision as it stays crisp till the end and most of their clients prefer it that way. The home-made Burger bun was soft and did not cave with the weight of the fillings, so rest assured Nemo will be safe within its folds! All burgers come with cole slaw and potato wedges. A special mention to the perfectly crisp on the outside, soft on the inside Potato wedges! 
You can choose to end the meal with some cupcakes or the dessert of the day. (Mayank is an accomplished pastry chef who likes to churn out something new everyday). I choose to go the whole hog and order Waffles with Maple syrup and Caramelized Bananas. I am a sucker for good waffles and these were a far cry from the industrialized clones you find in coffee shops these days. They offer you a choice of topping in honey or nutella as well – So pick and choose your poison.  
The Tuck Shop has started off with things that they know will appeal to the masses. They slowly intend to experiment with and expand their menu to include more main courses. With a diner format and a value for money experience, there’s really not much you can fault with the place. And considering its run by two people who just graduated college, they have the needs of their target audience down pat – comfort, value and good food! 
THE TUCK SHOP
98/A, 17th B Main (Road Opposite China Pearl)
5th Block, Koramangala
Bangalore – 560095.
Ph: +91 886133 5567
Cost: Breakfast offerings start from Rs.70/- onwards and Burgers from Rs.200/- onwards
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Tuck-Shop/370126123091428
Parking: The bylanes

Searching for the elusive Albert Bakery and other Iftar Tales (MM Road, Bangalore)

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It’s the holy month of Ramazan and I could not have been further from pious. My days were filled with longing for the many delicacies that dotted the stretch from Mosque Road to MM Road in Frazer town. The original planning party placed a covenant for meeting on Saturday, with a rider ‘depends on the weather’. But I was determined come rain or shine, that I will be there at 5:30 pm at the elusive Albert Bakery to start my journey to food heaven. I say elusive because even though Alberts is a very popular landmark in Frazer Town, we missed it last year during our Iftaar (breaking of the fast) walk. It’s quite a nondescript little hoarding, placed slightly inside the actual line of shops on Mosque road and it closes as soon as it’s goodies are sold out. But this time, since we were planning to meet early (Iftaar generally starts at sun down), I was hoping we would be lucky to taste their famous Khova Naan – a ramazan speciality!

I give my best friend R and sister S, the credit for spotting Albert’s. (The crowds would have given it away in any case :P) It’s diagonally opposite the Shamiyana set up to serve Pista House Haleem on Mosque Road. We wrestled with the crowds and asked for the most popular items on the menu – Mutton Samosas, Khova Naan and the Bheja Puff. We packed all this and headed straight to MM Road. After all that is where all the action is and Iftaar food is always more fun when you share it J We met up with a couple of other friends that we planned to meet and a couple more that we just ran into by chance. At the end of the day we were a group of 15 people moving from one counter to another, shoving our faces…and it didn’t rain! The Gods must surely love us!

The Mutton Samosas from Albert’s reminded me of the ones I got in my school canteen – a flat samosa with lots of onion. We bought some Kheema samosas in the first shamiyana on MM road, and those had more meat than Albert’s. (one fail). The Bheja Puff was brilliant however, with a yummy dill and pepper flavor. (one pass). The Khova Naan was the highlight. A flaky pie filled with a mixture of sweet condensed milk and semolina. They sell one whole naan, which is cut into six pieces. Let me warn you – this is very rich and just one piece should suffice to end all hunger pangs.
This year we had a pleasant surprise waiting for us. All the stalls were housed in rain proof Shamiyanas! (Last year, I braved a downpour and still managed to eat through the stalls, but it’s nice not to worry about the camera getting wet!). The advantage of being in a large group is that you get to try a lot of different things! So I can honestly say there is something for everyone here. Stalls selling Kashmiri dates, stalls specializing in fish, stalls that sold only Haleem (ah… the one thing that defines Ramzan for the food worshippers), stalls that sold Teetar (Quails) and even Camel meat! This year, I noticed that one stall even put a board saying “We don’t serve Beef” – clearly a sign that they were trying to welcome a percentage of the population that shies away from eating beef.

I was happy to see the coals glowing red hot and the big block of granite on top hissing and sizzling, when the marinated meat touched it. It meant that the Patthar ka Gosht was ready for our greedy bellies. Patthar ka Gosht, essentially means meat cooked on a rock. (In this case the meat is Veal, or should I be more appropriate and call it ‘Wheel’ kebab). They place a big block of granite over some red hot coals and slowly heat it up. (It apparently takes a good 3-4 hours). Then they cook the meat on the stone. This is supposed to sear the meat well and impart an earthy flavor. How much of this is true I can never tell, but this dish always draws huge crowds during Ramazan. This year there were many stalls that jumped onto the sizzling granite bandwagon, but the original one and the one that I like the most, is the guy next to the Kebabish stall. He always wears a red topi, so it’s easy to recognize him.
The Beef Seekh at Kebabish is always to die for. And the owner knows it! When I was clicking pictures of his stall – he smiled and told me to check the newspaper that day. Apparently he was featured in it! So without further ado we waited for him to grace us and hand over a plate of the best tasting seekh in Bangalore. Maybe the secret is the table fan that he uses to fan the coals – A nifty trick! My husband will be mighty pleased that his idea is being implemented on a larger scale (He uses a blow dryer to air the coals when we have barbeque parties!).
For those who don’t eat Beef there is a wide variety of Chicken and mutton delicacies you can feast on. I zeroed in on a stall called Abad Chicken in the second shamiyana. Really good Irani Chicken (spicy marinade), Malai Chicken (the marinade was a tad milder) and Mutton Chops. Try the spicy Mutton chops gravy with the incredibly light and lacy Idiyappam (rice vermicelli). 
 If rolls are more your scene, you are obviously in the right place. Try the Chicken Shawarma with Hummus in a version of Pita bread or the Chicken Tikka Roll with a spattering on onions and chillies. The Chicken Tikka roll comes wrapped in the most greasy, oily paratha – but that’s what makes it irresistible. The Baida Roti is also a big draw at ramzan and is essentially a big paratha stuffed with meat, folded over to form a nice square pie sautéed in oil again. It is then cut into little squares and served with a hot chutney for your eating pleasure. You can have your pick from beef, chicken, or mutton mince. There are also the Seekh Rolls that we Bangaloerans so love. Wrapped in Roomali roti’s, they are a tad healthier than their greasy paratha counterparts.
Coming now to the highlight of the food orgy – The Haleem.  Haleem is a sublime dish used to break the fast, because at once it is both delicious and nutritious. A mixture of wheat and meat, pounded together with subtle spices and garnished with fried onions, ginger and coriander leaves. There is also a generous topping of spiced fat (ghee?), which brings the whole mixture to dizzying heights of awesomeness. I am no expert on how haleem should taste but using my own palate as a guide, I liked the one at Dakhni Degh the best. The mixture tasted meaty (goat’s meat) and was spiced just right. It was also not an indistinguishable pasty mess. The much famed Pista House Haleem (which I heard they are planning to export to the US), had less meat and more wheat and even had little pieces of bone in it. Not a pleasant experience to expect something smooth and then bite into something hard! The last shamiyana this year even experimented with a Chicken Haleem. But considering chicken has no real flavor by itself, the haleem had to rely more on the spices and ghee to make it come alive.  
If you still have space for dessert (and I always do) you must try the traditional Semiya, Phirni and Khubani Ka Meetha (Stewed Apricots). Apart from this there is also a huge list of other desserts on offer – Kulfi’s, Caramel Custard, Chocolate Mousse, Date Cakes, Gulab Jamuns, Malpua, Pista Kheer, Rava cakes and more. There is a counter serving Gola (Shaved Ice) in different flavours and a MiniMelts station where you can grab a cup of little balls of ice cream. If you want some flavoured Kulfi’s and Falooda head to the Bombay Chowpatty Kulfi shop on the opposite side of the road. If you want to be non-adventurous just go eat some Baskin Robbins ice cream. Basically – end your meal with something sweet, there’s no better way to float to heaven! 
 As I was clicking pictures of the food, a group of little munchkins who were having their own party, decided I should be their official photographer. And they wouldn’t let me stop at one picture. Finally after clicking ‘single photos’ of each of them, where they looked at it and laughed and then posed again in a different avatar and then looked at that and laughed and then did a group pose and looked at that and laughed (well you get the drift) they concluded they had their entertainment for the evening and ran away. With all this food swimming in my stomach I was feeling a certain oneness with the universe, a sense of all pervading bliss. And I guess this is why food is such a central component of all religious festivals in India – be it Ramzan or Diwali or Christmas. I for one, am definitely a fan of the Food Gods!
For a lovely Iftaar feast try MM Road in Frazer town, Johnson Market off Residency Road, Russel Market Road in Shivajinagar and the main road in Tilaknagar. Ramazan ends on August 8th/ 9th, so you still have a week to be a part of something amazing.
Cost: Less than Rs.300/- per person for a group of 4 people who are non-squeamish about street food and have healthy appetites.
Parking: Ahemm….. if you are really lucky you can grab a spot on Mosque Road.

Sussegado – Goan Food Festival @ LIDO (Hyatt, Bangalore)

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My love for seafood is a direct result of Goan cuisine. There’s nothing I like better than good prawn curry rice or a pomfret recheado or a kane rawa fry. I’m not Goan by birth…not by a good 485 kms 567 kms, but I love that place and it’s sussegado (laid back) culture like my own! So when a friend invited me to the Hyatt for the Goan Food Festival, it was hard to say no. Especially because the delicacies on offer were from the kitchen of Chef Edrige Vaz from Casa Sarita at the Park Hyatt, Goa!
My biggest grouse that night was the mood lighting. Apart from the fact that I wasn’t with my better half, it also didn’t make for the best photographs! (Sorry S…it’s the truth J) But I shall choose to regale you with my tangy tale nevertheless. Amuse Bouche was a Rissois de Camarao – a beautiful half moon shaped fried dumpling. Filled with a mildly spiced prawn mixture and served with a smudge of chilli sauce, it was just perfect. It reminded me of a savory version of the Karnataka Karanji or North Indian Gujiya.  
We had a sample platter of four starters. It included a Spicy Squid salad, Kismur (coconut and dried prawn accompaniment) , Pan fried King Fish in peri peri masala and Kane (lady fish) rawa fry. The Kane was just beautifully cooked and the layer of recheado masala coating it was just perfect – tangy, smooth and just a hit of spice. It looked red hot because of the red chilli and vinegar used in making the paste, but it’s not supposed to taste red hot and this one stayed true to its source.  
A whole grilled white Pomfret graced our table. You can choose the fish you want from the live counter and have them grill it for you with your choice of masala. (Peri-peri, Cafreal, coriander or rawa fry). The Chicken Cafreal (coriander and green chilli masala) was presented in style, with the fried slices of potato being the crowning glory.  
The Chicken Xacuti (roasted coconut and spice curry) was robust and tasted brilliant with the lightly spiced pulao. The highlight was the simple but impressive Prawn Curry. The curry was smooth, almost like it had been passed through a sieve and the flavours were subtle and well melded. The sweet prawns were cooked to a lovely plump pink and almost floated in the curry. This tasted perfect with the red goan boiled rice.  
We tried a trio of dessert. Starting with the famous Bebinca – slow baked layered pancakes with egg yolk and coconut milk, flavored with nutmeg. Followed by Dodol – A pudding made of coconut milk, jaggery and rice flour. (My least favourtie because it reminds me of kerala halwa!). And finally the Mangane which is like a payasam made of lentil, sago, and coconut, sweetened with jaggery. 
The festival is on till the 28th of July at Lido. You can pick from A la Carte for lunch or go the whole hog for dinner with a buffet (Rs. 1200/- + taxes). The buffet has a wider variety of offerings like Caldo verde – potato and spinach soup, Prawn balchao, cabbage foogath, mushroom xacuti and more. Worth a visit for an authentic taste of Goa without travelling all the way to the coast!

LIDO – all day dining
HYATT Bangalore
1/1, Swami Vivekananda Road,
Off M.G. Road,
Ulsoor,
Bangalore – 560008
Ph: +91 80 4936 1234
Cost: Buffet Rs. 1200/- plus taxes.
Parking: Valet Available

Surprise at Linx (Premier Inn, Whitefield, Bangalore)

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I work in Whitefield. And I can’t wait to get away from it and rush home for dinner. So it goes without saying, that the only places I’ve tried in Whitefield are lunchtime escapades. Even lunch is generally in my office food-court, except for those Friday team lunch days where we venture out into the vicinity, to check out the overpriced, overrated buffets that most restaurants offer! Me heading out to Premier Inn, for a Friday night dinner, surprised most of my colleagues. But I have to admit, that the person most surprised at the end of the meal was me! Honest, down-to-earth good food at a great price point. Can’t really fault that now can we?

I was supposed to meet the CaL table members at 7:30 pm at Linx – their multi cuisine restaurant. My office is exactly 1.5 km away. So even calculating the worst possible traffic jam, I estimated 15 mins to get there. It’s amazing how the universe conspired against me – It took me half hour to get there! How many times will I need to learn that Bangalore traffic is an act of God and cannot be judged, estimated or trifled with! It’s good that Natasha was already there when I arrived and looked happy and content with a glass of white wine. I quickly scanned the bar menu (limited in cocktail choices but has all the favorites) and settled for the Margarita. They placed a bowl of spiced peanuts and instantly I was reminded of old Bangalore. The peanuts were addictive and I pleaded with the rest of the group to take it away from me, lest I make a meal out of it! We had a little one with us that night and he was thrilled to get an order of delicious golden fries and cheese toast to keep him company along with some coloring sheets that the restaurant gave to keep him busy. Amongst the eight of us, we pretty much ordered everything off the cocktail menu. And no great innovations, but they got the flavors right!  
The problem with multi-cuisine restaurants is that they are generally jack of all trades and masters of none! So I was skeptical when I saw that Linx had Indian, Chinese and Continental. (Sounds like any other restaurant in Bangalore!). The advantage however, is that there is always a choice for large groups and families with disparate palates. I decided to stick to the Indian menu and ensured that someone on the table ordered the Chinese and the Continental, so that I can sample it all 😉  
We got four starters in all (two for the vegetarians and four for the rest :P). The chef offered a recommendation and I’m glad we obliged. The Golden Fried Basket (the manager jokingly called it Chinese Pani Puri) was super fun to eat! Wonton baskets filled with corn and peppers over which you spoon a tangy sauce and pop the whole thing into your mouth. Of course ‘someone’ on the table HAD to get a paneer dish and the Panner Tikka it was. Now this was a blah – the paneer was not soft and the marinade insipid.  
The non-vegetarians hit a jackpot with their starters. Again we let the chef decide for us and I think for the rest of the evening we kept asking for his suggestions. (After all, the man knows his strengths!) I’m always very excited to try something I’ve never eaten before and the Charminar Seekh Kebab seemed all things exotic. This was a juicy lamb kebab stuffed with minty yoghurt and then deep fried. The crispy outer layer gives in to the juicy kebab and then you hit the oozy yoghurt center. Super win! The Thread Chicken is something that you could get in Old Bangalore Chinese restaurants, like Rice Bowl and Taipan. It’s something that we always ordered and relished as kids, because it was so cool. What it essentially is, is a chicken strip lightly seasoned and wrapped with noodle like threads and deep fried. Don’t bother using a fork and knife for this; you’ll just end up making more of a mess. Pick it up, dip it in some hot garlic sauce and pop it in your mouth. Easy peasey! 
We ordered something from every cuisine to ensure we did a decent sampling of the wares. Here’s a quick lowdown on what came out tops and what you can pass over. The Mutton Roganjosh was a robust Kashmiri curry of lamb in yoghurt and spices. This went best with the lightly seasoned pulao. The Dal Makhni was really good as well and we got a tandoori roti to complement it.  
I ordered a pot of Dum Biryani for myself because I was in the mood for something hearty. I obviously chose the Mutton Biriyani (there’s nothing that can beat the flavor)! It was heavenly – meat cooked to a perfect pink and literally falling off the bone and the rice was fluffy and soft and flavorful. I’ve always said I’d like my last meal on earth to be a biryani – there’s nothing that rocks my boat more than a one pot meal of awesomeness.  
We quickly came to realize that if you want to get your money’s worth in Linx, sticking to the oriental fare is your best bet. The Stir Fried Minced Chicken with Basil was a runaway hit and reminded me of the ones that you get on the streets of Bangkok. The Egg fried rice complemented it well, though traditionally it is eaten with plain steamed rice and a fried egg. The Stir Fried Chinese Vegetables and Greens, we choose to pair with the basic Hakka Noodles. Someone else on the table ordered Chilli Garlic Noodles and proclaimed that this beat the hakka noodles to a pulp. But I would still order the Hakka noodles if I’m planning to get a side dish as the chilli garlic one might overpower every other flavor.  
My sister ordered the Grilled Fish with Lemon Butter. Honestly, I was sniggering. Expecting to find fresh seafood in a restaurant in Bangalore, including a five star is generally a miss more that a hit. But lucky for her – the fish was fresh and cooked perfectly. And I was happy that it was not the ubiquitous Basa, but the very affable Betki. Score! The only downer was the Farfelle with Cream Sauce. Though the person who ordered it, pretty much wolfed it down, I thought it was lacking in flavor and finesse.  
The desserts were again the usual crowd pleasers – Browine with Ice cream, Ice Cream Sundae and Gulab Jamoon! Nothing to complain about. The highlight though was the Fried Ice Cream. A breaded scoop of ice cream, quickly fried and dipped in a honey sauce. The fun bit is to cut it open the hot shell and still find the cold ice cream in perfect shape inside. He he he … yes I was more excited than the kid on the table!  
I would recommend Linx for a quick bite for dinner or a good workday buffet in Whitefield. Linx also has an option to supersize your portions by adding about 200 bucks to the existing cost of a dish. For office-goers looking for a good deal – this pretty much lands it! The alcohol though, I found a tad bit overpriced (Cocktails cost Rs.385/- + taxes and a glass of Sula wine is Rs.450/- + taxes), so I would err on the side of caution while deciding to get drunk here! (But I saw enough and more people that were enjoying their tipple that night, so go ahead and splurge!) On the whole, I had a happy and satisfying meal with nothing to complain about. And on a Friday night, post work – that IS a blessing!

P.S. here’s some artwork from the very talented Bhavye. I’m amazed at the details he captured. Little Munchkin, all of nine seven years old, has a keen pair of eyes and an artistic hand! Much love… 

 

PREMIER INN Bangalore Whitefield
No 3-AI, Brookfield Main Road,
Mahadevpura, Opp IFB Campus,
Whitefield,
Bangalore – 560048
Ph: +91 80 434 88888
Cost: Appetizers from Rs.150/- onwards, Mains Rs.150 – 300/-, Buffet Rs. 399/- plus taxes.
Parking: Valet Available

Tandoori Chicken – without a Tandoor

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I don’t make Tandoori Chicken at home. When you can order the same off the restaurant across the road, it somehow seems pointless. Especially because the restaurant boasts of a tandoor (clay oven) and I don’t. And I would be a fraud to make this at home and call it ‘tandoori’ chicken when in fact – there was no tandoor to make it in!
So after struggling with this notion and willfully desisting from even venturing in that direction – the co-resident broke all the rules. He was having a barbeque party and could I please marinate some chicken for it? Sure I said, ‘What marinade do you want?’ Tandoori marinade, he cooed.  *Gasp, splutter, shaking the head in disbelief and denial*. Why don’t you just buy it off *insert name of restaurant here*, I asked. Because for a barbeque party you need to barbeque, not buy stuff and besides it’s not like you will be grilling it, just marinating it, he insisted. Sigh… that logic was sound and I’m a true believer in good logic, but it was just working against me here!
So he went and bought the chicken and the rest of the ingredients and even proceeded to wash and clean the meat. He extracted the lemon juice and set aside all the masalas for the marinade. With no excuses left, I had to succumb. I felt strangely guilty – like I was going against my ‘Do not Do’ list! In the end, I did marinate it and the co-resident turned out a beautiful tandoori chicken sans tandoor. Maybe my guilt will be assuaged if I just call it chicken barbequed in Indian spices. But that sounds long and boring. So we’ll leave it as Tandoori Chicken and I’ll add a disclaimer.

 

Tandoori Chicken
Prep time: 15 mins
Marinating time: 4 hours or overnight
Cooking time: 20-25 mins
Serves 4
What you need:
6 Chicken pieces (combination of thigh and leg, about 1 Kg)
½ Lemon, juice of
100 ml thick Yoghurt (I use Nestle set curd)
3 Tbsp Double Cream
1 Tbsp Gram Flour
1 Tbsp Garlic paste
1 Tbsp Ginger paste
2 Tbsp Chilli Powder
1 tsp Coriander powder (dhaniya)
½ tsp Cumin Powder (Jeera)
½ tsp Garam Masala
½ tsp Turmeric powder
2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil for brushing
3 Tbsp melted Butter
Salt to taste
Orange-red food coloring (optional)
To serve:
1/2 Onion, sliced
1 Lemon
½ cup chopped Corainder leaves

 

What to do:
Make 2-3 small slits in each chicken piece and place in a large non-metallic bowl. Rub in the lemon juice with some salt, cover and chill in the refrigerator for 20 mins.
In a separate bowl whisk the yoghurt, cream and gram flour to a smooth paste. Add all the remaining ingredients except the butter and oil and mix thoroughly. (You can skip the food coloring if you wish. The chicken will take on a more muted yellow color). Marinate the chicken pieces in this mixture, making sure you rub in the marinade into the slits. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight. Return to room temperature before cooking.
Preheat the grill (or if you are using a coal barbeque – make sure it’s nice and hot). Brush the rack with oil. Using a tong, lift the chicken pieces out of the marinade and put on the hot grill. Cook for four minutes and turn over and cook for another four minutes. (Generally when the chicken lifts off the grill easily you know it’s time to turn it over). Baste the chicken with a bit of the reserved marinade and cook again for 2 minutes on each side.
Now, brush the chicken with the melted butter and cook for 5-6 mins, or until charred in patches. (Trust me, the charred bits are what give the tandoori chicken character). Turn over and repeat for a further 5-6 mins or till the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the meat.
Transfer the chicken to a dish and serve with wedges of lemon and the onion-coriander mix. A mint youghurt chutney is the ideal dip. You can even make an awesome tandoori chicken roll J

 

Amiamo La Pizza – Fall in love with Pizza @ Mezzaluna (Movenpick Hotel & Spa Bangalore, BEL Circle)

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Pizza! Not the rolled-out-of-your-backyard Pizza Hut one, but the really good Italian, wood fired thin crust, topped with fantastic cheese and fresh herb variety! I mean seriously, how can you not fall in love with that one? That’s exactly what ‘Amiamo La Pizza’ means and that’s exactly what I did – fall in love with it! I generally reserve my opinions till the end of the post, but this one deserves special mention – it blew my mind and captured my heart (not to mention the little pirouette my taste buds did!).
Movenpick Hotel & Spa is hosting a gourmet pizza festival at their Italian fine-dining restaurant – Mezzaluna till the 21st of July. (Open for dinner). They have carefully put together a menu of pizzas from different regions of Italy which they have paired with wines from Moncaro. The pizzas are also offered with the choice of regular white or whole wheat crust. (I was skeptical of a whole wheat base, but once I tried it I was a convert.  It somehow tasted more earthy and rustic and stayed nice and crisp till the end). So if you want to experience the true taste of Italy just a few kilometers away from home…head to Mezzaluna.  

I looked over the menu card and everything looked extremely appetizing. Chef Antonia who designed the menu tries to answer the big question – what makes a great pizza? Apart from the combination of right ingredients and flavours – the key is the appropriate cheese. While Mozzarella is an all time favorite, I was happy to find that a wide variety of cheeses had been used in different combinations. It’s good that as part of the Chef’s Table, I got to try a slice of many different pizzas and can give you a low down on my favorites. We started with the Caprina.

The Caprina was a pizza of robust flavours like mixed wild mushrooms, roasted red peppers and salty goat’s cheese. We were off to a flying start – the flavours were beautifully complimentary and the pizza crust was crispy in all the right places. We tried this Sicilian pizza with a red table wine called Bel Colle. I’m still a novice when it comes to wine pairings, so I appreciated the fact that the hard task was already taken care of.  

The next one was a personal favourite of mine and one that had me swooning in delight. The Pizza E Fichi had balsamic marinated figs crowning some velvety slices of parma ham. This was topped with fresh ruccola leaves that added the right amount of crunch and peppery bite to the sweet and salty combination of the figs and parma ham. If there ever was a threesome that worked – this would be it! I could not stop at one slice and was reluctant to let the pie be passed around. When something works so beautifully, you really want to compliment the chef. And that is exactly why I ask Chef Thomas to take a bow! Eva Moncada (the wine consultant) suggested we try the Templi red wine with this creation – the deep full bodied wine would hold its own against the distinct triple flavours of the pizza. Also with peppery notes, it would complement the fresh ruccola perfectly.
At this point I resolved only to eat the whole wheat pies. Not because I was trying to be healthy but because they were genuinely the superior offering! The Fromaggi which is pure indulgence is a four cheese pizza. I loved how the chef had selected cheeses that not only tasted good together but also made the pizza look like a gorgeous speckling of yellow gold. While the provelone provided the base, the fontina and gorgonzola offered the colour contrast and the parmesan added to the texture. The wine for this clearly had to be a white and we paired this cheesy wonder with the Le Vele.

My pick of the day from the vegetarian creations (actually this fought a very valiant battle with the fig and ruccola pizza and toppled the earlier one over!) was the Braccio Di Ferro. Now the fact that I’m a sucker for caramelized onions in no way pumped this to the top slot. What did slowly but surely push it there, was the combination of baby spinach sautéed in garlic and the feta. The sweetness of the onion was balanced by the salty feta and the creamy texture also played a good supporting role. Every time I took a bite – the salty feta would hit my tongue first and then as my mouth savored the creaminess, the caramelized onions would add to the surprise and just when the pairing became too decadent, the garlicky spinach held it all together without overwhelming the taste buds. Really.Great.Pizza! We were told that because all the elements on the pizza were double cooked (carmalizing the onions, sautéing the spinach and then baking the pie) it would go very well with the full bodied flavor of Templi.

The next pizza from Genoa – Pizza Genovase, was a revelation. One that I assume will hit the popularity button very soon. Smoked chicken with basil pesto and roasted pine nuts. And the fontina cheese gave it the right amount of pomp! The roasted pine nuts were a very interesting addition, providing some crunch to every bite. Even though this was paired with the Templi, I much preferred the white Le Vele with it. The fresh pesto and crunchy pine nuts somehow tasted much nicer with the fruitier white.

There are some people who like to see their pizzas loaded with all the goodies in the world. In the vegetarian space that would be the Contadina. This is apparently a product of the Napoli region and all I could think of was that it is a veritable vegetable market in there! Grilled Artichokes (yes!), roasted zucchini, roasted bell peppers and mushrooms topped with sun dried tomatoes and fresh herbs! Did it work? – Hell yes!

The only pizza that din’t have me doing cartwheels was the Bufalina. I was actually looking forward to the spicy lamb pizza but was sorely disappointed as the chunky undercooked lamb let down the pizza. Even fresh Buffalo mozzarella and tomatoes could not save this one. I quickly grabbed a slice of the Contadina and took a big bite to ensure that I ended on a good note!

I probably over strategized the last slice. How could Movenpick send us home without a taste of their famed ice cream? (This was a direct result of one of the table members mentioning Strawberry ice cream + a bathtub in the same sentence – but we’ll leave that story for another day!). The ice cream was sweet and tart and even had some berries doing the peek-a-boo. Delightfully satisfying.
I said it in the beginning and I will say it again – I did fall in love with the Pizzas! And at Rs.450/- for the vegetarian pizzas and Rs.550/- for the non-vegetarian ones – it will be futile to resist. When you go there and eat the Braccio Di Ferro – will you send one home to me? *Sigh…*
MEZZALUNA
Movenpick Hotel & Spa Bangalore
115 Pipeline Road,
Near BEL Circle,
Gokula Extension,
Bangalore – 560054.
Ph: +91 80 43001000
Cost: From Rs.450/- + taxes, Wines priced at Rs.250/- per glass + taxes (promotional pricing)
Parking: Valet Available

La Tagliatella and a Girls Night out (Now Closed :( )

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A dinner date with the girls is never just a dinner date. It a rambunctious event! When eleven women meet for dinner, rest assured that’s where the party is! We chose La Tagliatella – the Italian chain restaurant. 100ft road Indiranagar (where else?) houses the first one in Bangalore and the second one in the country (Delhi’s Vasant Kunj was the first). I had already dined at their Barcelona outfit and was prepared to make space for huge portions and home style hearty Italian food. What I was unprepared for was completely missing the restaurant next to Sony world and driving around in circles. (That’s your hint – it’s next to Sony World!).
I arrived half hour later than the appointed time and no one believed my story. They claimed I had to be blind to miss the huge sign and the ‘we are now open’ banner. Sigh…! The décor can be a little too much at first glance (ok – it’s actually TOO much), but it’s in line with the rest of the chains. The theme is best described as ‘Punjabi Baroque’ – Loud, Bold and Gold. (yes, we just made that up!)
One of the girls had called the restaurant earlier to develop a set menu for us. (Ordering for 11 can be a huge pain in the a** for both the restaurant and the diners). So we were going to have a six course meal to share with unlimited mocktails. (No liquor license yet). Bread, Salad, Antipasti, Pasta, Pizza and Dolce completed the sextet.
Lets do a nice picture review shall we? Starting with the Bread. 
Pane della Tagliatella – The Bread basket.
Foccacia was the order of the day – it’s an Italian restaurant after all! We had a choice of plain, rosemary or sun dried foccacia. All of it was beautifully made but the last one clearly was my favorite. And as usual, I shamelessly filled up on it.

Insalata – The Salad.
We had a vegetarian and a non vegetarian salad and this pattern repeated itself for the rest of the meal. Me being an omnivore, had the pleasure of swinging both ways. The Mozzarella Gratinata was a mixed leaf salad with deep fried mozzarella (beats the purpose right?), sweetcorn, tomatoes, pine nuts and olives. They gave us the honey pistachio dressing on the side. The fried mozzarella was crisp and gooey at the same time and was clearly the soul of the salad. The dressing was a pleasant combination but the flavor needed to be more robust to really stand up and support the rest of the ingredients. The portions were huge and if you ever walk into La Tagliatella for a light salad lunch – then this one is not for you!

Insalata di Pate e Proscuitto d’Antara – Foie Gras was the star of the next one and as usual it started a debate on the ethics of it all. I have made peace with the fact that if I eat battery cage chickens then eating foie gras is no different, if not better. So I enjoyed the smooth, buttery almost melt in the mouth taste of the Foie pate served with duck ham, artichokes, goats cheese and preserved tomatoes. The pine nuts added the crunch to it and if I remember correctly they served us a balsamic vinaigrette to go with the salad. Rich, decadent and satisfying.

Antipasti – the Starters.
The Foccacce Liguri was a square of foccacia topped with interesting combinations of cheese. (This is where I regretted tanking up on the bread basket – when will I ever learn?!). We had one with duck ham (not very different from chicken ham actually) and Provelone (semi-hard, full fat cows milk cheese). The other one was a clear winner with Goats cheese and an onion jam – divine. The sweet and salty combo always works for me.  
The other antipasti served that night, was a shocker when it arrived. It was a bowl of cheese. No seriously, the waiter just started cutting off huge portions of cheese and ladling it on our plates. My dinner companions were groaning about all their diets going defunct! We were told that it was called Provoletta – which essentially is baked Provolone cheese. They claimed there were some grilled vegetables served with it – but I don’t remember seeing any. All I remember was that I was eating a huge chunk of melted cheese. It was tasty, but I felt like I was doing something really really bad. (If you’ve ever ODed on food – you’ll get my drift!)
Pasta – Main course.
Two kinds of ravioli were followed by two kinds of pasta. I decided to try all of them. (It’s me we’re talking about – this is normal!). Ravioli Verde was a ravioli of ricotta and vegetables with pesto verde. This one I liked instantly because the pesto was so perfect. The ravioli however I found too doughy. I like my ravioli to be more delicate.
The Sorentino was a ravioli of parmigiano, Iberian ham and sausage with Napoletana sauce. This was a total let down. Remember those readymade ‘ravioli in tomato sauce’ cans that you find in the supermarket? – this was a tad more underwhelming. The name promised a profusion of flavours and all it delivered was some cooked dough in a pale and barely there tomato sauce. I was done after two bites.
The Pappardelle (very broad flat pasta) with Napoletana sauce was boring. I figured my problem was with the Napoletana sauce (same as marinara). It just lacked a depth of flavor. And since it was the only starring element, it just didn’t have the class to carry the weight of the whole dish on its shoulders.
The Fusili Rossi with Pepperoncini e Gamberas (prawns, olive oil, garlic and chilli) was the saving grace. Beautiful flavors and perfectly cooked prawns (it also had calamari) made this something I couldn’t stop eating. The taste of the sea was evident in each bite, but not before casually being jostled over by the chili. A complete winner! 
Le Pizze – Pizza.
Yes, there was main course No.2. The girls can negotiate a hard bargain! This is where La Tagliatella raised it’s scores. Thin crust, wood-fired pizzas that someone said tasted like the ones they had in Italy. And for once, the toppings were unique.
Sette Formaggi – It literally means Seven Cheeses. While I was familiar with Quattro (four) cheese pizzas, this was the first time I had tried a pizza with seven cheeses. And the interesting bit was that we could discern the taste and textures of the different cheeses without it all becoming one big cheese melt. La Tagliatella uses parmigiano, gruyere, tallegio, pecorino, emmental and mozzarella.
Verdue Grigliate – This was the next vegetarian offering with regular tomato, mozzarella, onions, green pepper and mushrooms. The surprise element was the addition of apple slices which gave it a sweet crunch.
Caprina – This was close to a Caprese (Tomato, mozzarella and basil) pizza but the addition of goats cheese and duck ham made it more beautiful. The crumbly texture of the goat’s cheese broke the monotony of the chewy mozzarella and the duck ham provided the right amount of umami.
Affumicato – Lovers of salmon hailed this as the best pizza. With Salmon and anchovies – it’s definitely not lacking in flavor! I am a fan of neither, so I desisted from joining the brouhaha. But I can see why they would have swooned over it – delicate slices of smoked salmon glistened pink amongst the darker pink anchovies. Each bite gave you a burst of smoky, salty awesomeness that you probably can’t find anywhere else in Bangalore.
Dolce – Desserts.
If I could have only one dessert, out of a choice of three – which one would I have?
a.    Sorbetto Limone (Lemon Sorbet)
b.    Tiramisu
c.    Quattro Piccolini Ice Cream (mini scoop samplers)
d.    All of the above
If you picked option d. – you failed. Because no matter how much I love shoving my face, I like to indulge in dessert. That means going deep, taking it slow and savoring it. That again means I can’t be hobnobbing from one to the other. So I picked Tiramisu…what better way to finish an Italian meal than a quintessentially Italian dessert! Unfortunately, it let me down so badly that I was racing to eat the sorbetto. The Tiramisu was all mascarpone with just the faintest hint of the other ingredients (coffee soaked savoiardi biscuits,  marsala and cocoa)! They could have just called it Mascarpone in a cup and be done with it. Diassapointed. (Had me craving the perfect tiramisu I ate at Chianti a week ago!) The Lemon Sorbet was refreshing, but as a fellow diner pointed out – it would have been better as a palet cleanser. The ice cream, which La tagliatella prides itself on (they import it from Italy) was nothing to shout about either. It felt dry and had an almost papery taste to it. (Maybe they need to relook at the supply chain because the ones I had abroad were delish).  

We went to the restaurant on a Thursday and just a couple of weeks after they opened their doors to the public. The service was bang on and courteous and I even if I attribute it to the fact that it was a slow day – I was still pleased with it. The glasses got filled magically and the plates cleared on time and fresh cutlery served with each course. Once they get their liquor license – I can see people frequenting the place for large family outings. The food tends to be a hit and miss, but with all chain restaurants the key is to know what to order and stick to it! Here I would go with their pizzas and salads. The price is on the higher side but considering their positioning as a fine dining restaurant and the quality of ingredients used – I would say it is justified. Besides their portions are quite large and almost all dishes can be shared between two people. They have valet parking and on good days you can even sit under the shade of the huge raintree and make a romatic date out of it. You’ll need earplugs to block the noise of the traffic – but who said life was perfect!

LA TAGLIATELLA
766, Amrest Building, (Next to Sony World)
100 ft Road,
HAL II Stage, Indiranagar
Bangalore
Cost: Rs.2600/ – for a meal for two (excluding taxes and alcohol)
Parking: Valet Available