The Guppy Yuppy

funny this comes at a time when the restaurant is closing for the season….

Click here to be directed on my foodie experience at the Guppy by ai pop-up restaurant at Olive in the Racecourse, Mahalaxmi

An early and feeble attempt at dissecting a dining experience with a little bit more skill (and thought) than mere table manners.

Sunday ke Sunday

I have been in Mumbai all through March, and I dare say that it has been a vibrant and activity-filled month. Some would even say, it has been hot and happening.

First up - the jewelry house I have worked with since 2010 opened its flagship boutique in Mumbai amidst great pomp and style in Kala Ghoda. The NIRAV MODI boutique is housed in a beautiful heritage building and the space has been used cleverly and stylishly, reflecting the aesthetic vision of the brand's creative head Mr. Modi.  The novel use of space must be attributed to another creative genius, Spanish-based Jamie Hayon (pronounced “Haymee”). But most importantly, the jewels have found their rightful place in the creative display vitrines with intricately crafted paper art. It is a matter of great pride that I look forward to welcoming guests and friends to the boutique, knowing that the jewels on display in this wonderful setting shall enthrall them.

Put a Bow on it!

Girl Crush moment with Lisa Haydon

 

Welcome to my Office!

Kala Ghoda is shaping out to be a great address for shoppers and city folks to hang out in, with its quaint pedestrian streets, terrific eateries, chic boutiques and of course, art galleries a plenty. The periwinkle-blue synagogue in the heart of the district makes for the perfect picture postcard. The city's oldest music store, The Rhythm House has also spruced up its facade with an eye-popping blue and yellow coat of paint. With many age-old haunts like Khyber, Chetana thali, The Golden Thimble still holding their own, I hope the area continues to flourish and attract more stand-alone entities to add to its collection. It is the one part of South Mumbai that has an eclectic energy to it with such a diverse offering. The edgy-artsy-hipster vibe is definitely what the city needs and I am most glad that it so close to home! For my parents and their friends, the closing of the Cafe Samovar in the Jehangir Art gallery has been the source of huge waves of nostalgia and sadness as it closes down after 50 years of service...Alas, hopefully it signals the beginning of something new and wonderful none the less.

Saturday workstation at The Pantry

 

Lovely new tea house

Sabyasachi's resort show was at the (now) defunct and iconic Richardson and Cruddas warehouse two Sundays ago. What the collection lacked in terms of the Sabya touch was amply made up by the drama of the unique location and the star-studded front row guests. Sabyasachi epitomises success in contemporary Indian fashion wear for Indians in India and elsewhere and continues to hold fort as the leading bridal couturier. The show was a sharp departure from his usual style; say the critics, but in my "fashion outsider" eyes, it was quite simply, blah. Most blah were the gawky, awkward models, who walked for him - poor body language and catwalk style. Was Sabya making a subliminal statement of “Let's mix it up”, with the unexpected psychedelic laser light show and the 70’s retro remix music that replaced the antique chandliers, mogra-infused haze and Satyajit Ray music?

 

Speaking of organisation, Anamika Khanna was the closing designer for the Fashion Week and three hours before the show, political goons came and shut down the show at its original venue - the spectacular Bhau Daji Lad museum.

But, the Show Must Go On and contrary to their violent and regressive vision of the political mafiosi, the fashion fraternity showed a harmonious and productive spirit. The show venue was changed to the Palladium hotel lobby and the entire production and choreography had to be changed, naturally. All the guests still came to show support and feast their eyes on the ethereal garments. Sure, there was a long delay and a poor execution of a new seating plan, but when the show eventually started, all these hassles were forgotten. African Goddess meets Earthly Nymph was the look and the feel of the models with their dewy, wet hair, red wine stained mouths and strong eyes. Designed by AK’s equally talented sister, Suhanie Pittie, the accessories were very eye-catching.

The rest of the fashion week continued on at the new venue - the Palladium Hotel and I did happen to see a few more shows of young designers presenting their work on the New Talent runways. Afterwards, walking through the stalls, I was just amazed at the powerhouse of talent they had. I saw such great work and workmanship in the garments on display. The Indian hand is golden in my opinion, and it angers me when I see the great Western design houses borrow so greedily into our deep talent pool. Buying cheap, only to sell it back to us...! When will we learn to show pride in our metier and ancient know-how? Mostly, when will we have the discipline to make a uniform, international level product. I don't mean to lament, because I do see a sense of organisation kicking in (Nirav Modi, Sabyasachi stand as case in point) and I look forward to strolling down the Avenue Montaigne's of the world and spotting Indian brands commanding top spots in the international retail map.

Stand-alone eateries are much welcome in Mumbai, especially when it is not just the vibe of the place that is cool, but the food is terrific. The latest addition to the local food scene is The Bombay Canteen at Kamala Mills. Opening 6 weeks ago, it is impossible to get a last-minute reservation here and the aam janta’s reviews on the food have been terrific. So it became the restaurant venue of choice for a big, fat family get-together on account of my New York-based sister’s milestone birthday celebration. Arriving there a little bit before the reservation time, I was tired-famished-thirsty all at the same time. The restaurant was buzzing with all the tables occupied and the bar was busy too. Finding myself a spot, I grabbed the menu, which resembled an accounts ledger (taking me back to my school days – Accounts was my favourite subject!). A quick scan of the cocktail menu, I picked the Tar-Booze (vodka, watermelon juice, kala namak) and then pondered over what appetizer to pair it with. I didn’t need to ponder too long as I was approached by a server carrying a tray of “pick-and-eat” bites, adorably called “Chintoos” priced at a swet Rs.40 for the vegetarian (lotus stem fritters with chaat masala) and Rs. 60 for the non-vegetarian (Deviled eggs served in the egg white) selection. How clever was that! Hungrily attacking the bites and washing it back with the yummy drink, I was quickly relieved of my earlier disposition. When the rest of the group came and we were seated at our table within the art-deco inspired glasshouse, the chintoos were ordered by the tray! The final verdict was that it had been a superb meal – the Raan was the clear winner and warranted its 24 hour advance order. For me, the banana leaf steamed snapper and the thepla tackos were the winners, not to mention the ridiculously humble coconut rice, which I could eat sans accompaniments. My only grouse was the poor acoustics and high sound level that rung through the period I was there, definitely making it impossible to enjoy a polite dinner table banter. I nearly lost my voice on account of bellowing over the music level (perhaps the icy cocktail played its part too). I look forward to discovering the rest of the menu, especially the dessert section, soon and wish the young, talented team behind this venture tremendous success.

( A good review can be found at:http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/zk2mYgKTdBMCfQ8it8yJCK/FOOD-REVIEW-Bombay-Canteen-Mumbai.html )

 

 

And slowing down the manic month a tad, was an evening at the movies (Inox of course!), whilst eating popcorn and watching Cinderella.

Sigh

It's true - there ain’t no romance, like a Disney romance and the 2015 adaptation of the classic Cinderella doesn’t disappoint. Staying absolutely true to the story, the movie maker didn’t muck up the tried-and-tested formula by adding any gimmick. Director Kenneth Branagh and screenwriter Chris Weitz have grounded this romantic tale with sincerity amid the dazzle. Perfectly cast, every character was easy to relate with. The beautiful Lily James (Lady Rose from Downton Abbey) as the humble, obedient, beauty wins over your heart from the very beginning. Cate Blanchett plays the evil stepmother effortlessly and brilliantly, along with her two awkward daughters, as the cruel step sisters.

In these fragile times that we live in, it is very important to remain positive, focused, optimistic and retain innocence. The arts, particularly movies often work as therapy. And watching Cinderella that evening along with my sisters and friends like sisters, proved to be a therapeutic session for me. Perhaps it would have also worked as a suitable alternative therapy for Andreas Lubitz.

We are our own monsters.

Yet another air calamity has hit the news with the Germanwings crash in the deep ravines of the French Alps. The devastation of this incident is compounded by the fact that the utterly young (27) co-pilot was in a distressed and disturbed state of mind and as a consequence, can be held responsible for ending his own life, along with that of the remaining 151 passengers on board the flight. Young people today have such bizarre mental activities. In India, little is known of clinical depression – what triggers it, how to treat it and what its possible repercussions maybe. Perhaps this horrific incident turns attention to this modern-day killer and raises awareness on how to identify it and help those suffering from it.

I am definitely going to begin my spring fling with a greater endeavor to continue the practice of gratitude and always remember to Be Kind and Have Courage

Right it out

Isn’t it funny how much time, energy and emotion we put into and onto people, events and activities that don’t do anything good for you. Well, I certainly have wasted precious hours and copious tears on irrelevant matters and am sure will do so in the future but hopefully less and less.

I haven’t written for so long and it’s a shame really for myself (I know I don’t have a gala of expectant readers waiting for my next post...or do I, now!?) since this is an activity that can be quite therapeutic and reflective. In my self-created whirlwind of mental activity (read: confusion) expressing my thoughts out does help clear the dusty haze a little bit and help me see beyond these distracting clouds of confusion that I seem to be walking through now a days.

So, Sunday NOTE TO SELF: Write it out

Back to what I like discussing: Food and Movies in the city; and I have lots of updates on both.

Let’s start with the food feature of the post, #Gagganrock (the official hashtag) up in Mumbai last weekend. The 36 year old maverick chef Gaggan Anand hit the city of Mumbai with a series of private sit-down dinners and also some twitter-advocated roaming food trucks, hitting a large audience from well-traveled palettes to the aam after-work aadmi.....True to his flamboyant style, he pulled off quite a show and had enough tongues wagging on the subject of his food and his craft. Here is a guy with quite a bio to reckon with, starting young, working hard and rebelling early. He is currently based in the city of Bangkok with his award winning, eponymous titled restaurant, Gaggan. Having the chance of dining at it precisely one year ago, it was a meal that I certainly haven’t forgotten. Experiencing his food lab was quite an experience and I vividly remember all that I ate (12 courses!) and drank. The concept is pretty easy, there’s three offers on the menu, going from a basic 10 course to 12 course and lastly, 15 course offer. Beyond that is his growing wine cellar and of course, the lab continues to experiment with its Gaggan signature cocktails. I will never forget his imaginative interpretation of a Long Island Iced Tea. 

The food concept stems from molecular gastronomy (he continues to collaborate with El Bulli) and I know that the chef doesn’t like the use of that word (molecular) but essentially it really is that. Every course of your meal is an act in a play, making the experience like going to the theatre. In Mumbai, I was lucky to plus-one myself to a privately hosted dinner with other patrons of highly discerning taste (think hoteliers, food critics, corporation heads and other chefs). My mother had been most looking forward to this evening as she had not been with us in BKK, and had to make do with our rave-reviews on it. 

Ironically enough, she was left untouched by the Gaggan experience and perhaps even a little hungry, if that is possible at the end of 15 courses! Yes, the food is a bit gimmicky and I felt I had “been there, done that”.  Indian food is challenging to experiment with and I am coming to believe that perhaps it is too tough to do a proper cross-over cuisine with our Desi dishes - they are better enjoyed the good ol’ fashioned way. Pretty plates and quirky names do make dishes amusing, but don’t entirely work at making it tasty. Especially for an Indian diner who craves something a bit more real and substantial, more so when he is paying a steep price for the meal. This kind of food works better to the more gentle taste-buds of travelers.

 I would give Gaggan a huge kudos for his originality, creativity and crazy-food-scientist approach..he his only at the helm of his career and am certain his innate intelligence and rockstar personality will propel him to the better and greater. I look forward to trying his food some years at another international destination. Keep the Indian flag flying high!

So Fresh - a caviar and nitrogen infused sorbet-esque cocktail

I am not your Michelin-star going gal, but a few months ago, I stumbled into a delightful restaurant in Grenada that was in the that I was staying at. My favourite meal of my entire vacation was at La Fábula Restaurante under the guidance of Chef Ismael Delgado. Nothing beats eating dinner at 8 pm with the sun still out, in a lovely courtyard with fountain et all in a charming and historic town with flamenco music playing some where down the street as dinner-time music. With a giant rose stuck furiously in my hair, an accessory that I felt necessary for the flamenco performance I would go to watch later that evening, I was the first guest to the restaurant that evening. In Spain, people don’t eat before 10 pm so the kitchen was not up and about. Luckily, I had told the Front Desk that dinner couldn’t be later as I would then miss the performance, something i didn’t want to have to do given my one night in Grenada. The Chef was telephoned and he agreed to serve me early. He was charming and confident, asking us a few key questions (allergies, food preference and wine preference) and told me to trust him with what would soon arrive to the table...Okay then. When in Rome....

Soon came a whimsical plate of what I thought was table art only to realise it was the Amuse Bouche sent by the Chef. and amusing it certainly was! Have a look:

Too cute to eat, but of course I did!

A special fork for my fish entree

Each of the items, was delicious and different. every bite unraveled a novel taste and sensation. The local white wine selected by the maitre’d was terrific. I would return to that town for the wonderful Gilda. Pure and light, like water....The two courses that followed were magical as well. Real food, no tricks. Dessert was skipped in favour of some more vino. Here was a chef who otherwise served dinner to his patrons over an average meal-time of 2 hours, 15 minutes and didn’t want to lower his style because I had to scamper off and eat an exquisite meal so hastily. He was humble yet proud and spent time explaining his creations. 

In the case of both these chefs who were similarly aged and had each gone through the discipline of working as executive chefs with leading hotel groups in international destinations; they also got the extra mark because of the way they handled their supporting staff and team, introducing each by name and telling me (the diner) on what that person was good at. This goes a long way when building a career and creating a positive dining experience and developing a dedicated group of patrons who would in fact, think of re-visiting a city only to go back to these restaurants for an inspiring meal.

Things that make me go mmm....Manish Dayal as Hassan in the Hundred Foot Journey currently tops that list. We know that girls get very impressed with guys who do good in the kitchen. So when you are served the most delectable omlette from the hands of an awfully cute baawarchi with his molten-chocolate eyes maintaining a steady gaze as you take that first bite, it is easy to say that it’s going to be one of the best eggs you might ever have! The wonderfully charming movie with its heart-breaking young leads (Manish Dayal and Charlotte Le Bon) and the fantastic cast made this movie one of my favourite food movies of all times. In the same week I watched Chef and enjoyed it thoroughly too. In this case, the chef in question was definitely no Hasan but his young son was certainly a cutie! 
Both movies are very different, but food is a basic and universal theme and when a foodie movie keeps it real and doesn’t stray away from the essence, it turns out well. Both movies dealt with the delicate and oft turbulent relationship between a father and son. Also, important to note is that both movies the male protagonists would never have enjoyed the success that they did, if there wasn't the support and prod given by the feminine forces in their lives. 

South Mumbai is in need for independent eateries and with a growing dining culture, hungry mumbaikars always look forward to something new opening up. Japanese food has been a worldwide favourite for the past 10 odd years and Mumbai seems to have lately got a couple of new japo joints. High up on my must try list is Saizen (the old Tetsuma) in Colaba, which has gotten encouraging reviews for food and value. Yukka another new one at the snazzy Palldium hotel has generated a bit of a buzz with the swish set. I am yet to hear very positive recommendations on it to make me venture to it. A little earlier, Guppy by Ai opened its Mumbai kitchen at the Racecourse. I have been to the Delhi restaurant twice and enjoyed it sufficiently for its kitschy vibe and fair food. Its Mumbai counterpart is apparently not very good and over-priced. Since I like stand-alone restaurants, I plan to give it a go soon too and decide for myself. Hold the wasabi until then.

I had a rather mellow weekend and a particularly homely Sunday. I did a bit of food-labbing myself today recycling last night’s dinner leftovers today at lunch with a Tandoori chicken salad, which turned out very good. And for dinner, I attempted  to stay healthy with a sesame-crusted baked salmon filet. The outcome was very average making me a bit anxious of my culinary skills since cooking salmon is for kitchen dummies. 

It is really peculiar that the most well-known chefs around the world and in India are all men. Including the baawarchis and maharajas that work in our homes. Yet, it is assumed that women must be able to cook simply because we are the fairer sex and this is what the universe (men folk) expect of us. Our God given destiny!!! Clearing through that controversy chef Ritu Dalmia. A really inspiring female chef who has been consistently dishing out  excellent food and series of Diva restaurants to lucky diners in the capital city. She is no Tarla Dalal or Nigella Lawson and has the spunk, talent and discipline to make it bigger. My little wish is for her to find a spot in Mumbai soon - we need you here!!

As I make way to get it RIGHT, I hope to write again soon, but don't be too mad if I am spending time on mastering the art of preparing the essential yellow dal and the perfectly round roti - diaries of Belan Babe out soon! 

Fantastique

I am one of those lame people, who pretends to be uber healthy - lending the impression of being very selective and particular in my choice of foods. I love to say, "I just had a great run" or "Can you pass me a bag of pumpkin seeds?" and "I am craving a soya tofu burger" .

All of the above is true indeed. I honestly do love things that are bottled, packaged, labeled "ORGANIC" and "BIO". They are usually sold in a recycled material package and look raw and (un)appealing to most! The problem with me is my robust appetite, I eat a lot of the stuff when I eat. Thus kicking away any of the healthy benefits!
But hey - its the endeavor that counts, right?And in some way, I feel like I am doing a good thing not just for my self, but for society at large, by making a healthier choice.

So in keeping with this lifestyle choice, I am a huge proponent of ORGANIC LIVING. Marketers for organic food stuff would have a field day with me, being such a soft target for their wares.
Internationally, organic food has been around a while, and it became fashionable, cool and moralistic to consume some where around 2004. I remember visiting California in 2005 and getting introduced to organic food stuff..There is particularly trendy cafe in L.A called the Urth Cafe that was (and still is) the place to be. Every one around me was perfectly slim, perfectly tan and perfectly blonde - sipping on their ice lattes and organic grain muffins.

I was there for other reasons however - star struck and hopeful (hopeless, more like it!) with the idea of bumping into Vinnie or one of his entourage boys there!

Adrian Grenier celebrating his b'day at the Urth Cafe

Over the years, I have found several hood halls, super markets and street markets that are a real mecca for o-foods. One of my top fav's is the Whole Foods Market...a trip to NYC a few summers ago was had with a daily pit-stop at WF. I ending up spending a lot of  my "shopping money" on quinoa, barley, soy milk shakes, organic strawberries; instead of on  soho fashion delights.
In my time spent in Dubai, no weekend was complete without a mug of the house coffee with carrot cake and Abhijay at the Organic Cafe in Jumeirah. It was a sacred ritual that I miss very often!

When I was working in Paris, I was in an office filled with incredibly tall, skinny and well-heeled fashionistas and if you wanted to make a lunch plan with them, you had to be prepared for a no-salt, no-fuss, bio lunch chez Cojean. (www.cojean.fr)

It was hilarious because the company we worked for had over 2000 employees and a tiny little cafeteria that served hot, good food. Given the supply/demand crisis, the cafeteria was always very full unless you went very early or very late. Instead, we were given restaurant tickets to lunch elsewhere...The 9 euro coupon bought you a few grains of this and a few leaves of that at Cojean versus the 4 course hearty meal one would get at the cafeteria in under 5 euros! Initially, all the tick-tock ladies would be storming towards Cojean but come the harsh winter, those very ladies would be in line, smoking away furiously waiting to enter the humble cafeteria!


In Bombay, I don't get the choice as is available abroad, the concept is still very new and it isn't very interesting for the retailers either. The products are too expensive and the consumers don't have sufficient knowledge to make the organic choice when making a trip to the grocery store. There are some note worthy initiatives like Kavita Mukhi's line of products under the brand, Conscious Foods. She also organises a Famers Market of Fresh Produce in Bandra/Race Course every sunday. This initiative puts the farmers in direct contact with the consumers and eliminates the ruthless middlemen. I think we have already missed the last market for the season, but you can find Conscious Foods products at any big grocery store. (www.farmersmarket.co.in)

 This weekend, I went wild gorging on the yummiest new organic treat - the organic chocolates by Fantasie, Chocolates - Zeba Kohli. I found them to be reminiscent of chocolates by this Swiss chocolatier, Tristan, who specialises in hand made chocolates which people just die for. Operating from one location- a tiny village outside Geneva called Bougy-Villars, the chocolatier is well-known and celebrated amongst the cacoa connoseirs and those "who know". So I was rather pleasantly surprised with Zeba's new offering which was so much like the Tristans in look and taste.

On Sunday, I was trying to explain to my friends just how awesome these chocolates were and my explanation to them went some thing like this, "guys, you got to try these new chocolates by Fantasie. You know the store at Kemps Corner? They have just launched a line or organic chocolates and they're really good....when you open the box and you have them, they are soooo good." They looked at one another and then at me, expecting I had something more to say. Did the story go anywhere? All I could muster was, "They are good. Verrrry Good"
Sure enough,  I was ridiculed for my lack of articulation and clearly didn't successfully sell them the chocs. To my defense, these chocolates are just very yummy. So very yummy, that I am unable to describe them. So go grab yourself a box soon!

Ok, that's all for me, it is tea time now....Tulsi organic green tea, what else?