All posts filed under: Eating Out

For the love of Mustard

Published by Anita

You either love it or hate it… The smell could make you go into raptures. The taste will leave you longing for more. It’s the rather strong sensory experience called mustard. Or as they say in France, ‘moutarde’. While the western palette might be used to the slightly blander version of the French mustard, the Bengali version is definitely stronger and more potent. One can liken it to the ‘wasabi’ taste as a comparison. Good mustard should get into your nose and leave with you a feeling of sheer (culinary) pleasure. Widely used in Bengali (and Assamese) cuisine, mustard gives a fresh and unmistakable intense flavor to dishes. Teamed with fish—it’s what we Bengalis and Assamese folk crave as our comfort food. The cheery blue and white interiors of the restaurant, as we walk in, are a bit Mediterranean, but we’re assured we’re in the right place as the sign says ‘Mustard‘. The fare is Bengali and French. Might sound a bit surprising at first. But then, they are both cuisines which are centered around …

In search of the perfect dim sum: An anniversary special menu at Yauatcha

Published by Anita

A dim sum evokes all kinds of feelings in me. I associate it with comfort food. Though traditionally it was meant to be an appetiser, I can eat it any time during the day – breakfast, lunch or dinner. And in between. There are moments I could do anything for that perfect steaming mouth-watering dim sum. It’s a seemingly simple dish – but one bite and you’re in foodie heaven. If you read this detailed guide, it will tell you that dim sum means “touch the heart” – it definitely does something to mine! My fellow foodie in Bangalore, Mukta Chakravorty, braved the incessant rains (and risked being stranded thanks to our infamous local disappearing cabbies of Bangalore), and came back with this report. Enjoy and bon appétit! ~~~~ A Michelin-star restaurant, baskets of steaming hot dim sums and cocktails – perfect combination for a rain-drenched Wednesday evening. We all know how the rains in the city throws everything off course. Afraid it would put a dampener and the traffic already looking menacing, it was …

Don’t miss the seafood lovers’ delight at BBQ Nation

Published by Anita

Report contributed by Mukta Chakravorty. Good news for all seafood lovers in Bangalore! BBQ Nation is hosting a one-of-a-kind seafood festival – Treasures of the Sea – in all its outlets till February 8. On Thursday night, armed with a voracious appetite, we went to check out the fare on a special invitation. The first thing we noticed on entering the Indiranagar outlet of BBQ Nation, was that the ambience reflected the theme of the festival. So the staff were dressed in pirate hats, there were finishing nets on the ceiling, a wall that had a picture of Ariel, the mermaid. It put us in the mood to savour some of the delightful treats to come ahead. As we took our seats, we were greeted by Ritam Mukherjee, Regional Manager of the South for BBQ Nation who said that the festival was being organized for the fifth time in a row. The aim was to give seafood lovers a chance to indulge in some of the tastiest and freshest catch from the seas. The chef had ensured that the spread included a wide …

Taste of Tangra: From the kitchen of Chef Edwin

Published by Anita

Ever wondered about the origin of “Indian Chinese” cuisine? Apparently, it all started in Kolkata – the place where the Hakka community from China settled down many decades ago. Interestingly, according to this link, “One of the earliest records of immigration from China can be found in a short treatise from 1820. This records hints that the first wave of immigration was of Hakkas but does not elaborate on the professions of these immigrants.” Over a period of time, they grew to a large flourishing community initially involved in the tannery business. Over a period of time, many families closed down their business while others were moved to an area outside of the city. The New Chinatown area, where the community resides came to be known as “Tangra“. Over time, the cuisine of this community began to undergo modifications to suit the Indian palate. Coriander, chillis, cumin began to make it’s way into the dishes. What resulted was “Kolkata Chinese” or what is known today as Indian Chinese. This cuisine gained popularity rather quickly and …

Far from the madding crowd

Published by Anita

An account of our day out with the Chefs of JW Marriott, Bangalore at the First Agro Farm, Talakad. This is a guest blog post by Mukta Chakravorty, while the pictures are mine. What is the recipe for a perfect and memorable day? There may be many, but here is mine. Head someplace far from the city where you can reconnect with nature and appreciate the simpler things in life. Add to it some great company and fabulous food and voila! There you have it! So on Saturday, February 22, a bunch of us foodies, along with a group of extremely talented chefs of the JW Marriott, Bangalore headed to the First Agro Farm for a ‘Chefs’ Cook off’ session involving a taste of farm fresh food and an opportunity for the chefs to interact outside of their work environment. We had an early start and the crisp morning air helped drive away the remnants of sleep from the previous night. Chef Jolly, executive chef of JW Marriott greeted us and gave us an overview …

Heady infusions at the MBar

Published by Anita

We’re getting options these days! From a place which people looked down on (you live where?), to a happening suburb, Whitefield has come a long way. In fact, today it’s a bit of a boast to say, “I live in Whitefield”. Not only do we have 5 malls within striking distance, we also have the Marriott, Whitefield in our backyard. I recently tried the brunch at the hotel and was quite impressed by the spread. This time around, it was to check out their lounge, Mbar and the impressive selection of cocktails they have on offer. Their secret behind the potent mix that goes into the cocktails – alcohol infused with different flavours and kept in large jars for around 3 months. So imagine a vodka infused with jalapenos, or a tequila and Malibu infused with pineapples, which looks and smells really heady. These infusions are then used to prepare their range of signature cocktails. A few of us had gathered around the table that Friday evening and the Food & Beverages Director, Vivin Kuriakose …