Raising the bar

From the usual suspects to the supremely weird, Raul Dias draws up a top 10 list of the all time favourite and ultra popular bar snacks that can be found jostling for space on any bar top the world over 

1. Popcorn: Now before all you self-righteous booze lovers get your boxers in a bunch over the inclusion of ‘sissy food’ like popcorn in a sacrosanct list such as this, let us set the record straight, we aren’t talking about some random cheesy or caramel-flavoured popcorn here. How about some popcorn that’s been tossed with a luxurious truffle-infused butter? Well, the spiffy Suba in New York does it and so should you!
2. Pistachios: Move over peanuts and macadamia nuts, Pistachios put a whole new spin on bar snacking. Enjoying a revival of sorts, pistachios are the king of all nuts as far as bar snacks go and the Wonderful Californian variety harvested in the Lost Hills region are simply the best. Plain, salted, peppered or eaten with a dash of tangy lime and spicy chili, its time to grab your nuts guys… err! we mean the pistachio kind.
3. Kababs: No great Indian drinking session would be complete without a round of some succulent kababs. Nargisi, shami, reshmi, galouti… the list can go on and on. Perfect with anything from a cold beer to a frou frou cocktail to a warming glass of spicy pinot noir, kabab and sharaab are great barfellows. Hic hic hurray to that!
4. Edamame: If your tipple doesn’t do it for you then a bowl of unshelled edamame will surely get you addicted. Simply put, Edamame are unripe green soybeans that are generally found in Japan. Once tossed with a little smoky salt, they become a bar snack as international as its drink counterpart -- the subtle and delicate sake rice wine.
5. Fried Crickets: Yes, you read right and no that wasn’t a typo. Deep fried crickets and other creepy crawlies dusted with a piquant spice mix is a common staple in bars all over Thailand and Taiwan, best enjoyed piping hot and straight out of the wok. Now about discussing that cricket score over a bowl of crickets?
6. Buffalo Wings: All American and tasty as sin, buffalo wings are often thought of as the ultimate in bar snacks. All they are, are chicken wings marinated in a spicy sauce, broiled, served with blue cheese sauce and a whole load of attitude thrown in for good measure, American style!
7. Pretzels: Although Germanic in their origin, pretzels are now another type of bar snacks like the other P… pizza that the Americans have ‘borrowed’ from Europe. Much like bread, pretzels are made from dough, baked to crispy perfection and then either salted or sugared according to your taste. Although best with beer, pretzels have been known to work superbly with whisky as well. Cheers to that.
8. Bee Pupae: If you thought fried crickets were the limit then chew on this (literally!). A must-have at any bar in the South East Asian nation of Laos, deep fried bee pupae are a delicacy any self-respecting, drink guzzling Laotian would give his right arm to partake in. To bee or not to bee, shouldn’t be a question you ask yourself when in Laos. Just do it!
9. Scotch Eggs: A disclaimer first. No scotch goes into the making of this typically Brit bar snack. Although a lot may be consumed alongside it! A soft-cooked egg, swathed in peppery pork and crisp breadcrumbs, a scotch egg is a thing of true beauty. The Bull & Last on Highgate Road, London, is famed for its scotch egg that has a legion of salivating patrons.
10. Bhujia: No bar snack list would work without this ‘you-can’t-just-have-one-bite’ desi snack. Made either from gram or potato flour and then deep fried, these vermicelli-like short straws are irresistible. A dash of lime and chaat masala sprinkled atop a bowl ofbhujia is enough to transport you to another realm of ecstasy… that is if the alcohol hasn’t already.

(First published in the November 2010 issue of The Man magazine)

Raul On The Prowl! The November Column

A true jewel of the Indian Ocean, The Maldives are the perfect holiday destination for some high level pampering, says Raul Dias who checks into the Medhufushi Island Resort in search of just that…

Aquamarine, cerulean, cobalt… your mind is constantly searching for synonyms of the colour blue as your eyes get their first glimpse of the breath-taking waters of The Maldives from the tiny little seaplane that takes you from the main airport on the island of Hulhule to your destination. In my case, I was headed to the lovely little island resort of Medhufushi that is part of the southern Meemu Atoll chain of islands for two days of some hardcore rest and relaxation.    
Creating quite a dramatic entrance with its boisterous ocean landing and splashing water everywhere, my seaplane deposited me and six other pleasure seekers on a wooden jetty, slap bang in front of the welcome cabana where tall and refreshing welcome drinks awaited us while a resort representative filled us in with what in store for the next 48 hours. Spa sessions, fine dining, dolphin watching excursions and a lot more apparently…I couldn’t wait to get started!
Checking into my stunning beach front villa, I was amazed to find that not only was it a self-contained unit made from thatched palm fronds and bamboo, but it also had an outdoor open air shower that gave al fresco bathing a whole new meaning. Ignoring the nagging urge to curl up on the giant bed and watch a spot of telly, I sauntered down to the spa, housed in a wooden villa in the middle of the ocean for my hour-long soothing Balinese massage that was just what the doctor ordered after a grueling 12 hour flight.
Later, the incessant rumblings of my belly were silenced with a dinner offering of some of the most amazing sushi and Vietnamese rice paper rolls, I have ever had the privilege of gourmandizing, along with a refreshing coconut water-lychee nectar-white rum cocktail. The setting for this perfect meal was the resort’s Malaafaiy restaurant that is located besides the infinity pool, offering some awesome buffet style breakfast, lunch and dinner with culinary influences from around the world.
Back in my villa after all that papering, I hit the pillow and was instantly transported to the land of Zzzzs with dreams of even more spoiling sessions the next day. Up and early on day two, I opted for a rather frugal in-room breakfast of just fruit and juice as I had my diving lesson to think of a few minutes later at the resort’s diving center. Operated by the German company Werner Lau, the diving center is the place where an international team of diving instructors will lead you to the underworld pleasures of Meemu Atoll. All suited and geared up, I took to the water like a proverbial fish and enjoyed every moment of my three hour beginner’s diving lesson that was more fun than intense as I had expected it to be swimming along side fish of every hue and shape.
The Alfresco restaurant was the venue for a hearty lunch of squid-ink ravioli and eggplant for starters, along with a duo of salmon and streak teriyaki as the main course and finished off with a potent shot of espresso to keep me from falling asleep after a meal of such decadent proportions. Since the late afternoon is the perfect time to catch a glimpse of the pranksters of the deep--the dolphins, my guide Ahmed suggested that we head off immediately after lunch and so we did just that. Merely five minutes into our boat ride and Ahmed pointed out a group of playful dolphins who had come right up to the front of the boat frolicking in all their glory. A little while ahead another group came up to say “hello” in their squeaky language of hoots and shrill calls.
Returning to Medhufushi at around 7pm, a true Maldivian feast of some amazing chicken curry, rice and a unique dry dish of tuna flakes mixed with coconut called mashuni awaited me at the Malaafaiy restaurant. And as I ate my final dinner, engulfed in the sound of the traditional Maldivian folk band, I realized that this is probably the closest I have ever come (and may ever come!) to being a part of paradise…

(First published in the November 2010 issue of Shout magazine)