Nifty First Dates

Helping you make the most of your first date—whatever the type you’re looking for—is our selection of restobars across the city that offer you everything from the best romanctic views in Mumbai to places where the two of you can show of your competitive side playing boardgames!   

By Raul Dias

For the music junkies
Raasta
This fourth floor, twin levelled restobar is perfect for a date night (or even afternoon!) where music is the binding factor. Offering up a selection of live music gigs with a slant towards Reggae, this place regularly hosts both local and international bands like BLOT that perform on its specially built balcony stage. With a vibe that’s pure Caribbean from its easy, laid back décor to its menu that has everything from meter high cocktails called bongtails, served up in…yes, you guessed right, bongs, to scrumptious finger food like jerked chicken and jambalaya, make sure all roads lead to Raasta for that ultimate first date.
Where: 4th Floor, Rohan plaza, Ram Krishan Nagar, Road no. 5, Khar
Call: 8655000811
Timings: 12pm to 1:30am
Approx. Cost for two with drinks and bar bites: Rs 2,000

For the city’s most romantic views
Asilo
As Mumbai’s much sought after rooftop destination at the St Regis Mumbai, Asilo is known for its decadent sundowners, lavish brunches and absolutely A-list parties. But it is also one of the most—if not THE most—picturesque places, offering unmatched vistas of the island city below. Impress your date by showing them the city from almost 40-stories high up as you two sip on cocktails like the rum and coconut based Aqua, while nibbling on sushi and smoked salmon rillettes. A great way to start something new, what say?
Where: Level 37, 462, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel
Call: 61628031
Timings: 5:30pm to 1:30am
Approx. Cost for two with drinks and bar bites: Rs 4,500

For the (board game) players!
MRP
Claiming to be Mumbai’s… nay, India’s first drinking games bar, MRP or My Regular Place for the uninitiated is a fun, casual mid-town restobar where the two of you can have a memorable first date playing all sorts of games with each other. From snakes and ladders to beer pong, each table here comes with its own box of board games with fun forfeits and wins. Among the drinks, make sure to try the Tiki Tori that’s made up of pineapple juice and three types of rums, while you fight over the last pork belly bao. Remember all is fair in love and games!
Where: Dharamputra Pritam Estate, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Rd, Lokmanya Tilak Colony, Dadar (e)
Call: 9699990036
Timings: 12pm to 3:30pm and 6pm to 1am
Approx. Cost for two with drinks and bar bites: Rs 1,500

For the urbane sophisticate
Theory
With its almost 50 shades of black interiors, including a mammoth 100 ft-long pressed charcoal island bar, Theory oozes undiluted, slinky sex appeal and is thus the perfect place for a first date that’s designed to impress and be impressed by. Dress up to the nines and wet your lips with libations like the Asian Mojito, a vermouth and gin based concoction while nibbling on delectable bar bites like the paper thinly-sliced prawn carpaccio anointed with a yuzu-sesame-soy sauce. Decadence with a capital ‘D’, this!  
Where: Unit 1 C Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mills, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel
Call: 66666506
Timings: 12pm to 4pm and 7pm to 1:30am
Approx. Cost for two with drinks and bar bites: Rs 3,750

For the shallow pocketed
The Beer Café
Don’t worry at being called a cheapskate. No one said your first date has to break the bank! With beer starting as low as Rs 169 per pint, your money will go a long way at this fun, cool-n-casual beer café chain that’s done up in cheery shades of yellow with fun bric-a-brac décor strewn about the place. Not fans of beer? TBC offers a great range of inexpensive, basic cocktails like Screwdrivers and Mojitos that pair with bar bites like buffalo chicken wings and cheese poppers.   
Where: Shop 6-7, Ground Floor, Cambata Building, 42, Maharishi Karve Road, Churchgate. (also at Powai, Andheri (w), Kamala Mills, Mahim, High Street Phoenix and even CSIA Airport)
Call: 66153510
Timings: 11am to 12:30am
Approx. Cost for two with drinks and bar bites: Rs 850

For a cozy night out
Swey
Enjoy these last few fleeting days of rain as the two of you cuddle up together on one of Swey’s rather comfortable couches and watch the calm sea below from this not-so-high rooftop Worli restobar. Done up in soothing shades of white and ivory, the huge 15,000 sq ft space is divided up into several smaller nooks, each exuding a cozy vibe. Drinks like the kale-redolent Kale-n-Hearty pair superbly with nibbles like the American fried mac-n-cheese bars and the Goan stuffed squids.
Where: 4th Floor, Atria Mall, Opposite Poonam Chambers, Doctor Annie Besant Road, Worli
Call: 9820436666
Timings: 12pm to 1:30pm and 7pm to 12am
Approx. Cost for two with drinks and bar bites: Rs 1,750

For the nervous dater
The Bandra Project
Worried about making awkward conversation on your first date? Fear not! This brand new Bandra hot-spot is so buzzing and lively, that you won’t get a chance to fumble through the date. The fun, affable staff will take the edge of your first date with their quick and efficient service as they ply you with fun cocktails given a decidedly Bandra spin like the cinnamon-citrus Bandra Fest and the lavender-gin-based Joggers Park. And don’t forget to let the small plates like the chorizo-topped ragi pancakes and the prawn potato chops do all the talking, if things get a little awkward!
Where: 602, Doctor BR Ambedkar Road, Pali Hill, Bandra
Call: 62506800
Timings: 8:30am to 1:30am
Approx. Cost for two with drinks and bar bites: Rs 2,500

(An edited version of this article appeared in the 28th August 2017 issue of the evening edition of Mid-Day newspaper, India)

A-N-A-T-O-M-I-Z-E: Bal Mithai Gateau

By Raul Dias

Blame it on the food purist in me, but the word ‘fusion’ has always been a big, bad word in my culinary lexicon. I’ve never seen merit in “consciously coupling” two (or more!) cuisines or cooking styles and coming up with a third, highly ersatz reflection of its progenitors.
But all that changed one chilly Uttarakhand evening as I sat down for a Euro-Garhwali fusion dinner on the lawns of the JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort & Spa. While the elaborate meal was a procession of dishes—like a patty made from stinging nettle, locally known as bicchu ghas—that well-referenced this unusual cuisines’ partnership, it was the dessert served at the very end that made me a convert. The Bal Mithai Gateau.
For the uninitiated like myself, bal mithai is a terrific and calorific favourite post-prandial indulgence among the Garhwalis. The brown chocolate-like fudge is the laborious result of cooking khoya (evaporated milk cream) with cane sugar, until it takes on a dark brown caramel-esque hue. When still warm, the gooey mass is rolled in small white sugar balls, not dissimilar to the homeopathic medicine ones.
In his rendition of the dessert, Chef Sidharth Bhardwaj the resort’s executive chef sends out his iteration of the bal mithai as a gateau. Here, bal mithai is combined with a vanilla sponge cake, lemon zest, meringue and whipped cream and then set in a mould. Once chilled, it is then drizzled with rose syrup and served on a plate that’s smeared with berry compote for a tart contrast.
Once ready to serve, it is covered with a pink, freshly spun cotton candy dome and flambéed table-side, aided by a splash of brandy. The melting cotton candy bonnet reveals the creamy bal mithai gateau at its core. And as the saying goes, the rest is (edible) history!

(This column first appeared in the 27th August 2017 issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on page 8 http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/food/bal-mithai-gateau/article19554198.ece)

Fancy a 9pm Fry Up?

It’s always “eggs o’clock” at these five places around the city that make it their mission to serve you the day’s most important meal—breakfast—at any old time of the day, night even. Get set for the dawn (pun unintended!) of the All-Day Breakfast 

  

By Raul Dias

Craft 
When these guys say ‘Breakfast Anytime’ they really men anytime! Using only “Kegg farms” organic, free range, tan shell eggs in all their egg dishes, this is in-keeping with the fresh produce ethos of Craft. So, this means an all-day menu replete with fun breakfast dishes like muglette which is an omelette made with cheese, cayenne pepper, sour cream and spring onion with an option for bacon, served, in... get this, a mug! Another must-try is the barbecue chicken breakfast bun made with homemade BBQ sauce, smoked applewood cheddar and a fried egg. Great ‘eggs’pectations, this.Where: Level 1, Phoenix Marketcity Kurla, LBS Marg, Kurla (w)
Call: 61802073/74
Timings: 11am to 11:45pm

The Nutcracker
The all-day brekkie offering at this otherwise all-veg Kala Ghoda café truly is an egg lover’s fantasy come true. Available in myriad avatars, the eggs shines in all its sunshine-hued glory. Choose from a selection of international favourites like Turkish eggs, truffle eggs and Israeli Shakshouka to tried-n-tested desi classics like akuri, salli eggs and the green chilli chutney-redolent eggs Kejriwal. And for those not too chuffed with scarfing down eggs, the fluffy buttermilk pancakes, chewy bagels, French toast, breakfast shakes and waffles are the stuff 9pm breakfast dreams are made of!
Where: Modern House, Dr. V.B. Gandhi Marg, Opposite One Forbes Building, Kala Ghoda, Fort
Call: 22842430
Timings: Tue-Sat 9:30am to 11pm, Monday 12pm to 11pm, Sunday 8:30am to 11pm

Café Zoe
The breakfast service at this breezy mid-town café starts as early as 7.30am and runs throughout the day fueling you up with an extensive breakfast menu. The all-day menu offers up a plethora of the world of breakfast’s greatest hits from pancakes and Belgian waffles to eggs in all and every way you like, be it a skinny white only fluffy omelette or a classic Eggs Benedict to black lentil pancakes, French toast and freshly baked breads. From the drinks’ menu, take your pick from a range of French press coffees and healthy juices. Try the ABC (apple, beetroot, carrot) juice and thank us later.
Where: Mathuradas Mills Compound, N.M Joshi Marg, Lower Parel
Call: 24902065
Timings: 7:30am to 5pm

Monkey Bar
Dubbed ‘Breakfirst Plus’ this Sunday-only, all-day brekkie bonanza is a literal feast with a ‘Monkey Twist’! The EggHead section offers everything from the egg lover’s original favourite of scrambled eggs to their interpretation of the Parsi staple with a twist—curried akuri with Malabari paratha. They also do the Lord Cubbon’s Vice which is a traditional English breakfast with the works. For those with a predilection for a sweet breakfast, there’s always the cinnamon and toffee pancakes along with French toast. The menu also offers perfect Hangover Cures with signature breakfast cocktails like the morning glory and the Bloody Monkey, along with French press coffee, masala chai, thick shakes and fresh juices.
Where: Summerville, Junction of 14th & 33rd, Linking Road, Bandra (e)
Call: 26005215
Timings: 9am to 5pm

212 All Good
Built from a promise to create incredibly wholesome food and drinks that are shy of preservatives and embrace everything that is good for your gut, the all-day breakfast menu at 212 All Good also carries forward this philosophy. Breakfast options include five kinds of granola with a choice of kefir, milk or nut mylk; eggs marinated in pickled beet juice; a no-egg scramble made from tofu; pearl millet and oat flapjacks, fresh fruit bowls, et more.​ Now, that’s a healthy way to start…err, we mean end the day!
Where: Ground Floor Grand Galleria, High Street Phoenix, Lower Parel
Call: 62216020
Timings: 9am to 12am

(An edited version of this article appeared in the 21st August 2017 issue of the evening edition of Mid-Day newspaper, India http://www.mid-day.com/articles/mumbai-food-five-mumbai-restaurants-breakfast-meals-day-night-menu-lifestyle/18522150)

Where Past and Present Meet!

An almost tropical archipelago slap bang in the middle of the Persian Gulf, Bahrain shatters every single Middle East cliché. So, ignore the searing heat and plunge yourselves into the vast depths of culture, history and unrivalled beauty that this ‘Pearl of the Gulf’ has on offer, says Raul Dias  

It’s late July and I’m in hot, hot, hottest Bahrain on a trip, that I’d been warned, will have me, to quote a friend “cooked all through with a crispy skin!” With images of a glistening roast chicken swimming in my mind, I step outside the cool confines of my plush hotel. All at once a searing blast of torrid, humid air sucker-punches me in the solar plexus. It’s not hot, it’s SEARING and barely 10 feet into my walk to the parked mini bus, I’m all but drenched in sweat.
But then I guess that’s the price you pay when you’re a die-hard traveller like me for whom dispelling myths is a joy like no other. And Bahrain is one helluva cliché buster. Think the ‘Middle East’ and think deserts, camels, vast barren lands, right? How about lush palm trees, white-sanded tropical islands and cerulean-hued coral reefs that team with myriad sea life? Yes, the 33 natural islands archipelago that is Bahrain is a curious mix of all the above descriptors and so much more…

Home to the ancient Dilmun civilisation that thrived 5,000 years ago—which believed that the secret to eternal life lay in the sea surrounding Bahrain—it is no surprise then that the nation gets its name from this myth. Apparently, the sea had certain pockets of sweet water that gushed up from underground streams and mingled with the salty water. It is this mélange—that formed two seas—to which modern Bahrain owes its name: bahr which means sea in Arabic and ‘thnain which is two.

Of Marvels—Both Ancient and Modern!
Speaking of the sea, one of the first things on my agenda is a drive up the famous King Fahd Causeway. As one of the world’s longest bridges between two countries at 25 kms, this modern architectural marvel—completed in 1986 at the cost of $1 billion—links Bahrain with Saudi Arabia and is a breathtaking sight. Although our bus couldn’t actually cross over onto the Saudi Arabia span of the bridge, we were satisfied with a sneak peek at the rather menacing-looking border security guards on the other side. 

Back on mainland Bahrain, it’s capital Manama was where we were headed next to pay obeisance to one of the island nation’s most iconic landmarks. More commonly known as the Bahrain Fort, Qal’at Al Bahrain offers a great panoramic view of both the seashore and of the capital Manama’s startlingly modern skyline. Designated as a World Heritage site in 2005, the fort comprises four elements—the moat, an ancient sea tower, a sea channel and palm grove— and is a masterpiece of the Portuguese occupation of Bahrain in the 16^th century. Interestingly, excavations at the moat are proof that there has been an unbroken occupation of the site over a 4,500-year period right from the time Bahrain was the capital of the Dilmun civilisation.

Blasts from the Past
The picturesque coastal village of Al Jasra is situated on the western coast of the country and is famous for the superbly preserved Al Jasra House. Made of coral stone and palm tree trunks, the house was built in 1907 and was the birthplace in 1933 of the former Emir (king) of Bahrain, Sheikh Isa bin Sulman Al Khalifa. The house today is maintained as a museum with everything from the old kitchen utensils to the majlis (men’s lounge) on display for visitors to get an idea of traditional Bahraini living. Al Jasra House also offers a fascinating glimpse into a not-so-distant past when wind towers (ingenious cooling systems predating air conditioning) called barjeels in Arabic dominated the Bahraini skyline.
Another reminder of Bahrain’s past, but this time as a trading stronghold is the Bab Al Bahrain at the mouth of the Manama Souq (market). Quite literally meaning ‘Gateway to Bahrain’, this gate-like structure was originally at the water’s edge when first constructed in 1945. But today, due to extensive reclamation of the sea, it is now bordered by skyscraper-infested reclaimed land and a gurgling fountain in front of it.
Undable to resist the lure of typically Bahraini spices like the zesty za’ataar, the tangy sumac and Bahrain’s favourite flavouring agent—saffron, we made our way through the souq’s meandering alleyways. And it was here that we sat down for a local meal at a small restaurant that served us a yummy lunch of the roast lamb and rice dish of qouzi with sides of hummus and the eggplant-redolent moutabel—all washed down with a glass of the sunshine-hued saffron sherbet.

Return Guaranteed?
With the brilliance of the sun still on our minds, seeing it set at another Bahraini icon—located far into the arid desert, amidst vast nothingness—seemed appropriate. Many believe that there is no better way to end your Bahrain sojourn than by placing your hands on the gnarly trunk of a 400 years old mesquite tree standing stoically alone in the desert. Called the Tree of Life—or Shajarat Al Hayat as it is fondly named by the locals, it is Bahrain’s answer to the clichéd coin toss at Rome’s Trevi Fountain. Only this one won’t cost you a dime to ensure your return to the stunning island nation. Just a good old rub of its trunk at sunset and your revisit to Bahrain is almost guaranteed.
Now that’s one wish I sincerely hope comes true!

 Pics courtesy: At Bahrain and BTEA

FACT FILE
Getting There
There are a number of daily direct flights from Mumbai to Bahrain’s capital Manama on airlines like Air India, Jet Airways and Gulf Air. Travel within Bahrain is very easy, given its small size and most places in the country are under an hour away from each other. Bahrain’s super-efficient buses, taxis and boats make travelling within the archipelago a treat! Indian passport holders need an e-visa to enter Bahrain which is very easy to procure.

When To Visit
With Bahrain enjoying a pleasant climate during the winter months and brutally hot, humid summers, the best months to travel are from November to early March when there is a gentle nip in the air and sunny skies!

Accommodation
Bahrain has an excellent selection of hotels to choose from to suit all budgets and tastes. Some of the best value-for-money options are:

·         The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain (www.ritzcarlton.com)

·         Hotel Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa (www.sofitel.com)

·         ART Rotana Hotel & Resort (www.rotana.com)

·         Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay (www.fourseasons.com)

For More Information Visit
www.btea.bh, www.at-bahrain.com 

(A shorter, edited version of this article appeared in the 19th August 2017 issue of the Afternoon Despatch & Courier newspaper, India http://www.afternoondc.in/mumbai-mix/where-past-and-present-meet/article_202485)

Foraging for Black Gold!

In perfect harmony with the “ultra-regional and ultra-seasonal” milieu of today’s forage-friendly dining scene, a summer truffle hunt in the hills surrounding Florence, guided by one of Italy’s best truffle hunters and his coffee-quaffing dog is a great primer in harvesting the earth’s ‘black gold’.

Giulio explaining the black truffle foraging process with Eda in the background

By Raul Dias

Perched upon the mist-shrouded hills, a little south of Florence, is a beige limestone home in the tiny village of Bagno a Ripoli. It’s one that’s filled with character and embellished by the patina of time. And that’s not just limited to the dusty bric-a-brac haphazardly strewn about the place. Or to the worn-out furnishings that bestow upon it a craggy, coarse countenance, well-offsetting it from the neighbouring homes on the Via di Terzano with their manicured gardens and staid facades.
Its inhabitants, Eda and Giulio Benuzzi, are a dynamic, truffle hunting duo blessed with unsurmountable amounts of vim and vigour, along with the appropriately heightened olfactory senses one would expect from them. And, as I was soon to discover that cold May morning, they are staunch sticklers for routines as well.
Up at a quarter to six every morning, the coffeed-up twosome set out for their morning walk, all bleary eyed and tousled salt-n-pepper hair, ready to eke out their existence in the undulating hills they both so love. With some of the ‘greatest hits’ of the Renaissance in full view on most days, they have very little to complain about. Vista-wise, that is. But today seems to be an aberration.
The fog is so thick that one can barely see the glistening concave top of Brunelleschi’s Duomo in Florence down below. “Let’s hope the truffle gods aren’t colluding with the weather gods today!” laughs Giulio, as Eda walks stealthily ahead. “She’s upset with me today because I’ve started limiting her coffee intake to a few drops in her bowl, instead of the usual half cup.”

Eda, the Lagotto Romagnolo breed truffle hunting dog

As you might have gathered by now, Eda is Giulio’s six-year-old Lagotto Romagnolo breed of truffle hunting dog, with a predilection for coffee, the occasional sliver of truffle, and on this occasion, moping! As for me, I was at the very early morning start of a four-hour truffle hunt with Giulio—often regarded as one of Florence’s…nay, Italy’s greatest truffle hunters—as part of the recently launched Airbnb Trips initiative that helps pairs travellers like myself with people like Giulio for curated, immersive experiences, for a fee of around Rs 4,500 in this instance. Expensive, yes. But then again, with a kilogram of black truffles selling for as much as Rs 573,000 at gourmet stores the world over, this doesn’t seem like a bad deal at all. Especially, not if you throw in the post-hunt, all-truffle brunch I was promised and greedily looking forward to.  
“Even dogs trained for work, like Eda, can tell you that truffles—or tartufo as we call them in Italian—are an expensive delicacy and love to eat them,” says Giulio, debunking the myth that dogs have an aversion to truffles, which was believed to have been the reason why they have now replaced pigs as truffle sniffing out animals. “It’s just that pigs are extremely unyielding when it comes to trying to retrieve the freshly dug-up truffles from their mouths. In fact, you often come across older truffle hunters with missing fingers that have been bitten off by their pigs. In the case of the Lagotto Romagnolo breed of dogs, being retrievers, they are perfect for foraging and more so the females as they have better concentration powers.” 
And just like that our hunt begins with Eda suddenly picking up a scent and making a dash towards a thickly wooded area behind the house. Rich, as Giulio points out, with lime-saturated, well-drained soil, that he then goes on to pick up and sniff. “This area is known for its black summer truffles called Scorzone whose spores prefer to anchor themselves in soil such as this, where the underlying geology is chalk or limestone. You will find truffles in the shade of oaks, hazelnut, chestnut, elm and poplar trees,” he says, as Eda starts furiously digging the loose soil under a juvenile oak tree that seems to have been recently foraged. “More often than not, newly grown truffles are found in spots where you last foraged. This is because the new truffle spores from the previous ones. But there’s no guaranteeing that. Which is why one can ever grow or cultivate truffles. They are the masters of their own whim and fancy.” 

Handfulls of black gold--truffles! 

As if on cue, Eda’s forepaws make contact with a knobbly, coal-like black truffle that Giulio is quick to dig up with his bare hands, blowing away errant specks of dirt that cling to it. Deceptively heavier in weight than it seems, the truffle’s aroma, or “noble funk” as Giulio prefers to call it permeates the air, with its earthy, musty scent triggering a hitherto absent, sudden hunger in me for it.
This brings things back to the now redundant truffle hunting pigs. Interestingly, when truffles are ripe, I’m told, they produce a chemical almost identical to a type of pheromone found in a male pig’s saliva. And that is also why right up until 1970, sows, more than pigs, were used to hunt the stuff. It’s nuggets of information like this and a whole lot more that’s part of the curriculum one needs to cram in order to obtain the Italian Truffle (hunting) License that Giulio got in 2003. This, four years after he gave up his managerial job in Milan at the famed e Api restaurant on a sudden whim to become a truffle hunter, where knowing what to forage for and when, is of utmost importance.
“These ones are similar to the French Périgord truffle—the most expensive truffle variety along with our very own Italian white specimen called Piedmont or Alba truffles. Though these black ones don’t smell as strong as the Périgord truffle, as we age them for a few days, the aroma does get intensified,” Giulio says, his affection for the elusive fungi irresistibly infectious, as he fishes out a tissue paper that will ensconce our debut truffle find. But there will be many more to come in the following months, as summer truffles start to ripen in May and continue fruiting right up to beginning of September. These then give way to the autumn and winter varieties like Nero Pregiato and Invernale respectively, that can be foraged till the end of January.
Back home at Casa Benuzzi, this time with a neat little cache of five, decent-sized tartufi nestled in the front pocket of Giulio’s fishing vest, both man and beast settle down for some well-earned mangiare time! Sadly, our quintet of ‘black gold’ will have to wait till they mature before eating I’m told, as Giulio deftly slices some cheese from a block.
But, in keeping with the truffle-centric leitmotif of the morning, this is no ordinary cheese that I’m ravenously chowing down upon, a flute of effervescent prosecco at hand. With its Venetian underpinning firmly in place, the pale yellow Sottocenere is a semi-soft cow’s milk cheese to which slices of truffles are added when setting. When close to maturity, the cheese is rubbed with various herbs and spices and then covered with a light layer of ash which is what gives it its rather mellifluous name Sottocenere—which in Italian means “under ash.”

The simple 'cucina rustica' meal enhanced by freshly shaved truffles back at Giulio's home

Suitably al dente spaghetti carbonara made with an unctuous emulsion of heavy cream, egg yolks, pancetta lardons and olive oil (truffle-infused, of course) is what constitutes our pasta course. Quickly anointed with a halo of black truffle shavings that cascade on to the plate, the humble dish made in the ‘cucina rustica’ home-style of Italian cooking is elevated to the gastronomic equivalent of high heaven. Each bite releasing a surge of umami je ne sais quoi.
And it’s that very same, indescribable allure of the truffle that has made it so very prized and sought after for centuries. Truly worth risking bitten off appendages…and yes, brutal, early morning wake up calls for!

Pics Rebecca Marshall

One Truffle at a Time!

·         While the elusive white truffles are mainly found in Northern and Central Italy, especially Piedmont, Tuscany and Marches, one can also find white truffles in Croatia.

·         There are also two types of Asian truffles known as the Chinese Black Truffle and the Mid-Eastern Terfez. The Chinese Black Truffle s also known as the Himalayan truffle and is found in Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal and the Szechwan and Yunnan provinces in China. On the other hand, the Terfez Truffle is also known as ‘black kame’ and it is found in the semi-arid regions of North Africa and Middle East, from Morocco to Iraq.

·         Though truffles are best eaten freshly shaved over pasta, risotto or even plain old scrambled eggs, there have been various iterations of the truffle-infused dessert such as a truffle panna cotta and a truffle sundae.

·         A fresh truffle can last for up to two weeks once wrapped in absorbent paper napkins. However, truffles preserved in olive oil can last up to three months.

·         Most bottled varieties of ‘truffle’ oil are merely oils to which a truffle identical flavouring agent such as 2,4-dithiapentane has been added.

·         While people have been eating truffles for almost 4,000 years, it’s value only increased after World War II as truffle groves planted in the 19th century stopped being productive due to soil saturation.

·         On an average, most truffles weigh between 100 to 150 grams a piece, but according to the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest truffle in the world is a 1.31 kilograms white truffle found by Giancarlo Zigante of Pototoska in 1999 near Buje in Croatia.

·         Probably India’s most expensive truffle-infused dish is the Tagliatelle with Fresh Truffles that’s available at No Vacancy restaurant and bar in Mumbai for Rs 4,450 plus taxes per serving.

(A shorter, differently edited version of this article appeared in the 19th August 2017 issue of the Mint Lounge newspaper, India http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/5RXPNbJuL1IJd2v1x9ARsI/Truffle-hunt-Foraging-for-black-gold.html)

Desi Makeovers!

From the ubiquitous curry leaf and spicy cumin seed to the piquant burst of pani puri masala and zesty shikanji, cocktails around Mumbai are imbuing themselves with all things deliciously desi with a vengeance these days!   

By Raul Dias

MMS (Monkey Masala Soda)
Monkey Bar is a well-known destination for its unconventional cocktails that junk all the rules and strike off the sugary sweet concoctions—replacing them with a host of original, hugely trendy drinks. For the MMS, kaffir lime is muddled with vodka and a house made masala soda, making for a super refreshing, simple and smooth cocktail.  “It’s no longer about regular cocktails but a whole new spin, where innovation and freshness are firmly at the forefront,” says Nakul Chandra, Brand Head, Monkey Bar.
At Summerville, 14th & 33rd Road, Ground Floor, Linking Road, Bandra West
Call 26005215
Cost Rs 320

Pani Puri Margarita
​The piquant sum of its homemade pani puri water, tequila, triple sec and citrus mix, the pani puri margarita is an ode to Mumbai’s die-hard love affair with the street food staple! “My mother’s pani puri was something I always loved as a kid. One day, it was there for dinner and I had some tequila around so I decided to experiment and it was a match made in heaven. It’s more like mother’s love mixed with my favourite spirit—tequila. Best of both worlds,” says Pranav Mody, Manager and Mixologist, The Sassy Spoon Nariman Point.
At The Sassy Spoon Nariman Point, Ground Floor, Express Towers, Nariman Point
Call 9920003500
Cost Rs 490

Roadside Mule
Tamarind and dates and all the other ingredients—like house tamarind sauce, curry leaves, cumin, ginger, ginger ale—in this cocktail are inspired by the taste of the Indian street chaat which is put together to balance the flavour of the gin and the colour of the drink. “Tamarind and dates were added to the drink to remind the drinker of Indian street food. These also lend a certain freshness to cocktail that is a take on the Moscow Mule but with the Theory magic,” says Emma Pereira, Mixologist, Theory.
At Theory, Unit 1 C Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mills, Lower Parel
Call 66666506
Cost Rs 850

Thai-quilla
‘Same-same, but different’ is an oft-heard phrase when in Thailand and the Thai-quilla cocktail is like a drinkable version of this oxymoronic saying! This Indo-Thai mélange is an amalgamation of kokum and everyone’s favourite tipple tequila, along with Thai basil and fresh lime. “Kokum also known as Indian mangosteen lends a distinct sour element that blends exceptionally well with tequila. The basil adds a Thai twist that helps the cocktail suit our restaurant’s Asian flavours philosophy,” says Farrokh Khambata, Chef and Owner, Umame.
At 1st floor, Cambata Building, Next to Eros Theatre, Churchgate
Call 61110303
Cost Rs 550

China to Kolkata
Part of the special ‘Monsoon Cocktail’ menu at Shizusan Shophouse & Bar, this cocktail is another love child of fusion! The cocktail uses peaches which are native to Northwest China and gondhoraj which literally translates to ‘king of aromas’ and is Bengal’s best kept secret ingredient. “A hybrid of mandarin orange and common lime, gondhoraj is fruitier, crisper and sharper than the regular nimbu—giving the cocktail a more distinct taste that’ll transport you to the quaint streets of Kolkata. You could say, this one’s our take on the classic Peach Margarita,” says Tanai Shirali, Director of Operations, Shizusan.
At Shizusan, Skyzone, Highstreet Phoenix, Lower Parel
Call 7045004138
Cost Rs 525

Shikanji Sour
​An Indian spin on the Whiskey Sour, this cocktail is exciting from the word go. It is a mix of Bourbon, homemade shikanji (North Indian-style limeade) puree, sweet and sour mix, rose syrup, rose water and egg white. All this is garnished with some rosemary. “Indians love shikanji and most of them love whiskey. I wanted to blend two strong yet complimenting flavours that add a natural woodyness and sweetness altogether. Shikanji adds a great fragrance as well, especially when garnished with rosemary,” says Taufeeq Shaikh, Bartender, Estella.
At Nichani Kutir, Juhu Tara Road, Juhu
Call 7999998232/7999998212
Cost Rs 625

(An edited version of this article appeared in the 7th August 2017 issue of the evening edition of Mid-Day newspaper, India http://www.mid-day.com/articles/mumabi-food-six-mumbai-bars-desi-cocktails-twist-lifestyle/18487185)

The Many Mexico Citys

With its ancient Aztec underpinnings firmly in place—while still proud of its Hispanic heritage—Mexico City is a curious blend of several cultures and artforms that add myriad facets to its multi-layered countenance. Thus, making the bustling Central American megapolis, one the world’s most fascinating cities to visit! 

By Raul Dias

It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that probably not many of us are aware that Mexico City is home to most number of museums in the world at over 160. Or that city also has over 100 art galleries, and 30 concert halls. Or that it is home to the oldest university in the Americas; the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
And it is these very impressive statistics and kudos-worthy achievements that are glossed over, as the city is often, rather unfairly vilified for having the exact same problems most cities its size are prone to, such as pollution, overpopulation and alarming traffic snarls.
But overlook its scars, tune out its din and ignore the incessant blaring of horns, and you will find yourself enjoying a city that truly was made to be appreciated and savoured. From the artistic oeuvres of the world of Frida Kahlo to the national pride-saturated National Palace and the Zócalo square at its heart, Mexico City is also the place where the wonders of an ancient civilization are very much alive and kicking to this day.
It is this same multi-layered countenance that makes it one of the world’s greatest cities to not just visit, but be a part of.

Ancient Ground Zero
As the single most definitive place to get a feel of Mexico city’s ancient Aztec pulse, the Zócalo is ironically at the very heart of the city—both geographically and metaphorically. This gargantuan square, with the enormous Mexican national flag bearing pole at its center, is believed to be the place from which the city sprung up after an eagle was spotted perched on a nopal (cactus) plant with a snake in its beak. This very same eagle-with-snake motif is the national emblem of Mexico today. Over the years, the Zócalo then became a gathering place for the local Aztec people, the site of Mexican ceremonies, the swearing in of viceroys and royal proclamations when it was the ‘Ground Zero’ of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan.
Now days, known by its more formal name, Plaza de la Constitución, it plays host to military parades, modern religious events such as the festivals of Holy Week and Corpus Christi and most importantly, the grand Independence Day ceremony of 16^th September which sees the entire city erupt in national fervour and pride every year.

Culture Confluence!
The Zócalo is also flanked by some of the most important buildings in Mexico City making it a great confluence of cultures. The most venerable of all its edifices is the Metropolitan Cathedral—the largest cathedral in the Americas, and seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico. Built in sections from 1573 to 1813 around the original church that was constructed soon after the Spanish conquest of Tenochtitlan, the cathedral that stands today is an imposing structure with four façades that contain portals flanked with columns and statues. The two bell towers on either side towers contain a total of 25 bells, each ringing in the hours of the day.
Adjacent to the cathedral is the Templo Mayor which was one of the main temples of the ancient Aztec capital. Today a museum, the Templo Mayor is also known as Huei Teocalli in the Nahuatl language and dedicated simultaneously to two Gods, Huitzilopochtli, the God of war, and Tlaloc, the God of rain and agriculture, each of which had a shrine at the top of the pyramid with separate staircases. Interestingly, far from being a dead language, Nahuatl is still widely spoken by the modern-day descendants of the Aztecs who can be seen putting up skits and dance performances just outside the museum every day of the year.

National Pride
Opposite the Templo Mayor, the National Palace is sure to take your breath away with its sheer scale and grandeur, both from outside with its red tezontle façade and from within. Today, home to some of the offices of both the Federal Treasury and the National Archives, the over 200 meters long building is bordered on the north and south by two towers and includes three main doorways.
‘Surrender’ your passport to the east gate guard in exchange for a free entry pass, and you can wander through the pristine central courtyard with its famed octagonal water fountain at its core. The colourful mural by Diego Rivera along the wall of the grand stairwell depicting both ancient Aztec life and the Hispanic rule is a living tribute to the artist, who, along with his wife, the legendary self-portrait painter Frida Kahlo are revered as Mexican treasures. But more on Frida and Diego later.
On the first floor of the palace is the wonderfully curated Juárez Museum dedicated to another Mexican hero—former president Benito Juárez who lived here during the end of his term and where he died on July 18, 1872. The relics of Juárez and his wife Margarita Maza, including their bedroom, living room and study have been preserved, complete with a number of objects belonging to the couple.

Art Attack
To discount Mexico City’s indelible mark left on the world of art would be doing a grave injustice to this highly culturally nuanced city. And we’re not just speaking of paintings and sculptures, however breathtaking they may be! It is the performing arts that will leave you equally spell-bound.
One of the most cost effective…nay, free ways to immerse yourself is by turning up at the Plaza Garibaldi in the Centro neighbourhood of the city in the evenings. Here, once the sun goes down, bands of frilly shirted and wide brimmed hatted Mariachis begin to toot their trumpets and strum their guitars, as light-footed locals dance the night away. And speaking of dance, why not get a hands-on, err, we mean ‘feet-on’ experience? Just join the free Tango classes held every Sunday at 5pm in Parque Mexico and let the Latin vibe reverberate through your body.
But no trip to Mexico City can ever be complete without paying obeisance at the altar of its most beloved artist and daughter. Yes, Frida Kahlo in all her colourful, almost kitschy brilliance is best referenced at the Museo Frida Kahlo located in the Colonia del Carmen neighborhood of Coyoacán.
La Casa Azul or the blue house as it is known locally is where the unibrowed icon was born, grew up and eventually died in 1954 at 47 years-of-age. Today, it houses not only her rather evocative works, like one of her last pieces called El marxismo dará salud—that depicts her throwing away her crutches after recovering from her infamous 1925 bus accident—but also works of other artists like José María Velasco, Paul Klee and her beloved Diego Rivera.

And just like that; with its ancient Aztec heartbeat, with the pulsating rhythms of the Tango and the Mariachi. And with those bold, bohemian strokes in Frida’s paintings, the multiplicity that is Mexico City seeps into your very being, leaving you breathless, yet supremely enchanted and in desperate want for more... 

Weird-n-Wacky Mexico City!

·         La Isla de la Muñecas or the ‘Island of the Dolls’ on Teshuilo Lake in the Xochimilco canals in the city’s suburbs is where Don Julian Santana, has, for the last 50 years, been collecting lost dolls from the canals and the trash near his island home and stinging them up on the trees, making for a truly eerie sight.

·         The Sonora Market is probably the world’s largest market dedicated solely to Voodoo and witchcraft, with stalls selling everything from hexes to love potions and virility-enhancing unguents.

·         The Santa Muerte or ‘Saint Death’ shrine in the heart of the city is in honour of the rather macabre angel of death which is a local Mexico City Catholic deity depicted by a skeleton statue.

·         El Museo de El Carmen is where you will come face to face with over a dozen mummified corpses, believed to be 17th-century friars of the Carmelite order.

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the August 2017 issue of Jetwings Domestic in-flight magazine of Jet Airwayshttp://www.jetairways.com/EN/IN/jetexperience/magazines.aspx)