Saturday, September 16, 2017

A-N-A-T-O-M-I-Z-E: Traditional Bahraini Breakfast



By Raul Dias

I’m greeted with an emphatic “namaste!” at the first place I stop at, while “kaise ho?” is what I’m asked at the second. It’s a mere three hours into my first visit to the 33-island archipelago in the Persian Gulf known as Bahrain and I can see India referenced almost everywhere I go. But then the Manama Souq—which is where I am—is no stranger to Indian culture and in this case, food.
Fronted by the impressive Bab Al Bahrain or ‘Gateway to Bahrain’, this heaving marketplace is the
nation’s capital Manama’s nerve center; as it has been for years. It is also where centuries of trade ties
with India—mainly involving pearls and spices—have been fostered and nurtured. It’s early in the
morning and a traditional Bahraini breakfast is what I’m craving for after hearing about it from my friend and de facto Bahrain guide Zahra.
Settling down at a local coffee house with our tall, frosted mugs of saffron sherbet in front of us, I wait in anticipation for the promised breakfast bonanza to unfold. And what a feast it turns out to be! We begin with the breads, where an unusually fishy taste in one of them intrigues my palate. It turns out to be the mihyawa which is a roomali roti-like folded bread that’s sprinkled with fish sauce. Next, I tear into the khubooz which is a Persian bread that is very popular in Bahrain. I use this to scoop up the spicy, tangy bayd—a dead ringer for the Parsi scrambled eggs dish we know as akuri.
With the unusual twinning of salty cheese and apricot jam at its core, the triangular shaped, donut-like stuffed zinjubari maintains a fine balance between its sweet and savoury components. It’s the perfect foil to the two kinds of luba I try next. Essentially a tangy beans’ stew, the first iteration is made with broad beans and cheese, while the other with red beans and tomato sauce was not at all dissimilar to a spice-bereft rajma back home.
Simly called aloo, the cumin redolent sautéed potato dish, I am told, is an out and out knock-off of India’s ubiquitous zeera aloo. Another one of the breads intrigues me and it’s the pau. A fusion of a classic Bambaiyya vada pav and a Kutchi dabeli, this mashed potato-stuffed sandwich is even anointed with a garnish of crunchy sev noodles and pomegranate seeds!
Speaking of noodles, the last dish in my Bahraini breakfast procession is balaleet which is another sweet-savoury aberration. This one sees saffron-saturated vermicelli noodles cooked in ghee and sugar, crowned with a fluffy, savoury egg omelette that adds not just a contrasting texture, but an unusually yummy flavour when mixed with the sweet noodles.
From sweet with savoury and Bahraini with Indian, fusion was never this fabulous. Trust me!

(This column first appeared in the 17th September 2017 issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on page 8 http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/food/the-bahraini-breakfast/article19697500.ece)
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Restaurant Reviews by Raul Dias in Hindustan Times, Mumbai -Part 1

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Thursday, September 14, 2017

Out of the Blue!

Imparting a brilliant blue hue to everything it comes in contact with, the butterfly pea flower from. Thailand finds a firm place for itself on the menus of restaurants and bars across the city


By Raul Dias

While chemistry might not have been everybody’s cup of tea in school (it certainly wasn’t ours), it’s sure proving to be everybody’s ‘cup of cocktail’ these days. Quite literally! Enter the brilliantly blue hued butterfly pea flower from Thailand with its amazing chameleon-like colour changing properties, turning purple when it comes in contact with lime juice.
“This unique flower with its colour changing property makes it the perfect addition to a good-looking drink without using any artificial colour,” says Ami Shroff, mixologist at London Taxi, one of the recent places that have cottoned onto this trend that we’re seeing gaining popularity over the last six months or so.
To get a little geeky on you, this flower of the clitoria ternatea plant when steeped in water has been a perennial favourite herbal tea in many South Asian countries and particularly Thailand for centuries where it is known as nam dok anchan. It’s also renowned for its health benefits taking care of everything from conjunctivitis to enhancing memory and brain power.
“Our mixologists focus heavily on local ingredients from Southeast Asia”, says Tanai Shirali -Director Operations Bellona Hospitality, the guys behind the popular Shizusan Shophouse & Bar and avid users of the butterfly pea flower. “It isn’t sweet and syrupy and has an earthier woody taste like the regular green tea. However, most people like their cocktails a little sweet so the addition on the citrusy lime not only changes the colour but when mixed with palm sugar gives the cocktail the required sweet note.”
At the newly opened Nara Thai restaurant, the flower features prominently on the both the food and drinks menus. “The butterfly pea flower is a very neutral ingredient as it doesn’t have any strong flavour of its own and doesn’t influence the flavour profile of the drink or dish. It imparts a different colour depending on the citrus level of the dish/drink. One can experiment with the colours at the same time make sure that the flavour doesn’t get affected”, says Karyna Bajaj Executive Director KA Hospitality, the group that has got Nara Thai to India.

Here’s a glimpse at the many ways the flower finds itself ‘adorning’ drinks and dishes across Mumbai:



Butterfly Pea Sour
A refreshing iteration of a classic Peruvian pisco sour, this cocktail at the just opened Nara Thai pushes the creative envelope a whole lot further. Made just like a standard pisco sour, with pisco, lime juice and sugar syrup, this one is enhanced with a tea made with butter fly pea flowers and is anointed with the obligatory cloud of foamed egg white and a dried butterfly pea flower as a garnish.
At Nara Thai, Ground Floor, Raheja Towers, BKC
Call 61378080
Cost Rs 600



Hattori Hanzo
The cocktail menu at Shizusan Shophouse & Bar focuses on classic cocktails with an Asian twist using lesser-used ingredients like oolong tea, and, in this case, butterfly pea flowers. A mélange of tequila, butterfly pea flower tea, lime the cocktail is named after the warrior/monk Hattori Hanzo. When made with precision, the drink changes colour and is an apt toast to celebrate Hattori Hanzo’s dual life.
At Shizusan, Skyzone, Highstreet Phoenix, Lower Parel
Call 7045004138
Cost Rs 575



Blue Chamomile G&T
Another riff on a tired and tested cocktail—this time the G&T—is the blue chamomile G&T at the brand new restobar London Taxi. Here, the gin is infused with dried butterfly pea flowers and chamomile and kept very simple with the addition of lime juice and tonic water.
At London Taxi, Kamala Mills, A-Wing, Trade World, Lower Parel
Call 9029990454
Cost Rs 725

Not Just in Drinks...


Khao Phad Samunprai (Butterfly Pea Flower Rice)
Never mind its tongue-twister of a name, this super novel rice preparation is proof that the use of the
butterfly pea flower needn’t be limited to drinks only! At first luridly blue, this rice that’s made with short grain Thai rice, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass and white soy sauce, takes on a shocking purple hue when one squeezes a bit of lime juice over it.
At Nara Thai, Ground Floor, Raheja Towers, BKC
Call 61378080
Cost Rs 250

(An edited version of this article appeared in the 11th September 2017 issue of the evening edition of Mid-Day newspaper, India)

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Friday, September 1, 2017

Paris Version 2.0

While clichés may not be bad things, it’s time to rid Paris of its touristy tropes and see it from a whole new perspective by partaking in a few rather outré activities and immersive experiences that will redefine the ‘City of Lights’ for you forever!


By Raul Dias

Almost every trip to Paris comes with an invisible checklist of sights and activities that
requires… nay, demands to be shamelessly ticked off. A photo op with Paris’ number one calling
card—the Eiffel Tower—somehow always tops the charts. While a saunter down the très chic
Champs-Élysées comes in a close second. Oh! And let’s not forget sitting down at a curb-side
café literally inhaling a scrumptious pain au chocolat while washing it down with a café au lait.
And while there is certainly nothing wrong with a bit of clichéd indulgence, it would be
sacrilegious to go to Paris and not take a bite of its outré, rather alternative side. From a tour of
the hallowed Louvre with a stand-up comedian to a personalised perfume creating session, we’ve
curated a list of a few off-the- beaten-path activities that will show you a whole other facet to the
gleaming City of Lights:

Laugh Your Way Through the Louvre
Though the words ‘laugh’ and ‘Louvre’ may seem a tad incongruous when used in the same
sentence, Paris-based stand-up comedian Cedrik makes them work very effectively indeed! The
stand-up comic, known only by his mononym, does a very unique tour called ‘Laugh Your Way
Through the Louvre’ that is a part of the newly launched Airbnb Trips initiative. The two-hour
long tour is a laugh-a- minute riot with Cedrik casting a humorous net over the rather somber
exhibits of the world’s greatest museum. Being an art historian and stand-up comic, he will truly
have you cracking up (pun unintended!) in front of the Mona Lisa and giggling in front of Greek
relics. The tour, that includes the museum’s entry fee, ends with a debriefing session over a
steaming mug of hot chocolate in the museum’s café.
Cost: $91 or Rs.5,416 (approx.) per person
Duration: 2 hours
Contact: www.airbnb.co.in

Create Your Own Bespoke French Perfume
Le Studio des Parfums is a modest little perfumery that is housed on a quiet street in Le Marais.
You almost don’t see the space, but the arresting aroma of bergamot, rose and lily of the valley is
enough to pull you into this charming perfumery where your olfactory senses will rejoice. Le
Studio des Parfums is that kind of place where you can treat yourself to the luxury of possessing
a personalised French perfume without burning a hole in your purse. The guys here take their
perfumes very seriously and you will see this the moment you meet your personal ‘scent
counselor’, who, after an initiation into the history of scent, will send you off two hours later
with a personalised fragrance composed from a mix of among 150 different notes. They will
even give the perfume a name.
Cost: EUR 140 or Rs.10,833 (approx.) for a 50ml bottle
Duration: 2 hours
Contact: 23, Rue du Bourg Tibourg, 75004 Paris, +33(0)140299084, info@sdp-paris.com,
www.studiodesparfums-paris.fr

Storm the Eateries of Bastille
As one of Paris’ most trendy areas for eating out, the Bastille is a warren of dive bars and hidden
restaurants that only an insider is privy too. Anto—short for Antonio—is one such person who
takes eating and drinking enthusiasts out on a ‘Storm the Eateries of Bastille’ three-hour tour that
zigzags through Paris’ streets of dives and speakeasies. All this, in the trendy Bastille area, a
short walk away from Le Marais. This restaurant crawl that includes all the food the drink costs
is also a part of the newly launched Airbnb Trips initiative and begins at a scruffy-chic dive bar
called Chez Habibi for drinks and appetizers, stopping at the all red Chinese restaurant Le China
for some lip-smacking cocktails and yummy dimsums. This is followed up with a hearty dinner
of confit duck and roast potatoes at Le Chat Bossu, a traditional French brassier. The crawl
finally ends at Anto’s favourite speakeasy Moonshiner on Rue Sedaine that is a total insider-only
place where you enter from the kitchen doors of a rather nondescript pizza parlour!
Cost: $66 or Rs. 4,000 (approx.) per person
Duration: 3 hours
Contact: www.airbnb.co.in

Secret Sunday Dinner at Jim Haynes’
Often regarded as Paris’ worst kept secret, the Secret Sunday Dinners at salonista and travel
guide book writer Jim Haynes’ home are the stuff legends are made of. Every week for the past
30 years, he has hosted a Sunday buffet-style dinner at his well-appointed atelier, which used to
be a sculpture studio. People can either call or e-mail him to book a spot. As he gets a large
number of requests, Jim operates on a first-come, first-served basis. That being said, he hosts as
many as 60 people per dinner and often twice that many when the weather is nice and the crowd
can overflow into his manicured garden. The food, each week is prepared by a different friend of
his and can be anything from a Macedonian meal to a traditional Ethiopian messob feast. And
yes, in keeping with serendipity, you won’t be told the theme of the dinner in advance!
Cost: Free
Duration: 3 hours (8pm to 11pm)
Contact: Atelier A-2, 83, Rue de la Tombe Issoire 75014 Paris, +33(0)143271767,
Jim_Haynes@wanadoo.fr, www.jim-haynes.com

Play Pétanque With The Locals
Making a dramatic comeback and garnering some serious street cred with les BoBos—as the
Parisian hipsters are called—pétanque or boules, the traditional French game of hitting shiny
silvery balls with each other is no longer a game played by beret-sporting old men. Sign up for a
special pétanque training session with the Localers. The two-hour coaching experience will give
you a crash course in the game’s rules, plus practical sessions. It also includes a free drink and a
brief walking tour of the historical Palais Royal area, that’s crammed with inspiring spaces.
‘Bouled’ over yet?
Cost: EUR 55 or Rs.4,076 (approx.) per person
Duration: 2 hours
Contact: +33(0)183649201, booking@localers.com, www.localers.com




Hang On! There’s More…
 Bed up at Shakespeare and Company: Opened in 1951 by an eccentric American named
George Whitman, this bookstore in Paris’ Rue de la Bûcherie offers up 13 free beds to
sleep in at night that are concealed as book shelves during the day!
 Visit the Museum of Vampires: The ghoulish collection of Jacques Sirgent that includes
everything from vampire coffins and killing kits to Hammer Film collectibles and
Dracula toys finds itself in this museum fashioned to look like a graveyard at 14 Rue
Jules David in the middle of the city’s eastern suburb of Les Lilas.
 Potter around Gustave Eiffel’s secret apartment: Oh, well! One really can’t seem to
escape the Eiffel Tower after all when in Paris. Located on the third level of the tower,
Eiffel’s private apartment is where you can see the famed phonograph machine that
Thomas Edison had himself gifted to Eiffel among other antiques.
 Le Mur des Je t’aime: Also known as the ‘I Love You Wall’, this wall spanning 416
square feet and located at the Jehan-Rictus Square is a tribute to love (well, Paris is the
world’s most romantic city!). Created by artists Frédéric Baron and Claire Kito, the wall
is covered in 612 lava tiles, and features the worlds “I love you” inscribed in 311 different
languages, including all 192 languages of the United Nations.

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the September 2017 issue of Jetwings Domestic in-flight magazine of Jet Airways https://www.jetairways.com/EN/DE/JetExperience/magazines.aspx) 

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Soul of the Gulf

From its well-preserved old houses and imposing forts to its vertiginous skyline and adventure sports prowess, the archipelago in the Persian Gulf that is Bahrain continues to stay true to its heritage and ancient culture, while embracing modernity with all its might


By Raul Dias

There is a plant that grows under the water. It has a prickle like a thorn, like a rose; it will
wound your hand. But if you succeed in taking it, then your hands will hold that which restores
his lost youth to a man...
So reads a very crucial couplet of the Epic of Gilgamesh, as etched onto clay tablets more than
5,000 years ago by the Sumerians of ancient Mesopotamia. The epic chronicles King Gilgamesh
of Uruk’s (modern day Iraq) quest for eternal life in the sea surrounding Dilmun which was what
Bahrain was known as then. Apparently, the sea had certain pockets of sweet water that gushed
forth 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.

National Pride
It is legends and myths like this that abound at the superbly curated exhibits of the Bahrain
National Museum that’s set on the waterfront of the eastern shore of the capital, Manama.
Though built only in 1988, the museum offers a holistic view of the country through the ages
from the Dilmun era to present day. And speaking of the former, an exhibit that mustn’t be
overlooked is that of the reconstructed ancient burial mound dating to around 2800 BC.
As Bahrain’s second largest island, Muharraq is steeped in history and is a treasure trove of old-
style houses that are all very lovingly preserved, with many making it to the UNESCO heritage
list. Chief among these is the Shaikh Isa House that was once the home of the country’s longest
reigning sovereign (1869-1932), Shaikh Isa Bin Ali Al Khalifa. Don’t miss the house’s
brilliantly designed wind tower called a barjeel that is believed to have cooled the house to
almost air conditioner like temperatures in the summer. Equally impressive is the Kurar House
where the ancient Bahraini embroidery technique called kurar is still practiced and on proud
display.

Grand Edifices
Back in Manama, sneak into the Ahmed Al Fateh Grand Mosque for a quick visit and marvel at
the world’s largest fiberglass dome, with a huge glittering chandelier from Austria and carpets
from Ireland. Able to accommodate 7,000 worshippers at one time—in its main hall and in its
outdoor quadrangle—the sheer scale of the mosque is breathtaking. Free guided tours are offered
to everybody and is something strongly recommended to get a better understanding of the edifice
and what it means to the local Bahrainis.
Another pit stop that comes well-recommended is the Bahrain Fort. More commonly known as
Qal’at Al Bahrain, the fort offers a great panoramic view of both the seashore and of 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—is a masterpiece of the
Portuguese occupation of Bahrain in the 16 th century. But do make sure to time your visit
towards sunset when it’s not only cooler, but also when the fading, twinkling sunlight does its
number on the calm waves that surround the fort.

The Sea’s Bounty
An archipelago of 33 islands, with an impressively long coastline, much of Bahraini life is
centered around the sea whose cerulean waters hold forth one of the country’s greatest calling
cards—Pearls! Though it is oil that has brought prosperity to the region, it was the pearl that put
Bahrain on the map as the ‘Pearling Capital of the World’. Irregular in shape than most other
pearls in the world, it is this imperfection that makes the Bahraini pearl a much sought-after
jewel. Join in on a pearling expedition with local divers or have a go at it yourself (see box).
Or perhaps sign up for a dolphin watching tour at Al Dar Islands, 12 km southeast of the coast of
Manama. Get up close and personal with the playful mammals whose clicks and squeals compete
with the shrieks of the gulls who try and steal the sardines visitors are made to feed the dolphins
with.
Another way to feel the pulse of Bahrain’s rich maritime culture is to pay a visit to a traditional
ship-building yard. Called a dhow, these wooden vessels are still built today in the same way
they were generations ago. At the fishermen’s wharf off Sheikh Khalifa Highway just past the
Coast Guard station is the yard where you can marvel at how builders craft hulls from curved
teak wood and join planks together to form the dhows that can cost up to $30,000 apiece and
that’s without the engine installed.

Different Flavours Galore…
Reminding you that you’re still very much in the Middle East is the Manama Souq (market) with
its labyrinthine alleys. Fronted by the impressive Bab Al Bahrain or ‘Gateway to Bahrain’, the
souq has shops selling everything from typically Bahraini spices like the zesty za’ataar and the
tangy sumac to the dry, black, preserved lemons. Stop by a small, local eatery in the souq for an
early dinner of maglooba which is rice cooked with meat, potatoes and eggplant and jireesh a
risotto-meets- khichdi made up of cooked spelt with chicken and tomatoes. Finish off your meal
with a rather unusual dessert called balaleet which is an Indian-influenced dish made from
sweetened, saffron-flavoured vermicelli topped with an omelet!
For a more eclectic and artsy dining scene head out to Adliya in central Manama. But more
specifically to the quarter’s chic District 338 for sundowners at one of its many trendy lounge
bars and restaurants where the hip, young Bahrainis hang out and enjoy a rather raucous night
out. This partly pedestrianised area with its contemporary artwork installations on every street corner is a great place to simply sit back and take in the ‘Many Bahrains’ you’d have probably
encountered on your trip. Each so very different from the other, yet collectively existing in amazing parallel synchrony!


Bahrain—The Middle East’s Adventure Sports Capital!
 There can be no better way to bring a bit of Bahrain’s pearling history to life than by
diving for your own pearl close to Al Dar Island. And no, one doesn’t have to be a
certified diver to experience the thrill of opening your own pearl oyster, as you’ll be
snorkeling in shallow waters. (www.aldarislands.com)
 From sailing, powerboating and windsurfing to kite surfing, paddle boarding and
kayaking, the Bahrain Yacht Club offers both training and equipment on hire.
(www.thebahrainyachtclub.com)
 So what if you can’t hit the F1 circuit a la Hamilton in a tripped up Mercedes-Benz F1
W08 Hybrid? The Bahrain International Circuit offers night go-karting for all you speed
junkies out there. (www.bahraingp.com)
 Learn to skydive at Gravity Indoor Skydiving and get certified at one of the world’s
tallest indoor skydiving wind tunnels at 12 meters. (www.gravitybah.com)

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the September 2017 issue of Jetwings Domestic in-flight magazine of Jet Airways https://www.jetairways.com/EN/DE/JetExperience/magazines.aspx) 

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