A-N-A-T-O-M-I-Z-E: The Norwegian Getaway

By Raul Dias

If you’re the kind of person for whom numbers matter, then prepared to be seriously impressed by this behemoth of a ship—the Norwegian Getaway. 1068.3ft is its overall length, with its hull bearing a colourful mermaid mural by the famous Cuban-American artist David LeBatard. 18 is the number of its decks. 3,963 is the number of guests it can accommodate. And no, that’s not accounting for the 1,646 crew members who keep this luxury cruise ship in... well, ship shape!
Sailing the Baltic Sea for a good part of the year, this ship by the Norwegian Cruise Line company makes ports of call at places like Helsinki, Tallinn and St. Petersburg among others, on an eight-day itinerary beginning and ending in Copenhagen. And when winter casts its freezing spell over the Baltic Sea, the ship makes its way to the warmer climes of the Bahamas for a series of different Caribbean Sea itineraries.
Besides the usual cruise tropes of Las Vegas style entertainment with a casino, illusionists and musicals like Million Dollar Quartet on offer daily, the Getaway has the unique Rope’s Course on its topmost 18^th deck. This Pirates of the Carribbean-esque obstacle course is where you can also ‘walk the plank’ on the wooden ledge that precariously teeters along the edge of the ship, dangling over the water.
Boasting of a spa and 28 restaurants and bars, including an all-day buffet, the ship pays obeisance to two of the biggest parts of the cruising experience—food and drink, the craving for which somehow always seems to be intensified when sailing! The Getaway is even home to Svedka, the world’s first floating ice bar where drinks are served out of tumblers made from clear, crystal ice.
However, the highlight of this vessel, that really sets it apart from the rest, is the ultra-exclusive and posh The Haven. This members-only zone housed on the top of the ship has its own luxurious accommodations including suites, private lounges and dining options, along with a personal concierge and 24-hour butler service. Kind of like having your own ship within a ship. Decadent, much?

(This column first appeared in the 29th October 2017 issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on page 8 http://www.thehindu.com/society/the-norwegian-getaway/article19932523.ece)

Swedish Food

Afternoon Despatch & Courier newspaper, 28th October 207
http://www.afternoondc.in/mumbai-mix/the-classic-swedish-table/article_207271

Restaurant Reviews by Raul Dias in Hindustan Times, Mumbai -Part 2

POH, Mumbai

http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/poh-is-well-oriented-restaurant-review-by-raul-dias/story-vYh94OpD1CQk9VUXkri8YM.html

A-N-A-T-O-M-I-Z-E: Khao Phad Samunprai (Butterfly Pea Flower Rice)

By Raul Dias

There's just something about the twinning of the words 'flowers' and 'Thailand' that seems so very natural and organic. While the South East Asian nation's national flower--the orchid is flown into India by the plane-load almost every day straight from the Pak Khlong Talat wholesale flower market in Bangkok, decorating many a wedding mandap, it's edible counterparts are na'er too far away!
And while we've seen the 'blooming' of chrysanthemum flowers and syrups in several cocktail
preparations across India, it is another flower that's been recently painting the Mumbai dining scene a vivid shade of blue. Enter the butterfly pea flower.
Now, this flower of the clitoria ternatea plant when steeped in water has been a perennial rite herbal tea in Thailand for centuries where it is known as nam dok anchan. It’s also renowned for its healt benefits taking care of everything from conjunctivitis to enhancing memory and brain power.
Distilling all this into one bizarre looking, but super flavourful rice preparation is Mumbai's newest Thai restaurant Nara Thai. Khao Phad Samunprai or Butterfly Pea Flower Rice may be a tongue-twister of a name, but this novel rice preparation is a delicious blend of pre-cooked short grain rice, sliced lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves that are wok-tossed with young peppercorns, deep fried red chilli and splashed with the unusual white soy sauce and a decoction of dried butterfly pea flowers steeped in warm water.
At first luridly blue, this rice takes on a shocking purple hue when one squeezes a bit of lime juice over it, with the acidity of the lime juice reacting enough with the butterfly pea flower to change colours.
How's that for a touch of psychedelia on your plate!

(This column first appeared in the 22nd October 2017 issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on page 8 http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/food/butterfly-pea-flower-rice/article19895112.ece)

Pearl of the Gulf

Rich with history—both ancient and modern—Bahrain truly is a Middle Eastern jewel with a lot on offer from to its futuristic skyline to its ancient pearl trade and splendid forts. We tap into a few of its unmissable attractions that every visitor to this fascinating archipelago must pay heed to!

By Raul Dias


Quick question: what comes to your mind when someone utters the words “Middle East”.
Deserts? Camels? Vast, barren lands? 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.
With over 4,000 years of trading history—with pearls, then oil and now tourism—behind it,
hospitality is an intrinsic part of the local Bahrainis’ DNA. As some of the warmest people in the
Middle East…nay, the world even, it is the locals that add that special touch to your visit with
their infectious smiles and welcoming words.
And while there is just so much to do and see when in Bahrain, in honour of brevity we’ve
narrowed our list down to a few must-dos. They may not ‘complete’ your visit to Bahrain, but
are enough to give you a sneak-peek into its diverse attractions and sights:

Pay Obeisance At The Ahmed Al Fateh Grand Mosque
Crowned by the world’s largest fiberglass dome, with a huge glittering chandelier from Austria
and carpets from Ireland, the Ahmed Al Fateh Grand Mosque truly is awe-inspiring. Its clean,
linear architecture is a subtle reflection of Middle Eastern elements. 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—irrespective of gender, race
and religion and is something strongly recommended to get a better understanding of the edifice
and what it means to the local Bahrainis.

Walk Up The Rampart Of The Qal’at Al Bahrain
More commonly known as the Bahrain Fort, Qal’at Al Bahrain—that offers a great panoramic
view of both the seashore and of the capital Manama’s startlingly modern skyline—was
designated as a World Heritage site in 2005. The fort that 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. 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.

Blast Into The Past!
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 100-year- old
Abdulla Al Zayed House that is the home of Abdulla Al Zayed (the publisher of the Gulf’s first
daily newspaper) and the Kurar House where the ancient Bahraini embroidery technique called
kurar is still practiced and on proud display.

Speedboat It Out To Al Dar islands
Enjoy a spot of tropical sea, sun, surf and sand by hotfooting your way by speed boat to the small
islands of Al Dar. A group of resort islands near Sitra, Al Dar is around 12 km southeast of
Manama. Here, one can hire out a palm-thatched beach cabanna and swim in the crystal-clear
waters, while chomping on a burger and sipping on a cold beer. Yes, alcohol is very much
readily available, not just at the bar on Al Dar, but in the rest of Bahrain as well. Come sunset,
you can even bring out your grill for an evening of BBQ on the soft white sands!

Immerse Yourself In The Tastes And Smells Of Bahrain
There can be no better place in any Middle Eastern country than a souq (local market) to dive
head-on into the kaleidoscopic world of flavours. The Manama souq in the heart of the city is
one such magical place where the meandering alleyways throw up shops selling everything from
typically Bahraini spices like the zesty za’ataar and the tangy sumac to Bahrain’s favourite
flavouring agent—saffron! Stop by a small, local eatery in the souq for a meal of the chicken and
rice dish of maqboos with sides of hummus and the eggplant-redolent moutabel—all washed
down with a glass of the sunshine-hued saffron sherbet.

Get All Oiled Up
Hang on, don’t let your imagination run wild! We’re simply alluding to the one thing that has
truly made the Middle East the powerhouse that it is today—oil. Discovered rather
serendipitously in 1931 by a goatherder seeking a water well, Bahrain’s first oil well aptly named
Oil Well No.1 is situated at the foothill of Jebal Al Dukhan or the Montain of Smoke in the south
of the country. However, it was only on 2 nd June, 1932 that oil began to gush forth from this well
and thus sealing the fate of this country forever. Right next to the well is the Oil Museum where
the exhibits include old drilling equipment, photographs and a working model of an oil rig to
give you an insight into the region’s best-known export.

Spend Sunset At Shajarat Al Hayat
Far into the arid desert, amidst vast nothingness is a mesquite tree standing stoically alone. Many
believe that there is no better way to end your Bahrain sojourn than by placing your hands on the
gnarly trunk of the 400 plus years old Tree of Life—or Shajarat Al Hayat as it is called
locally—at sunset and wishing to be back there soon. Yes, local legend has it that anyone
touching the ancient tree will return to Bahrain. Amen to that, we say!


FACT FILE
Getting There
There are a number of daily direct flights from India 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, differently edited version of this piece was first published in the October 2017 issue of The Week's Smart Life magazine)

New Flavours Galore

Right from the wonders of Mexican moles to Peruvian ceviches and the Ethopian messob, a whole smorgasbord of new restaurants around India are referencing myriad Latin American and African cuisines like never before, making ‘tis the season for a bit of exotic flavours on our plates!

By Raul Dias

There’s no doubting the fact that India has, for the last couple of years, been ensnared in the
vice-like grip of a raging culinary vortex that’s spewing out every conceivable cuisine trend that,
we the diner, are only too happy to lap up (pun intended!). Never mind how outré or over the top
they may be. Today, we may know our Thai tom yums from our Italian risottos and our Korean
gimbaps from the now de rigueur Japanese gunkan makis.
But recently, there has been a whole new breed of restaurants cropping up around the country.
Each representing a few hitherto unknown cuisines of Africa and Latin America. Each hoping to
break the Italian-Chinese- Japanese cuisine ‘hegemony’. And each making it their mission to
make sure we acquaint ourselves with exotic eats like fluffy injeras from Ethiopia, jellofs from
Nigeria and churrascaria from South Brazil, among others.
And while there have been (failed) introductory attempts made in the past with places like
Ubuntu in Mumbai serving South African food, the recently shuttered Manny’s Square in Delhi
doing its bit for Nigerian cuisine and even a short-lived Brazilian restaurant called Churrascaria
Brazil in Bengaluru, the following are bold new places that are making valiant inroads onto the
experimental Indian diner’s tabletop, straight out of Africa and Latin America…

Latino Vibes
Introducing tongue twisters of dishes like pão de queijo (cheese fritters), escondidinho (steak
topped with mascarpone cheese) and rocambole de espinafare (veggie-filled spinach rolls) to the
Indian diner’s culinary lexicon is this restaurant Boteco—with two branches in Pune and a new
three-months- old one in Mumbai—that claims to be the country’s first all-Brazilian eatery. And
yes, they do a mean version of Brazil’s national drink, the caipirinha which is the refreshing sum
of its cachaça, sugar and lime parts.
Bringing to Mumbai a range of exotic Pan-Hispanic flavours, Luca charts its food expedition
from the mercados of Mexico with a chocolate-laden chicken mole to the balmy islands of the
Caribbean (callaloo with okra) to finally, the sunny beaches of Coastal South America with their
riff on the Puerto Rican plantain classic tostones. Hints of colonial influences show up in dishes
like a ‘Latinised’ Spanish paella and a Portuguese feijoada.
Nestled in the heart of Gurugram’s Crowne Plaza hotel, Wildfire is an all-grills Brazilian
restaurant that takes a pescatarian detour from the usually meat-saturated churrascaria theme
with its seafood dishes like the pan fried red snapper pan fritto dentice and brodo di pesce zuppa
di saffron-redolent fish soup. But that’s not to say that the meat lovers are ignored. Take your
pick from the linguisa pork sausage, the tenderloin fraldinha or perhaps, the minty lamb paleta
de cordeiro.
Helping India discover that there is a whole other raw fish world out there as opposed to just sushi, Lima in Mumbai proudly shows off its Peruvian underpinnings. Offering a range of
ceviche—from a traditional yellowfin tuna tiradito one to a veggie-friendly enoki mushroom
iteration. All this, as you nurse a few of Lima’s signature cocktails like the pisco-saturated Lima
sour, served with a frothy cloud of meringue.

Out Of Africa
Offering up a mindbogglingly large menu of Ethiopian delicacies from the teff-flour made bread
called injera to the national dish of chicken doro wat spiced with the traditional berbere spice
mix and a carom seed and olive oil cake called nech azmud, Abyssinian, the year-old Chennai
restaurant in Alwarpet, has almost everything—including the low-slung furniture and
ingredients—brought in from Ethiopia.
While prima facie there may nothing remotely Nigerian to the look and feel of this Marine Lines,
Mumbai restaurant, a glance at Greeen Onion’s menu will throw up myriad surprises in the form
of the tomato-y jellof rice with a huge hunk of deep-fried chicken, served with fried plantain
slices as accompaniments and the funky smelling, dried fish redolent goat onugbo curry, best
mopped up with balls fashioned out of the log-shaped semovita fufu that’s flecked with pieces of
okra. Straight out of a 1001 Arabian Nights in its décor and like its name Fez alludes, this
Moroccan and North African restaurant in New Delhi’s Chanaykapuri area is a repository for all
things North African from its lamb tajine jazzed up with preserved lemons to its Tunisian stew
served with cous cous.
Interestingly even the QSR (Quick Service Restaurant) concept has cottoned onto the exotic
cuisines’ appeal. For the last few years, Galitos, a QSR in Bengaluru’s Whitefield has been
giving patrons a taste of South Africa and its neighbour Mozambique with is very popular peri-
peri chicken, the kebab-like Afrikaner sosaties and the heart-y mealie pap soup that’s made with
corn meal and flavoured with tomato and basil.
Run by the cultural wing of the Ethiopian Embassy in Chanaykapuri, New Delhi, eating out at
Blue Nile, an über-authentic Ethiopian restaurant cum café is both educational and palate-
pleasing. The staff are on hand to guide you through the nuances of this North-East African
cuisine that has its flagbearers the fluffy injera bread made from rice, teff or corn, the black lentil
rich defen mesir and the begg tibs which is sliced lamb fried with onion garlic and fresh chilli.

(A shorter, differently edited version of this piece was first published in the October 2017 issue of The Week's Smart Life magazine)

Restaurant Review: Luca, Mumbai

(This review appeared in the October 2017 issue of The Week's The Man magazine)

Notes from Sweden

Fika--the Swedish coffee break that’s more about productivity than drinking coffee!

A fika session in progress! (Pic courtesy : Lena Granefelt/imagebank.sweden.se)

By Raul Dias

It's barely a few hours into my first day in Sweden, and I'm already beginning to see the legendary reserve the Swedes are known for, flake away one sip of coffee at a time. Hesitant giggles morph into full-throated laughs, as eyes lock, ideas click into place and new friendships forged. And all this in just 15 minutes. A mere quarter of an hour we've all taken time off for, from a day immersed in the knowledge of foraging techniques and analysing the dominance of the 'New Nordic Cuisine' on the global culinary scene, among other academic pursuits.
Just like my colleagues and I at the Culinary Academy of Sweden that afternoon, groups of others across the country are indulging in one of Sweden's greatest 'down time' pursuits--fika. A clever syllabic play, the term fika is a spoonerism for kafi as coffee is spelled in Swedish. And as the world's second highest consumers of coffee, after their northeastern neighbours the Finns, the Swedes have perfected the art of celebrating the beverage and all the trappings that come with the seemingly simple act of drinking it.

A Social Phenomenon
But then again, fika is much more than having a coffee. It is a social phenomenon, a legitimate reason to set aside a moment for quality time. According to the Swedish Institute publication The Swedish Kitchen– from Fika to Cosy Friday, fika is best left undefined. It says, that the Swedes prefer not to translate the word fika as they don’t want it to lose significance and become a mere coffee break.
It's at fika time that most ideas are incubated, discussed and even put in motion. All this, set to the
stimulating tune of intense debate. Not dissimilar to the very Kolkata adda tradition, but minus all the garrulous yelling, of course. For the Swedes are loathe to partake in anything confrontational and prefer to keep their decibel levels as low as humanly possible.
"Fika is an important and inalienable part of our culture," says Elizabeth Daude who had been guiding us in the nuances of all things Swedish that day. "It's not strange for us to indulge in fika sessions several times a day. It’s about spending time with people, eating baked goods and drinking great coffee. Kind of like going for a drink with colleagues after work, only we do it mid-work and minus the alcohol!”
And speaking of baked goods, one of fika's greatest 'platefellows' is the kanelbulle or the cinnamon roll. It is these gloriously gooey warm rolls that members of the fika group take turns every day in either buying or making at home themselves for the rest, further adding to the intrinsic 'we-feeling' aspect of fika.

Conduit for Productivity?
Not surprisingly, many companies in Sweden have made it mandatory for all their workers to have a
designated time off during the day to sit down and do fika. It’s often built into many employee contracts for that matter. There's even empirical data to proove the efficacy of fika on productivity. An analysis of the productivity by workers in 38 countries, in the form of a 2014 study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), reveals that Sweden comes in at a respectable number 11.
Even Sweden's most iconic flatpack furniture and home decor brand Ikea, vehemently endorses the fika concept, as is apparent from a paragraph about it on its corporate website: “More than a coffee break, fika is a time to share, connect and relax with colleagues. Some of the best ideas and decisions happen at fika.”
And after having got the idea of writing this very piece you're reading at one such fika session, I couldn't agree more!

(An edited version of this piece first appeared in the 1st October 2017 issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on page 7 http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/travel/notes-from-sweden/article19776598.ece)