Japan served

There is much more to the edible wonders of Japanese cuisine than just sushi, tempura and teppanyaki, says RAUL DIAS who comes back from the Land of the Rising Sun with a plateful of unusual suspects

Stendhal Syndrome is defined as “a psychosomatic disorder that causes rapid heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, confusion and even hallucinations when an individual is exposed to art, usually when the art is particularly beautiful...” But that afternoon, as I stared in wonder at the perfectly poised ‘cherry blossoms’ fashioned out of a blushing pink radish, surrounded by tendrils of carrot, all adorning a miso-glazed piece of red sea bream, accompanied by a quivering egg and seafood savoury custard called chawanmushi, I knew that I was struck by the aforementioned affliction with the subtlety of a sledgehammer.
I was in Japan on a mission. A food-forged mission that I hoped would have serendipitous consequences. Adamant to have a taste of the ‘real’ Japanese cuisine, something other than sushi, tempura and teppanyaki—the holy trinity that has assaulted us with all its might here in India—I found myself in the hallowed and sacred environs of the Haryō-in Temple in the mountain town of Kōya-san in Japan’s Kansai region, sitting down for a meal. But this was no ordinary meal, I was told by the temple priests. I would be indulging in the Japanese version of haute cuisine called kaiseki-ryori, that this temple, doubling up as a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn), serves its patrons. Mainly a meat-less eight course meal, kaiseki-ryori is an elaborate and expensive affair at around Rs 4,500 per person. Among other fish and vegetarian dishes, go-han or Japanese style boiled rice is always eaten last along with assorted vegetable pickles called tsukemono, rice dough-based wagashi (desserts) like the adzuki red bean paste-stuffed mochi. All this is lubricated by the smooth-as-silk rice wine, sake, or the tepid ocha green tea for the teetotallers.
Offering me a glimpse at another one of Japan’s edible wonders (with a less expensive bill at the end!) was the Matsuzaka restaurant in Tokyo’s trendy Akasaka area that specialises in shabu-shabu—a dish popular with the Gen-Y set. A variation of sukiyaki, where thin slivers of meat are blanched in a herbed, citrus-y broth and then served to patrons, this dish puts a D.I.Y. spin on things by making diners do all the cooking themselves over the pots of steaming broth that are fitted onto gas stoves built right into the tables. Surrounded by a phalanx of giggly teenagers dressed as cosplay and manga comics’ characters, I got down to business. All the while under the watchful gaze of the rather bemused wait staff who were still coming to grips with the idea of a gaijin (foreigner) attempting to infuse a little grace into the rather messy preparation!
Another über popular D.I.Y. preparation is the famed okonomiyaki. Literally meaning “grilled as you like it”, this pancake-meets-pizza doppelganger is as fun to make as it is to eat. My friend Satoshi Abe at whose Roppongi Hills, Tokyo pad I was crashing at threw an impromptu okonomiyaki party for me, where he and his friends introduced me to the dish’s nuances. Made from a slurry of flour, water, shredded cabbage, ginger, beaten eggs, seafood and any other meat or vegetable of your choice, the diners are supposed to pile all these up in layers onto a hot oiled flat top griddle (see recipe). Once ready, the pancake is drizzled with a sweet brown sauce and mayonnaise and sent off with an embellishment of dried bonito fish flakes.
As I travelled south of the country to the once doomed city of Hiroshima, I learnt that there is a lot of conjecture with regards to the provenance of the dish. While some believe that the okonomiyaki made all over Japan is the Real McCoy, there is a whole other school of purists who is adamant that the Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki made with soba noodles, with pork or beef substituting the seafood is the only kind there can ever be. But at the risk of sounding like a total Philistine, I must admit that the one that I ate at the Okonomi-mura Okonomiyaki House at Shintenchi Plaza Building in downtown Hiroshima was no better or worse than its other country cousins.
The streets of Kyoto, particularly the Geisha-infested alley of Ponto-chō were my Aladdin’s cave of treasures as far as street food went. Rushing me past restaurants, whose window displays featured plastic replicas of assorted food and drinks (including a very authentic looking masala dosa, I kid you not!), my former university buddy and de facto Kyoto guide, Fumie Takai led me to her favourite local Japanese style pub called an izakaya. Featuring on its menu were grilled skewers of offal like gyutan (ox’s tongue), torikawa (chicken skin) and motsu-nabe (pig’s heart) along with octopus balls called takoyaki and bowls of steaming beef ramen noodle soup. All criminally encore-worthy.
Also gaining popularity, I was told, was the rather Indianised kari (curry) dishes. The tonkatsu kari that I bought in a packaged form from an Osaka train station shokudō (casual restaurant) was a curious dish of a deep fried pork cutlet and prawn doused with a sweetish, gloopy curry sauce with subtle nuances of Madras curry powder, all sitting atop a bed of raisu (western-style cooked rice). Perfectly edible. But curry, it sure was not. 
And I couldn’t possibly leave Japan without a bit of sumo action. But not the kind you’d be expecting. Chanko-nabe is a hearty stew developed to put the heft into apprentice sumo wrestlers. Made from a base of chicken stock to which copious amounts of chicken, tofu, and vegetables like onions, shiitake mushrooms and Chinese cabbage are added along with herbs like ginseng root to bulk things up. Half a bowl of this power-packed concoction at downtown Kyoto’s Chanko Tomoegata restaurant and I was ready to call it quits. I was finally full.  
Accepting defeat, I skulked away from the restaurant, averting my eyes from the piercing gaze of my fellow diners. But ecstatic that my must-eat list would see its final ‘check’!

All pics by Raul Dias

Satoshi’s Okonomiyaki

Ingredients:
1/2 a large cabbage
2 cups plain flour
2 2/3 cups water
4 eggs
2 chicken/vegetable stock cubes
150 gm mixed seafood (squid, prawns, oysters, mussels) or mixed blanched vegetables (peas, diced carrots, French beans)
1 tbsp pickled pink ginger (gari) chopped finely
2 spring onions sliced thinly with stalk
2 tbsp HP sauce or thick Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp dried bonito fish flakes (optional)

Method:
* Finely slice cabbage.
* In a large bowl mix flour, water and eggs.  Mix in stock cubes, spring onions and pickled ginger. 
* Add cabbage and combine well.
* Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Spoon cabbage mixture into the pan to make a nine inch circle about ¾ inch thick. If the mixture spreads out of the circle, try and coax it together with a metal spatula. You can even use a cooking ring to pour the mixture into to retain its shape.
* Sprinkle the seafood or blanched vegetables on top of the okonomiyaki and let it cook for 3-4 minutes.
* Carefully flip, then cook another 3-4 minutes. When cooked through, turn onto a plate with the seafood/vegetable side upwards.
* Using a squeeze bottle, drizzle both the HP/Worcestershire sauce and mayonnaise over the okonomiyaki.
* Top with bonito fish flakes, cut into wedges like a pizza and serve hot.

 (First published in the February 2, 2014 issue of The Hindu newspaper in Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kochi, Coimbatore, Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam

editions)

Doing Dhaka!

Look beyond its grit and grime and Dhaka is sure to stun you silent with its innate beauty, subtle grace and immense cultural wealth, says Raul Dias after a recent tryst with Bangladesh’s chaotic capital

“You must be a die-hard cricket fan” was a statement I constantly encountered for weeks leading up to my maiden trip to Dhaka—with a strong emphasis on the ‘cricket’ bit. Right from my colleagues to the Indian immigration officer stamping my passport at the airport, all erroneously assumed that I (a total non-believer in the religion of cricket, as it were) was going there to partake in the back-to-back cricket mania that is gripping Dhaka even as you read this. Why else would any ‘tourist’ visit a city like Dhaka? But ask true blue, card carrying members of the ‘traveller’ brigade “why Dhaka?” and they, like me, will serve you with a volley of reasons to partake in Dhaka’s story. And what a richly-textured story this city by the Buriganga River has to tell!

So, resolutely ignoring the many strategically placed ICC T20 World Cup 2014 time tickers along the dusty roads, I set off on my day in Dhaka. All the while coughing my way through the potentially toxic fumes emanating from the city’s gazillion auto rickshaws or ‘Baby Taxis’ as they are referred to in the local vernacular, as I gaped at the cage-like bicycle-driven contraptions that ferry school children to and fro. Sitting ensconced in a colourful cycle rickshaw with an equally colourful driver, I decided to pay obeisance to the very vehicle I was riding in by visiting an iconic street housed in the precincts of Old Dhaka in the south end of the city.

Bicycle Street, which is more formally called Bangsal Road, is a meandering one lined with shops selling bicycles of all kinds as well as stalls that do the special kitschy rickshaw art that each driver tries to outdo the other by decorating his beloved cycle rickshaw with. A few yards away at the 300-year-old Hindu Street called Shankharia Bazaar my ears suddenly picked up a sonorous tinkling sound that was being made by the workmen fashioning intricate pieces of jewellery from gold and other precious metals. From there, I chose to have a go at walking through the labyrinthine alleyways that led me to the deliciously pink-hued Ahsan Manzil nestled at the top end of a very nondescript street. This 144-year-old edifice was once the official residential palace and seat of the Dhaka Nawab Family that is today converted into a museum with all the regalia on full display.

Having heard of this Dhaka oddity from a fellow traveller a few years ago, I simply couldn’t resist a glimpse at the serene Armenian Church in the Armanitola area of this part of Dhaka. I call it an oddity because this is the only known place where you can still see old gravestones inscribed in the traditional Armenian script. Just a mere 300meters north of the church, I discovered the Sitara Mosque thanks to the Tk100 (hundred Bangladeshi taka) note that has on its face a printed depiction of this mosque that is an icon, thanks to its four domes that are entirely decorated with mosaic tiled stars and hence the name—Sitara.

Still in Old Dhaka and dodging the omnipresent black smoke belching buses and eardrum shattering blearing of horns, I descended upon the rather paradisiacal 17^th Century Lalbagh Fort Gardens. This is where I found the very beautiful Tomb of Pari Bibi that is in the middle of the complex, flanked on either side by the Diwani-i-Aam hammam and the Lalbagh Fort Mosque on the eastern side. 

Feeling a tad peckish after that cultural overdose, I simply couldn’t resist the lure of the famed Dhakai snack called chotpoti that is hawked from almost every street corner out of glass box-like carts. Similar to our very own bhelpuri, chotpoti is made from potatoes and chickpeas that are mixed with chillies, onions, tamarind sauce, salt and spices and served in a paper cone topped with a grated hardboiled egg. I then chased it with a plateful of goodies like ros bhora made from lentil flour and the Bangladeshi version of the patisapta that I bought from a shop dotted with luridly coloured sweetmeats. And only after washing it all down with a glass of borhani—the drinkable Bangladeshi version of raita—was I satiated. But only in the edible sense of the term, as Dhaka still had to fill me up with its other bounties.

And one of those bounties showed itself to me in the form of the red-brick Curzon Hall that is part of the vast Dhaka University. This 110-year-old structure built in the colonial-meets-oriental style of architecture intended to serve as the Dhaka town hall is today part the University’s school of science. A little further down the road, I savoured the sight of the stunning ivory Supreme Court building and its well-manicured lawns. But the piece de resistance for me was the startlingly modern and abstract looking National Assembly Building or Jatiyo Sangsad Bhaban in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in Central Dhaka. A true architectural marvel, the building was finished in 1982—with work having begun in 1961—and is based on the designs of American architect Louis Kahn. With a moat-like water body surrounding it, thus referencing the country’s aqueous geography, the main building is made up of huge walls deeply recessed by porticoes and large openings of regular geometric shapes that let the light stream in.   

As my hotter than hot day about the city began to give way to the cool comfort of the evening, I decided to end it with something I was looking forward to. A languid cruise down the main arterial Buriganga River, sailing on a tiny wooden boat was just what I needed to see how chameleon-like and bi-polar Dhaka is.

The once grimy, grey waters of the Sadarghat Boat Terminal from where I boarded, suddenly seemed to take on a magical, shimmery orange hue as I sat in serene bliss and all seemed well in the world once again. But that’s what Dhaka does to you. It lovingly soothes away all the aches and pains it inflicts on you. And all is forgotten as it embraces you with all its might…

All pics by Raul Dias

   

FACT FILE
Getting There
There are a number of daily direct flights to Dhaka from New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata on airlines like Air India, Jet Airways and Biman Bangladesh Airlines. Visas need to be taken in advance at the Bangladesh High Commission in India and take three to four working days to process. Travel within Dhaka is easy with many auto rickshaws, cycle rickshaws and buses plying between its various attractions and neighbourhoods.

When to Visit
The months from October to April are the best time to visit Dhaka which experiences a pleasant climate, while May to September are the hot and humid months.

Accommodation
There is a good range of accommodation options available in Dhaka that suit most budgets. The average cost for accommodation is around 6,000 Bangladeshi Taka (Rs 5,000 approximately) per night for two inclusive of breakfast.

Besides Dhaka…
* Visit the tea estates that dot the hilly slopes of Sylhet in Bangladesh’s north east.

* Commune with nature in the wilderness of mighty Sundarbans mangroves that Bangladesh shares with India.

* For all you beach bums out there, plan a few days of sun, sand and surf in the beautiful coastal city of Cox Bazar.

(First published in the April 4, 2014 issue of the Afternoon Despatch & Courier newspaper, Mumbai) 

A Tale Of Two Meals

As different as black and white, but yet one is the ying to the other’s yang--a breezy brunch and a classy black-tie dinner can be equally luxurious. Raul Dias lists down ten restaurants around the world where dining is a sacred art, no matter what time of day… or night!

Leading the luxurious life is all about duality coupled with the great privilege called CHOICE. In the mood for a beach holiday? Then worshiping the sun and getting that killer tan is just a jet-plane ride away to Bora Bora. Or perhaps a ski vacation in the chilly climes of Banff is more your thing? Why then should fine dining be any different? Some days that long, languid brunch beckons while some nights call for dressing up to the nines and hitting that hot new hedonistic temple to black-tie dining that brings out the sybarite in you. So just where do you begin and what’s tantalizing in the world of haute cuisine? Read on…

5 of the world’s ultra luxe brunch restaurants

1. Pastis, New York, USA
Fast becoming an institution where brunch is a meal elevated to great gastronomic heights, Pastis that is housed in Manhattan’s trendy Meatpacking District is a must-visit restaurant. This French bistro style restaurant is the kind of place where you almost certainly find yourself sharing space with a famous face. Gerard Butler, Jude Law and Sienna Miller are regulars here as are other die-hard foodies who can’t seem to get enough of Pastis’ offering such as the to-die-for Eggs Benedict, the various fluffy omelets and pates served with warm house bread. Pastis is run by Keith McNally and serviced by his impeccably talented team comprising of Executive Chefs Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson and Chef de Cuisine Pascal Le Seac’h. The trio prepares a menu that combines hearty Provençal dishes with moderately- priced bistro fare. The bar serves a range of house cocktails, wines by the glass, carafe or bottle, and several varieties of pastis, an anise-flavored aperitif from the south of France that this culinary jewel gets its name from. A word of warning about the ever-crowded Pastis: make your reservations way in advance or be prepared for an hour long wait for a table!


2. Le Nautique, Nice, France
Regarded as the playground for the rich-n-famous, Nice is the uncrowned jewel of the French Riveira with its super-decadent bars, hotels, clubs and restaurants. One such heaven to see and be seen in is Le Nautique which easily dishes up the best brunch-time food in the region. Located next to the Quai Lunel, this restaurant is legendary for serving what else but the home dish from the region--the Salade Nicoise. This brunch favourite comes served replete with endives, tuna or thon as it is called in French, a chopped boiled egg and the very salty anchovies. Best washed down with a glass of crisp Semillon, the salad is a great pre-cursor to the other mains on the extensive brunch menu such as the seared salmon streak served atop French Andouillette sausage and drizzled with a very exotic passion fruit sauce. While prices can be a tad steep, this is in keeping with the cost of good food in the region. A brunch at Le Nautique truly is what leading the good life is all about. Santé!


3. Villa 39, Mumbai, India
A vision of ivory and silver enhanced by voluminous chiffon drapes and soft mood lighting are some of the first things you notice as soon as you enter Villa 39’s über classy interiors. Touting itself as Mumbai’s first ‘home style’ Italian restaurant, Villa 39 that is housed in an elegant heritage building sure looks like a home… that of a very moneyed Italian Contessa! The brunch here is a relaxed laid-back affair that deserves to be enjoyed with plenty of time on your side. With a starter and salad bar offering everything from make-your-own Caesar’s Salad to bruschetta with olive tepanade to parma ham with melon, Villa 39 scores big time. With some typically ‘brunchy’ cocktails on offer like the the house special Mojito 39 made with coconut water and garnished with lychees or the highly unusual Bitter Chocolate Vodkatini, this place packs quite a mean punch. But it is the selection of brunch main courses that will leave you coming back for seconds. Succulent lamb chops compete with unusual offerings like the fried zucchini blossoms and the superlative Champagne risotto and the divine Lobster Linguine. Indulgence was never this good.


4. Alfresco, Medhufushi Island, The Maldives
Living up to its name, Alfresco is not only al fresco, but also sur la mer (on the sea)! As with most Maldivian hotels and resorts, this gem that is part of the Medhufushi Island Resort is housed on stilts a few yards into the Indian Ocean with azure waters lapping gently below. Brunch here is almost a ritual so much so that guests from neighbouring resorts make a bee-line for Alfresco’s sublime offerings. Right from the freshest of sushi to the translucent Vietnamese spring rolls to raw oysters with a squirt of lime on them, the starters at the brunch are edible poetry. For mains you can have the grilled lobster with mango compote or the squid ink black ravioli with a pumpkin reduction. Brunch time here calls for a plethora of cocktail options like the Mai Tai or a bluer-than-the-ocean Blue Lagoon and the unusual Chili Martini with just the right amount of spiciness to it. Brunch can often last from 11am, till the sun starts to bid adieu in the late evening. Alfresco is that kind of place where not only is it OK to kick off your Ferragamo loafers and walk barefoot… it is the norm!

5. Blanc, Barcelona, Spain
As soon as you step inside this restaurant housed in the spanking new Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona, your mind will try to come up with synonyms for the colour white. Yes, true to its name Blanc does have a lot of white. Right from the seats to the walls and even the napkins, all bear the signature white. The perfect brunch destination, Blanc dishes out some impressive fare like a fragrant seafood paella and onion tart washed down with wine from Spain’s Rías Bajas region famous for its crisp whites. But what is really interesting about this place is the Bento Box brunch special. Not traditionally Japanese, Blanc puts it’s own spin on the box which comprises of a cold cucumber soup, a grilled asparagus and leek appetizer, a watercress, feta and walnut salad, a tapas-like Parma ham bruschetta and a scrumptious crème brûlée to finish of the meal. Simple flavoursome food in an even more simple and flavoursome setting…

5 of the world’s elegant black-tie restaurants

1. Santi, Singapore City, Singapore
The paint on the walls of this spanking new Spanish fine dining restaurant may be barely dry, but patrons have been flocking to Santi, that is housed in The Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Hotel, in droves. Taking formal black-tie dining to a whole new level is world-famous master chef Chef Santi Santamaria who dishes out some Catalan cuisine with a distinct Asian influence. The restaurant itself is soft, cool elegance, with warm rustic touches, accented by custom artwork ‘graffiti’ overlaying modern glass enclosures that sparkle under the night sky. A veritable piece of Barcelona in Singapore. But the food does more of the talking here at Santi. And although the dinner menu changes daily one is never short of great fine dining options here. To start off things,  the tomatoes and girolle mushrooms confit salad with iberic ham and oyster escabeche with melon soup and fresh almonds completment each other perfectly while delectable creations like the Spiny lobster with foie gras and spiced sauce, the green riotto and the pigeon crapoudine with peppercorn sauce make up the mains. Santi also has on tap some of the best wines money can buy and deserts like the quirky Japanese peaches with marinated figs and Szechuan pepper ice cream. A top class meal for your top dollar… or rupee even!


2. Veda, New Delhi, India
The enfant terrible of Indian fashion, Rohit Bal takes fine Indian dining to a newer opulent level in his very own inimitable way with Veda, his ultra glam two-year-old Delhi eatery. The interiors of this restaurant speak of a great dalliance between the unabashedly ornate and the decadent. The rich black walls are swathed in heavy tapestries and embellished with huge mirrors that seek to bring out the dormant narcissist in us all. The rather dim, soft strategic lighting and flickering shadows caused by the low intensity red glass chandeliers create an earthy mood. But as the saying goes, it is the food that should do the talking and the posh nosh at Veda sure does a whole load of that! The cuisine here marries the traditional with the contemporary. Crispy fried okra slivers dusted with a magical chaat masala finds itself jostling for space on the table with a robust, yet delicate biryani, a fragrant dal makhani and a flavoursome lamb rogan josh. Forgotten ancient recipes that might have faded from memory are given a new lease of life by the Master Chefs of Veda. Modern interpretations of the old culinary dishes make these dishes truly classics like the superlative Lychee Tehri that is exotic and quirky in its fine marriage of a tropical fruit like a lychee with something so traditional like a thick luscious rabri.
Veda is a lot like an Indian diva who sure knows how to put on a spellbinding show and never lets you forget that she seduces best at night time, making dinner here a must-do activity.

3. Vanitas, Gold Coast, Australia
When the Versace brand does anything, you can be sure that they will do it in style and larger than life! As part of the world’s first Versace hotel, the Palazzo Versace in Australia’s sunny gold Coast, Vanitas is the kind of place that demands you flatter it by turning out in your black tie or evening gown for dinner here. Elegant sophistication wrapped in a glitzy, sparkling exterior, this restaurant is perfect for a dose of haute cuisine. Along with an extensive cellar of international wines, dishes such as the seared salmon on a bed of pinto beans with an adzuki reduction and the saddleback pig with apple sauce wow the taste buds. A night at Vanitas provides the ultimate luxurious fine dining experience. It is the epitome of classic understated elegance – ornate mosaic marble floors and palatial fountains viewed through an entrance of flickering candles. There is meticulous attention to detail, from the exquisite Versace tableware, knowledgeable personalised service and the sourcing of outstanding international wine. All this overlooking the hotel’s beautiful 65m lagoon pool. Wear luxury, now eat luxury too. That’s the way to live, right?

4. Heichinrou, Bangkok, Thailand
A member of the renowned Heichinrou Chinese Restaurant chain, well known in Hong Kong and Japan, the Heichinrou, Bangkok is housed in the stunning Amari Watergate Hotel in the heart of the city. Red, black and gold are three colours that dominate the space in this fine dining temple. Intimate round tables bring back the elegance of dining in the 1940’s when style was at its peak. But for the food now. This restaurant serves fine Cantonese cuisine in a vibrant Chinese-influenced setting. Signature dishes include 'Monk jumps over the wall', deep-fried Hong Kong chicken and barbecued Peking duck authentically cooked by Cantonese chefs. Whether you prefer a potent cocktail, a flute of bubbly or a glass of mild Chinese wine, the restaurant’s well stocked bar will make sure to keep your palate wet. Heichinrou’s six elegantly appointed banquet rooms provide privacy when desired, in a setting to suit the occasion like an intimate dinner date perhaps? If fine dining Chinese style is what you crave, then Heichinrou has it all and then some more to offer you.


5. The Great Room Restaurant, Belfast, Northern Ireland
How often can one brag about dining in a restaurant that is so palatial and grand that you’d almost expect the Queen to enter any time. Well, The Great Room Restaurant will give you a vicarious feeling of royalty as you eat your course by course feast here. Architecturally. The Great Room Restaurant is the jewel in the crown of The Merchant Hotel. The stunning interior design of this restaurant is distinguished by the magnificent central enamelled glass cupola, suspended from which is Ireland’s largest chandelier. This was specially commissioned by The Merchant Hotel from local company Tyrone Crystal. The Great Room Restaurant features cosmopolitan menus that unite influences from around the world, while honouring the best of traditional Irish, British and French classics like the superlative seared foie gras, the roast free range quail served with a sausage and white bean stew for starters and the slow roast pork belly with apple and black pudding for the mains. This is a show case for food as it should be, using the best of local produce reflecting the changing seasons like the very summery lemon posset with raspberries and meringue desert. Enhancing the stunning food experience is a carefully constructed wine list which also changes regularly to reflect the flavours of each season. Spring, summer, autumn or winter… fine dining will never go out of style here!

(First published in the Dec 2010 - Jan 2011 issue of Time'N Style Luxury magazine)

Raul On The Prowl! The January 2011 Column

Staying healthy when you fly is easier than you think, says Raul Dias who shows you how to combat jet lag, DVT and other flight-induced maladies, leaving you invigorated to enjoy the rest of your trip

Let’s face it! Not all of us belong to that privileged set of fliers who traipse around the world firmly ensconced in the cool, soothing confines of a first class cabin with comfortable seats that transform into flat beds at the touch of a button and other assorted pampering devices. Think cramped, overcrowded economy class cabins with dry air, screaming babies and you’ll get my drift. And as a travel writer constantly on the go, I’ve had my fair share of all of the above multiplied by a 100!! But yet, I’ve survived it all by relying on what I call a mixture of commonsense and a little extra something called experience.

First things first, you need to prepare for your flight even before you step foot inside the aircraft. After checking with your doctor, make sure you load up on the vitamins before you board. Fresh air is a foreign concept on flights, and in such confined quarters you may be susceptible to air-borne infections or diseases. And remember one cardinal tenet. Keep all vital medications with you on board. Ask for your doctor to issue extra prescriptions if the medications are essential to your health. 

Once on board, do try and stay off the booze and drink plenty of water. At 30,000 feet the air is very dry as well as being repeatedly recycled, and alcohol, which has its diuretic effects, can be much more potent. Either compensate with more water, or reduce alcoholic intake. Otherwise, headaches and bloating may become your unwelcome travel partners. And moreover, alcohol consumption is also the number one cause of the dreaded jet lag.

Another thing to do when on board is to stretch. Never mind how silly you may look doing lunges and hamstring stretches in the middle of the aisle, stretching pays off in the long run. Not only will it help keep the blood flowing, but it will alleviate the cramping and pains that come from sitting for an extended period of time as well as Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). Move around the cabin every once in a while, see if there are pockets of air on the flight that seem fresher than the air around your seating area.

And now for the all important aspect of flying--the nosh. A number of foods served in-flight are laden with sugar, or have a ‘heavy’ feeling to them. Because such foods can cause fluctuations in blood sugar and leave you feeling bloated, flatulent and achy, be wary of them. Sometimes toting your own carbohydrate-rich snacks (like granola nutri bars) can make sure you feel at least somewhat the same when you disembark as when you boarded your flight.

Adjusting as quickly as possible to the time zone of your destination during your flight is another way of combating the ill-effects of jet lag. This means eating at meal times that correspond with those at your destination and also sleeping accordingly. I cannot stress the importance of a proper nap on board. Use the airline blanket and pillow (be sure to claim a set before taking your seat), and sweater and socks to swaddle yourself. Fasten seatbelt loosely outside blanket; otherwise, in the event of turbulence, flight attendants may wake you to request that you buckle up. Position the airline pillow behind your head, and if you are lucky to get another pillow, in the small of your back near the lumbar region. Also placing a moistened handkerchief over your nose helps a lot as does keeping a bottle of drinking water within reach to sip from and to re-moisten your handkerchief during intermittent awakenings.

But the best tip of all is to enjoy your flight and not moan about how much you miss your bed. Get this straight! Your miserable airline seat can never and will never be as comfortable as your bed, so accept that fact and look forward to the trip ahead…

(First published in the January 2011 issue of Shout magazine)

A Yuletide home shopping treat!

The annual Christmas Market is Belfast’s ultimate shopping destination when it comes to festive home décor shopping, as Raul Dias recently discovered on a trip to Northern Ireland  

The icy, fog-laden air was heavy with the intoxicating aroma of warm-n-spicy mulled wine intermingling with that of freshly baked ginger bread. But that November evening, the gourmand in me had to take a backseat and allow the latent shopaholic to take centre stage. Food and drink would simply have to wait! I was after all at the legendary Belfast City Hall Christmas Market that makes its annual appearance for a few days in November every year, luring in people with its hearty festive bounty to decorate their homes with.
Housed in the fabulous City Hall gardens, the market is home to artisans and craftsmen from around the world who set up shop here selling every conceivable piece of furniture, tapestry, home ornament and decorative curio you can imagine.
One of the fist pieces of furniture to grab my attention was a set of quirky, ultra-light weight plastic chairs moulded in the shape of a naked, seated human form. Imported all the way from Turkey, these colourful chairs were soon being lapped up by amused shoppers including myself. Placing my order for a pair of yellow chairs for £200 each (approx. Rs 7,111) and giving in my shipping details for them to be couriered back home, I made my way to the stall selling African tribal artifacts for a spot of Christmas gift shopping. A pair of ebony Maasai warriors for a friend’s new coffee table for £50 (approx. Rs 3,555) and half a dozen wind chimes for my posse of relatives for £7 each (approx. Rs 497) were my acquisitions here. With a mother obsessed with gardening and garden ornaments, I couldn’t help picking up a whimsical old-school style carved wooden duck for £8 (approx. Rs 568) to add to her collection back home.
Having always been obsessed with anything Russian, the stall selling the very rare and supremely colourful Matryoshka dolls literally pulled me inside. These dolls are often designed to follow a particular theme and in this case the theme was blatantly obvious--Christmas! Painted in vivid festive hues of red, green, gold and silver, the dolls weren’t the most reasonable at £23.50 each (approx. Rs 1,670), but I bit the bullet and bought a pair to sit snugly atop my living room’s side board.
With my six foot tall Christmas tree having lost all but a few of its original ornaments over the years, I thought it was time to replenish the loss with a few new pieces. So off I went in search of the stall selling what a fellow shopper told me were the most beautiful ornaments she had ever seen. And my search for the perfect tree decorations ended at the stall manned by a carol-singing Polish man who kept the crowd around him amused both with his heavily accented sales pitch and his deep tenor singing as well. Here I bagged an assortment of six tiny porcelain bells at £3.50 each (approx. Rs 248), glass buntings at £12 a dozen (approx. Rs 850) and a silver angle for the tree top for £14 (approx. Rs 994).
Seeing that my retail therapy was almost complete with chairs from Turkey, wooden Masaai warriors from Africa, dolls from Russia, tree ornaments from Poland, I thought It was only fair that I ended the evening with a little desi twist. So I sauntered down to the seemingly popular (and dirt cheap!) Indian stall called ‘Mantra’ where I purchased a pair of printed paper lanterns for just £1.50 each (approx. Rs 106) to give to my Irish friends as thank you gifts for hosting me.    
Almost skidding on the slippery, snow-melted streets of Belfast, my hands laden with bags from the Christmas Market, a very potent thought entered my mind… just how was I supposed to cram in so many festive goodies into my tiny suitcase and my paltry 20kg baggage allowance? Well, I suppose only a Christmas miracle could save me now!

(First published in the Friday 10th December 2010 issue of The Address supplement of The Times Of India)

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)