Food Style

My Villa 39 restaurant review

As soon as you enter Villa 39’s über classy cream and silver interiors, most of your senses are taken on a roller coaster ride of a lifetime. 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 Countessa! Before your sense of taste is tickled to the hilt, your sense of sight is treated to stunning visual montages. The alabaster bar and intimate lounge at the ground level accessorized with venetian silver mirrors provides the perfect ambience for downing a few of the restaurant’s stellar cocktails, like the house special Mojito 39 made with coconut water and garnished with lychees or the highly unusual Bitter Chocolate Vodkatini that packs quite a mean punch.
A wooden staircase leads up to the fine dining area, which is embellished with silver antique arches and moldings. Beautiful chandeliers extend their charm to this Italian culinary masterpiece with spotlights reflecting the beauty of the wall carvings. But it is the food that truly wows the taste buds. And while Villa 39 does serve classics like the Pesto Pizza and the Warm Chicken Panini at lunch time, the place shines its best at dinner with a menu that has unusual offerings like the Fried Zucchini Blossoms and the superlative Champagne Risotto. Also worth a mention are the various types of pastas like the Lobster Linguine, Lasagna as well as standard Italian restaurant fare like Fettuccini Alfredo with Smoked Chicken Sauce accompanied by the Parma Ham with melon and figs.
Now for the downside. With such a well crafted appetizer and mains menu, it is rather surprising and a tad disappointing that the desert section of the menu lacks imagination and flair with a boring and rather bland Tiramisu and a ‘gelato’ which turned out to be normal ice cream that the waiter fessed up to have come out of a carton and not hand-made as one would have expected.
But overall, Villa 39 is a welcome breath of fresh air that has careened its way over Mumbai’s culinary scene!

--Raul Dias

B-1 Amarchand Mansion

16 Madame Cama Road, Colaba

Mumbai 400 039

Tel: +91 22 6657 3939

Fax: +91 22 6657 3938

Email: info@villa39.com

Website: www.villa39.com

Meal for 2- Rs. 2,500 (Without Drinks)

(First published in the October issue of The Man)

Squeaky Clean!

A self-confessed hamam virgin, Raul Dias recounts his premiere experience at a Turkish bathhouse in Cappadocia

Let me begin by setting the record straight. I am in no way a spa virgin. Right from having my backside whacked with acacia branches by a sadistic masseuse in an up-market day spa in Nairobi to having heated crystals placed strategically all over my body in Macao to our very own oil-rich desi abhyanga in Kochi, I’ve tried them all. But somehow, the famed Turkish hamam experience had always remained elusive. So, on a recent trip to the weird and wonderful, lunar-like landscaped town of Cappadocia in central Turkey,  I decided to see what the big fuss was all about and indulge myself with the exfoliation-massage-scrubbing trilogy that makes up this very unique bathing experience.
After I paid up the fixed rate of 50 Turkish Lira (approximately Rs 1,500), I was ushered into a tiny room to disrobe by an attendant who handed me a tiny red checked towel called a pastemal to cover my modesty with. Wrapping myself up in it, I proceeded nervously into the mysterious realm of the hamam, unsure of what awaited me behind the heavy wooden doors. I was greeted by a moist waft of steam, and by another burly attendant who proceeded to remove off (much to my embarrassment!) a whole lot of my dead grey outer skin with what looked like an oven mitt made from an abrasive fabric that he rubbed all over my body. A vigorous massage followed next which was more stretching and bone crunching than soothing.
Later, I was shepherded over to a basin, sat on a marble step, and doused in soapy warm water, removing my protective pastemal, and returning me to my birthday suit. My hair was then shampooed, before the attendant left me to my own devices for a final rinse off. Squeaky clean and wrapped in fresh towels, I made my way into the next room, where I was served traditional Turkish apple tea. After drying off and changing, I stepped out into the balmy Cappadocia evening feeling a little bemused, a little relaxed and yes... very, very, clean!

(First published in the October issue of The Man)

Raul On The Prowl! (The October column)

The weird-n-wonderful town of Cappadocia in Central Turkey is truly out of this world with its astonishing cave hotels, fairy chimneys and lunar landscape, discover’s Raul Dias

Are you one of those people who have always wanted to trudge along the crater-ridden surface of the moon? Well, I for one have constantly been on the quest for a piece of moon-walking action (and I don’t mean the Michael Jackson kind!). So, on my recent trip to Cappadocia, Turkey I did just that, vicariously feeling what Neil Armstrong might have felt like when he first made contact with terra luna!

The origins of this unusual region nestled in the heart of turkey, can be traced to the Tertiary period some 50 million years ago, when craters and chimneys dominated the landscape. Since then, huge quantities of volcanic material have spewed out of the many volcanoes. Forces of erosion have shaped the incredible and unique Cappadocian tuff-coned landscape. For hundreds of years men have dug into the soft but firm tuff to create dwellings, monasteries, churches and underground cities.

I was lucky enough to visit a few of Cappadocia’s jewels that shine their brightest under the warm August sun. There are many places to “must see” in Cappadocia like the Fairy Chimneys, Göreme Valley National Park and rock churches, underground cities of Kaymakli, Derinkuyu or Ozkonak, Zelve Valley and Pasabag, Avanos with its pottery and carpets, Uçhisar rock fortress, Ihlara valley, Soganli, Sinasos and Hacibektas. But one of the most interesting places is Ürgüp which incidentally was where I was staying.

Ürgüp has the distinction of being one of the first settlement areas of the Cappadocian region. In the Byzantine period it was known as Osiana, Hagios, Prokopios, in the period of Seljuks as Bashisar and in the period of Ottomans as Burgut Castle. Ürgüp was the patriarchate center of the Cappadocia region. The Üzümlü Church, Cambazli Church and Sarica Church in Ortahisar which was one of the villages of Ürgüp are the oldest rock churches from the region. Furthermore the Tavsanli Church and the Church of Saint Basileious truly are spectacular places. 

In recent years, Ürgüp has become famous for its cave hotels, wines and hand made carpets. The old cave houses here have been restored as cave hotel without damaging their historic structure. I found myself staying in one such hotel that truly embodies the Cappadocian spirit abundantly. As a member of the prestigious family of ‘Small Elegant Hotels Of The World’, Selçuklu Evi is the pride and joy of Ürgüp. Much more than a hotel, Selçuklu Evi is a historic Seljuk house lovingly restored, arranged in an Oriental style combining authentic charm with great comfort. Neatly tucked away in a small lane and surrounded by gardens and local houses, this quaint little hotel offers panoramic views of rock hewn caves and the old village.

None of the rooms here have numbers and are individually named. My room, owing to the fact that it had an indoor mini hammam was called the ‘Hammamali Oda’ and was just perfect! Right from the wrought iron bed furnished with hand embroidered bedspreads and pillow cases, to the thick Turkish kilim carpet to the huge bathroom that is decorated like a hammam with a gorgeous mosaic flooring, everything in this room was fit for a sultan. And the food here was to die for. Waking up to the aroma of freshly made Turkish pancakes stuffed with goat’s cheese, potato and olives, served alongside tall glasses of a salted yoghurt drink called Ayran. Flattened lemon chicken with za’atar and cous cous with plenty of individual mezze dishes was the highlight at dinners eaten in the hotel’s courtyard, blanketed by the rich black velvety canopy of the night sky, embellished with a zillion twinkling stars. Ah bliss…

Cappadocia is that kind of mystical place, rich in history, yet firmly grounded in the present with a definitive futuristic twist. Past, present and future… all in one place, all at one time! 

(First published in the October issue of Shout)

Raul On The Prowl! (The September column)

Bangkok, with its innovative dining options, never fails to seduce the palate, leaving you salivating for more. Raul Dias explains

Every six months or so I find myself falling for her charms. Lured into her inviting embrace by a delicious promise that she faithfully keeps. Her rhythmic energy pulsates and reverberates through my body, leaving me gasping for breath. She’s a temptress and she knows it only too well, wowing me with her bi-annual treats, that expertly satiates my ravenous appetite. Well, if you haven’t figured out already, I’m waxing eloquent about the mesmerizing abilities of one of my most favourite gastronomic super hubs in the whole world--Bangkok!
While Bangkok’s prowess as a heaven for street food has been well chronicled and expounded upon by many a gourmand, it is the innovative dining options one can partake in here that gets me all excited. So, on my last trip in July this year to the city perched on the banks of the rather placid Chao Phraya river, I decided to head off the beaten track and indulge my taste buds like never before. And Boy, was I in for a treat or what?
This time, I found myself staying at the stunningly beautiful Amari Watergate Hotel that is housed slap bang in the heart of Bangkok in the bustling and swanky commercial district of Pratunam. A five star hotel with a big difference as I was soon to find out. Now, while this 34-floors high edifice with a glass façade has all the usual accouterments of a hotel its size would dare to have, like a whopping 569 rooms, a relaxing spa, state-of-the-art gym, nine restaurants and so on and so forth, it also has a surprise of the edible kind that I’ve never encountered anywhere else on my many travels.
Simply called ‘Dine Around’, the Amari Watergate has invented an interesting dining concept wherein die-hard foodies like myself can indulge in the best dishes of the hotel’s nine restaurants all in one single evening, moving from one restaurant to the other, course by course. You could call it the culinary version of the good old pub crawl, but all in the same hotel of course. For 800 Thai Baht, I got to choose which restaurant I would like to first have my starters, my main course thereafter and finally dessert.
Well prepared for my culinary odyssey--that would involve a fair bit of moving around--to begin, I ditched my formal patent leather Oxfords in favour of my comfy calf-skin loafers and set off to my first stop du nuit namely, Heichinrou for my starter course as my handy little personalized menu card for the evening let me know. A member of the renowned Heichinrou Chinese restaurant chain, the Amari Watergate’s Cantonese specialty restaurant serves an eclectic selection of new favourites and traditional delicacies. With my starter course pre determined my the chef, I had left my dining fate in his trustworthy hands. But disappoint me he did not. Feasting on a degustation menu of a trio of BBQ duck, crystal prawns and seafood soup, I was in heaven with the subtlety of flavours and impeccable presentation. Cleansing my palate with refreshing oolong Chinese tea, I was ready for more. But for that I would have to make my way to the fourth level for my tryst with Thai on 4.
With a menu that was developed by the legendary doyenne of Thai cuisine, Khun Srisamon who has in the past worked as the head chef to the Thai royal family, I braced myself for some edible poetry at Thai on 4. The attentive server began by offering me a choice of four (what else!) types of rice--white jasmine, wild brown, saffron rice and the green pandanus rice. I opted for a bit of all four that was soon to be ladled over with the most velvety Thai green vegetable curry called Gaeng Kiewwan Phak and served alongside a portion of steamed chili-garlic-lime infused snow fish and a portion of stir-fried sea scallops with mushroom and green asparagus in soy sauce. I had almost died and gone to gastronomic heaven after the meal was through with me as I could never (and not till this very day) be through with it! But I had to peel myself off the chair and literally wobble down to the hotel’s basement for my final indulgence of the evening--dessert.
Decked out like an old British pub, Henry J Bean’s Bar and Grill was the perfect end with its almost-smoky, dim interiors that were inviting in a non-fussy kind of way. Crème brulee, red grit with brownie and vanilla ice cream it was to be and I wasn’t complaining, although my tummy was beginning a minor protestation of its own. Paying no heed to it, I wolfed down dessert and let out a little laugh.
I mean, where else in the world could I have just had a Cantonese starter, a Thai main and a French dessert in a Brit-themed pub of all places? Only in Bangkok!!

(First published in the September issue of Shout)

My name is Khan-e-Khalili

Bursting to its seams with all things exotic, Cairo’s gargantuan Khan-e-Khalili market showed Raul Dias a side of Egypt that isn’t all about mummies and pharaohs… well almost!

I simply couldn’t believe it! For the first time in all my ‘great-sense-of-direction-enhanced’ life did my internal GPS let me down. I had been trying to locate Cairo’s famed Khan-e-Khalili souk (market) rather unsuccessfully for the last four days and was almost ready to give up after umpteen number of wrong directions by helpful, yet linguistically challenged Cairenes. As much as the denizens of this amazing city by the Nile are proud of their great market it is quite an effort to get there especially if like me you attempt to get there on foot from downtown Cairo constantly being told “next left, meester!” 
So this time, firmly ensconced in the cool confines of a taxi I made my way towards the Mecca of all things exotic with the ferocity of a man on a mission. And finally there it was, emerging from the miasma of dust like a mirage for the unabashed shopaholic.
No visit to Cairo is complete without a ramble down to the legendary Khan-e-Khalili souk which is overflowing with some priceless bargains and yes, some touristy tat as well! Here you can stock up on some nose-tingling Arabian spices and fragrant oils while your eyes feast on the riot of colours that erupt in the shops selling traditional Egyptian outfits and top hats called tarboushes. 
Feeling a tad lost without my trusted shopping list, I let serendipity take me for a ride down the alleys of this market that assaults your every sense. My debut purchase du jour literally called out to me from its dusty home, lying below a pile of wooden bits and bobs in a rundown little kiosk in the corner of a lane. It was a simple replica of a pharaonic death mask painted in the most vivid shades of blue, silver and black. Although nowhere close to ancient, the mask had a character to it that appealed to me. After the customary (and expected!) bargaining ritual, I handed over a soiled 100 Egyptian Pound (Rs 800 approx.) note to the stall owner and headed towards the papyrus painting shop that came thoroughly recommended by my hotel manager. After a good 15 minute ramble, stopping en route to pick up a dozen mummy shaped fridge magnate for 30 EGP (Rs 240 approx.), I located the said shop and was immediately bowled over by the wonders of papyrus painting. Right from pastoral prints depicting ancient agrarian Egyptian life along the fertile banks of the Nile to scenes of mummification and funerary grandeur, there were a plethora of originals paintings to choose from and at a great price (after 10  minutes haggling) of 70 EGP (Rs 560 approx.) each. Snapping up a series of five for my sister’s new living room and another three for my bedroom, I made my way towards the fulfillment of a promise.
Being an avid Egyptophile, nothing makes my friend (let’s call her GS) happier than kitting herself out in all things Egyptian. Right from the flowing kaftans to even a mannish tarboushe, she wears them all with élan. The only thing missing according to her were a “nice expensive pair of scarab beetle-shaped silver earrings”. So off I was towards the jewellery section of the souk in the eastern section, eyes trained to scope out anything remotely scarabish. It’s not like there weren’t close contenders, but I just couldn’t find that extra special pair that had GS’ quirky personality stamped all over it. Almost ready to give up, I sauntered into a shop that looked as though it was patronized by fashionable Cleopatra herself. Old, dusty and musty are three words that best sum up the shop that was helmed by an equally ancient looking man. And yes, he had just what I was looking for. For a round figure of 300 EGP (Rs 2,400 approx.) not only did I snap up the silver earrings, but also a matching bracelet with scarabs positioned back to back.
A green hand-blown glass lamp with a matching pair of glass candlesticks for my study was my last purchases for 150 EGP (Rs 1,200 approx.). And I say last purchase not because I had had enough of this charming market, factors like depleting financial resources and excess baggage had begun to swim in my mind like annoying piranhas in the placid Nile.
A visit to the Khan-e-Khalili market comes with a warning. Be prepared for all your senses to be taken on a shopping sojourn of a lifetime, where the exotic intermingles with the ancient in a dazzling dance… but please don’t forget to take proper directions to the place!

Lamps aplenty: Light up your life!

(First published in the May issue of The Address-The Times Of India)

The mother of all markets!

With an interesting mélange of gorgeous antiques and home accessories, the Marche d’Antibes in Antibes, France is truly the place to shop like there’s no tomorrow, finds Raul Dias

Think springtime in the French Riviera and potent visions of scores of sun worshipers flocking to its pristine pink-sanded beaches swim into your mind. But there’s more than just the sun-n-sand that this decadent crescent of the South of France has on tap for the hedonist in us all. With café au lait and croissant mornings melding into evenings spent drinking chablis and gourmandizing plates of coq au vin, it is those torrid afternoons in between that need taking care of. And the centuries old weekend Marche d’Antibes in Antibes is just the place to shop away those hours as I discovered one fine May afternoon.

So as I let serendipity take me wherever it wanted to, I ambled along the narrow alleys of the market with no particular plan of action or agenda in mind. “Go with the flow” was to be my mantra du jour. As a budding patron of the arts, a gallery is one of the first places in a market that invariably lures me in. And the Gallerie St Michel was no exception. ‘Infested’ with all kind of paintings from pastorals to modern abstracts, the art gallery had an inexplicably eclectic air about it. A charcoal drawing by the owner of the gallery, Mssr Zerbib himself, depicting the Antibes Marina a few yards from the market caught my attention. Not only because I was actually talking to its creator, but more so because I had just a few hours ago sailed out of that very same marina aboard a 70 year old wooden ketch. A good humoured minute or so of bargaining later, the 12” X 8” framed drawing was mine for a decent 75 Euros (approx. Rs. 4,500)

If there was one thing the local Antibeans, like my hotel’s genial concierge, told me to look out for in the market, it would have to be the basket shop that is neatly tucked away in a discreet corner of the large market. Besides selling a plethora of weed, straw and raffia baskets, the USP of this shop is their extensive range of picnic baskets in all shapes and sizes. As a hard-core picnicker, not owning a decent picnic basket was always something I had regretted. But no more. A medium sized wicker beauty with dual flap lids and trimmed with typically French red checked cloth and a sturdy handle was what my eyes scoped out. Seeing my crest fallen face at the mention of its price of 35 Euros (approx. Rs. 2,100), the portly owner of the store decided to throw in a pair of ivory-coloured lace doilies as what he called a cadeau (gift)!

My next stop was the decidedly quirky and rather whimsical ‘olive’ themed kitchen wear store that sold almost every conceivable kitchen implement, be it saucepans, ladles, bowls, serving dishes and the like, all emblazoned with the two olives and leaves motif. With a friend back home about to start her own little patisserie, I thought a set of egg yolk yellow ceramic cake stands (with the olive motif but of course) would be a perfect house… err, I mean patisserie-warming gift. In exchange for a reasonable 15 Euros (approx. Rs. 900) I had the set neatly wrapped up in the previous days newspaper and stowed gently in my roomy new picnic basket.

No sojourn to the market would be complete without a visit to the antiques section that is housed in its north end. Here you will find everything from silver tea sets to mother of pearl mirror and matching brush sets that look like something fairytale characters like Rapunzel would have probably used to coiffeur her never ending tresses! A pair of brass candle sticks decorated with winged cherubs in mint condition for 10 Euros (approx. Rs. 600) each dawned on me as the perfect wedding gift for my friend who has a yen for both angels and antiques alike. So cracking a deal with the stall owner, I walked out happy and content with the pair along with a delicate brass dining table bell that she threw in for an extra 3 Euros (approx Rs 180).

With the big buys over and done with, the usual bric-a-brac beckoned and I made my final purchases of a dozen bunches of lavender potpourri for gifts at 1.50 Euros (approx. Rs. 90) each and two pepper mills for 2 Euros (approx. Rs. 120) each for my dining table back home in Mumbai.

Arms laden with parcels, a robust shot of the forbidden Absinthe beckoned from the nearby Absinthe-only bar. As I sat down and leisurely downed the emerald-green, aniseed-meets-licorice flavoured drink, a calming, super-satisfying sensation took over my being. And to this day I am still trying to decipher if it was the effect of Absinthe doing its little number on me or the highly intoxicating shopping at the true mother of all markets!

(First published in the 10th July issue of The Address-The Times of India)