Of ‘Elevated’ Evenings!

Exhuding a relaxed, laid-back vibe, and an uncomplicated food and drink menu, this poolside rooftop space is a cool new addition to the Bandra restobar scene.

By Raul Dias

Curious as to the underpinnings of this brand new Bandra restobar’s rather unusual name—Oheka—our pre-visit due diligence yielded to us an interesting insight. An acronym using the first several letters of each part of its creator’s name, Otto Hermann Kahn, Oheka Castle in Long Island, New York is one of the few ‘castles’ in the US built on a truly epic scale.
Back in Mumbai and replacing the popular Amanzi Sky Deck & Bar, the rooftop Oheka is an interesting evening-only space. Nestled in the midst of lush foliage that gives it a relaxed, tropical vibe, the poolside space has a private cabana and a cantilevered transparent deck that seems to ‘float’ over the swimming pool. There is also a lounge area in the main building done up in dark coloured accents.
Being one of the first patrons of the evening, we were offered a choice of seating. We chose the pool deck, where we could see swimmers taking laps below our table, as we sipped on our cocktails. While both our first choices—the sugar free, whisky and lapsang tea smokey Lucifer (Rs 525) and a banana-based riff on a pina colada, the plantains colada (Rs 475)—were disappointingly unavailable, we made do with our second choices.
The spicy and decidedly Thai-flavoured boon-me (Rs 475) was a deliciously tall libation with its white rum, kaffir lime and bird’s eye chili parts shining through. Served in a brandy snifter the whisky- and watermelon-based citron melon slush (Rs 475) was paradoxically both smoky and citrus-y at the same time, making for a ripper of a cocktail.
Brought to our table within minutes of placing our order, the thrash can nachos (Rs 240) were presented beautifully in a tin can that our server dramatically upturned onto the serving plate. A cascade of nacho chips, refried beans, and sour cream all enrobed in a silky cheese sauce ensued. Though we did try our very best to seek out the promised guacamole sauce which seemed to have been missing from the otherwise simple and tasty bar snack.
Our order of the Oheka signature lal maas lamb tacos (Rs 340) had us devouring three generously portioned tacos that were actually mini phulkas with a tangy stuffing of pulled, spicy lamb and raw red onions. Egged on by our server, we gave the parmesan crusted chicken (Rs 410) a go, only to be faced with mixed reactions. While the breaded and flattened fried chicken breast was both tender and juicy, sitting atop a bed of smooth mashed potato and accompanied by a rocket and cherry tomato salad, it was the mushroom sauce that let the dish down. Not only was said sauce criminally salty, but it had also split, resulting in an unappealing, lumpy puddle around the chicken.
And while we’ve already promised ourselves a repeat visit to Oheka soon, we hope the next time round it’s a perfect 10! 
                 
AT: Oheka, 3rd floor, C’est La Vie, Near Holy Family Hospital, Hill Road, Bandra West.
TIME: 7 pm to 1.30 am
CALL: 9324029879

(An edited version of this review appeared in the 29th July 2019 issue of the Mid-Day newspaper, India on page 21 https://www.mid-day.com/articles/of-elevated-evenings/21437163)

Desi Flavours

(An edited version of this column first appeared in the 28th July 2019 issue of The Free Press Journal newspaper's Weekend section on page 3 https://www.freepressjournal.in/weekend/india-inspired-iconic-dishes-from-across-the-globe)

Notes from Sofia

By Raul Dias

Here’s an honest observation. Sofia isn’t a beautiful city. The modest sized capital of the Eastern European country of Bulgaria will never be up there with the top five ‘must-visit’ destinations in one’s lifetime. Nor will it ever be bestowed with those silly, rather patronising monikers of ‘Paris of the East’, ‘Venice of the South’ etc. But what it does have in abundance is character. Everywhere you look there’s an oxymoronic grittiness coupled with a breathless vibrance. And probably one the greatest contributors to this is Sofia’s bounty of street art and graffiti in all their candy-coloured brilliance and in-your-face insouciance.

First ‘Impressions’
Ever the thrifty traveller, one of the first things I did after checking into my hotel was to sign up for a free graffiti and street art tour of the city. Run by a bunch of passionate art students and experienced street artists who double up as guides, the two-hour long walking tour is their way of helping visitors discover Sofia and its colourful history.
And speaking of history, I was told by my guide Stella that it is thanks to Bulgaria’s socialist past that the street art sub-culture and era of the true-blue graffiti artist emerged. The drab, Soviet-style apartment blocks with their plain, grey exteriors provided the city’s 21st century street artists with a range of ideal surfaces for large scale mural art. It was also the sudden ‘invasion’ of satellite television and the emerging hip-hop scene of 90s America that served as harbingers of this sub-culture.
At first frowned upon, slowly street art came to be respected for what it is—art! In fact, graffiti is so well-accepted in Sofia that the tram stop under the National Palace of Culture (NDK) is officially called “NDK Graffiti”, all thanks to the abundant, ever-evolving graffiti than can be found around the tram stop.
Municipally sanctioned street art in particular also started to be used as a means to deter artists from committing random acts of vandalism. A few years ago, “Theatre on the Street”—an art project by Bulgarian NGO, aptly named Transformers—saw 30 artists, over 10 days transform 51 pavement-side electrical boxes into graffiti art along Sofia’s theatre-infested Rakovski Street.   

  

Interpreters of Maladies?
At one of our stops, a car park on the city’s arterial Knyaginya Maria Luiza Boulevard, a little north of the busy Serdika metro station, we were met with a rather evocative mural by local graffiti legend who goes by the tag of Bozko. A veritable nom de plume, a tag we’re told, is not just an artist’s signature and mark of territory, but also an allusion to their style.
In the case of Bozko, that style is something that borders on hallucinogenic with otherworldly characters harbouring hidden social messages. For example, painted below a peeling Chupa Chups lollipop advertisement, his Pinocchio-like figure from a project series titled Urban Creatures seems to reference the untruths the advertising industry perpetrate with its ever-growing beak-nose. The interpretations are limitless.
With a diametrically opposite style from Bozko, Nasimo, another local Bulgarian muralist, I was told, is known for his dreamy, largely figurative works that draw a lot of inspiration from classical art and convey a sense of escapism from reality. Behind the old Turkish Thermal Bath House, we stopped by two of his pieces a few meters away from each other. Both sublime. But the one that caught my attention the most was a photorealistic mural depicting an embracing couple with cupid superimposed onto them. The fading rays of the evening sun bouncing off the glass panels of the adjacent building and casting fluid-like rippled effects onto the wall, made the piece even more magical than it was.

(This article first appeared in the 28th July 2019 issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on page 27 https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/travel/notes-from-sofia/article28723200.ece)

Fork in the Road: Bulgarian Cuisine—Where East Meets West…

By Raul Dias

fusion (n)
the process or result of joining two or more things together to form a single entity.

If there is one thing that I’ve always prided myself on, then that would have to be my impeccable researching skills. Digging up as much as I can before I visit someplace new is a process I relish. Almost as much as finally getting there and having a first-hand experience. And when the subject of said research is food, the combination is hard to resist, as I pore over every morsel (pardon the pun!) of information I can get—online, offline, or word-of-mouth—for weeks before I set off on my travels.
Sadly, in the case of my trip to Bulgaria earlier this year in April, I could not afford the luxury of a lengthy research session. A sudden, spur-of-the-moment invite saw me getting on a plane from Zurich to the Bulgarian capital of Sofia with just about enough time for me to pack my suitcase, leave alone immerse myself in research.  
But this sudden trip also taught me a very important lesson. That going totally blind and knowing alarmingly little about a place is equally exhilarating as going in fully prepared is. Like for example, I never knew that Bulgarian food is very different from its other Eastern European counterparts in that it shares a number of dishes with Persian, Turkish, and Greek cuisine. You could perhaps, go so far as to call it one of the world’s earliest fusion cuisines.
They say you never forget your first time doing something. And for me, my initiation into the realm of Bulgarian cuisine will always be a bowl of refreshingly chilled tarator soup that my host Mina insisted I try at a small hole-in-the-wall food kiosk near the National Museum in the heart of Sofia. Though April is still early spring in Bulgaria, the rather muggy weather totally warranted this summer soup that tasted like a thinned down cross between the yogurt-mint-cucumber-dill Greek dip of tzatziki and our very own Indian raita.
Another mainstay of Bulgarian cuisine was next. Still flirting with a strong Greek influence, the banitsa is a coiled breakfast pastry of eggs, a yellow cheese called kashkaval, and yogurt, all ensconced between phyllo layers. Interestingly, it also reminded me of the Turkish börek pastry I had totally OD’d on a few years ago on a trip to Istanbul.
Referencing a fried Canadian dough snack called beaver tails, a single serving of the blueberry jam smeared mekitsa—that is made with yogurt and eggs—was too hard to resist as we passed by the Mekitsa & Coffee shop in downtown Sofia. So, I had two! The second one a scrumptious savoury iteration that was slathered with the salty Bulgarian sour cream called smetana.
Craving something more lunch-like and less snacky, we headed down to Sofia’s bustling central food market—diagonally opposite the ancient historical site of the Serdika ruins—for a meal that we picked up in several parts from the many food stalls that inhabit this gargantuan covered hall. One of the first things Mina bought for us was a plate of shopska salata. Now, according to Bulgarian tradition, shopska salata or shopska salad is what newlyweds sit down and eat as their first meal together after the ceremonies. The recipe may seem simple, with just a few fresh cut vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers as ingredients, but the taste is dynamite when coupled with a sprinkling of the crumbly, salty sirene cheese.
This was followed by a few more mezze-like dishes such as kebapche (a variation of the ubiquitous minced meat, spices, and herbs kebab) and the divine Greek dolmades-like lozovi sarmi that uses grape leaves as a base, that are then stuffed with minced meat, rice, herbs, and yogurt.
For mains, we bought a serving of the traditional Bulgarian dish of gyuvech. This hearty one pot dish is a stew made from meat, mushrooms, peppers and onions with some kashkaval cheese grated over it. I was told that a good Gyuvech will always have boiled eggs and a whole lot of Paprika in it. And the one I ate sure did.
It was like taking a stroll down a middle eastern souk for dessert, as we got an assorted platter of baklava which are tiny honey-orange water-sugar syrup drenched pastries made from phyllo sheets that are stuffed with almonds and pistachios. 
From the excitingly unknown to the comfortingly familiar, the food of Bulgaria sure taught me something I’ll never forget—going blind can “show” you a lot more than you’d bargained for!

(First published on 27th July 2019. Appearing every last Saturday of the month in The Free Press Journal newspaper, this column is all about viewing travel through the prism of food. https://www.freepressjournal.in/travel/bulgarian-cuisine-where-east-meets-west)

Great Escapes--27th July 2019

Great Escapes weekly Saturday travel page for The Free Press Journal newspaper curated, edited and produced by Raul Dias

Great Escapes--20th July 2019

Great Escapes weekly Saturday travel page for The Free Press Journal newspaper curated, edited and produced by Raul Dias

Conscious Coupling

The opulent Dhara Dhevi resort in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand is the perfect place to host a luxurious destination wedding. Raul Dias you on a journey through this breathtaking getaway.

By Raul Dias

The wind rustles through the emerald-hued paddy fields, lush and verdant after the previous night’s rain. The heady fragrance of frangipani permeates every nook and cranny, as the chirruping of cicadas provides the ambient sound track, competing with the gentle gurgling of a nearby brook. The sky is a shade of deep purple, speckled with golden bursts of light. You stop. You ponder. “Could this be really happening to me?” seems to be a question your mind asks no one in particular on a repeated loop. Then, suddenly, it all begins to sink in, every piece of this mind-boggling puzzle fitting in perfectly with each other…
Now, imagine this very same place as the venue for that dream destination wedding. Nestled in the fecund valley of Chiang Mai, in the Northern Thailand region of Lanna, this is one getaway where breathtaking beauty and opulent luxury are a way of life. A picture postcard perfect setting to exchange those lifelong vows.

Wedding wows!
With its expansive lawns overlooked by the sacred Bo trees and a delightful Lanna prayer hall set among verdant gardens, the location of the resort offers unparalleled advantages for weddings. As a wedding venue, you can choose from a variety of wedding receptions: the elegance of a European-style white wedding or the magnificence of a Lanna nuptial ceremony, rich in ancient traditions. Dhara Dhevi Chiang Mai will take great care to make the moment unique. Weddings at Dhara Dhevi Chiang Mai blend ceremonial pomp with traditional Lanna rituals, bringing together Thailand’s gentle charms with the expertise of well trained staff. In the grounds, the couple can ride away on a horse-drawn carriage or drift into the sky in a hot air balloon. Banquet menus are prepared using only the freshest ingredients, while the wine and champagne list caters for the most expert palates. Floral arrangements make use of northern Thailand’s abundant roses, jasmine and strelitzia, as well as exotic orchids, for which the country is famous.

Luxe unlimited
Offering some of the world’s most spacious and exclusive accommodation for you and your wedding guests, Dhara Dhevi’s 123 luxurious villas, colonial suites and signature residences have been crafted in keeping with traditional Lanna architectural styles. They feature extensive museum-quality artifacts, sumptuous Thai silks and local hill-tribe textiles, spacious terraces, some of which incorporate private plunge pools or swimming pools. The exquisitely designed interiors seamlessly blend age-old tradition with modern convenience and high technology. The resort’s unique design draws from the region’s rich architectural and cultural heritage that flourished during the Lanna period, which lasted from the mid-13th century until the mid-16th century and enjoyed a further resurgence in the last 200 years. It is these essential elements that contribute to an overall atmosphere of unparalleled luxury and serenity.

Suite surprise
For your wedding night, the piece de resistance has simply got to be The Royal Residence. Located in a self-contained area, the Royal Residence is a small ‘private retreat’ and is ideal for guests who seek exclusivity and privacy. It comprises six bedrooms, three with a king bed and three with twin beds. The ancient palace style architecture epitomises a grandeur and opulence of a bygone age, whilst every modern convenience and facilities have been incorporated into the unit - spacious bathrooms, generous living room space, large dining room and pantry, all connected by a walkway. Three private pools and three Jacuzzis complete the picture of ultimate luxury.

Dine (and wine!) like a royal
For the other smaller pre- and post-wedding functions, take your pick from a whole cornucopia of restaurants, bars and cafes that can be found sprawled about the extensive property. Set in a cluster of traditional Lanna style buildings, Le Grand Lanna—the specialty Thai restaurant serves regional cuisine from both Northern and Central Thailand.
Serving imperial Chinese cuisine along with dim sum in an elegant two-storey Sino-Portuguese style mansion, Fujian is another great dining option. Highlighting ‘French Progressive Cuisine’ Farang Ses is an opulent French restaurant serving modern French cuisine. For your cocktail evening, the Horn Bar featuring masks from different regions of Myanmar, depicting mythological characters is THE place to unwind.

Spa time
Speaking of unwinding, no destination wedding experience in Thailand can be complete without a soothing spa session. And the Dhara Dhevi’s Dheva Spa and Wellness Centre takes care of all your pre-wedding beauty and grooming needs to the hilt. Spread out over 3,100 square metres, this spa is a destination in itself and features signature ceremonies adapted from traditional practices from Northern Thai, Burmese and Indian cultures. Key treatments include The Royal Thai ceremony, Lanna ceremony, Mandalay ceremony and yes, even a typically Indian Ayurvedic ceremony.

Dhara Dhevi Chiang Mai
51/4 Chiang Mai-Sankampaeng Road, Moo 1,
T. Tasala, A. Muang, Chiang Mai 50000 Thailand
Telephone: +66 (53) 888 888
www.dharadhevi.com  

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the 13th June 2019 issue of The Free Press Journal newspaper's Saturday Great Escapes section on page 21 http://epaper.freepressjournal.in/m5/2239923/Free-Press-Mumbai-Edition/13-Jul-2019#page/21/1)