The arrival of the humble Cucumber as we know it in 2030 B.C. to India from the Tigris (Iraq) valley created the euphoria of pickling products in brine. Pickle is given its due mention in the Bible and Ayurvedic texts praise its nutritive properties down the ages. Aristotle praised the curative powers of pickled cucumbers and Napoleon fed his Army on them. Certain fruits like lemons and others rich in vitamins were preserved and fed to sailors to prevent scurvy and other ailments on long voyages. 4,000 years down pickled pleasures have taken the world by everyone’s palates and taste buds and pickles sharpen tongues in virtually every part of the world.
Sweet, hot, spicy, tangy describe this side-dish, of which like no other there is such variety, encompassing almost every vegetable, fruit, meat, fish and roe we know, being used as a primary ingredient. Combinations have been tried out and several have emerged as all time favourites. Mixed with spices, sugar, tamarind, jaggery, vinegar and oil, pickling helped preserve foods. The fine art of pickling derives from ancient expertise, and hallowed seasonal ritual.
The heart of the matter is to utilise the flavours and ingredients of the season. Not only is this economical but colours the imagination in seasonal flights of fancy.
Pickle making in India is a national past-time and nearly every woman’s culinary achievement from ages past down to our times. Even in the hustle and bustle of cities the lady of the house prides herself on serving “homemade” whenever possible.
The term pickle in our time encompasses a wide range of products including (Relishes) which are vinegar preserved, and fruit and veg pickles which are oil based. Some pickles age like wine and mature after a while and even keep for years. The use of certain spices like ginger, asafoetida, turmeric and saunf (cumin) are used to help digestion. Certain spices like clove, cinnamon and ginger are used for their warming properties. Cumin and cardamom are cooling spices.
The variety is endless. You name the ingredient and it is used in a pickle. But there are hot favourites. In India there are the universal lime, mango and chilli pickle, and the temptingly sweet mango chunda to name a few. You can find pickles for the diet conscious, oil-free kind; pickles full of vitamins with mineral rich ingredients. There are also pickles made using just the rind of certain citrus fruits tossed in chilli or ground aromatic spices.
Consumed along with every type of cuisine pickles are international titillations of just not taste but appetite. Consumed just plain with chapattis, rotis, bhakris, puris or as an accompaniment with rice or a main dish pickles make often the meal of the day and often a handy snack for the unexpected guest
The whole pickle-making syndrome in India was once a family tradition with inputs from all members who helped in the chopping, cleaning and various stages of production. Songs and tales were part of the process. Right from grinding spices during the hot months by travelling gypsies to the cooking by the khansama (cook) or housewife. The final result required that the pickle lived up to past claims of quality.
In Northern India, women pickle the seasonal vegetable and fruit with different spices to give each a unique flavour. Some vegetables are pickled in brine with turmeric, ground mustard and chilli powder to flavour.
All other places for other Indians, pickles are flavours of childhood which linger in the adult mind. Memories flood of tangy pickle with hot puris, hot phulkas smeared with ghee, eaten with sweet chunda. On growing up, habits remain. In the South Indian Thali the ritual of a pat of pickle and salt in the top left hand corner, continues firmly. In South India pickles are stored in porcelain jars (Bharnis) a legacy of the active trade with the Chinese. The Maharashtrians also follow the style of serving pickles on the left side of a thali. These accessories to a meal express the style of the lady of the house, and due mentionand praise of the range of chutneys and pickles is customary etiquette towards the hostess.
In North India, pickles are served in a container with compartments giving one a choice which includes wedges of lime and pickled onions.
The traditional Parsee meal is preceded by the community’s famous date chutney served with mini chapattis. So like the various traditions and customs of India with its variety of dialects every state has its speciality of pickle.
The Maharashtrian “East Indian” Christian community are famous for Kasaundi and Balachao pickles. The Bengali favourite is a pickle made with brinjal (egg plant or aubergine), which is a spicy mix made for any auspicious occasion, and a sweet pickle made of lemons which are salted and dried in the sun then mixed with a thick sugar syrup.
The colourful folk of Punjab infuse their vigour into creating a five textured pickle. The Punjabis combine mangoes, cauliflower, radish and carrots marinated in a mixture of mustard oil, jaggery and spices.
According to some people, there is nothing to beat the pickles of Gujarat. From sweet to mild to hot to spicy, in oil or dry combinations the pickles are unforgettable.
In India there are over 4,000 manufacturers who produce and sell pickles. India’s exports of pickles are an estimated $8 million for around 15 tonnes. Local consumption is approximately 50,000 tonnes. Branded varieties are sold at a premium and are target-oriented for export. Major producers like Nestle (Maggi), Bedekar (Ruchi), American Dry Fruits (Mother’s Recipe), Uma (Parle Foods), Kholas Pickles, Priya, Praveen and others rake in a large part of the National & International market for pickles.
Pickles are firstly the fruit of labours of love, and the songs and the culture that surrounds their making. Pickling is the simple procedure for preserving fruits, meats, fish, vegetables in salt, or spices or oil or combinations of the three. The combinations are versatile. The same mango pickle prepared in one part of the country tastes different from that prepared elsewhere. Whilst recipes may be the same, the oils or vinegars used could be different, resulting in difference of taste. For example mustard oil is used in North India and Gingelly oil used in the South. Many picklers prefer palm vinegar others settle for synthetic vinegar.
The adjusting of proportions of spices can overpower or downplay the outcome. These balances have been tried and tested over the centuries to give a degree of perfection. Nowadays you just sit back and savour the flavours.
So why do pickle recipes for the perfect pickle still go wrong. Like the carpenter who blames his tools you can sometimes put the blame on ingredients. Using the best quality ingredients is a first principle to whole pickling process. But spices can go only so far to cover up the flavours produced by ill-chosen ingredients. Or as is well known naturally-grown produce tastes different from doctored varieties which are mass produced. Also, since levels of sweetness or sourness vary, there might be a problem.
Another aspect is the preparation of spices. These are used raw, or roasted, whole or powdered. Combinations are sometimes and to a certain degree measured, but to the housewife, better understood as pinches or handfuls as in handed down tradition.
Plain commonsense, with regular practice, trial and error and accumulated experience will truly enrich the great pickle.
Parel an area of Mumbai which in recent years has seen a lot of change, so much so that it has now been described as upper and lower Parel. With many of the many businesses having moved to this part of Mumbai the area was in need of change.
Lying between all the major hotels of South Mumbai and the Hotels of the suburbs, lies the newly constructed ITC Grand Central Sheraton & Towers in the very heart of Parel. The ITC Grand Central Sheraton & Towers group is a well known hotel group across the country. The Parel hotel whose interiors have been designed by Chandu Chedda from Hong Kong boasts of several restaurants on its premises and a few have become the watering hot spot for the locals.
Its major Indian restaurant Kebabs and Kurries is located on the ground floor, a short walk through the lobby. On entering its majestic portals and being greeted by a polite hostess one is escorted to ones table. Unlike most Indian restaurants the décor is minimalist at its best and not at all gaudy or overly decorated. Long drapes cover the French windows. And a few large Urns are placed around.
Divided into three styles, one area the shamiana is designed to look like one is sitting under a tent. The front area of the restaurant has wooden floors and a neat and simple design and seating plan. The centre, a slightly elevated area gives one a feeling of being in a machaan, is the exclusive dining area of the restaurant. The area of the last two has a ceiling of wooden beams, from wooden tables to marble topped tables, one can be seated at chairs or low benches. All make for a different type of dining experience.
Having done away with table cloths simple cotton runners are placed down the centre. The cutlery is all stainless steel and not that heavy chunky kind which makes eating a chore, but as one is eating Indian one invariably eats with ones fingers. Though one eats off white porcelain plates the food is served up in traditional copper bowls and platters and the occasional porcelain a kind of mix and match.
The four menus the restaurant has have been well researched by the Executive Chef Rakesh Upadhay and his team. It is one of the only restaurants that I have come across which has a separate menu card for the vegetarians and Jains and which is quite extensive. Another creative aspect on the part of the management is the meal for a single person as the portions would otherwise be quite large. Lunches are usually the executive platter though one can order from the a-la-carte menu, and on Sunday lunch there is the Sunday Bubbly with unlimited champagne being served.
The dishes served here are from India and Central Asia. All not just cooked on the tandoor, there are Kebabs which have been cooked on Tavas (iron griddle), angethis (grill) and koofteh’s which are cooked in a pan.
The curry menu is also divided into dishes by the style of its preparation. From Dum to Qormas , Qaliya, Salan and Dopiaza each style giving a unique and diverse perspective to Indian cooking and dining experience.
Talking with one of the chefs he explained that most of the recipes used are unique in that they have used rare spices and herbs following ancient recipes which have then been perfected to suit today’s palate. Some of the foods have been cooked for as long as 24 hours like the Haleem a dish of lamb and broken wheat and Dal Bukhara. In fact the dal cooks 24 hours 365 days of the year, old mixed with the new as is traditionally done giving way to a most delicious aroma and taste.
Other speciality dishes to the restaurant are the Unnat which is split urad cooked with lotus root and colocasia. From the Non-vegetarian menu the Murgh Angaar is truly delicious, which is best accompanied by a delicious Uzbeki Naan or a Naan-e-Bahkumaach (Whole Wheat). The chefs recommendation of Burani Gosht and Nihari Gosht is something I am looking forward to on my next visit. Another dish which I have probably tasted for the first time was a delicious Raw Papaya Pickle.
If you have a sweet tooth there is a delicious but rich dish made of broken rice and moong slowly cooked in milk and enriched with khoya and goes by the name of Yaquti. The other desserts to try are the Shahi Tukra Asal and Dum ki Pooran, and Kulfi Falooda which no menu would be complete without.
All in all the menus have a different repertoire and a gastronomic experience to go through. The ambience which could pass off as fine dining and good food for the price, is seriously let down, by the food presentation, which is too simple and hurriedly done. There is a wine and liquor menu to go with the food. Service at the restaurant is done by smartly dressed waiters in a style of Kurtas and maroon sashes. Young and enthusiastic their manners are pleasant. With an eye for display the semi circular kitchen is glassed in and one can see the food being prepared. Watching the chefs at work and eating deliciously hot food does make this a restaurant worth visiting again.
Timings Lunch 12.30 – 3.00 / Dinner 7.00 to 12.00
Address ITC Grand Central Sheraton & Towers
Dr. B. Ambedkar Road Parel, Mumbai 400 012, India
Telephone 91-22-2410 1010
Website www.itcwelcomegroup.in
Word count; 897
Michael Swamy, swamy Cottage, 11/A, D’Silva Wadi, Prabhadevi Road, Mumbai 400025,
“I think it is a sad reflection on our civilisation that we can and do measure the temperature in the atmosphere of Venus…..”
“We do not know what goes inside our souffles”
Nicholas Kurti (1969)
As kid chemistry was never my strong suit. In fact I probably hated it. What did I know that being a chef is all about science in the kitchen. It is a moment of theatre, magic the mixing and extracting of flavours. Some subtle some strong all just to titillate the palate and all this from mastering cooking techniques. The thought of taking scientific process to understanding the change in chemical properties of foods and how it alters in the presence of certain minerals, heat levels to explore novel flavour combination. This science of cooking is one step to enhancing our understanding in the pairing of foods.
Molecular technology is a technique where chefs use existing scientific methods to understand how the physical and physio-chemical properties of water can alter the taste and texture of foods. It allows chefs to look at food at a molecular level, breaking up flavours and tastes to define and dissect them. In turn, understanding the science behind pairing flavours and exploring novel flavour combinations.
Rooted in the ideas of Nicholar Kurti a scientist, Herve This and Harold Mc Ghee a food writer the idea of Molecular cooking took on a big way. It took two extraordinary chefs to capitalise on this unique cooking experience and in 2006 was voted the best restaurants in the world. When introduced at ‘El Buli’ in Spain by Chef Feran Adria who says “One can experience a whole range of emotions through food, and every customer for the experience of it”. A restaurant that opens just six months of the year the remaining six for experimenting well that’s a new one for creativity.
The next restaurant was The Fat Duck with Chef Heston Blumenthal. ‘The idea behind all this dissection of flavours is to surprise, to re-invent and de-familiarise to sensory impact on the palate by isolating flavours and enhancing others.’
Exchanging ideas on a global scale that’s what today’s world is all about. The label molecular mixology is all about taking known drinks, breaking them apart, then going through a tasting wheel to identify the flavours then putting it all together again and building it differently but giving you the same drink on a whole new level. All this is achieved by using foams, jellies, fruit and spice caviars and a whole range of stuff. Have you tried a jellied Gin and Tonic and creating the fizzy feel with chemicals like agar agar, sodium carbonate with citric acid or having your martini in mousse form with a olive on top or a jellied vermouth. Its about putting the fun into drinking. Take for example a Manhattan with a layer of sweet and bitter foam giving you a taste of what’s to come and gently paves the way to the gist of the drink.
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What is amazing is the way the foams and gels and tiny caviar are put to use. Made from using natural products such as those extracted from soya or the alginates in seaweed to give particular textures and consistencies. The foams use egg whites and gelatine, the airs use soya lecithin, the caviars are pearls created by dropping a mixture of a flavouring compound with alginate into a calcium chloride solution that forms a ‘shell’ to give a caviar like look and feel.
Molecular mixology is all about experimenting. The place to start is experiment with the sweet/sour balance first. Think of something as simple as honey, lemon and water. Once you get that sense of harmony between the ingredients you develop balance which is what you need at the heart of every drink. Then raid your cupboards jams and all kind of syrups can be put to use. Take different teas, make them up, allow them to cool and use them as your dilution. Hints of subtle spice are something the indian palate has a mastery of, ‘less is more’ though! And finally use lots of ice and always shake to wake your drinks up not put them to sleep. A martini, vermouth or wine mousse makes ones drink look like a cocktail snack now that’s an innovative way of looking at things. Green tea being prepared in front of you then placed in liquid nitrogen and a few seconds later a sorbet with alcohol pored over it. Tiny pearls of vodka and cranberry juice that looks like salmon roe or caviar is a reduced mix of the two liquids thickened by an agent then squeezed into cold grape seed oil. The tiny caviar then washed and served up.
The interplay of temperatures is novel in this manage a trios of drinks. Three shot glasses one filled with ice cold chopped strawberries, one with heated apricot liqueur and Khimad (a spiced drink) and the third filled with a mixture of whipped cream with maple liqueur. The idea is three levels of matter solid, liquid and plasma or three temperatures from cold to hot to room temperature. The idea is then to first taste the strawberries then the spiced hot liquor and then the cram what with each leaving a different sensation in ones mouth. How different is that to having it all mixed up in one glass.
The great skill and creativity and a sense of warmth and service which is at the heart of Indian hospitality is phasing out. It is an art which needs to be reintroduced. The fun is all in the making and the presentation. It is that moment of theatre that engages imagination and expectation. To quote Harry Johnson one of the great culinary masters of the 19th century
“Serve iced water immediately with every drink.
Mix the drinks above the counter where the guests can see.
Mix them in such a way as to be neat, clean and scientific.
Mix in such a way as to draw attention” and lastly smile with your eyes!
‘Respect alcohol respect yourself’
Stark walls, and old tables and chairs, paint peeling off the walls but it is this what makes this 90 year old restaurant endearing. Its typical old style reminiscent of the restaurants which were found all over Mumbai. Sadly few remain and this is one of them, though its surroundings may have gone up-market but the restaurant has stayed the same. Simple and functional and no frills. So unique this restaurant that it opens only from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and is closed on Sundays.
Situated in the business area of Ballard Estate the restaurant is packed after 1.00pm and its best to get there early if one wants to get a seat. With no alcoholic drinks just aerated beverages and their lemon soda can be a tad too sweet. Raspberry soda is a Parsee favourite and this is one of the few places in Mumbai where it is available
The cuisine is very Parsee and Iranian. The are well known for their Berry Pulao (Rs 180) which is a version of the Iranian zereshk polow. The tiny golden brown tart raisins brought in from Iran especially for this dish. The golden fried Bombay duck (Rs 80) which is a fish native only to the Indian shores is dipped in batter and deep fried a delight and is preety much finished off in a few hours. From salli boti (Rs 120) with mutton cooked in a tomato based gravy and fried potato chips on top one can also opt for a chicken version (Rs 120) of this dish. The lacy Parsee cutlets in both chicken and mutton may be a bit greasy but for the moment one doesn’t care. To end the meal Caramel Custard never fails to please. Though out of place in a restaurant like this, they also serve Mishti Dhoi, a Bengali sweet. There’s not much by way of vegetarian fare and though it has a limited menu the restaurant does a roaring parcel business.
Britannia is one of those restaurants you go to when you are feeling nostalgic and want to taste the kind of food you tasted years ago. Good food in a restaurant with Spartan décor. The restaurant certainly can do with a paint job and sprucing up. The old marble table tops and typical Irani Style Chairs still exist and not the plastic copies. Check table cloths may be out of style but look good here.
As far as food presentation goes it is basic and served on melamine plates so don’t expect much. The staff are pleasant but lack a certain class and the gracefulness of the Iranians is certainly lost now. I always leave a big tip considering that they are paid so little. The average cost per meal can be between Rs 300 to Rs.6.
THE ADDRESS
Britannia & Company Restaurant
Opposite New Custom House
Sprott Road, Ballard Estate, Mumbai, 400038 022 22615264
022 30225264
China House
Spicy Sichuan cuisine takes centre stage at China House at Grand Hyatt in Mumbai
Taking the literal meaning of the name forward, China House embodies the sanctity of a Chinese home with aplomb. Imposing wooden doors lead into a serene open air garden punctuated with small pools teeming with fish, bamboo plants amongst tables placed under pagodas. Step indoors into a Chinese alley, a smorgasbord of Chinese condiments overflowing from wooden buckets, Chinese curios, artifacts and pottery on display. A huge wine library and clear glass work stations positioned strategically across the restaurant help in opening up the space, whilst enhancing an interactive dinning experience. Dinning tables, bar stools for lone diners, semi private and private booths create varied seating options for patrons whilst ensuring your own space.
Keeping the Indian palate in check, China House specializes in home-style Sichuan dishes, alongside the famous Peking Duck. Five different work stations- appetizers, noodle and dumplings, Peking duck, wok and desserts further specialize in dishing out authentic fare. A variety of dumplings – steamed and served with condiments are delicate parcels of flavor. The steamed prawn dumpling is awesome as is the vegetable dumpling.
The Peking Duck, roasted in a special oven is a real treat; dig your fingers as the chef craves the duck at your table. Bite into slivers of roasted skin laced with sugar-crunchy yet melt in the mouth, followed by dollies stuffed with meat, finely sliced cucumber and hoision sauce. Assembling your dollies as per your taste gives you the chance to get personal with your food. Tender melt in the mouth Lamb Shanks Hot Pot is lamb simmered in a spicy thin sauce to be polished off by Chinese buns. Sink your teeth into an old Chinese’s tale with Beggar’s Chicken-stuffed with shitake mushrooms, pickled cabbage, and pork, wrapped and roasted in Lotus leaves. Dan dan noodles is a popular and typical Sichuan dish-spicy garlicky peanut and sesame sauce served over noodles or watch the chef skillfully toss Hand pulled noodles. Apart from serving a varied list of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, the wide range of Chinese teas available here should not be missed. The Jasmine pearl tea is not just aromatic but also a visual treat to watch as the bud unfurls slowly.
The desserts are as varied and interesting and provide a sweet ending to a spicy meal. The chocolate and ginger ice-cream with a red currant sauce is interesting with an aftertaste of ginger. The fresh fruit bowl with vanilla and orange ice cream is light and refreshing. Attention to detail, good presentation and a formal yet friendly atmosphere, China House scores high. An average meal per head would be approximately Rs2000, not including taxes. For a slice of China closer home, this is ideal.
Grand Hyatt Mumbai
Off Western Express Highway,
Santacruz East, Mumbai 400 055, India
Phone: +91 22 6676 1234
Direct: +91 22 6676 1117
Walking across the foyer and at the other end is Baluchi, the Indian restaurant of The Intercontinental The Lalit. Neatly decorated with interesting panels, paintings and pots the restaurant is comfortable. The spacious room and well spaced tables make for ones conversations to be heard. In the evenings a gazal singer plays out his melodies.
On entering the restaurant one is greeted in the traditional Indian way, a nice gesture to visitors who come here to dine. The hotel caters to a lot of transit passengers and so the food is designed for their tastes. Not too hot and spicy and just right. A delectable blend of tastes and flavours.
The wines (Rs 600 – 1,200) a glass and beer are ample and so is the alcohol though a bit too pricey
The restaurant is further brought alive in the evenings with a gazal singer singing live in the restaurant.
The menu is refreshingly different and brings a whole range of innovative Indian dishes from Baluch to one’s plate. Customised for the international palate the range of dishes is thankfully not exhaustive. The cusine from Baluch is not the heavy gravy mix that one finds at most Indian restaurants and one could go through several courses without the feeling of being stuffed. One suggestion I can make to the menu and that too for any Indian menu is to mention the presence of nuts in their gravies and dishes. Some interesting dishes Saunf Sheer Sherbet a light and cool drink made of fennel and mint, a starter of a dish called Balkush Rubina which was king prawns marinated with yogurt Barrah Baluchi spiced lamb chops and Doodhia Kebabs made of cottage cheese sandwiching a mix of potato, tomato and spices.
Main courses like Bharwaan Aloo a rich mix of baked potatoes and fruits, the Dum Murg ka Salan a dish of baby mutton marrow in a sour tomato gravy was an interesting combination of flavours. Bhuna Saag and an assortment of rotis. The Subz Chilman ki Biryani was flavourful though by this time one was really stuffed.
For dessert I would recommend the Sheer Jamun a unique take on the regular gulab jamun. The average cost of a meal can be from Rs 1,000 per person and above.
The menu has been created by Mumbai born Master Chef Mohammed Shokey who moved here after a stint at ITC Grand Maratha Sheraton. Hs aim is to present a taste of Baluchistan cuisine. He states “while some people express themselves in painting, writing and singing, my passion is cooking.”
The staff are knowledgeable and pleasant and are willing to serve. A pleasant place to chill out with friends and enjoy a good authentic culinary experience.
Address
Baluchi
Intercontinental The Lalit
Sahar Airport Road
Andheri East Mumbai 59
Tel: 66992222
The Mediterranean feel is simple, the surroundings well designed, with high ceilings. Some paintings and old furniture add to the inviting décor.
At the lower level, is a spacious bar with two rooms for dining, and again on climbing up a set of stairs, one is seated on an open terrace area, which is fine in the evenings. The frangipani trees and soft-lights overhang make for a romance. On the upper level, the lounge bar tends to veer towards a scene from old western movies.
Well heeled Mumbaikars together with up-market tourists frequent Indigo, the expat set and consular people frequent Indigo, a special people place to network. By 9.30pm on weekends there’s a great buzz. High society should not deter the hoi-polloi from going there. A wee bit noisy on weekends but peaceful during the week.
The restaurant has two bars which serve a whole range of drinks both alcoholic and non-alcoholic from around the world. Rather pricey! The Cosmopolitan is a must try and so is the Manhattans. The wine list is good, in the bar on the lower level, furnished with stools and some sofas to sit in. the bar on the upper level is fine if you like dark congested spaces.
Some of the food mixes are too pretentious and too ‘mixed up’ by way of flavours. Prices too are way over the top in my book, for the type of food. The menu is a mix of Continental and Asian dishes and a hint of the oriental.
The menu is revised every year but in comparison with European menus, not very creative. However it is good by Indian standards.
The soufflé’s are good and something I always try out as they are not to be found on every Mumbai restaurants menu. The Cappuccino soufflé for dessert is a fine finish to a meal.
Not a restaurant i would frequent.
THE ADDRESS 4, Mandlik Road, Colaba, Mumbai Phone 66368999, 66368980, 66368981
Article by: Michael Swamy
Pictures by: Chloe Dyckmans
Michael Swamy, swamy Cottage, 11/A, D’Silva Wadi, Prabhadevi Road, Mumbai 400025,
Tucked away in the recesses of Powai lies the Renaissance Mumbai Hotel. The hotel is part of the JW Marriott group. Travelling there can be quite a hassle but once one is ensconced in the hotel one can relax. The charming atmosphere and not overly decorated hotel shows its class in a not so overt a manner.
The hotel is home to several restaurants and it was an evening of dining Indian style that one had in mind. Situated at the lower lobby is the Nawab Saheb the speciality restaurant, a name that conjures up the cuisines of the Nawabs of Northern frontiers of India where dining and food a fine art. The blending of spices to create dishes that went well with the cold climates of the North.
Showcasing a menu from the far reaches of Lucknow, Kashmir, Mewar, Sindh, Mysore, Delhi the cuisine is well researched bring to the fore each regions unique cultural expression.
The restaurant’s chef has this to say “The food here is very contemporary. Initially we used to get prepared masalas from Luknow. Now I make my own. We have concentrated on keeping the original flavours but have cut down on oils and fats thus giving the customer a healthier meal. I have also introduced dishes concentrating on one or two unique flavours like making a biryani with just elaichi and saffron. The next day a biryani with a different flavour. “
One of the specialities of the restaurant is the famous Galouti Kebab which was specially crafted for the Nawabs of Avadh province now called Luknow in Uttar Pradesh. The nawabi tastes are legendary. He decreed to that his Khansama (cook) should make a dish which required less time to chew and digest. Galouti Kebab an off-shoot from’Galawat ke Kebab’ where the word Gelawat referred to tenderising the lamb before it is pounded to a fine paste with over 120 spices and herbs. The quintessential galouti was prepared by the fabled Haji Murad Ali whose scions founded ‘Tunday Mian’ in the labyrinth of Luknow’s Imambaras. The restaurants signature dish is the Galawat and the Haleem a dish of lamb with broken wheat.
The restaurant does not have an A La Carte menu but a Table d’ hote menu which is a fixed menu of courses, the dishes change on a regular basis. Unlike most restaurants which give you a regular fare, the recipes here are well researched and catered to ones individual tastes. Special requests like food cooked in olive oil or no nuts are attended to with ease. Lobster Kalimirch (tandoori cooked lobster flavoured with fresh pepper), Lasooni Jhinga (Garlic sautéed prawns), Hara Kebab (paneer ensconced in spinach, Dishes like Nawabi dal which are cooked all night, saagwala gosht with fluffy laccha parathas or zaffrani paratha which is a paratha topped with caraway seeds. Raita (curd with cucumber) and fluffy biryani. The meals are large and one must space it out or your gonna get stuffed. Their specialty drink the Teekha Peru made of guava juice and vodka spiked with a green chilli or raw mango drink with cumin makes for a nice digestive. The seafood meal (Rs. 1,700) non-vegetarian meal (Rs. 1,100) and the vegetarian for (Rs. 900) all delicious in their own right and would take for several visits to run through them all. The dessert counter is buffet style around a huge mound of mace. There’s a whole range of local and foreign alcoholic drinks to choose from with prices as varied as the drinks.
As one relaxes in the restaurant one takes in the décor which is regal and elegant focused on privacy and intimacy its quiet comfort is quite relaxing. Fine artworks hand about and not overly done. The pickle and spice display make for a nice presentation as one walks in.
The staff are very pleasant and helpful in helping one make ones choices. The brass plates and cutlery give a nice touch to the food. Nawab Saheb opens daily for dinner from 7.00 p.m. onwards. There is a special Sunday Brunch which may stop soon but while its still there go and enjoy. And there is a special price for children. So for a nice day out it’s a nice place to be and remember that its only open in the evenings.
Nawab Saheb
Renaissance Mumbai Hotel and Convention Centre
2 & 3 B Near Chinmayanand Ashram
Powai
Mumbai – 400 087
Tel: Board line of the hotel: 6692 8888
Fax: 6692 8899
E-mail: sales @mea- renaissance.com
Website: www.renaissancehotels.com
Parel an area of Mumbai which in recent years has seen a lot of change, so much so that it has now been described as upper and lower Parel. With many of the many businesses having moved to this part of Mumbai the area was in need of change.
Lying between all the major hotels of South Mumbai and the Hotels of the suburbs, lies the newly constructed ITC Grand Central Sheraton & Towers in the very heart of Parel. The ITC Grand Central Sheraton & Towers group is a well known hotel group across the country. The Parel hotel whose interiors have been designed by Chandu Chedda from Hong Kong boasts of several restaurants on its premises and a few have become the watering hot spot for the locals.
Its major Indian restaurant Kebabs and Kurries is located on the ground floor, a short walk through the lobby. On entering its majestic portals and being greeted by a polite hostess one is escorted to ones table. Unlike most Indian restaurants the décor is minimalist at its best and not at all gaudy or overly decorated. Long drapes cover the French windows. And a few large Urns are placed around.
Divided into three styles, one area the shamiana is designed to look like one is sitting under a tent. The front area of the restaurant has wooden floors and a neat and simple design and seating plan. The centre, a slightly elevated area gives one a feeling of being in a machaan, is the exclusive dining area of the restaurant. The area of the last two has a ceiling of wooden beams, from wooden tables to marble topped tables, one can be seated at chairs or low benches. All make for a different type of dining experience.
Having done away with table cloths simple cotton runners are placed down the centre. The cutlery is all stainless steel and not that heavy chunky kind which makes eating a chore, but as one is eating Indian one invariably eats with ones fingers. Though one eats off white porcelain plates the food is served up in traditional copper bowls and platters and the occasional porcelain a kind of mix and match.
The four menus the restaurant has have been well researched by the Executive Chef Rakesh Upadhay and his team. It is one of the only restaurants that I have come across which has a separate menu card for the vegetarians and Jains and which is quite extensive. Another creative aspect on the part of the management is the meal for a single person as the portions would otherwise be quite large. Lunches are usually the executive platter though one can order from the a-la-carte menu, and on Sunday lunch there is the Sunday Bubbly with unlimited champagne being served.
The dishes served here are from India and Central Asia. All not just cooked on the tandoor, there are Kebabs which have been cooked on Tavas (iron griddle), angethis (grill) and koofteh’s which are cooked in a pan.
The curry menu is also divided into dishes by the style of its preparation. From Dum to Qormas , Qaliya, Salan and Dopiaza each style giving a unique and diverse perspective to Indian cooking and dining experience.
Talking with one of the chefs he explained that most of the recipes used are unique in that they have used rare spices and herbs following ancient recipes which have then been perfected to suit today’s palate. Some of the foods have been cooked for as long as 24 hours like the Haleem a dish of lamb and broken wheat and Dal Bukhara. In fact the dal cooks 24 hours 365 days of the year, old mixed with the new as is traditionally done giving way to a most delicious aroma and taste.
Other speciality dishes to the restaurant are the Unnat which is split urad cooked with lotus root and colocasia. From the Non-vegetarian menu the Murgh Angaar is truly delicious, which is best accompanied by a delicious Uzbeki Naan or a Naan-e-Bahkumaach (Whole Wheat). The chefs recommendation of Burani Gosht and Nihari Gosht is something I am looking forward to on my next visit. Another dish which I have probably tasted for the first time was a delicious Raw Papaya Pickle.
If you have a sweet tooth there is a delicious but rich dish made of broken rice and moong slowly cooked in milk and enriched with khoya and goes by the name of Yaquti. The other desserts to try are the Shahi Tukra Asal and Dum ki Pooran, and Kulfi Falooda which no menu would be complete without.
All in all the menus have a different repertoire and a gastronomic experience to go through. The ambience which could pass off as fine dining and good food for the price, is seriously let down, by the food presentation, which is too simple and hurriedly done. There is a wine and liquor menu to go with the food. Service at the restaurant is done by smartly dressed waiters in a style of Kurtas and maroon sashes. Young and enthusiastic their manners are pleasant. With an eye for display the semi circular kitchen is glassed in and one can see the food being prepared. Watching the chefs at work and eating deliciously hot food does make this a restaurant worth visiting again.
When faced with a food dilemma, be it about which type and cuisine style or which restaurant to visit, or to satisfy one’s inner cravings, it is undoubtedly, to choose a cuisine with which one is familiar. The word Vetro means ‘’Glass’’ It is the almost new restaurant which was opened on the 24th April 2010 in, the new wing of the Oberoi Hotel at Nariman Point Mumbai. This fine dine restaurant, offers the traditional Italian experience with a gracious twist of the modern.
White-washed walls symbolic of Mediterranean themes, is not what it is about. Coloured sheets of glass, immaculate white table cloths and well laid out tables are the Oberoi’s style-mark.
As one walks across the Italian marble floor, the wel- turned out staff, greet visitors in crisp white uniforms that remind one of the restaurants of Europe. On one’s left is the Enoteca or Wine Library is a glassed in panel of almost 1.200 wine bottles, from Piedmont, Fruilli, Toscana and Venetto. The library also allows permits guests to sample wines and make a selection for one’s meal.
A fine bar at one end, there is also an antipasti section where one can choose and make a combination of starters, laden with smoked salmon, salads, cheeses, olives and a selection of breads. The antipasti section is decorated with bottles of marinades and pickles all designed to whet one’s appetite.
Service to guests and clients is impeccable and by the end of one’s visit one knows it really is. Seated at table one is pleasantly aware of fine cutlery and silver tinted crockery. The presentation plates are removed as soon as one is seated. As one reads through the proffered menu card, a pleasing guide to the host of Italian dishes, one is aware that each is well explained and detailed. Given the choice of either selecting from a seasonal, fixed ,three course meal priced at Rs. 1,500 or, one can make one’s individual selection from the A la Carte section.
The Menu transports one in a way, to several parts of Italy, where each region’s cuisine is highlighted. It is here that one makes a hedonist dive into the world of food. The range of temptation, pastas, to fish and meats like duck, chicken, ham, delicate sauces with hints of saffron and chilli A la carte dishes range from Rs 400 to as much as Rs 2,000 per dish for exotica like lobster and duck. Mediteranean at its best. The menu by Chef Vincenzo di Tuorowho, is described entertainingly, through the meal.
Lunch time between 12.30 and 3.30pm seems to be the best time to enjoy a relaxed meal. Dinner can be a wait, if you haven’t made a reservation and has a round of two sittings.
To begin with crisp loaves of bread, dipped in a mix of olive oil and vinegar from elegant bottles on the table with a dab of Eggplant dip, a fine hint of chilli heightens dish and the meal to come.
Parmigiana one of Italy’s classical dishes is layers of eggplant steak, tomato, mozzarella cheese, baked then topped with basil foam, one comes across different flavours of sharpness and sweetness balanced by the firmness of cheese. The basil flavoured oil, tomato and cheese sauces garnish the plate. The flavours are light and enhance the dish.
Fine dining is all about technique, and cooking scallops is an art. Pan Seared Scallops with goats cheese and chilli mayonnaise is just right. The cheese crouton with beetroot salad is an interesting combination. The same with the Pan seared Red Snapper. Both the shellfish and the fish is cooked to perfection. A balsamic reduction of balsamic vinegar , wine and sugar to a syrupy consistency is used for many Italian dishes. The drizzle on the plate makes one take just the right amount to balance the essence of the dish.
Today was the day for fish and I had to sample some of the pasta. The Tri Coloured Ravioli of red, green and white was stuffed with sautéed mushroom and garnished with a strand of fried pasta. The dish made for drama, as hot flavoursome consommé (stock) was poured over it. A dish that took my fancy was Pasta made with squid ink cooked in a consommé and topped with mussels, served with a trio of sauce made of capsicum has an interesting combination of flavours.
Of the variety of dishes, the crepes with porcini mushrooms was truly fine to a point. The squishiness of the cous cous cake at the base was not to my liking. However what was interesting was the use of beetroot in three different compositions, on the plate.
The one dish that truly captures the soul of Italian desserts is the Tiramisu. If done well is truly delectable. There is egg custard, mascarpone cheese blended with sugar. Then set over a layer of biscuit that has been soaked in coffee liqueur. The entire dessert is then coated with a mist of cocoa powder. As each flavour of bitter to sweet, permeates through the layers it can often transport one to a level of food ecstasy. served with a dollop of their in-house made ice-creams and sorbets made of passion fruit, vanilla.
Seated at the Chefs Table one is given the honour of a sample menu and the Chef’s complete attention. The table is in front of a huge glass wall where one can see the workings of the kitchen whilst one dines.
The attention to detail, the plated food presentations, the flavours are spot on. Definitely, a place to visit again and again.
Prices
Fixed meal for lunch Rs 1,500 per person
A la carte approximately Rs 3,000 per person
Alcohol : Italian wines and local and international alcohol
The Oberoi Hotel Nariman Point Mumbai www.oberoihotels.com
Telephone +91 22 6632 5757
