Food review: Café by the Beach

In a city where space is the new currency, Café by the Beach comes like a breath of fresh air. Hazel Jain comes back impressed and is tempted to give it full marks just for its décor and ambience.  

The view from Cafe by the Beach in the night

The words ‘no-alcohol’ can prove to be a depressant in any restaurant. But it is a special downer at Café by the Beach. You will know why when you see the place.

Picture this: You’re driving towards Chowpatty in the evening while negotiating heavy traffic. You reach the Mafatlal signal on the other side of the road only to realise that that U-turn won’t get you to Café by the Beach and you should have taken the next U which is on Marine Drive. So you drive through the jam again, take the turn and stop by the restaurant for valet parking. By this time, you’re pretty much frustrated and in need of a strong ‘pick-me-up’ only for you to realise that they don’t serve them.

Despite this, you don’t miss the alcohol once you’re inside. Because by the time you step into the restaurant, which is completely al fresco – with no walls, no floor, no ceiling – you can already feel the stress of the day ooze away.

DécorApart from the location and its sand-covered floor, Café by the Beachshares little resemblance with the erstwhile Salt Water Grill. It has wicker recliners and loungers on one side facing the sea, wooden tables with chairs on the other, and very pretty (and very romantic) wooden gazebos with transparent curtains flowing in the breeze.

The place is decorated with lots of potted plants, fairy lights and lanterns that come on in the evening, Oriental art pieces, and of course beautiful palm trees.

DrinksThere are plenty of non-alcoholic options here with various types of tea and coffee, milkshakes, mocktails, juices, aerated drinks, and of course coconut water. We ordered two mocktails: Cafe by the Beach Colada and Blue Lagoon.

The first one didn’t have enough coconut milk and pineapple juice so we asked the server to add some. But it came back tasting almost the same. The Blue Lagoon was too sweet with more than enough Sprite so we asked for fresh lime to cut the sweetness. It worked, but only so much.

FoodBesides its no-alcohol permit, the restaurant also cannot cook here. So the menu options are limited to salads, wraps, sandwiches, desserts and cold platters. We ordered a Grilled Chicken Club Wrap and a watermelon and feta salad.

The wrap had grilled chicken, bacon, lettuce, tomato and spicy garlic aioli. It was light and flavourful but had more chicken and less bacon. The salad was a total surprise; it was not diced as expected but in layers. Thick, square slabs of watermelon sandwiched frisee greens and feta tossed in honey mustard dressed. Traditionalists might not be happy with it but if you’re open to experimentation, you might like it. I would have been happier if the salad had more feta and dressing because all i could taste was the watermelon!

We went there on a Monday evening and at least half the tables were occupied, which for a SoBo restaurant is impressive. Unfortunately, just snacks couldn’t keep the guests till very late and in the end only two to three tables were left occupied.

ServiceThe service is prompt when you want it to be and relaxed when you want to take your time and linger. Still, it would help if once in a while they looked in your direction. When we reached there, we saw the staff decorating a double-lounger with red, heart-shaped balloons. On closer inspection, we realized that the lounger also had a card in white envelope – obviously a request made by a guest in advance.

It was touching to see the staff running around, trying to keep the balloons in place because of the breeze. Sure enough, a young (but strangely disinterested) couple walked in and headed towards the lounger.

Having said all that, the restaurant gets a thumbs-up despite its no-alcohol routine. It’s a perfect spot to relax with a book or a friend, or even to spend an evening romancing your lover. We wonder what the management will do for the rains and the sweltering summers though.

Timing: 11am to 1am (Daily)

Average meal for two: Rs 1,300 (without dessert)

This article appears on KnowYourCity also.

Chop, chop. And chin up!

There’s a very good reason why I get haircuts only once every six months. Two, in fact. a) My hair takes its own bloody time to grow out and b) Getting a decent haircut in Bombay these days costs an arm and a leg. And im running out of places to hide the bodies.

No, seriously, I remember a time when I used to pay Rs 250 for a haircut (not trimming). This was when I was still in junior college and already planning my monthly expenses. Now I’m forced to pay upto (shudder) Rs 1,300! And that’s the lower range in a high-class (read b:blunt) salon.

I kept going back and forth on whether I should be shelling out that much money just for a haircut, specially when the *same* hairstylist at the *same* place charged me Rs 850 just six months ago. 

Finally, I decided to get some opinions, which one is never short of in this country. So I made the mistake of asking a male friend whether he thought it was worth it. He was pretty decent about it: “I’m the wrong person to ask about this because this is straightway 26 times more than what I pay for a haircut.”

Fair enough. So I ask another friend (making sure that this one is of the female persuassion and could be easily manipulated to give me the answer I was looking for). “Rs 1,300 is alright. I’m going for a haircut myself and paying my regular stylist Rs 1,500.” Perfect!

But before you start judging me and shoving me into the ‘Will do anything to appear fashionable’ category, hear me out. The only reason I’m going back to this stylist, even though she’s upped her ante by Rs 450 is because she gives me the haircut that I want, not what she wants to give. Simple.    

I *Dove* blogging!

Anyone who knows me well, knows this about me. I am totally and utterly technologically-challenged. And by that I mean using any kind of technology – whether it is gadgets, my PC, or social networking sites. (Hell, I have been known to beat the crap out of my *keyboard* when the *internet* was down.) I couldn't even relate to blogging, until I discovered the joys of it quite by accident a year or so ago.

Which is why you’d almost never find me at a get-together of serious bloggers. Even I don’t take myself seriously as a blogger, so why should anybody else, right?

But I DID find myself at this Indiblogger meet a week ago that happened at Four Seasons, Mumbai. And I have only one person to thank for it! My dearest friend Purnima, who is, by the way, a game designer!

So she told me about the Indiblogger meet where they would have free mani-pedi, head massage, hair styling, and lunch sponsored by Dove. Did I mention it would be for free? We would also be meeting 100 fellow bloggers and exchanging notes, which is always a good thing.

But I was not prepared for what lay before us. Although the mani-pedi was cancelled (because of obvious logistical reasons), we did get a wonderful 10-min foot massage, hair styling – that included a hair wash – free vouchers, T-shirt, and gift hampers from Dove! 

We also played games, which were really good fun, and discussed how to get our blogs more ‘out-there’ - thanks to ideasmith. But most of all, I am thankful to Indiblogger and Dove for helping me connect with all those wonderful women, who are doing so much more than just blogging! They are superwomen in their own right!

I want to end with the slogan that our team ‘Fortune Seekers’ was required to come up during a treasure hunt game. And it was more or less created by this 11-year old blogger (or possibly a blogger’s daughter). It went: ‘We seek, we find. We got, you mind?’ Absolutely loved it!  

I hope you also find what you’re seeking.

Note: See pictures of the event here.

Crowd? What’s that?

Loneliness, thy name is Mumbai.

Whoever said that must have been drinking. Or visiting BMC headquarters after 6.01pm. No but seriously, Mumbai is a city where you can NEVER be alone. Even if you want to. Here, speace (an amalgamation of space and peace) is the ultimate luxury because whether you like it or not, someone is always stepping on your toes.

Here ‘rush-hour traffic' and ‘chivalry’ are terms that don’t hold any meaning anymore. Neither does ‘single, interesting men’. This means that people living in Mumbai have really lowered expectations now. They know it’s a good day when the first cab/auto they approach agrees to take them.

South Mumbai is no longer the place to be in, unless you’re old, retired and have lots and lots of money because all the ‘action’ (by which I mean the crowd) has moved to the ‘burbs. Gone are the days when we were packed like sardines; Mumbai is no better than a can of worms now. And if you don’t believe me, a tour outside Andheri (E) station might be an eye-opener.

Hell, who even has the time to feel lonely here? If you’re not elbowing and pushing, you are jostling and negotiating. And if you happen to be a woman, you’re busy learning the art of avoiding the nudge you know that oncoming new-to-town, spineless penile implant is going to give you.

Nope, just like empty political speeches and love, loneliness doesn’t stand a chance here. 

Meri jaan

Like most of life's momentous episodes, this one too happened when I wasn't looking. Or least expected. Guess I was too young to realise that I was falling in love. And soon enough I noticed that she loved me back. It was a heady experience – a love affair that grew to be so passionate that there was no measure between love and hate.

She was beautiful, from the inside and out. Now when I look at old photographs, I realised how pretty she once was and how totally granted I took her for. I still remember the romantic walks by Marine Drive and the happy moments we spent at the Hanging Garden.

And then the inevitable happened. She began to ignore me and started meeting new people. We drifted apart. She got around with some wrong kind of crowd, and somewhere down the line, seemed to have lost herself. And although I still see a glimpse of her old self now and then, it’s clear to see that the old magic has gone.

I still miss her terribly, but she’s indifferent to me now. She has new friends now and new lovers. It’s hard to say whether it was me who was disloyal or her. But it’s not the same anymore – she’s even changed her name now. Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be. Bombay…you seem to have lost your soul.  

Have you lost anything yet?

Elizabeth Bishop has gone on record to say that the ‘art of losing isn’t hard to master’. She says we get used to losing things so that after a time any loss ceases to matter.

The art of losing isn't hard to master;
so many things seem filled with the intent
to be lost that their loss is no disaster…

Something to it. And even if there isn’t, I think it might be worth a try. After all, isn’t it every other day we lose something or the other – a favourite pen, headphones, our mind, a friend, our soul.

I hear that the poetry of loss is a genre unto itself and there are many poets who've mourned the loss of something or another. What appeals to me is the theme's immediate poignancy - it's implications of tragedy. 

Bishop’s ‘One Art’ goes from losing a small thing like the door keys to bigger things like a continent (which I think is used as a metaphor, for what I don't know) and a friend. And the irony is that what she’s really trying to say in the end (according to experts who parse poems and things like that) is that we almost NEVER get used to losing things. We merely forget perhaps. This is evident in the last verse of her poem (where she’s grieving the loss of a loved one) – where she goes from “isn’t hard” to “not too hard”.

-- Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture

I love) I shan't have lied. It's evident

the art of losing's not too hard to master

though it may look like (Write it!) a disaster.

Still, I find it a good idea to take this perspective. After all, what have we got to lose? 

Oh, seedy!

Lately, I’ve been having this serious desire to wear disposable rubber gloves at home and outside. But I know I’d be doing that at the risk of appearing even more loony.  

I’ve known for some time now that I have a slight case of OCD. On good days, I have it completely under control. But there are days when I struggle. Which is why I find solace in watching ‘Monica’ do her thing in ‘Friends’.  

It started with wanting to keep all my school books neatly on my table, one on top of the other, at right angles. One thing led to another and I soon found myself de-cluttering all the time. My latest obsession is wearing gloves at all times so my hands remain clean – while opening the bathroom door, holding the train handles, touching the pantry table while eating lunch in office.

But I think of myself as among the saner ones. I know people who cannot get on with their lives if all the rupee notes in their wallet have not been arranged a certain way, who need to check at least three times if their car is locked before walking away, who must clean every inch of their house before they can step out. The list is endless, really.

Living with OCD is tough. But whats worse is when people around you don’t pretend to understand it. Fortunately, I’m comfortably in the green because it hasn’t started to affect my daily life. In fact, I often use it to my advantage, like when I have to go to the ‘burbs when its been raining (“it’s too dirty to travel”) or when mother asks me to cook (“I can’t work in a dirty kitchen”).

So it’s all good. At least till the time I don’t start getting my eyebrows done at right angles.      

‘I (might not) do’

A funny thing about being married – stay that way long enough and more often than not, you’de end up wishing you were single again.

This is borrowed wisdom, of course. I’ve spoken to so many married couples – some childhood sweethearts even – and sooner or later they always ‘fess up (almost never in front of their spouse though) that if they could turn back time, “and I love my kids very, very much,” they would never have gotten married.

Well, that’s mighty convenient. But the question I’m trying to raise here is: how wise a decision is it to get married in these times?

There cannot be one right answer to this. Because, let’s face it, singles have way more sex while married couples get to share the wealth with the added bonus of finding this one person whom they can annoy till the end of time.

And imagine the level of commitment you require to get married. Husbands have to relinquish their right to say ‘no’ when their wives ask for the car keys. And wives, well, they must cook!

One argument I’ve always heard for being hitched is that you earn the respect of the rest of your family. Plus, you get sex on-demand. But like someone said many years ago, is it wise to buy the entire aircraft for the free peanuts?

In the end, the debit side balances out the credit side. Still, there's got to be an element of truth in all those marriage jokes floating around in cyberspace. My favourite one is: You know what I did before I got married? Anything I wanted to! That’s what I’m talking about…

Are you a sellout yet?

I feel hugely honoured at having residence in the same lane (actually just two buildings away) that Gandhiji chose to live for almost 17 years of his life. His bungalow is now converted into a museum called Mani Bhavan, which is a big tourist attraction.

So you’de think that giving directions to my house would be easy, right? Wrong. The give and take usually goes something like this:

Person: So, where do you stay?

Me: In Gamdevi, very close to Mani Bhavan.

Person: Money-what?

Me: The Gandhi museum?

Person: Ummm…

Me: You know the West Side on Hughes Road?

Person: Ah! Say that way na…

See what I mean? Our landmarks have changed, our reference points have taken a tumble. And it makes me wonder whether we’re giving more importance to something that’s more or less irrelevant. These days, we give directions via malls, shops and restaurants.

And if someone hasn’t noticed it yet, we’re also getting increasingly afflicted by this infectious disease called mall madness. Yep, India’s economy is booming. And this same mall madness is partly responsible. But im not sure if its worth it anymore.

Oh, and another thing. What’s synonymous with Mumbai monsoons? Apart from potholes and floods, that is. Yep – SALE! It has the power to alleviate our spirits and excite us. It’s now a conversation-starter; to hell with the weather.

Not the one to stay behind, I outdid myself this season by spending as much money on indulgences as I normally do in 6 months! And I’m completely disgusted with myself. Whatever happened to ‘less is more’? And im not talking about the pink halter top I just bought.

My new motto in life: buy only when there’s a sale. Every time.

The day I lost my wisdom

Having to go to a dentist is like one of those things you think happens only to other people. So when the time came for me to make that visit, I couldn’t believe it was happening to me.

My third molar, and the only one that had managed to ‘erupt’, was developing a cavity by virtue of it being in the far left corner of my mouth. When the doctor’s assistant checked it, she declared, “You have a silver filling.” 

“But I’ve never been to a dentist before,” I said, immediately doubting myself. “Or have I?”

Just as I was hoping that it was a silver filling after all, a little prodding and better lighting revealed that it was indeed a huge cavity. “You’ll have to get it extracted,” was the verdict.

So I braced myself and made my way to the dentist some 2 weeks later. An hour and 2.5 (instead of just one) jaw-numbing injections later, I was minus 4K and a wisdom tooth. The strong little fellow was sitting bleeding in a glass bowl on the doctor’s table, and as far as wisdom teeth go, he was big and “bulbous.”

And if I wasn’t the one reclining on the dentist’s chair, I would have sniggered at the regular, “Open your mouth. Wider. WIDER!” And not to forget, “Try not to swallow.”

Hey… don’t blame me for cracking up at this. I just got my wisdom tooth removed.

Californication is red hot with chilli and pepper!

It is. Having watched more than a few episodes of the show's first season (courtesy a friend), I can safely say that airing Californication in India would suck the life and soul out of it. The entire foundation on which its storyline stands is sex (duh!). The lead actor (played by David Duchovny) is a troubled writer grappling with writer's block, and sex and alcohol addictions. Of course, he seems to be enjoying every second of it.

Duchovny's own personal problems, that co-incidentally started with this show, mirror that of the character's - his entering rehab for sex addiction, his estrangement with wife Tea Leoni. And this is probably what made the show so (in)famous. Interestingly, Duchovny had appeared in a sex-crime-thriller movie by a similar-sounding name - Kalifornia - in 1993 that had Brad Pitt, who was then an upcoming star!        

Now in its fourth season in the US, Californication has the works: foul language, semi-frontal and back nudity, explicit references to acts of sex, and 'erring' secretaries. So what do you think will happen when Zee Cafe airs it in India? Even though its showing at 11pm, be ready to hear a lot of bleeps and experience plenty of scene jumps. Hell, even the trailer is full of blinking bleeps!

The acting itself is mediocre - his on-screen (estranged) wife played by Natascha McElhone looks as if she's perennially amused by his antics even when we expect her to be completely intolerant to them. His adolescent daughter looks like she's on her way to becoming a Goth with bad acting skills. And Duchovny himself looks least interested - except in the scenes when he gets to have sex with beautiful women!

So it's difficult to say how the show will stand on its own without the best parts. Well, we'll just have to wait till July 25 to see what happens. It's a good thing Indians have a good imagination.

Do you have a humerus?

Are you a bag of funny bones?  Do you enjoy the frequent bon mot and are ever ready to share a moment of mirth with fellow human beings? Good. Then you have the capacity to fight any problem. For humour, as they have said, is our defense against the universe.  

Whether it is slapstick or quick wit, a repartee or irony, humour has forever found a special place in the history of mankind. It can connect two people, like it connects two drinkers. It can improve your mood and definitely your face.     

Humour can be your savior, your strength, your edge, your style. God knows how Mumbaikars need it simply to survive in the city. I met up with a really close friend after almost five years the other day. He was in transit – in Mumbai for two days – on his way to London. Into our second mug of beer, he remarked that I still hadn’t lost my sense of humour, even after all those years. And I realised that I couldn’t afford to, at least not while I was still living in this city.

Unfortunately, London’s frigid weather had not done him any good.  

Why we like Mumbai cabbies

So what if they’re calling for a flash strike this Monday to voice against their unmet demands? I like them still. Here’s why.

They’re honest: Well, most of them are anyways. They don’t misguide you when you ask for directions. They don’t drive you around to hike up the meter. They can be safely depended upon to drive to your destination late at nights, especially if you are alone and of the female persuasion. 

They have attitude: Who would not love the quick head gesture they give you to indicate their willingness to drive you?

They’re good conversationalists: They’re like bartenders who listen to your drowning sorrows. Crib about traffic, the rains, the potholes, or the politicians and they’re there to give you ear – and participate.  

They don’t look: And you know what I mean! They give young lovers space and don’t (or at least try not to) look into the rear view.

Their tricked-out cabs: The pretty decorations, psychedelic roof and its-so-cheap-I-love-it upholstery make the ride so kitsch-ilicious!  

Their music: We love their loud dhinchak stereo. So what if that’s static you hear in the background.

   

A tug at my heart

It’s only been 4 ½ months but it already feels like a lifetime ago. Flashbacks come and go. But the memory lingers still.

The rafting season is about to begin. And I’m itching to see how the river – that was frozen not 5 months ago – flows with full force. I want to go back and see how the ice, that had intimidated and excited us, thaws. I want to meet its people, who in the winter had carried the sun in their hearts, and who will now be warmer than ever.    

I want to taste the thukpa again and see how its taste has changed on my palate. I want to experience its buzzing streets, that in winter lay deserted. I want to feel the cool wind that brings with it green summer, that a few months ago had brought the winter chill.

A place that can be harsh, but equally loving. A hearth for the weary, but one that is only mine. A place that is no one else’s to sully. Or to triumph. That no one else can claim. A feeling that is only mine to experience.

Della delivers

I got a quick fix at Della Adventure in Lonavala, where thrills, spills and frills are only a day-trip away.

I’ve never been to Lonavala and back in the same day. It wasn’t, according to me, something you could do under 24 hours and still manage to have fun. But after a one-day trip to Della Adventure, I’ve changed my mind. Located approximately two hours from Mumbai by road and about an hour from Pune, Della Adventure is the brainchild of Jimmy Mistry, the architect who also designed an award-winning yacht for Vijay Mallya.

Explore

Adventure is what I came looking for and adventure is what I got. The heavily-potholed access road to Della isn’t the best advertisement for the place. But I easily overcame my disappointment once I passed through the main gates. Della offers over 86 activities, extreme sports, joyrides, skill games, a spa and even “the world’s biggest and fastest” turbo charge jet ski.

I decided to try my hand at archery and got a brief run-through of the entire process from the guide. My aim was decent enough, but after shooting the fifth arrow, I realised I didn’t have a good enough arm. The bow and arm support are quite heavy. 

No arm strength was needed for Flying Fox, in which your waist is secured to a harness while you zip, suspended across a long length of wire. But it’s easier to describe than do – I was unwilling to let go of the ground under my feet. It turned out to be the most thrilling two-and-a-half minutes I have spent mid-air.

Of all the activities, though, zorbing deserves a special mention. Two riders are strapped into a gigantic  inflated ball and pushed down a gentle slope for fun. Sure, it’s a predetermined, safe path, but the thrill lies tumbling this way and that as your world is plunged into complete chaos. Don’t try it on a full stomach.   

For those with pent-up energy that cannot be unleashed on city roads, Della has nine All-Terrain and four dirt bikes, which you can drive over an inclined oval track for 10 glorious minutes. Looking to get even wilder? Della is planning to organise trails through the neighbouring jungle. And for corporate groups, there are conference and banquet rooms, a 1,500-seat amphitheatre and a business centre. 

Eat

With three restaurants and a coffee shop, Della has lots of dining options. I chose the multi-cuisine PNF, named after the first letters of Mr Mistry's three children. The restaurant didn’t have the first two drinks I wanted and the third – sweet and salty lime soda – was too salty. The three-course Chinese meal that followed was nice and the huge helping of dessert made up for my disappointment. I recommend their mud cake.

Live cooking at Cafe 24

Relax

The only thing to do after a full stomach under a blazing sun was to relax. I decided to try the spa, which has massages and body treatments ranging from Rs 1,250 to Rs 5,000, and picked the Balinese massage. The spa didn’t have a wide enough range of oils to impress a customer, but I loved that there was a compact shower cubicle inside the massage room. I chose mint oil, which they claimed has a calming effect, and an hour-and-a-half later, I walked out feeling completely one with the world.

Stay

At Della, wood is as ubiquitous as frangipanis – both a favourite with Mistry. Luxury tents and time-shared second-homes are already open for bookings, and Della Resort’s luxury rooms will also be ready soon. So if a one-day visit isn’t enough or proves too tiring, just stay overnight. 

The luxurious tents at Della Camp is just lovely. It offers perfect views and what's more - a whole lot of privacy for those who are keen on it! 

Tents at the park

Since the property is huge and everything is well spread out, there are SUVs to ferry guests around the premises. This is a wonderful idea, but it’s hard to overlook the environment damage it causes. I was alarmed to see that an establishment as big as Della didn’t have any trace of eco-initiatives to offset its carbon footprint, nor any request made to visitors in this direction. This is especially worrying when the management plans to keep the place open 24x7.

What was also distressing to see were three tiny, stinky enclosures holding Labradors, Alsatians, Great Danes and St Bernards just so guests could walk them – for a fee! There were at least 12 caged beasts looking vacantly outside. Worse, they were next to a huge group of ducks – their constant cackling making the canines’ confinement even worse. Della is a delight, but they’d win my complete approval if they were more sensitive to the environment. After all, guilt-free pleasures are the best ones.      

What you need to know

Address: Della Adventure Park, Kunegaon, Lonavala 410 401, Maharashtra

Phone: (Mumbai) 022-67451400, +91-9870989369, (Pune) +91-8605018362, (Lonavala) +91-2114-260000

Email: info@dellaadventure.com

Price: Entry to Della is Rs 100. To use any of the facilities inside, visitors need to buy a prepaid swipe card, for which there is no stipulated minimum balance. Every activity charges a fee, but guests can buy a combo offer that works out to be more economical.

Rate box

Luxury tents (twin-sharing):

Monday – Thursday: Rs 8000 per night 

Friday – Sunday: Rs 12,500 per night

Activities (combo offer per person):

Deadly Three: Zorbing, Archery, Flying Fox: Rs 1,000

Double Dhamaal: Zorbing, RC Cars: Rs 600                            

Cruel Dual: ATV 90cc bike, RC Cars: Rs 600

Fearsome Threesome: Rapelling, Net Cricket, Archery: Rs 600

Crazy Four: Rapelling, Bungee Trampoline, Horse Riding, Mountain Cycling: Rs 600

Swimming: Rs 250

Yoga and Meditation class: (90 mins): Rs 500

The East Indian Kitchen

‘Some of the most interesting cookery books are those which tell you as much about the people as the cuisine which has evolved alongside them.’

The chef as a historian? While the notion may seem incongruous at first, it soon becomes clear that the search for a particular recipe and authentic flavours can lead to, or result from, fascinating journeys down the ages. The cuisine of a people unravels special insights, and raises several questions on how certain foods and spices make their way into a diet.

Enduring Flavours by Michael Swamy combines aspects of the culture, traditions and culinary practices followed by the Christian community – the East Indians of Mumbai. The narrative and recipes are enriched with sketches of artists Eustace Fernandes and photography by Michael and Pravin Pol.

The food is an eclectic fusion of Portuguese, British and coastal Maharashtrian, completely different from its Goan counterpart. The book is in fact a personal search for the essence of innumerable biographies, of roots, and of local history, and it’s author is a Cordon Bleu chef and one of India’s leading food stylists.

Published by Westland and Tranquebar Pvt Ltd

Price Rs 395

Available at all leading bookstores from mid April 2011 and on Amazon.com

Crouching tiger gets ready for attack

India may be dubbed as a crouching tiger but it’s probably just getting ready for attack. After all, slow and steady is what we’ve been always been taught to follow.

So what if China has overtaken Japan to become the world’s second-largest economy? India isn’t too far behind and is making headway in other, more interesting albiet small, areas. Take travel for instance. While Asia as a continent has been identified to assume a leadership role where travel is concerned, according to Euromonitor Travel and Tourism Forecast Update, India it says is expected to do well in terms of attracting international tourists and business travellers.

The report states that India is set to attract more corporate travellers and inbound tourists. India corporate travel is expected to outpace Asia Pacific in 2011, with business departures from India accounting for 33% of all travel versus 23% for Asia Pacific. Considering the total outbound travel in 2011 in Asia, India will see off about 7.4% of the total travellers.

Indian Flavours
 
Apart from Indian travellers, Indian food does well too and ranks fifth in the most sought-after cuisine by tourists across the world. A recent gastronomy survey conducted by Hotels.com, which is part of Expedia, has found interesting insights into the dining habits of various nationalities across the globe. According to the study, Indian cuisine is loved by tourists across the world and is fifth in the list while Italian cuisine remains the world’s favourite food.

Aussies, Brits, Dutch, Kiwis – all love Indian food as do Indians of course. However, it is no surprise to note that Indians also enjoy Chinese food the most after home-cooked food. The French though seem to like Indian food over Chinese, Japanese, Spanish and even the Greek cuisine. Their affinity to Indian food follows their fondness towards French and Italian cuisines.

Our Asian counterparts, Koreans and Japanese, surprisingly seem to prefer Indian food the least. Italian cuisine, renowned for its pizza and pasta, ranked as the most popular fare among the survey respondents worldwide, followed by French, Thai, Chinese and Indian food. Of the major Asian cuisines (Chinese, Thai and Indian), Thai cuisine finds the most fans among international travellers.

Apart from Indians who enjoy dal makhni and rotis, Aussie travellers rated Indian food among the tastiest cuisines. However, although chicken tikka masala is popular among British, they seem to like Italian more than Indian food.

More than 4,000 travellers from Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, France, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and UK participated in this Hotels.com survey carried out from October 25 to November 8, 2010.

For more, read http://blah.burrp.com/travel/destinations/crouching-tiger-ready-for-attack/6565