The South African Sojourn - Day 6: Off to the Mother City!

We took a long time to wake up the next morning. The South African cold had penetrated the fragile Bengali constitution and had invaded even our dreams. I have never felt so cold or marvelled at the difference in the temperature being reflected in the air conditioning system relative to what I was feeling in my bones! Not surprisingly we decided to have a relatively light day wiling away time at Sandton City. We had a evening coach to catch to Cape Town and spent the day trying to catch as much sun as we possibly could in and around Nelson Mandela square.

The South African constitution seemed to be dealing with cold pretty well, though judging from the tribal dance routine happening right in the middle of the square. War chants and rhythmic twisting of the bodies clearly the name of the game as vigorous body movements seemed to make up for the heat lost due to absence of clothing.

We proceeded to have lunch at Nando's which seemed to be an institution in South African cuisine, Nando's specialises in Chicken served from spicy to very very very spicy and is pretty much the kind of meat that the local South African freaks out on. The uniqueness is in the flavours of the marinade and the sauces which are heavy in flavour content of heat and lemon. A few Mumbaikars might be lucky enough to taste the same at a branch that used to operate at Inorbit mall, Malad.

Our meal was followed by another uniquely world cup experience when we noticed a group of foreigners in white red and blue walk past us. It was only when they had walked right by us when we realised that the group contained Dirk Kuyt, Mark Van Bommel and other members of the Dutch national team. They soon took a right into a secured area leaving us wishing that we could have identified them slightly sooner.

The only thing left for us to do was to get ready for our journey so we checked out of our hotel and stacked up on some South African Biltong. Biltong is cured South African meat sold in packets. Varieties include beef and game meats and we stacked up on some beef and chicken varieties. Biltong is one of the more popular South African snacks and no wonder as it is heavily flavoured with spice and tastes fantastic. It is a meat eaters delight as it is difficult to get threw requiring a substantial amount of chew which prolongs the gastronomic experience. We bought the Biltong as provisions for the ride from Jo'Burg to Cape Town. We were travelling via Greyhound but being South Africa, were a wee bit concerned about quality. In the event we need not have worried.

It started off seeming like quite an adventure, as the coach station is common for all passengers and we saw that some passengers had brought along quilts and blankets. Our fears of having another really cold night were eased however as soon as we saw our coach and realised that the coach was of Greyhound quality - comfortable seating, centrally heated and with a coach hostess to boot. As an added benefit we found that the coach had a sprinkling of fellow World Cup tourists - some Nigerians who were on their way to Bloemfontein to catch the Nigeria - Greece game and a few English who were travelling to Cape Town along with us to catch England play Algeria. The rest of the evening passed quite enjoyably speaking to the English fans about Fabio Capello and listening to typically upbeat English expectations about their chances in the World Cup campaign. We also noticed that Steers burgers had pretty much captured the South African highway gas station network as we saw the brand in 100 % of all the gas stations along the route. Road travellers in South Africa, I suppose can be rest assured about food during their travels. The only negative as we drifted off to sleep would have to be news that Uruguay had effectively driven a dagger through South African hearts by beating them 3-0. The news came to us through radio and the nation that had welcomed the world with open hearts, the nation that had reached fever pitch in football hysteria when Tshabalala had driven in that rasping scorcher to take the lead against the Mexicans in the first game, was brought down to footballing reality with a thud. South Africa would continue to host a fantastic world cup but the hysteria among the local people was slightly diminished.

We dropped off the Nigerians at Bloemfontein at around 12:00 and went off to sleep dreaming about Cape Town and the famed table mountain!

The South African Sojourn - Day 7: Mountains, Vineyards, Cape Town

Ever since I was treated to breathtaking Greek scenery during our 3 Day tour of ancient Greece, I have made a mental note of ensuring the same in all our travels in foreign destinations. In my mind the cross country bus ride is a great way to take in the country side which usually eludes the casual tourist. To that respect South Africa only reinforced my decision from my travels in Greece. The ride from JoBurg to Cape Town is a long one and fortunately from us goes past the Drakensburg mountains which are a sight for sore eyes and some beautiful wineries. Snow capped peaks and acres of wineries were constant landscape features as we approached Cape Town. The clear highlight though was the first clear sighting of the "mother city" as Cape Town is affectionately known in South Africa. CT was the first permanent European settlement in South Africa and was only overtaken in size by Johannesburg on the onset of the Gold Rush. The first sighting of the Table Mountain got us very excited, the sight seemed familiar through the cricket telecasts during test matches played at Newlands but this was the real thing, we were almost pinching ourselves as we approached.

At Cape Town we checked in at the Courtyard Hotel, a refurbished dutch property and a heritage hotel. Although the location is a little bit outside the waterfront, the imposing ambiance makes the same completely worthwhile. One of my highlights was the complementary high tea served in the evenings which we sampled on arrival. Lightly seared sea food and meat croquet's hardly ever tasted so good.

After having a quick bite we decided to immediately take in a bit of the city and proceeded to the Victoria and Alfred waterfront to take in the "Capetonian" sunset. We were pretty much mesmerised on one hand and swamped by footy madness on the other.

The English were in town and boy - are they loud or what? The V&A water front also had a fan zone which we would see a lot more of over the next couple of days at Cape Town. We spent the late afternoon lazing along the water front and watching the shades of the beautiful table mountain change with the setting sun. A clear recommendation to all travelling to Cape Town would be to set aside two clear days at Cape Town to lazily watch the setting of the sun as one experience just leaves the eyes wanting more.

The special day was rendered even more so by capping it with a truly Africal dinner at Karibu which serves authentic South African game cuisine. The specials included Ostrich Pie, Springbok Potjie, Bobotie and some fried Snook.

The Ostrich pie was somewhere between chicken and mutton in terms of texture and very good, if slightly on the drier side. The fish was snook which was served in a batter fry to us was quite tasty. The highlights though was the bobotie and the potjie. The Bobotie is a typically South African preparation with meat curry which is capped off with a film of fried egg. The egg sort of wraps the dish and the net effect is fantastic. Potjie is a clear dutch influence and effectively means cooking meat in a pot over fire. What made the taste special was the fact that the curry was of Springbok - the South African deer and the softness and the flavour of the meat made us quite envious of the South African lions.

Karibu serves all these dishes in an all you can eat format and we ate to our stomachs and hearts content while looking over the last remnants of the Capetonian sunset. After the meal we returned to our hotel, tired and very happy. We were praying for some good weather for the following day as we had the visit to the table mountain lined up, which was dependent on good weather (table mountain cable car being shut during cloudy and rainy conditions).

The South African Sojourn - Day 8: Falling in love Cape Town

Cape Town. Beautiful Cape Town. Santorini, undoubtedly would have to be the most beautiful city in the world that I have visited. Kolkata is home. The great cities of the world - Rome, London, New York all have their own appeal. But, if I have to choose one city that I would like to live in - it would have to be Cape Town, South Africa. CT, has astounding natural beauty - cradled by the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, looked over by the Table Mountain. The city walls breathe history, albeit of a slightly sordid variety. The facilities are as good as any first world country. More importantly CT is Africa - the dark continent, still unexplored and brimming with potential and brimming with the mysterious unknown. The Cape Town City tour organised by Eagle, gave us a great overview of Cape Town and we pretty much fell in love with it.
The disadvantage of having the hotel slightly outside the city is the fact that the city tour invariably picks you up as the first guest very early in the day. The upside when the City Tour is that of Cape Town is the fact that it just gives you more time to experience the sights and sound as you pick up the other guests. The Cape Town city tour we undertook organised by Eagle Holidays gave us a really great view of Cape Town and we fell in love with the city.

The gang of guests on the bus was as eclectic as can be during the World Cup, a Chinese couple, two Thai honeymooners, a German couple, a slightly mad Portuguese couple who could bar

ely speak a word of English, a Brazilian woman and a Colombian lady. The last stop was at Camps Bay which is probably the most beautiful place one could buy a house with the Table Mou

ntain looking over the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean, pure unadulterated natural beauty. The houses have been set up in steppes with the terraces of the lower houses serving as the porch/ garage of the house on top. Truly innovative allowing maximum people to enjoy the prime real estate.

The first stop of the city tour and the clear highlight was the Table Mountain. We were lucky that the weather was clear as the table mountain is closed in slightly dodgy weather conditions and the weather in Cape Town is known to change 4 times in a single day. For the nature enthusiast Table Mountain is a national part offering some unique flora and fauna that can only grow in the unique environment on the top on the mountain but I contented myself taking in the breathtaking views.

The other highlight of the city tour was a visit to the Cape Town Museum. The Cape Town Museum gives a great insight into the diversity of the South African nation and the many tribes and races that make up the country. We were interested to read up and see the distinct feature of the "Koi Saan" which is the tribe that Nelson Mandela's family comes from.

The diversity of the South African nation really stood out as we took in the tour of the museum. Starker was the fact tha

t given the blood and strife the country has gone through, the urgent need to protect each and every sub group. The South African anthem for example we were informed actually contains verses from 5 different languages representing the five major races

and very few South Africans can actually sing the whole song.

The city tour was rounded off with a visit to the Bo Kaap, Cape Towns Malay quarter with its typically multi coloured Malay Houses. The Malay influence in South Africa has also influenced the food in a big way with the spices playing a significant role in the South African kitchen.

The other place of cultural interest was the Castle of Good Hope which is the oldest colonial buidling in South Africa. It actually replaced an older fort called Fort de Goede Hoop which was made of clay and timber and built by Jan Van Reibeek on his arrival in 1652. At the rampart of the fort now flutters 6 flags of the South African nation in chronological order. The flags are the dutch prince's flag, the union jack, the dutch batavian flag again, the union jack again, the flag during the apartheid days followed by the current flag of the rainbow nation.

At the end of the city tour we were dropped off at V&A water front which was now representing a Colosseum swamped by English and Algerian fans. Chants of " 1-2-3 Viva Algerie!" were never ending and were answered in equal voice by the English " You are Shit! You are Shit! You are so Shit!". We took it all in over a most enjoyable Italian Lunch at San Marco. The lasagne I am sure

tasted better with the vibrant atmosphere created by the two sets of fans. The buzz in the air was also magnified by the good cheer in the English contingent who were seeing the Germans lose to Siberia. The cheer at Lucas Podolski's missed penalty was as if England had scored a goal and revealed the scars that the English carry over decades of footballing lessons at German hands.

We retreated to the hotel early that evening thinking about South Africa and taking in the boring 0 - 0 draw being played out at

Cape Towns spanking new Green Point stadium. I am definitely not an English sports supporter and quite enjoyed the fact that the Algerians fans were going to have the better evening!

The South Africal Sojourn - Day 9: The fairest cape!

The Cape of Good Hope is etched on the memory of every kid in India lucky enough to get a reasonable primary and secondary education. Tales of Vasco Da Gama circumnavigating the dangerous coast line to land in Goa are passages in history repeated often in text books and even movies. No preparation for Geography is complete without memorising precisely where the Cape of Good Hope is in case the question is asked. From the moment I had decided that I would visit South Africa for Fifa 2010, there was no way in hell that I was going to miss out travelling to the Cape of Good Hope!

The Cape of Good Hope tour is a minimum half a day experience as it is quite some distance from Cape Town proper. We had taken a full day tour and were treated to our usual "meet the world" Fifa 2010 experience. This time the party contained, an English couple disappointed with the 0 - 0 draw, a German engineer smiling smugly at the state of the English, two guys from Dubai who had obviously drunk all night and couldn't wait to hit the next bottle and a Singapore family who could not care less that the World Cup was still on. All in all, pretty good conversation as we approached the Cape of Good Hope national park along some spell binding SA coastline.

The Cape of Good Hope is a section of the Table Mountain National Park and contains a large variety of flora and fauna. We could spot numerous animals like springbok and baboons all along the way. We were also lucky enough to spot some wild zebra which is usually difficult to find. The zebras, got us all excited except the guys from Dubai who could not care less. On enquiring about the reason for their composure they promptly replied that they had pet cheetahs kept at their farmhouses so they could not understand what the fuss was. To make the point they also showed us a few photos on their mobile phone!!!

The highlight of the trip was of course to stand at Cape Point where numerous photos were taken. The point where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet is also a truly beautiful sight with the characteristics of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans visibly apparent to the naked eye. The Atlantic - rough and a deeper blue, the temperature far cooler than the Indian Ocean with far calmer, warmer waters, the wind from the Indian ocean is known as the Cape Doctor in Cape Town and is known to be far more amenable to the human constitution.

Two interesting stops as a part of the tour was Hout Bay and Boulders beach. Hout bay is a seal colony where you see a whole colony of seals frolicking about. There are so many that the smell at times acts as a deterrent to tourist visits, maybe its become a defence mechanism for the seals.

The final stop was at Boulders beach where one gets to see a whole colony of Penguins, not emperor penguins as these were far smaller but they were in their natural habitat and decently friendly to offer great photo opportunities.

All in all it was one of the best days you can have in exploring natural beauty, the coastline is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful that you can come across on planet Earth.

The South African Sojourn: Day 10 - Bye Bye South Africa!

Finally it was time to stay good bye to South Africa after the experience of a life time spanning ten incredible days but it is important to look at the experience in two halves.

First the world cup, Fifa 2010, and I would like to believe all world cups are truly global experiences and are very enriching from a personal perspective. Unless one is lucky enough to study in an international business school or work in the United Nations. Nowhere does one meet as many people from all walks of life as one does at a football World Cup. You meet a diverse group and feel more a part of the extended human race if the same is possible. It is not that the people that you meet are very rich. We met zoo keepers from the USA and spoke to Brazilians sleeping at airports and at stations, but yes, all are united by a strong passion for football. Sepp Blatter and company might be very corrupt and sleazy, but they have a beautiful product in the World Cup. Long may it last!

The second experience was the South African experience, taking in bits of the great country. Steeped in natural resources, torn apart by internal strife, blessed with natural beauty of an uncommon variety but most importantly - a country willing to learn from the past, willing to remember the mistakes that they have made, willing to embrace democracy with all its potential hurdles and impediments to progress with the belief that nothing is more important than the human values of liberty, respect and dignity.

It was perhaps apt that we caught the rerun of Invictus on the flight back from Johannesburg to Mumbai. India needed men like Gandhi, Patel, Ambedkar, Nehru to lay the building blocks of the nation. South Africa needed a man like Mandela, and needed sporting icons like Francois Piennaar to take the nation where it is today. South Africa will have trouble, strife, corruption, complacence but I am sure that the human spirit will carry them forward.

South Africa for reasons of extreme beauty, fantastic adventure in the form of safaris and tours, unique food culture, a truly cultural and historic experience is a country definitely visiting. As for the Fifa World Cups. I am definitely making my way to Brazil 2014 for a truly "world" experience.

Jogo Bonito! Long live the beautiful game!

Royal China, Bandra, Mumbai

Royal China prides itself on serving authentic cantonese cuisine in a fine dining setting. The outlet is also one of the best places for celebrity spotting in Mumbai and one hears that the restaurant is also one of Sachin Tendulkar's favourite restaurants.

The decor at Royal China is spacious and exudes a certain class. The colours are dark and sober and one gets the feeling of dining in a comfortable high end establishment. The service as expected is prompt and polite. The waiters are well spoken and at ease with the dishes on the menu. They are more than willing to add their suggestions and recommend specials for the customer to taste.

The menu at Royal China has a dim sum and a regular section for patrons to choose from. We ordered three dumplings the last time we were there, the prawn and chives dumpling, the seafood dumpling with ginger and chilli and the chicken sui mai. The dumplings were all tasty and with a lot of flavour but my favorite would have to be the seafood dumpling, which was a touch spicy but left ones taste buds yearning for more. The dumplings at Royal China are served in small quantities of 2 to 4 dumplings a serving allowing the customer to sample different varieties. We had heard that Royal China also has a dimsum lunch option, but were informed that the same is only for customers who dine there atleast four times a month. A slightly tough criteria given the food options available in Mumbai!

For main course we ordered egg fried rice, roast duck cantonese and flaming chicken in superior sauce. Mainland China is my usual benchmark when it comes to fried rice quality and Royal China meets the benchmark in texture and flavour of the rice. Tasty, but not too overpowering so as to not detract from the flavour of the side dishes. Royal China prides itself on roast duck, but I found it a bit too bland for my liking, this, in spite of being a fan of Singapore chicken rice and being usually appreciative of blandish food. The part i really liked about the duck was the crackling on the skin, but i thought that it could do with a bit more flavour.

The flaming chicken in superior sauce was fantastic and greatly elevated by the way it was presented. It is served in a mini counter which is set alight in front of you. The visual appeal definitely added to the mildly spicy and very tasty chicken preparation.

We capped off our meal at Royal China with an order of lychee with ice cream and a helping of apple toffee with ice cream. Here I wish to remind you that we were surprised by the quantities and could not get through the servings. The lychee with ice cream were nice, but we were not really impressed with the apple toffee. To my mind, the apple toffee did not work. Overall though Royal China is definitely a visit for people who like Chinese food and specially for those with a soft corner for dim sums. Do go there and freak out!

A meal for two at Royal China, without drinks, will cost you approximately Rs 2500/-

How to get there: Royal China is on Turner Road, Bandra West. It does not have a great facade and there are chances that you may miss it if not looking out. It will fall to your right, If you are driving from Moti Mahal towards Carter Road.

Persian Darbar, Bandra, Mumbai

Persian Darbar is one of Mumbai's more famous Mughal food eateries and has been welcoming its clientele since 1976. Persian Darbar tries to serve authentic food in an authentic setting and that needs to be appreciated. The Biriyani for example is served and is had by its regular patrons in the true tradition of community eating with people expected to have food from the same very large plate served at the centre of the table. Lately I have read advertisements of its Byculla branch renovating its decor to add to a truly Mughal experience and setting to sample some fabulous food.

Persian Darbar also drives home one of the oddities in my culinary discoveries in Mumbai. The fact that the non Mughlai dish of crispy chili prawns is so fantastic, yet so Non Mughal had been first discovered by me at Shalimar and the version at Persian Darbar underscores that fact. The dish if you can get yourself to order it is fantastic and the serving is also very, very generous.

The last time we were there, apart from the prawns, we ordered the Raan Biriyani and Bheja Tava Masala.

The Biriyani needs to be ordered just for the grandeur of the dish, the Raan is very obviously the star of the show and is covered with Biriyani rice and adorned with sliced boiled eggs, cucumber and onions on the sides of the serving plate. The biriyani rice does not have the greatest taste and sort of disappointed me but the Raan was succulent and with loads of flavours. I would definitely recommend the dish for the taste of the Raan and the way the dish is served up.

The bheja was also disappointing, the masala was greenish and sort of overwhelmed the taste of the bheja. I prefer the version at Bade Miyan and Jaffer Bhai any day. Overall though, the meal was still worth it because of the Prawns and the Raan!

A meal for two at Persian Darbar will cost you approximately Rs 450/- without drinks.

How to get there: Persian Darbar is on Bandra, Linking Road. If you are driving from Khar towards, the highway, Persian Darbar will fall to your left once you cross Shoppers Stop.

Karim's, Noida

Karim's at Delhi is undoubtedly one of the more famous eateries in Delhi and for that matter, the rest of India. My friends, and cousins in the capital now often look down on the place and claim, rightfully I am sure that there are other far better places. But then, Karim's is the stuff of legend, and for us Non - Delhi-ites, if we are in the capital and there is a choice of choosing the restaurant to have Mughlai food in, it is usually Karim's that is the number one choice.

Part of the reason for the allure of Karim's is its fame and longevity, the original one beside the Jama Masjid has been around since 1913. They also claim to have an interesting story line with the ancestors of Haji Karimuddin (who established the place in 1913) apparently having cooked and served food in the kitchens of Babur himself.

This makes for great narrative and provides an added flavour to the delightful food that is served in front of you. Karim's is famed for its Biriyani, which although tasty is a topic for much controversy and each foodie in India has their own favourite version. Mine, is Shiraz, Kolkata but then that is a never ending conversation. My favorite meal at Karim's and the one that I had when last at Karim's Noida is Mutton Barra Kebab, Kali Dal and Rumali Roti.

The decor in Karim's Noida is reasonably up market, there was actually a painting by MF Hussain to welcome us and it has none of the rustic feel that you experience at the Jama Masjid branch. The service however was the same as what you get at the original joint.

Thankfully the food was outstanding as it always is. The Mutton Barra kebab is basically the most basic of mutton kebab offerings but is in my mind one of the tastiest of mutton Kebabs, it is not as fine as a Galouti or Kakori and is less on the marination. The meat is more chunky and can be bit into. While the other kebabs are definitely finer, even more tasty, the Barra Kebab is texturally the heartiest and most satisfying for a non vegetarian lover still having decently Ok teeth. The taste is needless to say fantastic.

The kali daal at Karims while not particularly outstanding in isolation, is perhaps made for being the perfect accompaniment to the mutton. Light almost to the point of being bland, the kali daal with the mutton barra and the soft rumali roti, transports the customer to cullinary heaven. The Karim's at Noida does take away the ambience but does deliver on the food!

A meal for two at Karims will cost you approximately Rs 400/- without drinks.

How to get there: Karim's is at Sector 18 in Noida, in the main market. It is impossible to miss.

China Gate, Global Fusion, Bandra, Mumbai

Global Fusion is a place I have been to a number of times and is a place that I always love going back to. The place provides a combination of Japanese fare with some other South East Asian influences that cater to most palates and covers most bases on mine. The place also offers one of the more unique culinary experiences in the city with multiple counters providing all - you - can - eat food options. The options are so plentiful and the array of delicacies so overwhelming that one would need at least two visits to sample all the food properly. But then, if you make one visit to China Gate, Global Fusion, you will keep coming back.

The decor at China Gate is very nice, the seating area is large and comfortable, you see a number of waiters milling about but the service is not very good at all. They have yet to work out the operations and in my experience the food is inconsistent apart from the self serve options.

There are four buffet areas at China Gate Global Fusion, the first and my favourite area is the sashimi and sushi area. The range is mind blowing and the options range from lobster to eel to smoked salmon. They also have a vegetarian option. Dips of wasabi, ginger and soy are available and best of all is the fact that one can go on eating unless ones appetite is satiated or one is tempted to try out the other options.

The second area is one of the features of the restaurant and resembles an open kitchen which is surrounded by one dish each placed with an open bowl. The concept is to place pegs with your table number (found at your table - ref pic) in the open bowl in front of the dishes to indicate your interest at sampling. The offering range from a whole host of dim sums to fried food and teppanyaki preparations. Here is where the service at Global Fusion becomes wonky with large variations in quantity and arrival time with what you order and what you get. Often what you order does not arrive at your table at all. The saving grace is that whatever you receive at your table is truly delectable and great to eat!

The third section is a regular buffet with counters which serves the staple fried rice, chow mien and regular Chinese fare of fish, chicken and prawns in black bean, oyster and XO sauces - good to eat but in my mind a distant second fiddle to the first two sections. I guess the restaurant needs the section for the less adventurous foodie but if you listen to my advice, you will steer clear and save your appetite.

The 4th section is the dessert counter with a few sweet cake options repleted with a Baskin Robbins ice cream counter, the same is a big hit with the kids but disappoints me slightly as i have never found good chocolate ice cream variations which I am completely partial to as far as ice cream is concerned. The flavour I choose is usually coffee but there are usually 5 to 6 options for the ice cream connoisseur.

If that was not all the offer comes with unlimited soft drinks though alcohol has to be ordered and paid for separately. Needless to say China Gate Global Fusion is highly recommended for South East Asian food with a largely Japanese influence. The only blemish from a food perspective would have to be the absence of pork from a single dish which is not served for religious reasons.

A meal for two at Global Fusion without hard drinks would cost you approximately Rs 1700/- on weekdays and Saturdays and Rs 2200/- on Sundays. I have lately visited on Sundays but am given to understand that the spread remains the same.

How to get there: China Gate Global Fusion is just off Linking Road, Bandra West. Its on the lane right beside KFC. Its on the 4th floor above Mumbai Times Cafe.

Shiro, Worli, Mumbai

Shiro is one of the few restaurants in Mumbai offering a Teppanyaki experience and that fact by itself makes it a definite "do" in a Mumbai foodies list. For the uninitiated teppanyaki is effectively translated from Japanese to iron plate "teppan" cooking "yaki". That effectively means searing, grilling, frying meat and yes, the occasional vegetables on a hot iron plate and if that was not enough, teppanyaki is also about performance. The chef in Teppanyaki is supposed to keep the diner entertained as food is savoured and that could include knives being whirled, spice holders being juggled and food being moved from one end of the hot pan to the other as it is being perfectly cooked. Shiros offers you all this and most importantly superb quality food.

Shiros is a top end fine dining restaurant and the decor and the service exude that feeling. I felt like I was entering a pyramid as I walked into Shiros, a huge imposing statue greeted us around two stories high as we were led to one of the chic seating areas. A very very nice ambiance. We were later led up to the 2nd floor which hosts the Teppanyaki table.

The service was prompt and attentive as expected. The only issue was that we had not mentioned that we wanted the Teppanyaki table so make sure you mention that while making the booking. There is only one Teppanyaki table at Shiros which can seat around 15 people and we had to wait around till a birthday party of 15 got over. The upside was that we got to view the chefs performance twice over!

We waited for our turn at the Teppanyaki table while sampling fantastic Miso soup and a salad of zucchini, bell peppers and mushrooms. The servings were part of the Teppanyaki meal where you have to select a main course of your choice which comes with the soup, salad and dessert thrown in. There was some smart service offered as we were ordering the pork, the waiter said that he would check if the highest quality pork was the one that was received and came back with the assurance. He returned saying that it was available which gave us the feeling that the best quality protien was being cooked with. Shiro also has a set menu of dumplings and sushi which we have decided to definitely sample at a future date.

The Miso soup was fantastic, miso is a traditional Japanese stock which consists of a stock, mixed with miso paste which is a traditional seasoning. The miso we were served had fresh ingredients like mushroom, tofu and combu leaves served with it. The taste was delightful with a strong essence of sea food from the stock. Some people at our table thought the smell of the sea was a bit too strong but I personally loved it. The salad was also fantastic and the mushrooms specially were beautifully spiced with a strong soya sauce essence that I absolutely loved.

As we were eating we also took in the acrobatics of the chef, the highlight apart from the swish and sharpening of the knives, were twirling the meat cutter and breaking the egg in mid air with the aid of a knife. I have seen more Teppanyaki stunts on TV but what I saw pretty much took my breath away. The added fun parts were throwing some dummy eggs at the audience for fun and some pretty neat card tricks on the side to keep the audience entertained. The chef was friendly as well and told us he was Fillipino as what life is like for him in Mumbai.
Finally it was our turn at the Teppanyaki and we were first served some egg fried rice cooked right in front of us. The broken egg fits in as the chef is cooking this part of the meal. Then the mains were cooked as per order which in my case was tenderloin and shrimps. Fantastic quality meat and excellently cooked, apparently the usual spice used in Teppanyaki is peanut butter but the chef at Shiro has sufficiently altered the same to suit the Indian spicy palate. The flavours were strong and the food very tasty, what made it better was undoubtedly the fact that it was cooked in front of us with a flourish and was obviously hot and spicy.

After our meal we were also served chocolate mud pie for dessert as we were regaled with the chef's magic tricks. Apparently he stays up at night and learns the tricks from the Internet!

A truly fantastic experience for both the foodie and the theatre lover - from an experience perspective alone, Shiro is a must do for people wanting to experience a slice of Japanese food in Mumbai. Highly recommended!

A meal for two at Shiro without drinks will cost you approximately Rs 3000/-

How to get there: Shiro is at the Bombay Dyeing Mills compound in Worli which also houses Hardrock cafe. If you are travelling from the Eastern Express Highway from Kurla, you have to take a right under the ITC flyover towards Lower Parel. After you drive towards the west you should be able to find enough people to guide you towards Bombay Dyeing.

Aaswad, Dadar, Mumbai

In my mind if I were to serve you an authentic Maharashtrian food experience it would not be possible to do so through one meal. I would need a minimum of four to introduce the distinct and authentically Maharashtrian food experiences that the state has to offer. The coastal cuisine from the Malwan coast is a fish and sea food lovers delight. The spicy Kolhapuri cuisine with the famed Tambda and Pandhra Rassas that take the meat eating experience to a whole new altitude, only to be shamed by the even more spicy Saoji cuisine from Vidarbha. The three aforementioned cuisines are however the glitz which sits atop the basic vegetarian Maharashtrian cuisine. The fare is the 'ghar ka khana' the Marathi manoos survive on everyday and Aaswad is one of the more famous eateries in Mumbai where you can taste hearty vegetarian Maharasthrian cuisine, may not be glamorous, but it is definitely very very tasty.

Aaswad is a value for money food joint and the interiors seem to state the same. Space is a bit cramped with almost all tables designed to seat four people at the most. Most importantly the place appears to be clean and hygienic. The service is prompt and attentive with language being a slight problem. The waiter we had was not very fluent in Hindi and we were lucky to be bailed out by a Maharashtrian who could converse with him as well as suggest a few of the local must haves. You could be restricted to try your luck pointing out dishes on the English menu card without knowing a great deal about what might be served to you but I think that's a risk worth taking.

At Aaswad we sampled quite a large number of dishes due to us being a pretty large group, we sampled piyush, pithale bhaji bhakri, dalimbi usal, kharwas and puran pohli. (I think you may understand now that it is safer to go there with a Maharashtrian :)).

Piyush meaning "amrit" is the Marathi Manoos' food of the Gods. We were served this first at Aaswad, piyush is a yellow drink with a lot of milk, kesar and shrikhand (if you are Bengali the taste is somewhat like a "Ghol", only better). Piyush looks a bit like liquid custard and has a sweet curdy taste. It was the perfect filler as we waited for the meal without taking too much stomach space.

The pithali bhaji bhakri was served next, the dish had three parts, the bhakri which is a round bread cam with choices of bajra, rice and jowar. We sampled a bit of all three:). The bhaji was made of brinjal which the Marathis refer to as "Vang", it was spicy with a generous helping of tomato and coconut. The pithale was the undoubted star of the piece, it looks exactly like daal but is cooked using 'besan' or chikpea flour spiced up with mustard, cumin with a generous amount of coriander, the texture is exactly that of a thick-ish daal with the coriander clearly visible. It was brilliant both from a taste perspective and when you know what the ingredients are.

Our meal was rounded off by the dalimbi usal and the special pola usal, the dalimbi usal was a preparation of sprouts cooked in soury kokum. Again extremely tasty and easily one of the best ways to have bean sprouts. We had it with some more bhakri and also ordered a couple of puris as a side. The dishes were also wonderfully complemented with a kokum chutney and another spicy chilli chutney on the table - added spice on offer at all times.

For dessert we ordered kharwas and puran pohli, the 'kharwas' is a pudding made out of the milk from a cow which has just given birth, soft, not too sweet and positively delectable. The puran pohli appears to be a bread but is stuffed with some lentils and a generous amount of jaggery. The dessert made us wish that we had not had the main course but then that is always the case in a great meal. Overall a truly outstanding meal and a must have for the all round Maharashtrian culinary experience.

A meal for two at Aaswad for two people without drinks will cost you approximately Rs 250/- on the higher side.

How to get there: Aaswad is perhaps aptly located right out side the Shiv Sena Bhavan in Dadar TT. Bal Thackeray's imposing statue looks to the restaurant situated slightly towards the left of the gaze. It serves as a rightful beacon of the unequivocal competency of the Marathi Manoos with a clear niche in the city with much cosmopolitan competition - at least on culinary terms. Jai Maharashtra!

Celini, Santa Cruz, Mumbai

Celini at Grand Hyatt is rated as one of the best Italian food experiences in Mumbai by Rashmi Uday Singh's Times food guide, and after our last visit I would tend to give a big Thumbs up to the place and her recommendation. The food was exceptional and undoubtedly one of the best Italian food experiences I have had in Mumbai.

The restaurant in advertised by the Hyatt as serving Italian food in a modern setting, the ambiance was supposed to be a big draw with a show kitchen aiding the food experience. However we found to our disappointment that the restaurant was closed for repairs and we would have to be seated at the bar. Although the seating was comfortable, it was a disappointment as we were not made aware of the situation when we were making the appointment. I hope that the ambiance will reflect the food when the repairs have been completed.

The service as is expected in a 5 Star was attentive and prompt, the slight downer was the fact that our plates had some dirt when our second course was about to be served, I would like to believe that the same was a result of the make shift seating but dirt on the plate is definitely not the expectation from the Hyatt.

We ordered a 3 course meal at Celini, and I would like to say that we were served two exceptional dishes and one which was very very good. We ordered the spicy white bean soup with lobster and carpaccio, a risotto with asparagus, lobster and speck (pork) and capped it with a Tiramisu to finish. As we were waiting we were served freshly baked bread and a salsa with a generous amount of tomato and olives. The bread was fresh and very good to taste, went well with the salsa. We were slightly disappointed though when we saw that we had only olive oil to season with at the table. The balsamic vinegar which i personally love was missing and was given only on request.

The spicy white bean soup when it arrived however more than made up for the slightly disappointing experience till then. The soup was effectively a broth of pureed white beans with generous helping of cheese and lobster essence. The texture was very thick, smooth and creamy. It smelt and tasted heavenly. The middle of the bowl had the spicy carpaccio and the lobster pieces. The carpaccio was great but the lobster took our breath away. It was cooked perfectly with a delightful crunchy texture which was an excellent complement to the thickish broth.

The risotto followed which was very good without being exceptional. It was slightly a bit too salty for my palate than what it may be should have been. The Tiramisu was too die for, soft and replete with the flavours that you expect, if I were to pick a slight fault it would have to be the bread layer which was not soaked as much as it maybe could have been. It tasted great but it was not dripping in coffee and chocolate.

Overall Celini was a grand culinary experience which can be bettered by ironing out the glitches mentioned. A definite recommendation for the outstanding Italian cuisine.

A meal for two at Celini without drinks will cost you approximately Rs 3000/-

How to get there: The Grand Hyatt hotel is almost on the Western Express Highway between Andheri and Bandra. You have to not take the Kalina fly over and take the first left after the Kalina crossing. Grand Hyatt's gate should be visible to you on the left after driving for another 200m after you take the left from the highway.

Punjab Grill, Juhu, Mumbai

Punjab Grill is an attempt to fill one of the most obvious need gaps in the culinary land scape of Mumbai. The city (at least the suburbs) really has relatively few options (discounting the 5 star chains) if you want to sample high quality North Indian / Punjabi cuisine and to a large extent Punjab Grill manages to fill that rather glaring culinary hole.
Punjab Grill is a fine dining restaurant aimed at bringing you the best flavours of the undivided Punjab and as soon as you enter the restaurant, one gets the impression that the evening will be an enjoyable one. They have two layouts, an air conditioned interior as well as an adequately fanned outdoor option. The outdoor option is very classily done up, so much so, that we decided to sit outdoors inspite of the Mumbai heat. What I particularly liked from a customer experience perspective is the outdoor bar they have set up near the entrance which can and was being used by guests while waiting to be seated.
What also strikes you is the amazing level of service you experience, the waiters are all smart and knowledgeable. Service is paramount and their is no division of tables or zones at least visibly, in case the waiter allocated to you is busy, others are most willing to pitch in. What I appreciated from the waiters was also their honesty with the items on the menu, we were very clearly informed when we were ordering some aam-panna that the same was not original Mango and so might not be as authentic as some other available options, especially the shikanji.
The food at Punjab Grill is something that they take a lot of pride in and not without reason as we experienced. We sampled their kebab platter, the galouti kebabs, Daal Punjab grill and Kheema naan. The Kebab Platter had servings of Mutton Chaap, Chicken Reshmi Kebabs, Chicken Tikka and Fish Amritsari. The chicken was soft, well flavoured and very tasty, the fish was authentic with the flavour of ajwain standing out. The star of the platter was undoubtedly the mutton chaap, well chosen pieces and cooked so that the mutton adequately stays attached to the bone while perfectly cooked. The melt-in-your-mouth Galouti kebabs were also very good, among the best I have sampled in Mumbai, the only negative being the way they were served, on a small bread with an onion slice. It looked great and tasted okay but it was almost presented too well to be interfered with. I like a little bit more freedom in the way I want to have my Galouti.
The Daal - Punjab Grill was as good as you expect in any high quality Punjabi restaurant and did not disappoint in the least, I however felt that there was room to improve with the Kheema Naan as I felt that the flavour did not really come through and got a bit awkward to finish and reduced me that I had opted for the Garlic Naan. Overall, while I would have to say the food was very good but did not floor me and make my mouth water. Call it being spoilt but the food of undivided Punjab makes me yearn for food I have sampled in Amritsar, Chandigarh and Ludhiana. I expect the food from present day Pakistan to be as good as the kebabs in Lucknow. While Punjab Grill does a fantastic job, those levels of culinary experience are never quite achieved. To be honest I have sampled similar culinary excellence only at the ITC Grand Maratha in Mumbai so the comparison might not be fair.
Punjab Grill however won my heart with the little touch at the end. I absolutely adored the complementary Paan shots. Served in Tequila glasses and with all the flavours of a good paan the Paan shot made me rank Punjab Grill as one of the restaurants I would definitely go back to, inspite of the slightly steep price.
A meal for two at Punjab Grill without drinks will cost you approximately Rs 3000/-
How to get there: Punjab Grill is opposite the Costa Coffee in Juhu. If you enter Juhu through Juhu Gali and turn right towards Juhu Circle, it will fall on your left. The gate falls to your left, after you take a left past the restaurant boards visible from the main road.

B. Merwaan and Co., Grant Road, Mumbai

The Iranis are the "other" Zoroastrians who have made Mumbai their home along with the Parsis. The Parsis visibly have a greater share of the Mumbaiya wallet, mindshare and the history of the city but the Irani's do have a greater share of the citys facade with numerous corner shop Irani cafe's. The number of cafe's may be dwindling ( a result of rising real estate and business feasibility) and the set ups may mostly be in town rather than suburbs, but the Irani cafe will always be inextricable linked to the Mumbaikar's day to day life and the city's truly cosmopolitan character.
The most obvious reason to like Irani Cafe's, is obviously the food, for the non cholesterol conscious the Brun Maska alone is a reason to preserve such café’s as world heritage sites, add the mawa cakes, samosas, the vegetarian patties and the wondrous egg preparations and we are basically talking wonders of the gastronomical world. The main reason I like the café’s is its dedication to serve the wallets of the common man and the intention to keep the margins wafer thin so that the common Mumbaikar can retain his favorite haunt. Rising real estate prices is obviously the major modern obstacle to the business model and I hope that more café’s can do what Merwaan B. is trying to do and double us as a Kirana store to sustain a long cherished and much lover business. Which brings us to another interesting thought as to how the café’s started in the first place as the prices were always cheaper even on a comparative basis? The answer lies in simple economics, demand and supply. In the Mumbai of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, corner plots were considered unlucky for business by the Gujarati and the Sindhi. The entrepreneurial Irani stepped in and created the ubiquitous corner Irani café to make a living and give Mumbai its unmistakable cosmopolitan character. Unfortunately for the sustainability of the café’s and in an ironical tribute to the Irani’s entrepreneurial competence such false notions no longer exist.
B. Merwaan and Co. has been around since 1914 and has been supplying countless sumptuous meals to weary travelers entering and exiting Grant road station. I was introduced to the café by my cousin Shirsha Guha Thakurta and her friends Delnaaz and Mithun. The three of them, specially Shirsha are responsible for one of the tastiest and definitely one of the largest and filling breakfasts I have had in the city of Mumbai.
The breakfast we had started with a round of vegetable patties, the vegetable patties were filled with primarily carrots and it almost stuns me even when I write that I rate the patty better than any patty that I have tasted in Kolkata’s Nahoum or Flurys. The vegetable patty was followed up by Brun Maska which is nothing but hot Pav with oodles of butter. I have had well buttered pavs and bread earlier but for sheer decadence bordering on obscenity nothing beats the amount of butter on an authentic Brun Maska. Delnaaz, who accompanied us for the meal is the daughter of the proprietor and I think they were being slightly over generous in an effort to impress the bosses daughter, but the description still stands as we were reduced to scraping some of the butter off the pav using knives in an effort to commit lesser sin.
The follow up to the Brun Maska were the Mawa Cakes and the Mawa Samosas, the taste is difficult to describe but I loved them more than any Mawa sweet I have ever had before. The cakes and samosas were just the right temperature to aid the melting of the morsel as it enters your mouth and the sweetness of the Mawa was beyond perfect. This was followed by a double egg half fry with some more brun maska, there was about as much butter on the egg as on the pav. We literally had to beg the mind and the stomach to ask the tongue to stop ordering for more goodies and rounded off the marathon err…. meal with some authentic Irani tea, milky and just with the right amount of kick. A truly brilliant breakfast but with a major downside, driving home after a meal like that can be a real pain! A side note: The mawa cakes and samosas are made at 5:30 AM, so if you go after 7:00 and are even lucky enough to get a few before they are all devoured, they will taste only half as good as they taste when they are really fresh. I agree good food can sometimes be a “labour” of love, but then there is no greater love than the love of eating!
A meal for two at B. Merwaan and Co. will cost you approximately Rs 80/- even if you really gorge.
How to get there: B. Merwaan and Co. is bang outside the East gate of Grant Road station. There is no way you can miss it as it is right opposite the main exit.