Varkala

We recently packed our backpacks, took the camera and a few other essentials and headed out to the sunny beach of Varkala, the 'Goa in Kerala', if you will, with a bunch of friends and some family.

Aim: The clichéd ''Looking to unwind-get away from the monotony of  the city life (even if only for a few blissful days) and plain veg out in shorts and shades, eat good food AND sleep in"

and Varkala delivered.
P.S: A few other things got thrown into the bargain: loud train journeys, pictionary with the masters of cheat drawing, hilarious drinking sessions with ridiculous trips down memory lane and fun community-style meals to name a few.

So, in short, mission accomplished.

Varkala is a little beach town in the south of Kerala. It is quaint, offers many photo ops and is a backpacker's or elite gucci toting traveler's paradise pit stop. It is not too crowded or over hyped like its other beach compatriots such as Kovalam or Cochin, but all of that is judging a book by it's cover. There is more to Varkala than the beach, papa naasham,, ayurvedic massage parlors or the swimsuit clad foreigners adorning the beach.
For example, i got to paraglide! With a French gentleman called Aurel in tandem, i soared for 25 odd minutes in the hot, unapologetic sun over the turquoise blue waters of the Arabian sea. It was exhilarating, a generous boost of endorphins and much more fun than what i'd always imagined flying would feel like. LOVED it, and i would do it again in a heartbeat.

We were traveling with friends, some of whom we were seeing after a gap of years. years. That's a really long time to not see friends. Seriously, not cool. It was fun, fun and more fun, all the way (think ruthless pictionary, merciless tripping on each other and catching up-on-everything-in-the-past-few-years among other things.)

The food scene is good, we probably didn't visit the right places. Quite a few 'Tibetan' restaurants abound in Varkala, most of which are of shoddy lineage. And, a head's up: if you are famished from an evening of frolicking in the beach, do not go to these restaurants thinking you will be served in a reasonable amount of time. One meal at such a joint had us waiting for more than an hour and a half. We'd only ordered the usual fare of fried rice/noodles thinking that'd be the easiest items for the good restaurant folks to dish up, but nope. (we were a group of 20 but still didn't think 1.5 hours was justified.) The food, once it came, was alright, but we made sure we never went back there.
But somehow, the food scene, as disappointing as it was, was not all that disappointing because it was not a priority for us this time around. Sometimes, just sometimes, having a good time with friends, inspite of all the differences, supercedes even the allure of food.

Southern Spice at Taj Coromandel - Restaurant Review

I had a taste of the high life last week. Glitzy lobby, studded with the IPL Sunrisers Hyderabad team. An elaborate dinner with the works in a private dining room in the Southern Spice, Taj Coromandel. Grandiose ambiance that made me feel like we had time traveled. I am talking about the Mahavirundh at Southern Spice, literally a meal fit for Royalty, and honestly speaking, i lost track of the number of dishes after probably the 30th odd item on the menu-they just kept coming and coming! 

But at Southern Spice, i believe it is much more than just the food. Their hospitality is legendary - let me cite a small example: Towards the fag end of this elaborate saga, i was saving up on space for dessert and really couldn't handle more main course items, so i said 'no, thank you' to the rest of the dishes that were doing the rounds on the table. That's when the kind server politely insisted, and let me stress on that, insisted : "Try ma'am, little thayiru saadam". So i repeat (!!), 'no, thanks'. He suggests very earnestly ''Try ma'am, it will be very nice with pickle"!!! For a second there, i was lost. Are you really telling me to eat, like my mother would??! Then i exchanged looks with a friend sitting next to me, and he said very nonchalantly, ''Yes, they do that here''. and i burst out laughing! Brownie points for the service!

Southern Spice has been creating food centered memories since the mid nineties  but they recently underwent a renovation, and the new Southern Spice is accentuated with the old world charm of temple architecture from the Chola, Pallava and Pandava dynasties. The bronze detailing is noteworthy for an aficionado or amateur alike and care has been taken to represent the four states of South India in the décor. The finery extends to the cutlery and linen as well: with an assortment of gold plated and silver plated dinner ware flashing at us.

The cuisine is pan south Indian, and succeeds in the attempt to showcase the best of South Indian culinary scene. It is rooted in tradition, but branches out with a delightful contemporary twist to it (how else do i describe the Chocolate Puranam Mousse? It is a Belgian Chocolate mousse with a heart of molten coconut, lentil and jaggery mix and topped with a Chocloate disc and a mound of light chocolate mousse-full marks for innovation and execution!). And there are quirks: a sambar on the menu comes from the Chef's grandmother! The Elaneer Payasam is a recipe from the the kitchen of Mammens of MRF fame.

We started the mahavirundhu with a ginger juice concoction that screamed 'refreshing!'. There was a round of papads and deep fried goodies served with an arsenal of chutneys, followed by a tiny steamed apam and banana dosais made of banana and flavored with jaggery and cardamom. Injipuli koshambri, a salad of tempered lentils served atop a lettuce leaf came close on the heels.

We moved on to the hardcore stuff. Well, the hardcore appetizer stuff: Denji Rawa fry, or crispy fried semolina crusted soft shell crab left us wanting for more. But we had other things to try. Kori Kempu or shredded chicken marinated in chilies and spice and fried and tossed in yogurt was an interesting dish, the yogurt was not overpowering at all. But the star of the day for me was the Kair Katti Yerachi Kola Urundai. The name can be daunting, but rest assured, the dish is a pleasure for the senses. It is a perfectly seasoned crispy lamb dumpling flavored with fennel and wrapped in banana fibre.

The Vaigai Kari Sukka originating from Madurai was another favorite of the day: succulent lamb cooked in fragrant spices.

Special mention goes to the mysore rasam that was served between dishes. With a hint of lingering sweetness, the rasam doubled as an appetizer and digestive, and the aromatic rasam wowed all of us at the table.

Then the table was set for the heavy duty stuff, the main course. The gold plated plate in the banana leaf shape was laid out with the little bowls for the various curries and side dishes. Topping the charts was the edamame kurma, scallop pepper stew and the asparagus paruppu usili because of the twists they lent to the palate. Hot appams that were umoulded from the traditional appam chatti in front of us were devoured with the pachakari stew, which was a rendition of seasonal veggies, onions and potatoes simmered in coconut milk. Yum! Parottas paired extremely well too.

Special mention goes to the podi that was served with steamed rice, ghee and sambar. I am not a big fan of rice dishes, but this was admittedly good.

By then, i was stuffed and i had to save space for dessert. Other dishes doing the rounds were the Biryani and the Andhra speciality, the Bhejwada kodi biriyani or spiced chicken pilaf with fresh mint and of course curd rice.

Onto dessert. i couldn't wait to see how they'd improvised on desserts and i was not left disappointed. The Chocolate puranam mousse was decadent and would surprise anybody, chocoholic or otherwise.  Another dish that wowed me was the Godhi bella ice cream, made of broken wheat, jaggery and banana. The fav at the table was the chilled Elaneer payasam which was the epitome of light and refreshing.

The meal was a very elaborate affair and it does justice to a mahavirundhu. Priced at INR 5000+ tax, it is a meal emphasizing on indulgence and hospitality. A fun fact about the Southern Spice, it figured in the 'World's top 100 restaurants'!

The Thalis start at INR 2000+ tax. They also offer thalis where wines are paired with the food and that works out to 8000+ tax and upwards.

Southern Spice is in the lobby level of Taj Coromandel, on Nungambakkam High Road, Chennai.

Cochin

Hello People! So this is how we are going to do this. First off, there's the apology -we've been away from blogging for too long.
Well, life intervened. Life at its craziest, chaotic, hectic best. we had a fired up 3 odd months filled with travel, good food, meeting family, saying bye to family, more eating good food, planning birthdays (amongst them a first birthday-how much fun was that!!) and welcoming new members to the family. Head reeled (from all the hectic-ness), stomach lurched (with the travel), goosebumps were had (when i saw my new nephew Nathan for the first time), heart clutched (when i saw Ethan all 'growing up') and amazed (when i saw Cochin).

That brings us to the next order of things: Showcase Cochin
It is not often i get a chance to explore Cochin, Kerala. The last time i was there was eons ago - ok, maybe not eons, but definitely many years ago). and what i have concluded from my trip is, Kochi pazhaya Kochi alla. It is a bustling, thriving city that houses its share of retail outlets (some of them very fancy), luxe hotels, trendy hang out places, eating joints, malls and other lifestyle defining places. We explored a bit of Mainland Cochin and also visited the Fort Kochi portion which houses landmarks such as The Jewish Synagogue, the Jew street in Mattancherry etc. I will be sharing some pictures clicked in the said area.

We took the car we were travelling in on the jhankaar or the ferry to get to Mattancherry. That was quite the experience, the pros there squeeze in as many vehicles as is safely permissible and its a quick ride in the water. in the car, on a boat, in water. :)
Once on firm land, we headed to the Kashi Art Café. People visiting Fort Kochi, it is a must visit place. The ambiance is lovely, the food is honest and it has that good feel to it that makes you remember the place and want to come back next time you are in town.
We caught the Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2012 which was exhibiting at Kashi. For those of you who do not know the Biennale, it is an international exhibition of contemporary art. It  is a very different take on art, and looks at reviving the link between the past and the present. The setting in Kashi is contemporary, and you have dozens of framed posters, magazine covers or articles along with tablets giving the curious visitor a peek into history.

We had a good lunch at Kashi, enjoying the likes of sandwiches, sprouts platters and french toast.

Being in that side of town, we used the opportunity to visit the Jew street with the Paradesi Synagogue in Mattancherry. The Paradesi synagogue is the oldest active synagogue in the Commonwealth countries. They let you in and let you tour the premises (without the camera) and the posters on the walls give a sketch of the history of the Jews in Kochi.

The Jew street is not to be missed if you are a lover of expensive knick-knacks or love photographing the expensive knick-knacks. The colors are promising and the the street photography ops, brilliant.

With a slew of the new and the happening, Cochin promises to be a mix of the quickly diminishing old and a fancy smattering of the new. With everything happening, it is all set to be a force to reckon with.

Naadan Kozhi Curry a.k.a Traditional Kerala Chicken Curry

Who does not love a good naadan kozhi curry? I'm talking brilliant balance of spices mingling in tenderly cooked chicken and letting off just a hint of coconutty goodness And as if that wasn't enough, this curry pairs extremely well with plain white rice, kerala parotta, chapathis, dosais, Appams, you name it. The list of ingredients may look a tad long, but it really isn't much and you'll be glad you tried it. So go on, you know you want to :)

1) For the marinade: 

Chicken (with bone) - 1 kg

Chili powder -  1 tablespoon

Turmeric -  1/2 tablespoon

Pepper - 1/2 tablespoon

Chicken Masala - 1/2 tablespoon

2) For the masala:

-Onions (sliced) - 2 big

-Green Chilis (slit) - 3 

-Ginger - 1 inch

-Garlic - 4 pods

-Garam masala - 1 tablespoon

-Curry Leaves - 3 sprigs

-Mustard - 1 teaspoon

-200 ml thick coconut milk
-Oil for tempering/sauting

2  a)To be fine ground and dry roasted:

-Cinnamon - 1 inch

-Cardamom - 2 pods

-Clove - 5

-Jeera powder - 1 teaspoon

-Chicken masala powder - 1 tablespoon

-Marinate the chicken in the mix of ingredients mentioned in 1) for at least half an hour. In the meanwhile, get the masala mentioned in 2) prepped.

-Heat oil, sputter mustard and curry leaves.

-Add sliced onion and sauté till transparent. Pound the ginger and garlic into a paste and add to onions. Add green chilis and sauté for 6-7 minutes.

-Add ground spices mentioned in 2 a) and cook till the masala has been cooked.
 -Add marinated chicken, half cup water and salt to taste and cover and cook for fifteen minutes.

-Add coconut milk and cook for another 5 minutes on low flame.
- Switch off the flame and leave it covered for 5 minutes, before devouring in copious amounts.
 

Spectra, The Leela Palace, Chennai - Restaurant Review

The newest addition to the luxury hotel scene in Chennai is The Leela Palace, Chennai . Having experienced their luxe, opulent and hospitable way of life at The Leela Kovalam and The Leela Palace Bangalore, we were more than excited when Chennai figured in The Leela's scheme of things.

This was my second visit to The Leela Palace, Chennai in less than a month, and i think that speaks volumes in itself. The first time i was there was on an official trip and i vowed to back soon. Newspapers claimed that they'd just opened the doors to their restaurants this week and their all day dining café, Spectra beckoned.

 

The Leela is well known for their gracious hospitality. In fact, their motto is Atithi Devo Bhava, translated to mean, 'The Guest is God'. I believe i can safely say, their courtesy and etiquette is second to none. Their USP is making you feel comfortable in their extravagant settings, and they more than succeed. I told them i'd be clicking pictures, and they happily obliged.

Now, onto the food. P.S: You must know, we  headed out for lunch thinking we'd go à la carte, but all such aspirations were brushed aside on entering the restaurant. As we were led to our table facing the Adyar river, and beyond that, the Bay of Bengal (yes, the view was spectacular), an array of strategically placed buffet food counters caught our eye. A quick run through only piqued our interest and we were sold (though we had only about 15 minutes to the close of the buffet, but the restaurant manager seeing our dilemma, kindly volunteered and obliged to extend it by half an hour).

 By far the most extensive lunch buffet, it was massive. The word 'café' does not do justice to the dining experience. They have 7 live counters, with the likes of a well stocked Sushi bar, a Pasta bar, a Grill section, a Chinese corner (with the crispiest fried chicken), Pizza, Salads and Appams (that would put any authentic Kerala restaurant to shame)!

and we started. The cold cuts and the salad bar is innovative. Presented beautifully, they serve tastefully cut or shaved vegetables in bowls and beside that is an array of sauces and dressings. We loved the idea of being able to make our own salad with the sauces we wanted, and i tripped on the garlic aioli and another fine dressing with the likes of olives, radishes and beets. A refreshing and interesting water melon mint cooler in a shooter glass took things to another level.

Sufficient intake of veggies, check. We moved on to the hard core stuff. There was a stuffed zucchini that had an interesting stuffing. Their prawn curry was brilliant with the prawns cooked perfectly. The Chinese counter is not to be missed. Their crispy fried chicken is tender on the inside, and so crispy on the outside, and cut up in such convenient small portions, eating by the platefuls is easy. On the downside, the momos had a slightly smokey after-taste and the Thai calamari curry had some overcooked calamari rings.

Over at the sushi counter, the tuna and salmon sushi deserve special mention, the flavors were clean, and as a welcome change, not dry and bland as in many other restaurants.

In the Grill section, the lamb tenderloin was succulent and juicy without any overpowering flavors. The grilled prawn was commendable, with just a light dressing of lemon juice. The grilled fish stood out with its clean flavors and it was cooked perfectly.

Important point to note, the Appams are to die for. Striking the perfect balance between sweet, a hint of fermented tanginess, these lacy wonders go brilliantly well with the creamy seafood mappas or the chicken curry. The seafood mappas easily makes it to the top three dishes of the day, it is creamy, light and is the most delectable mix of prawns, calamari and fish.

They offer a vegetarian pizza with artichoke and peppers drenched in International flavors and a non vegetarian pizza of tandoori chicken. We somehow preferred the veg pizza. Sadly, we could not try the pasta counter, we were short on time and frankly, our tummies wouldn't have been to handle more. Besides, we were saving space for the spread you will see below.

Always the most looked forward to part of any meal for me, the dessert always makes or breaks a meal for me. and the Leela lunch was made. Their desserts were unpretentious and a refreshing change from the usual suspects. The homemade hazelnut ice cream, served with hazelnut butter will give any specialized ice cream place a run for their money. In fact, we'd go back just for that. It is a perfect mix of creamy, light and smacking of yummy hazelnut goodness. The pear frangipane tart served with a dollop vanilla bean ice cream is good. The berry parfait topped with a macaron and a crumble was a tangy, refreshing twist to the usual fruit parafits. And the crème brulée. THE crème brulée. Saying that it would by far be the creamiest and lightest crème brulée would not be taking it too far. Not cloyingly sweet or teeniest bit eggy, it was a ramekin of perfectly cooked, perfectly balanced crème served with a strawberry. (Though the we did miss tapping on the 'brulée' layer and cracking through it).

Priced at 1700 nett per head, the Spectra buffet has much on offer, and many of them star dishes. We are definitely going back

The hotel's pastry shop called the Cake Shop has a very impressive looking array of baked goodies. Proudly showing off a varied hue of macs, chocolates, croissants, donuts, breads, cheesecakes and cakes studded with macs i was literally in candy heaven.

The executive chef, Dharmen Makawana graciously took a good one hour off his time to talk to us and show us around the hotel. He regaled us with anecdotes from his rich experience in the hotel industry as part of many illustrious hotels. He gave us a background to how the Leela Chennai came into being and that left us at nothing short of awe and inspiration. He took us to the Library Blu Bar, and i for one can't wait till they start serving alcohol there. It imparts a mood like no other and will  be a bar to reckon on the Chennai map.
 

 

 

Like the other Leelas, the Chennai Leela has gone all out and pulled out all the stops to make it the epitome in class and opulence. Their eye for detail and attention paid to every tiny speck is mindblowing. But like Chef Dharmen said, none of it would really matter if it did not have their trademark hospitality. and that is what makes The Leela, The Leela.