MELBOURNE'S TOP TABLES

Knowing the right place to go to eat out is everything. You go for the taste, the sounds, the smells, and freshness and in most cases ambience as well. Here’s my list of the TOP 10 Tables in Melbourne in random order which will certainly not disappoint….Bon Appetit!!

SPOONBILL RESTAURANT & BAR

CULINARY ESSENCE- Celebrates Australia’s regional produce and the menu changes seasonally. The menu offers a multi-faceted paddock to plate experience.

AMBIENCE- Though overall very contemporary the Art collection and a commissioned art installation of a crafted wooden hood exudes a bucolic feel. All in all, the ambience salutes seasonal fare offering a delightful harmony between traditional and modern appeal.

USP- At its core, the restaurant is dedicated to mindful consumption, a self-coined approach to cooking that honours ingredients and preparing food with integrity, rather than focusing exclusively on a specific style of cuisine. John Olsen champions the emerging dining scene globally by supporting local farms and markets, ensuring clients are receiving the best quality.

LIP SMACKING- Pancakes, Eggs Benedict, John Olsen’s famous ‘Paella’, Mini Burger with a filling of Wagyu beef mince, aged cheddar cornichons, onion relish & mustard mayo, Freshly picked ‘Zucchini flowers’ with a filling of goat cheese, honey and mint lemon guacamole, Seafood of the day, Hot lemon fritters with honeycomb ice-cream and finest and freshest selection of cheese. 

FAST FACTS

The Olsen Hotel, 637-641 Chapel Street, South Yarra 3141, Melbourne

Landline Number: +61 (3) 9040 1333

Timings: Open from 6:30 Am until 12:30 Am

FENIX

CULINARY ESSENCE- A gorgeous blend with nature at its best, Chef Gary offers a sumptuous and sensual cuisine enhanced by excellent quality products and stylish presentation.

AMBIENCE- It happens to be quite the draw for those wishing to find natural landscape backdrop to proceedings as it sits charmingly overlooking the magnificent Yarra River. With floor-to-ceiling windows framing the local area, river and the wildlife, this dining venue is of a smart casual environment without being presumptuous or over decorative.

USP- Brainchild of renowned Chef and owner Gary Mehigan (read Master Chef Australia).

LIP SMACKING- Marinated ‘mount zero’ olives with dukkah (spice), Autumn mushroom ‘pancake’ with fiore di burrata, green harissa & sesame yoghurt,  Roasted chicken flavoured with lemon sage & garlic served with confit baby carrots & toasted wheat, Braised ricotta gnocchi, gorgonzola, peas & parmesan crumbs,  Mango & caramelized macadamia ‘Bombe Alaska’.

FAST FACTS

680 Victoria Street, Richmond, Melbourne VIC 3121.

Landline Number: +61 (3) 9427 8500

Timings: Open for Breakfast, lunch and Dinner

VUE DE MONDE

CULINARY ESSENCE- pays homage to classical fine dining in a sophisticated modern context. With such great lengths taken to present the best of modern innovative cuisine, guests can expect nothing but the best cuisine out here. One can either opt from an a la carte menu or go the whole hog with a ten course degustation menu.

AMBIENCE- It is obvious that nothing is compromised here, from carefully engineered dishes, to impeccable service, the ambience is extremely Modern, and it definitely is a cut above the rest. Needless to add that being here is reason enough; soaking in the matchless city views while enjoying a selection of viands below reproach. And yes…the wine cellar is excellent!

USP- Flamboyance is not just limited to the display kitchen; Shannon Bennett has created magic with ingredients. The contrasts between luxurious and rustic, raw and cooked products, hot and cold, sophisticated and simple create an ecstasy for the senses.

LIP SMACKING- Melbourne onion soup, ‘Barramundi’ with nettle, young garlic prawn and lettuce, ‘Flinders Island lamb’ with olive, Australian anchovies and mustard,  ‘Blackmore Wagyu’ with beetroot, salt bush, BBq sauce and truffle and the decadent ‘chocolate soufflé’ with chocolate mousse and crème Anglaise which the chef says he simply whipped up with the help of his ‘KitchenAid’ machine.

FAST FACTS

Level 55 Rialto, 55 Collins Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000

Landline Number: +61 (3) 9691 3888

Timings: Open for lunch and Dinner.

GROSSI-CELLAR BAR

CULINARY ESSENCE- In keeping with the spirit of Italian cooking, everything is fresh and the flavours are kept simple so they balance each other.

AMBIENCE- The decor, the ambience and the service all reflect the warmth and care that one would expect when dining in a warm and friendly Italian home. It is the epicentre of Melbourne’s café society.

USP- Sometimes, simplicity can be the hardest thing. Celebrity Chef Guy Grossi takes on an emotional approach to cooking. He almost takes it as a responsibility and enjoys watching people eat and enjoy their wine and coffee. 

LIP SMACKING- To whet appetites, a platter of ‘Antipasto misto’ which includes a variety of Italian aged hams, salami and other cured meats with Italian vegetables and nuts, cheese and honey sets the right mood. The selection of risotto and soup is a must try. Pasta is made fresh every day to guarantee the best quality. All in all I would say Italian Fare that would surely impress even Mama Guy Grossi!

FAST FACTS

80 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Landline Number: +61 (3) 9662-1811

Timings: Open from 7-30 Am until late, Monday to Saturday. Closed on 10^th June owing to the Queen’s Birthday!

GAZI

CULINARY ESSENCE- George Columbaris of Master Chef Fame has transformed the main part of Press club into a low key Greek street food eatery and he does it damn well.

AMBIENCE- Situated in a beautiful heritage building, this Greek grill room with hanging clay pots is the talk of the town since it opened its doors very recently; a highlight is also the open kitchen.

USP- For epicureans, this is a restaurant not to be missed and for those new to Greek street food, there is no better introduction.

LIP SMACKING- Try the superlative ten dish feed me menu, it’s gorgeous. The Mezze, mini souvlakis, lamb ribs with trimmings are to die for! Steel yourself for that powerhouse Ouzo and save a little room for the baklavas- filo pastry with walnut filling dripping with Greek Honey.

FAST FACTS

2 Exhibition Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Landline Number: +61 (3) 9207 74444

Timings: Open for lunch and dinner

CHIN CHIN

CULINARY ESSENCE- Modern Thai Diner, main focus being Thai with some Vietnamese tendencies creeping into some dishes on the menu.

AMBIENCE- Quite chic and trendy eatery, the long bar takes up one entire side of the restaurant and has smart hanging lights, and its top fabricated with Corian, serving the finest beverages. Usually very full so one can have a drink at the ground level before gorging in on the food served upstairs.

USP- Expect a menu that brings a refinement and delicacy to South East Asian dining.

LIP SMACKING- You can either opt for the ‘Feed me ‘ option where you’d be served a selection of Chin Chin’s favourite dishes or can go the a la carte route. Recommendations go all out for the homemade crab & pork cakes, wok fried salt & pepper squid, Tom yum, Morning glory wok tossed with Siamese water cress with yellow bean & chilli, the Thai take on the butter chicken and palm sugar ice-cream sundae.

FAST FACTS

125 Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000

Landline Number: +61 (3) 8663 2000

Timings: Open for lunch and dinner

SPICE TEMPLE

CULINARY ESSENCE- The restaurant scores tops on its Chinese cuisine and is a joy to discover for jaded taste buds

AMBIENCE- upscale, incorporating a warm sophisticated atmosphere highlighted by a transition from minimalistic to plush as one walk downs the long waiting alley. By day it is fresh and washed with subtle sunlight and a spectacular view of the bustling quay. At night it is romantic, quaint and dotted with lights and infused with the subtle aroma from lemon grass. 

USP- This Neil Perry menu is seasoned with an unmistakable Chinese flavour and the unique and truly special dishes are driven by his long fostered passion for Asian Cuisine. 

LIP SMACKING- Spinach and sesame salad, Handmade yellow noodles with wagyu braised brisket, chilli & Sichuan pepper, Hot and numbing crispy duck,  Hot pot of wild Chinese mushrooms and chilli made Yunnan style, Kung Pao Chicken, Twice cooked pork belly with leeks and Sichuan black bean, Three milk cake with pomegranate and pistachio and Black sesame Panacotta.

FAST FACTS

Crown Complex, Southbank Melbourne VIC 3006

Landline Number: +61 (3) 8679 1888

Timings: Open for lunch and dinner

RADII

CULINARY ESSENCE- Focus is on creatively presented cuisine, inspired by the freshest local produce and seasonal ingredients and the Park Hyatt flair

AMBIENCE- Set over five levels, the décor is cosy and opulent; the buzz from the bar and kitchen naturally spreads to the restaurant creating the perfect setting to relax, indulging in anything from a hearty breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, a favourite cocktail or a romantic dinner.

USP- Executive Chef Dane Clouston proposes regional products or rare dishes exuding pure flavours reminding us that talent can go hand in hand with simplicity.

LIP SMACKING- Roma tomato tartare with house smoked goats curd and organic quinoa salad, Twice cooked ocean trout with potato soufflé, courgette, vanilla salsa and crème fraiche, Kangaroo tenderloin with quince puree, beetroot cream, Brussels sprouts and sauterne jus, Market fish of the day cooked to your style and Pistachio crème Brulee with compressed apples and quince salad, pistachio kernels.

FAST FACTS

The Park Hyatt, 1 Parliament square, Melbourne VIC 3006

Landline Number: +61 (3) 39224 1234

Timings: Open for lunch and dinner. Mondays closed.

NO 35

CULINARY ESSENCE- The impression this cuisine brings is one of regularity, creativity and meticulousness which combines tradition, quality and innovation. Fresh and Organic is the chef’s mantra.

AMBIENCE- This elegant restaurant sits on the 35^th Floor of the Sofitel and comes alive for a matchless view of the bustling city through door to ceiling glass.

USP- the chef’s original and scientific approaches to cooking breaks down each dish to best experience the flavours and textures of the individual ingredients in their freshest form and redefine the context of the dining experience following his unique vision.

LIP SMACKING- Salad of beetroot, root vegetables, local goats curd & roasted hazelnuts, Slow cooked pork belly with caramelised skate wing, onion puree & puffed rice, Cured Salmon Risotto with horseradish, nettles and crème fraiche, Lamb shoulder with eggplant and aged balsamic, Wild Barramundi with parsnip, Brussels sprouts & pig trotter, Risotto with white onions & thyme, honey sherry vinegar & king brown mushrooms, Chocolate hazelnut pear.

FAST FACTS

Level 35, Sofitel on Collins, 25 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Landline Number: +61 (3) 9653 7744

Timings: Open for lunch and dinner.

HUTONG DUMPLING BAR

CULINARY ESSENCE- Traditional, authentic Hunan and Sichuan dishes are presented with remarkable refinement and undoubtedly the best dumplings in Melbourne.

AMBIENCE- Has a unique combination of glamour and elegance, modern yet ethnic decor, a typical ambience which relates to the characteristic boisterous and nosy chatter as at many Chinese restaurants. It is advisable to make reservations for any meal!

USP- Dim sums here are a good representation of the quality that the open kitchen keeps. The strength of this restaurant lies in the consistency of the Chef’s genius.

LIP SMACKING- The shredded turnip pastry is a true delight to any pastry lover. It has the lightest and airiest of puff pastry sweetened with toasted sesame seeds, Wantons with hot chilli sauce, Pan fried dumplings, Hot and Sour soup, Dry chicken in Hot chilli, Spring onion pancake, Duck meat dumplings, Salted braised pork in New style, Stir fried Barramundi, Noodles with shredded pork and shanghai pickles in soup, Steamed Egg custard, and chestnut pudding.

FAST FACTS

14-16 Market Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000

Landline Number: +61 (3) 9650 8128

Timings: Open for lunch and dinner.

Published in Tlf

DE CONSTRUCTED LEMON TART WITH NUTTY ICE CREAM...ANYONE?

Foodie that I am , I enjoy cooking and learning new recipes and more so now with my latest prized possession aka the KitchenAid stand mixer and its various attachments I asked my friend Sharad Dewan to teach me a recipe with some molecular gastronomy twist in it. Sharad happens to be the Area Director – Food Production at The Park Kolkata and the famed ‘Flurys’ falls under his cooking umbrella…hence he made for the perfect choice to teach me this yummy recipe.

 

Chef Sharad Dewan

Before we come to the recipe let me tell you that Molecular gastronomy is scientific discipline involving the study of physical and chemical processes that occur in cooking. But it is also used to describe a new style of cooking that emerged in the late 1990s. Chefs explore new possibilities in the kitchen by embracing science, research, technological advances in equipment and experimenting with various natural gums and hydrocolloids produced by the commercial food processing industry. Equipment is as interesting as “centrifuges” to create a sphere out of juice or “cryovac machine” for vacuum sealing food in plastic. The science behind “liquid nitrogen” chills your ice-cream very quickly and so on. This allows a chef to create food which can evoke all senses of a customer which leaves him in awe and amazement…anyways don’t worry the recipe Sharad shared with me is not so complicated as it sounds; as a matter of fact he made it rather easy for me explaining how I could just churn this out easily with my various KitchenAid accessories….

Here goes the recipe….

DE CONSTRUCTED LEMON TART WITH NUTTY ICE CREAM

INGREDIENTS

FOR LEMON CURD

Egg yolk: 10 no ; Sugar :100 Gms ; Butter :100 Gms; Lemon Juice : 2 tea spoon; Lemon jest : 1 pinch

FOR TART SHELL:

Flour:  100gms; Butter: 2 table spoon; Sugar:  20 Gms; Eggs: 1 no; Salt: 1 small pinch

FOR ICE CREAM

Dry ice (food grade): 1kg crushed fine; Cream: 100 ml; Egg yolk:  2 no; Assorted nuts chopped:  50 Gms; Chocó chips: 10 Gms; Sugar: 20 Gms

METHOD

To prepare the ice cream, Cook the cream, the egg yolk and sugar on a double boiler, till the cream is thick and has a coating consistency, (Check that it coats the back of a spoon)

Remove it off the flame and let it cool.  Add the nuts and the Chocó chips.

Put the mixture in the Kitchen Aid and start putting the crushed dry ice powder. Use the whisk attachment. (The dry ice block can be crushed using Kitchen Aid Blender, and then strained through a strainer) to make a powder.

Churn the mixture; in Kitchen Aid as the dry ice evaporates the ice cream is set instantly.

Save the ice cream in a vacuum container and store in freezer.

To prepare the Lemon curd:

Whisk in the Butter, sugar, and in a kitchen aid bowl keep it on a double boiler under the kitchen aid bowl. Slowly add the beaten egg yolks and continuously whisk, till the egg yolks are cooked.

Or  cook in a double boiler on a flame and then transfer the mixture in Kitchen Aid stand mixer and keep mixing with the whisk attachment in slow speed, Continuous whisking cools the mixture and the mixture slowly transforms to a creamy mixture , Save the mixture in refrigerator.

To Pre pare the Tart:

Mix in the flour, and the butter till flaky, in the Kitchen Aid stand mixer(Use the dough mixture attachment) add in the sugar , salt and the whole eggs and keep on mixing till a dough is formed.

Rest the dough for at least 1 hr. in refrigerator.

Take it out of the refrigerator, and let it rest at room temperature for another 15 min, roll the dough to a thin sheet and Bake it in a baking pan (Temperature of the oven to be 180 degree Celsius for 10 min)

Take it off the oven and let it cool.

Assembling

Break the tart shell into crumbles, and put it in a Brandy Balloon, spoon the lemon curd with a Table spoon and place it inside the Brandy Balloon.

Scoop out the ice cream and serve it on the side.

GO GREEN @KAMA- Radisson Blu, Ghaziabad

Creative vegetarian dishes using only the freshest ingredients while retaining their natural flavour

While being a vegetarian isn’t for everyone (including me), I meet lots of people every day who tell me they are vegetarians or would like to become one! But when I got an invite from my friend Simarjeet, General Manager at the Radisson Blu, Ghaziabad for the Hotel’s vegetarian restaurant ‘Kama’ I made many excuses not to go as driving all the way to sample vegetarian fare was simply not me! Simarjeet then mailed me the menu and sure enough I got tempted to try and foodie that I am went all the way from Gurgaon for a ‘dekho’!

The grandeur of the restaurant caught my attention the moment I entered and I found ‘Kama’ to be a delicious mix of contemporary ambience echoed in the rich interiors replete with peacock murals and plush wood. On offer are also two private dining areas at the side of the restaurant, for those who mean business.

Banish the thought of boring fare, for Vegetarian cuisine is brought to a new high here. To start with you can order from an I-pad menu and the best part is with a picture display you actually know what is in store for you to taste. As for my daughter and me, we spent some time just ogling at the dishes before we finally ordered. Regional Indian cuisine, which carries the delicate whiff of Gujarat and the earthy, spicy, ‘fiery’ feel of the Marwari province and many more unique flavours define the space. On offer is also a chef tasting menu (can be paired with wine) that offers excellent value and an opportunity to sample a wide variety of dishes, which offer a gamut of traditional, ethnic Indian vegetarian cuisine. While one waits for the culinary journey to begin an amuse bouche (a free one bite food sampler) is served at the start of a meal as an appetite tickler, which changes every day. We got to sample a pineapple panna with a sweet and sour corn mix, which was presented so well that I didn’t have the heart to disturb it but my greed took over and I bit into the heavenly morsel. I would surely recommend starting your meal with the Kandhari shorba a chickpea soup spiked with homemade lemon butter served with a mini kulcha. 

Kandhari Shorba

From the starters don’t miss the Kama kebab made with Kerela yam and gherkins served on an ulte tawe ka parantha. Another good bet is the spinach roomali chaat roll tangy, healthy and wholesome with a stuffing of tandoori fruits, Greek Olives and spiced yogurt. The mains are more tempting than the starters and the star items being kerela stew ensemble with appams , Mewar paneer masala with Mirchi parantha,

Annam’s adai which is a spiced lentil pancake served with avail, jaggery, onion vathakozambu and tomato pappu.

Appams with stew

Mewar paneer with Mirchi Parantha

Ferrari ki sawari

The Ferrari ki sawari is a very interesting creation and I simply loved the idea of the Italian potato Gnocchi with spinach, a sheer delight and absolutely delicious. 

And yes worth trying is also

kadhi muthia, bharwan bhindi, green peas poori, masala poori and fruit raita from the Devilal Maharaj ka khazana section. 

Gujrati Thaal

The Jackfruit Biryani  that we tried was nice and flavorful though I would have 

Jackfruit Biryani

personally liked the jackfruit to be cooked with the rice in the same way as we make chicken biryani; here it was jackfruit pakoras instead. By the end of all this I was too full to try any dessert, but had a Thandai shot which made for a nice sweet refreshing end. 

Apple Triology

Truly, the restaurant offers the choicest vegetarian fare, simmered to perfection in the most exotic spices. The food is unpretentious and clearly freshly made and more importantly is delicious to boot! The menu also offers a good selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to compliment the food. Those who are vegetarians by choice or for religious reasons have nothing to worry while with us, and for those who enjoy only non-vegetarian food it is probably a worthwhile experience to have a glimpse of the variation that is possible in the vegetarian cuisines, definitely worth a visit!

FAST FACTS

Kama @Radisson Blu Hotel, H-3, Kaushambi, Sector 14, Ghaziabad

For Reservations: 8744050670/0120 473620

Web: www.radissonblu.com/hotel-Ghaziabad

Meal for two: INR 2,000 plus taxes without alcohol.

Timings: Open for dinner only.

A FARM SHOP EXPERIENCE IN WALES

The Welsh cook from the heart, using fresh and simple ingredients. This part of The United Kingdom has an amazingly diverse range of unspoilt landscapes, including a long coastline; hence it boasts a vast array of produce that can be proclaimed as local and organic. Fortunately for me I came across some awesome produce and producers on a one stop shop on my trip to Wales where I spent an entire day with my family!

A ONE STOP SHOP

As I arrived from London onto wales my first stop was at the Hawarden Estate farm shop in Flintshire which includes a butchery section, delicatessen and coffee shop and they stock approximately 250 products from 60 Welsh producers making them one of the largest stockists of Welsh food in the region. The deli boasts of everything that is Farm fresh and home-made and sourced from local trusted suppliers i.e. Fruits, vegetables, pies, puddings, cakes, chutneys, meat, bread, cider, beers, wines, spirits and oils. Most of the locals ( read like us tourists )also spend an entire day here as on offer at the Estate are also cookery workshops, a cafe, nature trail, children’s play fort and food tastings aka a family day out all under one roof!

STAWBERRY PICKING

Luckily for me it was the strawberry season so I picked up my punnet and rushed to the fields (a part of the so many acres of this large Estate). The lush, red strawberries lay quietly beneath their leaves and I thoroughly examined each fruit carefully before accepting it. Only the brightest, plumpest choices would be going back with me. After getting them weighed and paying for it, I dug into them, absolutely delicious and more so in comparison to those in the supermarket, these were about hundred notches ahead on the flavour scale. Rosy, sweet and juicy, freshly picked by my own green fingers if I may add.

TRADITIONALLY WELSCH

Soon it was time for lunch and between my family and me we ordered a ‘Meat Platter’ which included slices of home cooked meats, marmalade ham, rare roast beef and butter poached chicken. A ‘Cheese platter’ which was a selection of five Welsh cheeses including Black Bomber, Mr Bourne’s Cheshire, Caws Cenarth brie, Bouncing berry and Per Las all served with Pant Glas Bach farmhouse pickle, grapes, celery and chunky bread…delicious to the core! Interestingly ewes’ milk is used to produce gorgeous yoghurt and cheeses and goat’s milk cheeses are also widely available. The Homemade beef and beer pie seemed tempting so ordered that as well along with some ciders and Hawarden Estate pressed apple juice. One of the most enduring Welsh traditions is the weekly bake and items like ‘bara birth’ aka speckled bread eaten on its own, buttered or as I did with cheese, and cakes like ‘teisen lap’ which is a fruit cake and reisen sinamon i.e. cinnamon are tea time delights. So after a slow browsing at the store and the Estate tea time was a divine dip in the pool of indulgence with ‘sultana scones with jam, butter and Cornish cream’, ‘Coffee & walnut Bakewell tart’, ‘Carrot cake’ along with pots of Tea. After a delightfully amazing day we bought some Welsh cakes and bottles of freshly squeezed Apple juice , some freshly caught fish to take back home for dinner that night!

FAST FACTS

Best Way to Reach: Drive down from Chester.

Address: Chester Rd, Hawarden, Flintshire CH5 3FB

Phone: 01244 533442

Email: manager@hawardenestate.co.uk

Timings: Monday to Friday – 9 Am to 6pm, Saturday closed & Sunday- 10 Am to 5 Pm

MUST TRY WHEN IN WALES

LAVER: Not really a Nation of seaweed fans and the closest the welsh get to seaweed is Samphire. The one unique ingredient in the Welsh kitchen is the ‘laver’, delicate purplish seaweed harvested from the rocks in South Wales and yes the nori sheets in which sushi rolls are wrapped is from the same seaweed. Once cooked it is called ‘laver bread’ though I couldn’t figure out why as it has nothing to do with bread and it is served with mutton, grilled or steamed fish or as a side dish. As for me I thought they paired best with cockles.

COCKLES: Welsh Cockles are highly rated across the United Kingdom and the Penclawdd Bury inlet is supposed to be judged a sustainable rated fishery and an environmentally responsible area by the Marine Stewardship Council. Anyways the best time to try these cockles at their best is during autumn as they are sweet and absolutely plum then.

WELSH RABBIT: Yes it’s ‘Rabbit’ and not ‘Rarebit’ and for those who do not know Dorothy Hartley’s ‘Food in England’ (1954) and Hannah Glasse from 1747 confirm that it’s the original name for ‘Cheese on Toast’.  I guess the ‘rarebit’ adaption must have been a joke that caught on. Caerphilly cheese makes the best refined cheese on toast or ‘rabbit’ with savoury additions.

published in TLF

FRESH PASTA MAKING FUN

Pasta comes in a remarkable range of shapes and sizes, right from tiny shells to long strands. For those who do not know Pasta is an overall term for noodles made with durum wheat semolina and is divided into 2 main categories. “Pasta Fresca”- that is basically fresh home style Pasta and “Pasta Secca” – Dry and available in packets. I have always believed that fresh is the way to go and today a movement which is focused around basic principles of ‘purity, simplicity, and freshness’ has swept the world’s top kitchens by storm. So fresh pasta it was for menu that evening and I know you must be wondering how I managed to make that at home… Well not only was it easy to make the dough in my KitchenAid Stand Mixer but rather easy to make various shapes out of it. 

I took a cup of flour, a cup of semolina, 3/4^th cup of water, and made a slight hard dough with the help of my KitchenAid stand mixer in a few seconds. I let the dough to rest for a few minutes. Next I just changed the attachment and rolled out the dough till it was thin and long (my friend Hanisha helped me with this). 

Changed the attachment again to make fettuccine and hey presto my Fresh Pasta was ready!! Yes…you can make any shape that you desire with the various attachments!

Trust me it tasted delicious just tossed in olive oil, and sprinkled with cheese, herbs and pepper. But for those of you like it fancier go ahead and toss up with some butter, fresh tomato sauce and some grated cheese, to make a wholesome meal.

  

MOST POPULAR SAUCES WITH PASTA

 “Aglio e olio”- crushed garlic, parsley and olive oil, Add pepper and a variation is Aglio e olio peperoncino. Best with Spaghetti.

“ Alla napolitana”- basil flavored tomato concasse (skinned, desseded, finely chopped tomato pulp). Goes well with all kinds of pasta regardless of the shape.

“ Alla Panna”- in cream (with loads of pepper), with tortellini and rigatoni.

“Arrabiata”- tomato concasse and peperoncino with all kinds of pasta regardless of shape.

“Carbonara”- Pancetta, cheese and eggs. Is Great with long noodles.

“Pesto”- basil sauce, eaten with filled or unfilled noodles, especially with, fettuccine, tagliatelle, and farfalle.

“Bolognese”-with ground meat, a great option for all kinds of long pasta, also used as a filling for lasagna.

“Alla siciliana”- cooked tomato concasse with aubergines, olives and capers. Best with penne, farfalle, or fusilli.

IRANI CAFES- THEN & NOW

A peek into those old parts of Mumbai that still remain!

My last trip to Mumbai brought back some delicious memories of living in South Bombay along with the ‘Irani’ cafes which were in those days’ iconic features at nearly every corner in that area that I patronized in my younger days. I was awed by the big glass jars filled with biscuits, cookies and other items which lined up at most of the Irani cafes; and equally by the cute eccentric owners with a set of rules which included ‘No Division of Beverages’, ‘No credit’, ‘No combing’, ‘No address query’ to name a few. Honest to goodness, value for money was the success key. Once ahead of their time, these cafes sadly have become a fast disappearing trend and some have been even converted to bars. Reports have it that while there were 350 in the 1950s; by 2005 the number had dwindled to just 25. Most surviving Irani cafés today are over 100 years old, time capsules of a bygone era replete with red chequered table cloths, bentwood chairs, marble or glass topped tables, chandeliers, portraits on the walls and a general air of quiet decay.

INTERESTING TRIVIA

Apparently, a superstition amongst the Gujarati traders was that the corner shops were inauspicious for business. So these technically premium places, which gave access to the premises from two streets remained unoccupied. The Iranis who had come in and were setting up their restaurants lapped up many of these building corner shops. So even today, most of Mumbai’s remaining Irani cafes are found on building corners.

I talk here of the top three quaint and indispensable ones …

JIMMY BOY

No flash décor here but the food more than makes up for it. You can fill yourself with a soulful Parsi meal or an afternoon snack like the Kheema Pav for mere two hundred and fifty bucks or less. Loyal customers flock to this cafe like hungry children to their school cafeteria as the food is inexpensive but delicious. Sample this, ‘Brun bread’ with ‘Maska’ tingling into the mildly sweet taste of the bun. Maska aka butter, is the Irani answer to all of life’s problems. Bruns are quite similar to French breads. Round balls, crusty outside, soft inside, taste heavenly when fresh, warm, sliced with a generous dollop of butter slathered in and dipped it in the sweet and milky tea.

Lip Smacking- Brun Maska with cheeni kam Chai, Dhanshak, Kheema Pav, Lagan nu Bhonu (a Parsi wedding sampler menu for just INR 650), Malai Kulfi and Lagan nu custard.

Address- Vikas Building, 11 Bank Street, opposite cheetah gate, Old custom house, Lane off Horniman circle, Fort, Mumbai -23

Tel: 022 22700880/22662503

Timings: 11 Am to 11pm

BRITANNIA &COMPANY

Located amidst picturesque stone buildings of Ballard Estate, this high-ceilinged café is more quaint than posh and serves the best berry pulao in town, so much so that the likes of Queen Elizabeth and the Bachchan family are absolute die-hard fans. With a garnish of golden-fried onions and berries imported from Iran, 92 year old owner Boman Kohinoor keeps the recipe a guarded secret and happily hops around tables and personally attends to every guest with great gusto!

Lip Smacking- Mutton berry Pulav, Sali Boti (mutton), Raspberry Soda, Fry Bombay Duck (bombil fish), Egg Masala, Fish Patra and Caramel custard. 

Address- 11 Sprott Road, Ballard Estate, opposite new custom House.

Tel: 022 22615264/30225264

Timings- Open for lunch only. Reservations advised.

KYANI & CO

The unassuming façade of the café, flanked by dilapidated shop houses does not entice at all, but as you step within, you enter a different world that gently exudes Persian old world charm and an amazing fragrance of fresh baking. There are few smells as heady as the aroma of baking in the world of food, and it totally works for me. The fare is decadent to the core and I would highly recommend a quick stop for the crisp butter kharis, layered salted biscuits, and the Irani tea, a thick overly milky, sweetened tea delicately flavoured with cardamom, it’s to die for!

Lip Smacking- Chicken Farcha, Mutton chops, Baingan Fry, Parsee Akuri (scrambled eggs Persian style), Mawa Cake, Cream puff and Khari biscuits with chai.

Address- 657, Jer Mahal Estate, Opposite Metro Theatre, J.S.S Road, Dhobi Talao, Kalbadevi.

Tel: 022 22011492

Timings: 6:30 Am to 9 pm

published in The Man