HUNGRY TIDE:WATERWAYS OF BANGKOK

I have always been a huge fan of Thailand , especially Bangkok and the recent political crisis deeply saddened me. Food aside, the country’s beaches , climate and first-world infrastructure are enviable. And its famously welcoming , Buddhist culture, is the icing on the cake. So when I heard Bangkok is back to normal, ticket prices had crashed, free tourist visas were being doled out and five star hotels offered fabulous discounts, a family holiday was speedily fixed! We booked ourselves into Banyan Tree’s Grand club suite which came with many freebies including a limo pick up. In fact this is a reason I love Thailand: as an Indian I feel rich in this country, as its such a value for money destination.
After check in, our first stop was the MBK shopping mall which was buzzing with tourists and sales! Sated with shopping , we had a quick shower back at our hotel and headed straight for dinner to a brand new essentially Thai restaurant Bolan, that had been highly recommended by foodie friends.
Interestingly ‘Bolan’ is derived from the name of the owners, the chef couple, Bo and Dylan — but it also means ancient ! The couple trained under the acclaimed Australian chef, David Thompson at the famed Nahm restaurant in London’s Halkin Hotel, which is also the only Thai place to be awarded a Michelin star.
So obviously following their guru’s footsteps, they carried out extensive research into the cooking traditions of the Thai palaces, noting recipes, ingredients and presentation and re-created authentic , Thai cuisine that was in danger of being lost. The dishes indeed had a subtle flavour that is rarely found nowadays. My vote goes to the “salad of grilled banana blossom” , and “tom Kathi pla krob” or smoked crispy fish in coconut soup.
I was impressed by the rice choice as well. On offer was the 2008 harvested white jasmine rice from Yasothon province or a combination of white jasmine , pink and black rice from Buri Ram’s mid-year crop. Being a foodie family, we tried both and found they were equally fragrant, and delicious even on their own.
The next morning we set off from the Hotel at 7 Am for a trip to the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market in the Ratchaburi Province which is about 80 minutes from Bangkok. This place became world famous after it was used in a James Bond movie. It was here that Roger Moore zipped around in a boat evading crooks. Anyway, upon arrival at the pier we boarded the long tail boats and after a five minute ride through some not so scenic canals we arrived at the floating market.
We seemed to be one of the first people to arrive although there were already quite a few boat vendors paddling along the canal. Boats loaded with fresh flowers and wonderful handmade crafts and souvenirs , looked picture perfect. There were also boats loaded with colorful, fresh fruit and vegetables piloted by wizened old ladies in conical hats.

We were zapped by the sight of boats with charcoal braziers cooking succulent satays, woks frarant with delicious stir fries as well as deep fried plantains, breads, and shrimp. We tried some richly flavoured local delicacies too. After a short walk around the market we took a row boat to float about! At that early hour, the boat vendors selling fruit and delicious meals far outnumbered the tourist boats. After our enjoyable boat trip, I decided not to rush off but rather explore more of the area on foot. So, after a breakfast of rice kongee and fresh fruits, we wandered around taking pictures of the various canal side activities . We also went for a walk along Damnoen Saduak Canal. There were a number of paddle boats coming along this canal heading for the area where we had started our tour. After a good 3 hours at the floating market, we set off for to the Rose Garden. For lunch enroute we stopped at a roadside coconut stand. We tried something in which they take sap from the coconut flowers and boil it into a brown sugar and mix it in the coconut water...Delicious! We were also shepherded through a teak furniture centre which housed very talented carvers handcrafting teak into artworks and furniture. Lunch was an extensive buffet at the picturesque Rose Garden which was followed by a cultural show at the Thai Village . This performance included a Buddhist ordination procession, an elegant fingernail dance, Thai boxing, hill tribe dances, elephants at work and a traditional Thai wedding ceremony.
Back at the Hotel while our daughter Akanksha enjoyed herself in the pool, we had a much needed special massage — a one plus one free spa offer that also came with the Grand Club suite! What a treat for hubby and me. The Banyan Tree spa created the ideal setting for ‘balancing senses’ . The therapist gave us a firm yet gentle massage with long following strokes in special anti-stress oil. What a perfect ending to our day... This was our time – the rest of the world could wait!

TOP 5 JEWELLERY DESTINATIONS IN THE WORLD

EATING ITALY

My culinary sojourn in Italy started at a one-stop-wonder called “Eataly” in Torino, which was a destination in itself .I thought it was a great way to know more about the local culture by simply browsing around a well-stocked store!I found some of the best food and wine in Italy there, running the gamut from over 42,000 wine labels, delicious charcuterie and cheeses to fresh fruits and vegetables, meat and fish, hand-made pastas and biscotti which were beautifully displayed and systematically organized into sections.

I loved the “Sundries” area which was full of specialty food from the Piemonte region — and all of Italy and had on offer more than five aisles of local sweets including a semi soft candy called Gianduiotto , a cousin to the marvelous Nutella. In the mid 1800s when cocoa became scarce and expensive, locally grown hazel nuts were roasted and mashed into a cream as a substitute and mixed with chocolate!
I ambled through the best olive oils from each region in Italy, a fresh milk dispenser filled with raw milk from local farms and premium blends of coffee beans. I also learnt here that Torino has been the world’s top chocolate producer for years. I simply loved the cellar too where one could bring an empty bottle and fill it with wine from a huge glass jug. The store even had seven eateries, and a one Michelin Star restaurant — alas only by reservation — a café , a pastry shop, and a gelataria where I had the best gelato ever.
Had I more time on me, I would have stopped for a few cooking classes, more tastings and encounters with great chefs. A whole day was just not enough to enjoy this superior quality, artisanal, and value for money food of Italy under a one roof. If they had a place to sleep too, I would have never left! Why don’t we have such marvels in India yet?
A day later (after doing the tourist stuff in Torino) I moved on to Alba which is home to Italy’s slow food movement . No wonder I cannot spot a McDonald’s here! Alba is also the fount of noble wines made with the Nebbiolo grape (Barolo), and those exquisite white truffles.
After a short tour of the historic centre, I was in Alba’s local food market and it being a Saturday the place was in full swing. For me one of the most enjoyable aspects of travel is a visit to local markets. Sometimes discovering a pocket-sized market in a small neighborhood can lead to a treasured souvenir, or a rare local gourmet product. Either way it leaves me with vivid memories of the sights, smells, sounds and tastes of the local culture.
wandering through Alba’s wonderful and extensive outdoor market I found abundant vegetables, cheese, olive oils, cured meat, seafood and more. As I mentioned before the best white truffles come from Alba, so I found some — for a killer 5500 euro per kilo!. The shopkeeper kindly allowed me to sample a concoction of white truffle — infused with honey and mixed with Brie, he spread it on a piece of baguette. Decadent! A profusion of flowers were on hand as well, a colorful reminder of the importance of beauty in the lives of residents here.
Satisfied I drove on to Langhe hills, for panoramic views and more food and wine experiences. These hills are ancient, rich in visual and culinary pleasures. There’s loads to see: lovely little towns, beautiful scenery and vineyards, up and down the hills and valleys. The best way to explore is always on foot or a bike but failing that a car is essential. stopped for lunch at “La crota” , located in Roddi d’ Alba amid lush greenery and hills, as suggested by my local guide. This restaurant served regional cuisine and wine growers seemed very much at home there. There was also a wine cellar beneath the sitting area of the restaurant located in an atmospheric underground vaulted cave, beautifully decorated with paintings et all.

Young owner-chef Danilo and his mum rustled up a meal that introduced me to the true flavours of Piemonte cuisine, including such classics as “tajarin” which is handmade egg noodles with pomodoro (tomato sauce) and basil topped with a generous amount of shavings of parmigiana reggiano. The tiramisu was the pride and joy of Danilo’s mama, but another good bet was the lush strawberries dunked in sweet wine.
Needless to add, I washed down this traditional meal with copious quantities of red Barberesco wine. I also bought a delicious Barolo for just 20 Euros to carry back home ...Mama Mia, what more could I ask for in Italy...a surreal experience indeed! There can be no doubt; Piemonte is a region where you can taste the best flavours.
That, quintessentially, is the charm of Europe: there are so many places replete with homegrown attractions both culinary and visual that a traveller never tires of it. And everything seems to be geared for the enthusiastic visitor. There’s a lesson in this for India too!
Published in  ET Travel Delhi
 

MAD ABOUT MANCHESTER

My arrival in Manchester promised so much. The city was beautiful, the hotel in the heart of Manchester was lively with a nice indoor bar and a view overlooking a tiny market square, and the weather was gorgeous. Checked in on a Saturday evening, the city seemed to have a vibrant nightlife. The next morning I walked around the centre of the city and headed to Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United and the Imperial War Museum. The guided tour took me through the ground, the changing rooms and to the trophy room. It’s here I found out how important this great club is to UK, and indeed, world football. The stadium was impressively modern, which they keep expanding to a capacity, which is just shy of 76,000 now for a match. To go behind the scenes at Old Trafford, as this tour does, is a treat and is like being part of the club. By the way, I also got to sit in Beckham’s corner of the change room, where he used to sit.

The guides have a good sense of humour, though if you don’t like football, some of the jokes and history might go over your head.

This is a region that greatly rewards the visitor who grabs a map, not that you can ever really get lost in the ordered grid of roads here. So as hunger pangs struck, I caught a ride from Piccadilly to Bury. From Bury I stepped onboard the East Lancashire Railway for a journey back in time until the town of Ramsbottom (where my lunch reservation was).

This line, operated usually by volunteers, runs through the Irwell Valley along the edge of the West Pennine Moors to the town of Rawtenstall, and is so very Harry Potterish, more so with the Thomas and Friends engines and open cars for the special kiddies’ trains.

It was soon time to get off my steam engine journey and a short walk later I reached Ramsons Restaurant Lancashire, a small, intimate and very personable restaurant serving a modern British menu. I’d say it was a fantastic experience, decor was interesting and service very attentive without being intrusive, including the legendary owner Chris Johnston himself, who was very helpful. The wine list is exceptional and Chris’ knowledge is phenomenal.

Chris selects all the wine himself and is probably the only importer in the UK of his wines. The cooking is probably even better with a real flair for quality and precision. My scallops were excellent and the venison was succulent.

After wandering around in the local market, my last stop at Ramsbottom was at the chocolate café owned by baker and entrepreneur Paul Morris, and his wife Emma. On offer was a wide range of local and luxury European produce with a warm Lancashire welcome.

I ordered myself a real hot chocolate which was decadent to the core and a happy me caught the steam engine train back to town.

Published in The Asian Age on 23-05-2010

AT ANIAMMA’S FARM

Rupali Dean was treated to a traditional Syrian Christian feast when she visited an organic farm and spice estate in the backwaters of Kerala


KERALA is famous for its spicy and tangy cuisine as much as its scenic beauty; it isn't called God's own country for nothing. On a recent trip to Alleppey with my husband and daughter, I realised just how true that adage is...



We “discovered” Puthankayal Island quite by chance. Our boatman told us that it’s the last island to be reclaimed from the backwaters for agriculture and is therefore some two meters below sea level! The retaining dyke around the perimeter of the island keeps the lake water from entering the farm, apparently.



“One can take a tour and have a meal for Rs 1200 per person there,” he told us. The foodies that we all are, we simply had to go for it! What could endear us to this land more than a lip-smacking meal at Phillipkutty’s farm?



We were welcomed warmly by Anu and her mother-in-law Aniamma, with some chilled gingery lemonade in hand. Anu then took us around her family-run organic farm that produces oodles of coconuts, figs, tapioca, bananas, pineapple, guavas, cacao, vegetables and spices like nutmeg, pepper and cinnamon.



Previously Anu also had vanilla on her farm, but unfortunately fungal disease claimed all the creepers. A vanilla crop, I learnt, fetches money for its fruits (beans) as well as its stem and is in popular global demand. Seeing my enthusiasm for vanilla, however, Anu helped me get some from her uncle's farm…absolutely fresh and wonderfully aromatic.



After that wonderful tour, it was time for our lavish lunch which represented the best of traditional Syrian Christian cuisine. What makes this cuisine different from other Kerala styles is its non-vegetarian character. It can also lay claim to hoppers (idiappams), duck roast and the famed Kerala red fish curry. And, of course, that indispensible mate of the crispy-soft appams — stew.



It was a treat to share that sumptuous meal with the family in their dining room. We began our culinary sojourn with vazhapoo cutlets. These breaded patties were served along with a refreshing onion and tomato salad. Crisp on the outside, the filling of banana flower, potato and spices was moist and delicious.



Next came the famed karimeen or Pearl Spot fish. The taste of karimeen fried in flavourful coconut oil is quintessentially Kerala! With innumerable lakes, lagoons, canals and a network of rivers, Kerala's backwaters offer a treasure trove of fresh water fishe, and the Black Pearl Spot is prized for it’s irresistible taste.



But the highlight of my lunch were the Idiappams or string hoppers — amazingly light and fluffy — and Meen Moilee or fish cooked in mild spices and coconut milk. It’s an incredible dish of a million contradictions, subtly flavored to suit most palates.



Syrian Christian food is a mix of Portuguese influence, British flavour and Kerala tradition, they day. Thus, the food tends to be mild in spice terms and not too fiery for the taste buds.



Another dish I couldn’t get enough of was the Pineapple pachadi, whose balance of savory, sweet and tart flavours makes it a delicious accompaniment .On a more traditional vein on offer was a wonderful mix of other items like dal, "tindly fry, pappadams and lime pickle, perfect as accoutrements for red matta rice.



This type of rice is quite similar to brown rice because each grain retains its healthy outer bran layer. It is this rust colored bran layer which gives it its name. “Like all brown rice, red matta



has a lengthy cooking time and requires a ratio of 2:1 liquid to rice,” explained Aniamma. The robust, earthy flavor of the red rice also made it an enticing companion to the scampi masala.



Though I was full, as always I found space for dessert. I’d say the Ila ada was the perfect ending to our meal. This interesting dessert is made by spreading rice flour batter thinly on banana leaves. Then these crepes are either steamed or cooked on the griddle, and stuffed with a decadent mixture of jaggery and grated coconut. We had the griddle cooked version, which had a whiff of smoke from the banana leaves…Simply divine.


Publication: Economic Times Delhi;  Section: ET Travel;

ON THE WEST COAST

ON THE WEST COAST




• By Rupali Dean



Although it is a city, Perth retains some of its small town feel. There are relatively few high rise buildings and the city is spread over a large area. The harbour, teeming with sailboats, is particularly beautiful. My first stop was at the mint, which has an amazing exhibit of coins, gold bars and nuggets. There are some displays about mining, including a reconstruction of a miner’s camp, and I could also see the current minting operations through some windows. The tour concentrated on the mining camp exhibit and explained some of the nuggets they have. Highlight however was the gold pour, which is done hourly and you can see it more than once if you like. They melt down a bar and pour it into the mold. It's impressive to see the molten metal glowing because it’s so hot.

I also calculated my worth in gold, but will not tell you how much or you’ll know my weight, (as the heavier you are, the more your worth). After lunch at a nearby café, we wandered down to the Swan River which runs along the South of Perth and provides a picturesque stroll along its banks taking in the clear blue skies, sunshine. On the edge of the Swan River and dominating Perth’s waterfront are the Swan Bells which include the twelve royal bells of St Martin-in-the-Fields originating in London's Trafalgar Square, donated to Perth in 1988 to mark Australia's Bi-centenary. The Bell's are constructed within a stunning modern piece of architecture claiming to be the world’s biggest musical instrument.

Next morning, reached the neighboring and very scenic Fremantle on a cruise. Here we visited the Maritime museum, which is rather new and impressive, built over-top an old submarine base that was one of the busiest, after Pearl Harbor, during World War II. The centerpiece of which is Australia II, the boat that beat the yanks in the America's Cup in 1984. Next was a lazy lunch of “Fish and chips” at Cicerello’s by the harbour. I was about to feed some visiting Sea-gulls when the waitress pointed me to a sign which read, “Do not feed the gulls or they will S.O.Y” (shit on you)…saved on time, wasn’t I? On offer were also boutique styled beers, the ones that pop with flavour whether it is chocolaty, coffee flavored dark beers or zesty refreshing wheat beers. The crown jewel probably was the Little Creature Brewery right smack bang on the harbour where we went to later in the evening and I’d say even if beer is not your thing, then at least go for the super funky setting. The actual brewery doubles as a bohemian styled drinking warehouse and eatery. It’s very cool and is right on the coast. After a lazy lunch like a true Indian I spent a lot of time at the market which was quite interesting...fruit stalls, giftware and restaurants in a typical market setting except, and I was rather impressed that nobody was yelling, no aggressive selling tactics to get your attention...it was all rather calm and orderly. One of the best activities was our night time visit to the Fremantle Prison, which up until 1991 had been a working prison being established as a convict prison for all of the British rogues in 1859. We took a torchlight tour around the prison and disconcertingly it still had very much the feel of a prison rather than a museum which was not helped by all of the ghastly surprises along the way. They showed us various cells in the conditions they would have been in throughout the years. It was surprising to hear that they only had a bucket in the cell for a toilet right up to the late 80’s. The facility was also quite cruel by modern standards, but they only shut the prison down in 1991, which amazed me, because the cells were 2m x 2m.

We were also shown the gallows where about 40 something and at least one woman had been hanged. We came back to the prison the following morning for a tunnel tour as there is a network of underground tunnels used for supplying fresh water to the prison and surrounding area. Donning all of our protective clothing, we plunged down into the darkness, the labyrinth of tunnels was unending some of which we crawled through while others we navigated in little canoes. Next on my agenda was a visit to the beautiful Kings Park as well as a ride on the newly finished Perth Wheel. Sadly it was my penultimate day in Western Australia and after an amazing holiday down under, I had to embark on an exhausting eleven hour flight back home to be welcomed by tons of toil, work and yes the beginning of a tyrannical Indian summer.

Published in Asian Age

MY VISIT TO THE VINEYARD OF MIGUEL TORRES IN PENEDES

MY VISIT TO THE VINEYARD OF MIGUEL TORRES IN PENEDES






• By Rupali Dean



My trip to Spain could not be complete without a visit to the local wine region nearest to Barcelona called Penedes. I researched and signed up for a one-day tour of Miguel Torres’s vineyard complete with the winery visit & tastings, as well as lunch at “Mas Rabell” the family owned restaurant. My visit included not only a tasting of their higher end wines, but also a bottom to top view of their vineyards and viticulture practices.

A wine expert met us at the reception and took us around. After a brief presentation, we went into the “Tunnel of Seasons”, a stupendous Multimedia experience in honor of the vineyards. It was the contemplation of the wine through all the seasons and following the climatic changes, until the harvest and the transformation of the grapes into wine. Next was the Tour by a train through the vineyards, crossing the “Finca Mas La Plana” which has been their flagship wine since 1979 when, in its earlier manifestation as Coronas Black Label, it trounced an array of clarets at a tasting organized by the French foodie sages Gault Millau. The visit also took us around the facilities, and to the interior of the new cellar “Bodega de Vinos de Finca”. Inside I discovered an atmosphere as inviting as the wines themselves. I gathered on my tour that White wine production dominates with a variety of traditional grapes in use such as Parellada and with innovative wine making techniques over the last few years, new wines being created with Chardonnay, Riesling and other noble varietals are coming to the fore. (Take home produce is also available from their shop). I could see that the winery is one of the most modern (and biggest) there is.

Best was next, lunch at “Mas Rabell” along with wines to match and I can say that Chef Sergi Millet ( has worked under Ferran Adria of the “El Bulli” Fame) serves some of the best contemporary , fresh and thoroughly flavorsome regional produce; celebrating the link between wine and food . I was particularly impressed by wines such as the elegant “Fransola” , which matched very well with my Cream of Navarra Asparagus with a decadent fish cake in the centre, it couldn’t have been any better. My roasted Iberian Pork with apple sauce was a culinary Paradise along with the “Gran Coronas” which was Superb and a great wine. Though of course the star of the show was but of course the “Mas La Pana 2005” , lush, spicy wine with density of fruit and smooth tannins and very elegant….Great with Cheese.

Truly it is difficult to understand the history of Spanish wine in the past 50 years without speaking of the family Torres. Miguel has taken his wines and, therefore, the wines of Spain to the highest benchmarks of quality to the last corner of the world. Having said that, although there is so much to see and do in Barcelona, I’m glad that we spent some of our time taking this trip to experience the picturesque wine country.

published in Asian Age

POTS,PANS & TEST TUBES

WIZARD OF CUISINE- FERRAN ADRIA & MADRID FUSION 2009

WIZARD OF CUISINE- FERRAN ADRIA & MADRID FUSION 2009

By Rupali & Bakshish Dean

(The writer and The Chef)

Some of you foodies would know that the best restaurant in the world is a restaurant near Barcelona, Spain called “El Bulli” and We are sure most people would be familiar with Chef Ferran Adria a name synonymous with “molecular cuisine” and for those who do not know Adria is a Living Genius, a great icon of international culinary avante-garde and owns a 3 Michelin star restaurant called “El Bulli” in Roses (Girona) near Barcelona in Spain. The restaurant is operational only six months in a year (Mid June to Mid December) and bagging a table is like winning an Oscar! And to dine there is like watching a great theatre performance. Unfortunately we haven’t been yet successful in getting a reservation as the dates we plan to travel are always booked somehow.
A year and a half back I (Bakshish) purchased the book "El Bulli 1998-2002”, in which Ferran Adria has published his menus that he did during this period along with all the base work that went into producing the dishes, its detailing and evident hard work prompted me to try the techniques and search for the base ingredients required to work on food like a scientist and today after a year I am comfortable with a lot of techniques. After all this attending “Madrid Fusion” was always in my (Bakshish) mind and so we planned a trip to Spain especially to be a part of this. So Bakshish filled in a registration form (fee of 600 Euros) and enrolled himself whereas I (Rupali) being a Travel and food writer planned the itinerary for further down to Valencia (where the famed “Paella” originated) and Barcelona as well to make the most of the Spain trip.
At Madrid Fusion…Madrid turns Gourmet Capital of the world!
This is a World Gourmet Summit and plays host to high profile cooks. It happens every year in January and 2009 was the seventh consecutive year. This time round the audiovisual gastronomy provided the base for three big debates. Cinegourland – that dealt with exciting themes such as the futuristic restaurant, problems with hall service and high risk avant-garde dishes. Interactive debates accompanied the famous cinematographic screenings. There were also talks on “quality cooking on a budget” (great for crisis time) and of the most viable business models for today. There was space for play food, imagination and humour supplemented by culinary creativity. This year Mexico took the stage with five great stars demonstrating how its cooking has come into contact with modernity while respecting the code of its traditional flavours. And but of course Madrid Fusion also dealt with cooking with ecological awareness and a gourmet display along with courtesy lunches served by different Spanish regions.
Ferran Adria at Madrid fusion
Day two witnessed the most important debate “Cuisine and Science” Does it really go together? Does it really interpret as it should? Is molecular gastronomy the right term for the advancements in cuisine? These are all the most important questions that I (or any chef who studies and practices molecular gastronomy) have been seeking answers for and there it was on the stage being discussed by the most important cuisine experts of the century – Ferran Adria, Heston Blumenthal, Harold McGee, Andoni Luis Aduriz and Davide Cassi (Physician) Each of the participants discussed what they personally think of the term “molecular gastronomy” and ideally how it should be interpreted, the debate shed light on the continuous advancement (in both cooking and technology) in cooking processes and how slowly everyone has embraced them without any issues. The process of cooking is a scientific process where complex forms are broken down into simpler forms thus making the food palatable; a deeper study of these processes reveals that this same food with advanced applications can be further enhanced to create more curiosity or surprise for a consumer as he would not have witnessed that form, aroma, texture, taste and presentation before. Ferran concluded the debate by announcing that the term “molecular gastronomy” is misleading as one starts immediately connecting it with chemistry, molecular formulas, complicated apparatus, chemicals etc. thus distorting the understanding of this advanced cuisine. This he says is advancement in cuisine and should be completely viewed like that and it should be just termed “Gastronomy”. With this conclusion by the cuisine wizard I (Bakshish) was a happy man as over the years I had been making people understand it exactly the same way as it was meant to be.
Luck By Chance at C 24 a Tapas Bar at Barcelona
We were invited for Tapas at C 24 in Barcelona by our Spanish Friend Andres Jover who is the International Direct for a company called “Eat Out” which has about 11 Fast food casual eating out places across countries and Infact there is one called “Fresco” at Ambience Mall in Gurgaon and another one to open shortly at the Domestic Airport In Delhi. Tapas C 24 is a venture of Chef Carles Abellan, who has worked in “El Bulli” for six years with Chef Ferran Adria. Needles to add that the Tapas were extremely decadent and we recommend the Fried Anchovies, Fried Fresh Nevada Asparagus, Mc Foie Burger served with foie-gras mayonnaise , Patatas Bravas and the Spanish toasted tomato topped bread.Anyways as we ordered our Tapas, we see “Ferran Adria” entering with two of his friends and held our excitement so as to not bother the celebrity Chef though after he was comfortable we went over for a little Chat and some photo-ops and Thanks to Andres the conversation was a whole lot easier as he played interpreter really well!
Summing Up!
We are back in India a Happy couple, Spain was mesmerizing , for its amazing culture , history and the famed “Tapas” and “Valencian Paella” and more so because both of us got to meet one of our very Favorite Chefs.