Review of the Charming Villa Shanti, Pondicherry

During a recent trip to Puducherry (or Pondicherry… go figure!), I happen to visit Villa Shanti based on a recommendation by a friend.  Since I had no clue what to expect, I entered the elegant Grey 19^th Century home in the French quarter of town with an open mind. It turned out to be the best meal during my whole trip. Disappointed by the bleh and barely mediocre food at some very popular Pondicherry restaurants, my husband and I decided it was just bad food karma. Thankfully Villa Shanti turned things around and was a much-welcomed respite. The service was good even though they were full and the prices while may be a bit high were not too bad.

I liked the easy décor that was a nice blend of classic meets contemporary elegance that never comes across as contrived.

Now before I say anything more, meet my new friend…

The Gorgeous Orange Cake With Decadent Chocolate Mousse

To start things off we had the mint and pea soup that was quite delightful. The green papaya salad was refreshing with a nice sweetness to it balanced out by the right hit of savory.

Zucchini And Walnut Stuffed Crepes In A Duo Of Sauces Served With A Crisp Salad

L to R: Buttery Nans, Crispy French Fries, Kesar Murg

For the main course, I had the zucchini and walnut stuffed crepes were amazing while the hubster had the kesar murg with the melt in your mouth butter nan. My daughter apparently decided to live off French fries the entire duration of the trip. Toddlers. And yes, the fries were nice too.

However the crown jewel of Villa Shanti is their orange cake with chocolate mousse. It was well flavored as the orange never overwhelmed. The chocolate mousse made me want to dive right into a vat of it. (Sigh… some dreams are destined to remain dreams.) But yes, it was THAT good. Now go get your own.

PS: Also try the home made lime tart with coconut flakes at La Maison Rose. The rest of our meal there was very average but the lime tart was simply amazing.

Things That Make Me Go Ahhhh!

The Orange Cake with Chocolate Mousse at Villa Shanti, Pondicherry

Sweet Dreams Are Made Of These...

There are cakes and then there are 'knock your socks off' creations that are like a symphony  in your mouth. Villa Shanti's precisely flavored and perfectly moist orange cake served with a lush, decadent and downright sexy chocolate mousse is truly their crown jewel. I hope you someday get to visit this charming eatery. A full review coming up soon.

Sheraton Park's Dakshin’s Food and Wine Pairing

The Feast of the Gods – Dakshin’s Food and Wine Pairing

Recently I was invited by Sheraton Park’s Chef Harish of the famed restaurant Dakshin to enjoy their food and wine pairing. On only till the end of March I urge everyone to give this very decadent experience a try. For me it was not just a great meal with fantastic wine but a very educational experience on the tricky pairing of south Indian food with the prefect wine. Normally one associates the more full bodied heavy reds to complement our well spiced Indian food but boy was I pleasantly surprised… there was not a single red wine to be seen through the meal!!

The entire experience is a joint collaboration of the very charming Chef Harish and suave sommelier extraordinaire Kadhir. Each dish that was put forth on the menu was carefully thought out and the accompanying wine a perfect match.  Click here for the non-vegetarian and vegetarian menus of the food and wine pairing. It’s very obvious that this love child of a menu has had a lot of thought and effort behind it. Click here for the complete menu.

Starting off with the food… for me the crispy Keerai Vadai paired with the crisp refreshing Prosecco was a stroke of genius. Despite being deep fried there is a lightness to the perfectly seasoned and executed Keerai Vadai that is so synchronous with the Prosecco that is not only beautiful to taste but also to look at. And yes… by now my readers know that I love all things pretty!

There is a smooth progression of the wine and food, which are always in perfect harmony. There was never a moment when I felt something was out of sync which is key for a successful food and wine pairing.  Sommelier Kadhir and Chef Harish have nailed to that element perfection! But at the same time your palette is constantly challenged and exposed to new realms of flavor pairings.  The wine brings freshness to a cuisine that is so ancient and complex.

The Nandu Puttu is a seafood lovers dream come true. The simplicity of the flavors is highlighted by the Prosecco (I’ll admit the Prosecco was my favorite of all the wines!).  In Round two of the meal my dining companion loved the Kodi Vepudu and the Uralai Roast that were served with the flaky melt in your mouth Veechu Parotha. The Attukal Paya was good blast from the past with the ideal accompaniment of a lacy divine Idyappam. Whoever would’ve thought that a James Bond Smooth Riesling would accompany Kodi Vepudu and Attukal Paya?! And yes… Bond would have totally approved of the pairing too. :)

I must mention that the Riesling, unlike most Rieslings , was barely dry and went down your palette very smoothly with a nice burst of complimenting flavors. It was the right balance of not being too smooth or too dry because if it was dry, it may not have worked with the food served. This for me was a true stroke of genius.

Chef Harish explained how the butterbeans balanced out the heat of the green chilies in the China Vengaya Pacthmiligai Mandi. Surprisingly I loved drinking the Riesling while enjoying the Mandi. Whoever would’ve thought that a gorgeous Riesling would be the perfect accompaniment to the very traditional Mandi?!! I was quite dumbfounded!

Another dish apart from the keerai vadai that stood out for me was the unusual Pomegranate Rice (Puli madazhaoazham sadam). Chef Harish explained how the recipe is one that dates back to a couple of centuries. I truly appreciate the effort and interest that Chef Harish puts into the research and excavation of ancient and traditional recipes which if not for people like him, may be lost to us forever. The Riesling  surprisingly echoed the lime in the pomegranate rice along with the sweetness of the pomegranate seeds. The dish itself was an interesting combination of tart with bursts of sweetness as the seeds exploded in your mouth. It’s definitely something that seemed easy and I am looking forward to exploring in my own kitchen.

Meanwhile my companion had lost herself in the much-loved Andhra Kodi Biriyani and barely acknowledged my presence while digging in! Again I never would have paired a white wine with the spice heavy Biriyani but Kadhir… thank you for broadening my horizons!

The dessert was a great and fitting end to a lavish meal with the Vathalappam being the star of the show. It’s amazing how complex a simple combination of eggs, palm sugar and milk can become! The Badam Halwa was nicely done as it was the right amount of sweetness as I’ve tasted some rather cloyingly sweet versions in the past.

The only part of the meal that somehow did not stand out to me was the Bendakaya Thalimpu… which I guess is  okay since I think it was meant to be a foil to the other dishes rather than a starring dish by itself.

The whole experience was so relaxing and I kept thinking it’s the prefect way to celebrate a special occasion or special day like Valentine’s Day (Hint hint hint to all you boyfriends and husbands!) with a loved one. Kadhir mentioned that one of the reasons he chose the effervescent proseco was because it was such a perfect drink to toast too and to kick start a celebration! And indeed it was a celebration of senses and flavors besides being educational at the same time (if only all my classes had some wine thrown in!).  I was truly fortunate enough to experience this adventure and if you do venture out to try this extraordinary experience loose yourself in the moment as the smooth wine takes over lulling you to a state of bliss where the food just adds to the feeling of headiness. Now having said that… what are you waiting for?

Menu For Dakshin's Food and Wine Pairing

Menu For Dakshin’s Food and Wine Pairing

Click here for more about this limited time event at Sheraton Park’s Famed Dakshin Restaurant!

The Non Vegetarian Menu:

Amouse Bouche

Dakshin yera

(Spicy marinated deep friend shrimp)

Kozhi Rasam

(Chicken Pepper and cumin broth)

Nandu Puttu

(Crab meat tossed with onions, ginger and green chilies)

Wine Accompaniment: Tiamo Prosecco

Sarvottamam:

Kodi Kura

(chicken drums simmered in and tossed with  onions , tomatoes and cashew nuts)

Bendakaya Thalimpu

(Okra slices tempered with red chilies and mustard)

Accompaniment: Veechu Paratha

Aatukal Paya

(An aromatic curry made with trotters)

Urulai Roast

(Baby potatoes tossed in onion tomato masala

Accompaniment: Idyappam

Andhra Kodi Biriyani

(An Andhra specialty of spiced chicken and rice combination)

Gobi Kempu Bezule

Masala coated cauliflower crisps

Accompaniments: Cucumber Pacchadi – Raita

Wine Accompaniment: 2009 Rene Mure Riesling

Madhuram:

Badam Halwa

Vathalappam

Steamed coconut custard sweetened with jaggery and cardamom

Wine Accompaniment: 2005 Deinhard Beeren Auslese

The Vegetarian Menu:

Amuse Bouche:

Keerai Mundri Vadai

(Split yellow and cashew patties with fresh spinach, ginger, green chilies and curry leaves

Takali Rasam

Vazahkai Varuval

(Raw banana Crisps)

Wine Accompaniment: Tiamo Prosecco

Sarvottamam:

China Vengaya Pacthmiligai Mandi

(A combination of shallots, green chilies, and butter beans cooked in a gravy of tamarind and garlic)

Bendakaya Thalimpu

(Okra slices tempered with red chilies and mustard)

Accompaniments: Kal Dosa

(Mini dosa cooked without oil)

A Keralite Syrian Istew

(Mixed vegetables in coconut extractions with a flavoring of onions, crushed black pepper and cassia bark)

Uralai Roast

(Baby potatoes tossed in onion tomato masala)

Accompaniment: Appam

(A lacy pancake if fermented rice batter)

Puli Madazhaoazham Sadam

(Pomegranate rice with a mustard tempering)

Gobi Kempu Bezule

(Masala coated crisps)

Accompaniments: Cucumber Pacchadi – Raita

Wine Accompaniment: 2009 Rene Mure Riesling

Madhuram:

Badam Halwa

(A dense sweet confection made from almond paste, ghee and sugar)

Vathalappam

(Steamed coconut custard sweetened with jaggery and cardamom)

Wine Accompaniment: 2005 Deinhard Beeren Auslese

Resturant Review: ‘Her Name is Ming’ and you must meet her!

Have you Met Ming at the Newly Glam and Chic Hotel President?

Have u met Ming? She s delightful, exotic and very delicious! If you haven't met her head towards the newly renovated Hotel President and to their new Chinese restaurant called well… ‘Her Name is Ming’.

Yes all you Chennaites… I’m talking about the one and only Hotel President! And no it no longer looks like a set of a 70s Tamil movie (Sorry!)… instead prepare to be pleasantly surprised as you enter a very chic and newly revamped Hotel President. The newly done interiors are a far cry from the old dated style of the hotel.

Before my visit to the renovated version of the hotel, everyone around me seemed to be bowled over by the place and the good reviews kept pouring in. Let me tell you… they were right! The food was refreshingly good. I’ve had some very mediocre experiences with some recently opened hotels and thankfully President came through for me with flying colors.

We started the evening off with some very nice corn fritters and a spicy pepper baby corn. The jade soup was incredibly tasty and I highly recommend it.

For the carnivores, the ayam pandan chicken is oh so tender and melt in your mouth... it delivered on all counts as it was succulent perfection with good flavor but the star of the show was the prawn sesame toast that is always ordered every time we’ve been there.

For the main course, the Nasi Goreng was well received by everyone at the table. However it was my Laksa that was the center of all attention. Simply put, it was one of the best Laksa's I've had in a very long time. The last I had something so good it was in Los Angeles’ old faithful Indonesian joint Ramaniyam.

I have to make a mention of the service ... It was simply exceptional. Let's just say there were kids aplenty amongst us, which usually means chaos aplenty,  but the staff went over and beyond to accommodate us and ensure we had a good time.

My only grouse is that my sweet tooth needs some TLC too! I was not very impressed that most of the desserts were available.

On the décor front, I loved the oversized wrought iron birdcages scattered around. If you are lucky enough to be a party of eight you may get seated in their lovely and luxe semi private room.

Here are some pictures that are delicious proof of my very relaxing evening out...

Now it’s almost time for me to get my Laksa fix again! Who’s game to join me for a date with the temptingly delicious Miss Ming?

Master Class with Chef Nimrat Pahwa at On The Rocks

Park Sheraton introduces Master Classes with Top Chefs

My stint at Chennai is nothing short of exciting and quite fabulous! Recently I was lucky enough to be a part of an exclusive interactive culinary class by master chef Nimrat Pahwa (some of us even got hands on… think pasta dough!) at Chennai's very own Park Sheraton’s oh so sleek and oh la la restaurant On The Rocks. The demonstration headed by Chef Nimrat was fun, very delicious and of course incredibly informative…. I mean how many chefs unleash their trade secrets to us lesser mortals? Chef Nimrat was truly the star of the show keeping the flow and energy of the class moving along smoothly with her vivacious personality. The class was a small cozy group that was perfect in maintaining an intimate class environ. Now onto the juicier details… the food!

The Menu for the day was:

      Assorted Salad with a mélange of vinaigrettes – Tomato and Green Salsa, Balsamic and a classic Caesar

      Farmhouse Gazpacho

      Spinach and Ricotta Filled Chicken Breast with Aioli

    Artichoke and Pine nut Ravioli with Pesto

     Porcini Risotto stuffed Bell Pepper with Tortilla Crumbs served with Parmesan white coulis and a warm caper peppercorn vinaigrette

    Vanilla Basil Orange Panacotta with honey ginger glazed  wonton julienne and basil mulled figs

For me personally I loved the salad demonstrations where the chef walked us through different vinaigrettes and a classic Caesar(always good to have in your recipe repertoire). However the highlight of the meal for me was the minestrone soup…deceptively easy to make and even easier to screw up.  The flavors of Chef Nimrat’s soup were bang on and it was smooth flavorful harmony in a cup! I must also make a mention of one of my most have things in the world - melt in the mouth risotto with a healthy splash of white wine... Heaven!

The class was followed by a sit down lunch with Chef Nimrat, which was lively, and it felt really good to savor all those flavors we combined in the class and relax with my fellow participants.

Ok.. enough of me blubbering on and on… let the pictures speak for themselves and tell me … wouldn’t you want to put a feast like this on the table?

For all you carnivores…a succulent melt in your mouth creation of chicken stuffed with a decadent ricotta and spinach blend and grilled to perfection… 

 Sophisticated ruby red concoction of mulled figs in red wine..  an accompaniment to a smooth creamy panacotta that  had you begging for another bite.

The Star of the Show - Chef Nimrat

Getting Down and Dirty - A Hands on Experience for the participants

Park Sheraton will be hosting more classes with more of their Master Chefs. Watch this space for further details!

Two Birds One Post: Meeting with Malli Magazine and A Review Of 5 Senses, Chennai

The great thing about coming back home is rediscovering Chennai all over again – Old facets and new. It’s like falling in love all over again. J Now if only I could keep track of all those ever-changing one ways…

This trip around, I was lucky to have met up with the very fabulous and very very gorgeous Shilpa and Nandini from Malli, Chennai’s First Food Magazine. May I mention again how fab and pretty they were?! Be sure to check out the equally fab mag Malli and trust me you wont be disappointed. Malli fills in a much-needed gap in the lives of the local foodie. Its fitting that a city with great food and that is opening up so much on a culinary platform has someone chronicling its growth and offerings.

I had a lunch date with the gals at the recently opened 5 Senses restaurant located on the pish posh Khader Nawaz Khan road in Nungambakkam, Chennai. The location is perfect for tired souls needing a bite to eat post intense shopping at the great stores nearby. (Probably the reason I’m so broke always!). I loved the idea of their outdoor seating which is perfect for evenings or on a cool day. Located in a spanking new mall decadently named Oyster, 5 Senses also houses a patisserie.

5 Senses takes you on a culinary trip around the Mediterranean with their fine dining options. Order yourself a colorful mocktail to accompany the numerous offerings in appetizer section of the menu. We had the Vegetarian mezze platter and a non-vegetarian appetizer and everything was very good. However I was a little disappointed on the entrée side of things, which was a squash and pasta dish.  While the concept was great, it missed the mark on taste and execution. Luckily the freshly tossed and baked pizza made up for everything. I recommend the pizzas and they did have some interesting options of toppings.

And yes… we did have dessert – Tiramisu! There were some inventive items on the dessert menu for all you folks with a sweet tooth out there.

Here are some pictures from our culinary sojourn:

Stuffed Mushrooms

Our Very Enticing Dolmades

For All You Carnivores: Pork Chops!

Ta Dah: And Then There Was Dessert

And The Lucky Winner Is….

Congratulations to Cool Lassi(e) from the lovely blog Pan Gravy Kadai Curry! I hope you enjoy shopping with your CSN gift card… Thank you for entering the CSN giveaway and showing your support.

Here are some stunning pictures of Cool Lassi(e)'s pick Cappadocia, Turkey

I’ll be in touch with further details!

The Housewife

How Not To Spend A Weekend: Chasing L.A.’s Gourmet Food Trucks

A few weekends back, the husband and I spent the whole weekend holed up at home, watching TV in our PJs and going out only to forage for food. Yes, we all have those weekends and it’s perfectly acceptable (In fact, it was perfect according to R but that’s so not happening honey because your wife is an obsessive lean mean weekend planning machine!).

The first food truck I heard about and tried was the Kogi BBQ truck in Los Angeles. Then all of a sudden, there seemed to be a sudden mushrooming of these fun, innovative and marketing savvy food trucks doling out deliciousness day after day, all over Los Angeles! During the fateful weekend, we tried out Eat Fry Smith and The Grilled Cheese Truck… and we got lucky because the Eat Fry Smith Truck was right across the street from Scoops (head there for the best gelato in town!) and the Scoops bake sale for the great American bake sale!  Score!!!

I just want you to know that I did attempt to work out after that weekend… but I have a feeling I need to tie myself to a treadmill with no ‘stop’ button on it to make up for all the damage done! :P

First let’s visit the The Grilled Cheese Truck… the line was long but entertaining with a mixed crowd that makes for interesting people watching while you wait for your food! (I know there seems to be a pattern appearing with me and grilled cheese joints but we’ll just ignore that!) I had the Cheesy Mac Melt that is mac n cheese on French bread with sharp cheddar… And the verdict: Loved the idea but it was too much of cheese goodness for one soul (yes, I know that sounds impossible)…maybe something to add more flavor or add contrast would’ve been great. Nonetheless it was perfectly made and quite tasty! The husband had a customized classic melt and we both shared a cup of the mandatory but very tasty tomato soup and some tater tots (I know I know…but how can I say no to fried potatoes?!). May I tell you that my husband loved his sandwich and probably dreamt about it that night! :P

Apart from their usual menu, they also carry daily specials so don’t forget to check that out when you hit the truck. You can literally build your own sandwich with unique additions like avocado, marshmallows, nutella and BBQ smoked pork. I loved the cheery yellow exterior of the truck that you cannot miss! :D The truck moves around different locations all over LA, so you can catch them at a convenient location by keeping track of them on their website.

Here are some pictures just for you….

Next up we have the Eat Fry Smith truck known for their famous kimchi fries… Do I already have you craving some? The concept behind the truck is your choice of fries with an array of innovative toppings like chicken stewed in a tomatillo sauce or pork belly with kimchi. The truck also offers vegetarian/ vegan options along with some interesting craft sodas like sarsaparilla and China Soda (I have to try this out next time!). I had the sweet potato fries with the vegetarian chili  while the hubster had the regular sweet po fries (sweet potato fries with the chicken in tomatillo sauce). I was barely able to make a dent in my fries, (so forget finishing them!) and maybe next time, I would get the regular fries instead of the sweet potato fries.

R loved his sweet po fires but also felt he would’ve liked regular fries instead of the sweet potato fries. He’s already decided that the next time round, he’s going straight for the Kimchi fries! Again, you can catch the truck at various locations all over LA by checking their website for their latest location. Let me add that these are definitely occasional indulgences… it took me three days to get through that single portion of fries!

My favorite part of the weekend was the bake sale at Scoops…. Oh sweet heaven! There were such gorgeous treats ranging from world peace cookies to Magnolia Banana Pudding to Fleur de Sel Caramels to home made jams and sauces. I picked up some Loquat Jam that was so charmingly packed and some other treats. Among them was one of the best strawberry cupcakes I’ve ever had in my life…. Even better than the nutella cupcake (I don’t know how that happened but it did!). It was a perfect balance of sweetness and strawberry goodness with the perfect crumb on the cake. The sale featured treats from Daisy Mae and Crust among others. I wish I’d tried out some of the macarons that were on offer… well hopefully there is a next time!

The To-Die-For Strawberry Cupcake

The Nutella Cupcake

The Cutest Little Sticky Bun!