Décor: Cupped in toasted woody tones, and warm amber, the intimate restaurant brings in 12 teal hip seaters at the sole table, with an informal bar. The counter has been upcycled from a wooden bar top from The Bombay Canteen.
Service: You can expect warm, genuine, effortless service. The playlist sets the vibe easily, with numbers pulled in by Hussain from his personal stack.
Price: At Rs 5,000 plus taxes per head, this is not really easy on the pocket.
Timings: Wednesday to Saturday, 8 pm onwards. Below 18 years not allowed
“There has been a significant increase in demand for gourmet pet food. Pet owners are treating their furry friends like family, since they have more disposable income to spend on their beloved wards. People are becoming savvier about pet nutrition, and look for high-quality ingredients,” explains Dr Shashank Sinha, CEO, Drools Pet food, a company that prides itself on making real, clean pet food which includes vegetarian, non-vegetarian and vegan options. This shift can be accredited to the rise of smaller nuclear families where pets are viewed as valued members, leading to a shift in mindset in pet parenting. “Millennials, are at the forefront of this trend, and are spoiling their furry companions with premium pet products and services,” he reveals.
On Raksha Bandhan day last year, Rani Singh was seized with the desire to pamper her golden lab bro Scotch. She ordered special treats from Paw Petisserie, an exclusive pet bakery. The order included customised edible Rakhi cookies made with peanut butter, which Scotch absolutely adores. They came with special Rakhi-themed decorations, making the memory extra special for Singh. Once Scotch had polished off every last tasty cookie, Singh gushed, “This was the ‘bestest’ Raksha Bandhan ever.”
Yashika Arora, the founder-CEO of Paw Petisserie, believes the outlet’s popularity is because everything is made with pet-safe ingredients. Patrons choose from exotic delights like chicken or mutton ice-cream, different flavours of jams, doughnuts, brownies, breads and salami. However, their most sought-after items are their chicken jerky and mutton chips. “Universally popular ingredients are chicken, peanut butter, yogurt and mutton. Pet parents love our products because everything is human-grade. Even the colours used as decorations for cakes and cupcakes are made from fruits and vegetables,” she shares.
MOSCOW: A suspected outbreak of a rare and extremely dangerous food poisoning in Moscow left more than 120 people seeking medical help and at least 30 in intensive care, health officials said on Monday.
The patients were admitted to hospital with suspected food-borne botulism, a life-threatening condition that attacks the nervous system and can cause respiratory failure and paralysis.
Russian authorities said the toxic outbreak came from salads distributed by a popular online delivery service, which on Sunday temporarily suspended its operations amid a criminal investigation.
“In total 121 people sought medical help,” state news agencies quoted Anastasia Rakova, the deputy mayor of Moscow, as saying on Monday.
“At the moment 55 people are in a serious condition, 30 of them in intensive care,” she added.
The city’s consumer and health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, said on Saturday it was conducting an “epidemiological investigation into suspected cases of botulism”.
And the Moscow prosecutor’s office said it had launched a criminal investigation into a breach of consumer safety standards.
Deputy Mayor Rakova said there was “no threat to the lives” of those who had been hospitalised thanks to timely medical intervention.
According to the World Health Organization, food-borne botulism cases can be fatal without rapid treatment with antitoxins.
Botulism is an extremely rare condition, typically caused by improperly processed food and linked to canned and preserved goods.
It does not pass between people.
The food delivery company linked to the outbreak, Kuchnia Na Rayone (“local kitchen”), said it had identified a “potential risk incident” with a salad that used tinned beans, and it had suspended orders.
There were 82 confirmed cases of botulism across the European Economic Area (EEA) in 2021, the last year of available data, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
With more than 8,000 Japanese residents, Düsseldorf has the largest Japanese community in Germany and the third largest in Europe after London and Paris. How come? In the 1950s, growing economic ties between Japan and Düsseldorf led to many Japanese businessmen and their families to settle here. With them came Japanese doctors, hairdressers and restaurateurs, making the Immermannstrasse-Klosterstrasse block a Japanese enclave.
Beyond Little Tokyo is a slice of Japan in the Niederkassel district across the Rhine. Here, the EKÕ-Haus of Japanese Culture comprises a Buddhist temple, a house in traditional architectural style, a tea room, and a Japanese garden. Every year, the city celebrates Japan Day, an all-out Japanese culture festival of food, drink, music, dance performances, martial arts, and cosplay ending with a spectacular fireworks display on the Rhine.
If you have had your Japan fix and are hankering after a cold beer, worry not—after all, this is Germany. A short walk from Little Tokyo is Düsseldorf’s Altstadt or Old Town. It houses several historic buildings, but its main claim to fame is the nearly 300 pubs, restaurants, and bars, all located within half a sq km. Hence it is no surprise that it’s known as ‘the longest bar in the world’. Come evening, you will find hordes of people milling outside pubs, all quaffing beer from short, narrow glasses. Servers balancing trays weave around, replenishing drinks at lightning speed.
The beverage of choice here is Altbier, which literally translates as old beer since it is brewed in the traditional manner by using top-fermented yeasts. The full-bodied, amber-coloured beer is malty and crisp and is served in cylindrical 200- to 250-ml glasses. These are specifically designed to maintain the head, carbonation and temperature. While there are many breweries to choose from, Brauerei Schumacher is the oldest in Düsseldorf and has been brewing beer according to old family traditions since 1838.
Find a table inside (or stand outside) and ask for an “alt”. As you finish one glass, don’t be surprised if another magically appears in front of you and the server puts a tick mark on your coaster. As per local custom, the server will keep bringing you beer until you indicate you’re done by placing a coaster atop your glass. If that’s not Prost-worthy, what is?
BENGALURU: Bengaluru ordered more than 6 million burgers over the past year, and has become the Burger Capital of India, says Swiggy. On the occasion of International Burger Day 2024, which falls on May 28, Swiggy has shared the latest burger ordering trends observed over the past year.
Swiggy has seen a significant increase in burger orders, with close to 40 million burgers ordered in the last year alone. A burger enthusiast from Chandigarh ordered as many as 1146 burgers on Swiggy, averaging about three burgers every single day!
Dinner and late-night hours emerged as the most popular times for indulging in burgers, accounting for over 19.5 million orders, Swiggy said. Lunchtime followed with 9.6 million orders, and snack time saw more than 7.4 million orders.
After Bengaluru, Mumbai saw close to 5 million orders and Delhi with over 3.2 million orders was just a little behind in the burger consumption race.
Fries and Coke were the top choices to accompany burgers, while cheese slice and cheese dip emerged as the most popular toppings.
Swiggy on Tuesday also said that its quick commerce arm Swiggy Instamart sold over 2,500 tonnes of mangoes. As the mango season hits its peak, Swiggy Instamart is experiencing an unprecedented surge in demand for the country’s most beloved fruit.
From Bengaluru to Mumbai, mango mania spans across cities with close to a million unique users experimenting with over 14 different varieties of the fruit. Notably, Bengaluru leads with close to half a million orders and a city user spending a whopping Rs 46,588 on mangoes.
Often considered the “holy grail” of gourmet, French cuisine has a definite and strict set of rules that govern the flow of courses. For instance, in a multi-course meal, a palate cleanser—by way of frozen preparations like the granular ice crystals of granitas and the smoother textured sorbets—serves as a crucial transition between dishes. Not only do they play a significant role in enhancing the overall dining experience, but they also provide a moment of palate refreshment and anticipation for the next course.
Taking this idea and giving it a localised fillip are a range of Indian chefs and restaurants. Each bringing something new to the table; infusing the traditional palate cleanser with smart innovation and oodles of desi nuance.
Freeze Tried
Offering a tart and mouth-puckeringly delicious black jamun sorbet to his diners is Jude Fernando, executive chef at the Four Seasons Mumbai. “In the past, we have experimented with various palate cleansers, ranging from traditional sorbets to innovative herb-infused granitas. We believe that palate cleansers should not only cleanse but also intrigue the palate, leaving a memorable impression on diners. By incorporating unexpected flavour combinations and textures, we strive to elevate the dining experience and stimulate conversation around the table,” he says.
For Kolkata-based consultant chef Shaun Kenworthy, it’s all about seasonality and locality. At a recent pop-up dinner—organised as part of the Spring Tea Trail foraging trip by Gurugram-based OMO Café in association with AMPM Cafe and Bar Calcutta—held at the Glenburn Tea Estate close to Darjeeling, he did just that. His slightly astringent-tasting granita made with the estate’s second flush tea and salt-pickled baby mangoes was a well-received ‘Act 5’ in an eight course meal. “It was almost an on-the-spot decision to work with tea as I was cooking on a tea estate and combining it with mangoes that had fallen in my garden in Kolkata. These, I went on to pickle in salt and serve atop the granita in small cutting chai glasses,” says Kenworthy who’s originally from Manchester, UK.
Ice Appeal
For a fine dining restaurant like the ITC’s Avartana (with outposts in Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai) and one that is built around the concept of multiple course menus, having a vast number of palate cleansers seems de rigueur. They do this with an interesting quartet of a cucumber-apple sorbet, a lemon leaf sorbet, an orange-ginger one and perhaps the most unique of all being the prickly pear sorbet.
“We wanted to evoke nostalgic memories while offering a refreshing break for the palate. Each sorbet reflects a blend of familiar flavours with a twist, tapping into childhood memories and cultural traditions. Ingredients like cucumber, lemon and ginger work exceptionally well in refreshing the palate without overwhelming it,” says Diptii Jadhav, senior sous chef at the Mumbai branch.
The food explorer gets off the train, who has travelled from London to Cardiff in barely two hours, and is greeted by an affable, smiling woman at the platform. She says a quick Croeso (welcome) and hands over a paper bag, still warm, containing two Welsh cakes. Part pancakes, part cookies, the small, circular cakes, known as bakestones or picau ar y maen in Welsh, are made with flour, butter, sugar, currants, raisins and warming spices. Sian Roberts, the founder of Loving Welsh Food, the first and only company offering food tours in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, says she loves food tourism as you “try foods that you wouldn’t try elsewhere. You won’t get a Welsh cake or faggots in Scotland, and you won’t get boxty or haggis in Wales”.
Bordered by England to the east and the water on all other sides, Wales, also known as the ‘Land of Song’, is renowned for its craggy coastline, mountainous parks and Celtic culture. Medieval chronicler Giraldus Cambrensis wrote that Wales is a “country very strongly defended by high mountains, deep valleys, extensive woods, rivers, and marshes; insomuch that from the time the Saxons took possession of the island the remnants of the Britons, retiring into these regions, could never be entirely subdued either by the English or by the Normans”.
The country’s identity stands apart through its quintessentially Welsh cuisine as opposed to the rest of Britain’s potpourri calling the kettle black culture of steak and kidney pudding, haggis and chicken tikka masala. Roberts has designed a four-hour, food-focused odyssey across Cardiff, through market stalls, streets and arcades. Her plan is for her epicurean clients to sample traditional Welsh eats such as cheeses, cockles, ciders, laverbread, faggots and bara brith.
Traditional Welsh cooking derives from the diet of the region’s working man: coal miner, farmer, fisherman or labourer. With great numbers of its workforce historically spending long, exhausting days at work, the food had to be hearty, resourceful, filling—and delicious. All with a few staples: fresh vegetables (typically leeks and cabbage), fish, meat and flour. “Welsh cooking uses local ingredients in different ways. Then, people didn’t have access to ingredients from all over the world or sophisticated cooking equipment. They had to be as creative as possible with limited resources,” Roberts says.
olives
Lamb and beef feature prominently on the menu as do the fruits of the sea such as cockles, salmon, trout, white crab and lobsters. Welsh cooking follows the nose-to-tail philosophy of creating hearty meals from every bit of meat and produce.
Be it the cawl, a meaty stew served with crusty bread and salted butter at The Welsh House, an upmarket restaurant in the heart of Cardiff, or the faggots—meatballs typically made of minced pork offal (heart, liver, or spleen)—mixed with onions, spices such as sage or parsley, and breadcrumbs, or the laverbread—‘Welshman’s caviar’—made from seaweed collected off the coast; the dishes are simple, yet a feast for the tastebuds. The cawl, a one-pot meal originally cooked in an iron pot over an open fire, is a comforting, warming dish. “Cheaper cuts of lamb and seasonal vegetables are used to make this family favourite,” she reveals.
Roberts takes her clients to see Wally’s Delicatessen, in Cardiff’s Royal Arcade, where a range of local cheeses are displayed alongside a charcuterie board, and ciders. Among Caerphilly, a local cheese now largely produced in England, the crowd-favourites are Black Bomber, Teifi and Perl Wen. Roberts then leads the tasting party to Cardiff Market to try faggots with mushy peas, cooked cockles with laverbread, meat pie, and a slice of pizza at Pizza Boyz, an award-winning outlet founded by twins born in Swansea.
cockles
Other gourmet must-haves in Wales are giant oggies—large pasties that miners had for lunch; tatws pum munud, a four-ingredient traditional Welsh dish that uses cheap cuts of meat with easily found vegetables. “The name, tatws pum munud, translates into five-minute potatoes. However, that’s very misleading since the recipe takes at least an hour to cook!” Roberts laughs. The Glamorgan sausage—a vegetarian surprise—is again a family favourite since it is a “simple and great way to use up leftover bread and cheese”. Roberts adds leeks and carrots to the mixture and “lots of parsley and thyme”.
The food tour ends at The Welsh House, an independent regional restaurant and bar, with a round of coffee and bara brith, the traditional ‘speckled bread’ which is a cake studded with sultanas and raisins served on a bed of warm custard. It does hits the sweet spot.
Welsh sweet treats—be it the teisen lap or Welsh cakes—are made on the griddle as most homes couldn’t afford an oven. “All Celtic countries have dishes that are cooked on a griddle. In Scotland, they make flat breads, boxty, shortbread, bannocks, buttermilk scones, potato cakes, oat cakes and pancakes. In Wales, we use the griddle for Welshcakes, teisen lap, breads and oat cakes,” Roberts says.
It’s clear that the thrifty people of Wales added a dollop of innovation and made food to match their lifestyle, and pocket. Welsh food offers plenty of food for thought.
Legends have forgotten legacies. Like for example the jewel of Middle Eastern cooking, bulgur.
Loved by Chinese emperors and ancient Babylonians, this popular grain is made from durum wheat and is storming food correctness in fancy kichens with fancier chefs. Ironically, it is considered one of the world’s first processed foods: In eastern Mediterranean villages, the practice still is to boil the wheat in huge pots, even for days, until it is thoroughly cooked. Then dry it on rooftops in the sun, and break up the hardened kernels into coarse pieces. The versatile grain is parted into various sizes for different preparations. Though boiling may remove some vitamins and minerals from the outer layers, they return go the grain when it is cooked.
“Bulgur is a versatile ingredient. At my restaurant Allegro, I have used to it make Bircher muesli, or as a granola crumb mixed with nuts to top off our chia seed pudding. With a lot of our menus focusing on health and wellbeing, I have made a lemon bulgur (my version of a lemon rice) with it and even an Asian version of fried rice with sweet soy sauce, edamame and steamed chicken,” says Apoorva Kunte, executive chef at The Westin Melbourne.
Tabbouleh salad
In the history of society, the discovery of wheat led to the growth of agricultural communities and acquired popular approval and imperial acclaim. Sumerian Goddesses of lore have “wheat” in their names. In the 2800’s BC, wheat went divine when Chinese Emperor Shen Nung declared it a holy grain. Then a nameless Bronze Age woman discovered a way to make a new grain from wheat, later called bulgur. It occupied a pedestal in Mesopotamian cuisine thanks to its nutritious benefits; it was also cheaper for labourers to make. “Bulgur has a number of great nutrients, similar to quinoa or couscous. I like its mild flavour and light texture. It is equally suited to both spring and summer when I make fritters with wild garlic, new potatoes and, at times, feta. It goes perfectly with vine-roasted tomatoes,” London-based Michelin Star Chef Atul Kochhar lets you into a bulgur secret.
Available in four grades, ranging from fine to very coarse, its versatility makes it a special grain. World War II combat chefs used it as a staple to feed the troops and also used it as a sand-blasting agent to clean airplane parts. The gourmet battlefield is full of chefs competing to find new ingredients and innovative recipes. “Medium, coarse, or very coarse bulgur is good for pilaf, while the fine version is ideal for tabbouleh and kibbeh,” reveals Arun Thakur, executive sous chef, Shangri-La Eros New Delhi.
Gehu ki kheech
Unlike cracked wheat, bulgur is precooked, requiring just 20 minutes of soaking or simmering before preparation. With a delightful nutty flavour and light texture, it works well for quick, tasty meals. “I use it in Gehu Ka Khichda, a traditional dish from Rajasthan, also known as ‘kheech’. It is prepared during Makar Sankranti and Akshaya Tritiya. This luscious sweet delicacy is traditionally crafted from whole wheat, milk, sugar and dry fruits. Distinct from the simple cracked wheat porridge known as dalia, the whole wheat is soaked and husked. We also use bulgur to make laapsi, another delightful dessert, usually made with wheat,” says Chef Abhilasha Jain, founder, Marwadi Khana.
Sustainability and organic being the current buzzwords, chefs like Harish Rao, Master Chef Tamil Season 1, cook the grain in rich vegetable stock to elevate the flavour. “The instant organic stock streamlines the process. Enhanced with robust vegetable stock, onions and a touch of garlic or aired with mixed vegetables, feta and a drizzle of olive oil, bulgur transcends simplicity, guaranteeing enraptured diners.”
In Syria, some weeks after freekeh (roasted green durum wheat) season gets over, the wheat fields shine in the sun like pure gold. It is bulgur season. It is announced across an entire village and it is time to celebrate an ancient tradition dating back to Mesopotamia. The empire is long dead, but the grain thrives as its legacy forever, whether it be in posh restaurants or ancient village kitchens.
BULGUR TEA CAKES
Ingredients:
● Bulgur: 1/4 cup
● Refined flour: 3/4 cup
● Baking powder: 1/2 tsp
● Salt: 1/8 tsp
● Oil: 113 gm
● Vanilla essence: 1 tsp
● Orange zest: 2 tsp
● Eggs: 2
● Caster sugar: 100 gm
● Ube paste: 1 tsp
● Rose water: 1 tsp
● Pandan paste: 1 tsp
For Garnish:
● Soaked bulgur: 2 tsp
● Melted white chocolate: 30 gm
● Baking time: 15 mins
● Baking temp: 180 degrees C
Method:
● In a mixing bowl, break the eggs and add sugar, then whisk at high speed. Add vanilla essence and orange zest, set aside. In another bowl, sieve in refined flour, baking powder, salt and bulgur, then mix. Slowly fold this mixture into the beaten egg-sugar mixture. Add 30-40 ml of refined oil and fold further, then fold in the remaining oil.
● Divide the batter into three parts and fold in the flavourings individually. Allow the batter to rest in the fridge for 30-40 minutes. Brush some oil into the tea cake moulds, remove the batter from the fridge, and spoon it into the moulds filling them 3/4 of the way. Preheat the oven, then bake the tea cakes for 12-14 mins. Remove and allow to cool on a wire rack. Drizzle melted white chocolate over the tea cakes and sprinkle bulgur on top.
Goa is where investion and innovation thrives. It is a tiny enclave of myriad habits and tastes, with food taking the prize. Like in Taupe, the latest addition to Assagao’s bustling neighbourhood. Conceived by the team behind the popular Titlie, it marries regional cuisine with Goa’s susegad vibe.
Food: Chef Tarun Sibal ensures that while he experiments with the flavour combinations, the dishes are familiar. The food honours India’s rich cultural diversity through salads, chaats, kebabs, curries and desserts. The Mutton Seekh is rather predictable, though its spicy succulence and tenderness scores a definite A. Cheemmen Masala with set dosa is a Malayali thing; the prawns cooked to the right softness in coconut-flavoured curry. A crowd-favourite is the Creamed Burrata Papdi Chaat. But the Moong Dal Ladoo, inspired from the popular street-style Ram laddoo has room for improvement. In the Onion Sumac Kulcha served with kali dal, the sumac adds a tangy and smoky flavour. The Veg Rendang Korma with sticky rice is comfort food. The Coconut Milk Panna Cotta made with chunky pieces of mango jaggery, is light-on-the-gastric juices; a perfect just dessert.
Service: The servers are well-versed with the menu. They are quick to catch your eye and attend to your queries.
Décor: Housed inside a 115-year-old Portuguese villa, the many shades of taupe are soothing in a Goan afternoon. The al fresco area gives a tropical getaway vibe.
Price: The cost of the dishes ranges from Rs 475-675. Speaking for the quality, the fare is reasonable without burning a hole in your pocket.
The story goes that when Chef Sanjay Thumma’s mother was pregnant with him, she opened the lid of the biriyani pot and felt her water break. “She was rushed to the hospital and 15 minutes after that, I was born. I was called the Biriyani Kid all through my childhood,” Thumma chuckles. Nobody knew at the time that his destiny would be linked with food. Today, the 54-year-old, also known as VahChef, is a renowned chef with 2.5 million subscribers on his YouTube channel Vahrehvah where he teaches his audience to create a variety of Indian dishes. His mammoth fan following extends to millions of Indian expatriate communities in mainland Europe, the US and other parts of the world.
A familiar face on television, having appeared on MasterChef India Hindi as a guest judge and now as a judge on MasterChef India Telugu on SonyLIV, Thumma emerged as the most-searched Indian chef, the third-most Googled chef in Asia and 15th worldwide in a survey by a US-based global adventure company, Explore Worldwide. They analysed 12 months of Google data and Thumma’s name appeared in 7,26,000 searches. Other chefs of Indian origin on the list include Kunal Kapur, Maneet Chauhan, Gaggan Anand and Madhur Jaffrey.
There are many celebrity chefs and Michelin-star chefs across the world, but Thumma’s popularity shows that one does not need those labels or awards to have a connection with the audience. Go through any of the videos the Hyderabad-based chef posts on his YouTube channel and you will get an idea of why they receive millions of views within a few hours of being posted. The smile on his face as he talks about food and the dish he is going to prepare, punctuated with one-liners and jokes, is something that endears him to his fans across the world.
“I get my humour from my father who is 84 years old. Even today when I visit him, there is constant laughter and fun,” he shares. For Thumma, it is important that he comes across as a friend to his viewers. At the end of each video, when he scoops up a morsel of the dish he has prepared and relishes it, it is his expression ‘boomba boomba’ that his followers wait for. “Earlier it was ‘dhinchik dhinchik’,” he laughs, adding, ‘boomba boomba’ is the ultimate happiness when you feel fully satisfied with the meal. “It was an instinctive expression I had when I went to MasterChef India Hindi as a guest judge,” he laughs.
Thumma was hardly eight years old when his mother was bedridden for a few weeks because of a medical issue. The young boy was entrusted with the responsibility of the kitchen. “I was a naughty kid. To keep me away from mischief, my mom would give me chores in the kitchen.
I would observe her cooking and when she fell sick, that observation was put to test,” he recalls. From learning to make rice to making dal, scrambled eggs, dosa and upma, Thumma did it all. Little wonder that later he chose to study Hotel Management and even opened his own restaurant in Chicago, before moving back to Hyderabad in 2008.
Chef Thumma’s future plans include inspiring his followers to grow their own food. He also wants to take his viewers back 5,000 years ago and share his research on how people back then would cook and eat.
“I want to do something I can continue for the next decade,” he says.
