Mughal Mahal - Fahaheel Branch, Kuwait - Indian Restaurant

An occasion to be celebrated is always an important event in our otherwise mundane life in Kuwait and therefore an opportunity like that where I could try out some Indian Food in a renowned restaurant of Kuwait was to be grabbed without a question.

Fahaheel is a place I had visited earlier when we had visited The Hilton for some Bank function. A rough idea was available but accessories like maps were always helpful and on request I did get them too. I also called up the restaurant and got detailed directions. So when Chaitali asked me regarding journey time estimates I was reasonably confident of our STD and ETA.

There are these highways and Ring Roads that criss cross Kuwait and divide the city into four sided polygons. So you have parallel roads running north to south and east to west dissecting each other at planned intersections. From Jabriya I took the 40 Expressway and turned right at the 212 intersection and landed up straight at the Coastal Road. Another right turn, a bit of traffic jam and then I could see Centrepoint on my right. Mughal Mahal was situated just behind it. We were getting a bit late and Chaitali was already getting a bit tense. But then God willing, we just made it before the hosts and that was that.

The group was a motley crowd of 13-14 people and we were allocated the Divan-I-Khas the size of which an Emperor would blush at. It barely accommodated us and actually it turned out to be cozy little place for a close group function where decibel ranges could go up and not annoy the other guests in the restaurant.

Buffet was the decision, after the scouts inspected the spread and convinced us about it. The spread was indeed elaborate. The salad section had at least 12 verities catering to both Indian and Arabic tastes including hummus to Russian salads to typical Indian versions. There was a Lentil Soup and a Chicken Sweet Corn and I picked up the latter. I also picked up some dry items like the Fried Prawns, Fried Fish, The Iranian Mutton Kebab (basically kaftas or seekh kababs) and some Chicken Tikka. They were all good except I thought that the Tikkas were a bit dry and the Mutton Kebab should have been spiced up a bit. The fish and prawn were both excellent.

It was a buffet and therefore any number of visits to the food station would not raise eyebrows and therefore off I was for my second round. The Noodles were average but the both the chicken teriyaki and schechuan chicken were quite positive for the palate.

I switched over to the India selections next. We had ordered some Garlic Nan. The Dal (Thick Lentil preparation) was fantastic and the other items like Kofta (Gourd Balls in Curry), and Rogan Josh (A Kashmiri preparation with lamb) were good too.

The Dessert section had a number of items and I personally proffered the Baklava and the Khuya Barfi (Sweetmeat made from evaporated and solidified milk). The Gulab Jamun was average and so was the Ras Malai.

Over and all the food was good and if you ask me If I was willing to traverse the distance yet again the answer would be yes. It’s difficult to get good Indian food and I somehow liked the fare here even against their other branches in Kuwait. If you are thinking about Indian Food and then if the Mughal Mahal chain interests you, then a visit to the Fahaheel branch will surely sort of elevate your experience if not maintain it. Sphere: Related Content

Applebees, Gulf Road, Kuwait – Restaurant Review

In India I was used to Ruby’s Tuesday and I used to love that joint more than TGIF. But in Kuwait I was a trifle disappointed with them on some elementary matters and then Applebees came to our notice. I have visited them twice over and would go there for more. Both times I have been there it was during lunch and I think we enjoyed the fare. The location is quite nice beside Le Notre on Gulf Road near the Kuwait Towers. In fact from the restaurant you could see them and perhaps take a nice shot.

Like most other restaurants we were greeted by a plethora of Filipino hostesses. We asked for a table with a view and thankfully got one. The table hostess was very polite though she as trained, rattled off the soup course which we were absolutely not interested in.

In our first visit we had take the TRIOs that was a mixture of burgers, pastas and steak. This time we ordered for the tortilla artichoke dip, which was awesome. Each of us decided on our own courses viz Ribs and Steak, Mushroom Steak and Pastas. On the side we also had some Mozarella Sticks. A free dessert followed this, consisting of chocolate cake, hot sauce and vanilla ice cream.

The meals were excellent and we could not finish and ask them to pack up the remnants. If you haven’t yet made it to the Applebees, I suggest you should. But do select your item carefully! It should match with your mood.

Sphere: Related Content

Golden Chopsticks, Shaab, Kuwait - Restauranmt Review

Finding a Chinese Restaurant serving authentic food is always a challenge and then when we encountered Golden Chopsticks in Shaab, Kuwait; we were quite pleased with the results. The basic dishes are the best test for most restaurants and this one passed with high scores. The important point to note is that we have not had food in the restaurant since we have always ordered for Home Delivery. I assume that eating live at the restaurant would be a much better experience,

We ordered for some fried rice, crabs and a dry chicken fried dish. They were all excellent stuff. The next time onwards we repeated the fried rice and the chicken and also threw in some sweet and sour stuff. It was a repeat performance. They are jut good. Period.

Go and try them yourselves. If you haven’t as yet, what the hell are you waiting for?

The menu link:
http://www.kuwaitpaperdump.com/food-restaurants/golden-chopsticks-restaurant/ Sphere: Related Content

Asha's, Kuwait - Restaurant Review

Asha Bhosle is one of the renowned playback singers of Bollywood India and has made a major mark in the industry and the minds of the people. She also happens to be the younger sister of Lata Mangeshkar. She is also well known for her controversial relationship with RD Burman, a music director of Bollywood pedigree. But what she is not perhaps well known for in India is about her interests in food. I came to know of this when I came to stay in Dubai and then in Kuwait. She has lent her name to the Food Industry and the results are the chain of restaurants known as ASHA’s. The restaurants typically have Asha’s personal photographs on the wall that are not properly lit. The furniture is Spartan with hues of dark red and orange.


In spite of some warnings from close friends, we decided to try our destiny on a Friday Evening in Kuwait. The menu was elaborate with some typical Indian entrees along with some signature Asha entrees ( her own creations). I was personally quite keen to try her specials rather than treading the oft beaten track. Chaitali was of course in two minds and we sort of hit a balance.


We walked in and were greeted by a host from the subcontinent only to be informed that our table hostess would be a Pilipino who I would assume would be well versed with Indian cuisine other than the clichéd comment on something being spicy or not spicy. It was also a case of true International integration.


The on the house fried South Indian fried appalams(a cousin of the Papad – a roasted lentil thin crust pancake) and some roasted conical papad were served along with some Mint Chutney, Marinated Mango pieces and some Indian pickles. That was good!!


The menu was elaborate with all the typical sections and after major deliberations, with Asha Bhosle’s old Hindi songs playing in the background; we finally arrived at our choice. They were as follows (Asha signature recipes in italics):


1. Safeedi Mutton Kebab
2. Ghar Ka Dal (Homemade Dal)
3. Mutton Vindaloo
4. Prawn Patti
5. Garlic Naan
6. Khurmi Naan
7. Kesar Biryani


The kebab was a flat piece of beaten mutton perhaps marinated with garlic and ginger and then grilled. This entry was passable. I could not figure out the specialty of the Ghar Ka Dal except for the conclusion that perhaps her house cooks the same Dal as we. The Mutton Vindaloo was definitely not from Goa and the Prawn Patti was a disaster. It is basically a Aloo Tiki filled with Prawns , coriander and mint. An aloo tiki is nothing but mashed potato, spiced up, made into flat spheres and shallow fried. That part was fine except that you had to search for the prawns inside.


The Naans were a shame and the Biryani was full of Kesar(Saffron). No, that was nothing positive about it. In fact, just before we ordered for the Biryani the hostess had asked an innocuous question about whether we wanted it to be spiced up. We had agreed and that was my mistake. Typically cooking Biryani takes considerable amount of time and any restaurant that would serve you the dish in about 30 minutes just cannot produce the same. If they are, it’s a big lie!! So the Kesar Biryani too did not pass. Boiled Mutton with fried rice, Saffron Colour and too much of Kewra water is definitely not Biryani!!


So there you go. It was a wasted evening and my suggestion to you is to stay off this place. An overpriced, unauthentic rip off. Sphere: Related Content

IPL 2010

IPL has started again. I have watched all the matches so far. KKR always will be a fav for obvious and unknown reasons. It's genetic perhaps - Bong connection.

Why do then need those semi clad cheerleaders is beyond me? I mean I have no objections to them, but they don't seem to fit in the scheme of things. Maybe they could have given a show in the beginning and the break and at the end!!

Every evening for a month now has been taken care of. The World T20 to follow and after that its the mother of all. FIFA WC 2010. This is a good YEAR!!!! Sphere: Related Content

Caesar's Restaurant - Kuwait

This is the second visit to this joint. I have a simple review for this place:

NOT WORTH IT. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME!!! IT's A DISASTER!! Sphere: Related Content

Al Kauser, Diyafah street - Biryani, Kababs and everything else

There are Biryanis and there are Biryanis. There is a Hyderabadi version, an Awadhi version, traditional Andhra version, Kerala Style, Pakistani style and so on and so forth. Then you have Biryani that is served by restaurants without any background, class or finesse.

To be honest with you, I like my Biryani light. It should not be heavy with Spices, a lot of flavour and aroma, smooth meat cooked right and cooked on Dum. In India, I feel the best biryani is served by Karims am extremely famous eating place near Jama Masjid, Delhi. I of course like Kababs and the Kakoris and Galouti are good at the Great Kabab Factory.

In Dubai, I have been trying out a variety of Kababs and Biryanis , but then I found the best the other day when we ventured out to Diyafah Street. First let me tell you about the food.
We ordered for Verki Paratha which was served hot and along with came Kakori Kababs to die for. The Galouti was even better and they just melted in our mouth. Biiryani was served in a Earthen Vessel that was sealed with dough and believe me, it was awesome.

We enede with Phirni. Well, we packed all that we ate so that next day's lunch was taken care of. So, don't think too much. This the place for Awadhi cuisine!!!

I don’t need to go to Kabab Roll(reviewed earlier); this is the place for me. You should try and I am sure you will agree with me that The Great Kabab factory in Dubai has to learn something from these guys. The name of the restaurant is Al Kauser. I have had their food in Delhi, but the Dubai branch is excellent I am not going for Indian Non Veg anywhere else!!!

P.S.

Biryani – Biryani in Farsi means 'fry before cooking'. To make Biryani, mutton is fried in ghee and par-cooked (Cooked half way). Separately, the Rice is fried in Ghee, and par-cooked (Cooked half way). The rice and meat were layered (cluster of rice on top of cluster of meat) in a cookware called Handi. The Handi is sealed with dough. It is Dum cooked (baked) on low heat. Sphere: Related Content

Bombay Tadka in Dubai : An evening of Parathas, Biryani and Kulfi

While most of Dubai vouch for Paratha King in Karama for Parathas( Indian Pancakes made of wheat flour, a lot of times stuffed with Veggies or Minces) I did not like the experience too much. Perhaps when nothing is available, the one that you get becomes so dear to the heart. Or at least, that was my conclusion.

Then I visited this place called Bombay Tadka. The food has nothing to do with Mumbai, the menu is Spartan, but then this place is for repeated visits.

These guys make awesome parathas. The ones on offer are, Aloo(Potato), Dal Palak(Lentils and Spinach), Mooli(Radish), Gobi(CauliFlower) and Keema(Mutton Mince). Served hot, you cannot stop at one. I left out the special for the last. They have something called the Aloo Anda Paratha. So after the potato stuffed Paratha is done, the chef takes a knife and makes an insertion In the paratha and shoves in a beaten egg. The end result is fantastic. All parathas come with raita(diluted yoghurt with herbs, there could be many variations!!) and a chilly pickle.

Bombay Tadka also serves Mutton Biryani and it’s awesome. There is RaJma Chawal that I am told is good and of course you have the Kulfi as dessert if you choose so.

Bombay Tadka is situated in the Food Court of Lulu HyperMarket that is situated beside Mall Of Emirates. Rakesh Puri, the renowned chef is the promoter and trust me he is doing a great job. Avoid the Kababs. That’s a disaster. Overall rating for the food would be an 8 out of 10!! Sphere: Related Content

My Kind of Pizza

No matter what the original looks like in Italy, I started having Pizzas way back and that too in India. Those days you did not have the large international chains and therefore were entirely dependent on the home grown pizza restaurants. In fact in Kolkata there was only one joint serving Pizzas somewhere in Park Street. When I was in Delhi, I was introduced to the Nirula's Chain of outlets and we used to wait for any sundry occasion to either visit of call for a Pizza. Later on the international chains started coming in and we started sampling the Pizza Huts and Dominos.

My maximum no of Pizza consumptions took place while I was in Korea and that too mostly from Pizza Hut. Then somebody introduced Papa John's and I thought that the latter was a trifle better. In Dubai I have had Pizzas from the international chains as well as local restaurants. Pizza Hut is quite common all over town, while you would find Papa Johns too. The other day I located Dominos in Deira but still do not know whether they home deliver or not.

Now back to the topic itself, the kind of pizza I like is quite similar to most of you. Should be hot and there should be lots of cheese. Now there are two more specifications that I look for and they are the quantum of hotness and how crispy they are. In fact I prefer thin crust pizzas with lots of jalapenos, pepperoni and mozarrella on a pesto base. Fried buffalo wings as accompaniment and a can of acid errr.. Coke would do good!!! The best Pizza I had in Dubai is from a restaurant named Garden and this is not the one beside Ravi in Ghusais. This is somewhere inside AL NAHDA 2. Next time I will remember to post the address and contacts of this place. Satisfaction is guaranteed. Do try their pastas too. Good Stuff. 8 out of 10!!! Sphere: Related Content

The Great Kabab Factory, Dubai

I still remember the first visit to the Great Kabab Factory in Delhi about 10 years back. The concept was novel, the food was delicious and the service was impeccable. Since then they have opened new outlets in Greater Delhi and all our sojourns to these places were fantastic experiences. So when we heard and read about GKF in Dubai, the brain cells processing food taste became active and we were looking for an opportunity to sample the overseas fare.

So we did a fair bit of review and then off we went to Dubai Mall on a Saturday evening. Let me explain the concept at GKF. Basically it’s a sit down Buffet that means food is served on an unlimited basis at a pace and sequence of your desire. So a typical offering would be six types of Kababs (Non Veg or Veg and you need to choose your stream upfront!!). Two types of Dal, a vegetable and Indian Breads would be served. There would be a Biryani and the evening would end with a dessert. In the beginning there would be some salad too. Soft beverages and water is charged separately. A meal for one costs about 125 AED.

We were served the following:

Salad : Lettuce, Pineapples, Cucumber with a tangy mustard dressing. This was good and we had a repeat at the end of the meal.
Kababs : First to arrive was the Galouti Kabab. This is made of Mutton Mince that would almost melt in your mouth. It was served hot and was delicious. I was not impressed with the Ulti Tawa ke Paratha(wheat flour dough pancake roasted with oil on a reversed flat pan). The taste was insipid and nothing to talk about.
Then arrived the Chicken Kabad which was napped in good Indian spices and this was nothing to talk about. The meat was not smooth and rather fibrous.
The third on the agenda was I suspect hammour napped in coriander and mint sauced and deep fried. This fish was exquisite.
` Next in line was a Garlic Chicken Boti. Small cubes of chicken breast marinated with Garlic, Yoghurt and other spices and then grilled. This was unimpressive too. I reckon the marination was not properly completed and therefore the chicken was not soft.
The fifth was a Mutton Burra which means marinated mutton chops grilled in a tandoor (An Indian oven). The mutton was not well done and was tough.
The sixth was a Chicken Seekh Kabab that was again insipid and underdone.
Breads: The variety of Breads that were served was:
1. I have already talked about the Ulti Tawa ke Paratha.
2. There was some Nan which was not bad.
3. The Sheermal was a disaster. I have never seen such terrible Sheernal being served in a restaurant leave alone our previous GKF experiences. (A special type of Kashmiri Roti, Sheermal is special sweet bread prepared using yeast. It is made of wheat flour, sugar, butter and milk, flavored with saffron. This bread is about 20 cm in diameter, 2 cm thick, and the crust is covered with sesame seeds. It is usually baked in traditional tandoor.) It was oily, and had no taste whatsoever.
4. The Saunf (Fennel) flavoured Bakarkhani (a Sheermal derivative-popular in Dhaka) was good. The first piece was hot and fabulous. The repeat was cold and underdone!!
Dal : The two lentil dishes were good. One was a Yellow Dal while the other was a traditional Dal Makhni.
Biryani : The first time I was served only rice and that was cold. On pointing out the flaw, the waiter had to get a proper refill with pieces of meat too. This was unpardonable.
Dessert: There was a choice of Mung Dal Halwa, Firni and Gulab Jamun. The Firni had not set properly and was not creamy. The Mung Dal Halwa was passable.


In the beginning as soon as we entered the restaurants a smart alec waiter tried to veer us toward this notice board where the menu is written and the concept explained. I did not like the way we were greeted in the sense that he should have politely explained us his objective for taking us in front of the board and then done the deed. Assuming that people are unaware, uneducated and unintelligent is not a good sign. Things can be done better. Perhaps when one sits down you could come to the table and explain the whole deal.


The ambience left much to be desired but I give the benefit of doubt since this was part of a food court. But then your charges are un-food court like and I would demand and expect a more cosy atmosphere.


Food needs to improve a lot especially compared to our Delhi experiences. Quality sometimes comes at a price but then when you pay that price you must get that quality. My overall score with the baggage of my older GKF experiences would be a 6 out of 10. If I remove the baggage I would add another 0.5 to the rating. Will I take a guest to this place for a meal? In the current circumstances it’s a No. If you are willing to pay and try out this place please do go ahead at your own risk. The bottom line has to change before I venture back here. Sphere: Related Content

A Fishy Experience - Bu Qtair, Umm Sequim, Dubai ( Opposite Fishing Village)

The catch of the day were Sherry, Black Pomphret and Jhinga(Prawns). Two fish and one Crustacean napped in Malabari/Kerala Spices all ready to be fried. We stood in queue in the small portacabin and waited patiently for our turn. You need to point out the fish and quantity in terms of the metric weight system and then patiently wait outside.

The tables are arranged for you on the sand. The cool sea breeze, the Burj Al Arab view and the hot fish…feels and sounds good. We were five of us and everybody enjoyed their fill.

My take was as follows:
a) The oil was toxic after repeated use and that’s an issue.
b) The fish were over fried and therefore became burnt and carcinogenic.
c) The spice was not spicy in terms of flavor and hotness.
d) Salt was not adequate.

If you really insist, I might take you there or accompany you but would like to try some excuses to avoid the sojourn. A lot of people do come to this extremely popular joint and who am I to judge their preference; but then I have some reservations as mentioned above. My ranking would be a 5 on 10. Suggestions could work wonders for this place but I might charge some consultancy. Till such an event I reckon you are on your own as far as Bu Qtair is concerned. Sphere: Related Content

Bait Al Mandi, Dubai

This is in AL Rigga Street. Try out the Chicken Mandi. Its excellent. The mutton one is not all that good. The rice in the Chicken version is better too.

Mandi by the way is a sort of Pilaf that I am told originated in Yemen. It's a base of flavoured rice with nuts and spices and chunks of meat. The chicken is served whole.

Try it. You will like it. If you want the chicken a bit more spicy, then at home you coud fry up the chicken in ghee with some more red chilly or black pepper and dash of lime would do good. Sphere: Related Content

Rolls - Dubai

The pronunciation is quite the same as the much renowned car but here we are talking about food. I am talking about Kabab Rolls a small nice humble dine in cum take away joint off Al Wasl Road. Gourav from eatingoutdubai.com would direct you like this:

Heading towards Bur Dubai on Al Wasl Road cross the Safa Park Signal and you would come across the Emarat Petrol Station on your right. Take the next right (Emirates Post Office at the other side when you turn) and then again take the first right. Carry on and you would come across a small market place amongst the villas on your left. The joint is on the behind. Instead of stopping here you could also go along further on the road, the road curves left and then you take the first left and you are at the back of the market.

Try the Bihari Rolls or the other varieties. The Biryani is good, the sheekh kabas(ask them not to burn them up) are nice, the keema very good and so on and so forth. Try it. You will come back for more for sure. 7.5 out of 10!!

(A Parantha is wheat flour dough flattened (round shape) and pan fried before roasting them a bit. Place the kebabs and some onions, lime juice, small shredded green chillies on the parantha and roll up into a cylindrical shape). Sphere: Related Content

Good Food List - Dubai

Chapli Kabab at Afghan Khorasan (AL quoz and Deira I think)
Sheekh Kebab at Daily Restaurants (Karama and Qusais)
Steak Sizzlers at Yoko, Karama
Fish preparations at Fish Market, Regent Palace
Tandoori Rotis at Ravi Restaurant
Dal Makhni at Garden Resturant, Al Nahda 2
Java Chicken at Wok Inn Karama
Jalebi at Bikanerwala
Roast Beef at Lulu’s Take Away Counter
Panner Tikka at Kamat
Hyderabadi Biryani at Travancore, Karama
Beef Fry at Super Kids, Karama
Iddiyapam at Saravana Bhavan
Dosa at Kamats
Chicken at Nandos
Hummus at Karam Beirut, Mall of the Emirates
Fish and Chips at Food Court Deira City Center
Doughnuts at Krispy Kreme, Food Court. Deira City Center
Classic Burger at Chillis
Any burger at Burger King
Medu Vada at Venus Restaurant
Rolls from Kabab Roll, near EMPOST, OFF AL WASL ROAD(near old Belhasa)

....and more to come. Sphere: Related Content

Fish Market : Regent Palace Hotel Dubai

Perhaps the Time OUT Dubai food critics have not been given any invitations and therefore you don’t find the mention of this restaurant anywhere. A friend suggested the other day that this is one place we should visit since a promotion was on. You just needed to spend 110 AED for all you can eat.
We reached the hotel and found quite a few arrivals already occupying their respective tables. The hostess showed us ours and we were well set for the proceedings to start. You basically had to go this large counter where all varieties of fish are kept, just like in a fish market shop. Select the ones that you want and they would pick them and provide you recipe options. You select and walk back to your table and perhaps while enjoying your starter drink the food would start to arrive.
We had mussels, prawns, kalamari, crabs, hammour, salmon and also some rice and noodles to go along. It was an excellent experience and you must try it without falling into the timeoutdubai –only-five-star-food-good trap.
This hotel is opposite the Burjuman Center and the restaurant is on the first floor. Good Stuff!! Sphere: Related Content

Karam Beirut - Lebanese Food in Dubai

Karam Beirut

Week before last we were in the Mall of Emirates and somebody suggested that since we were getting late for dinner why not have some Lebanese food and then head for home. Karam Beirut was an option and as usual it was a long walk in the Mall to reach the place. Its absolutely at the corner overlooking the fabulous ski slope(Dubai has this indoor huge ski park with actual snow!!!)

Thankfully we had done our reservation (getting a table for nine may sometimes become difficult) and on arrival we were gently ushered to our tables. The usual Hommos/Hummus was of course on the cards, but then we ordered for some other exquisite stuff. The starter in the form of a laban drink( butter milk - sort of liquidised yogurt) was excellent with the specific gravity being just right. The flavoured rolled vine leaves were not bad and the group liked it. The sheesh kebabs with pista filling were exquisite. The hummus were smooth and nice and when accompanied with the fresh breads it was a high. The meat balls in a yogurt based gravy were good too. We did not have place for dessert but I recommend that you should visit this place. Some of the reviews in magazines have talked about insipid service but frankly I disagree with that view.

So next time you are in doubt, just zero onto Karam Beirut for a taste of Lebanon in Dubai!! Sphere: Related Content

Why I love going to IKEA, Dubai!!!

I have visited IKEA with Tinni and Tisha about thrice so far and our experience has been wonderfully mixed!! The furniture is of course there but because of the DIY concept perhaps the beds and stuff are not so sturdy when they finally reach shape. I may be wrong, but its the misc items in that store that really makes your mind to think and then BUY the stuff. There are lots of useful nick nacks and you would realise their utility or value only when you see them. The store is quite well spread out but the staff are of mixed quality in terms of responsiveness. In fact, the meeters greeters at the entrance are quite ''not willing to help'', answering in monosyllables and stuff. Maybe I met the wrong ones!!!!

As usual most of the items are made in that beloved country of ours...what else...CHINA!!! It seeems that the rest of the world has stopped producing anything. I am sure Air Arabia is waiting for the day when China starts producing Air Planes.

By the way, did you know why I love going to IKEA. Not for its furniture, rather for the Grilled Salmon at the Cafe. That's a must and I discovered that its no point churning that up at home. Visit Ikea and have your fill of your recommended Omega 3!! Sphere: Related Content

Indian Restaurants in Seoul

Indian Restaurants in Seoul :

Do I have a catering degree? Is my sense of taste like an average person or is it something terribly unique? There could be more questions on me qualifying for writing about Indian food in Seoul. But then I guess this is my space and who cares after all. So here goes my piece. To set the base right let me explain that I understand a fair amount of cooking and I have had my decent share of eating out.

One of the first Indian restaurants I visited was Ganga (I hear its owned by a Bengali – I am one too – for Non Indians: I will explain this concept later). Ganga is located in the basement of Seoul Finance Centre, a perfect up-market area, where you find a plethora of upscale restaurants. As soon as you enter a Korean Hostess would greet you and assign you the relevant table depending on the number of people. It’s a dark brown atmosphere, if you know what I mean. The chairs, the tables and the décor are dominated by that color. When you look up, you see those big pipes intertwined and carrying water or gas or what have you. You immediately know that this is the basement of a large multistoried building. Those pipes by the way are painted and now form part of the décor. Then comes the menu. The prices are exorbitant to say the least and therefore let me concentrate on the food. We ordered Barbecued Prawn, which was marinated with a tangy Indian Masala (spice mix). That was pretty good and I enjoyed each time my teeth bit into the soft meat. Then came the Nan (Indian Bread) which was soaked with so much of butter that you could perhaps take some of the latter some home for next day’s morning breakfast. The Black Dal (Boiled Black Lentil with Indian seasonings) was disastrous and perhaps they had no cream in the kitchen. We had ordered for two Curry Dishes: One a Paneer Makhani (Cottage Cheese in a Tomato Butter Sauce spiced up with Ginger and Fenugreek) and the other a Chicken something. which I do not remember. How do u make two dishes identical? This art would be easily explained to you by the hundreds of chefs working in the hundreds of Indian restaurants all over the world. It’s quite a simple process. Prepare basic gravy consisting of tomato, onions, coriander powder, cumin powder and some Indian spices and keep. Keep your vegetables, or Cottage Cheese or Meat boiled and ready. No matter which dish you order they would just mix them up and serve. No wonder they all taste the same. So Ganga? 4 out of 10!!!

Taj in Myong-dong, the fashion district of Seoul. That was my first visit to an Indian restaurant in Seoul. Under duress I have been there a couple of more times. My humble suggestion to you? Stay away!!! They have this same problem of similar tasting dishes. Additionally, they make them sweet. After all Kashmri Rogan Josh cannot be sweet. They also manage the colours well. All dishes look the same!! I guess they are an ISO 9000 restaurant. Stick to the process!!!! 3.5 on 10!!

Chakra in Itaewon and Hannam Dong and some other places. The South Indian Dishes here are not bad but if you opt for the buffet make sure you are in time. If you were late all the gravy would be diluted with water. That’s there idea of filling up the containers....ahem...coffers. 4.5 out of 10 but purely because of the South Indian spread. “Dal” I have talked about earlier and it’s a nice and cosy joint. Finally, this is a restaurant, which would earn a little respect in whatever they churn out notwithstanding some blemishes. 6 out of 10.

Other than this there are quite a few of them and I will talk about them as I encounter each one. By the way, I always wonder about the Indian Samosa being treated as a starter in Indian dinners. Where are the Tikkas and Kebabs? They are there, but the samosas seem to be a hit. But who said that the world isn’t quirky. So where do I get good Indian food in Seoul. The Indian homemakers (colleagues wives) are there and thank god for them. And there are some colleagues too who can give those restaurateurs a run for there money. I rather visit them for a good Indian meal than waste time buying an expensive untrue Indian dish. And of course I have my own kitchen, for producing good items and if they are bad I can always blame it on myself.

A commentary on "Chakraa" is available here : http://seouldays.blogspot.com/2006/03/friday-evening-at-chakraa-itaewon.html

I visited "DAL", why don't you? : http://seouldays.blogspot.com/2006/02/lazy-sunday-talk-sunday-has-arrived.html Sphere: Related Content

A lazy Sunday in Mapo, Seoul

Lazy Sunday Talk
Sunday has arrived with its bag full of woes as talked about in my earlier piece. But I am trying to keep my calm and looking at ways to make sure that it’s not so bad. Sunday is also a day for chores for me and I cleaned up my pad properly and also cooked. I cooked some Sambar (lentil and vegetables South Indian style) and some cauliflower/potato Indian style. And I have kept the chicken to be done in the evening. Bikram’s (a colleague of mine) long distance friend shared this recipe with me over the telephone.

Next I started searching for a movie to watch on the net and taking a decision on that is a tough one what with all the crappy movies going around. I zeroed on to "Water" a Deepa Mehta film and that’s what I will watch later in the evening. The other urge was to get out of home and go and watch the escapist "Firewall"(Harrison Ford) but then I decided against. Keep that for another day.

If you didn’t know, I can see the Han river (partially) from my pad and somehow it always has a calming effect on me. I like flowing water and that gives me some sort of direction. Mind you also like the sea, because the waves have their own influence on me. I had gone to the riverside a few weeks back when it had snowed and temperature was hovering at -13 degrees Celsius. The river was actually a sheet of still ice while the water flowed beneath the transparent ice. It was a visual I will not forget and I cursed myself for not getting along my camera. Looks like it would be a good idea to invest in a small digital so that it can stay with me all the time.

While I write and perhaps this happens to some, all sorts of events or ideas float around and attack my mind cells and I sometimes wonder as to which one I should pick up for another paragraph of senseless words. I envy the writers on how they maintain their sequence and threads while they weave their stories.

I have been working here for some months now and I do notice how Koreans behave or act. One of them is about the "short run". Sometimes you would find Korean women - mostly middle aged to the young trying to reach a short distance in a hurry. They would run but perhaps when I explain the "running" you would appreciate my point. The "run" would basically mean dragging the feet so that each leg covers roughly one foot of distance and before you complete one step the other leg has started. So a total two steps would cover approximately one and a half feet of distance while projecting that you are in a hurry. If you were walking normally you would reach the same distance in exactly the same period of time.

Last week I had been to an Indian restaurant named Dal. It’s in an area called Anguk situated in the ground floor of Art Sonje Centre. Some people confuse the same with Sejong Art Centre in Kwanghamun. I had heard about this joint earlier but this was my first visit, not that I frequent Indian restaurants - but that’s another story. I was of course eagerly awaiting to try out the "DAL" dishes and when the first appetizer came by way of a Salted Lassi (diluted whipped yoghurt with sugar or salt along with a selection of indian herbs and spices), which then you sip with a straw or perhaps drink it up. There was some papad (mashed lentil crusty pancake - fried or roasted). We had some Nan (Indian bread made of fermented flour) with Lamb Masala (meat in a spicy curry) and Prawn Masala. There was a cauliflower/potato Indian combo and Spinach with Cottage Cheese (Palak Paneer). The Palak Paneer spices were typically same as when you make a "Kadai" (a type of Indian recipe with defined ingredients and administration) item. However considering the other places I have been to in Seoul, this was definitely shades better and I would with my rather tough standards would rate it as 6 on 10. I shall cover Indian restaurants in Seoul in a later piece and there perhaps I will explain my stance though I am no Inderjit Kalra (Food Expert) or for that matter Vir Sanghvi (Editor, Hindustan Times and Food Critic). Sphere: Related Content