Sass and Butter

Sassy;

Lively, bold, full of spirit, cheeky, saucy, pert, forward

With its trendy décor and French-fusion fare, The Sassy Spoon is yet another restaurant that adds a chic and somewhat European vibe to its Nariman Point neighbourhood in South Bombay.

Opened just 3 months ago by Rachel Goenka, a Le Cordon Bleu trained chef, whose menu flaunts a wide selection of mocktails, cocktails, appetisers, mains and desserts that are described to tempt.

 I've been meaning to visit this restaurant for sometime now and finally managed to get a date with one of the only other people I know that relates to food as much as I do; an old friend that I restaurant hop with every time we get a chance to meet. So off we went to try out this fancy new joint that’s sprung up not too far from us.

The funky restaurant interior definitely impressed us, especially the wall of cool vintage cases and trunks that even hid a perfectly made doorway that led to the adjacent office building and toilets. Infact, when I asked to use the powder room, the waiter cheekily pointed to the wall of suitcases that thoroughly confused me for a minute as I wondered what exactly he was trying to say.

As our smiling waiter who recommended just about everything on the menu lay down the fresh bread basket on the table (I thought the bread basket was a little skimpy, but then again it’s probably better not to fill up on bread), we scanned the list of cocktails which were fairly impressive. We finally agreed on a Lemon with Honey dew and Kafir Lime Martini and a Passionfruit Martini, both of which were bursting with flavour and delicious.

The night started off well and we went on to order a portion of Harissa Chicken that was recommended by the staff and Cajun Butter Garlic Prawns to share as our appetisers. The presentation was way better than the taste, and this was true for most of the food that followed.

The rustic red harissa chicken tasted like tandoori chicken skewers with a dollop of thick, creamy yoghurt. The prawns that were brought in a small sizzling pan, drowned in a Cajun butter-garlic sauce, were slightly undercooked but the melted flavoured butter that we soaked up with crusty French bread was filled with flavour.

For mains we had Spaghetti in Lemon Buerre Sauce and a portion of the Grilled Mustard Chicken.

Although the spaghetti was perfectly cooked and portioned, the butter sauce in the spaghetti overpowered the dish and the overall taste didn't leave much to be desired.

The grilled mustard chicken was cubes of boneless chicken coated in cream with a hint of mustard and scallions. A tasty dish no doubt, but once again nothing to gloat about.

 By this time we were feeling quite full but I insisted we trial the dessert because we had both heard that this was one of the restaurant's specialities. We ordered a Sassy Stack; bite sized pieces of red velvet cake with a cappuccino foam and a Dense Coffee and Chocolate cake; served warm with vanilla ice cream. The red velvet was ummm nice, a bit sweet and the cappuccino foam was just an airy froth of milky flavoured coffee. The dense coffee-choco cake was good but sadly we couldn't get ourselves to finish it.

On the whole the food was over buttered and creamed and not as flavourful as you would imagine, leaving you feeling heavy, possibly until the next day where one would not want to see another stick of butter for a while.

All in all I would say this is a pretty restaurant with friendly staff but not so great food-wise and doesn't really give you any bang for your buck, or should I say bucks as it is quite pricey.

I’d like to end with an answer to the question that was up on one of the walls; "You are what you eat! So what would you be?" After the Sassy Spoon, fat! ;)

Address:

The Sassy Spoon,

Ground Floor Express Towers,

Ramnath Goenka Marg,

Nariman Point,

Mumbai- 400021.

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The Sassy Spoon

Chow Down in China Town!

Ho Sat! And to those less familiar with Chinese, Bon appétit!

“To open a shop is easy. To keep it open is an art” an old Chinese proverb and one that Nelson Wang, one of Mumbai’s most well known Indo-Chinese chefs has managed brilliantly.

China Garden has been around since 1983. Although they shut down their Kemps Corner operation for a few years in the middle, they substituted it by opening a restaurant in Crossroads Mall (now Sobo Central Mall), until they could  move back to Kemps Corner, which is where they are now located. It is one of the only good restaurants left between Worli and Malabar Hill in South Bombay. Infact, it’s probably the only fine dining restaurant in the area that I can think of.

It's been ages since I'd eaten at China Garden and so off I went, with my two best friends from school and oh, what an evening! As we entered it was like we had walked into the ‘Wang’ Dynasty. Lucky Chinese red and gold décor dressed the walls, tables and chairs, along with certificates and accolades of the Wang family for their excellence in food and service. I believe the restaurant business is now run by Wang’s sons, Eddie and Henry, so the family secrets have remained intact and through the years they've gained credibility by feeding many a mouths. Bollywood and Hollywood stars included.

After being comfortably seated, I took one look at the menu and it instantly took me back to school, when we used to scoff down plates of Golden Fried Prawns and Chicken Manchurian to our heart's content. But not this evening, Oh no! This was a far more sophisticated dinner with one of my friends Tara, who lives by the motto Live Light™ (That’s her trademark. She is a nutritionist and health psychologist by trade). 

So it was a vegetable loaded, no oil, no msg, no fried foods evening for us…although we did manage to sneak in an egg fried rice and a fried corn cream, which was delish!

Now although the service started off fairly shaky, Mark the Maitre D' really saved the evening. He was attentive and knowledgeable about the menu and restaurant alike. He gave us some good recommendations and here’s the low down on the food we ordered.

We started the night with a portion of Gin Chicken; spongy, dry balls of shredded chicken flavoured with Chinese herbs and spices, accompanied by a hint of spring onion and coriander to give it a slight Indian taste.

That was followed by a plate of Corn Cream; delicious golden nuggets of a perfectly crisped outer, filled with a soft, buttery centre of creamed corn. 

We also had a side of Green Beans that were stir-fried in a soya based sauce and sprinkled with crunchy bits of garlic.

Then came the mains. Mixed Vegetables in a mild garlic sauce; lightly stir-fried broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, snowpeas and capsicum that came together to form a medley of colours. A dish that was wiped clean by the three of us.

We also finished a plate of Chinese Greens; bright green pieces of bok choy and pak choy in a light soy sauce. Brought a smile to our lips and hopefully not alot to the hips. :) 

The Chicken in black bean sauce was flavourful but not as appetising as it looked; Cuts of boneless chicken swimming in a thick sauce of black bean, garlic and soya. A bit over salted and heavy for our liking.

The Ginger Prawns on the other hand were delicious; Juicy prawns coated with a batter of earthy Chinese spices and a hint of fresh ginger.

Finally, all the dishes were accompanied with a generous portion of Egg fried rice that went down a real treat. Yum!

Mark the waiter was pleasantly surprised to see that apart from the Black Bean Chicken, that we did pack up to take away, we practically wiped out every other dish.

A fun-filled evening where we shared old stories, new updates and definitely good food. A must visit for anyone who enjoys good 'Bombay-Chinese' cuisine.

And with that I’d like to leave you with a little tune that comes to mind, especially for those Monty Python fans out there;

I like Chinese

I like Chinese

Their food is guaranteed to please

A fourteen, a seven, a nine and lychees :)

Address: 
201 Om Chambers,
Ground Floor,
123 August Kranti Marg,
Kemps Corner,
Mumbai - 400026.

Website:
China Garden

Turkish Delight

Merhaba! That’s hello or welcome in Turkish. Yep! I just got back from a fabulous week in Istanbul with my 4 soul sisters. We try and plan a trip every year and we've been on 3 so far :) 

Istanbul, a fascinating city that excites all the senses with what it has to offer. Amongst the beautiful architecture of the mosques, churches, palaces and bazaars that form the city skyline, are the most charming and inviting cafes and restaurants. Let me share a bit of my experience of places to eat at, in and around this amazing city.

Istiklal street is like the Oxford street of Istanbul. The main street and by-lanes are quaintly lined with an array of high street shops, bars, restaurants and food carts and are bustling with tourists and locals alike that were there to eat, shop and just take in a bit of the city.
There, in the middle of the street on the corner of a by-lane was eSmer. A restaurant, although humble in appearance, served up some good, clean, flavourful food. It had a simple but fun atmosphere with pumping pop music and a team of happy and very efficient staff that were eager to please. As we were a very hungry five girls, we quickly grabbed our menus which had a mix of Italian and Turkish items and a few Italian-Turkish options and in no time at all off went our orders and here’s what I chose; Mixed meadballs with salad and fries. Yes, meadballs. Not meatballs, meadballs. I loved it. Five juicy pieces of grilled beef patties served with fries, barbeque sauce and a side salad with a tangy lime dressing. Simple, clean and tasty fast food, Turkish style, done.

A trip to the crowded and very inciting and exciting 541 year old Grand Bazaar is a must. Filled with carpets, jewellery, pottery and a whole lot of trinkets that you have to spend a ton of energy bargaining  for, left us all famished and ready for a good lunch. Nestled in between the shops was a local favourite, Havulzu. I learnt later that Havulzu is the Turkish word for a fountain. An oasis in a sea of shops. A simple dhaba-style restaurant that claimed to serve Ottoman-Turkish food that was displayed in a bain-marie behind a glass counter. You had to choose the dish you wanted from the counter and it was plated, garnished and brought up to the table after you were seated. The atmosphere was chaotic, customers shouting out orders in all languages and waiters that could speak a few words of English trying to make sense of what was happening. Unsure of what we should order, we decided to get a few dishes to share and here is what we got; A serve of a beef lasagne type dish that had a crusty potato and cheese topping served with a squiggle of a spicy tomato-ketchup like sauce, a plate of meat doner that was sliced off the vertical spit onto a plate served with some soggy fries and yoghurt, a mixed mince and vegetable stew and a plate of artichokes. All in all the food was exotic looking but mediocre in taste. Filling but not as flavourful as we had imagined, a place that we wouldn't plan to return to, but worth a one-time visit if you're in the area and hungry.

The local Gozleme was a dish I had been waiting to try. Available in upmarket restaurants and sold on the streets by local hawkers this dish is a Roti type bread, usually freshly made by Turkish women at the venue over an open griddle and stuffed with mince, spinach or cheese. A Turkish paratha of sorts. A mixed spinach and cheese gozleme later I was happy as Larry. Perfectly cooked and seasoned wilted spinach, blended with chunks of crumbly white Turkish feta, stuffed into a pancake like roti. A simple but flavourful dish that’s a must have if your ever in Turkey.

A trip to the Chiragan Palace is highly recommended. Especially for those that want to experience a bit of luxury. The former Ottoman palace is now a collection of the five star Kempinski hotel chain. Situated on the shores of the Bosphorus this beautiful palace was home to a small hotel-owned bar/café overlooking the courtyard that lead to the water. This little bar that offered a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, teas, coffees and Turkish nargile (shisha), served up one of the most delicious hot chocolates I have ever had. Sticks of creamy chocolate were brought in a tall glass mug. The waitress proceeded to pour a small cup of hot frothed milk that just melted the fresh chocolate into the milk to create a little mug of heaven. As the weather was cold and I was freezing, this went down a real treat and for a few minutes I forgot all about the beauty around me and lost myself to the hot cup of melted milk chocolate. Mmmmm!

Ortakoy is a charming little suburb situated on the shores of the Bosphorus, filled with quaint little cafes, restaurants, food stalls and an open market all overlooking the water. Party lovers must visit the chic but expensive night clubs like Reina and Angelique that stay open past 4am for some great music and cocktails.

Our last main meal was eaten at one of the restaurants in the area that was highly recommended and one that I would highly recommend to anyone visiting Istanbul. The House Café. A charismatic, buzzing little hotel cum restaurant, with funky décor, cool lighting and a team of busy and super efficient staff. The café had an extensive menu with a mix of continental and Turkish dishes that were so well described, it just made you drool. After ordering our special lemonades, a popular cold sweet lemon water, flavoured with mint leaves, we were ready to get our mains; Pide and Meatballs, Steak and Mash, Seafood Salad, Sea Bass Risotto and a Pumpkin and Goat cheese Risotto. The dishes were brought out together, perfectly portioned and garnished, ready to be devoured. Each one was more delicious than the next. Spoonful’s of rich, flavourful, cheesy risotto followed by flawlessly cooked succulent bites of meat/fish, teamed with crunchy salad leaves and creamy mashed potatoes. Each mouthful more fulfilling than the next. Just delicious! We scraped our plates clean and ended the night with a piece of rich chocolate cake to share. A sweet end to a really sweet dinner!

While we are on the topic of sweets and desserts, Istanbul is filled with places that satisfy the sweetest tooth. Visit Hafiz Mustafa, a chain of stores that flaunts the local Turkish sweets like: Baklava, thin layers of puffed pastry filled with chopped nuts and sweetmeats and drizzled with sugar syrup with a hint of rose and orange blossom; Halva, a bar with a distinctive crumbly texture made with tahina (sesame paste), flour and honey and often served at the end of a meal with tea or coffee; Turkish Delight, gooey exotic flavoured jujubes dusted with icing sugar. The sweets were displayed in every colour, shape and flavour. Pistachio, almonds, rose, hazelnuts, pink, red, green, yellow, round, square, triangular…I could go on! Each one more ‘delightful’ than the next.

My final recommendation is a place that you just have to visit! A small patisserie tucked away in one of the Istiklal by-lanes, Inci. This little bakery just lures you in. It had the most mouth-watering baked goods on display. From cakes to breads to tarts to savoury rolls, you name it, they had it. The most delicious item that had been freshly made in the kitchen below, were small plate-fulls of profiteroles that had been drowned in thick chocolate sauce…ooh la la! The best part was that as we walked in, little portions of profiteroles were ready and waiting for us, as if the smiling men behind the counter knew what we were there for. We picked up our plates, sat down on the cute little inviting tables and dug into our little gooey balls of soft, sweet choux pastry that just oozed fresh cream and that had been dowsed in a coat of thick, velvet chocolate. Every bite was bliss! Sigh!

Back to the real world and as I sift through the photos that I have and go over the few notes I managed to scribble down while on my trip, I realise that what I have shared is just a snap shot of the sights and flavours that make up the exciting city of Istanbul. One really has to experience it first hand to get an actual taste of what it’s all about.
On that note I bid you adieu and hope that when your back you can share some of your own experiences with me. Şerefe (Cheers)!

In the Beginning

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” - J.R.R. Tolkien

And so it would. Hello world, I’ve finally done it. After years of holding back I’ve finally decided to start a little blog about what I love most…good food and travelling to find it.

I’m not really much of a cook myself but maybe this will encourage me to spend a little more time in the kitchen. Till then I think I’ll satisfy those taste buds with some out of home dining options.

I live in Bombay, a city that caters to a population of about 20 million. Filled with an array of restaurants, cafes and dhabas, one definitely has to scout around to find a place that serves a consistently good meal. 

Let’s start off with a visit to a fairly new kid on the block, Di Napoli. Tucked away in the south side of Mumbai, this little Italian joint serves up a great Naples style pizza.

Started by an ex-investment banker who left behind the high life and travelled to the heart of Italy, only to return as a ‘pizza solo’, a connoisseur of pizzas (yes there really is such a thing) and open his very own little restaurant to share his art with us Bombayites.

I visited the restaurant with a little group of family and friends and after we settled in with a drink and menu’s we proceeded to start our meal with a couple of serves of Bruschetta. A simple yet delicious dish if made with fresh ingredients. Chopped tomatoes tossed in olive oil, garlic and basil served on toasted sour dough bread. Yum! The Di Napoli version was good except that the bread was not what I had imagined it to be, but then for some reason in India you rarely find bread to boast about.

The arugula salad with caramelised pears, almonds and gorgonzola cheese in balsamic, or known on the menu as Insalata di rucola, was a treat on the tongue. The sweetness of the caramelized pears coupled with the spicy arugula and tangy balsamic was just delightful and a salad always makes you feel good, especially when you actually enjoy eating it :)

And then came the Regina Margherita Pizza. Oh what joy! I tucked right in only to remember 3 slices later that I should probably get a picture to go with this blog. A quick click and back to Naples. Soft, stringy balls of melted buffalo mozzarella with rich, red tomato sauce and a sprig of bright green basil…Perfetto!

A full tummy is a happy tummy and we all ended the afternoon ready to head home for a little lie down to digest our luncheon delights.

All in all a great meal and a restaurant that I will definitely be visiting again if only for the Pizza.

Address: 

Di Napoli,

G-2 Dalamal Towers,

Free Press Journal Marg,

Nariman Point,

Mumbai - 400021

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Di Napoli Pizzeria