Food Philosophy

"Anybody can satisfy your hunger. But, to satisfy the eater's heart, that's where lies the gift of a great cook"- A dialog from the Malayalam movie, Ustad Hotel.

I was debating where to blog this line which pretty much struck the right chords with me at all possible levels. The debate was whether to post this in my other blog which is more philosophical or whether to post it here, as this blog deals with food and everything related to it! So, as you reading this in my food blog I guess my decision is self explanatory.

Now, Coming to the reason as to why I'm blogging this in the first place. The saying in the opening lines of this blog, That's what drew me into blogging about it. It's true isn't it? Everyone cooks, some do it out of passion, some do it for a livelihood. But, according to me cooking is one of the noblest deeds one can do in this world. When you take it to the next level, you realize that cooking for someone surpasses everything. It overlooks gender, color, caste, creed, disease and just about anything. After all, we do what we do to earn our bread and butter isn't it? It is thus for a reason the old wisdom says we earn our bread and butter, not our iPhones and Lamborghinis perhaps!

I keep telling my friends and colleagues at work on certain days when I see what's on offer I don't feel good. In fact, I'm truly irritated and annoyed. This is not to state that I'm not thankful for the morsel of food on my plate, but, this has more to do with my happiness. Yes, seeing wonderful food neatly arranged in my plate not only makes me more hungry but very honestly makes me a really happy person. Have you guys experienced the same as well?

This leads me to another thing, the thing I write about in my blog. What? The ambiance. Is ambiance really that necessary? For starters, think about the food you get in a swanky 5star restaurant and the one roadside restaurant or maybe just a hotel. Does eating in ambivalent lighting and A/C make the food tastier? Hell NO! I've an experience to warrant this reaction. I once had pasta arabiatta from one renowned 5star restaurant in Bangalore. Very expensive food. And, in the end I had to eat the breads and water in order to fill my stomach. I was completely disappointed. But, when I had food for probably lesser than a 100th of the pasta in the 5star restaurant, I was happy and content. The reason for this is simple, perhaps the cook in the smaller restaurant did this out of love and the one in the 5star did it purely for money. Maybe. Maybe Not.

This leads to another amazing discovery of mine, again explained in the movie from which the opening lines were quoted. This was something to do with the scene where a milk-less tea was prepared. This milk-less tea is the famous "Sulaimani tea" the scene explained that "little bit of love(mohabbat*) should be added in every 'sulaimani', when we have that the whole world would come to a standstill." Now, I've experienced this kind of serenity. When? Read on.

I can give you the recipe and the ingredients for the best dish in the world, but the feeling in your heart while making it is what that will make it truly lickable. Now, do you realize why Mom's food taste the BEST in the world? I would say, it's simply because she prepares it with utmost love for her child. I feel that kind of serenity most times when my mom makes the cardamom tea. That's an absolute special!

I can go about explaining more about this feeling, but right now, I leave it to you, my dear readers to just close your eyes for a few minutes and think about the best meal you've had in your life. And, then you can sense that smile coming on your face. The moment of happiness. It is said that man is greedy for more. Give him anything and he can't have enough, but give him a heartful of good food, and he would have to say enough and he would be truly satisfied.

It is kismat (fate) that made me come up with this blog and kismat that made me love food so much, I don't know if it's in my kismat to ever prepare a great dish one day, but I truly hope and pray that i get to eat much of soul food as possible.

*mohabbat is love in hindi/urdu.

Notes :

1. I should go find where I would get sulaimani tea in Bangalore. I hope to write a review about it one day. 
2. I have a few reviews in my draft which only kismat will tell if I would ever publish them.
3. It's 11pm in the night, and I feel like eating something really awesome. Can't wake up mom now though.
4. Everyone should resolve to feed at least one hungry person in their life.

This was blogged listening to assorted Sufi songs and the dialogs from the movie in the background.

California Pizza Kitchen

Well yeah, Its been awhile since I last posted. My apologies! Been a rough year this one. But yes,

Okay so, certain things haven't changed have they? My melodrama being one of it! Okay, for all those who missed me "a biggg hello from me" and all those who haven't missed me "pfft" <yes i'm sticking my tongue out>

Now, getting right down to business, the California Pizza Kitchen or CPK (as it's otherwise known as) that i went to is situated in Indiranagar, 100 ft road, Bangalore, quite close to KFC and even more closer to the KTM showroom.  

The place looks quite exquisite from the outside. A huge glass facade and extremely modern looking furniture. Yes, it screams out "I am expensive". But is it? Let's find out.

My friend and I walk inside, we're greeted by really friendly faces (+1 to the service already), and i decide that instead of the ground floor, it'll be great to get a view from the top! So, we go to the First floor and there's a huge couch and we make ourselves comfortable there. I was checking out the ambiance and boy was I impressed! I was particularly impressed with the cutlery, its these small things that make the customer realize he's in the right place. 

After a few moments of discussion we place our first order. A starter.

The Broccoli Soup : A cream-less veg soup garnished with home made garlic and herb croutons.

I'm a major fan of the Broccoli, it definitely must be considered an aphrodisiac. No really. Well, so this amazing vegetable cooked as a soup, it definitely is a Winner isn't it? Yes. The soup was green in color and well, it smelled delicious and the first sip of this soup transported me to another world. Let's call this world for now as "heaven". The soup was simply superb. It was so nice, that for the first few minutes<read half the bowl> I forgot that I had to go through my customary routine of adding salt and pepper to the soup. There was also a surprise element for me. What? Well, I hate croutons <a.k.a bread crumbs> but this, This was something else. The herbs in it definitely were magical. The soup did taste like it had cornflour in it, and it definitely added flavor to the soup. So, as of now, score is (+2).

I then realized, We'd to order the main course and I need to order something to drink with my main course. I ordered the,"Green Apple Flavored Lemonade"

A refreshingly amazing lemonade with very little ice <the operating word here being "very little"> This cooler was exactly that, a cooler. Loved the taste of it. And, what's amazing about it was that it wasn't diluted and due to which the flavor of the green apple was retained. I strongly advocate you to pick this up when you do go there. Score now (+3).

By this time, my stomach was just getting ready for the feast. For the main course I ordered the,
*Thai Curry Veg Pizza*

There is a really good reason as to why the name is enclosed between stars. Yes, i hope you guessed it right for your own sake! THIS PIZZA IS A STAR. The ingredients of this pizza are, grilled red & yellow pepper, spicy green chilies, Mozzarella cheese topped with fresh cilantro.

Hurry for the Thai Veg Curry pizza!

Trust me its not the photographer's skill that's making this pizza look this YUMMM. Feast your eyes on some more of these mouth watering snaps

It was a thin crust pizza and frankly I'm not a huge fan of the thin crust, but this time, I was as glad, as glad can be that I ordered for a thin crust. The time taken to deliver the pizza was like 20 Minutes. But, It was worth a lifetime's wait. First bite, and it was purely magical. Food definitely can make a person content and at that first bite, I can vouch even for my friend, we SURELY were the two of THE MOST content people in the world.

The curry on the pizza was just impeccable, the peppers kick in the moment you take your bite, it leaves you salivating for more. The green chilies, it was a superb add on. For those who are not too fond of spicy food, this one'll make you fall in love with it. Simply because, the chilies just gave the pizza a more dramatic flavor. The mozzarella cheese surely compliments the rest of the flavors and cilantro (coriander leaves) they just gave the pizza the necessary freshness. Once, you finish the pizza, it makes you wonder, if it is possible to make something so amazing! Well, the Score? I would give (+ 1 Million). This pizza is to die for.

Pricing? A meal for two, would set you back by about 800 Rupees. There is the VAT at around 14% and an additional service charge of 10%. 

Detailed Pricing : 

Broccoli Soup : Rs. 125

Thai Veg Curry Pizza : Rs. 345

Green Apple Lemonade : Rs. 130.

Draught beer and wine is available.For more snaps of the menu, pricing and general snaps, click here.

Now, I certainly don't think there is a need for the "lick-o-meter". But nevertheless, I will stick to the tradition,

: A resounding 5. It definitely is Truly LICKable

Notes :

1. Infinitelooper takes a long time to load.

2. Listening to songs over the headphones is so much more awesome.

3. Its 0038hrs at the time of posting this note. I'm sleepy.

4. I've a SURPRISE in my next blog.

5. I regret staying up this late. Will I wake up early tomorrow? Stay glued to my next post for the answer to this.

Catering Cameo

I never thought I would probably gatecrash someones wedding, but my good friend Ishan Bansal made sure that I've done that in my life. Now, before you all think I'm some criminal, let me clear the air and tell you that I am NOT. Ishan has started his own catering firm and he invited me to taste the food so that I can preview it here. So here goes my first and probably my only review for a catering firm.

To begin with, "It's all about presentation", and boy was it presented well or what. Well, I'm not claiming it could rival the French decorations, but it pleased the aesthetic senses. I couldn't wait long, as I was not only hungry(I starved myself for it), but the food looked yum and the smell of the flavors was also calling out to me.
I addressed it soon enough, and went straight to the Salad counter to take my plate. The arrangement was assorted, the vegetables looked fresh and there was the usual, spring onions, onions, cucumbers, the mixed salad and the fryums and surprisingly there was chilli powder and dried green chilli for the brave hearted. The mixed salad was extremely nice due to the presence of a surprise element in it. The Pineapple. Yes, the pineapple added a distinct flavor to the entire salad set up which is otherwise Balsamic. It was a clever use of the fruit and i would definitely try it out more often.

Then I moved on to the main course, the canopies were distinguished and well marked, so I'd no trouble whatsoever to know what I was eating. I started with a dish labelled "Chatpat Swad" this basically comprises of  mashed potato, cilantro(coriander), its coated with flour and shaped in the form of a ball(much like the aloo bonda), it was good appetizer and it tasted zingy.
Moving on, there was the unmistakable "Paneer Butter Masala". The flavors of masala in this was really coming out and it tasted as good as it smelt, to say the least it was delectable, very pleasing and hardly greasy. With it, I moved to the "Punjabi Tadka", and this was exquisite, the spice content was pleasant and it had the tadka going for it. Now moving on the Indian breads, the "Roti Ghar", they had mixed tandoori roti. A dish that particularly caught my eye was the Methi(fenugreek) poori. It had the trademark green color and looked quite inviting, there was also the naan and tandoor roti, together with the Curries it was quite lip smacking. Now, the thing that I found the best about the Rotis were that, it almost had no oil. It was not greasy at all and I love it that way. Health wise, I think they'll score extra points if I were to mark them. Moving on, I moved on to what was by the look of it, my favorite stall, "Hyderabadi Special" The Veg Pulao, it had the minty green look. I was dying to get my hands on it, but sadly, the build up expected by my taste buds didn't quite match, and I was a tad let down by the Pulao. Reason being, it wasn't spicy at all ( I was hoping to turn into a dragon after I was done with the pulao) but sadly, it went down with a whimper. But, Ishan told me, the reason for that was that, they had asked it to be mild and not that spicy. Fair enough. But deep down in me, I was like, but still...
I'd reached the Last stall by now, it was the "basmati bahaar", "South Indian ka swad". It had white rice, Sambar and Rasam.I'm not a great fan of the south indian food as I get to eat them everyday, but I'd to try this out, and I first started with the Sambar and boy was it good or what. It made me miss Vada. It was Authentic to the "c". Lovely taste, not too heavy. I then wanted to try out Rasam, I'm too choosy and picky and finicky about Rasam. Its like the toughest thing to get right. The flavors have to be true and it shouldn't be dilute. Guess what? It was Ambrosial. Yes, fit for the gods. Loved it. I've never had such good Rasam in a really long time. I was a happy man after I tasted it. It was quite lush with te spices, it really gave out the flavor and it was spicy and hot. With it, i rounded off my main course and headed straight to the dessert counter. I was greeted by a gulab jamun and vanilla ice cream. The combination is a tried and tested one. The gulab jamun was hot and dulcet. It wasn't too sweet, it was just perfect and when it was balled in with the ice cream the taste was quite unbeatable, you really can't go wrong with that.With that, I finished my scrumptious meal.

I wouldn't be rating it on the ambience, neither am I gonna subject it my trade mark Lick-o-meter. But, I would definitely endorse this caterer for the simple reason that this was soul food. It was true and simple, humble and hearty.
The price is on request and also dependent on the choice of cuisine and a tailor made menu.

So, if there is a marriage or a get-together or a party or any function planned and you are in search of a caterer, look no further, this is value for money and I give you my word. I vouch for the food. To contact the owner, here is the phone number, IB Catering Services- (prop.) Ishan Bansal - (0)8951355819
To view his Facebook page and Related photos you can click Here

Kailash Parbhat

A catchy name to attract attention when the whole country is hooked on to the best selling Shiva trilogy. The first  outlet down-south of the famous chain from Mumbai (since 1952), it is slowly emerging as a must-visit during weekend for the North-Indian loving Chennaites. 

Its located in Chetpet atop French Loaf, a few blocks from Shoppers' Stop. A treat for the stomach and no hole in the pocket blended with its pure vegetarian status gives ample reasons for traditional tamizh and sindhi families to have their family gathering at this place.

I went on a special occasion, my mother's birthday and gobbling was the order of the day. The feast began with a course of sweet corn soup which is great. I thought the paneer kebab will give me a high and thats when the dahi puri arrived. Immediately fell in love with the place. Fresh homemade yoghurt and an awesome combination of chutneys took dahi puri to a new level. Later on I learnt that the place is known for its amazing chaats though they are a wee bit expensive. Special buy one get one free on weekdays from 4pm-7pm should be put to proper use.Their speciality is north indian cuisine though they do have a chinese and continental spread. My brother ordered a pizza and to be honest it was good and fresh. Garlic Naan with mixed vegetables and dal makhani compromised a humble main course after the grand opening. The king of a feast who arrives at the fag end, Mr.Dessert occupies a small section of the menu and to my disappointment they had run out of rasmalai that day and had to settle for malai kulfi though I hardly doubt licking the spoon clean is the sort of treatment given to a dish arriving in your plate out of compulsion and not choice. 

Overall a great dining experience for a small price of Rs 500/- per head though must say they can invest on their ambience and convert the place into a beautiful restaurant rather than having this costly but crowded hotel look. Surely a multiple visit place though think twice before taking your date :-) Single visit has given me the confidence to give it a honest not so modest - 

4 out of 5 - "The Plate Cleaned Off" ( Check pic for proof! )

Introducing a New Guest Writer

Hello all, like I'd hinted in my first blog there is a new Guest writer, who would be Authoring for this food blog.

Let me introduce you to Mr.Siddharth Krishna Kumar <Clap Clap Clap>

Yes, this is him and he's currently in Texas, he is a food blogger too, he has a food blog of his own here.
He's been kind enough to contribute to "Hunger Strikes" and help us get a wider range of places where we can satiate our hunger.



So without any further ado I take this opportunity to Introduce and Welcome Mr.Siddharth Krishna Kumar <In my unmistakable Voice> *Ladies and Gentlemen lets have a rousing ovation and welcome him to this blog*
                                                            Let the "Hunger Striiikeeeee"

Tantalizing "TANTO's"

Its the 3rd day of the year 2012 and I've finally decided to officially launch my Food Blog. This, happens to be my First review. So i thought i'll take up a restaurant which i really liked, so this one is a Pizzeria Called "TANTO" in Auroville Pondicherry.

This place was about 15Km from where we stayed. The road to this pizzeria is not all that good, but very very scenic with canopies covering the roads at times. Situated in a man made forest in Auroville, its a large place with a small stream flowing near the pizza baking oven, sadly we guys couldn't get a place to sit next to it. It was quite a large place, with at least 25 tables, the entry to the pizzeria is spectacular, the oven is right at the entrance.

Another fascinating thing about this place was its eco friendly factor, so all you Pro Eco guys out there, you'll give additional brownie points to them for this reason. 




So, after checking out the entire place it was time for us to settle down and as we're a gang of around 12, we decided to sit in the corner of the restaurant. Finally it was time for us to order. And here's where my actual review starts.
The menu card was nothing spectacular, but it was informative.Very. I chose a pizza called as "Earth", now why on earth would i order this? Well, I was having a vegetarian meal with a watermelon juice for the side drink. Maybe that's why. I placed the order and waited.
Meanwhile, my friend ordered for a dish known as "SeaGlobal" and true to its name, it consisted of mainly squids,fish,prawns,parsley. For a sea food lover I'm sure it would look very welcoming. As a by watcher, to me it looked like a carefully assorted by a trained hand worthy of being in the museum! The prawns looked intimidating and eerily alive. The dish was accompanied with french fries, although i'm a huge fan of the fries, these somehow didn't seem to grated to perfection (so there goes the marks for presentation).

This is what the dish looked like. I wouldn't really be able to tell you about the choice of watermelon juice with this dish, but my friend didn't seem to complain and rather was quite happy with it. So i'm guessing its not too bad.




My dish took a good 20 minutes for it to arrive. The presentation was immaculate. And justifying its name, it really was earthy looking. The piping hot pizza was making all the more hungry. And the pizza was colorful. And I love colors, so it looked very inviting.

I'm not a big fan of the thin crust, but after seeing this one on my table, i really didn't mind. And another thing, the pizzas come in 2 sizes, medium and normal. The medium is 8inch and the normal is 12inches. And true to my appetite I ordered the12inch, but after seeing the pizza I must admit, it was quite big. Nevertheless, i took my first bite, and I found the end of the slice i.e, the vertex of the pizza was quite heavy with the cheese, so I did a fine balancing act while having my first piece. I must say, the tanginess of the olive and the hot jalapenos made my first bite a memorable one, and there was a generous amount of cheese topping. Although, i found the sauce a little bland, but i think the other flavors made up for it. But, be sure eat the pizza fast as the crust tends to get very raw, rough and wooden after a point.

The pizza mainly consisted of : Tomatoes, Cheese, Zucchini, Mushrooms, Olives and Jalapenos.
The pizza was quite filling and my advice to you would be to go for the 8inch if your appetite isn't that big. The ambience was quite rusty, we ate outdoors, and although there was the menace of the flies and they were in huge numbers, my friend got quite irritated with that actually, but the flies didn't bother our table much, so i wouldn't complain. There also was a dog (i'm assuming it was a domesticated dog at the place), it was giving my friends company and the dog was quite persistent, it didn't leave until they fed it, some bits and chunks and its persistence was duly rewarded. So, the ambience as such was not a michelin star(ish), but they didn't claim that either. So, i would say it had a fun element to the ambience.


Tantos is not on the expensive side, a normal sized pizza would set you back by around 250Rupees or approx. $5. Thus, a meal for 2 would be around 600-650. No alcohol is served.

So now for the moment of truth, the "Lick-O-meter", if you don't know what it is, its here.
Purely based on the food and the presentation, I would give it

Yes. 4- "The plate Cleaned Off"



This was Blogged listening to What I've done, Time of Your Life, Where is the love, 21 guns, Wake me when september ends.

Etiquette : Not As hard to remember as the spelling

I was thinking that anyway the first post on my food tasting will only be in Jan 2012 (yes, a compulsion of mine, to start it in the new year), so for time being i'll write about one of the biggest dilemmas that dog us, when we go to a suave restaurant that is, which side to keep the plate and which side to keep the glass! Not that it really matters, as anyhow it’s going down your throat. Literally. But yes, a high profile lunch and you are keen to seal the deal and want to impress your client or maybe the love of your life. Here are a few handy tips.

To start with, we have the cloth. Also known as the "Napkin", which i thought was to blow my nose(kidding).

Napkin : Remove the napkin, unfold it and place it on your lap. At some restaurants the waiters might do this for you(remember to tip more if he does). The napkin rests on the lap till the end of the meal. Don't clean the cutlery or wipe your face with the napkin. NEVER use it to wipe your nose! Also,at the end of the meal, leave the napkin semi-folded at the left side of the plate setting. Its inappropriate to leave it on the chair.

When to Start Eating: The moment you see the waiter coming with the food, you definitely shouldn't jump on him. NO MATTER how hungry you are. So when is the right time to start?

 Wait until all are served at your table before beginning to eat.

How to use your Silverware and Dinnerware : This is easily the most complicated part of dining etiquette. Eat to your left, drink to your right. Any food dish to the left is yours, and any glass to the right is yours. A simple way to remember this is, remember bread to the left and drink to the right. i.e, b (left) and d (right). Use the tips of your thumb and forefinger, make circles on each hand. The remaining three fingers in each hand point upwards. Your left hand will form a "b" and your right hand will form a "d".

Starting with the knife, fork, or spoon that is farthest from your plate, work your way in, using one utensil for each course. The salad fork is on your outermost left, followed by your dinner fork. Your soup spoon is on your outermost right, followed by your beverage spoon, salad knife and dinner knife. Your dessert spoon and fork are above your plate or brought out with dessert.

Knife in right hand, fork in left hand holding food. After a few bite-sized pieces of food are cut, place knife on edge of plate with blades facing in. Eat food by switching fork to right hand (unless you are left handed). Also, its bad manners to have your left hand, arm or elbow on the table.

Once used, your utensils (including the handles), must NOT touch the table again. Any unused silverware is simply left on the table.

Here's, a pictorial representation of the same.

General Social and Dining etiquette : Follow the the dress code is requested on the invitation. Never arrive late, be there at least 10  minutes early. If a toast is offered, always join in the toast. Serving tea or coffee signals that the formal party is over. So, you can either leave or linger if the host requests you or mentions it.

Serving Food: This is something I never volunteer to do. But if you are the host and supposed to do so, then remember food is served from the left. Dishes are removed from the right. Butter, spreads, or dips should be transferred from the serving dish to your plate before spreading or eating.

Passing the food : While passing food, do so from left to right. No one is keen to know how your yoga workouts are going on, so avoid stretching across the table. Pass salt & pepper together. Another important point is, pepper shaker has 3 holes on the top whereas salt has only 1. Always use serving utensils to serve yourself, not your personal silverware (no one, is interested in knowing the brand of the toothpaste or the floss you are using).

Eating: Do NOT talk with food in your mouth! This is very rude and distasteful to watch!(and if you talk a lot like me, concentrate on the food or something else. anything else. Just don't talk). Don't blow on your food to cool it off. If it is too hot to eat, take the hint and wait until it cools. Cut only enough food for the next mouthful. Bite only what you can chew. LITERALLY.

It is never acceptable to ask a person why they have not eaten all the food(we Indians in particular love doing this). Don't make an issue if you don't like something or can't eat it(specially making faces.Instead, imagine the choicest 4 letter word people shout out while asking you to keep quiet, practice it in your mind!) 

Also, there are few people who like to eat with their hands, for whatever reason. If you choose to do that, remember however tasty the food, don't lick your fingers. And do not touch anything else. Keep your hands to yourself. 

Table Manners: Okay, this one is going to be a little longer than the rest.

1. Unfold you napkin and place it on your lap as mentioned earlier.
2. Keep your elbows of the table and place your left hand on the lap unless of course you are using it.
3. Guests should do their best to mingle and make light conversation with everyone
4.  Don't clean up spills with your own napkin and don't touch items that have dropped on the floor. You can use your napkin to protect yourself from spills. Then, simply and politely ask your server to clean up and to bring you a replacement for the soiled napkin or dirty utensil. 
5. Do not make loud eating noises. And please DO NOT burp at the table. It’s a SIN.
6. Do not blow your nose at the dinner table. Excuse yourself to visit the restroom. Wash your hands before returning to the dining room. If you cough, cover your mouth with your napkin to stop the spread of germs and muffle the noise. If your cough becomes unmanageable, excuse yourself to visit the restroom. Wash your hands before returning to the dining room.
7. Turn off your cell phone or switch it to silent or vibrate mode before sitting down to eat, and leave it in your pocket or purse. It is impolite to answer a phone during dinner. If you must make or take a call, excuse yourself from the table and step outside of the restaurant.
8. Do not push your dishes away from you or stack them for the waiter when you are finished. Leave the plates and glasses where they are.

Wine: Never turn a wine glass upside down to decline wine. It is more polite to let the wine be poured and not draw attention. Otherwise, hold your hand over the wine glass to signal that you don't want any wine.

Hold your wine glass by the stem, not the rim. And if you need more wine, politely ask for it, do not scream for it (remember we're not vikings anymore).

Tipping Etiquette: This is a widely debated topic. How much to tip? Its a standard practice to tip 10-15% of your bill. Although, I tip as per my liking to how the service was. So, i would leave this to you. And if there is anything not suited to my liking, i voice it out to the manager, that again is subjective.

And IMPORTANTLY there is also a pizza eating etiquette. You eat the pizza with your hand! holding the arc and biting the vertex off! It kills the joy and the taste of eating a pizza if you use the fork and the knife.

So there you go. Happy feasting.

This was blogged this listening to Jaadu Hai Nasha Hai by Shreya Ghosal, Subah Hone Na De from Desi Boyz and We Found Love by Rihanna. (don't ask me why I listened to them. Even If you do, i won't tell you.)