Out of the couple of hundred books I have on the subject of food, ingredients and cookery, I had never come across one where the subject of onions was dealt with as exhaustively as in Asma’s Indian Kitchen. The author, Asma Khan, London-based founder and cook of Darjeeling Express, who writes in the introductory chapter…
Meeting Chef Francesco Costagli is a revelation because of the refreshing perspective he brings to his kitchen. He was born not far from the village of Castellina in the Chianti region, and Castellina is where his Michelin-starred restaurant is. Costagli’s zero kilometre cuisine is a concept that he has worked on, virtually since the start…
You’ll lose yourself in the mountains Serves: western casual Atmospherics: After a day spent tramping about the city, retreat into the mountains, right in the middle of Greater Kailash Market. The (mostly retro) music is played at a low volume, the lights – that replicate candlelight – are low (you’ll have to use your cellphone…
Turn time back Serves Pan Indian Atmospherics: In Park Inn, built on what was once upon a time known as Vikram Hotel, Anticlock is the courtyard seating of RBG (short for Red Bar and Grill). It is open every evening from 7 pm to 4 am and is essentially a young people’s hangout place, under…
Home away from home Serves Café food Atmospherics: When Sidewok took over the present property next door, the space on the other side of the lift lobby was part of it: close by enough but not contiguous. So, in a stroke of genius, Another Fine Day was born, as a separate entity. One of the…
The advantage about being a cake- chocolate- and cookie-maker who works flexi-time from the house is that there are no overheads and consequently, no compromises in quality or menu. Abha Kohli of Vasant Kunj is one of these. Her perfectionism comes through clearly, her menu is intentionally small and her prices unbelievably reasonable. She bakes…
Cuisine: Chinese Blurb: The Real McCoy. At last. Atmospherics: Ano Tai has been around for a long long while, but so timeless and ageless is its décor that it was never ever trendy and it is now not old-fashioned. Plus, the huge glassed-in show kitchen is a beehive of activity and if you have a…
Sadanand Dhume, Washington-based journalist and author once tweeted to a few of us food writers based across India. “Can you tell me how many different preparations of dal there are in India?” There was a flurry of activity that lasted two or three days, when all his interlocutors did some energetic back-of-the-envelope calculations. Each of…
The Drunken Botanist A failsafe formula Serves Modern Indian Atmospherics: a surprisingly large space for Cyber Hub, this one is accessed from the entrance of building no. 10 but is also not far from entrance No. 1. Do be informed that it is a considerable distance from entrance no. 2, the most popular entry point…
