Book Review : The Chronicle of a Corpse Bearer by Cyrus Mistry

The title of the book may sound morose, but this latest offering from the reticent Cyrus Mistry (not to be confused with Cyrus Mistry of Tata Group) is anything but that. The book revolves around the lives of a hardly heard-of and rarely-seen set of people - corpse bearers or Khandhias - within the more prosperous and gregarious Parsi community.

Apparently inspired by a true story, the book recounts the life of Phiroze Elchidana, the son of the head priest of a Parsi fire temple in Bombay (the book is set in pre-Independence India when Bombay was still 'Bombay'). His parents have high hopes of their son becoming a renowned Zoroastrian scholar or atleast a great priest. One day while wandering through the lush environs of Doongerwadi - The Parsi Tower of Silence, Phiroze meets and falls in love with Sepideh, the daughter of a Khandhia (corpse bearer). Phiroze goes onto marry her much against the wishes of his family and faces no future prospects except to become a Khandhia himself. The job of Khandhias is to collect the bodies of the dead, perform the final purification rites and rituals before the body is fed to the vultures for final disposal. Their job is one of the noblest services a Parsi can perform for one of his own faith but which at the same time condemns them to a lifetime of shunning and ostracization. Phiroze's happily married life with Sepideh is short as she passes away soon after, leaving Phiroze with the responsibility of a young daughter. 

The book captures some beautiful moments of being part of a discriminated lot and the poignancy of some scenes is truly heart rending. The book's biggest value is the rare insight it offers into the harsh treatment of a marginalized segment of the sophisticated and admired Parsi society which rarely comes to the fore and very few people know exists. Some unique customs pertaining to Parsi rituals for the dead would be interesting to the anthropologist in us.

The book also brings to mind an incident in the not so distant past when an old Parsi lady mourning the demise of her mother set foot into the forbidden grounds of Doongerwadi's actual disposal pits and clicked photographs of rotting corpses which had been lying around for months and apparently even years due to lack of vultures in Mumbai. She had clicked photographs of the scene and circulated them in the media leading to a huge outcry amongst the conservative sections of the community. Scenes of those photographs flashed through my mind as I read 'The Chronicle of a Corpse Bearer' and I could only shudder to think what Khandhias see and go through each day.

Overall, the book is an engrossing read and I would recommend it especially for people who have an interest in other religions / cultures and their customs and rituals. In my opinion, Cyrus Mistry is one of India's most under-rated authors and this book is testimony to his prowess as a master story teller and that too against the backdrop of a funereal setting. Cyrus Mistry and his elder brother Rohinton Mistry both write about the same microscopic topic : Parsi life in Bombay. While Rohinton Mistry is the more popular of the two, my personal inclination is towards the writings of Cyrus Mistry. I guess Cyrus has not had the same impact with readers due to his low profile nature and non-prolific writing. I rate both the Mistry brothers very highly for their writing skills but Cyrus does seem to have an edge in capturing your heart with simple and poignant tales. Read the book for precisely that - a simple tale of love amongst one of society's most shunned lots.

Airline Review : IndiGo

Indian skies have seen a flurry of airlines come and go since the domestic aviation policy was liberalized to allow private entrants 20 odd years ago. With the arrival of any new player on the scene, a question one is wont to ask is how long will this one survive? After all, staying afloat in Indian skies is no mean feat (and we are not even talking about being profitable here). It is with little fanfare IndiGo airline was launched a few years ago and today is the poster boy of Indian aviation.

Whats going for the airline :
1. IndiGo has an impressive almost hard-to-believe punctuality record. The inflight crew refers to departure and arrival times as IndiGo Standard Time and not without reason. The on-time performance is a real feat in the Indian context and this makes IndiGo the preferred choice for business travelers also now.
2. Fares are very competitively priced and if you book a month in advance, you can grab some really good offers. Of late, they have even introduced 'sale fares' on select routes for off season travel.
3. Aircrafts are spanking new and well maintained. In line with practices at low cost carriers like Ryan Air and Easy Jet, food containers and other trash is collected by inflight crew as the plane prepares for landing. This allows for a quick turnaround time between flights as only a quick vacuum cleaning is needed once all passengers have disembarked.
4. IndiGo is truly a non-frill airline. You pay for a seat and that is literally what you get. Any additional service (priority boarding and disembarkation, choice of meal served etc) attracts additional charges.
5. Free checked-in baggage allowance of 15 kgs/pax coupled with 7 kgs of hand baggage allowance might seem low in the Indian context but compared with international peers, is quite generous.
6. Connectivity offered within India is excellent and on some routes, IndiGo has a clear monopoly. Their biggest USP is connecting India's metros to Tier II and Tier III cities with direct flights.

What could do with some help :
1. There is a wide variety of beverages offered onboard. However, be wary if you are ordering any dishes which should ideally be savoured hot. From the rice dishes to sandwiches, expect to eat everything cold as there are no heating facilities onboard. Very disappointing really.
2. International fares are a downer. You might get the odd good deal to Singapore / Dubai but most often, Indigo is way over-priced over national carriers of these countries (SQ/EK) and mind you, those are full service providers with meals et al included and these inclusions do make a difference on 3-6 hour flights.
3. In line with a rising trend amongst Indian carriers, penalty for date change is quite high. IndiGo charges INR 1000 per date change against the higher INR 1200 charged by Jet Airways.

Overall rating : 8/10. IndiGo is by far the best Indian airline operating at the moment. It's admirable on-time performance record has made it a clear favourite with travelers of all kinds. With the impending arrival of Air Asia on the Indian scene, it will be interesting to watch how IndiGo rises to the challenge of competing with one of the world's most successful low cost carriers and holds its own. Watch this space.

Restaurant Review : Yauatcha, Mumbai, India

Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), the new CBD of Mumbai has really started to come into its own. Apart from the gleaming office towers and (relatively) clean and broad roads, what stands out about the area is the growth of quality dining options here. No longer do you have to trek to the airport hotels or Bandra (West) for a decent dining venue with office colleagues. The newest entrant on this evolving scene is Yauatcha - a Hong Kong style dim sum house owned by the same group as Hakkasan, the upscale Chinese restaurant from London which opened its Indian outpost in Bandra (West) last year.

Yauatcha is located in fashionable Raheja Tower and you can see the restaurant exterior from a distance. The all glass paneled seating area with its 20+ feet ceiling looks warm and exclusive as you drive upto it. For people with disabilities and pregnant ladies, some disappointment awaits. You have to climb a flight of stairs from the reception foyer area to the first floor. There is an elevator but in the usher's own words 'it is located at the back of the building and not so convenient'.

Once on the first floor, a large bar area with ample seating against well stocked wine fridges greets you. You walk past them to where the dining tables are and what surprised me is the proximity at which they are placed next to each other. You can actually participate in the conversation of the table next to you. I visited on a Wednesday evening and the crowd comprised mostly of office goers from the BKC area and a handful of television personalities. The place really starts to fill up around 10 pm and you are well advised to make reservations.

Yauatcha's ambience is sophisticated and understated with dark wooden furniture, small aquariums at either end and subdued lighting. All seating looks onto the expansive open kitchen or the BKC skyline. By the time we left, not a single table was unoccupied.

Now onto the raison d'etre for our visit. Going through the menu, you realize there is plenty of choice even for vegetarians. The drinks menu is interesting and in keeping with its tea-house origins, there are varied tea choices from across China/ Taiwan and India. I was happy to see a personal favourite of mine - Dragon's Well Green Tea - featured on the menu and with most of them priced at INR 250 for a pot, I thought the pricing was quite attractive for tea lovers. The wine list is exhaustive by Indian standards and by those same standards, very expensive too! Cocktails priced at INR 350-500 and beers in the same range are standard in Mumbai which explains their presence on most tables.

We started off our evening with a portion of steamed chicken and prawn shui mai (4 pieces for INR 275) and a portion of hot and sour soup with shredded chicken (INR 300). The shui mai was strictly average - I've eaten way better ones and can say the same for the soup. Next to arrive were steamed chicken dumplings (3 pieces for INR 475) which again were passable. They were kind of gelatinous, bland and not a patch on what you'll be served at a Din Tae Fung (for half the price) or even a standalone tea house in Hong Kong. Wanting to try a prawn preparation, our waiter recommended Crispy Prawn Cheung Fun over the Prawn and Chinese Chive dumpling. Great recommendation! This was by far the best dish of the evening. At INR 525 for 10 pieces, the portion was generous and delicious. The soft exterior of the Cheung Funs wrapped a fried prawn mix inside which was really tasty. We decided to wrap up with a rice dish and promptly ordered the Emperor's Seafood Fried Rice which was a decent size portion of rice with scallops, prawns and squids with a soy chilli gravy on the side. I didn't enjoy it too much and was thankful for the fish we had ordered. The Steamed Rawas in Spicy Black Bean Sauce (INR 650) was absolutely fantastic. Our server recommended Prawns in Spicy Sauce and to my surprise, it was a big let down. It is hard to go wrong with tasty meat like prawns but Yauatcha managed this. Quite a feat in my opinion!

The service at Yauatcha is wonderful. The staff are well groomed and well informed about their menu and are able to make good recommendations. They are not intrusive and at the same time, available the moment you need them. The 10% mandatory service charge is well deserved by the crew. On a side note, let me make a mention here about the washrooms. They are done up in the same dark wooden theme as the rest of the restaurant but the actual cubicles are so small that you have to stand at an angle to be able to open / close the door. And if that isn't enough, the high-tech sensory taps don't work! Not one of the 4 taps in the ladies' washroom worked and the attendant cleaner even rapped them with a prong to get them started but to no avail. Not very befitting of a high end dining establishment.

Overall, I recommend Yauatcha for an evening out with friends. The elegant ambience, innovative drinks and swish crowd all make for a fun evening out on town. If you are planning to come here only for the food, I would say once is enough. Tea house style dining is a new concept in India and I am not sure most people will take to it since it can be quite tedious. The concept is to order multiple dishes so you can sample a variety of them (also because portion sizes are small) but the Indian palate is different. It can get quite boring to pore over the menu again and again to come up with the next portion. What doesn't help is that the most popular dim sum dish of any tea house - Juicy Pork Dumplings - don't make an apperance at all on Yauatcha's menu. Having lived in Hong Kong, my high expectations were probably misplaced especially with respect to dim sums. They left me highly unimpressed. I would say Yauatcha's dimsums are at par with the dimsums you'd be served at most decent 5 star hotels in Mumbai. Would I be back to Yauatcha? Only for the food, no. For a chilled out evening with friends in a nice setting, Yauatcha is as good as it gets.

Random 3's in Dubai - Part 1

As mentioned in a similar post on Singapore, a lot of places I visit do not merit full length reviews but for my own record (and help to others), I like to note down places I enjoyed visiting.

Top 3 coffee outlets in Dubai for having the right mix of ambience and roasted beans :-
1. Rubicon's coffee at Dubai Mall (coupled with their chocolate muffins)
2. Caribou coffee at Mirdiff City Centre (I quite liked the quiet outlet at Deira City Centre also)
3. Paul's Patisserie at Burjuman (must try their crepes too)

I must add Dubai is a haven for coffee lovers and there must be innumerable niche cafes in almost every corner of the city. This list is a compilation of the best 3 coffee shops that I came across and I look forward to more coffee tasting trips to Dubai.

Top 3 value for money Indian dining options in Dubai :-
1. Aryaas Vegetarian restaurant near Bank Street - for excellent South Indian cuisine
2. Al Kauser at Satwa Roundabout - for delicious Hyderabadi and Awadhi cuisine
3. Chinatown at Khalid Bin Al Waleed Road, Dubai (As Chindian as Chinese Indian cuisine gets!)

Top 3 shopping malls in Dubai (based on where you can actually shop and not just window shop) :-
1. Mall of the Emirates - for sheer variety of stores and other entertainment options
2. Mirdiff City Centre - for its quiet and elegant ambience
3. Deira City Centre - for some value shopping in Dubai (outside of the Dubai Shopping Festival)

Dubai Mall is of course the newest player on the block and extremely popular. But if you are not into branded shopping, then there is very little for you to do here.

Top 3 M's of Dubai :-
1. Dubai Marina - The Marina area of Dubai is a joy for walking and cycling enthusiasts apart from being a scenic open space where one can take in lovely views of the moored yachts, glitzy skyscrapers and bustling restaurants / cafes along the promenade. If only they would allow wine bars.....
2. Dubai Metro - Dubai was viewed as an unfriendly place for pedestrians and public transport users. The Metro has changed that perception in the 4 years it has been operational. It is efficient, clean, air conditioned and a joy to ride.
3. Dubai Malls - Enough has been said about them. Without singing their paeans, I'll only emphasize what I like best about them - compared to Singapore/other Asian city malls, the layout is spacious and even with a few thousand fellow shoppers, you don't feel boxed in.

Restaurant Review : Ben's Chilli Bowl, Washington DC, USA

Every once in a while you visit a restaurant which is not just an eating place. It has been around for a long time and seen history in the making. Such an establishment has an unassuming entrance, has stayed true to its roots and is an integral part of the history of that area. The iconic Ben's Chilli Bowl on famed U-Street next to Lincoln Theatre fits this description perfectly. It has been in continuous business since 1958 and has lived to tell its story from the time when DC was officially segregated and U-Street fell in the 'Black zone' to the 1968 riots following the assassination of Martin Luther King Junior to the present day when the hoi polloi and glitterati all descend on Ben's Chilli Bowl for their fill of chili dogs and milkshakes.

I am not a big fan of chili dogs. When you are standing at Times Square on a chilly evening, this is the most easily available comfort food in sight and that is probably the only time I've given in to the temptation of holding onto this most American of food items. On a visit to DC, old timer resident friends of mine jokingly said 'obviously you'll be checking out Ben's Chilli Bowl as well?' Up until that point, it wasn't really on my itinerary but then a renowned food place (and that too one which is inexpensive and has a historical twist to it) and me seem to have Karmic connections and I really look forward to stepping into them. So here I was at Ben's Chilli Bowl for lunch on a weekday.

The restaurant occupies a former movie house which was in business in the 1920's and was founded by Ben Ali, a Trinidadian born immigrant of Indian origin and his new American bride Virginia Ali.  Ben's Chilli Bowl was made famous by the regular patronage of jazz greats performing in the area like Nat King Cole in the 60's and more recently entertainer Bill Cosby. But it was put firmly on the tourist map in 2009 when Barack Obama visited the place as part of his welcome to DC. There is a cheeky poster at the counter which proclaims credit is extended only to these two parties! Innovative way of saying please check your wallet before placing the order.

It wasn't too crowded at our visit hour and we promptly placed our order for 2 of 'Ben's Original' items. I settled for Bill Cosby's favourite (as the menu proclaims) - Chili Half Smoke which is a sausage of half pork and half beef grilled and served on a warm steamed bun with mustard, onions and Ben's spicy chili sauce. Absolutely lip smacking fare and at $5.70, the most value-for-money delicious lunch I've ever had. My better half settled for Ben's Chili beef dog ($5.70) which is prepared the same way as the half smoke and is for die-hard beef lovers. We washed these down with the super sinful chili cheese fries and chocolate shakes. I am sure we were at least 5 pounds heavier that day but how does one give up on these indulgences?

The decor at Ben's Chilli Bowl is basic. The two seating areas are done up in themes of red and white and black and white respectively. I believe much of the furniture also dates back to the founding year. The walls are adorned with photographs of celebrities who've come calling over the years including Nicholas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni who even with few minutes to spare in DC dropped in at the 'home of the famous chili dog.' Of course, the pride of place is occupied by a large photograph of a relaxed Barack Obama enjoying his outing at Ben's soon after his first inauguration.

As we were getting ready to leave, a distinguished looking old lady walked up to our table and we started chatting. She introduced herself as Mrs. Virginia Ali. On learning we were Indians living in Singapore, she happily informed us her late husband was of Indian origin and she has had the opportunity to visit the Indian subcontinent on a few occasions. The soft spoken and elegant Ms. Ali had been to Singapore too and reminisced about the grandeur of Raffles Hotel and how much she had enjoyed her stay there. We chatted a few minutes on sundry topics and she proudly told us how she had lot of time to relax now with the business being looked after by her children (whose photos along with families also adorn the walls of Ben's).

It was time to leave Ben's Chilli Bowl and with a certain sadness I set out. Sometimes, spending hundreds of dollars on a meal doesn't give the same joy and satisfaction which a visit to a place like Ben's Chili Bowl can give where the food is fresh, service is genuine, ambience is no-fuss and most of all, a genteel and affable owner makes you feel like their top most customer when all you've done is run up a bill of odd $30. I promised to be back and till such time, I can only wait to walk down U-Street again and be enticed by the wafting aromas of Ben's Chili Bowl to do an encore.

Hotel Review : Royal Plaza on Scotts, Singapore

There is no dearth of hotels in Singapore. From the budget to the opulent, there is one to suit every traveller's budget, taste and preference. Being a long-term resident of the city, I haven't got around to sampling many hotel stays but for the odd staycation, voucher usage etc. I have checked into a few of the city's properties. One such recent experience was at The Royal Plaza on Scotts (popularly known as RP on Scotts).

The hotel is wonderfully located in the Orchard Road belt along the less busier Scotts Road and a stone's throw from Orchard MRT station. Situated right next to the popular DFS Galleria, it is hard to miss the hotel. For obvious space constraints, the hotel does not have an exclusive driveway and you basically pull into the lobby where an efficient bell boy will accompany you to the reception counter. Check-in that particular day was a slow process due to a large tour group checking in. The lobby of the hotel is expansive and the decor is dominated by a large winding staircase which lends a unique charm to the property.

We were given a room on the fifth floor and I must say my first impression on exiting the lift was not exactly positive. It is not very often you get out of a lift and are greeted by a service door and that too which is peeling off at the edges. We walked into our room which was quite small with a compact bathroom to match. The 'view' from our room overlooked one of the many parking lots on Orchard Road and was not what you would expect to look out onto from a plush Orchard Road address. The room had just about enough space for a single suitcase. The bathroom too would be a squeeze if two people were to stand in it.

RP on Scotts is part of the Summit Hotels chain and I have previously enjoyed a very pleasant stay at another of their properties - Hotel Wellington in Madrid - and thus my expectations were on the higher side from the Singapore hotel. There were a few nice touches like a complimentary mini bar which was restocked daily with soft drinks and beers. It is the first time I have seen a Singapore hotel offer this freebie. The front office staff is helpful and cheery. With so many dining options around the corner, we did not get around to sampling the hotel's food. Check-out was a frustrating affair with 2 new staff members at the helm of affairs and each more clueless than the other.

For a first time tourist to Singapore, RP on Scotts is a good hotel which offers an unbeatable location in close proximity to shopping malls, restaurants and MRT station. The hotel usually has some great promotions going on and you should be able to snag a decent deal if you book a bit in advance. For repeat visitors and locals looking for staycation options, I wouldn't recommend RP on Scotts. I believe there is a renovation program underway which should make the hotel a better bet in the future. However, in its present state with small rooms and service staff flitting in and out of sight through the day, it might not be the right choice for that quiet getaway you want.

Restaurant Review : Noodle House, Dubai, UAE

Strangely I have never come down to writing about a city I frequently transit through and often visit. Dubai. A city which amazes me to no end with all that it has to offer and the massive transformation it continues to go through from the trading port of the 60's to the gleaming metropolis of today. All this in the middle of a desert.

A recent trip left me with ample time to sample numerous restaurants, tourist attractions and of course, malls which are the mainstay of the Dubai economy. The latest entrant on the mall scene is the expansive and glitzy Dubai Mall. Honestly, I have never been to a better (and bigger) mall. There is plenty to offer everyone. Kids will love KidZania and the giant aquarium, shoppers will always be short on time to do justice to 6 floors of retail therapy and for others, there is the Gold Souk, Reel cinemas (with a movie starting every ten minutes) etc. For foodies like me there is an entire lower ground floor dedicated to restaurants, coffee shops and dessert joints.

Dubai has an enviable offering of gourmet destinations catering to everyone from the well heeled jet setter (Zuma, Hakkasan et al) to budget diners. In this fairly crowded scenario, it is hard for a reasonably priced joint to garner a big fan club but somehow, Noodle House has managed to do this and this piqued my curiosity. So off I set for the Noodle House. Located along with a cluster of restaurants in the lower ground floor of Dubai Mall (close to the entrance of Burj Khalifa), Noodle House offers outdoor seating as well. I would not recommend the al fresco seating in summer months for obvious reasons. For those hoping to catch the daily shows of the Dubai fountain, Noodle House does not offer full views of the mega attraction and you'll have to do make do with enjoying the soundtrack only.

The interiors of Noodle House are inviting and give off a warm vibe. The self-ticking menu is a mixed affair of Chinese and Thai dishes. The fresh wok fried noodles (AED 25) are a must try. With no smattering of vegetables or meat, this simple dish is a winner. At par with the noodles, are the meat dumplings. Available in portion sizes of 4/6/8 pieces ranging from AED 25 to AED 35, the dumplings are supposed to be far better than what neighboring Ping Pong restaurant offers at double the price. I highly recommend the Prawn Hacao and Chicken Siew Mai. Thin dimsum layer stuffed with a lot of tasty prawn and chicken meat make these the perfect lunch order.  The Mushroom Gyoza on the other hand is avoidable. The mushrooms had a bit of an after-taste and I stopped at one piece. If it is Thai food you want to try at Noodle House, proceed with caution. The Tom Yam Soup with Prawns (AED 40) was absolutely delicious and spiced just right for Asian taste buds. Mind you when a Thai restaurant asks you in Dubai how spicy would you like your dish, always say extra spicy and this is when you'll get a regular spiced dish. Caught unaware of this key point, I asked for the normally super hot Thai Red Prawn Curry (served with jasmine rice) to be mildly spiced and it was sweet! It barely reeked of any Thai ingredients like lemongrass, kafir leaves and all I could taste honestly was sugar. You get the point.

Noodle House has an interesting collection of drinks (non-alcoholic of course) to offer priced in the range of AED 18-AED 25. On various occasions, I have enjoyed the Iced Tea (you'd be surprised at just how few restaurants get this drink right) and Lemon Cooler which is a Middle East staple on any drinks menu. The service at Noodle House is decent. The prices are on the higher side for a noodle / dim sum eatery but this is to be expected with its Dubai Mall location.

I would recommend the place any day for lunch over dinner. Given the sheer footfall at Dubai Mall, expect dinner time to be crowded, loud and overall, not the best dining experience. If it is at dinner time you must step out, then I'd recommend the Noodle House at the quieter Burjuman mall. Asian specialties including most of the Thai dishes and other side dishes at Noodle House didn't look appetizing enough to attract diners who are not fans of dumplings and noodles. So if you belong to that club, Noodle House is not for you. For others, go ahead and dig in.

Restaurant Review : Peter Luger Steakhouse, Brooklyn, New York, USA

New York and steak go hand in hand. There are plenty of steakhouse options to choose from but if you ask someone where can you get the real deal, the answer is nearly unanimous. Peter Luger at Brooklyn. We made our reservations and headed to the famed steakhouse to check out what makes it the most recommended steakhouse in town.

Easy to locate and within a short walk from the nearest subway, Peter Luger is hard to miss. You walk past glass windows to get to the main door. The old world ambience  of this German brauhaus which has been in business since 1897 hits you like a whiff of fresh air in a city famed for modern skyscrapers. Once through the door, you enter the waiting area which has a bar to one side and a wall full of Zagat-Best Steakhouse Awards for the past decade. These really build up your expectations from the upcoming meal and I crossed my fingers we won't be let down. We were a good half hour late and the cheery but mildly sarcastic waiter informed us we'll have to wait an hour to get our table. Only to get it ten minutes later!


The mostly older waiters in their white uniforms hovering about the place lend Peter Luger a stately but homely look. We were shown to our table by the window overlooking the street. Our designated waiter for the evening looked like an old hand. He took our jackets and politely enquired if we had had a good trip to the US thus far. We obviously looked like tourists with me clutching the NY map in one hand and a camera in the other. The tables and chairs are quite basic but still adequately comfortable. Whilst waiting to place our order, we looked around the dining area and in true NY spirit the mix of crowd was truly global. Some Asians, some Europeans and of course some Americans. Some nattily dressed and some dressed casually. But all there for a common goal : to enjoy the experience of Peter Luger.

The main course has steak options for 2/3/4 diners. Knowing American portion sizes are gigantic coupled with my keenness to have a mix of red and white meat, we enquired if there was any portion size suitable for one diner. To our disappointment, the porterhouse is not served for one diner so we ordered a single steak (USD 40) and sole fish (USD 35). There was a choice of Atlantic Salmon and Sole Fish amongst the 'fish of the season.' Keeping us company on the chilly night was Peter Luger's proprietary brand of red wine which is not available elsewhere. A 2009 Napa Valley product, it is steeply priced at USD 55. It has a lovely aroma and went very well with our food. A portion of creamed spinach and hashed potatoes (USD 15 each) also formed part of our order. 

The food was served in a prompt manner. The sheer size of the single steak left me gaping. Are they serious when they say it is good for one person ? It was done to perfect medium rare and came on a sizzling hot plate drenched in some fat juice. Okay not some. Lot of fat juice. But was it heavenly! I am not a big red meat eater so maybe my top billing doesn't count for much. But when my steak doting husband who is stingy with compliments said the same, I knew we had come to a special place. The fillet of sole fish was another shocker. To come up with so much fillet, I wonder how many fish went into it. If it was one, then it must be a massive one! The fish was done wonderfully well and I was torn between gobbling up the steak in NY's THE steakhouse or doing justice to what is probably the best fish fillet I've ever had. I opted for the latter simply because the steak portion was beyond our capacity. The creamed spinach was very tasty and has to be one of the best side dishes anywhere. It could have been a meal on its own. The hashed potatoes were just okay.

We were flat out stuffed by the end of the meal and seeing the multitude of people asking for doggy bags, we were tempted too to take away the remainder portion but finally decided against it. Some things just don't taste the same when fresh out of the kitchen vis-a-vis heated a second time 15 hours later in a microwave. Our waiter politely asked us if we would like a dessert and I can swear I thought he was joking. Who can have a dessert after that gluttony ? We declined but were still offered Peter Luger branded chocolate gold coins whilst we waited for the cheque. I happily munched on one as a palate cleanser and like everything else that evening, these too were winners. Please do remember to carry cash if you decide to dine at Peter Luger's. Only cash and select debit cards are accepted. As for credit cards, only Peter Luger's branded credit card is accepted here. Think of it as old fashioned and inconvenient, but going by the crowds thronging the restaurant, it is admirable they get people to do as they wish.

The evening at Peter Luger's was undoubtedly one of the best meals I've had in a long time. Unpretentious surroundings, excellent food coupled with prompt service (which made me feel good about leaving a 20% tip) all add up for a superlative dining experience. Some people had warned us about shoddy service (racist) but honestly, we didn't get any of those vibes. In fact, the cheery and little sarcastic tone of the waiters was entertaining when compared to the poker faced service one normally gets at restaurants. If you need any pointed tips for the place, just remember to fast before coming here and don't be surprised if you still need a doggy bag ! Don't try to walk in as reservations are a must. Make them. Now!

Restaurant Review : Zaffran at Lower Parel, Mumbai, India

The very popular Zaffran of Crawford Market fame has recently opened its doors at Todi Mills Compound, Lower Parel in the former premises of the nightclub Zinc. We decided to check it out for dinner on a weekday.

Easy to locate just off the main S.B. Marg, the restaurant doors open to a small reception area. On your left, the restaurant extends in a straight line offering plenty of seating. One side of the tables are housed in 'bird-cage'-like structures with a flowing water feature behind them. The lighting is bright (too bright for my liking) and the music is at blaring levels for a sit down dinner venue. We were promptly showed to one of the cage tables and the seats are definitely more comfortable than those of the stand alone tables on the other side.

We went through the menu and it looked exhaustive. Selection of wines by the glass was as expected, limited. We ordered 2 glasses of Reveilo Shyrah red wine priced at INR 350++ each. I was in the mood to have some Tandoori Murg and ordered half portion (INR 300). The preparation was strictly average especially when compared with what even an average Delhi dhaba churns out in that name. Galouti kebabs (INR 270 veg / INR 350 mutton) were nothing to write home about either. They were harder than what Galouti kebabs are meant to be. Being a Lucknow native, my high expectations were probably unreasonable but even then Zaffran's kebabs did not leave an impression.

For the main course, we ordered a very boring Dal Makhani (INR 225), decent Palak Paneer (INR 300) and a greasy and salty Gosht Biryani (INR 400). Laccha Parantha (INR 60) and plain Naan (INR 50) made up the bread basket. It was all very standard fare and I had to keep reminding myself we are eating at THE popular and 'authentic' Zaffran.

Zaffran at Lower Parel is a classic example of the teething troubles faced by a new restaurant. Uber bright interiors and eager to please (bordering on over-bearing) waiters topped with inconsistent food as compared to the parent branch do not make for a favourable first impression. A sore common point I have noticed in lot of Mumbai restaurants is a high staff-to-diners ratio. Whilst this is desirable so that all patrons are catered to on busy days, on other leaner days it is a problem. The staff tends to group chat in the middle of the restaurant or generally just huddle together in a group. I have noticed this in Copper Chimney, Moti Mahal and now Zaffran. A bit of staff training in etiquette can go a long way in improving the diners' experience in this aspect. Zaffran has it in it to be a good restaurant and with Mumbai's woeful shortage of restaurants offering quality Mughlai fare, I'd like to give them a second chance. Sometime in the near future,  I'll try to be back and then decide for sure if this is a hit or miss. 

Hotel Review : The James at Soho, New York City, USA

Zeroing in on where to live in NYC is a task. Once you've had your fill of Times Square and Central Park, you might want to check out the newer revamped neighborhoods like Meatpacking and vibrant pockets like Soho, Nolita etc which offer lot of charm and character but unfortunately lack good deluxe hotels. Friends recommended the (relatively) newly opened The James in Soho and I was game to give it a try. Only so I could better explore the Soho / Nolita / Chinatown area famed for its boutiques and quaint shops and restaurants.

The James is housed in an uber modern building done all in glass and white. This new hotel on Soho's Grand Street is easy to find and if you are taking the Subway, from the Canal Street 1 exit it is practically the only tall building you'll see. For tourists to NYC a star attraction of the hotel is its proximity to not one but 3 Canal Street subway lines - Red, Blue and Yellow. I loved the connectivity and just for that, would rate the hotel top-notch.

We were greeted by a cheery bell boy who promptly helped us with our luggage. The concierge / luggage desk is located on the ground floor from where you take an elevator to the reception on the second floor. The all glass lift is meant to give you a view of Soho but at that angle, frankly there isn't much to see. Check-in was smooth and we were shown to our room on the 11th floor of the 13 floor hotel. Rooms are what you would expect in NYC - compact with little or no space for keeping luggage. Modern fittings equip the room. The bathroom has a shade slider to cordon the view from the room and my guess is there wasn't enough space to have a concrete wall hence the slider ! The mini-bar was astounding. Unlike most hotels, this is not a tiny fridge with 30 ml whisky / vodka bottles stocked in. On offer were 500ml bottles of Single Malt, Vodka, Gin and a range of mixers along with a basket of ice which was replenished daily on request. Perfect recipe to host a party in your room!

We had breakfast included in our daily room rate and this was served in the hugely popular David Burke's Kitchen on the ground level. Owing to its massive popularity, the restaurant has its own entry and exit on the ground floor thus allowing its patrons to avoid the hotel crowd altogether. The restaurant is large albeit a bit stuffy with no windows. Due to its architecture, the restaurant is actually located one level below ground floor. You do have the morning sun streaming in but I really do prefer windows in a crowded place. The restaurant's decor reminded me of the iconic Fishy Fishy Cafe in Kinsale, Ireland. The primary decorative items in both restaurants are blown up photographs of the meat suppliers who have remained unchanged for the past few years. Some of them can be seen posing proudly with their catch. The American breakfast served at David Burke's Kitchen is standard fare. Your choice of eggs is served with toasts, sausages and bacon or mushrooms and potatoes. A glass of freshly squeezed orange juice along with tea or coffee completes the offering. The size was ample to fill you up till lunch time. Staff is efficient and courteous without being overbearing.

The James has a popular roof top bar 'Jimmy' which we could not experience. For the 5 days we were there, the bar was booked daily for private events till 10 pm. It is a pity they do not have a policy for keeping at least one small section open for hotel guests. The bar can get noisy though and on two occasions the noise percolated down to our room and kept us up till the party was over. We tried the other bar at The James : Garden at David Burke which is somewhat lesser known. It was strictly passable with poor lighting, few patrons and uncomfortable seating.

The concierge services at The James are sub-par. I enquired with the desk on a particular Broadway show and likelihood of getting good seats on a Friday evening. They promptly connected me to an external agency they work with which is 'expensive but will get you the best seats in town.' I wasn't impressed as all I was looking for really were some pointers on how to get seats ourselves rather than pay full price for good seats topped with a premium! The concierge wasn't too helpful on the restaurant scene as well. With all due respect, I ended up giving them more information on where to go and what to do than I received from them! I cannot be blamed for thinking this way when all my queries for certain destinations were met with - 'oh, is that so? Let me check on the internet.' Whilst on the topic, I shall certainly add that surfing the net is a pleasure at The James especially in the evenings. They have caught onto the latest NYC craze of wine and cheese evenings and you can surf the internet while savouring the two. The cheese selection is nothing much to write home about. The wine selection (3 choices) is quite decent but what ticked me off is the absence of glassware and cutlery. So if you think it is cool (and acceptable in a 5 star hotel) to be sipping wine from a water glass and be having cheese off paper napkins, then The James will appeal to you. 

Many of the problems of The James are teething issues really which an efficient management can fix promptly if they wish. I had no complaints with our room but plenty with the housekeeping. On a couple of occasions, we returned to dusty floors, a clogged shower area and a jammed air duct in the bathroom. Drinking water was not replenished on a few occasions and elementary cleaning like that of the television screen, bed side tables etc was not done. I would put it down to a lax housekeeping policy. I left my comments with the hotel management and they were kind enough to respond with an apology. The gesture is appreciated and I really hope they fix these seemingly small issues which make a huge difference to the seasoned traveller.

Overall, I am tempted to give The James another chance as they really do have some nice touches to offer. The location for one is unbeatable. Some of the quirky touches in the hotel appealed to my sensibilities and the one that stood out was an entire wall made of discarded computer keys. Talk about being eco-friendly in a funky way. The staff too is efficient and courteous. They just need to be a little more clued in to what kind of advice to offer tourists. In this particular respect, the concierge services at The Library Hotel at Madison Avenue were outstanding and might serve as a good role model for The James to emulate. At close to USD 500++ per night, I do expect some frills and personalized attention at a luxury hotel. What The James lacks can be easily acquired and/or fixed if the management puts enough emphasis on it. I might drop by The James in the future but for now, this one is a wait and watch.

Restaurant Review : Din Tai Fung, Singapore

Dumplings. The very word makes me hungry even after I've just finished a hearty meal. Indians tend to confuse them with a more Tibetan-ized version of the same called 'momos' which are a popular street food in many Indian cities. I shall not delve too much into the difference between the two but it would suffice to say they both satiate the same craving but with different tastes.

I've lived in Hong Kong and Singapore and experimented with dim sums a.k.a dumplings at a lot of restaurants in the Oriental region to know a thing or two about them. I had written them off as just another highlight of Chinese cuisine till I walked into Din Tai Fung few years ago. I've been a convert since then and if I could, I would eat them at least once a week. How's that for overdoing an indulgence but still not managing to break away from its shackles?

Din Tai Fung is a Taiwanese chain of restaurants and has today expanded its wings well beyond Taiwan. Singapore's famous Bread Talk group operates the franchise in Singapore and Thailand and outside of Asia the restaurant chain now boasts of branches in USA, Australia and Japan too. The brand's first branch in Hong Kong at Kowloon has been awarded one Michelin star. I've been a regular visitor to almost all of the Din Tai Fung outlets in Singapore for the past many years. It really doesn't matter for which outlet you make a beeline since the food quality and service standards are outstandingly consistent and the only differentiating factor would be the ease of getting seated. The brand has stayed true to its Taiwanese roots with the menu being printed in both English and traditional Chinese and the bill being exclusively printed in Chinese with only numbers being in English.

Any visitor to Din Tai Fung would be making a selection of at least one of the dim sums on offer. I would unflinchingly recommend the star of the show : Xiao Long Bao (steamed pork dumplings). These super juicy and succulent dumplings are the outlets' main draw and the precision which goes into making each of them can only be rivaled by a Swiss watch maker! The dough is painstakingly rolled and cut into identical pieces which do not exceed a certain weight. The dumplings are then stuffed with premium minced pork and pleated with a minimum of 18 exquisite folds and sealed with a slight twist at the top. These dumplings are steamed at just the right temperature and served to patrons piping hot. The moment the dim sum basket is placed in front of you, you know a culinary masterpiece is about to be unveiled. Be careful to avoid the temptation of placing one whole dim sum in your mouth as it will be steaming hot. At the same time, you cannot bite halfway into a dim sum since the minced pork's juice will stream out. This is the opportunity to learn the great balancing act. Just have a small bite off the top of the dumpling to let the steam out and then savour the flavour of this heavenly offering. Apart from pork (SGD10.30 for 10 pieces), you can choose from dumplings stuffed with pork and shrimp, crab, chicken and fish (in that order with fish dumplings being the least tasty). All are priced in the range of SGD 9-11 and can be had in smaller portions of 6 pieces each.

If you like your dumplings with soup, then the above can be served in a broth as well. I personally feel the soup servings are enormous and the broth fills you up without letting you really enjoy the taste of the dim sums. There are various noodle soups available on the menu but my preferred accompaniment is the fried rice with eggs and shrimp sauteed with spring onions. Unlike the more popular MSG loaded Chinese fried rice , Din Tai Fung's offering has minimal seasoning and yet is delicious. A host of beverages are on offer (no alcohol is served at all Din Tai Fung outlets) and my absolute favourite is the lemongrass juice served with a giant ball of ice (SGD 3.8) - the perfect antidote to a hot and humid day in Singapore.

Din Tai Fung has its set of loyal patrons who troop in regularly for the signature Xiao Long Baos. This perhaps explains the outlets' domineering presence in places with heavy footfall : office complexes, shopping malls and even at the two casino areas : RWS and MBS. The outlets lack ambience and character of any kind and your first impression on entering one will be : Gosh, they are busy! During peak lunch and dinner time, be prepared to queue for at least 20 minutes. They manage crowds well and take your order whilst you wait for your token number to appear on the electronic screen. The decor is fancy-free and functional at best. From most seats you can have a look through the glass paneled kitchens and watch master chefs with covered mouths and heads at work through steam hazes.

On a parting note, I'll only bring up my favourite gripe with Asian restaurant chains. Like Jumbo et al, Din Tai Fung staff will ply you with jasmine tea and peanuts which are chargeable without you having ordered them. Do remember to have these taken away right then if you do not want them. Another minor gripe is with the staff. Whilst they are efficient, you are best off without having to communicate with them. The staff's English is very poor and if you need to clarify any matter or customize a dish, God be with you. Perhaps that is why the menu is a self-ticking sheet. These minor issues aside, don't pass up the opportunity to dine here. These are the best dim sums / dumplings you'll have anywhere in the region and that is a promise. Add to that Michelin starred dining at fast food prices and who can refuse?

Hotel Review : The Back Bay Hotel, Boston, USA

Doyle Collection is a small Irish chain of hotels which owns some excellent properties across Ireland, UK and the US. I've not had the opportunity to actually stay in any of their hotels previously but they've always been on my list of hotels to try. So it was with some enthusiasm, I looked forward to my stay in Boston at The Back Bay Hotel. 

The hotel is only a couple of blocks from Back Bay station and is easy to find. We could easily walk down to the hotel from the station with our luggage after our 7 hour train journey from Washington DC. The hotel is housed in the old Boston Police Headquarters. The building is quite impressive architecture-wise and looks more spectacular at night. There were two door men posted at the entrance and neither of them offered to hold the door open for us as we walked in with our luggage. The ground floor lift takes you to the reception one level higher and here too, I could not sight a bell boy who could help us with our bags. In fact, during our entire stay there was not a single occasion we were welcomed back with a greeting or even so much as a polite smile by the hotel staff. Check-in was efficient and as per request, we were given a room on the 8th floor of the 10 storey hotel.

The room was of decent size and the fluffy bed was quite comfortable. We had a street view from our room but it was snowing the entire 4 days we were there so I cannot really complain about the view. The room decor is of a standard business hotel and in fact, offers some redundant amenities like a CD player (an Ipod docking station would have been more useful) and a Nespresso machine whose coffee capsules were replenished only once daily. The thrift of the hotel management was evident in other aspects too. The spacious bathroom had a nice shower cubicle but no soap or shower gel for bathing! There was only one soap bar kept in the hand wash area so you pretty much had one soap for all your bathroom activities. I'd much rather they downgraded the toiletries brand from Bath and Body Works to a cheaper option but provided more quantity.

On our first day in the hotel, we ordered a Margarita pizza through room service and it was very average. Breakfast was not included in our room rate and the pizza quality sealed the deal for us to not have breakfast in the hotel. Cuffs - the hotel's Irish bar seemed to be a popular hangout and we visited it one evening. For close to twenty minutes, no one came around to take our order so we walked up to the bar to place it ourselves. Just as we were grabbing our drinks, a rushed waitress dropped by to ask what would we like. Huh? On informing her our order was already placed, she left with a grumpy face muttering something under her breath (a missed tip I guess). In keeping with our overall experience thus far, the poor service was consistent at Cuffs as well.

On the positive side, the hotel has a very efficient concierge service. The lady concierge in charge was not very good at suggesting itineraries but was extremely efficient in booking what you had already decided on. She booked our Duck Tour tickets, guided us to some good restaurants around the hotel and to our great surprise, suggested just the place where my husband could load up on all his graphic novels (Million Year Picnic in Cambridge is just fantastic). We often remarked how out of place she seemed to be in an establishment where cold behaviour and rudeness seemed to be pre-requisites for landing a job! 

On the location front, it is hard to find fault with The Back Bay Hotel. As I mentioned, it is couple of blocks away from Back Bay station and is also a short walk to Arlington T station. The shops on Newbury Street, Boyleston Street and Copley Place are all a comfortable walk away.

As of February 2013, the Back Bay Hotel has ceased to be a Doyle collection hotel and has been acquired by Loews Hotels and Resorts. I really hope they can spruce up the hotel in all aspects - from the physical to the personnel. It is a pity to see such a wonderful hotel being undone by its incompetent staff. I'll be watching the space for The Back Bay Hotel. In the meanwhile, you won't see me here.