Airline Review : KLM

Considering the state of affairs in EU generally and of the airline sector in particular, a flight with KLM was full of positive surprises. Like to stick to bullets here with the pros and cons.

Whats going for the airline :-

1. Ground staff is helpful and will try to accommodate seat requests.

2. New aircraft on the Asia-Europe long haul route. 

3. Comfortable economy class seats with large leg space and personalised entertainment system per seat.

4. Good collection of latest movies and have latest newspapers / magazines available on request.

5. Excellent and efficient in-flight service with a smile (a rarity on European carriers).

6. Regularly offer water on long haul flights. 

7. Has a large lavatory for handicapped passengers (can be used to change diapers and clothing as well).

8. Excellent connectivity to mainland Europe from Schiphol airport on the KLM-Air France network. 

What could do with some help :

1. Reading lights are too dim for night time reading.

2. Very limited food options. Even if you pre-book your meal, options are limited.

3. In flight shopping magazine has prices which seem to be on the higher side. Avoid shopping onboard.

4. Overhead cabins are relatively smaller. Get seated early if you have 2-3 items of hand baggage.

Overall rating : 7/10. I with-hold a higher rating only because all the positive factors dip considerably on the intra-continental KLM flights. This is to be expected but the contrast is very stark to long haul flights. 

Restaurant Review : Saltxipi, San Sebastian, Spain

After few consecutive nights of eating out at fine dining / continental European food restaurants, we were looking forward to some simple food from our room service menu at Villa Soro, our home for 4 days in San Sebastian, Spain. The foodie in me came to the fore while conversing with the concierge about the San Sebastian Gastronomika conference held each year at the Kursaal. It is a high point in the Basque calendar where renowned chefs from all over the world get together. Not for nothing is San Sebastian Europe's culinary capital with more Michelin starred restaurants per capita than anywhere else in the world. All the talk about food only led me to ask the front desk where do the locals go for their dose of freshly cooked Basque cuisine ? Prompt answer : Saltxipi, in the neighbourhood of Gros in San Sebastian. It is supposedly a restaurant renowned for its seafood offerings.

We reach the modest looking detached house structure the next evening looking for signs of a well known restaurant. What we find instead is an unassuming sign with Saltxipi written on it and we just follow the well dressed and sophisticated crowd to where the waiting area / reception is. Hardly having reached the patio, we are greeted by the friendly father-son duo that owns Saltxipi and shown to our table. Perfect beginning !

The ambience is reminiscent of a large family's dining room. Warm decor, subdued lighting, attentive staff and well spaced out tables. Rows of bottles lined across the end of the room reinforce the owners' fondness for local Rioja wines and we settle in promptly to enjoy authentic Basque cuisine with a beautiful cellar of wines to choose from !

Starter is a portion of red bell peppers which is done to a degree of perfection hard to imagine with a microwave leading us to believe the preparation is the handiwork of a master chef.
Main course consists of grilled prawns and the famed spider crab. The prawns are good but nothing to write home about. The spider crab is a different experience. Having lived in Singapore for nearly 5 years,  I love my crabs. Saltxipi's owner desisted from recommending the steamed crab (too messy) and instead recommended we try the oven baked spider crab. It was absolutely delicious with just the right kind of seasoning so as not to take away from the inherently good flavour of the meat. What did add to the crab experience most was the quantity. We ordered one portion only and the meat portion was generous.

A bottle of 2010 Rioja kept us fine company. The owner of the restaurant is clearly a well known figure in San Sebastian and his friendly interactions with his guests reinforced our belief that fine dining is 90% chef's innovation and 10% making your clients feel at home. Hats off to the owners who see this fact and work on it.

Would we be returning to Saltxipi ? Of course yes ! The restaurant is a little gem tucked away in Gros (the non commercial part of San Sebastian). Considering the city is an expensive one, Saltxipi is good value for money. Food is made and served with great passion using only the freshest ingredients. If you are looking for Michelin starred food and ambience without the price tag, Saltxipi is for you.

Restaurant Review : Ziya at The Oberoi, Mumbai, India

Indian cuisine's first Michelin starred chef Vineet Bhatia (of Rasoi London and Geneva fame) brings his latest offering Ziya to The Oberoi Mumbai. Located in the erstwhile home of Kandahar, the decor is subtle and sophisticated in gold and white hues. Seating area is spacious and reservations are essential. Whilst we had requested for a table overlooking the Queen's necklace, the sofa back is too high and straight backed to be comfortable for a two hour meal. We subsequently changed our table to more comfortable seating.

Being a group of 4, we opted for the vegetarian and non-vegetarian set menus at INR 2800 and INR 3500 per person respectively to experience the chef's creations. In keeping with the Indian habit of sharing, there is an a la carte menu as well. High import duties in India make it unrealistic to order a good red wine to pair the spice-rich Mughlai cuisine with. Paying top dollar, you'd still be downing an average Burgundy at best. Having said that, the wine list is admirable. There is a wine pairing menu on offer, but we had wine by the glass keeping our individual preference in mind. In my opinion, Australian (Barossa Valley) and Italian (Tuscany) red wines seem to go best with the flavour of Indian food.

Now onto the food. The idea of a set menu is to satiate you in doses with delectable food while ensuring you enjoy every course for what it has to offer. It doesn't come down to 'lets finish it all by each of us taking some'. This is where Ziya gets it right. Indian food is heavy but Vineet and team have managed to get the balance of portions just right. What stood out on the non-vegetarian set menu were the grilled lobster served on a bed of khichdi and the champagne sorbet topped with Moet Chandon. Delectable ! Lamb chops were perfectly cooked too but with their serving order towards the end of the meal, I was too full to do them full justice.

The vegetarian set menu, while not tried by me personally, was very eclectic with liberal use of capsicum, mushroom and broccoli. These are items not conventionally used in Indian cooking. Some of the dishes reeked of a heavy Thai / Italian influence but then that is what fusion cooking is all about. Vineet Bhatia displays a clear inclination for blending contrasting tastes and infusing Indian food with similarly palatable spices / ingredients from other corners of the world.

So what works for Ziya ? The service is attentive without being pushy (just what you'd expect in a high-end dining venue). Lighting is subtle and tables are situated reasonably apart to ensure privacy. If you go for the chef's menu with a glass of wine, you'd be set back by approximately INR 5k per person. Considering the quality of food, ambience, service and the expansive Marine Drive view, this is money well spent to celebrate special occasions.

Restaurant Review : Verre Wine Bar, Singapore

This is a new French wine bar at Robertson Quay. Having seen it reasonably full on most days (W,F,Sa) decided to check it out for dinner and wine on a Wednesday. Weekends at Robertson Quay are a recipe for fine dining disaster. Too many people ordering too little, poor service and no ambience to speak of. If you are going for the food, stick to Wednesday and Thursday dining. Now back to Verre.

We skipped the set menu for SGD 35 per pax which includes a glass of wine and 2 food items. Have to give credit to Verre for having the most choice for wines by the glass. 6 reds and 3 whites to choose from is a luxury in Singapore.

We ordered mushroom foccacia and a bottle of Italian Pinot Nero White to start with. The wine list is impressive and taken up mostly by French wines (but of course). We did not have a very knowledgeable staff member to help us but we knew what we wanted. Not being fans of the extra fruity French whites, we decided to save those for dessert. Bread portion was generous and the staff though polite struggled with giving information on portion sizes, preparation style etc.

The main course has very limited options. 5-6 items is all you can choose from. We went for the pork sausages with mashed potatoes and pan seared chicken fillet. Did not finish either of them. Recognising this is primarily a wine bar, we'll cut them some slack on the food front. But still this is Singapore. You have to score high on the grub meter if you are offering it in the first place (and that too at pretty upmarket prices - SGD 20 for each dish without GST and service charge of course).

Now onto the dessert. We skipped the 2 items on offer and opted for a sweet wine. A new person (seemingly the sommelier) recommended the Carmes de Rieussec 2004. Its not sold by the glass or bottle but only by a 500ml decanted portion which does justice to this supreme wine. Might be too sweet for Asian taste buds but this IS a dessert wine. Coming from the fabled staples of Chateau Lafite they've got it all right in this 2004 offering. Must try though a tad expensive at SGD 75 for a 500ml pour.

Verre is for an evening of relaxed time out with friends. If you are looking for an official dinner or family venue this may not be for you due to the limited food options and focus on wines. Service is wanting but I've seen worse in similar rated restaurants.

Go on a weekday and enjoy the wine !

Deli Review : Freshly Baked by Le Bijoux, Singapore

Having crossed this small and easy-to-miss bakery / cafe at the end of Killiney Road numerous times, decided to step in one day to sample their fare. The setting is simple in keeping with their effort to be a French style kopitiam outlet. They offer set menus for breakfast (the place is always full at the time) and a host of freshly baked cakes, pastries and breads. I went for the butter cake, chocolate muffin and a cappucino to wash it all down with.

The butter cake was a cracker. The softest I've ever tasted with just the right amount of sugar and sponginess. Fantastic ! Chocolate muffin was delicious too but I'll give more marks to the butter cake. Will be back for more of those !

Now to the coffee. Having been a coffee lover all my life, I do take my beans very seriously. On this count, Le Bijoux was a big let down. Would have thought a French cafe would offer the best cocoa experience but that was not to be. Nothing to write home about. I'll still go back to San Francisco coffee, Black's and Segafredo in that order.

Did I mention the pricing ? Very reasonable with the muffin going for SGD 2.50. No ++ attached to the prices you see at the counter. Service is friendly and efficient. If you are in the area, would highly recommend you stop by for a quick bite at this quaint deli.