Pizza Hut bullish on expansion celebrates 15 yrs

Remember the first time you had a pizza? Quite likely that it would have been at Pizza Hut  – since they were one of the first players to bring the trend of pizzas in India. Starting its journey in 1996 from Bangalore, the brand is celebrating 15 years of its presence in India, making consumers reminisce their first experience at Pizza Hut. The organised casual dining space stands at an estimated $2 billion in India at present and is growing at a rate of 25 per cent year-on-year. Gung ho about its growth in India and buoyed by the industry numbers, Pizza Hut plans to expand Pan Pizzas Pan-India aggressively doubling number of its stores from 131 to 250 by 2015, focusing majorly on tier2 tier3 markets while expanding in the metropolitans. A new campaign has been launched by Pizza Hut to commemorate these 15 years in India. The television campaign comprises of two ad-films that capture the memories of Pizza Hut consumers who reminiscence about their first pizza while enjoying the irresistible pizzas today. The TVCS showcase changes that have taken place in the lives of these consumers and the unchanged taste of Pizzas at Pizza Hut. The commercials also announces launch of 15 new Indian Pan Pizzas with flavours inspired from various Indian cuisines. The campaign that begins from December 24 will continue for 10 weeks with presence on Print, OOH, Radio and Digital media and 6 weeks on television.
Talking to exchange4media on completion of 15 years of the brand in India and the milestones, Sunay Bhasin, Marketing Head, Pizza Hut India  said, “From starting as a QSR to becoming the most loved affordable casualdining restaurant, the journey has been great for Pizza Hut in India. We have evolved in terms of our offerings, menu innovation and experience over these years and constantly delivered to changing tastes of Indian consumers. From 30 items in 2007, we now have 110 items on our menu. We are the category leaders and our endeavours would be to maintain that position.”  Commenting on how Pizza Hut is gearing up to the increasing competition, Sunay added, “It is true that there are many international players setting shops in India now, but that is a great thing for us. It shows that the category is growing fast. But casual dining space is still synonymous with Pizza Hut and we have continued to be voted as the most trusted food brand in this category. We are expanding rapidly now. We added 9 new stores in just last one month and plan to double our stores to 250 by 2015.”
JWT has been the creative agency for Pizza Hut for years now. The current campaign has also been created by JWT Delhi. Talking about the campaign created for 15 year celebration, Jaideep Mahajan, Vice President & Executive Creative Director, JWT Delhi, said “The campaign has a very simple thought 'a lot has changed in your lives in last 15 years but one thing that hasn't, is the taste of the pizzas'. The craving for these irresistible tasty pizzas is what brings you back to Pizza hut. Different characters narrating their experiences of 'My First Pizza' in present, charmingly shows the journey they have gone through in last 15 years. The candidness shot in the films make it very real.” The association has been phenomenal, feels Rohit Sharma, VP & CSD, JWT Delhi who has worked on the Pizza Hut account since last four years. Talking about the new campaign and the brand story over the years, he explained “Pizza Hut in its journey over the years has witnessed a whole generation which has grown up with its great tasting pizzas. Which is why when we at JWT set out to create a communication to celebrate this momentous occasion, we chose to narrate stories which were slice of life and also about Pizzas and much more. Over the years, Pizza Hut has become a place where people come together for great meals, great conversations and where great food acts as a catalyst to inspire social connections. Our brand story has always been good times with great pizzas.” Explore here Restaurants in Delhi . On being asked his best memory while working on the brand, Rohit said, “Winning the most trusted food brand since last seven years has been the most memorable and most satisfying experience while working on the brand.”
Source “exchange4media”

Chennai girl brings home the crown

Even as the year draws to a close, there's happy news for Chennaiites. A city girl has won the Vivel India Miss South 2011 beauty contest, the finals of which was recently held at the Chennai Trade Centre in Nandambakkam. Contestant No 2 and Chennai girl Rohini was visibly surprised when she won the crown, as she faced stiff competition from participants from not only the other south Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, but also her home town. When the audience shouted out their support for other local favourites, actor Prashant surprised the sparse crowd at a little over midnight by declaring Rohini to be the winner. Rohini was also declared first in the States Category and bagged the Beautiful Skin award as well. Ashwini and Swetha, both from Bangalore, came second and third in the Vivel India Miss South 2011 contest. Earlier, thanks to technical problems, the event started a few hours late. But Balaji, the Master of Ceremony for the evening, kept the mood lively with his funny one-liners. The various dance performances during the five-hour show ranged from being brilliant, to extraordinary to simply forgettable. But a certain few, such as the Chinese dance performance, stood out for their creative choreography. Explore here Spa in Delhi India.
The participants were tested in various categories, including dressing style (ethnic, party-wear, and evening gowns). But the most happening round was the talent round, where the models had to showcase their talents either in dancing or singing. Most of them chose to dance to popular South Indian film hits and a few to classical songs. The dance moves on display by the participants set the stage on fire and was accompanied by many hoots from the crowd. After a couple of rounds, 18 contestants were pruned to eight. They had to answer questions from the judges. Some of the selected participants gave standard, cliched responses, with one saying that she would opt to do social work like Mother Teresa if she won the crown. This customary answer met with boos from the audience. Rohini was asked to chose either her parents or her boyfriend to rush to after she won the crown. She chose the former, stating that her parents would themselves ask her to rush to her boyfriend to celebrate this special moment. At this, the concerned judge, who asked the question, joked, “Now, we know why this Kolaveri happens.” The other two winners gave impressive answers to tilt the balance in their favour. Swetha, who came third, was asked what made a woman complete. She replied that being a woman itself made her complete. She could play different roles and be the reason for the existence of this civilisation, she said. There were also some unique sub-title categories. For instance, Beautiful Neck, which went to Debo from Hyderabad, and Miss Catwalk, which went to Mahaakeerthi from Chennai. Visit here the complete details Beauty parlor in Chennai
Source  “ibnlive.in”

Delhi spoilt for choice this New Year Eve

Delhi, a city defined by variety and conspicuous consumerism, promises not to disappoint this New Year's Eve. As its people gear up to herald the coming year, the city's clubs, restaurants and discos are busy trying to out-do each other with spectacular parties, concerts and events to attract the discerning Delhiite. If you are young and want to drink and dance the night away, there are a number of nightclubs that have promised to stay open beyond 1.a.m. Aside from the numerous pubs around Gurgaon and Noida, Central and South Delhi's pubs have attractive offers too. The average cost can vary between Rs. 2,000 per couple to around Rs.15,000 depending on what is being offered. The cover charges generally include food and liquor.“We will be heading toward Pandemonium in Chattarpur, which has [Singer] Hard Kaur performing in addition to a dance floor and DJ with unlimited drinks, I think we are paying about Rs. 4,000 per couple” said Saurabh, 28.However, most independent discos in the city will not allow stags (single men) to enter unless part of a group. Most discos also said that since passes are already being sold it is better to plan the evening in advance to avoid disappointment. The city also has a lot of hotels that have planned their New Year packages with families in mind.Restaurants in Delhi like Circa 1193 and Rodeo cp are also providing the best deal in the city.You can visit the site bookmyrestaurant.co.in to get the more restaurants details in India
Most five-star hotels have opened all their restaurants with different entertainments on offer. The Lalit's 24x7 restaurant will be allowing children above eight years with an additional charge of Rs.1,750 with couple charges being Rs.8, 600 which covers unlimited liquor and food. Tarot card readings and live band performances are also on offer.The Imperial has also opened around five restaurants with its Royal Ballroom being off-limits to children below eight years. The Rs.13,700 cost is inclusive of taxes and covers beverages and snacks. The other restaurants come cheaper at around Rs.4,000 to Rs.5,000 with live bands and ghazal performances. The hotel also offers the option to switch over to its Royal Ballroom celebrations should the patrons change their mind. Explore here more Restaurants in Delhi.Most other five-star hotels are also offering the same fare of à la carte menus or buffets with accompanying performances like ghazals, live bands with popular celebrity singers and dance floors with DJs. The cost, depending on the liquor on offer or the performances promised, vary from around Rs.3,500 to about Rs.17,000 per couple. Most hotels have already registered substantial bookings. Many bars and restaurants in these hotels also do not allow children, so it is better to enquire in advance. Enquires about special arrangements for parking will also have to be made in advance.
Source "the hindu"

Food Security Bill likely to hurt the poor more

The Food Security Bill cleared by the Cabinet is likely to hurt the poor more than it helps them. India already has 54.7 million tonnes of rice and wheat lying as stocks with the Centre and the states, 29.7 million tonnes of grain in excess of the buffer stocking norm. Offtake of rice in the current fiscal year has been 74% of the allotment, and that of wheat, 64%. The residual will keep adding to the grain mountain with the government, which will rot, due to poor storage, be eaten by rats and be pilfered. By cornering huge volumes of grain, the government reduces the supply in the open market, putting upward pressure on prices.By banning exports every now and then, it depresses prices. This irrationality is set to be replicated on a much bigger scale, if the proposed Food Security Bill becomes law. This is not to say that the goal of ensuring food security for the people is either unworthy or undoable. It is neither.Explore here Restaurants in Delhi
Rather, the government is going about it in the most inefficient, unintelligent fashion possible. The world demand for food is set to climb, thanks to steady growth in the poorer regions of the world and increasing diversion of corn to biofuel. The right way to guarantee every Indian food security is to act to make India a major source of the additional food the world demands, to invest in agricultural growth: in harnessing water for scientific irrigation, in extension of know-how as well as in R&D, in rural roads that provide vital physical linkage to markets, in electronic spot exchanges, in scientific storage and efficient transport logistics, in developing as close a link as possible between the farmer and the first stage of food processing and in providing proper regulation of financial markets in agricultural commodities, futures, derivatives and insurance.The employment guarantee scheme is a vital part of food security, as a self-selecting scheme of doles for the truly needy. Enhancing earning power through farm growth is the right strategy, supplemented with cash transfers to the poor. Instead of doing all this, if investible resources are diverted to gargantuan subsidy, the government would forgo a possible future of prosperity, to lay its hands on a populist present. If we talk about metro cities many people eat food in Restaurants due to there busy schedule, also some people have habitual of eating food in Restaurants, But those are Not under BPL Category .Explore hare Restaurant in Bangalore.
Source "economictimes"

Heal and Relax - Luxury Spa and Beauty parlor in Delhi

The city of Delhi offers many attractions including the majestic architectural ruins of ancient, medieval and colonial periods including the marvelous Red Fort, tombs like that of Humayun's, the glorious India gate and splendid gardens of the likes of the Mughal and Lodhi gardens. With so much packed into this comparatively small city, tourists are spoilt for choice when it comes to devising an itinerary. The latest attractions are the glitzy malls that offer the best brands from Paris and Milan to theme and adventure parks jostling for space with the mystical walled city's old bazaars and havelis, giving this imperial city of historical and contemporary importance a hue which is unique and exciting.
No wonder the city's airports, international and domestic, are choked with flights flying tourists in and out of the city and the hospitality sector is thriving and vibrant. The latest innovation, not yet in the league of mundane services, seems to be luxury Spas which cater to the city weary first class tourists and locals alike and help heal the sore muscles and ease out the stress the fast and cumbersome lifestyle of cities infuses and infects the citizens with. Whether you are touring the city from across the Atlantic or from within the Indian sub-continent, a visit to a luxury Spa in Delhi is highly recommended as the traditional remedies of purely herbal nature and hand picked exercises and massages from all over the world can not only be exciting but can also cure you of the stress our lives are so burdened with. A luxury Spa in Delhi is a synonym for pure bliss and ecstasy as time perfected and age old practices like Yoga and traditional oil massages have such magical impact on the body and soul alike of the guests who check into Delhi hotels. The day Spa includes more modern healing and relaxation options like a sauna bath side by side with acupressure techniques borrowed from the orient. With beauty salon taking care of your skin and hair and massages helping release the accumulated tension, you start healing at the right moment you step into a luxury spa in Delhi. With a modern gym equipped with world's best machines to tone your body or to burn those extra calories you can not help but savor in the Delhi hotels, the entire experience at a luxury spa in Delhi is a complete package as it mixes health and fun in an ambience that almost makes you experience trance and enlightenment without you ever having to move a muscle on your own.Explore Here Spa in Mumbai
source "articles411"

Healthy Chinese Food Options

While many Chinese restaurants now offer a healthier selection on their menu, there’s a healthier Chinese food option still, and that’s to make Chinese food recipes yourself at home. If you deconstruct your favorite Chinese food recipes you will find that you can cut calories and add nutritional value to these dishes by taking sugar out of certain sauces and adding yogurt, honey, or even orange juice instead to sweeten the sauce and reduce the calories. Taking away breading and deep frying can also reduce the calorie count and bring back the wholesome freshness of the ingredients which are so flavorful in and of themselves. Baking can add crispiness to the dishes you usually enjoy fried, and making certain that the soy sauce and other sauces you use are low or reduced sodium is a good way to make your favorite Chinese food healthy as well. Lean cuts of meat, fish and loads of fresh vegetables provide a wonderful healthy stage upon which to perform your lean culinary magic. Ordering at a Chinese food restaurant or cooking at home requires patience. Steaming is always the healthier alternative to frying and doesn’t have to mean sacrificing taste. Steamed dumplings instead of fried, steamed rice instead of fried rice and, of course, ordering or using brown rice instead of white rice is always a good, healthy Chinese food option. Explore here restaurants in Bangalore.
Always make sure, when ordering Chinese food take-out or ordering from a restaurant, to go easy on the meat dishes and heavy on the veggie dishes. Loading up on meat can be detrimental to your health and the meat that’s prepared for you in the restaurant may contain more sodium and fat than it would if you’d prepared it yourself. As with any type of food, being careful about portions and knowing when you’re full is also very important. Sometimes, especially if we’re eating in a social situation such as ordering food or going out to dinner with friends and family, our appetite for food is sated but our appetite for the ambience of the dinner table is not.If you’d like to keep enjoying the experience without overdoing it on the food, simply begin drinking water or even green tea.These fluids will help move the sodium of the meal through your system more quickly and will help you stay with the present company in a healthy way. Aqua Bar – the atria hotel in Bangalore is a multi cuisine hotel/restaurants which provides the best dining services.
Source “empowher”

More vulture restaurants to conserve raptors

Vulture restaurant seems to be the latest conservation buzzword to protect these critically endangered and ecologically important raptors. Taking cue from Pakistan and Nepal, at least three such restaurants have come up in the country in the States of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Punjab with another proposed in Madhya Pradesh. Such restaurants claim to be protected sites for these birds where they can be fed diclofenac free carcass. Ranger of Orchha Forest Range in Tikamgarh district of Madhya Pradesh, JP Rawat, who is looking into the proposal to set up a vulture restaurant in the State, said the Forest Department will ensure the animals offered to vultures were not been treated with the banned anti-inflammatory drug before they died.
“Only then the carcass will be transported to this vulture safe zone, which will come up in open forest land,” he said. He said that in order to prevent other animals from feasting on the food of the vultures at the proposed restaurant, forest officials will fence the area besides platforms on which carcasses will be served. The three vulture restaurants in the country are located at: Chitpur in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra, Surat in Gujrat and third at Hoshiyarpur in Punjab. Diclofenac is an anti-inflammatory drug widely used for treating livestock. Consumption of such poisonous meat causes renal failure in vultures, leading to their death within three days. During the past 20 years, 99.9 per cent of Asia’s vultures have died primarily due to diclofenac poisoning.With their disappearance, carcasses of cattle, animals etc are piling up near human habitation threatening health and lives. India had banned the drug’s use in 2006, but it is still readily available and used by farmers, either out of habit or because they do not understand its ecological effects. Experts skeptical, say concept not practical. Explore here North Indian Restaurant in Bangalore .
New Delhi: Notwithstanding the enthusiasm of certain Forest Departments, vulture experts as Bibhu Prakash are not very optimistic on the conservation future of such an exercise. “Rather than the conservation aspect such areas would have more of tourism value of seeing many vultures at one place”. Further, the carcasses lying there may be free from diclofenac, but what if the vultures go and feed themselves somewhere else? he questioned. Similar doubts were expressed by Satya Prakash, vulture biologist and coordinator, Indian Bird Conservation Network, “such concepts are not practical in India”. The test to ensure that the carcass is diclofenac free is an expensive one and difficult to get conducted in the country. Besides, the ultimate purpose of their conservation is to release them in the wild, what happens to them then,” he asked. If we talk about Bangalore Restaurants then there are many best restaurants in koramangala which are providing the fine dining services and people love to eat food there.
Source “dailypioneer”

Surprises from the deep sea @ My Way

It's not every day you get to enjoy the delights of the deep sea, and when you have an entire food festival dedicated to it, the taste buds of the fish-starved go spiralling.  Delhi's calibre to serve up a hardcore seafood menu is often undermined, and foodies happily settle for the tried and tested fish tikkas and prawn fries as the only choices available in this category. The ongoing seafood festival at My Way or The High Way, the lounge restaurant in Noida's Centre Stage Mall, is a step in that direction, debunking the myth that lobsters are cheaper in Goa, and seafood can only enjoyed by the seaside.  Move over boring shrimp noodles and salt n' pepper prawns, for there is an entire world of exotic deep sea delights waiting to be devoured. Why not try out some scallops, lobsters, pomfret with chips or crab cakes? Seafood is refreshing, always light on the palate, not to mention stomach, but it can take more than just a palate to appreciate the nuances. With an audience divided between the staple 'butter chicken' and tandoori delicacies, how bright an idea is it to go ahead with a strictly seafood menu? Justifies owner of My Way or The High Way, Vikram Sharma who is an avid cook himself, "Contrary to popular belief, Delhi does have a lot of seafood, and what better time than winter to enjoy it. Seafood is always for a specific audience, and palates cannot change overnight, but the ones willing to experiment can enjoy scallops, lobsters, jumbo prawns, Basa, Sole, tuna and salmon cooked in Mediterranean style with an Indian bias."
The mouth-watering menu is sure to stir the fish lover in you as you take your pick from blanket wrapped fish fingers, seared scallops with eggplant chips and potatoes, steamed prawn salad with melon and bacon, crab cocktail, pan seared lobster on seafood rice, paprika fried shrimps, grilled jumbo prawns with risotto, whole fish with rosemary potatoes and white wine sauce, Lebanese grilled fish, mussels and squid tossed with spaghetti and what have you. The Indian influence in the menu is apparent from the inclusion of runaway favourites like Amritsari machchi, tandoori pomfret and tandoori prawns in the starters. You will love the sesame fried fish finger served with a white sauce made of vegetables and whipped cream. Even the blanket wrapped fish finger gives out a mild flavour when sampled with salsa sauce. Though, the grilled jumbo prawns with risotto could have been better both for its seafood lenience and use of spices. Tuna lovers should not miss out the juicy 'tuna with garlic Aoli'; the vegetables tossed up with this preparation add pungency to the otherwise bland tuna. The pan grilled salmon also merits a mention for its creative fusion with herb potatoes and garlic butter. There are many more Restaurants in Dwarkawhich are also providing the good sea food. Executive chef Deepak Dhanvariya of My Way or The High Way doles out a few handy tips on preparing seafood at home.
- Hygiene is paramount in seafood
- Steer clear if you have a tendency to get an allergy
- Never blend milk or cream with seafood
- Never overcook as the fish pieces can easily disintegrate
- Rely on taste not authenticity
...and you are good to turn into a seafood lover...forever!
Where: My Way or The High Way, Centre Stage Mall, Sector 18, Noida
When: 1 to 18 December 2011
Source  “toi”

In December Restaurants seems to be Price hiked

December seems to be the month that hoteliers choose to hike their rates and impact one's eating out budget. Last December, the hoteliers had opted for a hike in rates of eatables citing increase in vegetable prices and LPG. This time too, it is a similar story with eateries in the city deciding to notch up their rates in the range of Rs. 2 to Rs. 5 for idlis, vadas and dosas, excluding coffee and tea. Many restaurants and darshinis increased prices on Friday citing escalating price of commercial LPG as the major reason. Oil marketing companies increased the price of a 19-kg LPG commercial cylinder by Rs. 65 from December 1, with the price now at Rs. 1,359. K.N. Vasudeva  Adiga, president of the Bruhat Bangalore Hotels Association, justified the price hike saying that the steady rise in the price of commercial LPG over the last three years has cut into the profits of the hotel industry, leaving them with no option but to increase the cost of food items.
He said, “The increase in prices of different commodities and power also has an impact on the price hike. The rise in petrol prices is adding to the transportation cost.” Correspondingly, the increasing standard of living in the city is an issue with their staff. Restaurant owners have no recourse but to increase wages of their staff. Explore Restaurants in Bangalore here. STAFF CONCERNS : -  “The staff need to be paid more as everything in the city is becoming costlier. A worker who was being paid Rs. 5,000 a month earlier, cannot continue with the same pay. Some workers just quit the job as the pay is not satisfactory. The struggle to maintain a good team has also been a major trigger for the price hike,” Mr. Adiga said.  However, regular customers beg to differ. K. Subbu Krishna, a software engineer, said, “Only last December, the hoteliers had increased the prices by a huge margin. Citing increase in the price of LPG is not right; commercial LPG prices had crossed Rs. 1,400 per 19-kg cylinder when the hoteliers had increased the prices.  ‘NO JUSTIFICATION'  :- Mr. Krishna said the fresh hike comes at a time when the cost of pulses and cereals has almost stabilised. Hoteliers appear to be exploiting the hapless clientele who they know will not move out to roadside food carts because of hygiene issues, he lamented. Blue Spice Bangalore is the Restaurant which is providing the currently Chinese, Continental  cuisine .Pub Facility is also available here. The foodies can eat here their favorite Food Items.

Get the Punjabi Cuisine at your favorite restaurant

Like many of us, J. Inder Singh ‘Jiggs' Kalra believes that mother's cooking is best. One of the country's best–known gastronomes and food consultants, Kalra has never been to culinary school… and says he wouldn't know what was taught there. Everything he knows, he learnt at his mother's knee. “My father was a gourmet,” he recalls, “and the only time my parents had a spat was when the food wasn't good enough.” But those were rare moments indeed. And with varied cuisines, Indian and international, forming a part of everyday meals in the Kalra household, the young Kalra received invaluable grounding in what would later become his career and make him famous. His son, Zorawar, operates a chain of fine dining restaurants called Punjab Grill by Jiggs Kalra, under the Wrapster Foods brand owned by LiteBite Foods — a venture promoted by Dabur India Vice-Chairman Amit Burman. Kalra, who has drawn on his culinary knowledge of undivided Punjab to put together the menu for this chain, offers his take on the future of Indian cuisine.“Indians,” he says, “are phobic about food.” An unexpected comment, when everyone is talking about the well-travelled urban Indian and his/ her increasingly adventurous palate. Kalra concedes this, but goes on to say, “We are adventurous diners (when we eat out). But in most Indian homes, it is the housewife who cooks.” This, he says, is because at home we still prefer the predictable meals we grew up eating, and the woman of the house is seen as the custodian of the family's culinary inheritance. And even with the soaring popularity of home deliveries and takeaways, with several multinational chains customising their products to local tastes, it is this jealous guardianship of home cooking which will repeatedly bring us back to our familiar roti and dal, rice and rasam, says the food specialist.“This will be the success of Indian food in the long run,” he adds. Zorawar seconds this, saying that while some fast food chains may grow progressively more popular among youngsters on the price factor, they cannot really dent traditional food habits in countries like Japan, China and India, which have strong local cuisines. If you are looking for a Multi Cuisine Hotel/Restaurant then 1498 AD the Atria Hotel,  fulfill your choice.Here you can get multi-cuisine /Coffee Snacks.
“I love our cuisine. I've always wanted to be a restaurateur — but my ventures will always be about Indian food. No outsider is going to promote our cuisine. It is up to us to do that,” he reasons. And what can the Bangalore foodie, arguably among the most pampered in the country right now, expect from the Punjab Grill? Besides the classic Daal, and the Salmon Tikka — a popular innovation from his father, Zorawar recommends the eatery's signature Guchchi Pulao. A tad expensive at Rs 575 a serving, the rice dish is centred around the dearly-priced guchchi (mushroom) that grows in Kashmir only two months a year. “We sell this at cost,” says Zorawar, on the effort to retain such a rare item on the menu, as “otherwise, it will be lost.” With branches in Singapore, Delhi, Chandigarh, Gurgaon and Mumbai, Punjab Grill by Jiggs Kalra expects it branch in cosmopolitan Bangalore to serve as a good “tasting” ground for the country's South region. Explore here  Punjabi Restaurants in Bangalore . Asked about his views on South Indian food, Zorawar starts singing paeans to the Idli and Dosa, the spices of Chettinad and the seafood of Kerala: “These are sophisticated cuisines — with their subtle use of fiery spices. They will become world famous if you push them hard enough.”
Source "thehindubusinessline"

Lucknow comes to Bangalore

If anyone in the City is on the hunt for food fit for a nawab, his or her best bet would be ‘Tunday Kababi’, located in Koramangala. The eatery, which specialises in Lucknowi cuisine, offers customers an array of dishes that would have any meat-lover in a tizzy.Whether one is in the mood for a melt-in-the-mouth galauti kabab, aromatic biryani or delicious korma curry, ‘Tunday Kababi’ seems to have it all. Part of a Lucknow-based franchise, the eatery tries to bring the fresh flavours of nawabi cuisine to each and every one of its dishes. Santosh Mohan, who runs the outlet in Bangalore, maintains that this is what keeps his customers coming back. Keeping with this tradition, the eatery doesn’t use local masalas — rather, they are prepared, powdered and mixed in Lucknow and then brought here, keeping the taste of the food truly authentic. All the cooks employed at the restaurant are from Lucknow and are well-versed in the art of making kormas, ulti tawa ka parantha and of course, kababs. and if you are lover of North Indian, Italian, Maxican and Lebanese then Cream Centre in Indiraagar Bangalore is best Choice for you.
Not surprisingly, the main elements in the menu are the mutton-based dishes. The eatery serves three kinds of kababs — galauti, sheek and boti kabab. While the sheek kabab is made with spiced mutton mince, shaped into cylinders, the cooks aren’t as forthcoming when asked to describe the boti kabab. Apparently, they make it using a secret recipe that they prefer not to divulge and serve it with hot gravy. Awadh delicacies such as mutton korma, chicken  korma and shahi murg masala are also available. The mutton korma in particular is a popular dish — customers can’t seem to get enough of it. It’s a classic Nawabi dish, with meat that’s been cooked tender and served in gravy. Another frequently-ordered dish is the roasted barbecue chicken — deceptively named, since it’s as Lucknowi as the other items on the menu. The pieces of chicken are marinated in a combination of curd and special masalas for about half-an-hour, after which it is grilled to perfection. These dishes can be eaten with a variety of breads, including roomali roti, and ulti tawa ka parantha. No mention of ‘Tunday Kababi’ is complete without its biryanis. The aromatic, long-grained rices are cooked in the traditional Lucknowi style — they are spiced and mixed with milk and the meat, after which they are slowly cooked for about two or three hours. The restaurant also serves mouth-watering rolls. They are stuffed with cubed pieces of boti kabab, which are mixed in a thick gravy and wrapped in a hot roomali roti. If anyone is really hungry, he or she can opt for the thali. Comprising a fish curry, a chicken dish, rice, roomali roti, dal, a vegetable curry and one sweet dish, along with papad and pickle, it’s guaranteed to satisfy the customers. If you love to eat European cuisine then Chamomile in Indiranagar is suitable choice for you where you can get the several  verities of   European cuisine .
Source "deccanherald"

Shark lovers left high and dry

SHANGHAI - Several luxury hotels and popular restaurants have decided to take shark fin soup- a traditional delicacy on banquet tables -off the menu to help keep the species from becoming extinct. The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Ltd (HSH), parent company of The Peninsula Hotels, said that itwill stop serving shark fin on Jan 1 at all of its eight hotels globally, including one in Shanghai, one in Beijing and one in Hong Kong.HSH said the decision was made "in recognition of the threat facing the global shark population and in line with the company's sustainability vision".A spokeswoman for the Peninsula Shanghai who declined to give her name told China Daily that removing the dish from the menu will have a very limited impact on the hotel's food and beverage profits."We will replace shark fin soup with some other precious ingredients such as abalone and sea cucumber," she said.Swissotel Beijing has also decided to ban shark fin soup. "Our restaurant stopped selling shark fin soup at the beginning of November to protect sharks," said Zhang Lei, staff member of the Chinese cuisine department at the five-star Swissotel Beijing. Explore here  Chinese Restaurants in Bangalore.
"We saw retired NBA star Yao Ming's public service advertisement against eating shark fin soup and became aware of shark protection," Zhang said."Also, the number of customers ordering shark fin soup has decreased recently. They may beaware of the environmental protection problem as well."The Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel Shanghai, which opened in March, never featured shark fin onits menus. And popular Chinese restaurant South Beauty stopped serving shark fin soup in September."We will not serve shark fin soup even if the guest requests it for a banquet," said ShenXiaoyan, supervisor of South Beauty's Shanghai City Center outlet. The culinary industry's move has been lauded by animal protection organizations. Wild Aid, a wild animal conservation organization that has pursued a shark protection campaign for more than a decade, said in a newsletter that the ban on shark fins "exemplifies how businesses can become leaders in conservation, dissuading people from purchasing wildlife products and spreading awareness of the detrimental effects of the illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade". Silicrest Hotel in Bangalore India also provides Chinese, North Indian, South Indian cuisines. This is  in Bangalore’s famous place i.e. Koramangala  and huge crowed come here to eat their favorites dishes,cuisines.
According to Wild Aid, up to 73 million sharks are killed every year to meet the increasing demand for shark fin soup. As a result, about one-third of the open-ocean shark species are threatened with extinction, with certain species experiencing a 99 percent population decline. When their fins are hacked off, sharks are often still alive. The sharks, whose meat is not considered as valuable as their fins, are thrown back into the water to drown or bleed to death. Other major hotels in Hong Kong said they were reviewing their policies in the wake of the Peninsula’s move, but few appeared ready to drop shark fin soup from the menu entirely. Four Seasons Hotel spokeswoman Claire Blacks haw said that shark fin had been removed from the menu but was still available on request. "We are a popular venue for weddings so it gets requested quite a lot," she was quoted by AFP as saying. The Conrad, part of the Hilton group, the Nikko and Regal Hongkong hotels have similar policies, with some offering a choice of menus with and without shark fin dishes. However, some hotels in Shanghai have refused to take shark fin soup off the menu, even though some customers urged them to do so. Tang Yi, a 26-year-old employee with a State-owned enterprise, booked a wedding banquet fornix year at the Howard Johnson Caudal Plaza Shanghai. The hotel refused his request to take shark fin soup off the menu."I cannot bear to eat shark fin soup after I saw the documentary Oceans that had a segment showing how sharks' fins were cruelly sliced off and the fish thrown back into the ocean."However, the hotel insisted that the banquet would be degraded without the shark fin soup. They were not willing to look for alternatives either," he said."I don't think people really love the taste of the soup. Their passion for shark fin soup is only because it kind of represents luxury."
Source “chinadaily”

Multicultural metro, melting-pot cuisine

There are two types of food cities. The first is rooted in a particular region, dominated by one or two communities and their cuisines. Ever since Partition, Delhi has Punjabi-Frontier (tandoori ), with its older Mughlai-Kayasth food pushed to the margins. Chennai is Tamil, though not just vegetarian Brahmin, but also the nonvegetarian food of Chettiar, Mudaliar and other communities. Kolkata is overwhelmingly Bengali, despite pockets of Anglo-Indian, Chinese and other communities. Mumbai is the second type of food city. The food of the state in which it is situated can be surprisingly hard to find, barring the handful of Maharashtrian places in Dadar, a few outliers like Purepur Kolhapur and several Konkaniseafood places. Gujarati food, which could claim to be the original native food, no longer dominates, though there are still good thali places (and rather more overrated ones), and it could still be said to form the basis of much of the street food. South Indian food sold by the Udipi Shetty community feeds a huge number in the city each day, not least by the Gujaratis who have happily taken to idlis and dosas, although only after spiking the sambhar with a dose of sugar (they have also produced a wonderful fusion snack with dosa khakras). But Udipi food is hardly iconic for the city, and doesn't even represent what the Udipi community itself eats at home, but is a weird melange of vegetarian South Indian, Gujarati and even some 'Chinese'. There is also Punjabi-Chinese adding to the city's mix (not to mention Chinese bhel). Muslim communities add their own delicious mix to the city's cuisine, both in a generalized meat-based cuisine, with variations for each community that are harder to find. There is probably no easier place to find Parsi food than Mumbai (easier, not better), but even here the actual restaurants are few, and tend to fall far short of what homes and caterers can provide. There are now probably more Bengali restaurants in the city, a new and welcome boom. Goan restaurants on the other hand are still far too few, and dependent on New Martin in Colaba to uphold any kind of quality.
So, no single food dominates Mumbai, and the positive side to that is how it makes the city into a great gastronomic free-for-all. You may well be able to eat better examples of each kind of cuisine outside Mumbai, but no other city in India will give you such variety in one place. This is helped by the city's geographical position, easily able to get produce from both north and south. Because it is by the sea, it has seafood culture, which Delhi lacks. Because it is close to the ghats, you can get the strawberries and salad veggies of cooler climates. Because it is a magnet for expatriates and Indians returned from abroad, you have a cosmopolitan culinary appreciation crowd who can patronize, as well as invest and work in restaurants that bring food from around the world. Explore here Restaurants in Mumbai.Yet there are negatives. It can sometimes seem easy to eat a lot of average food, but very little really good stuff. Mumbaikars can be easily pleased with mediocrity (embodied in countless 'multicuisine ' restaurants), while really good places struggle. The constant hunt for novelty and an obsession with international food means that we can forget our really good traditional foods. Nothing embodies this more than the current fad for basa, a totally tasteless imported fish.  The city's structure squeezes restaurants as well. Insane real estate rates are killing off much of the middle layer of good restaurants increasingly our choice is only between expensive premium places and downmarket ones. Yet the city is inventive and tries to find solutions, like home delivery and food festivals. High calorie foods, which are the easiest options, are directly responsible for soaring rates of obesity and diabetes, but health food products-or products that claim to be health food-can command high prices, like the Rs75 per litre Pride of Cows milk recently launched in South Mumbai. And shamefully, under all this, malnutrition stalks the city's margins. Flambe Restaurant in Bangalore also provides Chinese, North Indian and Continental cuisines .this restaurants is in Koramangala, and people love to eat food here. Mumbai's food map reflects the chaos of the city, but it is why food is never boring here. The city is constantly cooking, eating, comparing cuisines, trying new foods, reviving old ones, talking, arguing, blogging, bragging and eating more. You want to break the ice with a group of Mumbaikars? Get them talking about food. Mumbai's cuisine is a constant conversation, where anyone can partake, participate and eat.
Source “toi”

Food Truck operators opening restaurants

While tension grows between food trucks and brick-and-mortar restaurants, some local trucks are parlaying their success into opening brick-and-mortar locations. An actual restaurant - or even a casual cafe - is a way to keep finances in order and ensure long-term profitability, said Ryan Scott, who owns the 3-Sum Eats food truck and is planning to open a cafe in San Francisco's West Portal neighborhood. "I don't want to solely survive on the truck, especially now with the weather," he said. "I can't have my bottom line affected if it rains. Brick-and-mortar is dependable." Scott uses the kitchen at Bruno's in the Mission District to do most of his preparation and cooking for his truck and catering business. He's also been serving weekend brunch at the restaurant for the last few months. The various outlets are a way to hedge his bets, he says. Akash Kapoor concurs. In 2009, he rolled out the first Curry Up Now truck to instant buzz. Earlier this year, he opened a restaurant by the same name in San Mateo and also added two trucks to his operation. Explore here  Italian restaurants in Bangalore India.
The restaurant's income stays steady during weather swings, he says, while the revenue from the trucks can drop 15 to 20 percent between November and February. Kapoor also points out other benefits to an actual restaurant. The expanded room has allowed him to expand the menu, including a children's section, and perhaps offer beer and wine in the future. He also uses the restaurant as a training ground for new employees, rather than throwing them into the fire and constant long lines of the hectic food truck world."You're very limited in the truck. In the restaurant, we can create a little more, and we do serve more people," he said. That said, Kapoor also believes his food trucks are just as expensive to operate as his small Peninsula restaurant. Both require tricky permit processes, and he says he pays comparable rent for the truck enterprises. But perhaps the biggest reason food truck owners covet real restaurants is the kitchen. Mobile food regulations require certified commercial kitchens be used in conjunction with all food trucks. These shared kitchens can often be expensive, out-of-the-way or crowded with fellow operators. "For me, the main purpose was to get a commissary kitchen of our own," said Jim Angelus of the Bacon Bacon truck, who recently inked a lease for a quick-service cafe in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. "Selling stuff out the door is a bonus," he said. With some commercial kitchen rental rates hovering around $25 an hour, spending three to four hours a day in a shared space can add up. And elbowing others for ovens? That can wear on people, said Angelus. That's why he, like Scott, wanted a kitchen of his own to complement the main attraction, the truck.But the beauty of the food truck is the scheduling flexibility. Many trucks took Thanksgiving week off, with nary a protest. That's hard to do with a brick-and-mortar space, where customers expect consistent hours of operation.In the end, though, these operators agree the transition to a brick-and-mortar support system has been an important step in building their business. "I'm covering my bases," Scott said. "I want to make sure I have staying power." If you  are in delhi, India and want to eat south indian food then click here  to explore complete list of  South indian restaurants in delhi . visit bookmyrestaurant.co.in to get the latest offers and discounts. get the Complete list of Restaurants .

source “sfgate.com”

Thanksgiving Day: Indians too celebrate and say thanks

BANGALORE: As Americans the world over sit down to a family dinneron Thanksgiving Day, enjoying homely fare like chicken pot pie and the piece de resistance that makes Thanksgiving special - roast turkey, expats and foodies in India plan to do the same, albeit at restaurants. It's a trend that could lead to Thanksgiving and Halloween being firmly placed on the Indian festival calendar. Jay Singh, co-founder and executive director, JSM Corporation, which runs fine dining restaurant Shiro in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore, says, "For most restaurants and hotels, this as an opportunity to create an event to drive up footfalls. Valentine's Day and Halloween are both Western concepts, but our events around it ensure an increase in footfalls of around 20%-40%. Most of this is made up of locals, not expats," says Singh. "Spending power has increased tremendously and everybody looks for an opportunity to dine out," says Nimish Bhatia, regional executive chef - South and master of trade at The Lalit Ashok, Bangalore, which has a special Thanksgiving dinner with dishes like roast duck with onion jus, turkey, clam chowder, hot crab cakes and pumpkin sweet cakes. For Vibha Pingle, founder of Ubuntu At Work, a global social enterprise, a Thanksgiving dinner with her family will be a way to celebrate a festival that has become a part of their lives over the 25 years she spent in the US and where she still spends a part of the year. Explore here Restaurants in Bangalore
"My husband is based in the US and we all shuttle between Bangalore, Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts. I've spent most Thanksgiving weekends there. This year, we all happen to be here. As I don't have the foggiest idea how to get a turkey  in Bangalore or have an oven big enough for it, going to a restaurant is the next best option," says Pingle.Olive Beach's Thanksgiving dinner in Bangalore is sold out. "Thanksgiving is a great festival around food and there is no reason Indians can't embrace it. Also, we have many patrons who are either expats or NRIs who have returned to India. They've been to Thanksgiving dinners in the US and want to experience the food again, but, of course, it's not easy to do at home," explains executive chef Manu Chandra, who will serve a three-course dinner, with entrees like corn chowder and a main course that includes slowly roasted turkey priced at Rs 1,100 plus taxes per head. According to Vipin Sachdev, MD of fine dining restaurant chain Tuscana Kryptos Restaurants in Chennai, "Birthdays, anniversaries, Holi, Diwali, Christmas -- they all come once a year. But today Indians want an occasion every week. That's because stress levels are rising and people need to relax." He estimates that 30% to 40% of consumption on Thanksgiving will come from locals who order from the special menu. The restaurant chain has procured 90 kg of turkey for its chain of four restaurants in the city.  Bageecha Restaurant in Bangalore is also fine Dining Services .You can get here North Indian and Chinese Cuisine.
For those who want a quieter celebration at home, restaurants such as Indigo Deli in Mumbai offer a festive takeaway menu that includes American butterball turkey, smoked ham and prime tenderloin, priced between Rs 990 and Rs 2,500 per dish. "In the past 2-3 years, our takeaway menu has been popular with the non-expat crowd," says Deepti Dadlani, brand and marketing head at Indigo. This restaurant is also putting together a special Thanksgiving menu at its outlets in Colaba and at Palladium Mall. Sanne Emborg, GM of Courtyard by Marriott, Mumbai International Airport, believes Halloween has much more of an appeal to the local audiences compared to Thanksgiving, "which is very American in concept and is characterized by the traditional dinner and turkey". "Among the popular Western occasions, the most sought after include Thanksgiving, Boxing Day and St Patrick's Day. While expats and NRIs like the idea of an authentic celebration to recreate the experience they would have had back home, for locals it's a reason to celebrate," says Anil Chadha, area manager and GM, ITC Gardenia, Bangalore, which is dishing out American specialties like butternut squash puree with charred pepper mousseline, shrimp and pumpkin bisque, turkey roulade with prune chestnut giblet stuffing and roast gravy. visit BookMyRestaurant to get the Best Discount Offers.
Source “TOI”

Get a Glimpse of Italian Restaurant in Greater Kailash 2 Iike Diva Restaurant

This empress of Greater Kailash II periodically undergoes extensive renovation, but this time around, it has become a new restaurant altogether. The ground floor with its wood-fired oven and semi open kitchen has turned into a cafe, in the style of Cafe Diva in Greater Kailash I, N Block Market. Visibly less formal than Diva Italiano upstairs, it is open through the day, from 11 am to 11 pm, and serves a range of salads, pizzas, paninis, bruschettas and main courses. In this, it is very similar to its country cousin in N Block Market, also called Cafe Diva, except that the country cousin strays from a strictly Italian menu, and the one in Greater Kailash II is entirely Italian. On the ground floor, you can have an artichoke and fig torta rs 430 that has been baked in the wood fired oven and that has, consequently a pleasantly smoky flavour to the short crust that contrasts perfectly to the minimally sweet fig. The pumpkin and eggplant salad 390 with almond flakes and sesame dressing was a great way of using two rather humble ingredients. Roast them and their surface becomes gently caramelized and the texture chewy. It is a technique that is never used in desi cooking, so the al dente joys of roasted vegetables are alien to us. There's a subtle crab and avocado bruschetta 490 that is a great way to start a meal: a pairing of two delicate ingredients atop lightly toasted bread that has been baked in-house.
Upstairs on the first floor is where the fine dining section is, but in the years since its inception, even the parameters of the concept of fine dining have been redefined, so the starched white table linen has given way to a more contemporary look. The wine library has become more prominently displayed and the four tables by the full-height glass windows are still as sought after as before. Prawn and Scallop skewer with green apple infusion and lemon scented fennel salad (Rs 520) had a subtle fruity zing to it, more lemon and less green apple. Two pieces of prawn and two of scallops are skewered and the dressing on the seafood combines with that of the salad. This one is light and summery, so it will be taken off the menu as soon as the cold weather sets in. If you are lover of North Indian Dishes  and want to eat these dishes in Bangalore then Tijori - The Atria Hotel is Best Option for you .Here you will get the Best Dining Services. If you love to eat Chinese food  then  18 China TownRestaurant in Bangalore Provides the  Best Chinese Cuisine.Sicilian couscous salad with crisp fish or Portobello tempura (Rs 460) is the kind of flavourful preparation that is deceptively simple. Taste it in almost every other restaurant that serves couscous and you'll encounter a tasteless pish-pash with a slightly rancid taste. In Diva, the couscous is packed with flavour from the stock and is soft and fresh. The other notable appetizer is Sicilian rice balls flavoured with carrot and orange with parmesan and lemon zest (Rs 410). These deep-fried morsels pack a mean punch. Crisp on the outside, with the texture of Arborio rice within, there's a square of mozzarella in the centre that melts with the heat of the oil and forms 'wires' when you bite into it.You can have a pizza from the oven downstairs: the one I tried was a four cheese pizza topped with chewy Portobello mushrooms. For dessert, there is a baked cheesecake with strawberry compote Rs 240 from the downstairs deli counter.
Source  Timescity.

Veg and Lovin' It a Brief on Restaurants in the cities

A buffet spread that boasts of over 50vegetarian dishes. A pizzeria that has only vegetarian toppings on its menu card. A pasta selection with the most exotic veggies, and an exquisite fine dining eatery with chole-bhatura as its top-seller. 'Vegetarian' has taken on a whole new meaning in the city. Gone are the days when the only options for vegetarians werethali restaurants and Udipi-joints. Today, the vegetarian can proudly walk into a classy restaurant that caters only to his/her food habits. And the prices match those of any other fine dining non-vegetarian hub. Steering this trend are restaurants like Le Pizzeria, South Indies, Soul Kitch, Dario's, Cream Centre and Shakahari.  “It's a vast, untapped market,” shares Vijay Abhimanyu, MD, South Indies. South Indies, at Ganeshkhind Road, cooks up vegetariancuisine from the states of South India. Appams and dosas are served with an extensive array of foods like the Mokka Junna Miriyalu Fry, the podi-tossed Idlis and so on. Cocktails like the Rasa Vodka, Elaneer Martini and Chennai Cocaine go along with the south-Indian feast. Explore here  Restaurants in Hyderabad.
Le Pizzeria and Dario's are two of the most popular Italian restaurants in the city. It surprises many that they're strictly vegetarian. "Not that it bothers us," says Minoti Shah, a regular at Dario's. "I usually enjoy non-vegetarian food more but at Dario's, the vegetarian fare receives full marks. I visit it every week. My favourites are the avocado salad, the crostini platter with sundried tomatoes, cream cheese, mushroom and aubergine, and theGorgonzola Pizza." There is a general 'healthy' tag attached to vegetarian food which these restaurants are cashing in on. Navin Patrick, general manager, Soul Kitch which serves 'vegetarian' world cuisine, says, "Apart from the health angle, we also get the chance to experiment more with different kinds of veggies. Often, our diners tell us that they don't miss eating non-veg when they come here." Nor do people mind paying fine-dining rates for vegetarian food. "Our ingredients are all imported. There is a growing ‘vegetarian’ trend. That also explains the great response to our new outlet at Phoenix Marketcity," says Karnalkar Usmaan, GM, Cypress Hotel, where Cream Centre is located. When Shakahari opened at the Pune Marriott Hotel and Convention Centre, it became the first five-star all-veg restaurant. Chef Pensiri Pattanachaeng, chef de cuisine- Shakahari, says, “More than 25 per cent of our clientele at Shakahari is non-vegetarian. We have a lot of expats who come to our restaurant simply to experience the menu since the concept is very different and unique.” Does the high price at such restaurants ever deter people - both vegetarians and non-vegetarians? "The margin of difference between a vegetarian and a non-vegetarian dish is never very large. There are instances when a vegetarian dish is more expensive but that is not a deterrent," he says. Certain vegetarian ingredients may be very expensive due to their exclusivity and their need to be imported. "The pricing of the dish depends on that," Chef Pattanachaeng adds. there are many more Restaurant/Hotel in India which are providing the best Dining Services.  Aqua Bar – The Atria Hotel Provides the Best Multi Cuisine Dining Services in Bangalore.
Source “expressindia”

The Brits Favorite Treat is a Chinese Takeaway

A Chinese Takeaway food is very famous in the World. One leading paid surveys site, has conducted a new online survey which revealed that Chinese food is Britain's favorite takeaway treat.The takeaway market in particular reflects how Brits are enjoying foods from every corner of the globe. In the recent Valued Opinions online opinion poll on the UK's favorite takeaways, Chinese takeaway was the first choice. Overseas <strong>Chinese restaurants</strong> serve various forms of Chinese cuisine outside China. Some have distinctive styles, The <strong>Chinese food</strong> is called as Chinese Takeaway in UK and Commonwealth, but it is called as Chinese Takeouts in America and Commonwealth. In 1907, the first recorded Chinese restaurant in London, England was opened. The rise in the number of Chinese restaurants in the UK only began after the Second World War, and has been attributed to service personnel. Every Country men now like a Chinese food. So that they have established the Chinese takeaway restaurant in UK and in other countries. Not only like the taste but price is also another reason. Sometime we don’t have a time to prepare food, now we will go to eat outside; this is also another major reason. See the Discount, offer menu, cuisine at <a title="Moti Mahal Deluxe" href="http://bookmyrestaurant.co.in/restaurant-Moti+Mahal+Deluxe">Moti Mahal Deluxe</a> Bangalore, India

If we will celebrate our birthday or function in Takeaway restaurant, it would better or else we may order the menus of cuisine by online, then they can bring it to office or home, it is very easiest way to celebrate.Nowadays There are plenty of specials available for delivery, Chinese takeaway or dine in. A Chinese Takeaway Food is very easy to prepare with tastefully, normally it is very opulent. So that everyone likes to eat. If you are eating out, a fast food restaurant is often the cheapest option. Freshly cooked Chinese takeaway food delivered to your home within 45 minutes. Choose from over 2300 Chinese takeaways and restaurants in the UK. You can pay cash on delivery or by credit / debit card.The Best Quality Chinese takeaway in West Swindon which is reasonably priced and well prepared in a clean and well presented kitchen with 5 star award from the local council of Health Hygiene Department. If u wish to Book/Reserve table in India Online, then <strong>BookMyrestaurant</strong> is best engine for you when you can book a table online and can get discount on each booking. You save time and money Both visit at <a href="http://www.bookmyrestaurant.co.in">www.bookmyrestaurant.co.in</a>. if you are lover of Sea food and want to eat delicious seat food in Best Restaurant  at Bangalore then <a title="Something Fishy" href="http://bookmyrestaurant.co.in/restaurant-Something+Fishy">Something Fishy</a>  is right choice for you and get the suitable discount part.
Source “openpr.com”

Alice Waters brings Chez Panisse experience to Beijing

The Berkeley  restaurateur takes on the challenge of staying true to her philosophy of eating local and buying organic in cooking for 250 people as part of a U.S. China Forum.Reporting from Beijing— Here is a nightmare assignment for a restaurateur: Cook for 250 people using all-organic ingredients procured locally in a country infamous for its tainted food supply. Create a romantic setting in a latter-day fortress, the fluorescent-lighted U.S.Embassy .Alice Waters' celebrated Berkeley restaurant, Chez Panisse, was transported to Beijing last week as part of a four-day U.S.- China Forum on the Arts and Culture. Berkeley and Beijing don't have much in common except as food writer Michael Pollan, another delegate, sarcastically put it, "both are socialist paradises." But to replicate the Berkeley experience in Beijing? It wasn't just a matter of flying the ingredients from California. Waters' philosophy centers on eating local and buying directly from the farm. "Knowing the person who grows the food is the best way to find food you know isn't contaminated," said Waters, sinking into a chestnut-colored leather sofa in her hotel near Tiananmen Square. If Waters was turned off by China's wave of stomach-churning food scandals — the cooking oil recycled from sewers or the steroid-laced meat — she was too diplomatic to say. She responded to questions on the subject with a tight-lipped "Mona Lisa" smile.She did acknowledge that Beijing's northern climate was a challenge to her exacting standards for local ingredients, so she had to widen her range — to southern China's Guizhou province for the organic oranges in the dessert, apple and candied orange galette with honey ice cream.

Given there are only a smattering of organic farms in China, procuring her ingredients would require some serious "foraging" — the term Waters prefers for what the rest of us call "shopping."The original menu called for the entree to be duck. Notwithstanding the ubiquity of Peking duck, Waters' team couldn't find organic duck in sufficient quantity. They found instead two organic farmers who were each able to deliver a 440-pound pig to the embassy kitchens."We knew pork is the meat that Chinese usually eat, but it meant I had to cook it better than they do," Waters said. She braised it with red wine sauce and served it with a puree of turnips and a garden salad.Samantha Greenwood, Waters' special-events chef, said some of the organizers were critical of the use of simple ingredients for a VIP dinner, which was hosted by U.S. Ambassador Gary Locke and attended by many of the ambassadors in Beijing, as well as cultural luminaries such as cellist Yo-Yo, writer Amy Tan and filmmaker Joel Coen. "They thought we should be using luxury ingredients: steak, lobster, foie gras. They didn't understand that is the reverse of the approach we take," Greenwood said. Banquets in China are served on large round tables with Lazy Susans in the middle. Waters insisted on long, narrow tables to facilitate conversation. Instead of the copious toasts of <em>bai jiu</em>, a strong clear liquor, they served only wine, donated from California vineyards. The blanc de blancs sparkling wine from Calistoga-based Schramsberg vineyards happened to be the same wine Henry Kissinger  brought in 1972 for a toast by President Nixon and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai.Aside from the wine, the only imported ingredients were the olive oil — also from California farms — and vinegar. Waters and her staff also brought their own tablecloths, menus and napkins that were recycled from a party held this year marking the 40th anniversary of the founding of Chez Panisse. As a rule, Chez Panisse does not cater. In fact, the staff rather sniffs at the idea, but the restaurant has done several events outside its California comfort zone: in Berlin and Austria, a private party in the Caribbean (the restaurant will not disclose the client) and a luncheon for First Lady Michelle Obama at a Chicago hotel. <strong><a title="Hotel  Ramanashree" href="http://bookmyrestaurant.co.in/restaurant-Hotel+Ramanashree">Hotel  Ramanashree</a></strong> in Bangalore is also a very special Multi Cuisine  Hotel  which offers food in a Affordable Budget and with high quality. Explore here <strong><a title="the village restaurant" href="http://bookmyrestaurant.co.in/restaurant-The+Village+Marathahalli">the village restaurant</a></strong> in Bangalore.

The skill level of Chinese sous chefs hired to help out in Beijing made things easier here. The second course of the dinner was consomme with butternut squash tortellini, which is technically very difficult."But we figured if there's anywhere it can be done it's here because they all have dumpling-making skills," Greenwood said. "We put them on it, and they just got it immediately. We fell in love with the cooks."The U.S. Embassy had never done a large dinner before and Waters had never cooked in an embassy before, so there was some stumbling on both sides to make it work."They were open and welcoming, but it was like you can do anything you want if you give us three months' notice," Greenwood said. "If you wanted to unscrew a light bulb, it took 20 emails."In the end, though, they were able to remove the fluorescent lights. Improbably enough, Waters received permission to burn small bundles of rosemary in the courtyard to warm the tmosphere.And one aspect of U.S. Embassy security was definitely appreciated: Visitors had to surrender all their electronic devices at the front gate. At Chez Panisse, Waters said, "we can only ask politely that you don't use your cellphone."Explore here <strong><a title="Chinese Restaurants in Bangalore" href="http://bookmyrestaurant.co.in/cuisines-Chinese,Bangalore">chinese restaurants in bangalore</a></strong>

Source “latimes.com”.

Education gets spiced up as curry-making finds way on to menu

LETTER FROM BRADFORD: THE HOUSE speciality in the Prashad restaurant in Bradford is aloo dum biryani – a mixed vegetable dish – prepared as “an ode to her ancestral past” by Minal Patel, who had never cooked professionally until she came to Britain six years ago. The Prashad, a vegetarian Indian establishment with just 40 seats on the Grange Horton Road in the West Yorkshire city, has rarely had a free seat since Minal (29) and husband, Bobby, featured on Ramsey’s Best Restaurant programme on Channel 4.
Bradford, now feted as the curry capital of England, and its surrounding towns are not short of good curry houses; the Prashad itself, or Kiplings in the city, or the Aagrah, or Shimla Spice in the surrounding towns of Shipley and Keighley. In September, locals seized the Guinness Book of Records title for the world’s largest onion bhaji when they produced a monster weighing 102kg, using six sacks of onions, six bags of chickpeas and 250 bottles of rapeseed oil. The engineering department of Bradford College produced a vessel – since dubbed “Big Bertha” – that was large enough to cook the bhaji, complete with the hooks necessary to raise the record-beater out afterwards.Today, the British appetite for such food, if in smaller samples, is worth £3 billion a year. However, tougher visa rules brought in last April have created difficulties, since restaurants are now struggling to find highly qualified chefs to meet the demand. Explore Restaurants in Karol bagh here.
In the past, new recruits were imported from India, Pakistan or Bangladesh. However, April’s changes mean non-Europeans must be able to speak English, have accredited qualifications and be about to be paid more than £28,000 before they will get permission to enter.“In order to achieve the government’s aim of reducing net migration, under the revised point- based system only the top 5 per cent of the most skilled chefs qualify for admission to this country,” says the department of communities and local government. Meanwhile, British-born Asians, particularly those with a good education, are less and less likely to follow their parents into the kitchens. Together, the social changes mean that one in four chef jobs is vacant, according to the industry.The British love-affair with curry, spurred by the operation of the East India Company, dates back nearly 400 years, with the first curry dish appearing on the menu of the Coffee House in London’s Haymarket in 1773. The Hindostanee Coffee House was opened in George Street, off Portman Square in London, in 1809 by Dean Mahoment. He is said to have reached the city “via Cork”, catering for “the Nobility and Gentry where they might enjoy the Hookha with real Chilm tobacco and Indian dishes of the highest perfection”.In the late 1920s, Indian food became fashionable with the opening of Veeraswamy’s on Regent Street – still there today – under the ownership of Edward Palmer, who became known as the “curry king”. The restaurant became the training ground for a new generation of Indian chefs and received royal patronage from Prince Axel of Denmark, who had enjoyed Palmer’s hospitality earlier at the Empire Exhibition in Wembley in 1924. Click here to get the complete list of restaurants in rohini .
Delighted by his time in Veeraswamy’s, Prince Axel presented a case of Carlsberg and gave orders that successors should be delivered on the anniversary of his visit. In time, Veeraswamy’s spread Carlsberg’s reputation as the company grew in Britain. Ironically, the majority of Indian restaurants were not run by Indians at all, since most of them until the early 1970s were controlled by Pakistanis. Following Bangladesh’s independence in 1971, the dominant force were Bangladeshis from the city of Sylhet.Now, Bradford College is seeking to fill the gap left by tighter immigration rules with a 2½-year course in its International Food Academy for up to 100 curry chefs, partly trained by those working inrestaurants in the region. In the past, Asian establishments, secure in their supply of trained labour, were reluctant to hire from outside their ethnic group, Bobby Patel said. However, the prospect of non-Asian staff preparing great dishes does not faze him.“We’re not talking about getting a white face into the kitchen. We’re talking about getting talent into the kitchen and finding those stars, irrespective of ethnicity,” he said, adding the knowledge of elders will be crucial to protect traditional skills and recipes.The academy was set up in May. Demand is already high for places, building on work by local restaurateur Omar Khan, who started the OK Academy to help unemployed local youths into work. The immigration curbs “basically stopped” the importation of chefs from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, Kahn said. He approached Bradford College to form a partnership to meet demand.Although the visa rules will not be relaxed, the industry has a friend at court in the form of the rotund secretary of state for communities and local government, Conservative Eric Pickles. Now, the Yorkshire man – a former Conservative leader of Bradford Council in the late 1980s – is investigating ways in which the Bradford experience can be replicated elsewhere with a national “curry college”. Forever talking about his love of curry, Pickles says “tikka masala is more British than fish and chips”. For three years, Ladbrokes has run a novelty bet that he will drop into a curry house during the Conservative conference. Each year the bookie has lost.
Source  “irishtimes.com”

Basmati rice aroma to waft through global dishes

New Delhi: India will promote the use of basmati rice in global dishes and non-traditional markets aimed to boost exports, a senior official said Wednesday. "We are trying to expand the use of Basmati rice in International dishes," said Arvind Kumar Gupta, advisor at the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority of India (APEDA). Over 50 celebrity chefs and food critics from different countries, including US, Mexico, Britain, Italy and France, gathered here Tuesday-Wednesday for the "Basmati for the World" culinary conference organised by APEDA in association with All India Rice Exporters Association under the aegis of the ministry of commerce and industry. Gupta said some chefs prepared fusion international food using Indian basmati rice. "We export basmati rice to over 100 countries. It is mostly being used in Indian dishes and by Indians. Now we are promoting its use in dishes of other countries also," Gupta told IANS. Basmati rice is the single largest agricultural product exported from India, valued at around $2.5 billion. In the last fiscal, India exported nearly 2.2 million metric tonnes of basmati rice to 106 countries. The Middle East is the biggest market for Indian basmati rice. "Our total production is nearly 4.5 million metric tonnes. Almost half of it is being exported," said Gupta. Explore Restaurants in Vasant Kunj
Master chefs from various countries who showcased their local re-invented dishes using basmati rice including Arancini, a Sicilian dish (fried rice balls) by Chef Matt Edmonds from London and Maki roll by Michelin-star chef Lionel Levy of the Une Table, au Sud restaurant of the French port city of Marseilles. Flora Mikula of the Parisian restaurant, Auberge Flora, created basmati ice cream served with caramelised pineapple embellished with saffron. She replaced a French rice variety with Basmati for a gazpacho (cold vegetable soup) with paneer and black olives. Expore here Restaurants in Saket  which are providing the fine dining Services. American chef David Felton, famous for his farm-to-table restaurant, Ninety Acres, has created a Basmati risotto with Brussels sprouts and butternut squash and paired the classical butter-poached Maine lobster with Basmati rice and Thai curry sauce. Edgar Navarro, a Mexican chef reinvented the tumbada, the traditional seafood rice dish of Veracruz, with Basmati rice. In a bid to promote the use of basmati rice, a coffee table book was released during the event carrying detailed information on this unique Indian Rice, its essence and how it has been preserved over the centuries to modern days.
Source "twocircles"

Pulling up to the big table at Edmonton restaurants

We something that much of edmonton is having trouble warming to.We used to sit people there if that was the only spot we had available .even people with reservations,” Costa says. “We didn’t check with them first — we just didn’t see it as a big deal. But some people left. I guess the thought of sitting with other people really bothered them.” Now Costa always gives people advance notice if they’re going to be spending their evening at the communal table. Fewer people are walking out, but some still decide not to go ahead with the reservation. Communal tables are large tables that can accommodate groups of people from a number of different parties. They’ve become more and more common in big city restaurants around the world and Edmonton’s dining scene is now starting to see more of the tables popping up. Along with Corso 32, you’ll find them elsewhere downtown at MRKT, The Marc and Tres Carnales, as well as Ousia, the new Mediterranean restaurant on Whyte Avenue.Explore here Table Reservation In India
Over at The Marc, where a hand-crafted eight-person communal table bridges the gap between the dining room and the bar, owner Patrick Saurette reports he’s also encountering some reluctance. “People would rather sit at the bar,” he laments.When he first opened The Marc late last fall, Saurette felt Edmonton was ready for communal-style dining. “Really, the concept has been around for a long time. As a kid, growing up in Vancouver, I remember going to this breakfast place where, if there was a vacant seat at a table, you just took it. It really encouraged neat conversation.” He had a friend make a large wooden table that is distinctly different from the white, glass-topped tables that dominate the rest of the room. He thought the table would fit in well with the light, easygoing atmosphere of his restaurant, as well as help to encourage spontaneity. “I wanted people to feel that they could just pop in for a bite at the last minute, without always having to have reservations.” Currently, the communal table seems to be more acceptable at lunch, but in the evenings, those seats are the last to go — if they go at all. Saurette says although Oilers coach Tom Renney has sat at the table, it wasn’t by choice — every other table was taken. And even when the table does happen to be occupied, Saurette isn’t noticing a lot of interaction. “There was a group celebrating a birthday there, and they did share the cake with the others sitting at the table, but really it’s an uphill battle.”Costa points out the big tables make some sense from a business perspective for restaurants always working on tight margins.Click here to know more about Gurgaon Restaurants.
“A restaurant needs to fit in tables wherever it can,” explains Costa. “In New York, you’re lucky to have an inch between you and the table next to you but here, everyone’s used to dining in their own little world.“It’s more than that, though. Eating is about company and sharing, so the communal table is a way of bringing people together. I want people to sit amongst other people and meet others who share the same city as they do. For me, those are the best times.”Costa admits that “one person can spoil the whole pot,” but says situations like that, where one diner makes everyone else uncomfortable, happen only rarely. Once people relax and let go, they usually enjoy the experience. There have even been people who’ve met at Corso 32’s communal table and come back for dinner together on nother night.“Our communal table often ends up being the loudest table in the restaurant, with the most interaction.”So there does appear to be hope for the communal table concept in Edmonton, and at least one restaurant where the common nosh is more the rule than the exception. That’s at MRKT, where chef and co-owner Carla Alexander feels the concept is being embraced. She says the long 24-seat communal table that dominates her room is routinely busy, as are the three smaller six-person tables. And she says that holds true for both the more casual cafeteria-style lunch service and the slightly more formal table service at dinner.“We wanted people to dine together — to enjoy the food and to share conversation. Most people like being amongst it all, elbow to elbow. It is a little unconventional, but people do strike up conversations.“When I dine out, I’m always looking at what’s coming out of the kitchen. This makes it easier to say, ‘That looks great. What is it?’”Saurette says he’d like to turn The Marc’s communal table into a place where dinner is about more than just the food. He’d like to see “a table of talk.” He envisions a table that’s bigger and wider, with a centre board running down the middle of it. “It would be like a true groaning board — you could put the platters of food right in the middle, along with baskets of bread and maybe some flowers.”As for Costa, one day he’d like to open up a restaurant that’s one big communal table.“The thing I love about Edmontonians is that, while they may hate the idea at the beginning, once they start eating, they switch over,” says Costa. “This is something that’s different, and no one likes something that’s different right away.”His advice? “Don’t stress – just enjoy your food. Who cares what someone else might be thinking?

Source “edmontonjournal”