Seven days of super supping

For most people, dining at a five-star hotel involves a bit of financial planning. The best time is the beginning of the month, when you're flush with your salary. Other auspicious days are birthdays and Diwali, which is bonus time. However, this month you can have a posh meal without breaking your piggy bank. Reason: the third edition of Restaurant Week begins on September 19.The concept, borrowed from Restaurant Week in  London and the US, will have 15 restaurants offering a three-course meal of items selected from their menus at a fixed price of Rs 1,000. This time, the participants include five-star restaurants such as San-Qi at the Four Seasons, West View at ITC Maratha and Ziya at The Oberoi and high-end standalones such as Hakkasan, The Table and Indigo.The event, which was launched last September, germinated from a casual conversation between three friends—food professionals Mangal Dalal and Nachiket Shetye and finance pro Azeem Zainulbhai—all of whom view Restaurant Week as an act of culinary activism. "We are trying to showcase restaurants that offer some of the best culinary experiences," says Dalal, who graduates from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris year. "You can have a great meal at Bade Miya's. But it doesn't have the overall ambience." Shetye, a chef at East, a pan-Asian restaurant at Nana Chowk, adds that they plan to make Restaurant Week a bi-annual event and introduce it in different cities every time. This time around, it's Bangalore that will have a Restaurant Week simultaneously with Mumbai.Initially restaurants were reluctant to participate, says Dalal. "They didn't want to be seen as diluting their brands," he says. "I kept telling them that it's celebration of food. Besides, all the restaurants are of a similar stature."But they're enthusiastic about the idea now. During the first Restaurant Week, seven establishments participated, offering to reserve four tables for each day of the event. This time, Shetye says, the 15 restaurants have offered 100-180 tables for the week. "The eventual aim is to take over the entire restaurant for a week," he adds.Chinese Restaurants in Bangalore  and Italian Restaurants in Bangalore  have also Great Crowded. The restaurants look at the event as a way of attracting new customers. "For guests, it's an opportunity to try a new restaurant that they thought they would never go to," says Jeetesh Kaprani, the food and beverage manager at The Oberoi, whose restaurants Ziya and Vetro are participating. "For the price, it's great value for money. So it's a win-win situation for both of us." Anand Nair, the food and beverage manager for The Leela, that's being represented by its Chinese restaurant, The Great Wall, says the event is a marketing opportunity. "Even though our revenue doesn't go up drastically, the number of people visiting increases," he says. "Footfalls are also what we need."This time Restaurant Week has two new side events. On September 21, Olive Bar & Kitchen at Mahalaxmi will host Kitchen Party. It's a ticketed event that allows guests to meet Olive's head chef and two guest chefs, wander about the kitchen, and interact with chefs as they cook and snack on hors d'oeuvres. The other event is Chef's Table Week that runs from September 12 to 18. On offer is a seven-course tasting menu and a chance to chat with the chef. Eleven restaurants, many of which are not part of Restaurant Week, are participating in this. "It gives a platform for a chef to showcase his repertoire in a structured format, says Manu Chandra, executive chef at the Olive in Mahalaxmi and Bangalore. "The menu is more adventurous, we're not sticking to safe norms." Sign up then if you fancy tagliatelle with guinea hen or moussaka 'deconstructed' into its various parts.
Source "TOI"

Navratras have different impact in Delhi and Bangalore

Delhi and Bangalore are witnessing a huge spurt in retail spends with the onset of the festivities. Apart from retail, hospitality sector is also witnessing an unprecdented boom. Restaurants in Koramangala and Indiranagar areas of Bangalore have seen a sudden increase in business esp for the evening slots, as the tired shoppers end their long days at the malls/market with a dinner out. In Delhi on the other hand, the restaurants in Rajouri Garden and Connaught place areas have witnessed a significant drop in business. This is attributed to the 9 days of fasting observed by most North Indians during which they stay away from non-veg and eat only special foods. In fact some restaurants in Connaught Place now have a special section in their menu devoted for those who are fasting during the Navratras

Gala time for foodies this Durga Puja

PATNA: Various restaurants and roadside food stalls opened recently in the city are spoiling the foodies here with choice. Durga Pooja has added flavour to their feast, giving them a wonderful excuse to completely forget about their diet and explore the new restaurants and food joints. The newly-opened outlet of a restaurant chain, 'Journey to Jalandhar', at Frazer Road is dishing out Punjabi flavour to Biharis. It is serving Punjabi cuisine only. "Our staff, including the chefs and waiters, all are from Punjab and we are cooking food in total Punjabi style," said  Manoj Kumar, manager of the restaurant. He also claimed to be serving the best Punjabi lassi here. In view of Durga Puja, the restaurant is also giving discount coupons to its customers. Another Punjabi restaurant that has opened just opposite to 'Journey to Jalandhar' is Chawla's. It opened in September and is receiving heavy footfall. Deepika Sharma, who had come to dine at Chawla's, said, "The waiter told me that cream paneer and cream chicken are their special dishes. And, I actually loved them, they are very tasty." Soumya Lakhmni, manager of Chawla's, claimed that their dishes are famous all over the country and her chefs are all from Punjab. She told TOI that the restaurant is giving 15% off on home deliveries till October. Some other restaurants that have become the favourite hubs of foodies because of their particular menus include 'Delhi Darbar'. Located on the city's Youth Hostel premises, it offers a variety of 'parathas' made by special chefs from Delhi. 'Moti Mahal', opposite P & M mall in Patliputra colony, is luring customers with its tandoori food, and has also opened one more outlet at Jagdeo Path.Dosa Plaza, near Gandhi Maidan, is attracting customers for its more than 100 varieties of dosas and South Indian Dishes and Momos Station at Frazer road for its varieties of momos. 'Rahim's Mughlai Shahi Dastar Khwan' has become famous for its 'Lucknawi Mughlai food' at P & M mall. 'Mad about China' at P & M mall is famous for sea food, Chinese dishes and many more items. Jatin Sinha, who lives as a paying guest in Boring Road area, said, "We don't get much time to prepare our food, so rolls and kebabs are the best options in our limited budget. Explore here more Chinese Restaurants in Delhi . For rolls I usually go to 'Blue Moon' but the recently-opened 'Wrap and Rolls' and 'Roll Mafia' are also offering great taste." "Any combination of rolls one can think of, is available at P & M mall's food court," said Shweta Chaddha. While new restaurants are not planning to give discounts or to launch new food during the  festival , some old ones like 'Ghar Angan' will have a special menu during the four days of Puja. "We are adding 'dahi ke kebab', 'aalo bhutte ka tikka', 'murg haryali kebab', 'murg angara kebab', 'jungle paneer tikka' 'dadad majboosh biryani' and a special Bengali dish 'fish coconut curry' to our menu, especially for Durga Puja," said Shailesh Upadhyay, manager, 'Ghar Angan'. On special request, it would also cook without onion and garlic during Navratra. Source  "TOI"

Service charge leaves many restaurant-goers confused

CHENNAI: It is a choice that leaves many customers puzzled at the end of a meal. With most restaurants levying a service charge of 5% to 10%, customers say they are unsure whether to tip the waiter in addition to paying the charge.Most eateries resort to a blanket service charge to compensate for paltry tips received by the staff, say industry people. But this practice, which has been in existence for more than three years in the city, runs into trouble when customers miss the fine print or are unhappy with the service. "As most restaurants have a service charge, I tip only if I am happy with the service," says Parvathi A, a marketing professional.T Natarajan, honorary secretary of The South India Hotels & Restaurants  Association, says that it is not illegal to levy the charge. "But, if there is a service charge, it should be displayed clearly, especially on the menu," he says.Service charge, unlike the service tax levied by the government, is collected by individual managements from customers for services provided. "It is often the frontline staff like waiters who get tips while those employed in the kitchen and others hardly get any," says Natarajan. The service charge collected is distributed among all staff, usually after taking into account break-ages and other damages, he says.Prakash Kumar, partner of Eatalica, a chain of restaurants, says most of his customers do not tip as they know that the restaurant collects a 5% service charge. But, according to Ashwin Kumar, head of a branding consultancy, what makes a difference is the quality of service. "Food is a personal experience and if somebody goes out of the way to make it special, I leave a tip," says Kumar.There are many more Restaurants in India which are taking service ChargesBut there are a few places in the city where tipping is not encouraged. "We have been trying to ensure from the beginning that the service is good whether or not we get tips," says Harris Abdulla of Fruit Shop on Greams Road, a fresh fruit juice chain. Having the 'no tip' policy has only increased the goodwill and appreciation, says Abdulla. In worst case scenarios, when patrons insist on tipping, the staff brings out a donation box. "Customers can donate to a charity that we support. It avoids embarrassment for both par-ties," he says. Explore more  Italian Restaurants in Delhi, Chinese Restaurants South Indian, Continental Restaurants.
Source "TOI"

Battle against bar in residential area of Bangalore takes a political turn

The opening of a bar and restaurant at a residential area sparked a public protest and political fight between a local corporator and a senior BJP leader.Residents of Prasanna Layout in Herohalli ward were leading a peaceful life until May 5 when Lakshmi Venkateshwara Bar and Restaurant was opened in their area.The facility, owned by a BJP supporter Srinivas, was relocated from Pantarapalya in Nayandahalli.Upset by the presence of the bar, residents complained to AM Hanumanthe Gowda, the local corporator from JD(S), who sought the immediate closure of the facility. But that was not easy as BBMP council’s ruling party leader BR Nanjundappa allegedly directed the Palike not to take action against the restaurant owner.“The shop was opened in the residential area which is a yellow zone mentioned in the revised master plan. After the bar was opened, the local people kept complaining to me and they also staged protests,” Gowda said.When there was no official response to his appeals, he submitted a memorandum to the Bangalore Urban deputy commissioner and excise department seeking the closure of the bar and restaurant citing inconvenience to the public.“While the deputy commissioner gave an order for shifting the bar, the bar owner got a stay in the city civil court which was later vacated,” he said. Gowda again appealed to the urban deputy commissioner for the closure of the bar.“The DC directed the DySP of excise department to inspect the bar and restaurant and give a report. After getting the report, on September 20, the deputy commissioner directed the bar owner to shift the facility from the residential area,” he said.In the meantime, Gowda demanded the BBMP to demolish the building as, according to him, it is an illegal construction. He also complained to the BBMP’s health department that the owner of the restaurant had not taken a trade licence from the Palike for running the restaurant.The BBMP officers, who finally went to inspect the bar and restaurant, had to return empty handed as Nanjundappa had directed them not to take any action against the  Bangalore restaurants  owner, said Gowda.“The bar owner had not taken licence from the BBMP to run the restaurant. When the officers went to close the restaurant, senior corporator (BR Nanjundappa) directed them not to take any action,” said the souce.“It appears the owner had called a minister who, in turn, told the senior corporator not to allow the BBMP officers to take any action. The officers had to return empty handed,” the source added.Gowda alleged that the direction not to take action against the bar owner came from BBMP council leader Nanjundappa. “But the legal cell permitted the BBMP to close the restaurant and the health department seized it on Friday,” he said.“Gowda told us to close both the bar and the restaurant,” the BBMP officer said.“But since the bar doesn’t come under the BBMP purview, we seized only the restaurant,” the officer said adding that it was difficult for officials to work under such situation.Nanjundappa dismissed allegations against him saying that although the bar owner had come to him for favours, he had rejected them.“The owner requested me to influence officials to prevent others from inspecting the bar and seizing it. But I rejected his request. I too oppose bars coming up in residential areas. So I fully back the corporator in his fight,” said Nanjundappa. There are all kind of Restaurants in Bangalore and People also love to eat Food in South Indian Restaurants.
source "Dnindia "

Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor announces special franchise opportunity for women

New Delhi, Delhi, September 29, 2011/India PRWire  Sanjeev Kapoor, celebrity chef, television star, bestselling author and successful entrepreneur today announced a special .opportunity open only to women entrepreneurs to become a franchisee of his rapidly growing chain of restaurants. Speaking on this occasion Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor said, "When Khana Khazana started 18 years ago it was a pioneering show on Indian television. Today we have launched our own television channel, "Food Food". I would like to thank the women of India for the tremendous support I have received from them over the years in all my ventures, be it television shows, books, or food products. We would like to play a small role towards empowering women entrepreneurs by making franchises available to them on a special basis till 31st October this year. Our success so far came through our passion, dedication, energy and understanding of the Indian consumer. Our mission now is to approach dining with the same passion and to leverage our consumer insights to build world class Restaurants in India  and around the globe"Already with some 25 restaurants in over 12 cities across 3 countries Chef Kapoor's restaurant venture - Indian Cookery Pvt Ltd (ICPL) is looking for a huge scale up of its operations and targets to reach 100 restaurants in the next year. In this project Chef Kapoor has partnered with Better Value Brands whose promoters have over the past few years been responsible for the phenomenal growth of Talwalkars Better Value Fitness, India's largest chain of fitness centre's with over 105 health clubs in over 52 cities as also Brainworks Learning, one of the leading chain of preschools in India with over 50 preschools across the country.According to Mr. Harsha Bhatkal, Director, Better Value Brands Pvt Ltd, "Our learning and understanding of the retail services business as seen through the phenomenal growth of both Talwalkars and Brainworks will be of great value as we take Sanjeev Kapoor's restaurant brands across the world. The power of Brand Sanjeev Kapoor along with his incredible understanding of food will, we hope, enable us to create a paradigm shift in the business. We congratulate Chef Kapoor on taking this step towards empowering the women of India through the medium of food."The coming months will witness Indian Cookery launching a number of restaurants all over India based on different themes and cuisine styles. The flagship brand Khazana is the perfect destination for upscale dining with Indian food while The Yellow Chilli is a casual Indian dining concept and Signature by Sanjeev Kapoor is a super Fine Dinning Restaurant that serves Sanjeev Kapoor authentic Indian and signature dishes. Two new concepts are about to be launched: Sura Vie, will be a Lounge Bar that features contemporary live Indian music while Pin Yin Café will be for casual  Asian Cuisine . With a variety of menus that are enhanced by sophisticated table settings of international standards every restaurant will be managed by a team of chefs and managers certified by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor.
Source “TOI”

Expats not missing Home Food in Delhi

Delhi is not only the country’s capital but home to probably the biggest population of expats within the country. From CEOs and top management of MNCs to embassy officials, a lot many call Delhi their home right now. It’s a known fact that home food, or rather the native cuisines is something that people miss really badly on extended stays abroad. And Delhi seems to be faring really well inhosting these expats. There are very many exclusive American restaurants in Delhi and similarly a lot of  Continental restaurants offer a great option for Sunday/weekend brunch. Then there are some specific localities which have become a hot favourite for the expats. Take the Restaurants in Saket for example, most of them claim to have a healthy percentage of expats amongst their regulars. One of the most favourite cuisines for people when they eat out in the capital is Chinese and no wonder we have so many Chinese Restaurants in Delhi. Some of the more popular ones are Bonsai, Chopsticks, FaYian which have been up there in the list of go to places when it comes to Chinese and oriental cuisines inDelhi. While the above are fine-dine restaurants there are many Quick service restaurants which serve Chinese cuisines through express stalls. Some of them have also started by focusing on just a very limited menu like dimsums. Bookmyrestaurant has managed to tie-up with most of the to Chinese Restaurants in the city, so the next time you are thinking Chinese in Delhi, Gurgaon, faridabad or Noida- just type BookmyRestaurant in your browser and enjoy an exclusive discount with those noodles and pan fried rice.