Being big thali food freaks, we decided to visit Maharaja Bhog in Goregaon. At all its five outlets (in Goregaon, Malad, Juhu, and Lower Parel), Maharaja Bhog’s thali is a sell-out for the unlimited, healthy, and hygienic platter that it puts forth and it is my favorite thali place...
Goa with its lush paddy fields, verdant hills, and the gushing shoreline is my go-to destination in the rains. This year, my stay in the most sought-after room (with a swing in the sit-out and easy access to a private beach) at the iconic Cidade de Goa Resort in...
Tea is the elixir of life – Lao Tzu
The ancient Chinese philosopher brewed the philosophy of Taoism the way we try to brew the perfect cup of tea. So, what can be so extraordinary about the most mundane of activities – drinking chai?
Find out as you make this must-do...
Mumbai: My foodie affair with Chinese cuisine goes a long way back. As my initial schooling years were spent in Kolkata (Calcutta of yore), I was introduced to Chinese fare by virtue of occasional visits to eating joints like Peiping and Chung Wah (they no longer exist). Hence, it was...
The door's adorned with mango leaves, doorstep with rangoli...
The main doorstep of the house is being adorned with fresh mango leaves. A garland of yellow and orange flowers are also being made for the doorway. Rangoli, or muggu as it is locally known is being drawn at the gate....
Padharo Mhare Des! This literally translates to ‘please come to our country’. With a tagline that is so warm and convivial and a welcome that is even more warm-hearted, Panchavati Gaurav offers so much more than one of the best thalis in the country!
Being a vegetarian and a big...
There may be food festivals galore but when it comes to cuisine from the southern peninsula, my gastronomic antenna gets activated as it recently happened when I was invited by The Orchid Hotel and Master chef Bala of the specialty restaurant South of Vindhyas (SOV). The Chettinad food festival,...
Delhi means so many things to so many people. For people living in Delhi, no other place compares to it. Having spent my childhood in Delhi, having worked there in later years, and having close familial ties there, I have a fondness for the city that ensures I keep...
“Chai aur baarish are soulmates” - thus goes the tagline for the new launch of the signature tea set by Kettlery and Vicky Ratnani. What better season to launch it than the monsoon? And what better season to try their new teas than now - to perch on the...
It’s festival time at the Baluchi – The LaliT Mumbai’s signature restaurant – which is hosting the Goan Food Festival from the 21st to the 30th of July. It is rightly branded as Susegado Mumbai, ‘Susegad’ meaning a relaxed attitude and enjoyment of life to the fullest. Not just...
Once considered a rare exotic fruit and available only to a very limited number of people, today we can enjoy the delicious papaya and its benefits all year round. The fruit and its seeds contain ingredients that have medicinal properties and nourish our body on many different levels. Papaya definitely stands out...
In India, fasting on special days each month and annual festivals is a ritual with many traditional families. Fasting days are made special with a sprinkling of a special cuisine, also known as fasting food, which one can savour during the fast.
Mahashivratri, a festival that honours Lord Shiva, literally...
The Parsis, which means Persians, the followers of prophet Zoroaster, migrated to India to escape religious harassment and discriminations by another community (Muslims). As they turned from refugees to residents of India, the Persian sway shrank except for the use of dry fruits and nuts in pulavs.
While Iranian cooking...
Tucked away in the quiet suburb of Chembur in Mumbai is this new delectable Sindhi cuisine eatery, finding its way into people’s hearts and stomachs. It’s called Duma Dum Mast Kalandar – quaintly named after the famous Sufi spiritual song, whose beats travel with the wafts of soft breeze...
It is the month of Shravan and the atmosphere is resplendent with devotees thronging temples, offering obeisance to their favourite Lord Shiva, also known to be quick to grant wishes or bholenath. Men and women offer water, milk, honey, bhasm, fruits, dhatura, flowers and garlands to the shiva lingam...
