Granny's views

So my adventure with the team at Frying Pan Adventures continues with the journey into Sufra, a new experience they have launched for us residents specifically to help us see new sides to this city. Its great for anyone but if you are going to do a lot of new stuff regularly (and they have a fabulous lin-up), then Sufra is definitely the way to go.

Anyway, the first curated event was earlier this week - their Silk Road or Stalin. I was curious about the link between Korean and Uzbek food and this evening was a revelation. We started with the Korean restaurant where we tried some of their key dishes that we were to find “equivalents” of in the next one. Curious? So was I and I am glad I went. Unlike the normal Frying Pan food tours, this experience is not just about eating or listening but a discussion on the ingredients, the taste, the changes and the influences etc.

At Koreana, our first stop, we had sharing platters of Tteokbokki (fish cakes, rice cakes in a spicy seafood sauce with melted cheese), Banchan (assorted pickles including the ubiquitous kimchi), Mul Naengmyeon (buckwheat noodles with cold meat and pear juice broth) and Guksu (wheat noodles and vegetable broth). I did not even try to pronounce the names but I was a bit dubious about the combination of seafood and cheese - it was spicy but not fishy enough to clash with the Korean cheese but not one I would rush back for. Wasn’t sure about the texture of the rice cakes either. My favourite had to be the cold meat soup. The flavour combinations of sweet, salty and cold were a revelation. Would definitely go back for this and the pickled cucumber.

We had the first hint of the link to the next restaurant when the owner of the Korean hinted at war and displaced Koreans moving to USSR (as it was known then). Apparently, a lot of Russians go to Korean restaurants looking for the version of Korean food they are used to. So we went to the next restaurant, UZB Avenue.

Here we were served with dishes that used similar ingredients so we started with “kimchi” (it was more pickled cabbage but not how the Koreans make it) served with a flaky layered break (Katlama-Patyr). Since it wasn’t traditional kimchi - it tasted quite nice with the bread which was suitably light, flaky and delicious. This was followed by Kuksi (a cold broth and their take on the Mul Naengmyeon), Lagman Soup (beef broth based on Guksu) and a Spicy Korean Chicken that was their take on Tteokbokki. Once again, for me the cold broth was delicious. The “Korean” take by the Uzbeks was a more mellow and meaty version and, in my opinion, was a disservice to the Uzbeks but it certainly wasn’t Korean.

I do like authentic food and love some of the fusion stuff too. I would not pick one side over the other as long as it is tasty. I think I am more authentic than evolution (it was the choices we had to make) though these days (as the conversation went), everything we eat is an evolution and an amalgamation of our circumstances, what we can find and influences of the community around us.

Most people that know me or meet me know that I am the eternal optimist. Even at 62. I am not ashamed of being enthusiastic about new experiences, of good customer service, people, food, family.

One of my favourite things to enthuse about is local initiatives. Today I am talking about two businesses - both favourites - that epitomise what customer service is about. In my opinion, this customer service is not about perfect service but about transparency, and the ability to know that they will take care of you. You forgive the smallest mistakes and sometimes overlook them.

WildPeeta

I am helping my friends, the Al Awadhi brothers, relaunch WildPeeta.  I love the way they involve us in every step, on every decision. They did that the first time around but they're doing it again. They are at the taste phase and are in the process of about to open. So, of course I am lending them my taste buds (you have to sacrifice for the good stuff!!!) along with others in #GoamPeeta to test out their systems, the food, service. At the moment, it's through Instagram DM and messaging apps.

Since I don't live in Dubai, I have been ordering and picking up. I can tell you with great confidence that the experience has been brilliant. You know that they are going to do a great job when the service is good even when they are not there. The communication channel is quick and clear. The sandwiches, in my opinion, is better than they used to be and the juice (that I can happily claim I named along with fellow Tweep, @shelo9) is as good and thirst-quenching as it was before. I love the new Pita taste and the new dressings in each sandwich. Don't take my word for it, follow them and ask them for a taste. And do pre-buy the meals.

Fruitful day

I first started supporting them when they started out a while ago and I lived in Dubai (I'm based in Ajman now). When I shop for fruit, I usually stick to 3-4 staples and not very good at recognising or selecting fruit. Fruitful Day offer a subscription box and the option of sizes. I personally love the Discovery box that gives me the option to try something new every week. They have just expanded their deliveries outside Dubai and its the best thing to have my delivery of fruit every alternate week. Because its a lot of fruit. All of the fruit is carefully selected, cleaned and ready to eat. It comes with a list of what is in the box and how to store in case you can't eat them all (and trust me there is a lot of fruit). My box lasts me a little more than a week so I do need to supplement with a few staples like bananas. If you want to start, do use my referral link so you can get 60 Dhs off the first box.

If you have a problem, they resolve it quite quickly and it's all online. Go on - it could be your five a day easily.

I love birthdays. Not that I always do anything special or go overboard but occasionally others do that for me. My celebrations this year started last weekend (22nd) in Chennai where an impromptu plan kicked off on a Whatsapp group (don't they all do that these days?). We were using our excuses for birthday celebrations to really meet and spend time and get reaquainted with a cousin I hadn't seen in a while. And get to know him and his family. 

It was a fabulous but food-filled weekend which it usually is with Bengalis (especially) and when it involves my very foodie cousin Bikramjit (Tanu to the family - yes we love our nicknames), it most definitely is an extravagant feast. So a special thank you to him, his company and the lovely PR ladies/guys, and F&B teams that went out of their way to make this a very special celebration. 

The first day was spent with my cousin, Nirup and his family at their home as we introduced ourselves to them, reminisced about childhood, aunts, uncles, mayhem, carefully skirting around any cagey family dynamics (no family is without them). It was wonderful and Mrinalini (or Malu as she is called) served up her home cooking with some very special Coorgi (not the dog but the people from the Coorg hills of South India) cooking - simple, delicious and utterly satisfying. With a bit of a sleep in the middle (as I caught up on much-needed zzzs), we started with a belated celebration of my cousin Nirup's birthday (it was on 20th) with a few shots of Abelour which I carried from Dubai (yes the irony is not lost) as a birthday present. A wonderful spirit that Tanu introduced me to and I thought it would be perfect for my malt-loving cousin. The evening dinner involved (muslims - please move swiftly on) Pandy curry made with her grandma's handwritten recipe. 

Day 2 if I had to simplify started with a lovely 'picnic' lunch by the bay at Vivanta once again hosted by Nirup (why do we do this jostling for the bill but opt to share instead) but orchestrated by Tanu that got us a lot of attention. Had the most delicious seafood lunch - king prawns, crab curry, red snapper for us non-vegetarians and ravioli and veg curry for the vegetarians. All of it washed down with some wheat beer (can't remember the name) that was quite light and refreshing.

The epic celebration was at night - organised by Tanu (of course) and hosted by the ITC Grand Chola's Avartana restaurant. The 14-odd course was curated and created by the very deft and clever chefs and overseen by Chef Nikhil Nagpal. I could not even begin describing the experience - the menu was definitely South Indian inspired flavours taken from everyday home-cooked meals and streetfood that was elevated and sublime. It played on taste, textures, smells. As Tanu always insists - good food, well presented is complete art because it appeals to all five senses. I love Indian Accent, but this menu would give him a run for his money. If you are in India and in Chennai, make this one of your stops. Until then, enjoy the photographs.

My real birthday was yesterday (26). And it was spent the way I like it - with a good friend, Sunita, transitting through with her son, introducing them to some gorgeous Iraqi food along with Bish and Wasila, "cake cutting" with my daughter-in-law and my favourite man who apparently "can't wish me for my birthday without cake". 

All in all - I did quite well.