There’s Mo’re To Love And Mo’re To Celebrate on Mother’s Day

She is the one you call up when everything goes wrong, the one who still reminds you to eat properly, the one who shares all your dreams and plans and stands by you, even if all of them don’t come through! It’s the one day in the year, when you can officially show her how much you care, and give her a wonderful surprise. Yes, it’s Mother’s Day. 

Use this time to catch up with mum, just like old times, let the conversation flow over a meal shared, with giggles and gossip, just like you did, back in the old days! Monkey Bar joins in with you to pamper mum with some great food, with the amazing MoBox at special rates for all the moms in the house. The special rates are applicable only on Mother’s Day, keeping in mind that we owe way more love to them than we actually show. 

So don’t just post a message or send her a text, bring her to Monkey Bar and enjoy a special day. The Monkey Bar MoBox redefines the concept of sharing with a mobile crate packed with awesome goodies for a memorable time with your mother. 

The MoBox, gives you the perfect excuse to enjoy the food, fun and love at a special price of INR 595/ (for the veggie version) and INR 695/- (for the non-veg version) plus taxes, only with a set of three small plates plus extras for this Mother’s Day. Only at Monkey Bar, Vasant Kunj, Plot No 11, Pocket C 6 & 7, Commercial Complex, (Adjacent to Kotak Mahindra Bank and Mini Cooper Showroom), New Delhi – 110070 and at Monkey Bar, Connaught Circus, P-3/90, (Opposite PVR Rivoli), New Delhi 110001.  

This little chequered box makes for a great appetiser. The Monkey Bar MoBox crate offers delicious bites, sinful indulgences, along with a host of fun nibbles as extras. The MoBox allows you to pick any three small plates from our regular menu, while we spoil you and mum, with an extra serving of chips, wedges and fries. You won’t have to rack your brains over what to order to make mum happy. Oh yes, and Monkey Bar saves you the headache of ordering separately. Go on – pick from Butterfly Chicken, Devilled Fish or Kung Fu Rolls. Enjoy big bites of Bang on Tart, your mother will be amazed to see that you will never turn your nose up at the humble baingan bharta again, or just enjoy a flavour of Mumbai with the Bombay Vada Pav.  Nothing beats the fun of BYOB, when you get to build your own bruschetta from the Monkey Bar selection of toppings.

Finding my Indian Accent!

For the longest time I've been pretty bored of Indian food served in restaurants. I almost never eat Indian food when dining out, if given a choice. I like Indian food cooked at home, with subtlety and balance, delicacy and moderation. To top it, I've had this disdain for all things fusion, especially fusion food, for some reason (I mean noodle stuffed samosa anyone? Uggh!) 

Indian Accent has been in the news for long and I would always bump into Chef Manish Mehrotra at foodie events and embarrass myself by admitting sheepishly to still not having experienced first hand, what his food was all about.

I guess there is a time for everything. I had to grow into appreciating Indian food all over again after a long chilly, wintery, desert of detachment. We landed up at the oh-so-genteel 'The Manor' that houses Indian Accent in New Friends Colony after a few twists and turns along the route. But the moment you step into The Manor, you understand why the chain is called 'Old World Hospitality' after all. The place has the feel of a rather opulent house and for once you do not miss the overly polished environs of a five star hotel. It is so good to have these different and delectable options in dining today that are a class apart.

Chef Manish Mehrotra is so relaxed and warm, chatting us up with a natural charm. The restaurant is packed on a Sunday afternoon but I see him mingling with each and every table with an inherent savoir faire.

I decide to go for the Chef's non-veg tasting menu with fair chance of sampling some veg options too. If the mini-naans oozing with cheese are a preamble to this meal, I know it is going to be one helluva ride.

The starter is an exquisite cauliflower and saffron soup that arrives in dainty black stone cups. Never ever ever have I tasted cauliflower in such an ethereal form. I beginning to get butterflies in my stomach at what Manish is going to conjure further. And then it begins, platter after stunningly plated platter of stunning, simple, sumptuous and almost sensuous display of Indian food. Yup! Its all Indian, afterall, I find myself gulping and eating my words, at my illogical ignominy of Indian! 

Read on to know how Chef Mehrotra systemically smashed my ivory tower of ignorance of how Indian food can be reinterpretted so smartly:

We start with Potato Sphere Chaat White Pea Ragda, age-old chaat dish that looks like a golgappa stuffed with something, except the entire sphere is made of fine potato vermicelli, crunchy to the core and delicious.

Next up the Soft Shell Crab, Flame Roast Coconut, Tomato Pickle Chutney, presented in a modern rustic twist.





Duck Khurchan Cornetto, Golden Garlic Raita,Chilli Chutney is actually a dish one could expect to greet in Alice in Wonderland and that explains the bemused expression on the kiddo's face by now.


Beetroot and Peanut Butter Tikki, Caper Wasabi Chutney is like poetry on black canvas, popping with colour and vitality. Yeah its got those quinoa pearls too, splashed with pizzazz.




Prawn Pakoda, Lime Pickle Cream is a sublime example of being one and perfect and complete, a masterpiece indeed.




Khandvi Gnocchi is pretty innovative but by now I am trying to just taste the carbs (it's a lost battle I know but nevertheless!) Manish loves sprinkling crunchy junkfood we Indians love as garnish. I saw a lot of khakra, kurkure and moong dal mixture in places. 



Yes on the Dal Moradabadi with Jodhpuri Chur Chur Paratha too. Maybe it was not required here, because the dal is delicious on its own reminding me of my Naani and the Paratha definitely had an ounce of my Daadi's love.




Ghee Roast Mutton Boti, Rumali Roti Pancake, Trio of Chutneys is simply exquisitely presented, an Indian version of a classic Peking Duck serving, I thought it was brilliant presentation.




Fresh Pomegranate and Churan Kulfi Sorbet in a Pressure Cooker. I mean how cute is that!




Rice Crusted John Dory Moilee, Market Greens and Pinenut Poriyal in the main course is classic three times over.
Avocado and Pomegranate Raita is something I lick the last teeny weeny spoon of off the square bowl. This has been more than a square meal indeed, something that inspires no dinner at all.

But Chef Mehrotra's Indian Accent isn't done yet. The dessert platter has a Dhoda Pie that tastes as if the dhoda was created in interior Punjab to always be incased in a pie! I give up I give up I give up. Indian is not boring. Indian is not boring. Indian is not boring. I repeat about a hundred times as I finish the meal with the choicest churan ki golis and aam-papad served on a cot. A cot is what one can dream of after having such sumptuous fare. Kudos to Chef Manish Mehrotra. May the Indian Accent travel far and wide!

Roger Wright appointed General Manager of Hyatt Regency Gurgaon

March 2015, Gurgaon: Roger Wright has been appointed General Manager of Hyatt Regency Gurgaon.   He joins the 451 room Hyatt Regency Gurgaon with over 30 years of international hotel experience.    Mr Wright has led twelve 5-Star and 5-Star Deluxe business and leisure Hyatt and internationally branded hotels across the Asia and Pacific Region.

Mr Wright’s knowledge of hotel operations, positioning, financial and strategic focus, combined with a deep personal commitment to the Hyatt brand, will play a vital role in further developing the Hyatt Regency Gurgaon’s position as the city’s “logical first choice” for anyone seeking a top quality large (40,000 sq. ft.) 5-Star hotel for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE).   Mr Wright is recognized internationally and across India as an experienced “hotelier” and “industry leader”. He recently commented, “I am delighted to be back in Gurgaon and with the opportunity to lead an incredibly committed group of hotel professionals, each with their own commitment to quality, guest service and innovation.   The vision of our owners has led to the creation of some of the largest and best presented MICE spaces in India.  These incredible facilities coupled with the creativity and style of Hyatt has created a backdrop that supports our continuing business and demand growth”.

In an earlier three year tenure as General Manager with a large 5-Star Deluxe Gurgaon hotel, the hotel led group wide key result indicators for guest satisfaction, and was the number one Rooms Revenue performer across their Delhi and NCR large hotel competitive set.   The property was also recognized in the annual “International Hotel Awards” as “Best Hotel India” in three successive years, most recently in 2013-14.   During Mr Wright’s tenure, “Luxury Hotels of the World” awarded the property their prestigious “2011 Best Luxury Hotel & Conference Centre - India”, award.   During this earlier three year tenure in Gurgaon, Mr Wright was personally recognized in the annual Indian National Tourism Association / PATWA’s awards as the “2011 Top Hotelier India” and was the following year a finalist and first runner up in the “2013 Hotelier India Awards – General Manager” category.

A native New Zealander, Roger first joined Hyatt as pre-opening Director of Rooms of the Hyatt Regency Fiji.   He then moved to various Hyatt Regency properties including the Hyatt Monterey in California followed by General Manager Positions at the Hyatt Kingsgate Rotorua, Hyatt Regency Mumbai, Hyatt Regency Cheju in South Korea and the Grand Hyatt Beijing in the P.R.China.

He recently returned to Gurgaon from his home on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland in Australia and will be joined by his New Zealand educated, Fiji born, native Hindi speaking Indian wife, Marilyn.   Marilyn and Roger have three grown up daughters, Shirin, Yasmin and Zarina.   The girls all live in Queensland.

About Hyatt Regency Gurgaon

Hyatt Regency Gurgaon is the first Hyatt property to open in Gurgaon and is the largest convention hotel in the city. The hotel houses the largest meetings and events space of over 40,000 sq. ft. and the highest inventory of 451 well-appointed spacious guestrooms in the city. The hotel is strategically located off the Delhi-Jaipur National Highway 8 and is a 40 minute drive from Indira Gandhi International Airport. The hotel offers multiple dining options like Lavana, the signature restaurant serving authentic Awadhi cuisine, The Lounge, the perfect place to unwind with its comfortable and relaxing ambience, The Long Bar, a stylish  and casual bar and Kitchen District, featuring five open kitchens which work in harmony to form a unique culinary experience. There are also a number of recreational services available at the hotel including the Shvasa Spa, the fully equipped fitness centre and the relaxing outdoor pool. Reservations for Hyatt Regency Gurgaon may be made by calling (0124) 618-1234 or visitinghttp://gurgaon.regency.hyatt.com.

Celebrate Womanhood with Raasta

Gang with your girls and raise a toast to the strength of womanhood. Raasta dedicates this Sunday for Women’s Day celebration at their Hauz Khas outlet in all its glory. Keep the celebrations in full swing as the Lounge is all set to charm its women patrons with a dedicated menu for the night. Loosen up yourself as set of drinks are on the house.

On this special occasion sizzle the dance floor on the beat of DJ Paddy. Chomp on the lip smacking Caribbean dishes and gulp down some booze to get the conversation flowing. It’s time to take a break from the regular busy schedules to experience a perfect girly night out this Women’s Day at Raasta.

So all you pretty ladies out there, book yourself this Sunday to get high on foot tapping numbers in addition to some tongue tingling bites.

What: Ladies night with DJ Paddy@ Raasta

When: Sunday, 8th March, 2015

Where: Raasta Hauz Khas, 30 Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi 110016

Time: 7:00pm-10:30pm

There’s Mo’re To Love And Mo’re To Share With The Amazing Monkey Bar Mobox

 

Remember your school days and the mad scramble to share your tiffin box goodies at lunch break or painstakingly dividing that last piece of chocolate with your besties? Remember the fight with your siblings for the larger piece of your favourite pastry or emptying your piggybank to buy an ice-cream to share with your buddies? So here’s your chance to bring back all those awesome sharing food memories with friends, family and siblings once again, with the amazing Monkey Bar ‘MoBox’.

It's the coolest way to share your food and share some love too! Alas! There’s way too much sharing online and not enough offline these days, so the folks at Monkey Bar give you the perfect reason to gather your friends and head out to share a meal real-time.

The Monkey Bar MoBox redefines the concept of sharing with a mobile crate packed with awesome goodies for a cracking good time with your besties and buddies. Pick a box to match your group or appetites – we have three cool versions with enough flexibility to suit your taste – the Starter MoBox (priced at Rs 750 plus taxes), Mega MoBox (Rs 990 plus taxes) or Dessert MoBox (Rs 650 plus taxes) or the ‘Do It Yourself’ Cocktail MoBox (Rs 400 plus taxes)- Here’s the perfect excuse to share the food, drink, fun and love. 

From 18^th February onwards, only at Monkey Bar, Vasant Kunj, Plot No 11, Pocket C 6 & 7, Commercial Complex, (Adjacent to Kotak Mahindra Bank and Mini Cooper Showroom), New Delhi – 110070 and at Monkey Bar, Connaught Circus, P-3/90, (Opposite PVR Rivoli), New Delhi 110001.

Each little chequered box within the mega Monkey Bar MoBox crate offers delicious bites, sinful indulgences, along with a host of fun nibbles as extras. Be warned though... the picture perfect box may have you whipping out your phone-cameras before you start digging in. But be quick – someone may just grab the best piece while you’re busy trying to upload a photo online. 

The Starter MoBox allows you to pick any three small plates from a selection of specials, while Monkey Bar spoils you with an extra serving of sweet potato chips, homemade potato wedges and beetroot chips; Mega MoBox, lets you choose one large, two small plates and one dessert served with extra portions of wedges, chips, caramel popcorn and marshmallows.  The Dessert MoBox, is a crate filled with three decadent desserts plus servings of macaroons, marshmallows, caramel popcorn and chocolate truffles thrown in for fun. Even the most die-hard sweet tooth fanatics amongst you, will return home happy.

You won’t have to rack your brains over what to order that will make everyone at your table happy. From fries for the kids, hearty bites of chicken for the chickenatarian, and green stuff for the veggie freaks- there’s really ‘Mo’ for everyone at the table than you imagined, when you order the Monkey Bar MoBox. Oh yes, and you are saved the headache of ordering separately. The Monkey Bar team has taken great care and loads of imagination to put together a bunch of really fun stuff. Go on – pick from Mushroom Galoutis, Paneer Makhni Wontons, or Bang on Tart (we promise you’ll never turn up your nose at the humble baingan bharta again!).

Enjoy big bites of Coca as you dig your teeth into this hearty flatbread topped with Chorizo & Feta, Castro-Pub Sandwich - pork belly roasted and braised in beer and orange, Ham, Cheese, Pickled Onions and Gherkins all in one mega Cuban Bread. You could even choose a Pork Vindaloo, a Goan favourite with a Monkey twist. Want to play cook-Build your Own Bruschetta or dig into the Italian Job -a hearty mix of spiced keema balls tossed with Spaghetti Aglio Olio Peperoncino with Garlic, Olive Oil and Chili. While hard core vegetarians will love the Pumpkin and Tofu Curry, the non-vegetarians have the Chicken Chimichurri and Crab Rangoon. 

Finally, there is the Dessert MoBox – a sweet ending to a fun outing with friends. Order from theRaspberry Cheesecake, Rum Scented Carrot Cake, Chocolate XS Cake and M52 Eclairs. What’s more, get the conversation flowing, as you show off your bartending skills while whipping up a mean drink, with the Do It Yourself Cocktail MoBox. But if you’re feeling lazy - get a Citron (Absolut, Lime Juice, Sugar Syrup, Orange Slice), High Tea (Absolut, Earl Grey water, Angostura bitter, Lime Cordial), Jameson Ginger & Lime (Jameson, Ginger, Angostura bitter & Lime wedges) mixed by the expert bartenders. The fun is never complete without indulging in our special house cocktails - Bitter Sweet Valentine (Absolut, Campari, Chocolate Syrup), Cherry Love (Viva Mojo, Cherry Compote) or Rossini (Strawberry Puree, Chandon Brut). You share everything with the people you love, from your ‘meh feelings and your ‘over the moon moments’, why not  get together at India’s favourite gastro-pub Monkey Bar and share some food as well? Two is fun, while three and more is a full on party, with the Monkey Bar MoBox.

Pictures Courtesy: Kunal Chandra

Literature in Indian cinema: A series of fascinating tales set to unfold at ZEE Jaipur Literature Festival 2015

- Cinematic immortality and the changing face of Indian cinema to take centerstage -

As the line between media blurs, literature and film narrative have become more seamless. This season, the ZEE Jaipur Literature Festival will unfold the mystery behind cinematic adaptations of literature, in the changing face of the Indian film industry that has fast adapted itself to this emerging genre.

In this segment, Satyajit Ray’s “Pather Panchali” and Dev Anand’s “Guide” are the milestones of yesteryear while Bhardwaj’s “Haider” and “Omkara”, and Aamir Khan’s “Three Idiots” are some of the Indian blockbusters of contemporary cinema. Other book based movies like Deepa Mehta’s film “Midnight’s Children” based on Salman Rushdie’s novel of the same name or “Slumdog Millionaire”, based on Vikas Swarup’s bestseller “Q&A” have set new standards in this symbiotic relationship between literature and film.

From the Indian film industry, veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah, prominent director Vishal Bhardwaj, renowned actressWaheeda Rehman, mainstream poet Javed Akhtar and scriptwriter Ramkumar Singh (who wrote the political satire “Zed Plus”) will be present at the festival. In conversation with them will be screenwriter Basharat Peer, film historian, writer & curator Nasreen Munni Kabir, acclaimed playwright & actor Girish Kanad, popular British theater director Tim Supple and renowned writer-lyricist Prasoon Joshi in their respective sessions. Noted film critic Anupama Chopra will also participate in the Festival, as will actress Shabana Azmi who will read poetry written by her father, the great Urdu poet Kaifi Azmi.

While Naseeruddin Shah will be discussing his autobiography, “And then one day,” with acclaimed actor and playwrightGirish Karnad, the classic Bollywood beauty Waheeda Rehman will be seen in conversation with her biographer and film historian Nasreen Munni Kabir, and writer and mythologist Arshia Sattar. Along with discussion on Rehman's landmark films and roles, the veteran actor will also share her views on the changing face of Indian cinema.

The festival will also see Vishal Bhardwaj, director of the most celebrated film of the year – “Haider”, in conversation with journalist, author and scriptwriter Basharat Peer and renowned theatre director Tim Supple, discussing the movie which highlighted the recent political history of the conflicted Kashmir valley in the context of Shakespearean tragedy. The session will also throw light on the anguish of Hamlet’s dilemma as well as other Bollywood interpretations of Vishal Bhardwaj.

Adding to the Bollywood flavor in a poetic way, Javed Akhtar, renowned poet, lyricist and screen writer, will take the literary enthusiasts on a journey of discovery through emotions, poetic expressions, subtexts and intangibles, of film songs from the interlinked Urdu, Hindi and Hindustani traditions. In other session, the exhilaratingly multifaceted and prolific master of words and music, Prasoon Joshi along with poet and musicologist Yatindra Mishra, will discuss the Indian traditions of popular poetry, music, screenplays, advertising, Bollywood and the secret life of words.

With one of the most varied and diverse line-up under the ‘Literature in Cinema’ theme, the ZEE Jaipur Literature Festival, scheduled to take place from 21^st – 25^th January, 2015, will explore collaborations of literature with cinema and its mainstream appeal.

Registration for the Festival is FREE, open to all. All visitors must pre-register on the Festival’s website atwww.jaipurliteraturefestival.org

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Don a Cook Gourmet Hat! Cook a Special Meal!

So you've done the wining and the dining, you are through with the wooing-shooing. Many of life's special moments are marked with food landmarks. Food is party to many of our pursuits and celebrations. Sharing a special meal with someone has deep significance.

If one had to chose between an impersonal gourmet meal at a fancy restaurant that does not warm the cockles of your heart and a home cooked customised spread that speaks to you in a language which is familiar and comforting, many would go for the latter. Or ever taken your loved one for a special meal only to realise that your significant other spent more time chatting up the chef than you? Ha!

Hey, but how about combining both. Cooking a gourmet meal but in the cosy comfort of your home, in your familiar kitchen. Yes, that can be a tedious task and much as we claim to be foodies, there is no time to really conjure up something special after a hard day at work. 

Specialised grocery shopping with a long list of ingredients can also be a chore. You may end up spending half your day at a super mart and come back home super tired, maybe packing an insipid cold pizza on the way. Who said romance was easy today! Or conjuring up a meal for that matter!

Which is when I introduce you to 'Cook Gourmet'. A unique concept that I stumbled upon recently. Just visit their website www.cookgourmet.co and scan a host of delicious recipes that they keep updating from time to time. Feed in your preferences in terms of cuisine, veg, non veg etc and pick the option that teases your palate. Order and forget.

A magic box is due to arrive at your doorstep at the time specified by you. Yes, there's enough time to take that luxurious shower or a hot bath in the meantime. While you light up the candles and create the perfect ambience, the magic box arrives and as you open it, there is an array of ingredients neatly portioned and labelled, down to the chopped garlic, the sprig of parsley and the wine for flambeing if you please.

No hassles, no worries, the box has a detailed recipe sheet with pictures giving step by step illustrations. This week I tried the 'Cajun Shrimp Rice' and 'Panfried Tilapia with Caper Beurre Blanc served with French Beans Madagascer'(Rs 549 each for a portion for 2). Both the dishes take roughly 20-30 minutes to prepare. Of course, in my case my pre-teen kid walked in intrigued by the box and helped me out to prepare the meal. It is indeed a great way to initiate a child into cooking, so smooth is the cooking experience.

The dishes are ever exciting and keep changing. This week for instance there is 'Carribean Fish and Prawns Curry' and 'Greek Sailor's Souvlaki with Tazatziki and Pita. 'Cheesy Pomodoro Gnocchi' anyone? Or 'Malaysian Tofu Curry with Udon Noodles'. Yes, now it's all possible at home in no time.

The results are superb. It is really a stress-free way of trying out new dishes, new cuisines every week. At the end of it you get the satisfaction of having done it with your own hands and using the freshest possible ingredients one could ever imagine. More strength to this venture by Daman Singh Kohli and Sanni Chaudhary along with culinary expert Chef Narender Singh.