The South Asian Association for Gastronomy brings the 2nd Edition of The Food for Thought Fest, December 23rd and 24th 2016

The Second Edition of the Food for Thought Fest comes back to the capital this December, celebrating the diverse culinary heritage of the South Asian region. The festival comes to Delhi on the 23^rd and 24^th of December, 2016, and will be held at the Taj Palace Hotel, Diplomatic Enclave, New Delhi.  A special one of a kind initiative that focuses on the common heritage and history of the region, as well as the unique influences that make up a part of it, it has set a benchmark as a forum for conversations, cuisines and the exchange of ideas and philosophies. The participating countries will include India, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

The 2016 edition of the Food for Thought Fest brings in the exciting components that make this a truly unique event. There will be talks and discussions around culture and cuisine in the “Thought Fest”, while the “Food Fest” will be offering cookery workshops with master chefs of the region and an authentic flavour from the participating countries, which will have food stalls from some of the most superlative restaurants  from the SAARC region.. The brand new element in the fest this year will be a “Gastronomy Bazaar”, a farmer’s market in the lawns of the Taj Palace Hotel. Another huge attraction this year will be the “Fun Fest” which will be held at the JNU stadium auditorium and will offer a concert by a leading performing artist, similar to last year.

The Food for Thought Fest was conceived as a convergence ideas and dialogues around gastronomy, in the process enabling an atmosphere of South Asian commonality through culinary and cultural diversity. In its first edition, the Food For Thought Fest set a benchmark with a handpicked selection of panellists, chefs and experts. This year too, the festival will continue to engage renowned culinary giants from across the South Asian region. 

The Thought Fest will be a presentation of papers and talks, interviews and panel discussions by scholars, journalists and professionals on various topics on gastronomy. Some of the names to look forward to are Ms Ramika Ahmad, Afghanistan,  Mr Saman Nayanananda, Sri Lanka, Mr Bharat Basnet, Nepal, Ms Nahid Osman and Chef Tony Khan, Bangladesh and Ms. Yangki Tshering, Bhutan. The Food Fest has two components, on the one hand it will bring demonstration of culinary techniques and traditions from the region, It will have cookery demos by luminaries in the culinary industry and the biggest names on Indian television, with  the likes of Chef Kunal Kapoor, Chef Abhijit Saha, Chef Aditya Bal, Chef Vicky Ratnani, Chef Ranveer Brar, Chef Amrita Raichand, Chef Gautam Mehrishi among others. And on the other hand, The Food Fest will present the authentic flavor from participating south asian countries with brands like  Chaap Station, Dhaka, Bangladesh; Kasturi Garden, Dhaka, Bangladesh; Serena Hotel, Kabul, Afghanistan; Bhojan Griha, Kathmandu, Nepal and Zasa Restaurant, Thimpu, Bhutan.

The South Asian Association for Gastronomy

                                                                 T 14/7 , DLF City Phase 3, Gurgaon – 122002, India 

                www.thesaag.org

The FUN FEST brings art and cultural entertainment. There is a still life art installation project for the art connoisseur and in the evenings, there is a showcase entertainment on the finale night by performing artists from the SAARC region at the JLN Stadium Auditorium.

Over the 2 days of festival programming through sessions and workshops conducted from 11.00 am – 6.00 pmevery day, participants will have the opportunity to engage in contemporary issues with the most progressive-minded panellists, learn from the greatest chefs in the region, explore fascinating topics related to food and, of course, treat their taste buds with the most splendid flavours that the subcontinent has to offer.

The event will appeal to the mind and palate of visitors, from the eager food lovers, bloggers, students of hotel management, to professionals from the hotel and restaurant industry. The event promises to be an enriching celebration of the mind and spirit, while strengthening the sense of a joyous community.

How India Eats Out

By: Gulshan Verma, Chief Revenue Officer, Times Internet 

Limited and Ankit Mehrotra, Co- Founder, dine out

Millions of bookings, thousands of users and a growth of over 200%  in the last two years, Times Internet’s dineout is making a distinct impact on the restaurant industry in India.

Through the dineout data derived over the past year they did an interesting study across metros to share extensive insights on the evolving dining out consumer. And the shift in their mindset affecting their choices on where to go out, when to go out and what to order.

What they like to eat?

 We really are very distinct…

It’s no surprise to see the popularity of North Indian and Chinese cuisines making the top 3 out every metro but each city has its own specialities such as the Hyderabadi preference for Barbecue or that diners in Bangalore are half as likely to prefer Chinese food as their Mumbai counterpart.

Also a distinct preference for eating your home food even when going out – Bengali food is the third most popular in Kolkata while South Indian food is also relatively popular in Bangalore as well.

Finally nearly a third of the time we eat out – it’s to a different kind of culture that the traditional popular genres of food including Middle Eastern, Thai among many others - Global cuisine is on the rise.

Where they like to eat?

·             Location matters, and so does convenience:  

Millennials who have begun working don’t want to compromise on their social life. Catching up with friends for a meal and drinks has become increasingly popular, but there’s a catch- they choose areas which are easily accessible from their workplace or perhaps right next to their workplace. Areas such as Lower Parel in Mumbai and Connaught Place in Delhi, originally commercial hubs of their respective cities, have topped the list of most popular areas for dining.

When they like to eat?

 Bookings for Sunday brunch/buffet have doubled in the last 2 years

Majority of Urban Indians are choosing a long brunch v/s dinners on a Sunday.  With a rise in brunches and a sharp drop in bookings for dinner on Sundays. With this day being a catalyst for family gathering and friends’ reunion, a brunch allows extended quality time with close ones vs dinners, which if extended on a Sunday, bite into the early morning routine for the upcoming Monday!

Increase in bookings over the weekend for lunch:

The vibe today is of savoring the food v/s just eating. People are preferring stepping out for lunch over dinner during the week and enjoy their meals more. Our research showed a considerable growth in bookings for lunch to any other meal of the day. It rose from 24.64 per cent in July’14 to 34.62 per cent in the past year. The trend has trickled down to corporates as well, with increased booking by companies for lunches over the weekend.

Preference for Luxury Standalones over Hotels

The perception of luxury dining being limited to only hotels is passé. Luxury standalones are giving Hotels stiff competition with their increasing popularity. It is interesting to note how the mindset of the consumer is evolving when it comes to luxury dining, the standalones are as high-priced as the hotels yet people don’t mind spending more when the quality is impeccable and the experience is unique. Almost 70% of Delhi choses standalones over hotels. Likewise, Bangalore and Mumbai at 75% and 63% respectively.

Delicious Indian Regional Cuisine and Yummy Asian Food at Your Doorstep This Diwali

The Fatty Bao has partnered with Zomato & Swiggy for Diwali delivery service

Lights, festivities, card parties and never ending get togethers! Yes, it’s Diwali!! The festival of lights, the occasion of ditching that diet plan and the perfect time to have your friends over for a great time is here. The Fatty Baodoesn’t want you to miss out on the flavourful Asian food when you are partying indoors for Diwali. Your favourite Asian gastro bar has tied up with Zomato and Swiggy to deliver meal from its menu to make the celebrations complete. Simply log into Zomato and Swiggy and get all that savoury food at your door step and it doesn’t end here as any order above INR 500 is entitled for a 15% off on the total bill. All of this and much more at The Fatty Bao from October 28th, 2016 – October 31st, 2016.

The humble baos and the tasty sushis are never to be missed from The Fatty Bao. The soft pillowy baos come in a plethora of fillings – from the signature Char Siu Bao, to the Mushroom and Bell Pepper Bao, or the Chilli Crab and Prawn Bao andRoast Duck Bao. Choose from the innovative small plates section like the Pok Pok Chicken Wings, Thai Smoked Corn Cake or The Fatty Bao PB&J or just go for the subtle flavours of the even Seven Spice Seared Salmon. Order the amazing ramens or the signature Duck Rendang Curry or Lotus Root in Thai Red Curry from the main. The Fatty Bao signature desserts are the most popular ones so do save some space for Deconstructed Apple Pie, Japanese Cheese Cake, Cocoa Caramel or everyone’s favourite, The Fatty Hill.

Celebrate a happy and memorable Diwali with the delights from The Fatty Bao.

Quick Facts

The Fatty Bao

Wallet Factor:

Meal for two without alcohol, excluding taxes Rs.1, 600 ++

Meal for two including alcohol, excluding taxes Rs. 2,500++

Twitter: @thefattybaodel

Instagram:thefattybaodel

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/thefattybaodel

Zomato Link: https://www.zomato.com/ncr/the-fatty-bao-r-k-puram-new-delhi

Swiggy Link: https://www.swiggy.com/delhi/fatty-bao-south-campus-south-campus  

Tryst with Twist

What -  Twist -Cyber Hub's latest edition, Twist, has opened its doors recently.

Where - 17-18, Cyber Hub, DLF Cyber City, Gurgaon 

About: Twist - True to its name, the restaurant offers international and European wines, pan Asian and modern Chinese to its guests and patrons. Twist proves its uniqueness by selling temperature controlled wines and sommelier to serve as an expert.

Chinese cuisine has been one of the most popular cuisines in India for ages. But it is also a cuisine that has been done to death and mutated into strange versions. My memories of having the best Chinese food was in the iconic restaurants Tea House of the August Moon and House of Ming, having trained in both the kitchens during my stint with Taj years ago. Just entering those kitchens, donning your chef uniform was a heady experience. The aromas, the energy, the methodical, laborious misc-en-place and the final deft stir fry in the Chinese wok, for which the chefs needed to have rather strong forearms. I always noticed the forearms, rippling with muscles, sturdy and agile at the same time, as the Chinese wok has to be maneuvered with one hand. If you wanted to try, the chef would look at your arms often condescendingly and say ‘You can try but you’re not ready yet.’ The gas burners in the Chinese kitchen too are a lot stronger than other kitchens and the slightest delay, can overcook or burn the food. So one tried to excel at misc-en-place, cutting perfect carrot flowers, spring onion blooms and shelling prawns for hours.

Thus creating great Chinese food involved meticulous and detailed misc-en-place or pre-preparation and then a swift and expert assembly of just the right tastes and textures in the hand of a genius, balancing the umami perfectly, without any delay in cooking or serving. Umami is the pleasant meaty taste with a long-lasting, mouthwatering and coating sensation over the tongue that comes from glutamates, a term derived from Japanese but common to many pan-Asian cuisines. The meal that we all shared in the kitchen at the end of a strenuous shift used to taste heavenly and for years nothing else matched up. 

Cut to soggy, over cornfloured, over-monosodiumglutamated deviant versions of Chinese over the years. The Gobhi Manchurians at weddings, the chowmein at Chinese vans, the soggy take away with a kilo of cabbage was the death knell. I almost went off Chinese food for a while. It did not seem crunchy enough, healthy enough, Chinese enough.

Which is why Twist caught my attention. The introductory paragraph amended on top promised a refreshingly new interpretation of Chinese. Add pan Asian to the mix, and it is all the more fun. Throw in some wines and you have a heady cocktail.

The look of the restaurant clicked with me at first sight. No reds, no dragons, no paper lanterns, no Chinese sounding music, no relics of the past. This is Chinese 2.0. The interiors of the restaurant are grey with  and blue accents, subdued lighting, interesting lamps, mirrors, a very stylish bar area with white furniture and happy, cheerful upholstery. It is all about whites, clean lines, decluttered lay-out and an impressive display of wines. The restaurant also has a lovely al fresco area with garden umbrellas and high chairs, very chic.  I compliment the décor and the Director, Randeep Dhingra tells me that the concept of Twist is to stick to authentic food but serve in a modern setting. They actually are into a furniture business and all the exquisite furniture in the restaurant is there own manufacturing. They earlier ran a restaurant called Snob in Delhi's GK area and finally thought of venturing into DLF Cyber Hub in Gurgaon with this unique concept. The portions are suited for one person.

Traditionally if you went to a Chinese restaurant, one had to share a meal with at least four persons as portions were always family size. But what if everyone had a different taste or preference? Remember the one into two and two into four sweet corn soups?Twist gives every person the freedom to order their favourite dish in one portion. I think I love the place already as I am a small eater but like to try bites of many things.

My drink is perfect and the music is lively.The Manager James Hsiao is all professionalism personified. He instantly instills confidence in me to leave the selection of my drink to him. I have always preferred citrus, lemony drinks so he recommends me a drink called Pot. Hsiao is someone who instantly builds a rapport with all the guests and I am sure a great asset to the organization. He is the kind of manager one would visit a place just to meet and talk to.

I notice that the menu is not overly expansive but has limited dishes that are made well and taste good. For starters we had the Shanghai Style Prawns, Pork Ribs and Prawn Crystal Dumpling. The pork cooked in Ghochujang Sauce and caramelized to brown perfection.

Pork Ribs

Pan Fried Noodles

Prawn Shanghai Style

For the main course again I rely on James for recommendations. We have Kimchi Fried Rice, Pan Fried Noodles, Ma Cheena Fish with Asparagus(Can't go wrong with Sole fish and Asparagus) and Singapore Prawns. The Kimchi rice is a unique dish. I personally loved the pan-fried noodles as they are topped with so many veggies that it is almost like having a side dish of vegetables. Part of the reason I love Chinese is the wonderful synchronisation of crunchy vegetables with meats that they do. So my 12 yr old was happy with the noodles and meats while I gobbled all the vegetables, without which my meal is still incomplete. Ma Cheena Fish is a lovely dish, something I would go back for.

The ambience is so nice that we ended up ordering the 'not required' dessert just because we wanted to sit a little longer and relax. The Snicker Bar Dessert is highly recommended by the chef and the manager so we go for it. But the creme brûlée with lemon grass and coconut milk flavour definitely grabs my attention. The presentation of the chocolate dessert is fantastic, like a fire place of snicker bars replete with a smouldering vanilla ice-cream fire but is a bit heavy for me. But the classic creme brûlée with the Asian twist gets my vote.

Some peaceful moments sipping green tea served in a beautiful teapot and I am ready to call it a day. I am sure the memories of this calm and delicious meal will linger for long. All in all a great place to add to Gurgaon culinary scene.

Tangy Sorbet Rating: 4/5