An Odishan Odyssey

First published in Options, The Edge Malaysia, 9 Sept 2018 at http://optionstheedge.com/topic/travel/visiting-temples-bhubaneshwar

Visiting the temples of Bhubaneshwar

Taking the train to Bhubaneshwar was like entering another India. This was the timeless India rushing by outside the windows:  of brown rivers, green fields, vignettes of villages on dusty roads, farmers toiling in the fields, with the train journey itself being a reminder of a venerable institution beloved of, reviled by, and quintessentially, India.

Tiffin was served in aluminium-foil covered trays: a creamy orange-coloured tomato soup in a cup, a “Soup Stick & Butter Chiplet” (bread finger with a knob of butter), white rice, a weak aloo curry, a watery dhal, a choice of chicken or paneer (cheese) dish, a tub of yoghurt, and a sickly sweet gulab jamun dessert.  The placemat, a single sheet of thin paper, advertised meals available on board, and Holiday Packages by the IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited).  It carried the stern admonition “Please do not pay Tips”.  Not unexpectedly, towards the end of the journey, the carriage attendant came around with open palm, followed minutes later by the cleaners who swept the carriage, soliciting tips.

An invitation to Dip and Eat

First published in Options, The Edge Malaysia, June 19, 2017

Northern Indian cuisine, delivered with panache and a family connection

An invitation to “Dip and Eat” sounds like steamboat, but that’s the call at Flour, the oddly named Northern Indian restaurant that sees sellout crowds on weekends. 

It’s explained that there are 30 different types of Indian bread, made from different types of flour with a variety of preparation types, each accompanied by a curry or chutney for in which to dip and eat.  Hence, “Flour”.

Concentrated Flavours

First Published in Options, The Edge, Malaysia, 4 July 2016

The exotic cuisine of Kerala, delivered with a full flavoured punch.

Like a breeze from India’s Malabar Coast, Kayra opened in 2016, bringing with it the flavours and colour of Kerala, that lush state of languid backwaters, coconut palms on long stretches of beach, hill stations and aromatic spices.

The Punjabi Connection

First published in Life + Style, Digital Edge Weekly, August 15, 2015

Bright and brassy, with a bewildering choice of authentic Indian food, in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

There’s a brassy opulence about Delhi Royale, the Indian fine-dining restaurant on busy Jalan Yap Kwan Seng in KL.  The entrance, with rippling water and dry ice effects, leads into a lush interior, with diffuse lighting from a large overhead light panel.  There’s an island of patterned carpeting surrounded by tiles, and textured walls. The far wall is in pale stone-block relief, echoing the opposite wall in wood block relief, with the other two side walls covered in a block pattern in colourful fabric. 

Tables are covered in black tablecloths, highlighted by yellow napkins, waiters being attired in black with yellow neckties.  Screens on either side of the entrance wall off private dining areas, while a large private dining room is hidden from sight.  There’s little doubt about the restaurant’s contemporary luxury credentials, even if the décor is too busy.

The waiters and the restaurant manager Dev Kaphle, were immediately friendly and familiar, reeling off recommendations from the menu, which was a good thing, since it was bewilderingly dense, a multi-page affair further embellished with pictures and narratives of famous Delhi historical places. 

The restaurant’s home base is in Chandigarh, India, where most, if not all of the staff, come from. The restaurant specializes in Punjabi cuisine, with a free narrative thrown in by our waiter of how fine a place Chandigarh is, and had I been there?  He was fond of his hometown, shaking his head with modest pride when it was mentioned that it had been designed by the famous French architect, Le Corbusier.

Fit For A Nawab

First Published in The Edge (Malaysia), Options, Sept 6, 2014

Refined Indian dining in the traditional style from a family of chefs

The Qureshi name comes with some heft in Indian culinary circles.  The patriach Imtiaz Qureshi is credited with reviving the traditional Dum Pukht cooking style associated with the Nawabs of Avadh, a region in northen India. He is closely identified with his signature restaurant in a 5-star hotel in India, and has cooked for royalty and VIPs. His two sons Ashfaque and Irfan Qureshi have continued the family tradition. The Qureshis have restaurants in India and the Middle East. 

In July 2014, the first Qureshi restaurant in KL opened in the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC).

The KLGCC is an expansive place of rolling golf greens, spacious, low-rise buildings with an embarrasment of marble cladding, and a car park cluttered with expensive automobiles.  The Qureshi restaurant is located in the quiet East Wing with an outdoor terrace overlooking the golf course.

Within, the ambiance is one of quiet and luxurious elegance. About a dozen well-spaced tables with white tablecloths, dark upholstered chairs with pale gold bands occupy the main space, with a couple of private rooms at the corners.  A crystal chandelier, set in a shallow recessed gold dome in the ceiling, fresh flowers, a thick patterned carpet in matching shades of brown and smartly attired waiters contribute to an air of regal exclusivity.