Bangalore gets its first Anglo-Indian restaurant

Inspired by the culture and cuisine of the AngloIndian quarters in Kolkata, Bangalores first Anglo-Indian restaurant, has opened at Indiranagar. Bow Barracks, is a cosy restaurant near the BDA Complex, showcasing the favourites of the community. These include panteras, the meatfilled pan rolls, jhalfrezie with fragrant coconut rice and a mean chicken a la Kiev, so very reminiscent of Kolkatas retro-style dining. Tel: (0) 97396 01015.

20th anniversary of New Orleans Wine and Food Experience

From May 22 to 26, experience the rich cultural heritage of New Orleans through its local cuisine paired with wines from around the world at the New Orleans Wine and Food Experience. This is the 20th anniversary and the food and wine extravaganza includes grand tastings, featuring 175 wineries and 75 chefs, as well as a cooking demonstration stage. For details, visit www.nowfe.com

Special mango menu at The Oberoi, Bangalore

May means mangoes. And The Oberoi, Bangalore, is showcasing the king of fruit in all its glory. All the hotels restaurants are running a special dessert menu for lunch and dinner. Think mango sorbet, cheesecakes and pavlova. polo Club, the lounge at the hotel, is shaking up mango cocktails, ranging from mango margarita to raw mango martini to mango flavoured mojitos. Tel: (080) 2558 5858

Food festival in Monterey

Many noted American chefs will act as ambassadors of sustainable dining at Cooking for Solutions from May 18 to 20, in Monterey, California. The focus is on cuisine prepared from sustainable seafood that has no danger to the health of the ocean or land. Celebrity chefs Rick Bayless and Michael Chiarello, will make gourmet dishes and have cooking demonstrations. Visit www.montereybayaquarium.org

Onion Festival in Hawaii

Here, onions wont make you cry. On May 5, Whalers Village in Hawaii will celebrate all things onion at the annual Maui Onion Festival. Guests enjoy gourmet delights in the food booths, chef demonstrations and recipe contests. Local chefs will demonstrate their unique recipes using the Sweet Maui Kula Onion, said to be the sweetest onion in the world. It is free for all. For details, visit www.whalersvillage.com

Mount Gay Rum arrives in India

If you are a rum drinker, then youll be raising a toast to the arrival of Mount Gay Rum, the oldest rum brand, in the Indian market. Brought here by Remy Cointreau, this rum, with its 300-year-old legacy, is fashioned from rich sugar cane and the pristine, coral-filtered water native to Barbados. It also has hints of ripe banana, vanilla, moka and sweet almonds. Rums in the Mount Gay range are ideal for creating premium cocktails.

meissen, saxony

VINCENZ-RICHTER

12 An der Frauenkirche, Meissen, Saxony, Germany;

tel: +49 35 2145 3285;

www.vincenz-richter.de

Cuisine: Regional Saxon Cost: 2,500 for two without alcohol Reservations: Recommended Wheelchair access: Poor

Review

Dining in this nearly 500-year-old house, replete with antiques, historic guns and armour, has a unique charm. The former cloth makers guild house, built in Meissen town in 1532, was bought by a Royal Army colonel, Vincent Richter in 1873. Named after him and run by his family, the restaurant is rife with medieval paraphernalia.

I started my meal with a glass of chilled Riesling wine from the house…divine! For starters, the fresh Chanterelles (seasonal mushrooms) were wonderfully married with sweet baked figs and the rich creamy sauce teamed nicely with the light sweet figs. The fresh garden salad had just the perfect flavour. We then went ahead and asked for lobster bisque, which was a delight with slivers of fried shallots for added flavour. But what I could not get enough of was Quarkkeulchen, a regional speciality made from dough of mashed potatoes, quark cheese, eggs and flour, spiced with cinnamon—something not to be missed. Its combination with lamb shanks is a true culinary revelation.

Another delightful creation recommended by the chef was Schweinfurt Schlachtschuesse, aka roasted suckling pig. Served on a wooden board, it was set perfectly with the farmhouse bread, sauerkraut and fresh horseradish. Other specialities not to be missed are the Schnitzel nach Jager art mit Champignon rahmsauce, dazu Spatzle und salat (escalope of pork cooked with mushroom sauce and served with Spatzle (German pasta) and salad along with Nu wine (fresh nonalcoholic wine). The bread and butter pudding tempts me to go back there. The restaurant truly captures the wholesome goodness of rustic Saxony fare in a quaint setting.

GURGAON

EURAIL

Parsavnath Exotica Complex,

near Hotel Ibis, Golf Course Road

tel: (0124) 492 8600

Cuisine: European

Price: 2,500 to 3,000 without alcohol Reservations: Recommended

Wheelchair access: Good

REVIEW

Theres multiple levels of relief merely on entering Eurail, Gurgaons newest fine-dining eatery. Finally, a restaurant NOT in a mall or hotel. Finally, a restaurant where background music is firmly where it should be—in the background. And finally, a ‘Europeanrestaurant that doesnt begin and end with Italian.

There are Spanish and Portuguese and French and British influences on this menu, and theyre all worth a shot. We started with corn cigarillos and hand-pounded fish cakes, lime leaves adding a fresh edge to the latter. Grilled fish and a chicken pot pie follow—the pot pie one of the best Ive eaten in the capital, with tender chicken, cherry tomatoes, potato chunks and scallions making it a hearty one-dish main. I love a good salad, and the accompanying berriesand-rocket version with mozzarella was an outright winner, the light balsamic dressing a perfect complement to the strawberries. But in desserts Italy won, with one of the best tiramisus Ive eaten.

The restaurant has a lot going for it—great central location, elegant interiors and an excellent single malts selection and wine list. It doesnt come cheap but is worth paying a little extra for.

BANGAlORE

THE RANOOSH

120-125, KH Road (Double Road), Shanthinagar; tel: (080) 2222 1231

Cuisine: Lebanese

Price: 1,500 for two

Wheelchair access: Poor

REVIEW

In Bangalores oversaturated food landscape, Ranoosh is possibly the sole Lebanese-only restaurant(though theres plenty of Med and a sprinkling of Leb-Mex). Arabic music in the background (Amr Diab fans will love his constant crooning from the speakers) and comfortable seating set a calm tone.

Its menu has something for every palate, made under the watchful eye of Syrian Chef Ali Mkram. Unlike other places, this restaurant has plenty for vegetarians, especially the starters. I went for Lebanese classics such as dolma(grape leaf rolled with parsley, rice and tomato, steamed in olive oil and lemon juice), falafel (deep-fried patties made of a fine-blended chickpeas with onion, garlic, coriander, cumin and flour) and shawarma rolls. The creamy hummus and babaghannouj (a smokey grilled eggplant dip), brought out the flavours perfectly.

Then I was digging into a whole range of kebabs (even a vegetarian variety), grilled fish, and steaks. A fragrant lamb biriyani that is slightly different from the Indian versions, was a real treat. It is not as rich as we have it. The flavours are far more subtle. For dessert the chef recommended mahalabiyah (a dessert made of rice and milk pudding with a rose syrup), baklava and Umm Ali(puff pastry). And for the final kick, theres also Lebanese coffee, a definitive must-try.

The restaurant does not serve alcohol, but a lounge bar—Black and Red Lounge—on the first floor makes up for this as you can catch a drink here before you head to dinner.

Delhi

IT

The Grand, Nelson Mandela Road, Vasant Kunj; tel: (011) 26771234

Meal for two: 2,500 without alcohol Reservation: Recommended

Wheelchair access: Good

REVIEW

Spinach crust pizza. There was a time when I would cringe at such a thing but now, with everyone being so health and nutrition conscious, this little dish on the menu brought much excitement around the table. We quickly ordered the spinach crust pizza with mushroom topping and, surprisingly, the green pizza crust turned out to be quite delicious. Its with a view to remove pizza from the label of ‘junk food that chefs at It, the Italian restaurant at The Grand, have come up with various crust innovations. Beetroot pizza is another option and there will be more, no doubt. It—whether to indicate Italian or hipness, or both—is not the best of names but one cant say that about the food. Whether it is the traditional Caesar salad with rocket or sea bass with breaded spinach and smoked salmon, everything we taste is fantastic. Or you could choose from the ‘twin taste pastas where the concept is to provide two types of flavours in one dish. The décor is odd, but the service is just perfect. Concentrate on the food and wine and you will return happy.