Monique’s Food For Thought

December 9, 2017

This week has been surreal. My emotions ran the gamut from high voltage excitement post an enjoyable girlie sojourn in Dubai to nostalgia twinged sadness with the death of every schoolgirl’s heartthrob, Shashi Kapoor. From annoyance at Donald Trump’s unending bluster to despair with the earthquake in North India. Hallelujah at least Times person ‘s’ of the year is not Potus despite his claims to the contrary.

The #silencebreakers are women who decided to finally stand up for themselves, against a powerful patriarchy. They overcame the fear of repercussions, labels imparted by society and their vulnerability and took back their power. The #metoo hashtag has been a fantastic initiative giving voice to this movement. The magnitude of the problem can be seen by the sheer waves of women coming out to acknowledge abuse in various forms, regardless of age, income, ethnicity and popularity. It’s not just the US, it’s a global issue. It happens in India; it happens across the world. It’s a matter of shame that even today, women feel the need to suppress abuse. Which is why Times acknowledging the brave women who have taken a stand is commendable. It may finally help give voice to the millions of silent women worldwide.

One person who treated women well was the actor Shashi Kapoor, if the accolades in all forms of media are anything to go by. People who interacted with him have been sharing stories of his gentlemanly attitude, his friendly manners and his sense of humour. In school, he was the heartthrob of most of my classmates with his disarming smile, his candour and his handsome looks: a sort of Indian Robert Redford of my times. His dedication to his wife, Jennifer, is legendary. Her death left him bereft. They married in 1958 and were together until her death in 1984. Shashi Kapoor lives on with his contribution to Indian cinema and theatre through his movies and the Prithvi legacy.

Legacy is what Indigo Deli established in Bombay but if my meal in Pune is anything to go by, it is fast being tarnished. The meal was quite average and I found the choice not just limited but below standards for Indigo even though I do allow a deli is lower down the restaurant food chain. What really gets me in a tizzy is the appalling service. The waiter did not know what the specials of the day were and needed to keep checking. He came across completely clueless. I also think it’s not right to bring the food out in dribs and drabs when there is a group. This results in uncoordinated eating or someone’s food going cold in order for everyone to eat together. The waiter did not ensure our needs were met and forgot to refill my sangria until I asked him to do so. It was supposed to be a case of buy one get one free!!! It’s a pity because the space is actually quite nice and just a little more zing to the menu and a little straightening of the wait staff and this place can be quite buzzing.

Buzzing is what I discovered at Elephant, a gastropub/dive bar/ trendy night spot in Kalyaninagar. The owner was friendly and welcoming and our waiter was on the ball and alert, making sure we were served properly, asking about the meal, informing us about last calls and when we expressed our dislike of the dessert, he actually brought us a complementary dessert as an apology. Yes, the banoffee pie needs a lot of improvement. I barely tasted toffee or banana. But the rest of the food was not just tasty, but innovative. The oriental prawns may have been deep fried, but once in a while it’s okay to let go. The dry chilli rub chicken was also delicious. There was a waffle made of dosa batter, which is quite ingenious. And the music took me down nostalgia lane despite the fact the crowd was mainly twentysomethings. Apart from us, there was only one other group of older people. It’s all about being young at heart.

And that’s precisely why I have friends who are still turning forty! I flew down to Dubai for a birthday with a bunch of girlfriends. There’s nothing like a weekend of bonding with the girls. It’s an escape from daily realities. We ate, drank, shopped and chatted. The ruckus we made on the flight out had many people smile indulgently though there were a few khadoos types who wanted to douse our fun. The ability to fly directly makes Dubai an easy destination from Pune. And it’s like you enter another world. Since it was National Day, we lucked out at not having to face traffic. The restaurants, malls, roads, shops, infrastructure, cleanliness, greenery all come together seamlessly. Just a few hours on a plane to a transformed space. When will India become like that?

In the meantime, back in Pune and my restaurant visits continued with a meal at Tvum, designed to imitate a Kerala home. The cuisine is Indian with some variations. I feel the quantity of food was a bit much especially when most of us are watching our weight these days. We had to request them not to keep plating food and serving us because much was going to waste. Most of the food was delicious though a couple of dishes could have done with less oil. The waiters were enthusiastic even though they could not seem to understand instructions or requests. On the whole, it’s a charming addition to Pune’s culinary scene.

Talking about the culinary scene and Pubstreet at Ishanya mall is certainly a welcome addition. Pune’s favourite go to person while entertaining, Ravish Arora, has just opened Iron Bar and Grill. From truck parts, to rickshaw spares and other vehicle paraphernalia, the place certainly has a unique style. Ravish’s son, Jay, has now joined his Dad and is the brains behind the new place. A large picture of Jack Nicholson, behind the bar with pursed lips letting out smoke bubbles, is quite the talking piece. And when it comes to Ravish, the food on offer is bound to be exceptional. I’ve been there twice now and not left disappointed.

I was a tad disappointed at the live show of ZenVartan at Monalisa Kalagram. I guess we, as observers, are to blame. When there is a live show we expect drama and showbaazi. The name is a dead giveaway. Zen!! It was slow, meditative and utterly confusing. There was some drama with fire and water, painting masks and a Kathak dancer but I felt underwhelmed. Having said that, the artist has his works on display and they are beyond amazing. The colours, textures and conceptualization left me stunned. It’s definitely worth a dekho.

And dekhte dekhte time just passed me by. Its soon going to be homeward bound for me. As always I leave with bittersweet feelings. I miss my friends and family but my city beckons. Until next time Pune.