Food Festival: An Essence of Chettinad @ Sheraton Grand Bangalore

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It was Day 01 of the Marriott - Starwood Merger and Yes, I was there :)

We kicked off our evening at Sheraton experiencing the in season Oktober Fest menu; buts that's for another post. Fast forwarding the evening to when Chef Sabari with all enthusiasm walked us to our table at feast to experience the food festival close to his heart - 'An Essence of Chettinad'. Hailing from the region, Chef Sabari shared stories of the culinary journey his team set out on to bring the authenticity and experience back to Sheraton Grand Bangalore and it clearly showed through the evening spent.

Indian section of the buffet was dedicated to Chettinad cuisine which was extensive enough to ignore the rest of the otherwise magnificent buffet spread. True to the restaurants name, the Chettinad spread alone was a 'Feast'.

We were welcomed with Panakam and Neermore and before heading to starters we started off with condiments placed on our table like a variety of chips, chutneys, pickles, spread of podi and more before we progressed to the next course of starters. Panakam is a jaggery based drink with lime juice, ginger, cardamon forming key ingredients. We shamelessly enjoyed a couple of rounds of this drink as we nibbled through the condiments placed on our table.

Starters was an enjoyable course - a result of good ingredients, spices, marination and cooking style. The non-vegetarian starters included quail cooked in Chettinad spices (Kadai Perattal), prawn fry (Karuvepillai Eral Fry) and lamb chops (kari Varuval). This only made me look forward to the coming courses from the buffet spread.

Live stations continuously dished out vegetarian and non-vegetarian starters, appam, Adai, parothas and Nei Paniyaram. Adai as recommended by Chef was enjoyed in the company of ghee and jaggery. Neil Paniyaram was relished with the wide spread of chutneys and podi. 

Mains included a range of dishes for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. There was Karaikudi Attiracha Curry; a flavourful lamb dish and Chettinad Meen Melagu Varuval; a seer fish preparation (yes! I was equally excited to hear Seer and not Basa)  that went well in the company of a nice flaky parotha. There was also Chettinad chicken biryani which I have usually never been  fan off. 

This was not all, I loved the vegetarian section too which had Pusanikkai More Kozambu, Vatha Kozambu and more. These were my favourites from the vegetarian menu and were relished with steamed rice. 

I'm not a big fan of desserts but I did venture into it. Amidst a wide spread selection, a fellow blogger recommended I try the Sago Payasam and it hit the bullseye. I did not need to look for any other dessert from the spread. At the end of it all there sure was a need of a digestive and to finish there was a delicious paan on offer.

It's a limited time showcase and the menu offering is on a rotational basis. So head here to enjoy a buffet that has an extensive offering of Chettinad food prepared from the heart by Chef Sabari and team. While only one more day remains for this food festival, I urge you to try it out and if that's not possible the buffet spread at Sheraton Grand Bangalore is fantastic and makes for an enjoyable experience. The buffet at feast comes priced at Rs. 1445++ for lunch and Rs. 1595++ for dinner.

Quick Tips:

Go enjoy an Essence of Chettinad at Feast, Sheraton Grand Bangalore and stay tuned for more to come.

Address: Sheraton Grand Bangalore, 26/1, Dr. Rajkumar Road, Malleshwaram - Rajajinagar, Bangalore - 560055

Phone Number: +91 80 4252 1000

Taste of Britain Curry Festival @ ITC Windsor

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Did you know! The first curry serving restaurant that opened up in Britain was way back in the year 1804. From then to now; statistics say, “Britain has more curry serving restaurants than the number in Mumbai and Delhi put together”. This stat clearly speaking of the demand for curries and its popularity in Britain. Someone I met recently quoted, “Brits came to India with gun powder and left India with curry powder”.

Some chefs in Britain have gained huge popularity for the curries offered at their restaurants in different parts of Britain. In association with Curry Life magazine from Britain, ITC Windsor hotel has flown down 4 award winning chefs who are contributing to the popularity of good curries in Britain and a Michelin Star chef from Britain to express the ‘Taste of Britain’.

2 hotspots under the roof of the plush and elegant ITC Windsor hotel are showcasing a ‘Taste of Britain’ in 2 different formats:

1. Raj Pavilion offering a buffet spread that comprises of the hotels signature spread offering cuisines from the world over now has one section of this lovely buffet spread dedicated to the curries from Britain; an inspiration from the Indian Sub-continent and it’s neighboring countries. 

2. Dublin the Irish pub housed at ITC Windsor plays host to a limited edition English pub menu specially curated by ‘Mark Paynton’ a Michelin Star chef. This menu has a limited offering but hold signature dishes from Mark’s Menu back in Cambridge, Britain. While Raj Pavilion offers ‘Taste of Britain’ in a buffet format, Mark’s Menu is an a-la carte offering at Dublin.

Here’s a sneak-Peak at what I tried yesterday when I went down to experience the ‘Taste of Britain’ showcase.

1. Some of the curries I tried and loved at Raj Pavilion from the Britain curry festival: 

Mughlai Lamb Shanks

Chichinga (Ridge Gourd) Chingri (Prawn) Curry

Balti Chicken

L: Mango Fish Curry; R: Gosht Anda Biryani

2. Highlight’s from Mark’s Menu offered at Dublin:

Lamb Rump Tarter, Pickled Turnips & Radishes, Crisp Bread, Parmesan & Charcoal Mayonnaise

Blue Cheese, Broccoli, Pickled Red Grape & Almond Praline Salad

Roast Breast of Chicken, Mushroom, Peas, Asparagus & Madeira Sauce

Sea Bass, Cauliflower Textures, Raisins, Champagne Veloute

Strawberries, Vanilla Cream, Lime Meringue & Strawberry Ice Cream

Baked Yoghurt, Vanilla Ice Cream, Poached Blackberries

Note: What's not in pictures is a photograph of the fantastic Asparagus Veloute, Whipped Goat Cheese, Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Garlic brushed tomatoes. This was a fabulous asparagus soup of sorts with a side serving of delicious whipped goat cheese, and garlic brushed tomatoes. This is a must have from Mark's menu. 

The fantastic team of Chefs, Hoteliers and journalists among the few to have wonderfully curated this food festival:

Team - Taste of Britain Curry Festival

Michelin Star Chef - Mark Paynton

The dinner buffet at Raj Pavilion is priced at Rs. 1800++ and the average cost of a-la carte meal by Michelin Star Chef Mark at Dublin will be around Rs. 2000++ per head. What’s to remember is that this showcase is available for experience at ITC Windsor, Bangalore; only till the 24th of July.

Address: ITC Windsor, 25 Windsor Square, Golf Course Road, Near Sankey Road, Bangalore

For Reservations - Phone Number: +91 80 4140 1205

#Hotel Review - Comfort isn't Complicated @ Four Points By Sheraton - Now in Bangalore

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Bangalore has been witnessing the opening of a lot of new business hotels. Each very different from the other. What's common is that they belong to the 'Starwood' brand. In July, we saw the opening and launch of a quirky, trendy, vibrant, playful and tech savvy Aloft Hotels at Cesna Business Park and now is Bangalore's first Four Points by Sheraton which believes and lives by the motto - 'Comfort isn't Complicated'.

A group of bloggers were invited to experience this new business hotel in Whitefield and what better way to do it that to plan a stay over in the very middle of the week. Located in Whitefield, this Four Points by Sheraton (FPBSBengaluru) is in close proximity to ITPL and the surrounding IT/Business parks.

All I knew about this hotel was it's location and everything from there turned out to be a surprise; a good one indeed. Wow! 10 minutes drive from and to work? Awesome! I was pretty excited. I drove from work to arrive at Four Points by Sheraton at 6 PM.

Welcomed by the staff, and the necessary security check, I was guided through the lobby to the check-in desks. The lobby was very simplistically done, architect-ed to make the best of natural day light, lots of free floor space and with all this exuded an elegance of sorts. The check-in was quite fast and required no forms or what so ever to be filled; yet ensuring the security protocols (Valid ID card) were followed.

The Reception

Library Lounge @ The Lobby

The room is where comfort begins and aptly named, it was 'Comfort Room - King Bed' for me. It was well equipped right from a well stocked bar, safety locker, a work desk, iron board, tea/coffee maker, in-room service, alarm clock to wake a sound sleeper and a lot more. The overhead wall of the bed has beautiful wall paintings of places of prominence and importance around Karnataka.

Overhead Canvas

Life outside the room was quite interesting as well. Additionally to meet the business needs, #FPBSBengaluru also houses meeting spaces to host either board meetings or banquets for events; all of which come equipped with latest audiovisual technology.

The rooftop at the hotel houses a well equipped gym, a lovely pool on the rooftop on one side and an open terrace on the other being readied to provide guests with an exclusive offering and experience. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait for a while to hear about what's in store for us.

 The first floor houses 'The Best Brew' - a pub that boasts of a vast selection of lager beer (#BestBrews) from across the globe, some very interesting beer cocktails and of-course the classics. Again revolving around the theme of Karnataka, munchies like muruku, kodbelle, nippat etc are served along with the drinks on every table. 

Famous Snacks from Karnataka

Karl, the man behind the bar does a fabulous job of showcasing and concocting some wonderful beer cocktails. The food that kept beer / beer cocktails company was delicious as well. For the non-vegetarians it was the spicy and delicious chicken tikka and a fried prawn starter that was perfectly cooked to leave the prawn moist and juicy. 

Karl concocted some fabulous beer cocktails

We juggled in and out of this place until it was last order. As the cop came chasing us down (not literarily) to place our last order it only meant a round of shots to make a grand finish. Open to both resident and non-resident guests, 'The Best Brew' is a nice place to unwind after a long day at work.

On the other side of the floor is their multi-cuisine restaurant 'The Eatery' which serves both a-la carte and buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Here, we got to experience the masterclass by none other that Chef Michael Swamy and Chef Kurley. At this time, we not only got to hear the sizzle of the preparations but also the clicks of camera that kept going, as did the masterclass. It was an overload of starters, hence I settled for just Mutton Bhuna Ghost and an oriental fish dish with naan and noodles for dinner from the buffet spread. The food was quite good.

Chef Michael Swamy

A fabulous Prawn dish by Chef Kurley - 'Dehekte Ginger Jhinge'

Mutton Bhuna Ghost

Post dinner, it was time to call it a day and what better than an inviting #FourComfortBed - a signature mattress customized for FourPoints world over to ensure a good nights sleep. With temperature set at the right temperature, I dozed like a log knowing that I had an additional hour to sleep with office in the vicinity – A rarity for me who travels for over an hour to work. Yippee! Good Night!

Hello, Good Morning!

The bathroom was well equipped with the necessary personal care products and plush bathroom fittings. The day saver for me was the presence of a dental kit which I had missed including in my baggage.

I could have slept more but it was for the love of breakfast that I was up and running. Breakfast can be ordered to the room or like I did; head down to The Eatery for their breakfast buffet. It surely was a great way to start the day with a nice coffee, eggs made to order, juices to go along (both fresh and canned), cereals, fruits, breads, breakfast desserts and more.

All right, time for quick and hassle free check-out. After this wonderful experience at the youngest business hotel in Whitefield, I was all set to head to work close to ITPL which was less than a 10 minute drive away.

Address: 43/3 Whitefield Main Road, Bengaluru - 560066

Phone Number: +91 80 4030 1212

Event Update: 'Jamva Chalo Ji' - Parsi Food Festival @Cubbon Pavilion, ITC Gardenia, Bangalore

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Food festivals are the best way to experience great food and learn about their culture. With the Parsi Food Festival on at ITC Gardenia's Cubbon Pavilion, I looked forward to the Parsi food on offer but also learnt that -

(1) Parsi food is a mix of Persian food influenced by Gujarati style of cooking.

(2) Fish is a symbol of good luck and is always a dish at celebrations and feasts.

Seated on a designated table, we walked around to explore the buffet which was expansive not just in terms of the dishes but also the cuisines and courses.What centered the buffet and remained my focus was the Parsi food which had various vegetarian and non-vegetarian classics as a part of the spread. 

Parsi Food - Vegetarian Spread

Parsi Food - Non-Vegetarian Spread

For starters, there was 'Paneer Akuri' and 'Bharuchi Akuri / Egg Akuri' both eaten with bread. There was also the wonderful 'Patra-Ni-Machhi' and 'Prawn Kebabs' in starters for the non-vegetarians. What I loved about the 'Patra-Ni-Machhi' was that the fish wrapped and steamed in banana leaf parcels was the ever fabulous white pomfret. The marinate of coriander and mint successfully soaked in the flavor of the banana leaf which in all completeness paired beautifully with the perfectly steamed fish.
Caution! Not being a fillet, do expect bones as you eat.

Patra-Ni-Machhi - In the steamer

Patra-Ni-Machhi - On my plate

Prawn Kebabs

For the mains, there was 'Salli-Ma-Murgi' and 'Mutton Dhansak with Dhansak rice, kuchumber and meat balls'. 'Salli-Ma-Murgi' - spiced chicken garnished with finely sliced fried potatoes (Salli) is best enjoyed with Indian breads (Rotlis to be specific). 

Salli-Ma-Murgi

Mutton Dhansak is a whole meal by itself. Traditionally, Parsi families assemble their Dhansak on their own to suit their taste buds and that's how it is served here as well. Mine was fully loaded with rice,  mutton meat balls, mutton dhansak (lots of mutton) and kachumber salad to top it all. I liked this preparation - the meat balls and mutton were delicious and the daal added to the flavor. For me, the only weak-link in this otherwise wonderful dish was the kachumber. I've known kachumber to primarily include slivers of onion (if not only onions) but here it was chunks of carrots that drove the show.

Mutton Dhansak with rice, kachumber & Mutton meat balls

For the vegetarians, there was a veg. version of dhansak (with out mutton) and the 'Tarkari-Nu-Kebab' taking the place of delicious meat balls. There was also 'Kharo Papeto' and more but my focus for this dinner remained the non-vegetarian food.

Being a part of the buffet; in addition to the Parsi section, there was a whole range of cuisines spanning the globe wide horizon right from Japanese to the American with a whole lot in between. In terms of courses, there were soups, breads, Anti-Pasti (cute little mono-portions of salads and meat), starters, mains, desserts and tea/coffee to finish with.

It is believed that no Parsi meal is complete with out their signature dessert - Lagan-Nu-Custard and 'Yes' it was there. This was my first taste of 'Lagan-Nu-Custard' and I loved this dessert. The sweetness and flavor of the cardamom was really well balanced and the texture was smooth and fluffy right in between the consistency of jelly and mousse.

Lagan-Nu-Custard

Don't remember the name of this dessert

With Chef Parvez Patel of Ideal Corner, Mumbai at the helm of things - the Indian section of the buffet at Cubbon Pavilion has been taken over to represent the wonderful Parsi cuisine for the remainder of this week. So 'Yes' each night for dinner; on till the 21st of September, the buffet at Cubbon Pavilion, ITC Gardenia will feature Parsi cuisine along with its standard elaborate offering at the regular price of Rs. 1600 plus taxes.

Address: No. 1, Residency Road, Bengaluru - 560025

Phone Number: +91 80 2211 9898