sassanian turns 101...we hope its continues forever

This post is written by my friend Dilnaz Boga...

The first time I visited Sassanian was when I was in college in the mid-nineties. Forced by friends who were craving for Parsi food, I finally relented after minutes of cribbing, saying I'd had enough Parsi food at home. After our visit, my taste buds were enslaved. Trust me, the taste of salli chicken hasn't changed since then, and my periodic craving keeps me coming back for more.

For young Zoroastrians who have no idea what Iran looks like or those who feel uprooted from their blissful seventies life in Tehran, this joint is the perfect place to reconnect. The concept of a lost homeland and the optimism of visiting it someday is reinforced in your memory thanks to the photographs in the restaurant.

Also, it's the the pace in the restaurant that one treasures. It's quite unlike other restaurants that are evenly priced that cater to the masses. A good break from the hustle-bustle of this monstrous city.

If you are in the mood for stand-up comedy and excellent Parsi food, Sassanian near Metro Cinema is the place to be. An added bonus: their Boulangerie. 

The restaurant is timeless. With photographs from Iran adorning the walls, the restaurant has remained unchanged for decades. With attentive waiters and an amusing patron who cracks jokes from behind the counter, Sassanian resembles a regular bawa household.

Dhansak, sali chicken with pau, patra ni macchi, murghi na farcha and cutlets and patties are just some of the items on the menu that have been tried and tested and have secured 10/10 in my book. 

Anytime is a good time to visit this joint - breakfast, lunch or dinner. But make sure you have enough room in your tummy for the delicious deserts from the boulangerie next door. And wait a minute, it gets better. You can even buy a sponge cake to take home with you for your midnight hunger pangs. 

All in all, this is one of the last authentic Parsi joints left in this ever-changing city…one of the last ones that has defied time. On it's 101 anniversary on 21st of March, we wish the patrons all the luck and thank-yous a thousand times over for the good ole bawa food and the impeccable Parsi humour that brightened up our days. 

Awadhi food once was for the Nizams

As i enter the star rated Hotel Sarovar Premier in Goregaon, where Awadhi (Lucknowi) food festival is going on i am greeted by the Master Chef Mujeeb ur Rehman who hails from Lucknow and specializes in the food which was made for the Nizams. The gentle and soft spoken Rehman is a connoisseur of Awadhi cuisine and has been associated with several star rated Hotels and start ups in promoting the cuisine.
The food he says in these days has seen a lot of change mostly due to people been exposed to several cuisines and of course fast food. So the cuisine has undergone changes, reduced fat, use of oil and butter. What remains is the superb TASTE of the Awadhi cuisine.

Be it the galloti kebabs, Shirmans or figg roti's the live counters are the most visited at the festival. As we dig into the soft kebabs we are told that Lucknowi, Kashmiri and Hyderabadi have a lot of influence of Moghals who brought the rich cuisine into India. As they travelled and due to tropical conditions of the local area the cuisine underwent changes.
Rehman attributes changes simply to people created their own taste with the spices they could procure easily. The shirman which is a speciality bread with saffron sprinkled is the superb to eat and very rich. The main course is a mix of vegetarian (Prepared for the diet conscious and Jains which make a large part of eating outers) and Non Veg. For me i eat the three different kinds of chicken dishes along with the Shirman, and rotis. But still the Kebabs is what i crave for.
As for deserts there is a large spread, from Sheer Khruma, Dudhi Halwa, Paneer ka Meetha,  to cakes. But if it is Awadhi food festival then except the cakes i eat all. When i am saying good bye to Rehman i ask him the most trending question prevalent in these days. Which wine goes well with Awadhi food. He says "I have not tasted alcohol, internationally that's is the trend but what i promote is the food and not the wine." That in a way assures me that the cuisine is in safe hands and look forward to enjoy it few more times.  

Loved the Kabini River lodge

This post should have come last year when i had been to the Kabini River lodge in September 2013. But time constrain is an excuse which is non questionable so i give that as mine to share this belatedly.
It was my first marriage anniversary on September 17 and we thought of finishing the southern part of India escapades with the Karnataka. Two days at the Nagarhole jungle, then Coorg, Mysore, Bangalore.
So the bookings began and emails between the Karnataka state tourism department and us began. They said they had the river facing rooms available for our schedule dates but wanted the money in advance. Being a mumbaikar i did not want my money to not earn me more money by allowing the tourism department to take it months in advance. So i resisted but they made it clear that it was their policy to take the full amount in advance and so we had to give in.
It was a package deal for us, including stay, food and safari's. So we were excited to spot some predators.
From Bangalore, to Kabini takes around 4 hours by road, passing Mysore on the way. Till the time you enter the Kabini forest area the road  is a delight but then for 8 km the road is under construction. So be prepared to puke if your a weak guy like me. As we reached the Kabini River Lodge a property of the Jungle Lodges and Resorts Limited of Government of Karnataka, we were welcomed by the naturalist Prasanna who told us there had been a tiger spotting in the morning safari. That lifted our spirits. Then the attendants gave a brief description of the Nagarhole forest and Kabini Lodges. After which we proceeded to our river facing room. It was lovely accommodation with a king size bed, divan and most important no television.
The afternoon safari was at 3.30 pm so after a great lunch buffet at the dining area which included veg and non-veg menu we took our first safari. After returning we were our tea vendor would be waiting outside our room to serve us tea and coffee. There he was with a huge umbrella waiting with a basket. The next day after morning safari which starts at 6 am, we were welcomed to a lovely spread of breakfast (They make best sheera). We ordered a anniversary cake which was got for us from a neighbouring private resort. The person was helpful and he clicked pictures for us while we cut the cake.
In the afternoon me and wifey proceeded to explore the place. The kabini lodge is actually a huge estate which was owned by the Nizam of Mysore and he along with the Britishers used to come to the forest for hunting. It a huge property including Maharaja Palace and several other cottage rooms. The most i liked though was their bar with an outdoor seating area overlooking the huge garden and the bungalows. Kabini river lodge is the only authorised resort in the forest to conduct safaris so it helps to stay with them as you get preference over others.
PS: We had an lovely anniversary in the forest with all the city amenities at a reasonable cost.