Pizza Express hits the right taste buds

This post is written by my wife Prachi 

More than a decade ago, for me, a splendid evening meant couple of vodkas and the most awesome garlic bread followed by a pizza at the Pizza Express (no, not Jazz by the bay or Pizzeria, they are different) near Marine Drive, at Churchgate Mumbai. It wasn’t just a pizza place. It was simple yet elegant, with a single dahlia flower placed on each table, nice chequered tablecloths and very less crowd.  A fine dining, for pizza. Awesome. 

Then it disappeared and I rediscovered it in the UK, where it started in the first place in 1965. http://www.pizzaexpress.com/about-us/ an interesting story there. Anyway, so even as I continued to miss the freshly made thin crust pizzas(though many others have started offering that in the meanwhile), to go with good wine, whisky or vodka (you know poisons too can change…) , I spotted one at BKC while on a bike ride with my hubby, the author of this blog.

Pizza 

Soon, I made plans with my foodie friend for a generous dose of heavenly carbs and girltalks! We started with the dough balls with garlic butter (what’s not to like there), followed it up with rosemary pizza bread (rosemary, garlic, extra virgin oil, chilli flakes) and a glass of wine and a tall glass of diet coke.
Our server was very interested in suggesting delicacies and main course orders (or was he enjoying our animated gossip?) and he got us a combo pizza Padana and Giardiniera – one with goats cheese, caramelized onions, spinach, mozzarella and the other with mushrooms, artichokes, olives, cherry tomatoes and what not. 

Wine Glass

Although we didn’t seem to have any trouble stuffing it down, there is no denying that our tummies were full but taste buds craved for more. I resisted the temptation of another wine and dessert. The bill was a little over Rs 2000 and fairly reasonable given the quality and quality.
BKC now houses some of the best fine dining places and amidst all the options this may well stand out for its good food and decent pricing. The only glitch we had was with a huge family seated behind us constantly monitoring a young couple seated in front of us ( we are guessing they were trying to fix an arranged marriage)… fun for the first few minutes then slightly annoying with children running around from one table to the other. 

rosemary pizza bread

And I missed those single dahlia sticks neatly adding to the pleasantness of earlier pizza express. But I am so happy to have a nice outlet close to my house. And I have a complimentary coupon for dough balls and chocolate something… So another trip can’t be too far away. See you there.

LPQ for good ambiance and food

Frankly speaking i did not know about this eatery until they started their shop in my office building premise, Le Pain Quotidien in short LPQ. The open space eating area in the office building was inviting but with the rates having been put up on a board--Rs 150 for lemon juice, i couldn't get the encouragement to approach the counter. However, it was February 14, Valentines Day, me and wife wanted to have a quite dinner, it could have been in the bustling suburb of Bandra west which offers a large number of eat outs. However, with our last years experience of a long wait at Main Land China, we wanted a distant place. 

Thus we went to the BKC branch of LPQ, its housed inside a huge corporate complex, as we entered the place, without reservation the attendant told us to wait for sometime. But we were lucky and got a table. Being Valentine day the place was bustling with couples and the table had rose petals on them. The long table which is central to LPQ states that the owner of LPQ, years ago had purchased a table made from a railway foot board and thus the center table tradition. 

We ordered Chicken Stroganoff with saffron rice, bruschetta (tartine) and wine, my stroganoff came inside a brun paav (wow) that was the best idea to have food in. The shredded chicken was superbly marinated in gravy and the filling was decent for my hungry tummy. The sangria went well with the food. After the food which we had for over an hour, since we chatted so much we wanted to have the red velvet pastry, but unfortunately it had been unsurped by the patrons. So the lovely evening ended on rich belgian chocolate cream cake. While leaving since they ran out of roses my wife got jam tart it was tacky in a heart shape. The BKC outlet has an outdoor seating area and i am told several persons visit there after work for a coffee and conversations. 

As for the price the food is good and yes it is an international chain so a bit on the higher side, but worth it. So LPQ is for a good evening with friends or family can be only for coffee also. 

ps: The attendants are pleasant and happy to help.       

Old harbour in Fort Kochi

FORT Kochi all throughout i kept thinking there would be some fort but to my surprise there was none. It is just a place filled with heritage house and huge properties bought by people from other parts of India and who have set up uber cool restaurants to please mostly foreign tourist.
Among the various properties that stand there the OLD Harbour stands out ---reason there is an old Mercedes car (Impala) parked outside the main entrance which raised quiet a bit of curiosity. As you enter into the huge porch your greeted with happy looking attendants. Either you can sit in the open veranda without fans or in the rooms. The place also has 14 rooms for lodging.
Mr Shafi the master chef is not the person to monitor his beauties being dolled out from inside the kitchen. He takes rounds of each table connecting with his guest on whether they are comfortable with the food they are eating. To a sardar he speaks in punjabi, to foreigners in English and to Mumbaikar's like us he says kaise ho.
As we sit outside to enjoy our candle night dinner a friend of ours who is a regular visitor to the place and who introduced us to Old Harbour said you must have tiger prawns. An averse to sea food, with a lot of hesitation i eat one and it simply melted, more important no smell. It goes well with red wine (call for rose` wine, its chilled). The bruscheta which is only three pieces of bread has a filling topping. As we move to the main course we as the chef to prepare for us the most authentic kerala mutton curry with appams and there it is lovely lovely curry. The mutton is juicy and soft as it has to be and the appams just slip down your throat with the curry. Add to it a bit of mint chutney and you have stomach full.  For desserts don't miss the carrot cake with ice cream it will the one you have not had elsewhere.
The old harbour hotel is owned by Edgar Pinto an original of Kochi who studied in Fr Agnel school in Mumbai and has a passion for art is also a Salman Khan fan which immediately served as an ice-breaker between us.

PS: As is with all heritage hotels this place may be on the higher side but its surely better than its neighbouring competitors.