A Study in Contrast & of Contentment

I keep the cup down and instantly I feel the smile coming on, the smile that makes my day feel complete. Though the cup this time was not the traditional silver, but a simple looking porcelain one, it still gave me the divine experience MTR is expected to give thousands of waiting hungry residents of Bangalore every week. MTR - the epitome of old world charm, where integrity means not moving an inch from its landmark position for the last 85 years and giving us an experience not parallel to anything else anywhere. I have been to some of the more famous old Dosa joints in Bangalore and they all feel a little short of MTR in one way or another. I don’t want to rebuke someone’s choice here, just saying that this is one place which you never forget. It makes you feel like that time you stood in lines to get something, when you were very young and your dad took you some place special in the morning to pack a nice breakfast. It takes you back somewhere – Someplace really nice, inside your head.
People familiar with the place would have heard about the famed waiting room; an anti room meant for eager customers to meticulously plan their sumptuous meal, while they wait for the man on the high stool to call their name and invite them inside the simple rooms that either is for the Family or the Singles. The atmosphere in the waiting rooms is one of restrained anxiety; everyone looks calm on the outside, however they’re all petrified to miss their name being called aloud. Missing out on the roll call can mean losing out on the quick to finish Sambhar Vadas or the amazing Badam Halwa getting over (Thank God for the Dosa being a long runner, they rarely say “Dosa illa”). So, they wait and drool over the things that’ll soon touch their palates. The ubiquitous clock ticking very slowly!
As I sat there some weeks back, inside the dining hall waiting for my Dosas to come (the vada was out!L), I realized the magnitude of expectations the cooks here have on their shoulders when making the food everyday - the food needed to completely satisfy our soul & heart, more than our stomachs. This was not just another restaurant, it’s a part of history and you never expect history to fail you. If that’s true, then the fact that these kitchen Demigods should feel nirvana day after day when they go back home, is true as well. I believe that they are rarely tired and more content from their day’s work.
I have felt that on somedays, instances where I have given more than 16hrs, and not felt tired, only satisfied of how well things went that day; how much fun it was to work on something that really had substance, a punch. It is this feeling – and nothing else – which drives me. The contrast is the consistency of this contentment - my daily score vs. theirs.
Coming back to the unassuming dining hall, Mr. Dosa arrived on the single largest tray I have seen at any eat out. The ghee the top was bound to get my head reeling, and it did that effortlessly. The beauty of the MTR dosa lies in its thick & moist crust and the spicy chutney inside it; it fills your taste buds with something like never before and nowhere else. Divine and Humble at the same time. I somehow curbed my enthusiasm to have the third one and ordered for a light coffee. A truly important part of the experience here is to finish of with piping hot coffee in a silver glass which gets hot enough to burn your fingers. Alas, the silver cup was out and the porcelain made its debut in front of me (What can I expect at 6:00 in the evening, when this place close down at 7:30). The coffee here is like paring a good gourmet meal with a vintage French wine, not that I have too much experience of the latter, but still – the dosa and the filter coffee are in some ways made for each other, like a nice cozy couple in love. I look around at the other tables and the glasses are being taken away leaving behind omnipresent smiles all around. The Demigods are going back content again!
I must leave now to come back another day – hungry as ever, tired enough to be relieved and wanting to go back home smiling. Till then MTR stands and runs a show worthy of a Gastro Oscar. Ciao!

An Un-blissful experience and the art of expectation management

There is a new thing in town and its called Chocolate…. No don’t get me wrong. I didn’t just escape Thar desert ... I have heard of it before and fought with my parents enough, to understand the value of a bar! What I am referring to is the mushrooming industry of fine dining experiences based only on Chocolates… The premium chocolate places opening up everywhere.
To any life loving human, with the slightest of a sweet tooth, the words ‘Bliss’, ‘Chocolate’ & ‘Lounge’ can be enough to commit gastronomic hara-kiri and that is exactly what happened yesterday. The relatively plush looking ‘Bliss’ in the new Forum mall was home to us for a while yesterday. From the moment we entered, it really felt like today would be a sinful day - ready to surround us with some gorgeous Chocó-late.
BUT…. (There’s always a But around nice things)… the food sadly just fell like a limp & badly baked cake. The Gooey chocolate cake we ordered was so revolting that, my wife labeled it as Ghee... coco flavored!
The hot chocolate was insipid and tasteless and the overall experience cost us some good money. I don’t know how a spoonful of bad regular drinking chocolate in a small glass of milk can put somebody off by a hundred bucks... How can that be justifiable… the Money is for the taste right?
Not for these places… the money for them is for the experience and the décor!! There brain’s getting Gooey, I guess!!
Anyways, this is not the first time, something like this happened. I have had worse tasting food and probably spent more money on it as-well. The point actually is this mind of ours… the expectations shoot up and the food falls… hasn’t that happened to you. I am sure it has. This real life episode yesterday, reminded me of the Hit TV series ‘Top-Chef’ and one of their most awaited elimination challenges – ‘the Restaurant Wars’. I was watching the fourth season and Tom Colicchio – the most balanced judge, according to me – commented on the same thing. In this challenge, the contestants divide into two teams and each run their own restaurants for one meal. Last week, the Asian themed ‘Mai Buddha’ restaurant just fell flat, their décor & ambience blew the judge’s expectations up and the real planning on food lacked big time. Considering they had three chefs, who were experts in Asian food, they had no reason to fail at the challenge at the outset. BUT… they did.
These guys committed the cardinal mistake of believing that eyes are more important than the palette when it comes to food. Though a comparison of these chefs and the Blissful chefs of Whitefield is nothing short of sacrilege, BUT they did do the same thing. I am going to watch Top Chef next week, however, sadly I might never push the heavy doors of ‘Bliss’ ever again!
My only suggestion, that too a very humble one – Raise the food before you raise the walls. It really works! Try it out! And when you really want to have some nice chocolate…. Head to ‘Boca Grande’... in Koramangala. They work on their food first...

A Brand New... Spanklingly Bright Year!

A slightly vague year just went by. I don't know why but this year was equally spectacular as it was frustrating. My life took a turn for the good, however left me so confused with my present that i can't really put my finger on what was Pretty or what was Ugly. In Short, I don't know wht next. Maybe this year, i really go out to do what I want to. Sounds simple. :-)
2009 was the year, I think I experimented with my mind the most, compared to the last few years. 2010 is the year of execution. I don't want to sound too corny, but I really have to make a Man of myself. Do something with my life and not be stuck in quicksand. There i said it!
I thought a lot and nothing but Food came to me mind. That's too weird, I really can't think beyond Food?!?. That can't be true... there has to be something else... How abt Research? Analytics? Project Management? if you haven't guessed yet.. i was thinking of my dear career, when Mr. Food walked in.
So what do I do with Food, except of course spending tons on it. Write abt it? hmmmm... Why not.. Maybe also link it to my experiences.. Maybe tell anybody who reads this that what you eat is what you are... But that's been done to death. Look.. frankly.. i have already voiced my issues in life... I AM CONFUSED.
But I am sure of one thing. Food is My future. Come what may, this is not another hobby, that's' going to die its natural boohoo Death! I let go of anything.. ANYTHING...to watch, be a part of any food culture/writing/visual that i can lay my eyes/nose/hands on. So there it is. My grand plans for 2010.. almost a resolution.. I said almost:)...