Hanoi - Vietnamese Cuisine Restaurant Review

A warm welcome from a warm ambience and from a smiling stewardess at Hanoi-Vietnamese Cuisine at Phoenix Marketcity, Bangalore, made our Sunday lunch a happy one.  The black and the red walls with the warm lights strike a chord as soon as you enter. We couldn't miss noticing the low-back chairs in the restaurant.

We, hungry as always, decided to order salads and appetizers. While we were working our way through the menu, a basket of white and crunchy tapioca krispies appeared on our table, which obviously, were gone the moment the basket was placed before us. It had a soy dip on the side.

We ordered the signature 'Nem cuon' or Vietnamese rice paper rolls, which were delicious with two varieties of sauces on the side, a peanut sauce and a sesame sauce. The sauces were absolutely creamy with the right amount of nuttiness and crunch, and the rice paper rolls neatly and delicately nestled the crunchy carrots, cucumbers, noodles, and chicken. The combination of the rolls and the sauces presented an eclectic mix of tastes. The mild rolls immediately burst into flavor when dipped in the sauces.

The 'Nom ngu sac' or the Five Colored Salad from the menu was a careful blend of tastes and colors. There were veggies, bean sprouts, and egg mixed with our choice of chicken that blended well in a soy based Vietnamese dressing. The crunch of the veggies balanced well with the nuttiness of the sesame seeds and the peanuts.

We were in the mood of trying out fish, and so, we asked for the Five Spice Basa preparation. The dish is called 'Ca basa ap chao' in Vietnamese.  I must say that the fish was excellent because its silky texture just melted away in the mouth.  It had the right amount of spices that accentuated the natural taste of the fish.

If you are stopping to think of a drink here while you are reading this, let me tell you that currently, the restaurant serves only wine. However, you can choose to sip on any of the delicious mocktails on their menu.

The main course for us was a combination of fragrant Jasmine rice served in a bamboo tube with a long handled serving spoon, and 'Hon hop rau xao,' a Vietnamese curry of veggies and chicken in an oyster mushroom gravy. The bamboo tube further enriched the fragrance of the already fragrant rice. The chicken curry in oyster mushroom sauce was sweet to taste and perfectly complemented the Jasmine rice.

We also savored a plate of stir-fried 'Banh Pho Xao,' or flat Pho noodles that had a lot of vegetables.

Any meal at a new restaurant is always incomplete without desserts. 'Chuoi chien' or banana fritters and 'Kem' or Vietnamese home-made icecreams added to our happiness quotient. The banana fritters were crunchy on the top with naturally sweet soft bananas in the core, the taste of which lingered for long. The 'coconut with rose petals' icecream was the winner between itself and the 'betel leaf icecream.'

If you are in the mood for fresh Vietnamese food which typically uses less oil and banks on a lot of fresh herbs, Hanoi-Vietnamese Cuisine is the place to go to. What makes it more authentic is that the place is run and managed by a beautiful lady from Vietnam, and her husband.

The Irony of the lost GPS Tracker

The techie husband (Sandeep) has been experimenting a lot with GPS trackers. The kid (Ryan) also seems interested in what papa dabbles in. As part of his experimentation, Sandeep put the GPS tracker in Ryan's bag today without the little one's knowledge. Ryan was also going for a field trip from school today, so the idea of sending the GPS in the bag made more sense.

Mid morning, Sandeep tracked if the tracker was working fine. Yes, of course it was. Afternoon, yes, of course it was. When the kiddo came back, viola!  The tracker was not in the bag, and not anywhere on Ryan.

A lot of tracking activities and voracious experimentation happened, in all of which, I also took part because it was important. Obviously it was! What was I thinking? We tried calling up the school, the bus drivers, the attendants in the bus, but to no positive outcome.

The GPS tracker is still showing where it is, around 6 kms away from here. The motive of the experimentation was definitely successful. Sadly there's an irony in there.

The purpose of the GPS tracker is to track, not to get lost.  Maybe, we need another tracker for the GPS tracker!

More reason to be sad: I dont have a pic of it to put up!

Soda Bottle Openerwala Bangalore (Restaurant Review)

It was our anniversary, and we decided to visit the famed Soda Bottle Openerwala at Lavelle Road. Needless to say, we had heard a lot of good things about this place, and we didnt want to miss getting a first hand experience of it. Here's a quick review.

We reached the restaurant at around 2 pm. It was a weekday, but the place was almost full and buzzing with activity. We entered into a fascinating Parsi charm land, with old world wooden doors, wood and wrought iron railings, and antique furniture complete with loud music, and a ceiling decor of hanging lights and lamps. What was most eye-catching for my little kid was an overhead train that was chugging along dedicatedly all across the restaurant on its suspended tracks very close to the ceiling. The little one could just not lose his focus from the train, not to mention it was playfully interesting for us too. Here are a few decor pics.

We were already hungry, and I wanted to taste the Bombay style sandwich. Therefore, we ordered the famous Bombay Rasta Sandwich which was delectably mouthwatering. We were suggested the Masala Pepsi along with it, and I must say, the combination was piquantly appetizing. Since we were only two adults, we didnt order a whole lot of goodies to dig into, though their menu has a wide variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian options to choose from.

For the main course, we ordered a mild Sali Chicken (hoping that the kid would eat too), plain parathas, and a Chicken Berry Pulao from their menu. The Sali Chicken was perfect with just the right hint of spices topped with fried crunchy potato juliennes. The boneless chicken was succulent, and the paratha was soft but crispy enough to give that slight crunch when popped into the mouth.

The Chicken Berry Pulao was a very unique mix of slightly spiced chicken blended with nuts and fragrant rice topped with caramelized onions and berries. Every bite was a burst of sweetness and spices combined, and we almost cleared off the pan to the last grain.  We paired it with the Sali Chicken and to say the least, we loved what we ate.

The portions are good enough for two adults to share. While the kiddo still kept munching on the last  piece of crispy paratha, we decided to try the Mawa Cake. It is the famous Parsi cake that unarguably melts in the mouth. Warm and delicately buttery, it was the perfect finish to the meal.

The stewards and the waiters at the restaurant were warm and hospitable. They described to us our shortlisted dishes while ordering so we could make the best choice for ourselves.

What also deserves a mention is that they have a huge collection of candies that were available when we were kids. I was surprised to get 'Poppins,' a colorful set of hard candies rolled together that used to be quite a favorite with kids.

Overall, Im going to visit this place again soon. 

This restaurant should definitely be on your must-visit list too!

How did I treat 2014?

Warning: Sarcastic start!

Its fascinating how we all try to nudge the existing year to move out faster and usher in the new year with resolutions, booze, and highfalutin images of ourselves trekking in the Swiss Alps without winter wear.

 Well, due respect to all of you, but I don't make resolutions. Most of the resolutions I know we all make are related to our body. We all make fancy promises to ourselves for the upcoming year, and the one promise that tops the chart of promises is weight loss. Some of us go to extremes and resolve only to eat salads and sprouts for the whole year to trim down some fat, and what kickstarts the new year are bottles of beer and loads of meat. (I dont have anything against non-vegetarians; I was born a non-vegetarian and I will die one).


Knowing me, I cant make fancy promises to myself (of losing body fat and weight),

Well, to start off with, 2014 has been a good year for me. I loved watching Ryan grow up, talk more and more, gain a strong foothold on his vocabulary, go through emotional upheavals, grow more fond of his dad, and also challenge me in many ways.

I am so happy he is growing up so well!

I did a few great things for myself this year.

First, I learnt swimming. Call it a thrust on my leonine ego, but I did learn swimming after being laughed at a couple of times for not knowing how to tame water. Nevertheless, I am happy that I learnt a new sport. Otherwise, the only sport that I have in me is a spoil sport.

Second, I had given up driving. However, just a few days back, I rekindled the fire in me for driving, and more so, to fancy taking Ryan out for a ride.

Birthday at Hotel Aloft, Bangalore

Well, its been 4 years since my last post, and it feels that my blog is almost moribund.

I dont like it to die an unsung death, and therefore, here I am at it again.

I wanted to start off with something close to my heart and that led me to my baby Ryan, who just turned 3 this month. Sandeep and I decided to celebrate his birthday like we did the last two years, and we went on our rounds of getting quotations from banquet halls and hotels nearby.

We finalized on Hotel Aloft and till date, we are very happy with our selection. Especially since it was a poolside party.

The staff were friendly, right from the beginning, though, whenever we went to see the venue and discuss with the managers there, we had quite a bit of a waiting time. Nevertheless, it paid off!

The first time we were there, a certain Mr. Manoj (F&B) led us to the banquet halls. However, he suggested we do a poolside party adjacent to the restaurant (DotYum) there. The idea seemed great and we loved the ambience. The pool was probably a standard sized pool, but the wooden deck around it was long and open. There were capsule-shaped seating arrangements on both ends of the long pool and it's almost a bliss sitting there, watching the sun, and sipping on your cup of hot sweetened tea. Or coffee. Take your pick there.

We spent some time there to absorb the warmth the place had to offer, to look at the open skies above, and to hear the muted sounds of the pool rippling. The staff of the hotel were also very nice to offer us tea.  I was happy to think that I could spend some more time there before getting sandwiched in the traffic outside.

Manoj also let us know about the food options there. It was supposed to be a lavish spread with loads of food options (which was true). Since it was working well with our budget, we decided to go for the place. The booking process was seamless and they ensured quality of work. The staff were very helpful and understood

On the day of the party, we had a Mr. Kumar handle the party, and he too seemed very friendly. He agreed to pay the cake delivery guy, and also coordinated well with the decorator. The place was kid friendly. The kids at the party had ample space to run around and play safely. With the kids enjoying, the elders had some time to themselves enjoying their drink and walking around the place.

The hotel also arranged for drinks to be served to the guests both before and after the cake was cut, a live food counter in addition to the spread, and also an Indian snack counter which got a lot of attention from our guests. The lunch spread was varied with a lot of appetizer options, a whole set of colorful salads, a dessert counter with a host of assorted desserts, and a main course section that was a vast spread in itself.

Our guests seemed happy with the food options, and they poured in genuine compliments. Both about the venue and the food. We got to hear good words about the place and food from them a long time after the party.

Overall, it was an extremely pleasant experience, and I'd recommend this place to anyone looking for a nice poolside party. The courteous and helpful staff, the managers who oversee the comfort of their guests, and the place itself provide for a wholesome pleasant experience.

Nature Resort Orange County, Coorg

Sandeep and I waited for 2 years after marriage to set time off together for our honeymoon. Yeah, that sounds pretty procastinating right? Anyways, we decided to go to Munnar and Goa, in that order. I checked for hotels in Munnar, read their extensive reviews online, shortlisted a few, called them up, and almost decided on the Club Mahindra resort, when I realized Sandeep had always wanted to visit Coorg, and, therefore, quickly substituted Munnar with Coorg in the itinerary. Immediately, we started looking for hotels and resorts in Coorg. The one name for a resort in Coorg that we got to hear from a lot of people was Orange County. That got both of us really interested in the place and we decided to stay at Orange County in Coorg.

Right from reserving a cottage to checking out from the resort, it was a cakewalk for us. Nidhi, from reservations, seemed very friendly and was willing to answer all my questions with utmost patience. She detailed me on the reservation process, gave a lot of information about the resort and also told us how we could make our stay enjoyable at the resort. What was striking and different from other general commercial hotels was that she also called up a day before our trip to see if we needed something while in the resort and if we were all set to go!

Little gestures, but they make a lot of difference.

Here, I will skip the details of our journey to the resort considering that my post is a long one.

As soon as we got off the car and walked towards the reception, we were welcomed by a group of musicians playing resounding drums and traditional flutes. That brought a smile to our faces. We were also pleasantly surprised when the lady welcomed us at the entrance the traditional way with a tika on our foreheads and invited us inside.

Little gestures, but they speak volumes.

We were offered fresh sugarcane juice mixed with herbs. Unfortunately, Sandeep thought it was a medicinal potion more than anything else, but I found it refreshing!
The picturesque resort looked very neat and green, with coffee plantations all over, and a variety of trees. Just to let you know, Orange County Coorg is a nature resort, while its counterpart at Kabini is a wildlife resort. Coming back to us, the check in was simple and fast, and an executive led us to our cottage in a cute electric driven buggy. The buggy looked more like a ladybird to me, only white instead of red and without the spots. Got to know that you can take these buggy rides inside the resort.

The executive from the reception spoke to us about the resort on our 2 minute ride to our cottage. After we'd reached our cottage, she took us through the cottage and guided us on all the essentials that were provided for our stay. It was a nicely done up cottage very suitable for a couple.

Soon, we got a call from the housekeeping head introducing herself and letting us know that she would be available for any housekeeping help needed. The lady seemed extremely nice and friendly. In addition, Prasad, the ever-smiling housekeeping guy who was in charge of our cottage turned up to introduce himself and also asked if we needed something right away.

Below is a quick shot of our room. We had a minibar, a daily supply of complimentary fresh fruits, cookies, cashews, coffee and tea essentials.



The resort is serene and picture perfect. So, we decided to tour through the accessible areas of the resort on foot. Nothing beats taking a break in the lap of nature, and walking amidst greenery. It definitely was a welcome break from the noisy hurriedness of city life. One thing that was pleasantly striking was that every employee of the resort would greet us with a smiling 'Namaskara' (the traditional Coorgi way of greeting), wherever we'd meet them. All of them, right from the executives to the leaf-gatherer, would greet the guests with a smiling face and exude warmth. The resort is definitely beautiful, but such smiling and nice people around definitely add to the charm and the beauty of the place.

The 3 restaurants, The Granary, Plantain Leaf, and The Peppercorn are all worth visiting. While the Granary is the default place for most guests because it serves a variety of food, we also tried the Plantain Leaf. I must mention Veenu here who hosted us at the Plantain Leaf. We went there for breakfast, and he was the perfect host encouraging us to try all the fresh and hot breakfast items. He seemed to really like his job, and almost took it to heart when I specified that the Dosa was good. He was quick to ask, 'what about the rest?' He ensured that we had our fill and was keen on us having us eat more! Its the same kind of warmth and hospitality you get when you visit a friend or a relative for lunch or dinner.

Besides, the resort has a nice Coffee Lounge next to green paddy fields. Sip some hot nice sweetened Coorg coffee and enjoy the serenity any time of the day or night. Or, get some french pressed coffee stirred up in your cottage itself, sit out in the balcony and enjoy!

The nature resort is beautifully mapped with clusters of trees and plants. Some of these clusters include Pepper, Cherry, Mango, Coffee, Cinnamon and lots more. The resort takes care of the varieties of plants growing there and the large number of birds the green blanket houses.



Talking of birds, the resort has a great bird watching tour everyday that starts at around 6:30 in the morning. The mornings are beautiful, cold and misty. The guide Murthy, is another ever-smiling guy who is knowledgeable about birds. It was fascinating to see him whistle and generate responses from some birds! Besides bird watching, the resort also conducts a Forest Trail which is both fun and adventurous.



Few more gestures from the resort added to the great feeling I have for this place. I wanted a few clothes just dried and sent over while we toured through the resort. Prasad went out of his way to get them dried and also properly ironed at no extra cost and walked through the entire resort looking for us to get our permission to keep the clothes in our cottage!

One evening, the resort also gifted us a bottle of wine and a cake to celebrate our married life!

Also, we were to check out early morning at 6:30 and had asked for some breakfast to be arranged. They were more than willing to arrange for it. We found our breakfast immaculately packed and ready for us.

Another great point about this resort is, if you are taking your car along with a driver, they provide great boarding and lodging for the driver too at no extra cost! This is definitely a great way to ensure that their guests are happy and comfortable.

We had a nice stay for 3 days. The swimming pool is nice and serene. If you are a couple and would like more privacy and more calm, try the couples swimming pool. I suggest these pools are temperature regulated though! The water made us cold, but the warm sunbath after the swim made up for it.

Well, coming to the expenses, Orange County is a little on the seemingly-expensive side, and you may feel the big cavern in your pocket when you pay the entire amount in advance. However, once you reach the place, you really don't feel the pangs of having paid whatever you paid. At least we didnt. The place, the people, the warmth, the nature, and the hospitality will definitely sweep you off your feet.

Overall, the hospitality of the resort is great. No wonder the place has already carved a niche in the industry. I believe its a unique hospitable culture imbued in every employee that makes the place so much more than just a resort. If Im going back to Coorg, it'll be Orange County for me!

History as a Subject

How many of you would like to differ with this statement: 'I HATE History' ? Not many, I guess. Maybe a few will. But, only a few. The rest of us will surely want to scream even x years after school that we HATE history. I remember my history-studying years in school: I'd never, never think of touching my History book; let alone studying. Every history examination, every single one of them would give me heebee jeebies, and I'd feel as if I was eating dirt when I had to study the subject. The evening before every history exam, I'd have a crying session, around 30 mins, when I'd just remain quiet and feel the tides coming out of my eyes, eventually inundating my face. I'd refuse to look at anybody, but would make sure I was giving sly glances at my elder brother because he would help me with every other subject. But he wouldn't budge when it came to History. Finally, I'd howl, simply because I dreaded not being able to remember when Alexander had become the king, or how many gates the Sanchi Stupa has, and because I'd feel extremely unprepared. To confirm, this would happen only with History. Eventually, my mom would come to my rescue. She would console me, and read out every single sentence to me. Every single sentence from every chapter! I'd just follow her once and by some cosmic grace, I'd be well prepared in just a few hours. To answer follow-up questions in your mind, I would invariably score the highest in the subject.

Now I wonder, what was it about the subject that I dreaded (read 'hated') most? I also tried to figure out if I was the only one to feel this way or were there other folks too. Thankfully, I was happy to know there were lots of people like me out there who disliked the subject. Yes, lots of them. When I take a deep dive into why I hated it, I realize there were quite a few factors:
1. As a kid, I really didnt want to read about kings and their administrative system and their caste system and their financial system and their architectural abilities and strategic moves because I never realized what good came to me of it.
2. Though the books fed me with all kinds of dimensions of the domes, the gates, the stairs, the shapes of the temples, I could never visualize the architecture of temples and the innumerable structures built. Somehow I couldnt.
3. The only focus of studying history was because it was a subject set by ICSE, CBSE, State boards etc etc. Never was the beauty of the past highlighted. I knew about the security setup of Ashoka, but could never identify with the wars he fought, or why all of a sudden he despised the battlefield.

What I strongly feel about the subject now is that its not just a subject. Its a beautiful yarn that can be woven quite well, and quite beautifully. Id love it if my teachers would've not really opened the book and read para by para but told me in a story-like manner how Akbar or Jahangir fought battles, how Buddha attained Nirvana, or why Bahadur Shah Zafar wasnt as strong a Mughal ruler like his predecessors. Rather than being forced to gulp down these from pages in a book, had the education system been such that these were told in the form of stories, I'm sure a lot of students would love this subject.

In addition, rather than mentioning that the Mughal architecture had x, y, z kind of structures, a real field excursion will definitely help students in understanding the architectural styles of empires. Who would want to read about the dimensions of the Buland Darwaza, but show this lofty structure to students and tell them why it was built and why it was so called, and I'm sure the visual appeal will help students remember details. I mean taking students out for excursions to some of the most imposing and living structures and explaining the who's and the why's to them instead of asking them to learn by rote. Keeping the financial factor aside, I wonder how much the 'concept' schools of today think of how to better the education strategies.

BTW, just to let you all know, my mom has a Masters in Indian History. :)