Appetizing Koh (By Kittichai)

Mumbai's latest Thai cuisine restaurant, Koh by Kittichai (the signature restaurant by world-famous Thai chef Ian Kittichai) is bound to offer serious competition to the city's best Thai restaurant, Thai Pavilion of the Taj President. Situated on the ground level of the Inter-continental hotel at Marine Drive, Koh is pricey and is considered a modern Thai cuisine restaurant with dishes whose names I haven't ever heard and couldn't possibly remember. Menu is served on an iPod, much like most chic restaurants in town these days. There is a home page and then different pages for appetizers, drinks, main course, desserts; you go to each of them with a finger touch and then scroll up and down using your fingers.

The food is awesome and good quality. Between the three of us, we ordered Kittichai hand-pressed fish cakes, speared chicken, cashew chicken, Thai green curry and rice and the sinfully wonderful chocolate lava cake; we had a sumptuous lunch. It's pricey, but the food was very palatable, nicely prepared, and the quantity was good. By the time we came to Thai curry rice, we were reasonable full, so one portion was enough. Though when I needed some extra rice to finish off the remaining curry, the attendant was kind enough to offer some extra rice (not an additional portion) on the house. Their chocolate pork ribs is something of a specialty here and is quite well renowned, but with such expensive restaurants, I wouldn't like to experiment.

'The King's Speech' is good, not great

Caught up with 'The King's Speech' recently, about a couple of weeks back, at the multiplex is Vashi, a quaint but very distant suburb of Mumbai. South Mumbai may be a great place to live, but I think if you want to go to best of malls or the cheapest of multiplex to enjoy as many movies as possible with a tidy budget, suburbs are the place to be. A ticket of Black Swan in Inox, Nariman Point  set me back by Rs350, but 'The King's Speech' in Big Cinemas, Palm Beach Galleria Road, Vashi, cost me just Rs100. Five of us watched it for a cumulative sum of Rs500. For years, townies ruled the roost, now I think the suburbanites are having the last laugh for affordable entertainment, while we townies pay through our nose! And Big Cimenas, Vashi, was very decent. Seats were comfortable, the cafeteria was decent and we had attendants coming in and taking food orders. Come to think, Palm Beach road didn't remind me that I was in Mumbai; it sort of reminded me of the outskirts of Pune.

Coming back to the movie, I thought the movie was good. Though I read somewhere that the British authorities have distanced themselves from many events that take place in the movie (despite this movie's makers claiming it's a true story). Colin Firth is a good actor and he turns up another fine performance; a worthy Oscar winner for his role. You could sense his struggle to get words out as he stammers his way through his lines as a reluctant speaker; the fear, the struggle, the helplessness, the sense of shame, all emotions aptly conveyed. It was nice to see so many Harry Potter movie actors in the movie, leading with Helena Bonham Carter who aptly played the role of the King's wife.

That said, I do not approve of the movie having bagged the Oscar for the Best Motion Picture. That honour belonged to 'Inception', in my opinion. The King's Speech was a feel-good, tear-jerker, that would appeal to most of us. But Inception was on a different level altogether. That its director, Christopher Nolan wasn't even nominated in the Best Director category was the darkest spot of this year's Academy awards and gives you a glimpse of the ways of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  

The President Is Coming

Caught a very funny play yesterday. It's called 'The President is Coming'. Apparently, it was adopted into a movie too- that got critical acclaim- but I did not catch the movie. Though I am glad I watched the play. It was conducted in the experimental theater at the National Centre for Performing Arts (Ncpa). This is one of the five theatres in the NCPA complex; the others that I have gone to are the Tata Theatre (where many large-scale production houses showcase their plays; entrance from the main Nariman Point road) and the grand Jamshed Bhabha theatre (entrance from the sea-touching promenade side of the complex) where usually the Orchestras are conducted.

The Experimental theatre has a very distinct setting to it. Instead of a usual theatre setting where the sitting is in the front of the stage, the experimental theatre has sitting in the front, at the sides and there is a balcony (you enter the main hall through the entrance much like everybody and then climb the steps right after you get in, to go up on the balcony which looks like a clutch of two rows of seats on a large platform, hoisted above. Very aptly, it is called the Experimental Theatre; infact choosing seats online (if you haven't gone there already like was the case with me) could be tricky. I played safe and chose the medium-priced tickets. It was my first at the Experimental Theater. Our alloted seats turned out to be at the left side of the stage, though I recommend the front rows facing the stage.

The play started sharp at 8 pm, though it could have been five to 10 minutes here and there, but I did not notice. The play is set in 2006 when then-US president George Bush visited India and wanted to meet "the new India". It's about a group of six young boys and girls who compete with each other- reality show Big Boss style- to win the coveted chance (given by the US embassy) to be the one to meet and shake hands with the President. As the competition begins, the gloves come off slowly but gradually, as the contestants try various tricks in the book to outsmart one another and gain the upper hand in the competition. The play runs for little less than 2 hours with an interval thrown in. The show is directed by Q Theatre Productions (Q stands for Quasar Thakore Padamsee; one of the four- or was it three- founders of the production house). Well-written script, good direction, brilliant performances and tongue-in-cheek humour that will keep you applauding and asking for more. Going to the Ncpa is always a pleasant experience, especially if the play turns out to be great.

Don't miss it.


(picture credit: Q Theatre Productions' monthly e-newsletter blog 'http://qtpthescript.blogspot.com/')

Tie the Perfect Knot

Last Sunday, I wore a tie after a gap of about five years. The last when I wore a tie was I took a break from my journalism career and tried my hand in a bank. Amongst all the discomforts that I endured whilst there (though I admit I gained a lot from working there too, so no regrets, really!), having to wear a tie everyday was almost up there on the list. Having to shave everyday was not far behind. From the freedom to wear jeans and T-shirt to getting away without shaving for more than two days (I usually shave on alternate days), imagine the culture shock I must have endured when I was asked to wear a tie, daily. My uncle that time had taught me to tie- what we Indians call- the samosa knot. I quickly bought some six to seven ties from Westside to go; all different colours and patterns to go with my various trousers and shirts. Reluctantly, though, but over a period I think I adjusted well to ties and did not mind. But come evening- and even during lunch- I longed to take it off, I remember. My colleagues had warned me against even so much as loosening my tie during lunch should our boss catch us; a severe reprimand would follow. So tie it was, from 9 in the morning till as long as we were in office. I used to rush to office, be there at 8.45 am, put my bag underneath my desk, take out my tie, rush to the bathroom, wear it and be at my desk sharp before 9 am. Many people prefer to not to take off the knot complete,and hang the tie with the loose knot and wear it subsequently. I don't like that; I prefer to take it off completely and then tie it afresh the next time. My uncle says that a perfect samosa knot is one that comes off in one action- and smoothly- and does not get entangled.

So when the occasion came to wear a tie came last Sunday, I dreaded. Luckily, the internet came to my rescue. These days, there is nothing that the internet cannot help you with. The solution? Youtube, what else! There are ample of videos out there to help you wear a tie. There are different knots. Youtube videos are also embedded on private websites that show you to tie just about any knot there is to be tied. I discovered that the samosa knot (the knot, when finished, looks like a small samosa)- the most complete tie-knot- is called the Windsor Knot in English. This is the knot I used to tie when I was working in that bank, but obviously because of its complexity and the fact that I do not wear ties even on formal occasion (a nice formal shirt and contrast colored pair of trousers is more than enough for me), I had long forgotten. I usually feel stuffy in a tie, though they also make one look very smart. But you need to wear a jacket over it, else just a tie doesn't much look good. And since I am not much of a jacket person, I never felt the need to wear a tie............until last Sunday.

My cousin's son engagement was held and as per tradition, the groom's family gifts formal clothes to close family members. Accordingly, my cousin gifted me a suit and so a tie had to worn with it. A Windsor Knot (I've graduated from samosa to Windsor already) is amongst the most-advanced tie knots, so at first it is a bit daunting and looks complicated. But I found this video quite useful as it gives instructions, slowly, and a good demonstration. Here it goes...

Order books on Flipkart.com

This one deserves a mention, so here it goes. If you are in India and wish to order books and DVDs online, I can recommend you a fantastic online store. It's called Flipkart and it's website is www.flipkart.com. This is India's answer to the popular US-based online store Amazon. About two months back, I ordered a book that wasn't available at popular book shops in Mumbai, including my favourite Strand. Amazon had it, but as usual their shipping charges are a killer for shipments outside USA. Then, one of my office colleagues recommended me Flipkart and I placed the order. I made my payment through internet banking (really fast and one of the most convenient ways to pay bills of a large variety) and within minutes- or seconds perhaps I don't exactly remember- I got a confirmation. The book was at a very reasonable price.

Two things that I love about Flipkart:

1. Shipping of orders worth more than Rs100 is free. This works out much better than Amazon where in many cases, shipping is almost 1/3rd the cost of the item itself. 
2. Customer support is top class. You can either call them up to inquire about your order (in case of late deliveries or anything else) or you can write to them. They pick up your phone and they reply to your emails and are very prompt in getting back. I also write to them occasionally to check about a merchandise that is currently not on sale on the website, and they respond promptly. 

Strong Spirited Esther Vergeer

Mint's story on Esther Vergeer, the #1 ranked wheelchair women's tennis player. The girl is on an amazing winning spree; 401 consecutive match wins and counting, 146 singles titles in addition to 126 doubles titles. This is her story and also about wheelchair tennis

http://www.livemint.com/2011/01/17210528/Vergeer-lobs-tennis-to-new-hei.html?atype=tp

'Weak' security

There is something not quite right in the way the Amby Valley resort, Lonavala, seems to have reacted in the recent arrest of one of their own security guards for allegedly raping one of the hotel guests. The unfortunate incident took place in December 2010. The story published in Sunday Mid-Day ends on the following note:


When contacted, Gulam Zeeshan, spokesperson for Aamby Valley, said, "I am aware of the arrest of Chaudhary. He is a poor and weak man. He cannot overpower a woman. The police is victimizing him."


Weak man who cannot overpower a woman? Really? That's who a so-called luxurious and expensive resort appoints as their security? From the looks of it, the police seems to have nailed the culprit, but even if, for a minute, we assume that the police is wrong, who employs such a "weak" security guard who "cannot overpower a woman"? Ofcourse, that is hardly a qualification for strength, but surely hotels are expected to have capable security who can prevent unfortunate incidents. If a security guard cannot overpower a woman, how is he going to protect a hotel full of guests, especially one that charges a princely sum. To hear of hotels appointing such "weak" guards in these troubled times is spooky; we have not forgotten 26/11.