The Salty Paradox

If you're someone who actively endeavors to scope out the best of eats wherever you go like I do, you would often come across near perfect plates of food that transform your existing notions of gastronomic grandeur. Whether it’s an amazing burger or a slurpy good bowl of Ramen, what makes a dish great is usually a delicate balance of flavors, textures, and tastes that work in synergy to produce a wonderful end result.

Every once in a while, there also happens to be a certain secret ingredient that makes a noticeable difference in the way a dish tastes--one that is hard to identify unless revealed.

Whether it is jaggery in a wholesome sambar, nutmeg in creamed spinach, or even cayenne pepper in a smoky delicious brownie, secret ingredients offer completeness to dishes that would otherwise be mediocre in comparison. Most such ingredients today are in fact not very obscured in secrecy. I believe the internet, mass media, and globalization are to blame.

Restaurant Review: Nando's

How many ways can you cook, flavor, and serve chicken? It seems that at Nando's, there might be just one: flame-grilled (or so they claim) in various forms and doused in subtle variations of their signature Peri-Peri sauce.

Armed with an intent to try out new restaurants in Bangalore, a friend and I ventured to the newly opened Nando's restaurant on Church street.

Anyone  who has spent more than a few days in Bangalore would agree that Church Street and the adjacent Brigade Road are probably the hardest places in the city to get space to park your car. Thanks to my excellent American-style reverse parallel parking skills, I managed to squeeze into a tight spot quite a distance from Nando's.

My Food Resolutions for 2011

Mostly everyone thinks and talks about the food they are or are not eating but as a professional cook, food pretty much rules most of my life. So I've decided to make some food resolutions for the new year.

1. Save Money

I've been spending way too much money on irrelevant things like cell phone bills, toileteries, clothes, and gadgets. I should really save a significant amount of money from my little paycheck every month and spend it on eating out at good restaurants and pampering myself with new kitchen tools. I must.

2. Quit Smoking
I know I've been saying this for quite some time but I swear I'm going to quit smoking all my foods this year. Of course, if there's an occasional barbecue party, I will passively have to oblige. It is only natural.