tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85108174807119768692024-03-12T19:38:47.538-07:00A Vegetarian without a CauseVegetarian food can be enjoyed for what it is - good food just like any other!Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-24891373491176240932009-07-23T21:36:00.000-07:002009-08-01T08:48:59.900-07:00Xios Greek Restaurant, Apex, NC<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/uXTKeEXOKshkpb8rvZFUSg?authkey=Gv1sRgCLX_iMLL0azsaQ&feat=embedwebsite" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SmO1esjJwhI/AAAAAAAAJ-k/ZnoMVDe2SXI/s400/DSC_5007.JPG" /></a><p><br /><table><tbody><tr><td><b>Variety</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr><tr><td><b>Quality</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p>Aparna and I decided to stop by Xios restaurant on a whim - it was a Sunday evening and we had ventured away from home for blueberry picking. Xios happened to be close by according to google maps and we gave it a go. As I've mentioned in the past, greek cuisine, as part the larger family of mediterranean foods is one of my favorites. I've come to expect a variety of flavors, textures and temperatures from cool dips to light pastries and rolls. We are perfectly content making a meal out of the starter menu that is typically vegetarian. In that regard, Xios was no different. It offered plenty of vegetarian choices in the appetizer section. We did make a meal out of the appetizers but we weren't impressed and more importantly had a rare feeling - that of being stuffed and bloated. I'm willing to take some of the blame - I could have chosen a more balanced selection - but the dishes we were served were thoroughly disappointing.</p><p>The one redeeming part of this meal was the Flaming Saganaki (pictured above) - which sounds more Japanese than greek - a pan-fried <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kefalograviera">kefalograviera </a> cheese finished with brandy and lemon. It was a impressive presentation, arriving in towers of flame having been lit up by our waiter on its way. The alcohol, lemon and salty flavor of delicious not-so-chewy melted cheese made for a great dip with the pita bread pieces. Unfortunately, that was the beginning and end of the enjoyable part of the meal.</p><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/4nXnNqT5ac30B8tKwoI9KA?authkey=Gv1sRgCLX_iMLL0azsaQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SmO1fXskAFI/AAAAAAAAJ-Y/R_NXTU48kwY/s288/DSC_5008.JPG" /></a><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/tKvX_J8TGmEm9hVggxf88Q?authkey=Gv1sRgCLX_iMLL0azsaQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SmO1gJ53F2I/AAAAAAAAJ-c/0TH6lkbeIyU/s288/DSC_5009.JPG" /></a><br />The other two starters I ordered were the Spinakopita (a lightly flavored small spinach pastry) and Tiropita. Let me quote the descriptions for these - "Spinach pie made with paper thin layers of phyllo dough inside which you'll find a delicious blend of spinach and feta cheese" and "Greek pie made of paper thin phyllo layers inside which you'll find a delicious blend of cheeses". First off, these didn't look like restaurant-class food as can be seen. One couldn't distinguish between the two. At $6 a pop, I expect something a little more .. umm .. "appetiz"ing. At this point, Aparna was fuming. Still, I was willing to look beyond that and went for them expecting the taste to vindicate my still unflagging faith in the restaurant. The minute I bit into the first pastry (I don't know which but it doesn't really matter), I knew it was a lost cause. The "paper" thin layers were hard, dry and incredibly thick. The cheese (with and without spinach) was fried beyond recognition. It was plain obvious this was batch just heated in the microwave. To charge $6 each for these disappointing dishes was atrocious.</p><p>I will allow for the fact that my cheese greed got ahead of me. I should've ordered something else - like a hummus or eggplant dip to contrast with the fried stuff. I would have, had these been even remotely edible but by that time we'd had enough. All said and done, you won't starve if you go to this restaurant. You'll get something very average for the money you'll dish out. Had this been a food court stall, I'd find it excusable. At $30 for what we ate, Xios is very well deserving of the single beet for quality.</p>Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-35245211028100408452009-07-22T22:31:00.000-07:002009-08-01T08:49:11.739-07:00Sage Vegetarian Cafe, Chapel Hill, NC<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/oRB202dmlMy9CKtUW0b5MQ?authkey=Gv1sRgCLX_iMLL0azsaQ&feat=embedwebsite" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SmKpMoU6YaI/AAAAAAAAJ60/IfSw6THt-GQ/s400/DSC_4776.JPG" /></a><p><table><tbody><tr><td><b>Variety</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr><tr><td><b>Quality</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p>At the moment of writing this entry, Sage Vegetarian Restaurant is an unconditional favorite of Aparna and I in the triangle area. In fact, its among my top 3 favorite non-Indian vegetarian restaurants anywhere. We come here at least once every 3-4 weeks and it is our destination of choice if we need to wow guests visiting us in Durham. In addition to scoring top marks in the food department, Sage is also a very cosy and quiet little romantic getaway. If you are a party of more than 2, you'll need a reservation. It has almost always been full at nights in our experience.</p><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ND41pqxAJTA51HSPQM7nlg?authkey=Gv1sRgCLX_iMLL0azsaQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SmKpSZuBxbI/AAAAAAAAJ7E/jiHh7bnP-cw/s400/DSC_4786.JPG" /></a><br />While acknowledging a generally great menu with decent selection of starters including salads and dips, I will skip thru to my favorite - the Fesenjoon. I've been to this restaurant at least 10 times in the last 10 months and I've ordered Fesenjoon as my entree 9 times. This usually goes against the grain of my logic which is to go for variety. However, I lose that battle at the entrance to Sage. Fesenjoon (also <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fesenjan">Fesenjan</a>) is a heavenly stew with a rich creamy texture featuring pomegranate, walnuts and tempeh. With a delectable interplay of sweet and sour flavors and a tart aftertaste (from the pomegranate), this is a dish I've come to worship.</p><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-jSdI8_8lj8Jvf8pbqVChw?authkey=Gv1sRgCLX_iMLL0azsaQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SmKpThsZqNI/AAAAAAAAJ7I/yO7Zzw6Juus/s400/DSC_4787.JPG" /></a><br />What Fesenjoon is to me, the Chicken Cutlets in Coconut Curry is to Aparna. At the risk of sounding repetitive, I will keep saying that its not easy to pull of faux-meat/chicken dishes. This is another (rare) example where the 'chicken' is drenched in the coconut curry. It is important to note that this isn't a typical thai style preparation. While every bite is incredibly soft and tender, sweet coconut underlines the subtle but rich flavor of the creamy sauce. I believe these dishes are cooked for hours at a stretch - and not surprisingly, the dish comes thoroughly saturated with flavor.</p><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_MaW2z5saZ-5r-9Mn4Hx5Q?authkey=Gv1sRgCLX_iMLL0azsaQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SmKpVFhDGqI/AAAAAAAAJ7M/MQU2dFvfmds/s400/DSC_4790.JPG" /></a><br />On rare occasions such as today, our guest decided to order what neither of us could in our many visits in the past few months. The Bud-m-Joon, is another great stew featuring eggplant, tomatoes, lentils, onions and several different spices. In the past, I've also ordered their ravioli and gnocchi - which were among the better italian dishes I've had. While Sage is a vegetarian restaurant, it isn't necessary fat-free. All the dishes are incredibly rich and creamy and the serving size isn't something to be sneered at. Come prepared to enjoy a sumptuous dish - you are not skimping out on anything.</p><p>While Sage has a good-looking dessert menu, we weren't very impressed in the past with our selections. That's probably why I'd give Sage only 4 beets. If I ever figure out how to assign a 1/2 beet, I'd give it 4.5 beets. Still, if you are in the Triangle area, Sage is not to be missed for it's unique and lovingly prepared dishes.</p>Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-41653623937180500052009-07-18T23:22:00.000-07:002009-08-01T08:49:24.323-07:00Guglhupf Bakery, Durham, NC<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/5336Waps9HHx5f6TgJeIwg?authkey=Gv1sRgCLX_iMLL0azsaQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SmKpXzcpMRI/AAAAAAAAJ7U/1BDLc8ZpYXE/s400/DSC_4804.JPG" /></a><br /><table><tbody><tr><td><b>Variety</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr><tr><td><b>Quality</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><a href="http://www.guglhupf.com/">Guglhupf Bakery and Cafe </a>is a Durham institution. I first came to know about it while looking to buy Aparna's birthday cake last year. After almost a year in Durham, and several recommendations from friends who had been there, we finally made it for lunch today afternoon.</p><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/vwcpi9oehk4L9X9SJjyTrw?authkey=Gv1sRgCLX_iMLL0azsaQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SmKpboTLDPI/AAAAAAAAJ7c/aJlrZ3tmZ4A/s400/DSC_4808.JPG" /></a><br />The cafe is primarily a Salad & Sandwich place. While the menu isn't rich in vegetarian options, it did contain a few options that showed some imagination as opposed to a run-of-the-mill apologist vegetarian selection that's more of an afterthought than anything else. We started off with the do-it-yourself bruschetta featuring warm toasts, roasted red peppers, olive tapenade and ratatouille - the tapenade was an easy standout. The cheese plates were particularly eye catching but I left them for another day. I had to pace myself - the sandwiches and pastries were still to come.</p><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/MLDdRery7K8Dk4NOmznb_A?authkey=Gv1sRgCLX_iMLL0azsaQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SmKpez4UzoI/AAAAAAAAJ7k/yxUCIIfRUd4/s400/DSC_4812.JPG" /></a><br />I ordered the roasted beet sandwich which was excellent. While I'd have preferred slightly crunchier red beets for their sheer beauty, the golden beets weren't bad at all. The bleu-cheese dressing and the pungent flavor of the arugula leaves made it a memorable meal. Aparna got the half-n-half combo with Eggplant Panini and lentil soup. The former was excellent with melting fresh mozzarella cheese, the latter was passable - it was the only vegetarian option available at that time.</p><p>We ended with a rich chocolate mousse (pictured above) and lemon panacotta. As it often happens, I forget that I have pictures to take before attacking a dish and the pannacotta suffered as a result. It was a tidy little package and had all the attributes of a great pannacotta - a light but firm texture, not overly sweet with a hint of lemon and creamy without tasting milky.</p><p>While the cakes and pastries are top-notch, Guglhupf Cafe is a charming destination for a relaxed weekend lunch. It may not have a great vegetarian selection but it does well in terms of "quality not quantity".</p>Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-26015895411988141942009-07-17T06:08:00.000-07:002009-07-17T08:55:17.813-07:00Summer & Chocolate<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/SpMZpqKeZNStfYOFhKndGw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/She0shwVhcI/AAAAAAAAINk/bumdm5c4Dkc/s400/DSC_1881.JPG" /></a><br />Summer is a great time to be eating dark chocolate because even at room temperatures, these beauties are primed to melt in your mouth. Too often, I see folks eating chocolate stored at less than 60F ambient temperatures - which is almost criminal. Here is a rule of thumb - if stored at an ideal temperature, the chocolate should start to lightly smear up your fingers within a few seconds of coming into contact. While it can be messy, you are assured that you are getting the most out of the chocolate.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/FfcLX-w_w0iucvj6gjpIoA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/Sl5uybrJD7I/AAAAAAAAJ4s/XasxxDmHNZs/s400/DSC_4760.JPG" /></a><br />Dark Chocolate doesn't lend itself to instant gratification - its pleasures are surrendered in a delayed action sequence. First come the texture and smoothness which, if consumed at the right temperature (65-75F) should become apparent with minimal effort from your mandibles. After traversing the insides of your mouth for a few seconds, the flavors should start to announce themselves. Apart from the varying levels of bitterness and sweetness, one should start to sense the infusions - most commonly dried fruit bits, coffee, spices, seeds/powdered seeds, wine and other alcohols. These flavor notes can arrive in waves hiding and surfacing unpredictably. Here is where you palate and the skill of the chocolatier come into play. Allow yourself the time to experience these and if you aren't a convert already, you'll be one.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/cnYo7XKmOIwkfvdvJd9AvQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/She0uvHMEoI/AAAAAAAAH-8/KpnDVauYNos/s144/DSC_1885.JPG" /></a><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/vh2Uuha6xhe9BTUQ7hzbcg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/She0vlEztDI/AAAAAAAAH_A/RVZiAXDs2Ms/s144/DSC_1890.JPG" /></a><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/m3ENg65kd2e0sdwIebm3Xw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/She0ydq4omI/AAAAAAAAH_M/4pyAz9e669I/s144/DSC_1894.JPG" /></a><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/v0opS6kCItZXJAip6inobg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/She0xKutFiI/AAAAAAAAH_E/Gy0j9sSAsPc/s144/DSC_1891.JPG" /></a><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/0IUl5oEjibduMmjmX46Sqg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/She1NJoHT5I/AAAAAAAAIA8/L8ImSx_xZX0/s144/DSC_2083.JPG" /></a><br />Pictured here is my sister Manju creating what turned out to be among the best truffles I'd eaten for my birthday earlier this year. In addition to conventional orange rind truffles, she got a bit creative with wine soaked dates and amaretto soaked raisins. The latter were a huge hit - in particular the wine soaked dates - which almost seamlessly disappeared into the ganache. I've been trying to get her to mail me more of these ever since.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/u4xIZqzIogxy0z-NwkR67w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/Sl5uxJVAvjI/AAAAAAAAJ4Q/60iUyb72MsE/s400/DSC_4758.JPG" /></a><br />Finally, an honorary mention for chocolate bars made by <a href="http://www.chocolatesantander.com/english/index.html">Santander</a> which are among my recommended picks and a great value for money. The bars cost between $2-$4 each and pack a lot of quality at that price. If you are like me and try to justify nibbling square(s) of dark chocolate daily as a <a href="http://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm?id=3464&t=CFIDS_FM">nutritious health supplement</a> (yeah, right! :-)), this one is well suited and won't set you back by too much. <br /><br />Of late, I find that I only eat their coffee/fruit infused 70% Cacao bars because those are the ones that really set Santander apart. A nod to Colombia's rich coffee producing culture, both the "70% Dark Chocolate with Coffee Nibs" and "70% Dark Chocolate with Espresso" have rich, deep, lasting flavors with great texture. Both of these can really wake you up - so if you are sensitive to caffeine, don't consume them at night. At about $3 or less, these are among the very best you can find at the price.<br /><br />Pictured above is something I recently tasted, their "70% Dark Chocolate with Passion Fruit bits". Again, this was a great creation - the acid and sweetness of the passion fruit bits perfectly complementing the chocolate base. There is another one with Pineapple bits that I haven't yet tried.Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-8404323267482636232009-07-12T12:07:00.000-07:002009-07-24T10:04:01.811-07:00Palakkad Special<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/cEvC7OnvSJ8U40BJ1HDGLg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SloYrhmGBbI/AAAAAAAAJxs/_gQWthoPsS0/s400/DSC_4552.JPG" /></a><br />Last night, we were invited to Remya's place for for a yummy "palakkad" dinner. For lack of a better term, I called this dinner Palakkad Special as Remya is a Palakkad Iyer. These are Tam Iyers (redundant, I know) who can trace their roots to Palakkad which became part of Kerala state in 1957. Their traditions including language and cooking is reflective of that association.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/LO6PRtyG1IZWFekVESpyww?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SloYu2B5c6I/AAAAAAAAJx0/bQdHlw7BeNc/s144/DSC_4556.JPG" /></a><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/fsD_eZbgHvAAotYb8XgxfQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SloYv732f1I/AAAAAAAAJx4/DCNInNpgXI4/s144/DSC_4557.JPG" /></a><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/xUpub0FwJtog72jxR_Poww?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SloYy-ZEqhI/AAAAAAAAJyE/ELKIkGYF0GM/s144/DSC_4578.JPG" /></a><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/2QLzmaKAJ230ke09BBxTNw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SloY3OzKaZI/AAAAAAAAJyU/kp0PK7bjRk0/s144/DSC_4599.JPG" /></a><br />The menu for the night started off with a (relatively) simple fried beans and included a Koottu, a typical Tam/Mallu stew featuring (in this case) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichosanthes_cucumerina">snake gourd</a>, coconut, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toor_dal">toor dal</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chana_dal">chana dal</a>. Remya started off boiling the snake gourd pieces, added toor dal and patiently worked her way thru roasting and grinding a mixture of ground coconut and chana dal. While I'm blissfully unaware of the intricacies of the process, the end result was bursting with flavor and spice from all the ingredients.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/NtGOou5Tdq8RJ3CkvFJh6Q?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SloY14IP5vI/AAAAAAAAJyQ/BKu6LdNngSM/s400/DSC_4598.JPG" /></a><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/qyhmuh5M-TpUAwk_v2HVxg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SloY5Yx5z5I/AAAAAAAAJyc/Q_JYrKYRKzo/s400/DSC_4613.JPG" /></a><br />Also interleaved into this was the sambar. End of the day, Remya is a Tam and you gotto have sambar. At it's heart, Sambar is a tamarind and lentil broth packed with a tonne of stewed veggies and can be found in all south indian restaurants. I'm a sambar snob among other things and 9 out of 10 restaurants come a cropper when it comes to delivering a balanced sambar. Unsurprisingly, this one had the right consistency and flavor. Again, you'd be hardpressed to find a Tam household that makes bad sambar. It's the basis of their food. To rubbish a Tam's Sambar would be good way to get really personal with one.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/NSmJAajF3Lau4ZnYcrpj9A?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SloY7m7b1MI/AAAAAAAAJzY/-uD7rJjsV7E/s400/DSC_4641.JPG" /></a><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/R5GThdkeUUc-X5SOUCGqIg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SloZfgrrmBI/AAAAAAAAJzQ/Ap5xHKKbXis/s400/DSC_4646.JPG" /></a><br />I thought I'd take a moment to mention what to me is the quintessential element of south indian cooking - termed tiragamutha/popu (Telugu), thaalithal(Tamil) and chaunk/tadka (Hindi). The south indian version almost always features a mix of mustard seeds, methi seeds, dry red chillies and hing heated in oil or ghee. The resulting concoction gives rise to the most intense aromas that I've ever come across in a kitchen anywhere. While it can often lead to a bout of coughing and cause the resulting aromas/odor (depending on your perspective) to hang around the kitchen for a long time, nothing beats its contribution to the end result. There would be no sambar, <a href="http://myspicykitchen.wordpress.com/2008/06/23/pappu-charu/">charu</a>, <a href="http://www.sailusfood.com/2008/09/29/bendakaya-pulusu-okra-in-tamarind-gravy/">pulusu</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upma">upma</a>, <a href="http://www.lakshmisdomain.com/niftyhands/?p=24">daddojanam </a>and countless other delicacies that define South Indian cooking.<br /><br />The aroma transports me to a world many miles and years away - to the magical confines of my mother's and grand mother's rustic kitchens back in India. Often times, I come home to the lingering smell left behind by tiragamutha and I just close my eyes and sink into a meditatory repose. Few things can be as evocative ..Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-81160402725687616912009-07-05T12:57:00.000-07:002009-07-13T14:21:19.604-07:00Cobbling together a feastEvery once in a while, Aparna has a knack of creating a feast out of seemingly nothing. Yesterday was cook_with_what_you_have day. We had very little of a few things like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taro#India">Chamadumpa</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaranth">Thotakura </a>and chinese eggplant. Since none of these individually stood a chance of sating my usual appetite, she got started cooking all three of them - in parallel. I've known a few good cooks in my life but none come close to the ruthless efficiency Aparna displays in the kitchen. To me, it just seems like a blur and I learnt very early to stay out of her way. Cooking isn't a team activity as far as she's concerned.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/vQBwiteoIbaewktbazqrFQ?authkey=Gv1sRgCLX_iMLL0azsaQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SljH6DkjVGI/AAAAAAAAJtw/IKvE_y0qfCY/s400/DSC_4332.JPG" /></a><br />Anyhoo, the first dish was a stuffed and sauteed eggplant. Eggplant is the king of vegetables in Telugu culinary tradition and the great cooks are rumored to be able to cook eggplant in 30 or 40 different styles. Aparna used a groundnut based stuffing and slow-cooked the 4 or 5 pieces.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Ty4POZB7fqh_0oGjgdQEwA?authkey=Gv1sRgCLX_iMLL0azsaQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SljH7p0BKLI/AAAAAAAAJt0/Jo0ffUTe83w/s400/DSC_4334.JPG" /></a><br />Cooking alongside was Chamadumpa vepudu. This is without doubt my favorite dish anywhere - the golden exterior of the cooked taro discs lightly crisped up and adorned in a proprietary Andhra seasoning can get me to drool in an altogether unwholesome manner. The benchmark for this dish was set over the years by the formidable talents of Mom and Ammamma (Maternal Grandmom). Aparna is therefore up against very high taste thresholds set by the best cooks most people know (Moms and Grandmoms). Also weighing against her is the small matter of trying not to use too much oil - something my Mom and Grandmom never had to contend with. I have to admit that to the eye, the dish appeared a little too desiccate and I was fully prepared to bite into brittle pieces. Surprisingly, it was just right - juicy at the core and crispy on the outside. She did a great job with the seasoning as well.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/xjvGkIIec7t_KeA9gPWWSQ?authkey=Gv1sRgCLX_iMLL0azsaQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SljH9d_w0_I/AAAAAAAAJt4/Jm6Shj8r0Nk/s400/DSC_4336.JPG" /></a><br />Finally, there was Thotakura (Amaranth leaves) vepudu. Frankly, I don't know if thotakura is used in any other cuisine save Andhra. I grew up eating this as a dal mostly. It is part of a trio of leafy vegetables that were a staple growing up - Thotakura, Bacchalakura and Palakura. It's hard to find in the US but this little bunch was actually given to us by relatives who grow it in their backyard in NJ. Aparna cooked it with groundnuts and a savory tiragamutha. As can been seen above, the stems are very edible and give a delightfully crunchy texture to the dish.<br /><br />Mmmm .. life is good.Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-18220874806649105632009-07-04T23:19:00.000-07:002009-07-19T17:14:00.044-07:00Vegetarian Paradise 2 (VP2), West Village, NYC<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/KZp3HJD3TnRmq8qyEVFyaQ?authkey=Gv1sRgCLX_iMLL0azsaQ&feat=embedwebsite" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SlI34L0E8kI/AAAAAAAAJes/UQJF4FWs7EY/s400/DSC_4307.JPG" /></a><p><table><tbody><tr><td><b>Variety</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr><tr><td><b>Quality</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr></tbody></table></p>VP2 is all vegetarian Chinese restaurant on the lively McDougal street in West Village. Veggie lovers have waxed eloquent about this restaurant along with it's neighbor - Red Bamboo. Both restaurants have a heavy asian tilt and feature numerous faux-meat dishes.<br /><br />This was my second visit to VP2. The menu is laden with faux-meat options and I remember having tried the shrimp noodles and peking duck back in 2007. As I mention often, it's difficult to pull off a dish with a huge faux-meat component. The peking duck was average and so were the "shrimp" in the shrimp noodles.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/oIhRdiXtJcCX2sDVCLyiYA?authkey=Gv1sRgCLX_iMLL0azsaQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SlI35Rc_SBI/AAAAAAAAJew/oW4GtQWQbeI/s400/DSC_4310.JPG" /></a><br />However, that could've been because both Aparna and I were floored by the sugarcane drumstick chicken. This is a deepfriend piece of tofu-chicken set on a piece of sugarcane stick. The chicken was juicy, the tofu textured to mimic the chicken fibres. I've since held it as the gold standard for faux meat. I stopped by VP2 just to get this one dish.<br /><br />One must try the very reasonably priced fresh juices - my favorite being the carrot/beet/cucumber juice.Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-3336587177502879902009-06-25T10:20:00.001-07:002009-08-01T08:51:04.030-07:00Tallulas, Chapel Hill<p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6Hv_XI6JCoF9zxLhbkX8CA?authkey=Gv1sRgCLX_iMLL0azsaQ&feat=embedwebsite" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SkInH8pb5ZI/AAAAAAAAIx4/fYFnsQgM2fI/s400/DSC_3545.JPG" /></a></p><p><table><tbody><tr><td><b>Variety</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr><tr><td><b>Quality</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><a href="http://www.talullas.com/">Tallula</a>'s (which really has nothing to do with Tallulah Gorge) is a Turkish restaurant in Chapel Hill's restaurant heartland and is quite bountiful in it's vegetarian yield. Like most mediterranean restaurants, the starters are almost all vegetarian friendly but it thins down a bit when you hit the main course.</p><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/neziemr_KVgW-vCkyf38yg?authkey=Gv1sRgCLX_iMLL0azsaQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SkInNhsQAZI/AAAAAAAAIyI/lCubeCjJ8u4/s400/DSC_3546.JPG" /></a><br />There were four of us so it was a perfect excuse to start off with the cold mezze plate served with fresh turkish bread - this is not pita bread. Everyone liked the majority of the selections. The standout dishes for us were the eggplant dip (Patlican Ezmesi), spicy red pepper spread (Acili Ezme) and the stuffed grape leaves (Yaprak Dolmasi). The rest weren't remarkable but disappeared pretty quickly anyway. </p><p>Tallula's serves some unique drinks worth trying. Ayran - a yoghurt drink with fresh mint - tasted very similar to a lassi. I thought it came with too much ice but its a great summer drink. My fellow diners enjoyed the pomegranate juice and turkish coffee. Be warned, the pomegranate juice is not diluted - and the tartness may put you off.</p><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/OjvQ10Txm16y5YDyR6298Q?authkey=Gv1sRgCLX_iMLL0azsaQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SkInQtM73HI/AAAAAAAAIyM/KY8dEiKt9qA/s400/DSC_3547.JPG" /></a><br />For the main course we decided on a two-pronged approach. On one hand, the main course was a bit thin on vegetarian dishes that appealed to us. On the other hand, they were quite expensive too. So we decided to order a couple of the hot mezze (appetizers) options and went with one of the recommended main dishes - Sebzeli Musakka, an oven baked dish heavy in vegetables and topped with a special seasoned sauce (bechamel) and cheese. To be honest, we were a bit skeptic about the latter because it sounded very similar to a vegetable lasagna. The "same-old, same-old" factor was influencing us but we decided to order it anyway. It turned out to be a good call. The dish was quite unlike any lasagna we tasted. First off, there was no heavy cheese to chew thru. The vegetables were quite rich and flavorful and the sauce added to the experience. Be mindful. It's good to feed two - don't get ambitious unless you are really ravenous.</p><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/rWJP98CLXjiw0NpFxpXJhA?authkey=Gv1sRgCLX_iMLL0azsaQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SkInRyfNnJI/AAAAAAAAIyQ/act45N0Dfb4/s400/DSC_3548.JPG" /></a><br />The other two hot mezze appetizers we chose included the usual suspect - falafel - and a really tempting dish - sabzeli manti - featuring stuffed dumplings in a yoghurt sauce. Unfortunately, both were disappointments. The falafel wasn't any better than a store bought one. The sabzeli manti had a rubbery texture, felt undercooked, the yoghurt sauce was overwhelming and stuffing was barely recognizable. We do feel that if executed well, this would be a great dish - but for our visit, we didn't feel it measured up.</p><p>One great thing about mediterranean food is that one doesn't feel quite weighed down by the appetizers and main courses. There is a healthy, light, not so greasy aspect which is a big sell for mediterranean food. That also means, someone like me isn't going to miss out on dessert. Tallulas scored full marks on the desserts. The baklava was perfect - freshly baked, juicy, nutty and flavorful. The Creme Chocolate is a dark-chocolate lover's dream come true. The accompanying home-made whipped cream - it seemed to too sweet to me but can serve to counter the bitterness of the chocolate for some others - is best ignored. Aparna ordered a milk pudding (Kazan Dibi) but didn't seem very impressed. I was a bit too caught up sampling the Creme Chocolate which my friend ordered and absolutely devouring the baklava .. I don't have photos to show for them.</p><br /><p>All in all, Tallulas is an easy shoo-in for top veggie-friendly restaurants in the triangle. It's a highly recommended joint in our book and has a winner in each category - drinks, appetizers, main course and desserts.</p>Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-80679224515709222282009-06-25T10:19:00.001-07:002009-08-01T08:50:30.953-07:00Lime & Basil, Chapel Hill<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/LYRkJxEd80QkTmO6-J4Rpw?authkey=Gv1sRgCKHqlITsrd6bVg&feat=embedwebsite" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SkgsHtYJtyI/AAAAAAAAJPQ/E9OAPuXbyyc/s400/DSC_3572.JPG" /></a><p><table><tbody><tr><td><b>Variety</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr><tr><td><b>Quality</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p>Lime & Basil is a vietnamese restaurant on the venerable Franklin Street. The name is very evocative of the freshness and subtle flavor that these two ingredients bring to any dish they get to be a part of. It came very highly recommended by Aparna who had a girls night out a couple of weeks back while I was slugging it out south of the equator. Lime & Basil is Veg/Vegan aware - ie. they are aware of the fact that a soup with chicken stock is not vegetarian and red curry with tofu isn't "good karma" if there is the small matter of fish sauce in it. All dishes are clearly marked in the menu and the waitresses seemed very aware of our preferences(at least ours did).</p><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/RL6Eeop_pbKmHv5AcM8X9g?authkey=Gv1sRgCKHqlITsrd6bVg&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SkgsKB_8lwI/AAAAAAAAJPU/sQbVoBzBQ70/s400/DSC_3580.JPG" /></a><br />We started off with the special summer rolls featuring a beautifully transparent rice paper roll, seasonal greens, vermicelli noodles and fresh veggies all wrapped around a delightfully crispy stick that I can't quite put a finger served with salty/sweet peanut sauce. What I do know is, I'll order it every time I visit this restaurant. The rolls are huge and a plate of two is good enough for two.</p><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/yBML1kJtK-GDdO6L2p_nYQ?authkey=Gv1sRgCKHqlITsrd6bVg&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SkgsMrVCE8I/AAAAAAAAJPc/nlCPkmepJIQ/s400/DSC_3590.JPG" /></a><br />Both Aparna and I weren't super hungry and looking at the size of the dishes, we did what we usually do - share the main course. We went with the lemongrass "chicken". Now, I'm usually not a fan of dishes that substitute a meat with a soy/gluten based concoction. 9 times out of 10, the texture is wrong, the flavor is missing and it is just too damn chewy. Not so here, this was definitely amongst the better executed meat substitutes. The flavor seeped thru, it was not so chewy and it was definitely cooked right - not fried to death. We ordered it served on a bed of vermicelli noodles which make a nice accompaniment. The restaurant substitutes the regular fish sauce with a pretty unremarkable soy based sauce. It really didn't take anything away though. In spite of my natural instincts, I'll find it hard to order something different the next time - and there will be many "next time"s.</p><p>There is nothing much in the name of desserts. The bubble tea I hear is worth trying but a sweet tapioca based tea just didn't tickle me enough to try.</p><p>Lime & Basil is one of those joints that pops up when the dreaded question - "so .. where shall we eat?" - pops up and everyone draws a blank and the movie starts in an hour. The food is excellent at a very affordable price point. While it's a bit thin on variety, it offers unique and superbly executed dishes.</p>Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-55173640176590653342009-06-24T09:15:00.000-07:002009-08-01T08:49:45.624-07:00Cafe Carolina and Bakery, Chapel Hill<p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/GRiWJkCc0Fd0Cbl7UXHSTw?authkey=Gv1sRgCLX_iMLL0azsaQ&feat=embedwebsite" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SkInJiPijRI/AAAAAAAAIx8/wlvCFcSvoLY/s400/DSC_3539.JPG" /></a></p><p><table><tbody><tr><td><b>Variety</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr><tr><td><b>Quality</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p>We visited <a href="http://www.cafecarolina.com/Default.aspx">Cafe Carolina & Bakery</a> in Chapel Hill after receiving discount coupons for the restaurant in my mail. For one thing, I don't look down upon coupon sending restaurants anymore. CC&B turned out to be quite good and is our destination of choice for great sandwiches and weekend brunches after a long run.</p><p>A look at CC&B's menu at first glance will reveal very few vegetarian options. Besides the garden veggie wrap, there really isn't much to pick right off the menu. However, we found the cafe employees to be quite helpful and accommodating when we asked for specific sandwiches with meat substitutions and omissions. They even made the portobello panini for Aparna though it wasn't listed on the menu. Both the Turkey Berry panini and Chipotle chicken panini can be had with veggie substitutions. Be sure to also taste their delicious breads - the sun-dried tomato baguette was a standout</p><p>CC&B's brunch menu (available upto 2pm) is another worthy attraction. I tried the mexican flatbread sans sausage and it was delicious. It's quite filling though so make sure you come with an appetite to match. While I shy away from salads most of the time, I must mention their signature salad. It's heavy on fruits (mandarin oranges, strawberries, dried cranberries, raisins, pineapple) and some nuts and gorgonzola cheese. For me it almost works as a dessert.</p><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/kirUt1ulUqij3Sl6Z7DCNQ?authkey=Gv1sRgCLX_iMLL0azsaQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SkInLojHPZI/AAAAAAAAIyA/6RsIPBtFd6E/s400/DSC_3535.JPG" /></a><br />If at all possible, do save some room for their fresh-baked brownies and cupcakes. Aparna enjoys their curiously blue-cream topped chocolate cupcakes. There are other varieties to choose from. I highly recommend their brownie - drenched in gooey chocolate and butter. Don't forget to get it warmed up a little bit before digging in.</p>Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-6662555269127291302009-06-24T08:21:00.000-07:002009-06-24T15:01:30.537-07:00Lemon Pappardelle w/ Broccoli and Sicilian tomato sauce<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/hQVfHHOC1pE_98XyeSR-Ug?authkey=Gv1sRgCLX_iMLL0azsaQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SkInVkJtqPI/AAAAAAAAIyc/6uUEe1qwBC8/s400/DSC_3565.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><p>Aparna started off with store bought lemon pappardelle (TJs) and sicilian tomato sauce (Whole Foods), added sauteed onions and broccoli and finished it off with chopped basil and salt and pepper. It was as yummy as it looks.</p>Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-60965526939206410592009-06-15T15:08:00.000-07:002009-06-24T08:34:24.294-07:00Oh! La La - Cartagena, Colombia<p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/r5KsKdftryESIfqdpSrqwQ?feat=embedwebsite" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgjwvIn185I/AAAAAAAAHgM/LnJGQPrfbt8/s400/DSC_0737.JPG" /></a></p><p><table><tbody><tr><td><b>Variety</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr><tr><td><b>Quality</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p>I'd been wanting to visit Oh! La La ever since it featured in an <a href="http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/10/26/travel/26choice.html?pagewanted=2&sq=oh!%20la%20la%20cartagena&st=cse&scp=1">NYTimes article</a>. I couldn't quite make it back in December due to lack of time. This time, I was determined to go there with Aparna in tow. It proved to be quite an adventure getting there. Oh! La La very recently moved to its trendy new location in the Old city - so much so that they did not even have a name plate. It took a few calls in my broken spanish before I eventually found it.</p><p> Since we were effectively the first guests for the evening, we were attended to very well. The owner, Carolina spoke English and gave us a tour of the menu which contained a fair smattering of vegetarian dishes. She was very open to preparing something not on the menu if we didn't find anything to our liking. That, wasn't necessary.</p><br /><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/qKoqrlHf1rZThyjL760Trg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgjwtBx82WI/AAAAAAAAHgI/zJ6DF_w1fDM/s400/DSC_0736.JPG" /></a><br />We started off with some delectable soups. Both the Carrot/Orange soup and Coconut Lentil soup were exquisite.</p><br /><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/cEdIlTsWOhxoaQuvWvb-OQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgjwxXY8RkI/AAAAAAAAHgQ/2ubqhC2u2eg/s400/DSC_0738.JPG" /></a><br />The mushroom parmesan penne pasta was cooked to my liking. It symbolized everything that I like about Italian food in Colombia - fresh ingredients, pasta cooked al dente and a restraint in terms of excess - read cheese, salt and butter.</p><br /><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Flir-EoxOSd3OXN9gtM5Lg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/Sgjwy35ZoII/AAAAAAAAHgU/LrxiHRO08nI/s400/DSC_0743.JPG" /></a><br />The dessert was a disappointment. It was probably my fault. I should've picked the chocolate mousse.</p>Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-38126943078962331722009-06-10T19:50:00.000-07:002009-06-23T13:18:42.165-07:00Di Lucca - Bogota, Colombia<p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/oOUPzY2xTQN7tyMWYta7kg?feat=embedwebsite" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SjBw-peT5cI/AAAAAAAAIV0/vYuAJMvMU3o/s400/DSC_2792.JPG" /></a></p><p><table><tbody><tr><td><b>Variety</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></td></tr><tr><td><b>Quality</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><br /><p>When I first ate at Di Lucca , I felt it was easily the best Italian food I'd ever eaten. Along with San Giorgio Trattoria and La Comedia Divinia, Di Lucca is part of a trio of superb Italian fare. There is a wide variety of choices for vegetarians starting with the appetizers, a few soups, pizzas, risotto and of course - pastas.</p><p>Di Lucca's stuffed pastas are easily the biggest draw. My favorite is the Ricotta Spinach Capelletti in a 3-cheese sauce. If you are lucky enough to spot the feta ravioli - which isn't a regular - order it right away. Other great options include Pappardelle al Telefono, Spinach Gnocchi and Spinach/Ricotta Cannelloni. It is worth noting that Di Lucca lets one order combinations pastas. Pictured above is a half-n-half of Canelloni and Capelletti pastas.<p><p>Among the desserts, the only standout is the malbec ice-cream. The rest of the desserts are more or less standard fare - Tiramisu, gelato, creme-brulee and flan. Pictured here is the Caramel Flan - which didn't make a huge impression on me.<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/VyE6_aL5ciG7CHcUDwQNOA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SjBxA0b8LJI/AAAAAAAAIV4/_zGiHTroNzc/s400/DSC_2793.JPG" /></a></p><p><br /></p>Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-37089168714962006612009-06-09T21:04:00.001-07:002009-06-24T08:20:13.991-07:00Good vegetarian food? Yup .. it's possibleThe point of this blog is that one can avoid meat and still eat a fulfilling meal home or away. I feel it is in everyone's best interest to avoid eating meat more often than not. Beyond that, while I'm fully aware of the environmental and ethical benefits/arguments behind being vegetarian, I'm not interested in touting them in this blog. Fact is, vegetarian food can be enjoyed for what it is - good food just like any other! Burdening it with ethical baggage takes attention away from that simple fact and is likely to rile and turn away potential neophytes. <br /><br />This blog will therefore be about the giddy joys of eating, first and foremost - however it comes my way: at home or away from home; dine-in or take-out; at a friends place or at the beach - if I taste it and feel strongly about it, I plan to write about it.<br /><br />Having traveled a lot the last few years, the majority of the entries will be about restaurants. Finding vegetarian food away from home has been an adventure and I've been in the thick of it for three years now during numerous trips to Chile, Colombia and the US. It's been a thoroughly rewarding experience.<br /><br />Since I'll be foisting my personal views about food on this blog, I feel its a perfect excuse to indulge myself further and explain my likes and dislikes when it comes to the subject.<br /><br />Born and raised in India, I lean towards bold flavors, well cooked food and generally prefer things on the spicier side. I don't consider a salad a meal in itself. I only eat a salad if it comes as a side .. gratis. If a waiter says 'salad' when you say 'vegetarian', good luck with that restaurant - I've been to a few. While I enjoy fine food, I'm no gourmand. I love good food and I love it even more when it comes cheap and sans pretensions. <br /><br />I am a dessert nut - and having recently diagnosed diabetic parents hasn't slowed me down one bit. I plan to carry on till something gives. That said, I refuse to eat or endorse any chocolate that has less than 53% cocoa content. I prefer it when sugar comes my way as a supporting act for a chocolate or fruit flavor.<br /><br />I don't drink except for the occasional glass of wine when I feel like it and usually when I don't pay for it. I don't know anything about wine pairings so I will stay away from that aspect.<br /><br />If I've helped you or someone you know find and enjoy a meat-free meal, I'll consider this a worthy effort. Buen provecho!Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-17111693131530438172009-06-09T20:30:00.000-07:002009-06-24T06:21:14.680-07:00Suna - Bogota, Colombia<p><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/Si8mP8n0hwI/AAAAAAAAIUM/aYEqG1gHpl0/s400/DSC_2770.JPG" /></p><p><table><tbody><tr><td><b>Variety</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr><tr><td><b>Quality</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/TReNgEtrDD6Pin_TL4VA5A?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/Si8mTf5ZAkI/AAAAAAAAIUU/u6kxDVAP2kM/s400/DSC_2774.JPG" /></a></p><p>I chanced upon Suna while browsing the web for veggie-friendly restaurants in Bogota. It happened to be pretty close to the hotel where I stay in the elegant Rosales neighborhood. SuNa is indeed vegan and veggie friendly. I started off with the Mango/Carrot/Basil roll which was quite delicious. It's a tad big for one person and it was quite a challenge keeping it from unraveling.</p><br /><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/gNSqJ0bLaLCJxE7CAIlRYg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/Si8mVLzAlsI/AAAAAAAAIUY/k6gZSbMrAUU/s400/DSC_2775.JPG" /></a></p><br /><p>For the main course, the vegetarian choices were fairly standard - whole grain pasta, veg/tofu stir-fry, veg lasagna, etc. I decided to go with the Arroz Bengali - somehow, I couldn't stop myself from ordering the lone Indian sounding dish. It turned out to be pretty average. I sure didn't find anything distinctly Indian about it .. let alone Bengali. It was a rice, lentil and roasted almond pulao very lightly seasoned and served with a ring of cucumber raita - it had echoes of mediterranean rice dishes I tasted elsewhere in Bogota. Strangely (for me at least), the plate was served hot off the oven. So everything on the plate, including the raita was piping hot. In Indian fried rice dishes like pulao or biriyani, the raita or yoghurt serves as a cool contrast to the heat of the fried rice. SuNa seems to have missed the trick here - and it was a strange experience eating fried rice with hot raita.</p><br /><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/qWCZuZsnnq0j0SxmBL44lA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/Si8mYxWB3YI/AAAAAAAAIUg/xOPfNqzZLcI/s400/DSC_2781.JPG" /></a></p><br /><p>I almost skipped the dessert after the heavy meal but I went ahead and ordered the Flourless chocolate cake. Fortunately, it was the right call. This was among the best flourless chocolate cakes I ever ate. The texture wasn't odd, the sweetness not overpowering and the freshly cut raspberries serving as a perfect foil for the richness of the chocolate.</p><br /><p>SuNa started and finished strong with a very weak middle. It is a reasonably expensive restaurant too. My meal cost me $25 including two freshly squeezed carrot-ginger juices. For that reason, I only give it 3 beets.</p>Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-89268529281142050352009-06-09T17:29:00.000-07:002009-06-30T13:09:01.029-07:00What's with the beet?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.regionalfood.com.au/produce/images/aug05/beetroot420.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 420px; height: 330px;" src="http://www.regionalfood.com.au/produce/images/aug05/beetroot420.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>I wanted to use something besides stars to rate the food on this blog. So, I turned to good-looking veggies. Enter 'the Beet'. It's a star vegetable for a number of attributes (+ saying 5 'Beet' Restaurant sounds so unapologetically campy):<br />a) Looks: There is no natural color as rich and beautiful as the deep beet purple.<br />b) Versatility: Eat it raw, Cook it, Drink it - it still tastes amazing.<br />c) Healthy: Suffice to say it's among the healthiest veggies that go around.<br /><br />A restaurant is rated based on only two food-related attributes - Variety and Quality. I don't feel its fair to bring in factors like service and ambiance though I occasionally mention it if I observe extremes - it's hard enough finding vegetarian options. A high-beet score on variety indicates a menu rich in vegetarian options. A high-beet score on quality indicates the presence of dishes that I found to be delish.<br /><br />It's worth mentioning that the quality score will take into account the relative cost of the meal. If dish X tasted about the same in restaurants A and B but cost more in (say) B, then A will receive a higher beet score on quality than B.<br /><br />(Picture borrowed from - http://www.regionalfood.com.au/produce/images/aug05/beetroot420.jpg)Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-23629414886714474922009-06-09T14:50:00.000-07:002009-06-10T20:30:29.905-07:00Meet the team<p>Meet me! Ok, I'll shut up. There is enough from me and about me.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/Si9OP3AGfZI/AAAAAAAAIVM/TgoBsdwgQiU/s1600-h/DSC_8023.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/Si9OP3AGfZI/AAAAAAAAIVM/TgoBsdwgQiU/s400/DSC_8023.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345577317081447826" /></a><br /></p><br><br /><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/3zfd0MKAw2Dx4efRX16Vtg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/She1IxtReEI/AAAAAAAAIAw/Eb_fQBVytOU/s400/DSC_2075.JPG" /></a><br />Meet Aparna. She's my wife. I turned into a foodie in her company over the last few years since we got married. A spirited animal lover, a <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/dilwin/HolidayGettogether#">fabulously creative</a> and seriously fast cook. I happily let her rule the kitchen.</p><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/TY9u3PfhABUPMX2lrpU-xg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/Sf4yG2vyo-I/AAAAAAAAHVQ/2YseVI2L3v4/s400/DSC_0188.JPG" /></a><br />Meet Ernesto Serrano. My buddy at work, a ladies man and a foodie to the core. He's the perfect prototype of the meat-eater who can enjoy the occasional vegetarian meal. Came to my rescue many times when I wasn't capable off expressing my vegetarian requirements to waitresses in Chile and Colombia.</p><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8B25K9FyypMBBtSgjwS7iw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SDztKjvMZlI/AAAAAAAADOE/TaN622UUEkM/s400/DSC_1367.JPG" /></a><br />Meet Manju. My little sister. An outrageously talented baker. She makes the tastiest and healthiest cakes, cookies and chocolate desserts. An avid food lover and furious fitness freak. Recently gave birth to a baby girl but that hasn't slowed her down <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/dilwin/IM31#">at all</a>.</p>Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-15063060401837757582009-06-07T20:37:00.000-07:002009-06-23T13:18:06.833-07:00Pandebono - Cartagena, Colombia<p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/pUNuKVZLKNORFlWsumWecg?authkey=Gv1sRgCJrnjpHGpa6wMg&feat=embedwebsite" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SiyHZ8m3FbI/AAAAAAAAITg/MYs98XZ8v4c/s400/DSC_0796.JPG" /></a></p><p><table><tbody><tr><td><b>Variety</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr><tr><td><b>Quality</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p>I was told Pandebono is an institution in Cartagena. Ernesto took me here for breakfast back in Dec 2008 during our 1-day trip to Cartagena. It apparently used to be an enormously popular run-down hole-in-the-wall outlet. It was recently upgraded to its swanky-looking current self.</p><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/NLS8oqwlt7ON1jcysQQO-g?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SUhAGbSnTPI/AAAAAAAAGHU/cOGMOHDOC8s/s400/DSC_6242.JPG" /></a><br />The term "pandebono" is pretty common and refers to a type of cheese bread pictured here .. along with buñuelos. It's quite delicious when fresh if the idea of stretchy cheesy fibers in soft baked bread sounds appealing. I found the buñuelos - a variant of pandebono - to be a bit too salty for my taste but they were still worth trying. There are several other stuffed breads - mostly cheese and meats. It was a bit hard to find a veggie stuffed bread. If you are lucky, you can get pandeyuca - stuffed with starchy yucca. Due to the volume of guests at any hour, the staff is too busy to help a non-native spanish speaker vegetarian like myself.</p><br /><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Mzgukha56xRIw_r_3v86IQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/Sgp1FMp5EpI/AAAAAAAAHhc/4UUbT4xsCIU/s400/DSC_0800.JPG" /></a></p><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Mzgukha56xRIw_r_3v86IQ?feat=embedwebsite"></a>Pandebono is also serves big yummy milk-shakes and fruit juices. The Jugo de Nispero in Leche made Pandebono a daily breakfast stop for me before heading out for the day. Other drinks include Mandarina, Jugo de Zapote en leche and Jugo de Borojo.</p>Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-91351391427671094092009-06-07T20:32:00.000-07:002009-06-23T14:20:28.347-07:00La Frutera - Barranquilla, Colombia<p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/0Azwg_NHOT9VxIVCLbq-_Q?feat=embedwebsite" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SUb6C4XWhlI/AAAAAAAAF_E/XiEKB_mNC_w/s400/DSC_6011.JPG" /></a></p><p><table><tbody><tr><td><b>Veg Options</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr><tr><td><b>Taste</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />La Frutera near the Catedral de la Inmaculata Concepción is in short, just a regular fruit stall near a famous cathedral in Barranquilla. It was my first stop after having landed in Barranquilla. Ernesto drove me down there for breakfast. Pretty much everything down there is vegetarian (mostly fruits and fruit juices), cheap and yummy as can be. It is the kinds of place that can be hard to find in a travel guide but is worshiped by the locals all the same. </p><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_mPhzcNMjJmM1XFji3Gwcg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SUb6Bp9lFlI/AAAAAAAAF-0/LozqDmkmHDE/s400/DSC_6009.JPG" /></a><br />Here was where I discovered that Nispero is the same as one of my favorite fruits - what we call 'Sapota' in India. It was a moment of ineffable joy. The sapota milkshake is the King of all milkshakes - period. The Nisperos in Colombia are much bigger than the Sapotas of India but taste identical.</p><br /><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/hC8IIgMeDz_wTY5r-JbYZg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SUb6DWL4MEI/AAAAAAAAF_M/fr3Bw7-wQrg/s400/DSC_6012.JPG" /></a><br />In addition to various milkshakes (Mango, Zapote, Guava, etc.), they also sell little snacks like cheese and spinach empanadas and matrimonios - a little sandwich or rather a 'marriage' between two different things like cheese and yucca, cheese and guava jelly, etc. It can be found all over Colombia and is quite delicious. If one is lucky, s/he may find a street vendor close to the fruit shop that sells amazing coconut based desserts. They are seriously sweet - so limit the amount you eat. Pictured above is Dulce de Coco con Arequipe.</p>Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-68851306992204526612009-06-07T20:29:00.000-07:002009-06-24T06:38:43.037-07:00La Piazzeta - Barraquilla, Colombia<p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/p0FR34LwzMK-5hMp_iLvkA?feat=embedwebsite" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SUg2ttYWgLI/AAAAAAAAGA4/laawIkQgOHw/s400/DSC_6034.JPG" /></a></p><p><table><tbody><tr><td><b>Veg Options</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr><tr><td><b>Taste</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />La Piazzeta came recommended as the best Italian in Barranquilla. Like most italian restaurants, La Piazzeta had a good number of vegetarian options in the appetizers, soups and pasta sections. We got there pretty late, but the place was still jam packed. Ernesto knew the owner Michel (that's a guy) pretty well and we managed to get a table without too much of a wait.</p><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/iB3LOIgdVxdPG5GEG7745w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SUg2u655OqI/AAAAAAAAGBA/teMc6aWmchI/s400/DSC_6035.JPG" /></a><br />The bruschetta was positively the best I had had anywhere. The basil, tomatoes, olives and warm melting cheese on the crispy ciabatta roll tasted nothing like any bruschetta I had eaten anywhere else. I was going to make a meal out of it but Ernesto convinced me that better was yet to come.</p><br /><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_30eUoXxuGH2hcpsUa7Jiw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SUg2wHWUkkI/AAAAAAAAGBI/6W-DTpKQ3kY/s400/DSC_6037.JPG" /></a><br />Coming from India, I was a bit of a novelty wherever I went and it was no different here. Michel was quite eager to prepare something 'spicy' to my taste. The vegetable gnocchi pasta _was_ good (not really spicy but I could feel the peppery finish) and ranked among the better gnocchi preparations I've eaten. I also got a chance to taste Ernesto's staple over there - the Pizza Rey David. The 'Rey David' is a house specialty sauce and goes into pizzas and pastas. While it is also a tomato based sauce, it had an uncommon flavor and richness to it.</p>Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-45921864126709334782009-06-07T20:22:00.000-07:002009-07-31T00:53:52.260-07:00La Vitrola - Cartagena, Colombia<p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/92MIhN2lYECMlSxj9PdP8g?authkey=Gv1sRgCJrnjpHGpa6wMg&feat=embedwebsite" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SiyEz9mdN-I/AAAAAAAAITY/bOgQ3bKIIbk/s400/DSC_6109.JPG" /></a></p><p><table><tbody><tr><td><b>Veg Options</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr><tr><td><b>Taste</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p>La Vitrola is rated as the top restaurant in Cartagena - and is internationally renowned. I was waiting to eat here after reading a slavishly positive review of the restaurant on NYTimes. As mentioned in the article, we had to make a reservation prior to getting there and we managed to get an early reservation at 7pm - the more popular late evening slots were already taken.</p><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/QybrOETb74jM0NUopoCHuQ?authkey=Gv1sRgCJrnjpHGpa6wMg&feat=embedwebsite" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SiyE12kAK1I/AAAAAAAAITc/-MH-hGFkn2Q/s400/DSC_6132.JPG" /></a></p><p>While the restaurant was impressive, there really wasn't anything for a vegetarian here. In spite of Ernesto's best efforts to explain to the waiter my "condition", all that the chefs could manage was one very average risotta/paella dish. We came away about $50 poorer per head which (including the wine bottle) is ridiculously expensive. As a vegetarian, I'd stay away from this place. There are much better options like <a href="http://avegetarianwithoutacause.blogspot.com/2009/05/oh-la-la.html">Oh! La la</a> and <a href="http://avegetarianwithoutacause.blogspot.com/2009/06/torre-luna.html">Torre Luna</a> within the walled confines of the ciudad vieja.</p>Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-43269907232573038722009-06-07T20:12:00.000-07:002009-07-31T00:43:02.088-07:00Wok - Bogota, Colombia<p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/qrUljtH836H4hda-0WTo5g?authkey=Gv1sRgCJrnjpHGpa6wMg&feat=embedwebsite" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SiyC9NxzvyI/AAAAAAAAITM/6Y4b5fUd8-s/s400/DSC_2768.JPG" /></a></p><p><table><tbody><tr><td><b>Veg Options</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr><tr><td><b>Taste</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p>Wok was the first restaurant I dined at during my first visit to Bogota. Along with Crepes & Waffles, Wok is a massive presence in Bogota for a vegetarian. Like C&W, Wok is also a successful chain restaurant though not quite on the same scale. It menu has a distinct asian tilt - from soups to sushi to noodles.</p><p>When I first saw the menu - and this was my first visit to Colombia - my eyes popped out. The "menu" really looks like a magazine. It has about 20 pages. Once I laid my eyes on the "green pages" - featuring ONLY vegetarian dishes, whole pages of them - I was sold on Wok. This was going to be a frequent stop for me - and so it has been.</p><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/PJZ9isBEXA5mpWo6lhRIoA?authkey=Gv1sRgCJrnjpHGpa6wMg&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SiyC-Y-lWWI/AAAAAAAAITQ/iT4hSllzGb0/s400/DSC_2760.JPG" /></a><br />I usually start off with any of their page full of fantastic fresh fruit juice options - my favorites being Verde Vital (Green Apple, Pear, Baby Spinach), Purple Haze (Beets, Carrots, Apple), Mango Lassi (they have lassi!!!), Chocolate/Banana/Dates, Mango/Banana/Maracuya and the usual suspects - Guanabana and Copuazu milkshakes. During a typical meal, I'd have had 2-3 drinks. This can be followed by some great starters - though I always don't go for them to keep from stuffing myself completely. In addition to the reliable spring rolls, Wok has these delicious Tofu dumplings that I most recently discovered - Yasai Chili Gyoza. These are lightly fried dumplings stuffed with minced tofu and served with a Chili oil. I highly recommend these.</p><br /><p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/gE4i0jBFxcMQwjBSRyBMvg?authkey=Gv1sRgCJrnjpHGpa6wMg&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SiyC_Fx9ERI/AAAAAAAAITU/W5FQxazISs8/s400/DSC_2763.JPG" /></a><br />Wok has about six vegetarian soup options - miso, carrot, tom ka, tom yam and miso ramen. Both the miso and carrot soups are excellent and quite filling. I typically make a meal out of the carrot soup - which is well seasoned, thick and creamy. Be advised that the carrot soup has a strong coconut flavor - which can be off-putting to some.</p><p>I haven't yet started to cover the main course and I'm tired already. The choice at Wok is quite incredible. Among the maincourses are a staggering 13 options for noodles, fried rice and stir-fries. These include thai red/green/yellow curries, pad thai, indonesian/cambodian stir fry dishes and other variants of thai curries/noodles. In addition to these, Wok features "Raw Cuisine" - dishes cooked at temperatures not exceeding 43C. I personally enjoyed both the red and green curries prepared in this style. This new-age technique for cooking veggies is supposed to preserve the nutrients much better.</p><p>If you happen to be in the mood for sushi - you'll be thrilled. You have a staggering SIX vegetarian sushi choices - some of which come wrapped in soy paper if you happen to be put off by the sea weed roll. My favorites are the Veggie Roll (featuring mango, asparagus, cream cheese, avocado and sesame seeds) and Yasi Tempura roll (featuring tempura vegetables). The others - Shitake, tofu, kapa maki and salad rolls are equally good.</p><p>If these dizzing array of choices isn't enough, the dessert menu is still more impressive. In several visits, I've been so sated with the drinks and main courses/appetizers that I've rarely had dessert. Given my reputation, that borders on being considered shockingly absurd. Still, among the ones I've tasted, the banana tempura and "raw" banana&berry tarts were outstanding.</p><p>All said and done, this <i>review</i> only scratches the surface. I'd have to review each section of the menu in detail to truly describe the wonderful experience that is Wok. It is quite intriguing how the owners manage to run this restaurant with a menu as extensive as this - and the quality has never suffered in all my visits. I crave for a day when a restaurant chain like Wok or Crepes&Waffles will appear in the US.</p>Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-32899618564689310832009-06-07T20:07:00.000-07:002009-06-24T08:12:11.080-07:00Crepes & Waffles - Cartagena/Bogota, Colombia<p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ictA1tx7DLKxah7EvpXOGw?feat=embedwebsite" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgeYYI_GFEI/AAAAAAAAHb4/ZZzg9O36Sb8/s400/DSC_0434.JPG" /></a></p><p><table><tbody><tr><td><b>Veg Options</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr><tr><td><b>Taste</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px; border: 0px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr></tbody></table>Crepes & Waffles is quite easily among the best and most popular 'fast food' chain restaurants in Colombia - more so if you consider the variety of vegetarian options you get there. However, to call it fast food would be unfair - this is classy food. Legend has is that it was created by a couple of master's students in Cali as their senior design project. It apparently had very humble beginnings but is now a major franchise.</p><p>Ironically, the first time I came across Crepes and Waffles was in Santiago, Chile - serving decent pitas and crepes with meat-free fillings. Ernesto informed me that the Chilenos stole the idea of Crepes & Waffles from the Colombian one. Frankly, the one in Chile looks like a Franchise - it's a carbon copy of the one in Colombia. However, in terms of the food itself, the one in Colombia really kicks butt. There is no comparison. Still, if you happen to be in Chile, the C&W over there is a pretty good option to consider.</p><p>Back to C&W Colombia. It is not hard to find restaurants with one or two stand-out vegetarian dishes. However, Crepes & Waffles is outstanding in terms of the wide choice one gets as a vegetarian. More importantly, it is consistently delicious - every single dish. What makes Crepes & Waffles click is no secret - a) Seriously creative menu that changes and evolves with time, b) Surprisingly and consistently tasty food with fresh local ingredients, c) Healthy preparation and portion sizes across the board, d) Quick and efficient Service and e) Very affordable!</p><p>One can begin with any of the several fruit juices and milkshakes on their menu - I typically have a mango or guanabana milkshake. Recently, I tasted their chai and it was quite good. This can be followed by any of four savory soups - tomato, portobello (pictured), lentil or spinach soup. It's hard to recommend one over the other but the lentil soup has Indian-style seasoning and I tend to be partial to that.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9efvImWxa2Io1jwxyv9n5w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgeYXFLkZxI/AAAAAAAAHb0/rBiYZ6V_es0/s400/DSC_0429.JPG" /></a><br />You are now faced with the daunting challenge of choosing from more than FIFTEEN different vegetarian crepes. I'd highly recommend the Rimini (A tomato/goat cheese based light crepe), the Poblano (mexican style with avocados - pictured above) and El Gandhi (tofu cooked with Indian style seasonings). There are several others that are equally good if you have the luxury of making multiple trips to C&W. In spite of more than 15-20 visits to this restaurant, I've never had an opportunity to try their Pitas. Obviously, this is a paradise for vegetarians.</p><p>If you manage to save space for dessert, there is once again a staggering variety of dessert crepes and waffles. The nutella crepe/waffle is a perennial favorite. One should also try as many of the delightful crepes/waffles with fresh fruit toppings.</p><p><br /></p>Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-17829770611510996902009-06-07T20:04:00.001-07:002009-06-07T20:06:33.616-07:00Bagatelle - Bogota, Colombia<p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/E2mE0s-KWBbBc9OPhHFzsw?feat=embedwebsite" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/Siw7sCxVHyI/AAAAAAAAIP4/0lVdxT8zOF4/s400/DSC_2585.JPG" /></a></p><p><br /><table><tbody><tr><td><b>Veg Options</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr><tr><td><b>Taste</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p> Detailed review to follow .. </p><p><br /></p>Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510817480711976869.post-18660796489108415952009-06-07T20:02:00.000-07:002009-06-07T20:04:15.510-07:00Conosur - Bogota, Colombia<p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/5l60e8eCJzfMevS6dIe8sw?feat=embedwebsite" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/Siw7pXi61tI/AAAAAAAAIP0/mbj03xlfzuM/s400/DSC_2571.JPG" /></a></p><p><table><tbody><tr><td><b>Veg Options</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr><tr><td><b>Taste</b></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td><td><img style="width: 20px; height: 20px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vjQJjjNiMvY/SgtHm05diXI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/eOoBbYJ0_xQ/s320/beetroot.jpg" border="1" alt="" /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p><br /></p>Dilwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04526114372855924376noreply@blogger.com0