An economy in high gear, changing consumer preferences and evolving palates are driving the restaurant business in India. But the plate is hardly full
By Anoothi Vishal
“They say it about show biz, but there is no other business like the restaurant biz,” declares investment banker-turned-restaurateur Gaurav Rekhi. Rekhi should know– hopefully.
Posted in Restaurants, Trends 
Tags: Chinese Restaurant, Consumer Behavior, Consumer Preferences, Corporates, Execs, Goldman Sachs, High Finance, Hungry God, Investment Banker, Palates, Personal Attention, Profitability, Restaurant Biz, Restaurant Business, Restaurateur, Return On Investment, Returns On Investment, South Delhi, Street Food, Vishal 
Comments OffLe Cirque opens in New Delhi. A candid account of my two visits
By Anoothi Vishal
One of the most awaited restaurants in Delhi this season has been Le Cirque. A branch of the New York restaurant famous for entertaining celebrities (in its hey days, the likes of Ivana Trump, Nancy Regan and so on were the famous “Ladies of le Cirque”), the restaurant is amongst the first big, luxury F&B brands to arrive in India, thanks to a tie up with the Leela group of hotels, whose founding family has been Le Cirque regulars apparently in the Big Apple.
Posted in Destinations, Restaurants, Reviews Tags: Candid Account, Chunks, Circus In Town, Gdp Growth Rate, Innate Sense, International Chains, Ivana Trump, Le Cirque, Leela Group, Leisure Activity, Liberalization, Luxury Brands, Luxury Restaurants, Michelin Star, Middle Brow, Nancy Regan, National Character, Price Sensitivity, Star Type, True Quality Comments OffPizza is the ultimate bonding food. At Business Standard, the newspaper I used to work for, we would order pizzas for birthdays and farewells, because someone had forgotten lunch, because we had had a stressful day or in anticipation of one, because the Indian cricket team or Federer or some obscure football league had won, or just because it was raining…These were, of course, takeaway pizzas, terrible, American-style and bursting with calories.
Posted in Cuisines, Restaurants Tags: Anant, Blue Cheese, Cheese Pizza, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Farewells, Food Festivals, Foodie, Fun Brain, Indian Cricket Team, Italian Style Pizza, Job Interview, Khan Market, Kitchen Heat, Kukreja, Margharita, Pizzas, Potato Pizza, Sense Of Humour, Sudha, Virgin Olive Oil Comments OffForgetful Elephant
By Anoothi Vishal
In the gastronomic universe, French food is revered, Spanish seen as unutterably chic, Italian as pop but British as mostly crap. Of course, it’s an unfortunate reputation. British pub staples are wholesome, wonderful comfort food that will fill your stomach and gladden your heart while (usually) not costing the earth.
Why are chefs at Amarata, the Oberoi’s contemporary coastal restaurant shying away from the soul of Indian cooking?
By Anoothi Vishal
What is the future of Indian food in India? This is a question that is often debated by chefs, restaurateurs and foodies. And clearly, looking at the spate of big launches in the last two years, one would have to acknowledge that while a wealth of regional and community cuisines lies unexplored, it is what is now known as “contemporary Indian dining” that is taking centrestage.
Posted in Cuisines, Culture in India, Restaurants Tags: Blue Cheese, Coastal Cuisine, Comfort Food, Curries, Fancy Restaurant, Foie Gras, Food In India, Foodies, Gastronomy, Great Expectations, Grouse, Gurgaon, Hot Thing, Indian Cooking, Indian Cuisine, Indian Food, Indian Restaurants, Oberoi, Restaurateurs, Vishal 1 Comment »Yo!China is now offering serious food— selling khao suey (even in Amritsar) and Oberoi-type dim sum buffets. Bye, bye McDonald’s-type positioning…
Whatever we may say about Indian-Chinese, it’s a genre that has spread far and wide. In Hong Kong recently, while we feasted on an enviable spread of dim sums for breakfast and had the chef ladle out healthy hot pots of noodles — with a choice of veggies and meats — that seems to be everyone’s favoured main meal in China, I was surprised to discover the co-existence of “fried noodles” on buffet spreads.
Posted in Anoothi's Ratings, Cuisines, Restaurants, Trends Tags: Aloo, Amritsar, Australia Canada, Bastardized, Chinese Restaurants, Chowmein, Dim Sums, Food Consultants, Fried Noodles, Fried Rice, Hot Pots, Kukreja, Ladle, Ludhiana, Mainland China, Manchurian, Mother India, Papad, S Type, South East Asia 1 Comment »According to an old tale, coffee first reached India with Baba Budan, a pilgrim on a visit to Mecca, who stole seven coffee seeds and took them back hidden in his clothes. It is a charming tale but in all probability entirely untrue. Though coffee does indeed have Arabic origins, it was the Dutch who started growing it in the Malabar in the 16th century, introducing us to the beverage.
Posted in Restaurants, Reviews, Trends Tags: 16th Century, Arabic Origins, Baristas, Budan, Coffee Seeds, Costa Coffee, Cuppa, First Appearance, Gurgaon, Italian Style, Malabar, Mocha, Nineties, Pangs, Retail Space, Saket, Segafredo Zanetti, Selling Art, Strumming The Guitar, Writing A Book 3 Comments »Despite the fabulous teas that we grow— India, after all, is the world’s largest producer and exporter of tea in the world—it is shocking to come across such poorly prepared cuppas in most homes. Thanks to my work with a (high society type) magazine, I have been visiting some of the poshest (and costliest) homes in the country these days.
Posted in Commonwealth, Cuisines, Restaurants Tags: Best Quality, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Concoction, Crore, Himalayas, House Managers, Kitchen Staff, Leaf Tea, Malai, Masala Chai, Milk And Sugar, North East India, Notions, Old Money, Slopes, Street Food, Tea Leaves, Tea Time, Unsuspecting Guests, Vishal Comments OffHere’s my pick in an otherwise most unromantic city. Mail me if you need help setting up something special at a restaurant in Delhi for your date…
Having refused a trip to Khajurao, the land of Kamasutra, this Valentine’s weekend and not having found reservation at my favourite weekend getaway around Delhi, the Westin resort in Sohna (it’s all booked for a V-Day wedding), I am resigned to stay put at home on the weekend.
Posted in Restaurants Tags: Al Fresco, Ashwin, Aurangzeb, Central Courtyard, City Mail, Claridges, Delicio, Fashionistas, Haveli, Lovely Tree, Medieval Capital, Mehrauli, One Style, Romantic Ambience, Romantic Dinners, Romantic Getaway, Saby, Sohna, Splurge, Valentine S Day, Weekend Getaway, Westin Resort, Wood Fired Pizza Oven 2 Comments »Mixology at LAP Garden
By Anoothi Vishal
Molecular gastronomy may be a trend on the wane in the dining citadels of the West. But in Asia, the craze for Ferran Adriaesque attempts is hardly dying. In fact, in India, it is just beginning to come into its own with places such as Aurus in Mumbai, Olive in New Delhi, and Caperberry in Bangalore doing their bit to have bits of watermelon caviar or “cappuccino” of mushroom on their menus.
Posted in Restaurants, Trends Tags: Al Fresco, Arjun Rampal, Aurus, Bloody Mary, Celery Stick, Cherry On Top, Citadels, Coffee Shops, Curd, Doing Their Bit, Fresco Restaurant, Fruit Puree, Green Apple, Hotel Samrat, Jell O, Mixology, Molecular Gastronomy, Shot Glass, Strawberry Foam, Tall Glasses Comments Off
