Ginger Tiger–Wok in Here

Posted on February 10, 2014 by Nirav Thakker

Ginger Tiger was nice to invite us over bang in the middle of the week for a blast of Mongolian/Cantonese inspired delectable cuisine. Trudging through the traffic when I reached their restaurant at the fag end of the day, I was really in no mood for any kind of nonsense. All that I expected was that taste buds be pampered and my belly, satisfied! Ginger Tiger, a JSM Corporation enterprise, did just that.

Not only was the ambience drool worthy, but also the staff was extremely well trained and knowledgeable. Every recommendation, every dish, every drink was truly remarkable. Generally, most of the restaurants that cater to both vegetarians and non-vegetarians are biased towards the latter half of their customers. However, with Ginger Tiger, I found them no only welcoming but also their menu containing a nearly equal proportionate spread available for vegetarians. This would mean, us veggies don’t have to stick to just a limited few off the list for choice!

I tried the signature Vodka based drink and was really blown off my senses. The drink tasted amazing and was really smooth down the throat. Given the fact that I reserve my scotches for special occasions, Vodka is something I would love to have any day. I also tried a Tequila based drink but then seriously, I wasn’t really impressed. The other drinks that I sampled were all great.
Starters included steamed vegetable momos, Crispy Babycorn Sichuan Style, Batter Coated Zuchini with Sweet Chilli Bean Sauce and Crispy Mushrooms with Spring onions. Of all the four, I really loved the baby corn and mushrooms while the opinion on the rest was debatable. We had also ordered ourselves soups with me trying the veg wonton soup. All that I can say about it was that it was nice.
The main course revolved around us trying several items off the menu including one totally customized rice item. I really liked the idea of the customized rice item. It brings out the true chef in you! I am not a great fan of Aubergine myself so I would not really comment on how it tasted in Sliced Aubergine in Chilli Hot Bean Sauce, however the Spicy Thai Rice tasted really great. It had a hint of lemon grass in addition to the punch that it delivered. The Black Bean Noodles were really tasty and yum in the avatar they were presented to us in. They were slightly wet and had baked bean sauce all over it giving it an entirely different taste altogether.
Moving on from the main course to the dessert was really easy given the fact that I am a big fan of anything that is sweet and is established to taste good. The fare was started with a delectable serving of homemade ice creams and equally appealing Sizzling Fudge Brownie! The two managed to blow my senses away.

If I was to go by the taste of the desserts that I had had until now, I really shouldn’t have been expecting any more. However, the chef had a different opinion and he did not really agree with me. He brought in his signature dish, one of his own innovative creation, the Chocolate Spring Roll! I bet I have never had something like this ever before. I shamelessly asked for another serving and he was glad to get it for me.
The food served is not priced very expensive either and the average cost for a group of 4 should settle around Rs. 1000/=. If I were to visit the place again, it would surely be for the crispy mushrooms and the chocolate spring roll!
All pics used are thanks to my good friend Nivedith!

A Musical Extravaganza to Remember

Posted on February 9, 2014 by Nirav Thakker

Kotak Mahindra Bank has been long associated with exemplary musical tastes since long. This association goes back to the year 2008 when it first collaborated on ‘Dakshinayan’, a 1 day music festival featuring stalwarts from the Carnatic Music Fraternity. In 2009 they worked to create ‘Rhythm & Dance’, an event which was held during the Infinite India conference for all RE & PE investors at the Taj Lands End.
In 2011, they came up with the Splendor of Masters for the first time. This featured Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, ace Harpist Gwyneth Wentink from Netherlands and accomplished Saxophonist George Brooks from USA. This was held in Mumbai (Nehru Centre) and New Delhi (India Habitat Centre). In 2012, they featured Ustad Shujaat Khan (Sitar- Hindustani) with Vidwan Vikku Vinayakram (Ghatam – Carnatic) Ganesh-Kumaresh (Violin – Carnatic) and George Brooks (Saxophone -Jazz & Newage). This was held in Mumbai (Nehru Centre) and Bangalore (Chowdiah Memorial).
In 2013 they created a unique combination of artists, a unique dance presentation by – Madhavi Mudgal (Odissi) & Alarmel Valli (Bharatnatyam) followed by Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (Mohan Veena), Mohamad Farghaly (Oud), Hamada Farghaly (Qanoon) and Rakesh Chaurasia (Flute) with interesting percussions.
This year keeping with the tradition of featuring the best, they created an ensemble that was brilliant in content and unparalleled in artistic synergy featuring Ustad Shujaat Khan (Sitar & Vocals – Hindustani) with Prasanna (Guitar- Carnatic & Western), Phil Mathurano from New York (Drums), Selvaganesh (Kanjira), and Abhishek Raghuram (Carnatic Vocals) and other percussionists.
Each artist was a master of his true worth. Every moment, every minute was not only scintillating but electrifying. So much so that, the crowd continued to cheer and egg on the artists to continue without a break. The peak of the event happened to be when Selvaganesh decided to put his skills to display. He not only recreated a rustic musical and magical world, he also imitated almost every musical instrument that plays with a high bass. Not a single instrument was spared. Amazing experience I must say.
The jugalbandi between Abhishek and Prasanna was another thing to look out for. Truly, both are prodigies in their own self! Mesmerized, the crowd went begging for more. So much so that, during the break, most of them were still glued to their seats!
Although the event was kicked off with Ustad Shujaat Khan playing the sitar, it was not until after the break when all artists donned the stage together that his true worth was brought forth! Truly, this was the closest I could get to Indian music. I now realize why our elders keep telling us that the music in movies is not really worth and up to the mark. It is because they have heard the real music all their lives!
I surely wish Kotak Mahindra Bank comes up with such an event soon so that I can relive the magic. BTW, I am going to be the first in queue when the music CD for this event is brought out! For nuts, I would not want to let go of such a marvelous gem!