The monsoons create havoc outside my window as I type this. A strong urge of piping hot bhajiyas and hot chocolate envelope me, and I cannot help but wonder why nobaarish ka khaana is being listed out in this post.
Nevertheless, July is coming up and a lot of deep fried foods and steaming beverages shall be consumed. Until then here is a round up of my June food favourites – dishes, restaurants and events that made the cut.
1. When you can’t decide between coffee and dessert – Starbucks’s Summer Beverages FTW!
What I love about Starbucks is that they keep reinventing their menu, introducing newer drinks keeping in mind seasonal specials. Their indulgent drinks on offer currently are the Coconut Strawberry Bliss Frappuccino and the Roasted Marshmallow S’mores Frappuccino. The former was an interesting blend of tropical coconut and citrus strawberries, while the latter was a creamy vanilla coffee interspersed with marshmallow chunks. Not a fan of sugary coffee drinks? Try their Cold Brew instead – a strong Kenyan brew served over ice.
Available at Starbucks outlets all over the country.
2. When comforting Asian food is all your heart craves – Busago
I was a frequent diner at Busago, and have thoroughly enjoyed their momos and Khau Swey until I stopped visiting over a year ago. Abundance of options all around me, the monotony of eating at the same place set in, and Busago was long forgotten. Until, the fiancé and I dined there recently to revisit memory lane, and a blast from the past came rushing back. Must try at Busago are their plump momos stuffed with chicken/ prawn/pork. The momos have a firm casing that is not rubbery, holding in a generous quantity of filling, making it a must order.
From their newer specials menu, we got the Sesame Chicken bowl – a hearty bowl of bite sized sesame chicken pieces topped over rice – which was filling and fulfilling. You can’t go to Busago and not order their signature Khau Swey ‘Kaukswe’. Noodles come topped with a silky, fragrant coconut curry which you can go ahead a customize with toppings of your choice that they bring to your table. Portion sizes here are extremely generous, and each main can be easily shared by two people. Which explains why we had to skip their delicious Banofee-in-a-cup.
Busago outlets in Bandra, BKC, and Lower Parel.
3. A taste of Melbourne right here in Mumbai – Chef Scott Pickett at The St. Regis for Visit Melbourne
It is not everyday that one of Australia’s finest chefs – Scott Pickett, comes down to the country to recreate dishes from his famous Melbourne restaurant Estelle. And it is not everyday that I get to experience a three course meal unlike any other. Australia has slowly established it’s prominence on the world food map, Melbourne being the cherry on the cake. A brief insight into Melbourne’s dining out culture is exactly what we were treated to that night.
First course was a Crab and Asparagus Salad with a divine Lobster Veloute, which was smooth and bursting with an inherent lobster flavour. We followed this with a Saddle of Victorian Lamb served with a Ratatouille on the side. Victorian lamb is supposed to be one of the finest in the world, which was evident in the dish we ate. A Chocolate Avocado Mousse is what concluded our exquisite meal, and I am so glad that Chef Scott demonstrated this dish beforehand. I cannot wait to replicate it at home soon! A meal as fabulous as this one was all the motivation I needed to start planning a vacation to Melbourne in my head.
4. Goa’s Favourite Tourist Trap – Infantaria, Calangute
No matter how cliched or touristy some places are, you can’t help but visit them every time. Marzorin in Pune, Flurys in Kolkata, Leopold in Mumbai and Infantaria in Goa all fall in the same category in my book. Having said that, there is an inherent charm and magnetism to each of these places, let’s not forget there’s a reason why they became popular in the first place.
There’s something so exciting about sitting inside an old Goan house, surrounded by tourists and travelers making your way through the customary Kings pint. My favourites here include the excellently prepared Beef Roast and the Goan Pork Sausage fry. You can’t go wrong with their breakfast spread as well and their bakery products. Because after all Infantaria was once Calangute’s best bakery.
Infantaria, 5/181, Calangute Baga Junction, Calangute, Goa.
