The pre-Diwali office pot-luck...

I've always landed up in offices where people love to eat... IETS has been no exception. The gang from the BKC office has transported their urge to eat all things nice to the Saki Naka second office untarnished and if anything enhanced :)

Sharp at 1 I got a call from Ophi summoning me to the second floor for the lunch...

The alluring part for me about this feast was the fact that almost everything was home-made...

The spread on the table started with Farrari Patties. Now this is something that is had during उपवास/upwas, so it came with a bowl of smooth and sweetened whipped dahi...

Farrari Patties

The term farrari relates to all things that are used during upwas. The potato enclosed and deep fried roundels themselves had a yummy filling of flaky hand grated coconut shavings with an interesting blend of fresh shredded herbs.

Inside the Farrari Patties...

The staples like chappatis and rice were bought to save the trouble for everyone...

To go with the rice Rajesh's wife had made a very nice and homely Sindhi Kadi (सिन्धी कढ़ी) 

Rupa had brought some Undiu--the quintessential touch of Gujarat. Awesome to eat, nightmarish in terms of logistics to make...

Aishwarya made and got a light and fragrant pulao (पुलाव)

A fragrant pulao

... and to go with it, a light and interesting mixed vegetable curry...

Shobha introduced the flavour of the Southern reaches of India with Idlies and Mulaga Podi (also know as Gun Powder, Sambhar, and some awesome coconut chutney. 

Idly

Mulaga Podi aka Gun Powder

Gingelly Oil

Idly, Gun Powder (Mulaga Podi), in Sambhar

Awesome coconut chutney

I'd contributed a simple Bengali style Methi phorondiyey Phulkopi aar Palngshaker Torkari (মেথী  ফোড়ন দিয়ে ফুলকপি আর পালক শাকের তরকারি)  (Palak and Cauliflower Curry) ... Most of which was devoured by the time I landed up to click a photo for posterity... So I am guessing it was liked :)

মেথী  ফোড়ন দিয়ে ফুলকপি আর পালক শাকের তরকারি  (Palak and Cauliflower Curry)

After the spread was done, I moved on to the sweet bit. Ophi had made her hugely popular (and trademark :P) Mangalorean Coconut Cake

Ophi's Mangalorean Coconut Cake

A piece of Ophi's Coconut Cake

Sujyothi and Beni contributed and got some yummy Kesar Jalebis

A box full of Jalebis

Jalebi

The to end the desert section, Abhijit and Venkat enleashed tubs of Fruit Salad with Ice-cream from Aditi

Of course good things in combination taste divine... So I dolloped some of the fruit salad with some coconut cake to make things happier still :)

Combo of Fruit salad, ice cream and Ophi's Coconut Cake...

Two Cafes - One Saturday Morning

Last Saturday, Guru and Subha were in Bandra for Subha's pre-natal exercise sessions. When they suggested that we go to Cafe Madras for brunch I jumped at the opportunity.


After the customary hunt for a parking space in the 'never-enough-kerb-space' confines of the tree shaded Matunga, we joined the throung outside Madras Cafe, and, surprisingly soon enough, we were squeezing our selves onto the small benches and a table—that always reminds me of adults trying to sit on nursery school furniture.








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Here is a map if you want to find the place or just drive to it from somewhere.

The venerable Cafe Madras

Now—the food... Matunga is a cornucopia of food from the Southern reaches of India. Cafe Madras is just one of the many places that serves excellent and authentic 'South Indian' food. The food here is a good mix of Udupi Cuisine. Udupi (or Udipi) food is distinct and famous enough to have its own extensive Wikipedia entry.. So...
I digress...
We started ordering medhu vada sambar to a waiter who gave us a baleful 'give-the-order-quickly' look and told us that it would take a 'lot' of time. (It never came...)


Even while we were in the process of figuring out what to order, some coconut chatni clattered onto our table. I quickly demolished almost all of it. The fresh coconut chutney was heavenly! Especially after the raw dal and few flecks of coconut and gallons of water that you get everywhere else...


So Guru ordered some sambar rice. This came with some very interesting papad pieces with red chilly flakes and well... more chutney.
If a Tamilian Guru is ordering sambar rice here, it definitely stamps a lot of promise for me...

Next Subha's order of rawa dosa plonked on the table. I have found rawa dosa horribly difficult to make. So I enjoy every opportunity where I get to dig into some thin and crunchy rawa dosa that is just perfectly done.

I had ordered peserette/pesarattu. This is a very interesting dosa variant that has fresh green mung daal soaked and crushed along with the rice to make the batter.


The crisp exterior hid a steaming soft inside and an interesting, simple, filling of chopped onions par cooked with some spices that I could not completely fathom. 

Since the vada sambar had still not arrived, we cancelled the order and ordered a plate of curd rice each.

And of course a meal like this will never be complete without a round of filter coffee!
Of Subha had a second round of coffee. :)

While Subha waddled off to do funky things to her hair, Guru and I were wondering (and wandering) about what we should do to kill time till she was done.


Matunga continues into Kings Circle, so we soon found ourselves crossing the road towards Koolar & Company.

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Our rather distended stomachs did not really permit us to try the Kheema or the Wrestler Omlette...
So Guru and I sat and nursed a nice Irish Terror.

This something I STRONGLY recommend. :) Strong black coffee with whipped cream, demerara, and a splash of run can never be bad.