Weekend Guide: Fishy Business

bpb Freebie: Rich discount on Shocolaat confectionary (call 65174138), exclusively for subscribers. For this and more cool discounts, along with a free weekend guide in your inbox every Friday, enter your email in the subscription box.

bURNER

What: Turning Tables, bpb’s underground kitchen club, to attend email guide@bpbweekend.com – limited seats! Rs 500 this month.

Why: For Turning Tables III, Chef Ashutosh Nerlekar of Olio at Novotel Mumbai goes underground with bpb. That means delish Mediterranean fare whipped up from scratch in a subscriber’s kitchen, interesting conversation and the chance to meet cool new people. Hat trick!

When: March 7 at 8.30 pm.

***

What: Fire twirling workshop, 4th floor, Naval Kunj, Linking Road, Bandra (W), call Janit on 9833879338 or visit the Facebook group here, start at Rs 700 per session.

Why: Janit Gambhir - he’s a flaming wizard! - wants to pass on the torch to you. Learn how to hold, twirl, and set ablaze a fire staff while freestyle dancing on his Bandra terrace. Individual sessions available as well.

When: You deserve an exclusive (m)embership. Every Saturday and Sunday from 6 to 8 pm.

pLANT

What: Sunday Farmer’s Market, Vishnu Prasad Hall, 14th Road, Linking Road Corner, Khar (W), call 9821142700 or visit www.kavitamukhi.com, free entry.

Why: Here, certified organic farmers from all over Maharashtra will sell their crop. Also available will be cooked treats, spices, eco-friendly paper and more. Remember to bring along a shopping bag (or five).

When: You want fresh produce at (f)arm’s length. Every Sunday starting March 21.

***

What: Cast iron animal-shaped watering cans, Contemporary Arts and Crafts, 19 Napean Sea Road, Rs 1,550.

Why: Complete with spouts and sturdy handles, these bright goldfish and roosters are utilitarian enough to give the maali and stylish enough to display amongst your prized blooms.

When: You want a whole new kettle of fish.

***
bEADS

What: Three dimensional necklaces by En Inde, only available at Ensemble, White House, Kemps Corner, start at Rs 5,000.

Why: Delhi-based designer Sonal Sood strings together wooden cubes, ivory stilettos, glossy beads and neon ribbon into jewellery that’s intricate, original and seriously drool-worthy.

When: You want to get all necked up.

***
Event Round-up: Nikhil Chinappa at Valhalla on February 26; Novotel Mumbai kicks off art series titled Woman; &Then’s Union with Wall of the Vjs at Zenzi Mills from February 26 to 28.

bpb Cutting: Master Stroke!

Check out our NEW website at www.bpbweekend.com!

Our weekly pick-tionary of Mumbai happenings.

Batsman extraordinaire! Sachin Tendulkar becomes the first cricketer in the world to score a double century in ODIs. Son of the soil, you make us proud!

Bengaluru skyscraper fire injures over 50, nine dead. R.I.P.

Burberry live streams first 3D fashion show ever, from London Fashion week to custom-designed spaces in New York, Tokyo, LA and Dubai. Style’s new “Avatar”?

Fashion designer Rohit Bal suffers major heart attack on Tuesday, recovering after angioplasty surgery. Get well soon!

Hrithik Roshan steams up the pages with Katrina Kaif in the anniversary issue of Harpers Bazaar. Take what you can get girls, as all the “bold scenes” between Hrithik and Barbara Mori are rumored to have been edited out of Kites.

HSC board exams kick off today with over 11 lakh students taking the test amid reports of flooded help lines, copy cats and shrinking chairs. Good luck, book worms!

IPL is not only a potential terror target, it may also be an agent of global warming: NGO to Supreme Court. Tricky pitch!

National Death Capital? Mumbai has the highest number of accidental deaths in India, new research shows. Case in point: stray bullets from a police firing range hit a parked car and building wall in Powai yesterday. Comforting aim our cops have.

Padma Lakshmi gives birth to baby girl, while lingerie model Angie Valencia is accused of heading one of the world’s biggest drug gangs. Models are the new moms – and mobs!

Rail Budget 2010: No hike in fares, 101 new local train services for Mumbai. Mamata (finally) on the right track?

Say cheese: Indian Memory Project by Swa seeks to preserve national history through old family pictures. Send in your photos here.

bpb Review: Lemon Grass

Check out our NEW website at www.bpbweekend.com!

First Day First Show

As the first walk-in customers at Lemon Grass’s opening night yesterday, we could almost smell the paint drying. The menus were abbreviated and on paper instead of wood (which they plan to upgrade ASAP), a couple of the light bulbs were naked, and our plastic coasters still had tags on them (they’re from Ikea and made in Korea).

Yet, this Asian eatery seems much more sure-footed than most new restaurants. That’s probably because versions of it have toured around the city, moving from another spot in Bandra to Lower Parel before taking over the space formerly occupied by Pot Pourri on Turner Road.

Noise Pollution

An immediate drawback, and one that hits you as soon as you enter the space, is how noisy it is. Some of this is due to the easy-going bonhomie that pervades any good restaurant, but a distressingly large amount of it comes from honking rickshaws on the busy street (which cannot be helped), along with a whirring blender and startlingly loud East Asian music (which really must be fixed).

Décor-wise, Lemon Grass manages to side-step the typically red-and-gold colour scheme, choosing instead much nicer moss green walls painted with white flowers, wooden furniture and pretty lanterns with cut-out stars. Soothing and restful, it dilutes the frenetic cacophony a little.

Taste Buds Take Over

The largely delish – and often fiery – food goes a long way in accomplishing that goal as well. The spicy, mushroom-studded Tom Yum soup (Rs 105), especially. The chilly straw potatoes (Rs 85) are equally spicy and addictive, as is the Bangkok crispy chicken (Rs 125). Mild without being bland, the silky shitake and water chestnut dim sum (Rs 135) is the perfect foil for these.

Mains feature cuisines from as far as Tibet and Sri Lanka, along with the regular Pan Asian countries. We especially loved the cottage cheese, bok choy and veggies in black bean sauce (Rs 215), a regular dish made novel by the nutty, herby gravy that tastes a little different with every bite. Get this with the spinach and burnt garlic fried rice (Rs 120), or order a stir fry bowl (start at Rs 245) – a saucy, satisfying meal unto itself.

The Last Sip

Desserts are limited and disappointing, especially since they’re advertised as Pot Pourri’s selection, which was famous for its sweets. These will probably improve – the chocolate truffle cake was only passable once warmed – but in the meantime we suggest you opt instead for the strawberry guava slush, refreshing, fruity and subtly sweet – a fitting end to a tasty meal, carefully cooked and warmly comforting.

Getting there: Shop no. 4, Carlton Court, Turner-Pali Road junction, Bandra (W), call 26429193, Rs 500 per head without alcohol (liquor license pending).

The Secret Scouters review restaurants anonymously and pay for their own meals.

Garden State

Check out our NEW website at www.bpbweekend.com!

Dancing Shoe

If you see the big old shoe at Hanging Gardens tapping in time to the music this Saturday, don’t be surprised. That’s just the effect the terrifically talented (and cute) boys from Something Relevant, one of the hottest bands around, have on their audiences.

This rock band, along with 24 other musical acts will perform at Malabar Hill’s renowned garden as part of the Space Cadet project. They play this Saturday, soon after their gig at Sula Fest last weekend: we’re sure they’ll be farm fresh and bursting with flavor.

Out of This World

Mumbai has recently begun taking better advantage of its open-aired spaces, but the super pretty Hanging Gardens have until now gone largely unexploited. Something Relevant’s Stuart DeCosta, in partnership with the Bombay Electrik Project and the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, are set to change that with the Space Cadet project.

bpb Preview

So gather up your blanket, break out the picnic basket and get set to rock out. For a small taste of the music to come, we bring you Something Relevant’s top ten track list, exclusively for bpb readers’ listening pleasure. And don’t forget your dancing shoes!

Cat Empire - Days Like These
Dave Matthews Band - Jimi Thing
Fat Freddy’s Drop - Wandering Eye
Amos Lee - Soul Suckers
John Mayer featuring Herbie Hancock - Stitched Up
Jessice5 – Don’t Stop
John Butler Trio - Zebra
Black Eyed Peas featuring Macy Grey - Request Line
Junkyard Groove – It’s Ok
Something Relevant - Eddy on a Roll

Getting there: The Bandstand at Hanging Gardens, Malabar Hill on Saturday, February 27 at 5.30 pm.

bpb Review: Olivet Bleu

Check out our new website on www.bpbweekend.com!

We had to walk for our supper last night, when we went to try out Carter Road’s latest culinary candidate , Olivet Bleu. This lively stretch of Bandra was declared car-free until 10 pm, and pedestrians left the fringes of the road to take centre stage, watching cyclists do wheelies, listening to the sound of roller skates on tarmac and sniffing the delicious food being sold nearby. It was hard to leave this outdoor drama for a shoebox restaurant, but it had to be done.

Cricket, Crepes and Classics

Olivet Bleu is one of those eateries that could have been cosy but ended up being constricting: shocks of fake, fiery autumn leaves closed us in on one side and glittery-gel filled columns on the other. The nail-biting India-South Africa test match played on a flat screen and John Mayer’s throaty voice was on the speakers. At least they have good taste in music.

Replete with typos and seriously lacking variety for vegetarians, the menu claims to go back to basics by serving the best classic recipes. While we decided which “cosmopolitan creation” to order, we overheard the manager mention that their ‘cheff’ as they spell it, used to head Crepe Station. No wonder the menu advertised Crepe Station’s trademarks: hangover, low carb and high protein breakfast options.

French Fried
The continental fare is disproportionately priced, with a basket of fries costing Rs 75 and cheesy garlic bread for Rs 55. The former, crisp and salted, don't come with a garlic-mayo dip, but remember to ask for some. The Crumb Fried Prawns, golden with tinges of lemon juice and hints of mustard are also tasty, but didn’t warrant the Rs 250 price tag.

For mains, we skipped the sizzlers and steaks for Au Gratin (Rs 150), an engaging dish of vegetables laced with stringy cheese and white sauce. The Mushroom and Spinach Sandwich (Rs 110) with cheese and black olives, however, was a little too bitter and dry for our liking. We finished our meal with Nutella milkshake (Rs 110), which was appropriately chocolaty, but we wish the milk they’d used had been richer. Brownies and caramel custard are other available options.

Taking It In our Stride
We’re not sure that Olivet Bleu is worth a second trip. Not because the food is bad, or the service shoddy. They faired decently on both counts, actually. But at Rs 600 for two, there are far better, prettier options in the vicinity.

We walked out at 10.15 pm to zooming tires and exhaust-belching autos. Bandra was no longer car-free; and we’d missed it all for a banal baked dish.

Getting there: Olivet Bleu, Carter Road, next to Red Ninja, Bandra (W), call 64461777.

The Secret Scouters review restaurants anonymously and pay for their own meals.

Weekend Guide: Secret City

Check out our new website on www.bpbweekend.com!

bpb FREEBIE: Delish deal on culinary workshops by Le 15 Patisserie. For this and other discounts, as well as a FREE weekend guide in your inbox every Friday, enter your email in the subscription box.

bRIBE

What: Bar week, part of bpb’s Secret Mumbai initiative, join the Facebook group here, for queries email secretmumbai@bpbweekend.com, free.

Why: bpb puts Mumbai in the Secret Cities running. In a bid to get you to share your favourite hangouts on our Facebook page, we’re planting gifts at partnering bars all over the city, beginning with Bandra. So visit Bonobo this Thursday, The Den on Friday, Salt Water Café on Saturday, Mocha Mojo on Sunday, Soul Fry on Monday, and you might get lucky!

When: You want a shhh(ot) on the house. From Feb 25 to March 1.

pAN(T)

What: Houndstooth messenger bag for men, Lord K, email karishma@princessek.com, visit her Facebook group here or call 9892135331, Rs 2,500.

Why: With their burly detailing, leather flaps and black & white checks, these bags put the macho back in the murse. They come in denim as well, but we like those better for girls.

When: You want to be a strapping young man.

***
What: International culinary workshops, Le 15 Central Kitchen, shop 2, B wing, Rajgruha Co-Op, VM Marg, near India Bulls Building, Lower Parel, call 9820487727 or email le15patisserie@gmail.com, Rs 2,000 per class, 10% off for bpb!

Why: In less time than it takes to scope out a good caterer, you can learn how to whip up your own Parisian tarts, cream cheese cupcakes or breakfast complete with waffles and French toast. Next week, Le 15 Patisserie is getting chefs from Korea to France to conduct two-hour gourmet cooking workshops in the city. Pot luck!

When: March 3 to 8, see full schedule here.

bANK

What: Purse Fund piggy bank from Yellow Submarine, call Nisha Charnia on 9820497905 or email nisha@samtex.co.in to order, Rs 299.

Why: Jean Paul vault-ier! If you don’t have enough for a designer bag just yet, this pretty ‘Purse Fund’ money box will get you started.

When: You love it so clutch.

***
What: Lime Date Coconut and Anjeer Amaranth health bars, Nourish Organics, available at Guardian Pharmacy at Inorbit Mall, Vashi; Muse, Kala Ghoda and GNC Live Well outlets, Rs 330 for a box of six.

Why: Bursting with unusual flavours, these bars taste far better than any other diet food we’ve found and are packed with wonder ingredients like pumpkin seeds, buck wheat, honey and raisins. Apple, date and ginger versions are available as well.

When: You want both, brawn and grains.

***

Event Round-Up: Free style footballers take over Carter Road’s amphitheatre on February 19 at 4 pm; Shahid Dattawala’s photography exhibit at Matthieu Foss Gallery; and jazz/blues band Airport lands at Bonobo on Feb 21 at 7 pm.

bpb Cutting: Where’s the Love?

Check out our website on www.bpbweekend.com!

African American Utsav kicks off at the American Center with a series of musical performances and film screenings. Homage to the homies!

Bal Thackeray consents to Australian participation in the IPL3. “If people themselves have no faith, why should Shiv Sainiks and I suffer and protest?” he asks. Selfish Sainiks? We like!

Drink Me! Manish Arora takes part in an international designer (tea) party of 9 , including Chloe and the late Alexander McQueen, that fashion Alice in Wonder Land-inspired window dressings at Paris store Printemps.

German Bakery: The Anti Terror Squad makes its first arrests in the bomb blast that ripped through this iconic Pune landmark leaving 11 dead, more than 60 injured, and the rest of India heartbroken. R.I.P.

I just made love. This awesome website shows a world map indicating places where people have just had sex. You can mark your territory too, complete with sex positions and exclamations.

Loyal followers: Mid Day trailed Brown Paper Bag on Punjab Grill and Escobar reviews; HT Cafe covers The Den three days after us, and Burrp picks up on Ray’s Cafe and Pizzeria and Mosate late. Come on guys, catch up!

Mile High Club: Asian airports ranked the top five in the world, with Hyderabad at number 5. When will Mumbai make its landing?

Priyanka Chopra gets a custom-designed pair of stilettos by Salvatore Ferragamo. Sadly, this pair doesn’t knock us off our feet.

Salman Rushdie, Dostoyevsky and William Dalrymple get cheap at the annual Strand Book Sale where novels are at up to 80% off. Hottest pick-ups this week!

Sea Link: As cyclists get ready to race across the Bandra-Worli Sea Link in The Tour de Mumbai Cyclothon this Sunday, the government plans to install car-scanning X-ray machines on the bridge. Lean, green and fully seen?

Secret cities springing up all over Facebook. Brown Paper Bag puts Mumbai in the running. Join the covert operation here!

Test tweet. Indian Premiere League chief Lalit Modi tweets about television news channels vs IPL row. Who are you batting for?

War of Words: Aamir Khan refuses to reconsider his resignation from the Centre’s expert panel on Copyright Act after heated stand-off with Javed Akhtar. And with that, we sign off!

bpb Review: Noah’s

A plastic menu offering Mushroom Vul-Au-Vent, Corn Florentine with béchamel sauce, and three kinds of brulee (vanilla, coffee, passion fruit); Prawn Provencal served with paper napkins; a whopping lunch bill of Rs 1,000 per head scrawled on crumpled paper – these are the incongruities that characterise Noah’s, a hidden restaurant at Cumballa Hill, which serves cuisine fancy enough for an upscale restaurant (with prices to match), but offers the ambience of your neighbourhood clubhouse.

Of Tip-Offs and Tempura

Tried this little hidden place, great gnocchi, no one knows about it! It was this tip-off from a loyal subscriber that led us to Noah’s, marked by nothing more than a paper flyer taped outside a wooden door. And the gnocchi did turn out to be awesome, as did our starters of warm ratatouille tarts, crunchy bruschetta loaded with olive and cheese, and succulent Moroccan kebabs that came embellished with a plummy tomato sauce good enough to eat by the spoonful. Our prawn tempura could have been crispier, but it made up in looks (curvy, golden and shimmering under honey-chilli sauce) what it lacked in taste.

Mains of the above mentioned gnocchi, and spinach and corn crepes were similarly delish. The crepes, tubes of freshly hand-rolled pasta pregnant with blanched spinach and bright kernels of corn were served on a plate modelled after a garden, decorated with sprigs of olive tapenade. Complementing them was a mound of vegetable ratatouille, fragrant and bursting with flavor. Dessert (see picture) consisted of an absolutely sinful molten chocolate cake with raspberry reduction, delightfully piquant fruit sorbets that made our mouths pucker like we were imli-eating kids, and a strictly okay brownie.

Decorating the Plate, but Not the Wall

The reason why we’re focusing solely on the food rather than talking about the décor or ambience at Noah’s is because the restaurant seems like a work-in-progress. An ambitious project that someone completed halfway (getting the open kitchen, with its high-tech looking stainless steel appliances and the food absolutely right) and then abandoned, without worrying about the décor ( white walls and mismatched wooden furniture).

A Big Bite

One bite of the passion fruit sorbet, however, and you’ll forget about everything else but the food, which is beautiful and complex enough to keep you engaged for your entire meal.But be warned: the bill, shockingly oversized for this tiny eatery in the wall, will bring you right back to your rickety chair.

Getting there: Mohammedbhai Mansion, Kemp’s Corner, Cumballa Hill Hospital Lane, next to Images, call 23896111.

Work in Progress

Check out our NEW website at www.bpbweekend.com!

Gallery BMB gets a shot of estrogen with Her Work is Never Done, an exhibit that opens today and will run through February and March, featuring the works of 26 female artists, including photographers and milliners, architects and painters.

While the works - sculptures, canvasses, video footage, mobiles and various other kinds of installations - revolve principally around women and their issues, they also embody fresh viewpoints and are far more complex than the usual brand of bra-burning feminism.

Giant Lips, Quirky Headgear and a Hidden Baby

Aishwarya Laxmi’s eye-catching canvasses are the first things you see when you walk in the door. These psychedelic collages made from photographs of Brazilian transvestites, painted and super-imposed with other images like exaggerated lips, huge eyes, a little hatchback, an iguana, a porcelain toilet, a flower-shaped ring on which a bee feeds. Luridly colored and larger than life, they are disturbing, hypnotic and beautiful all at the same time.

Shilpa Chavan, who designs hats and other accessories under the Little Shilpa brand, shows the sculpture of a woman wearing a backlit skirt that hides a baby. She’s embellished with a jumble of household items, including plastic combs and sweepers, kitchen strainers and ribbons. On her head sit a bunch of steel rotors that turn ominously, and she’s zipped into a corset of sagging boobs and pregnant tummy, her features hidden behind a black veil. All the clichés of female incarceration, but delivered with an unconventional twist.

P.G. Wodehouse and PG 13

Also noteworthy are Leena Kejriwal’s “Kolkata Indulging” artworks, a series of backlit paintings that depict typically Bengali scenes - a well-rounded, smug lady with keys tied to her sari pallu; a babu walking a dog called Tommy, the pictures of a popular Bengali seductress and a Ferragamo ad projected in the background; a horse carriage clomping along with shoes hanging from its rear - but also seem like they’re straight out of a P.G. Wodehouse novel.

There are many more. An installation of glossy eggs trapped inside a tangle of wire by Nisha Ghosh sits in the main room, while the back portraits of four women in starched kanjivaram sarees, jasmine flowers in their hair, line the wall of a smaller space on the side. In yet another section, a mix of (sometimes explicit) posters and video installations by Blank Noise, an organisation against eve teasing, are displayed.

Clockwork Orange

It’s almost too much to take in during one visit. We suggest you go when you have a couple of hours to spare, armed with an open mind and the seriously good orange rinds dipped in chocolate from Sleight of Hand, the bakery across the street. You’ll find that Her Work is Never Done is definitely one of the most interesting “works in progress” that the city has to offer right now.

Getting there: Gallery BMB, Queens Mansion, GT Marg, Fort, call 2200 0061 or visit www.gallerybmb.com.

Bpb Review: Mosate

Visit our new website on www.bpbweekend.com!

The red velvet booth with a crystal chandelier was where the DJ console stood; elegant diners have usurped space previously occupied by belligerent beer drinkers; and air once heavy with nicotine and Tom Jones’ gravelly vocals in now infused with soothing Buddha bar notes.

After a long hiatus from Bandra’s bar scene, retro-rock spot Club IX is back in a new avatar - Pan Asian restaurant Mosate, apparently named after a royal Thai village.

Eager Beaver
Just four days old, Mosate is eager to please and manages to do so on most counts. Thankfully, it doesn’t fall into the Chinese silk-red-lantern trap (but the beige and brown interiors aren’t exactly remarkable either). The drinks are a steal (a peg of Glenfiddich for Rs 250), and the food, well-priced (a prawn appetiser costs Rs 250) and flavourful.

Mosate’s Compositions
We began our meal with chilled beers and margheritas, along with our (endearingly nervous) waiter’s recommendation of Prawn Chilli Wine with spring onions (Rs 250), vibrant with sweet and spicy notes, which we loved. That, along with fiery Tom Yum soup and a sizzling mound of bright red cottage cheese and spicy cabbage, were great picks too. The spinach, cheese and burnt garlic momos with their gummy, rubbery exterior, however, are better on paper than on plate.

Main and Able
For mains, the menu offers choices from Korea, Thailand, China, Japan and beyond. We got the Nasi Goreng (Rs 145) and chicken in black bean sauce (Rs 240) – both exceedingly tasty. At Rs 220, the Khowsuey too, is a good deal. They even threw in Thai crispy veggies on the house, because we were early bird diners.

Dessert Cart
For dessert, a tray holding perfect squares of blueberry cheese cake, Irish whisky slice with biscuit base, gooey chocolate pie and Mikado cake was brought to our table. After much debate, we opted for the last option – a slice of surprisingly light chocolate fudge served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Tasty, but the regret of not ordering the blueberry cheesecake lingered bitter on our palates. Perhaps, next time.

Presenting the Past
The misses during our meal were minor: take for instance, the Indian classical music that played for the first ten minutes of our dinner. Total misfit! Or the incongruous Mexican salsa dip that was served (in addition to a yummy oriental one) with the momos. But at these prices, we weren’t about to nitpick. At the end of the meal, we felt no need to dig nostalgically into Mosate’s history. Satisfied, satiated, we’re happy right here, right now, allowing Tom Jones’ Sex Bomb to fade away into the past, we concluded.

Getting there: Mosate, Jharna Apts, Dr Ambedkar Road, next to Barbeque Nation, Khar (W), call 26465133/34.

The Secret Scouters review all restaurants anonymously and pay for their own meals.

My Wilted Valentine

bpb Freebie: Indulge in a session at the Grand Hyatt’s brand new couples-only Wine Spa (read our review here), and get a juicy deal at their Christiaan Georgio salon. For this and other exclusive discounts, along with a FREE weekend guide in your inbox every Friday, enter your email in the subscription box.

bpb Exclusive: Subscribers gain access to Bonobo’s invite-only Wingman Party for Valentine’s Day. Show up with your favorite wingman (they have to be of the opposite sex) and let the games begin! Call 9820308156 to register.

bROKEN HEARTED

What: Multipurpose pocket slasher, call Rucha on 9869355416/ 65597609 or visit her stall at Times Lifestyle exhibit at Bandra Kurla Complex until Feb 21, Rs 120.

Why: If love hurts then fight back with bpb’s sharpest pick: A super-edgy steel card with saw blade, knife edge, butterfly wrench, cap and can opener, screwdriver and ruler cutouts.

When: You want to meet the love of your knife.

***

What: Single on Board car stickers, Wishing Tree, Ganga Vihar, C Road, Marine Drive, call 9987173056, Rs 200.

Why: Because you’re in need of a partner, and you’re too broke to take out a full page ad. These stickers are eye-catching, funny and may actually help you score a pillion. Hey, you never know, right?

When: You need a pimp for your ride.

pOOR

What: Champagne on the cheap, The Den wine bar, Shop no 3 & 4, Prabhat Kunj, 24th Road, next to Elbo Room, Bandra (W), call 26483136, cocktails for Rs 250.

Why: The wine-steins over at brand new Den – another bpb scoop! - stock over 55 labels of vino and champagne. These are coupled with hazelnut, blue curacao, lychee and more treats to make affordable, yummy cocktails. Bpb loves: The cask-shaped tables, Chilean imports, spicy Arabiatta and alternate rock playlist.

When: You want chic for cheap: a wine-wine situation.

***

What: Short Note serenading workshop, call Kunal Basu on 9819758134, see his MySpace page here, Rs 1,000 for two sessions.

Why: bpb invent! You may not have the time (or talent) to become the next John Mayer, but the guitar guru who invented Chord Wizard is giving you a shortcut to getting some. Love. Even if you’ve never held a guitar before, his two session workshop will teach you how to play your partner’s favourite love songs. You can also opt for his standard tracklist - When you Say Nothing at All, Wonderful Tonight, I’d Love you to Want Me, Stand by Me, Love Me Do.

When: You want to (almost) Pay Nothing at All.

bRIDE, CORPSE

What: Manimal graphic objects d’art, email manimal.manas@gmail.com or call 9833037966, view the Facebook group here, start at Rs 450.

Why: Because applied artist Manav Kunder’s jaggedy, Tim Burton-esque graphics are a breath of fresh air in a kitschy-rickshaw choked market. You can buy his pre-made T-shirts and bags, or better yet, have him draw on your favorite objects: vinyl records, sheath dresses, bedroom wall.

When: You want to start a pen drive.

Event Round-up: Ma Faiza spins at Valhalla on Saturday, February 13; Parachute XVI perform at Blue Frog on Saturday, February 13; and catch the Nrityagram Dance Ensemble at the Kala Ghoda Amphitheatre on Sunday, February 14.

bpb Cutting: Of Bums, Bachchan and Brinjals

Check out our new website on www.bpbweekend.com!

Bpb’s weekly pick-tionary of Mumbai happenings.

Amitabh Bachchan launches his new vocal blog or “vog”, Bol Bachchan, which can be accessed through your mobile phone. Golly Vog!

Bachata music weekend at Zenzi on Feb 13 and 14, with a ton of workshops, dance performances and parties straight from the Dominican Republic. Step on it!

Freida Pinto bares her prized (ass)ets on Elle’s February cover. Find out if she’s a millionaire.

Dadar’s famous flower market is up for a make-over, with the Bombay High Court approving a redevelopment project for the 80 year old market. Flower power, just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Genetically modified Bt brinjals canned until fresh round of safety tests are conducted. Let genes remain in the bottle, we say!

Lemon Loving at Le Dolce Vita, Breach Candy’s tiny new bakery. Get the citrus cupcakes and Lemon Drizzle Cake. At Shankar Mahal, Sophia College Lane, Breach Candy, call 9820661322.

Mukesh Ambani and Subroto Roy deny rumours that they are both bidding for a 51% stake in England’s Liverpool football club. Big players, those two.

Mumbai’s beds not amongst Tripadvisor’s Ten Dirtiest Asia Hotels, while Delhi and Chennai get busted. Neat!

Stripes taking over Mumbai? Hordes of Facebookers join Save our Tigers campaign; ’93 blast mastermind Tiger Memon is Pak’s ISI man; and Uddhav’s paper tigers continue to attack My Name is Khan. When will the sitting government stop pussy-footing around?

Vindaloo Against Violence! A Melbourne woman uses desi food to support the Indian community in Australia against racist attacks.

X-rays get sexed up as Shah Rukh Khan autographs his airport full body scan for female security officers. Experts highlight privacy concerns for (not-so-well endowed) travellers.

Zero denomination notes, over 10 lakh to be precise, have been printed and distributed as part of NGO 5th Pillar India’s Freedom from Corruption campaign. Fork it over to anyone demanding a bribe, they say. India’s second zero to the world?

Malmal Over It

Everything about Malmal, Bandra's new fashion and lifestyle store, is pretty. Here, filigree necklaces are displayed on star lanterns, gota slippers sit atop bright orange platforms and blooming leheriya flower clips grace well-groomed wigs. All of these, plus overflowing clothes racks scattered through different areas of the store, can be a little overwhelming when you first walk in. Where to begin?

We suggest you start with in-house solid coloured day kurtas with pintuck detailing (Rs 990 and up) and move onto UVI’s shimmery dresses. We didn't, however, care much for the fusion style printed tunics or the kurtas (start at Rs 3,000). Malmal also customises designs and sizes.

Bid on the Buds
Personally, we found that the accessory shelf had more life than the ones bearing clothes. Madras and mangalgiri fabric bags with leather handles (Rs 2,250) and monochrome strappy flats (Rs 750) were tempting buys. But most of all, we loved Malmal’s flora, creatively crafted from tie-and-dye, gota and other fabrics, and stuck onto pins, brooches, bags (start at Rs 150). Get a bunch and you’ll be the centerpiece at your next party!

Cross Pollination
Malmal owner Aleena Jetha, also the woman behind Mudd Day Spa and Salon at Bandstand, has wisely cross promoted her two ventures. Shopping for Rs 1,000 and more at Malmal (which isn’t hard) entitles you to all kinds of cool freebies at the spa. You can also buy Mudd beauty products, soothing music CDs and super cute eye pillows with essential oils.

Prove your Kettle
Before you leave, check out the top shelves for quirky independent brand Pyjama Party’s piping hot Masala Chai collection, featuring brightly coloured kettles with artsy detailing (Rs 650). Designer Rithika Kumar will also be selling these and Mumbai-inspired rickshaws, cutting chai tea candles and more at Candies’ Bazaar & Bling on February 13.

Aaand it’s a wrap!

Getting there: Malmal Boutique, Maleagrina Building, ground floor, 494 Linking Road, diagonally McDonalds, Bandra (W), call 26041986 / 9920080160.

America Pie

Check out our new website on www.bpbweekend.com!

Hidden behind Nature’s Basket on one of Bandra’s busiest roads, the lack of valet parking at Ray's Cafe and Pizzeria is inconvenient, to say the least. Despite that, the popularity of this new eatery is rising faster than the crusts in their Italian stone ovens.

Beauty of the Yeast

Like one of our bpb subscribers pointed out, Rays has “the best pizza this side of NYC”. And that’s exactly what founders Hemant and Rashmi Mehta are going for. “Not the authentic Italian style. More saucy, New York City.” This culinary couple started Pizzeria at Marine Drive back in 1995, then lived in California for over a decade, and are now back in Mumbai with a secret pizza sauce recipe. One bite into their artisan, no-cheese-vegan slice with olive-oil drizzled sauce, and you’ll believe them when they say that Rashmi makes the tomato base fresh every morning. The dough too, is given special attention by an Italian kneader.

Base Camp
We started with the nine inch Margherita (Rs 180), simple, but so well done that it took its modest ingredients to a new high. The crust sat perfectly between a thin paapad-like base and a fat, doughy one. With their basics down to a pat, you’ll hardly feel the need to slap exotic ingredients on to your pizza. But they’re there if you want to – prosciutto ham, Italian sausage, barbecue chicken and the works.

Although the flip side of the menu – they also serve salads, burgers and sandwiches – recommended a tempting Ray’s “The Works” Turkey Sandwich, it seemed pretty steep for Rs 325. We settled instead for the classic burger with a flavourful stuffing, spicy-mustard mayo sauce and a side of fries (Rs 175). The penny-pinching wasn’t regretted. Dessert-of-the-day apple pie with a crisp, mildly charred crust and vanilla ice cream was a happy ending to the mean meal we’d just chowed down.

On a second rather hurried visit, the New York Dog (Rs 175) with sauteed onions turned out to be a good pick-up, as did the 17 inch pizza-by-the-slice.

Not a Drop to Drink

While we sat in the al fresco section of the café, we wished that there wasn’t a glass wall between us and the many bottles of wine a few feet away. Ray’s doesn’t serve alcohol yet, but offers a direct view of the Nature’s Basket wine section. Cruel!

Overall, Ray’s Café and Pizzeria is worth a visit. And then a few more. Sure, it’s a little pricey, but judging from the weekend turn out, Mumbai’s foodies have the dough.

Getting there: 133, Gazebo House, Hill Road, behind Nature’s Basket, Bandra (W), call 26451414 / 26451616 or visit www.rayscafeandpizzeria.com, 11 am to 11 pm. Home delivery, and a wine & beer menu to start soon.

Postcard from Kuala Lumpur

Check out our new website on www.bpbweekend.com!

Trading one big city for another, we escaped Mumbai for a weekend in Kuala Lumpur, complete with shopping sprees, Starbucks coffee, and dazzling views of the Petronas Towers. But even surrounded by massive malls, drowning in flavourful ramen soup and dizzy from the heady pleasure of shopping at Dior, we didn’t forget about you. Here are our recommendations of what to do in KL, a metropolis slick with oil money and urban cool.

Eat

KL features a ton of international chains, including Chili’s, Burger King and – lo and behold! – California Pizza Kitchen. But the city’s indigenous food scene is just as vibrant. Street corners all over the city have local kopi tiams or coffee shops that serve like Nasi Gorang and drunken noodles, fast and on the cheap.

Little Penang Kafe at KLCC is more upscale, and offers yum Malay coastal cuisine. We loved the Penang Rojak, a confection of squid, mango and cucumbers, all smothered in a treacly, deeply flavourful sauce. You should also try the (really) spicy beef curry, and not leave without a helping of traditional shaved ice dessert. They do customised dishes for vegetarians as well.

Beef lovers will also love Ninja Jones, a Japanese restaurant specialising in (relatively reasonable) Wagyu beef cooked many different ways and served with a side of amusing gimmicks, including waiters in ninja uniforms.

Getting there: Little Penang Kafe, level 4, Surya KLCC Mall, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, call +6021630215, approximately 80 RN for a meal for two; Ninja Jones A-G-5,ground floor, Northpoint, Mid valley City, No.1 Medan Syed Putra Utara, call +60 22881646, approximately 100 RN for a meal for two.

Shop

KL is a mall town, a fact that probably owes a lot to the brutally hot weather and sudden showers of torrential rain. Most retail malls are concentrated in the city centre, including the Pavilion and Surya KLCC, which occupies the bottom six floors of the Petronas Towers. Everything from Top Shop to Miu Miu can be found here, although at higher prices than in Europe and the States. We were transported straight to retail heaven when we spied a collection of Desigual at Parkson in the Pavilion, a Spanish label popular for unapologetically colourful clothes that are refreshingly different and still easy to wear. Look out for the anime screen-printed jersey dresses and t-shirts with billowing chiffon sleeves. Local fashion, alas, is hard to find.

Getting there: Surya KLCC Mall, Kuala Lumper City Centre; Pavilion Shopping Centre, 168 Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.

Cheers!

7atenine is the quintessential urban-Asian bar: poppy, posh and cute all at the same time. The decor is all white, featuring chairs upholstered with plastic “massage bubbles” and multi-coloured laser beams; the crowd is young, stylish and predominantly expat; and the DJ loves Britney Spears. The menu, however, is far from frivolous – it’s astonishingly comprehensive, featuring among other drinks, seven kinds of caiproskas, at least 30 different wines and eight mojitos, including a spicy mango version that rather than being cloyingly fruity was subtly flavoured, well-spiced and came with a sprig of spring onion. The mojito at La Bodega in Bangsar too, is super delicious; the tapas bar also boasts a great collection of international beers, wines and single malts, along with fun late-night munchies.

Getting there: 7atenine, Ascott Kuala Lumpur, 9 Jalan Pinang, call +60321627789, 30 RN for a mojito; La Bodega, 16 Jalan Telawi, Bangsar, call +060322878318, 35 RN for a mojito.

Zoom!

Ready to rock and roll, we decided to go try our luck at the casinos of the Genting Highlands Resort an hour out of KL, and came away unimpressed with the lacklustre spaces, overtly tourist vibe and largely amateur crowds. We suggest you get your thrill instead by Go Karting at the Sepang Karting Circuit right next to the international airport. Here, you get to navigate a miniature of the Malaysian Formula 1 track. Beware: KL weather means that you’ll probably have to drive part of your race in the pouring rain; all the more challenging. Ready, set, go!

Getting there: Jalan Pekeliling, 64000 KLIA, Selangor Darul Ehsan, call +60387782200, approximately RN 60 for 15 minutes.

Weekend Guide: Movers & Shakers

Check out our new website on www.bpbweekend.com!

bpb freebie: Celebrity yoga trainer bends over backwards for bpb subscribers at her new wellness studio, Cosmic Fusion. For this and more discounts, enter your email in the subscription box.

bRICK

What: Ray’s Cafe and Pizzeria, behind Nature’s Basket, Hill Road, Bandra (W), start at Rs 160.

Why: bpb scoop! Within these rustic yellow walls and picket fences, you can enjoy pizza by the slice and rare vegan and no sauce options. Owned by the guys who started Pizzeria at Churchgate, this all-day café makes its debut today at 6:30 pm.

When: You want to sing for your supper - Dough-Ray-Me!

***

What: Super suds for men and women from Soap Opera, call 9930842861 to order, start at Rs 70.

Why: These soaps are hand-crafted with notes from the renowned Grasse perfumeries in France, and can be customised to carry the scent of your favourite cologne. Available in over 100 shapes from Dali-ish lips to fun chappals, cast these Soap Opera specials in your next shower scene. They’re naturals!

When: You need a lather figure.

pRET

What: Nine day road trip to Bhutan, Roadtripper, view the Facebook page here, call Rahat Nathani on 9833282400 or email roadtrippermail@gmail.com, price on request.

Why: Because once you go yak, you'll never come back! There's nothing like driving through the Himalayas in the spring. Handle a 4x4 on hairpin curves and take in the snow peaks during a riverside camp. The newly launched Roadtripper does customised vacations as well.

When: April 24 to May 2. Early bird discount for those who register before February 15.

***

What: Made-to-order headgear for men and women from Nisha Abraham, call 9820479775, start at Rs 1,500.

Why: This racing season our money’s on celebrity madhatter Nisha Abraham’s quirky headgear. Having just helped the gamblers in upcoming Teen Patti keep their heads, she’ll now top yours with giant funky fedoras, metallic head corsages, and Brazilian carnival-inspired feather barrettes.

When: You need a band aid.


bATTER

What: Artisan brownie mix, 63 Kamal Mansion, Walkeshwar, call Pallavi Sheth at 9820120098, starts at Rs 200 for ½ kg.

Why: Earning brownie points has never been easier. Pass off this baker extraordinaire’s treats as your own by simply adding eggs and butter to her magic mix. Comes in walnut and chocolate chip flavors.

When: You want to be a beater cock.

***

Event Round Up: Kala Ghoda Art Festival starts Feb 6; Rhythms in Nature featuring Zakir Husaain at NCPA on Feb 10; get awesome booze deals at Oba Bar Night on Feb 10; attend Bass Camp, Zenzi Mills’ quarterly electronic music festival on Feb 12.

bpb Cutting: Minding Mumbai

Introducing our weekly pick-tionary of this week in Mumbai.

A. R. Rahman takes home two Grammys, but the women steal the show. Jai Ho, Beyonce, Pink and Lady Gaga!

Dog Days in the city. India’s first canine carnival concluded last Sunday, complete with doggie food cooking lessons, personality contests and beauty pageants. Bark raving mad!

Girls are the new drunk driving suspects. Relinquish the wheel, ladies!

Kala Ghoda Arts Festival kicks off February 6. UK Beat Boxer group performance on February 7 is a dark horse.

Lisa Hayden goes topless in latest Harper’s Bazaar. The view from this fishbowl must be pretty spectacular.

Lonely Planet Magazine's India edition launched on January 31. Maximum City, found.

Manchester United Café Bar opened on February 2 with much fan-fare at the Palladium. Score!

Monorail’s first trial in Mumbai is successful; CM hopes to launch a full fledged sky-bound public transport system within the next year. In over their heads?

Mumbai International Film Festival kicks off, showcasing 200 international animated movies, shorts and documentaries. Good thing, since My Name is Khan’s arrival next weekend looks unstable. MIFFed!

Rahul Gandhi “still single despite advancing age and it is in this frustration he has insulted Marathi people and Maharashtra”: Shiv Sena explains lay(ed) of the land.

Richard Bona, bassist and singer, rocks out at Blue Frog; described by a club partner as their best act of the year. Bona– fide!

SRK offends Sena’s delicate sentiments, Mumbai theaters pressured into pulling down My Name is Khan posters. Where’s the love, asks the superstar on new GQ India cover.

Did we miss something? Send us pointers at guide@bpbweekend.com, and we’ll add them in!

If the Choux Fits

Check out our NEW website at www.bpbweekend.com!

Here’s another surprise offering from a city that never ceases to think out of the box – five star hotel with a dabba service! La Patisserie, deli and dessert shop at the Taj Mahal Hotel and Palace, has just introduced a lunchbox delivery option, where a salad, sandwich, puff and pastry is neatly packed into pretty pink and white boxes and sent directly to your desk. All this, at a relatively reasonable price: Rs 325 for the vegetarian version, and Rs 395 for non-vegetarians.

Puff of Smoke (Salmon)

In our fantasy lunchbox, the deli’s woodsy mushroom salad jostles for space with a turkey and Gruyere bagel and a prawn turnover. Working through these, we move inexorably towards the pièce de résistance – a fresh cream éclair. One of bpb’s best guarded secrets, this flaky, decadent confection doesn’t feature on the menu and has to be ordered a day in advance, but it’s the most ridiculously indulgent choux pastry in the city. Vegetarians should get the crunchy bell pepper sandwich and Thai puff.

You can order these as a one-off meal, or set up a more regular arrangement with Maya Vaidya, the affable manager at La Patisserie. They’ve also started all-day delivery of their other produce, and will send over everything from Camembert to cold cuts, pumpernickel bread to six grain buns.

Going Against the Grain

There are, however, snags that the brand new service still has to iron out – minimum delivery charges are Rs 500, which means you can’t order a single lunch. Also, there seems to be some confusion about which items are included in the box: during one phone conversation we were informed that the scheme doesn’t apply to special sandwiches; in another instance, the smoke salmon sandwich was also made exempt; during our last call, all options were magnanimously offered.

Third time’s the charm, we guess.

Getting there: La Patisserie, Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Apollo Bunder, call 66653366, start at Rs 325.

Hungry for More?

If deli dabbas don’t pass muster(d), check out our other in-box recommendations. Bon appetite!

Love Lunch: With Japanese, Burmese, Thai, American, Lebanese and Italian fare on the menu, it's all about loving your lunch.

Calorie Care: Crafted by dieticians and chefs, these yummy but low cal soups and salads are brought straight to your desk.

Zenzi Mills: Our favourite foodsters deliver their delicious China boxes all over Lower Parel.

Sushi Spice: With takeout fliers, a free home delivery number, and a make-sushi-more-accessible business plan, these guys are bringing the Japanese delicacy from the classes to the masses!

bpb Breakfast: Kriya Later!

Check out our NEW website at www.bpbweekend.com!

Get your fill of pretzel twists at Cosmic Fusion, the newest yoga studio and wellness centre in Bandra, which offers everything from a kriya cleansing room and crystal healing expert to Buddhist chant Sundays and physiotherapist-induced muscle massages. Gimmicky? Maybe. But we like the whole-istic package.


Ommm-y God!

This week-old wellness studio was founded by Payal Gidwani along with husband Manish Tiwari, the duo who has all of Bollywood - from Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan to Rani Mukerjee - gaga over yoga. It’s nice however, that despite the starry connections and gimmicky set up, the yoga here is unadulterated. “We plan to stick to the more traditional practices that have better long term effects than the contemporary versions”, says Payal, who has been teaching yoga for eight years now.


Class Conscious

Predictably, the waiting area at Cosmic Fusion is adorned with Buddha busts and floating lotuses, but the clichés are calming and welcome. While the mirrored, wooden yoga studio is up and running practically every hour of the day, other features like muscle relief massage room are yet to begin functioning. Several therapies like the Japanese Theta Healing and Brick remedy will also make their city debut in the coming weeks.

We’re not sure about the exotic treatments, but with this celebrity trainer’s yoga asanas, looks like a Kareena-esque hot body is just around the bend!

Getting there: Cosmic Fusion, a/2 wing, 101, Lok Nirman Towers, Ambedkar Road, Khar (W), call 26488055/56 or visit www.cosmicfusion.in, Rs 3,500 a month for 12 classes.