A TASTE OF MODERN EATERIES IN JAIPUR

At the Jaipur Literature Festival this year. Akhila and I chanced upon a session "Table For Four: Delhi's Dining Legacy" in which Vir Sanghvi was discussing the book of the same title with Sunil Kant Munjal, one of its three authors. Four well-known industrialists and Doon School friends, Munjal, Nitan Kapoor, Ajay Shriram and Deepak Nirula, used to get together and meet for lunch in the upcoming restaurants of Delhi. Nirula passed away in 2022 and the other three decided to record their dining experiences producing an interesting record of Delhi's evolving culinary history.

Winding up the session, Sunil Munjal singled Florence as the best city for food connoisseurs and mentioned Delhi and Bombay (that's how I have always known it) as cities in India where the food revolution continues to gain momentum day by day. I wish he had kept an eye on Jaipur more closely as on my visits to Jaipur every 2-3 months, I discover new places every time. I am not a food expert but as I love the city of Jaipur, I try and keep track of eateries worth visiting. So let me just list a few to show how food venues in the city are keeping pace with the ever increasing number of tourists thanks in no small measure to the internationally famous annual Jaipur Literature Festival.

We start with one of the older modern ones, "Tapri Central". Basically a tea house with a large variety of tea to choose from, what makes it special is the spectacular rooftop view it provides overlooking the Central Park and surrounding areas. Order some 'chaat' with masala tea, watch the glorious sunset and the lights coming up in the city.

Across the road in Central Park, a vegetarian restaurant named "Peepal" has recently opened up. The food and decor are a great blend of tradition and modernity. The restaurant is gaining popularity for its Sunday brunch.

On the West end of Central Park is the famous Rambagh Hotel voted a couple of years back by Trip Advisor as the best hotel in the world. Its "Steam" bar and restaurant, unique for being housed in a couple of train bogies connected to a steam locomotive, is easily one of the best eateries in Jaipur known for its 'global comfort cuisine'. There is outdoor seating by the swimming pool as well and you can wallow in the ambience while feasting on Italian, Mediterranean or Thai cuisine.

Next to the Hotel, there is the Rajasthan Polo Club, old by itself but its dining room has recently been given a bright yellow and blue striped look and named Polo Palladio as it shares its Dutch architect, Marie-Anne Oudejans, with the very popular Bar Palladio owned by the Italian Barbara Miolini in nearby Narain Niwas Palace. Polo Palladio serves typical clubhouse food like club sandwiches and burgers as also Persian pulaos and kebabs. The best part is that you don't have to be a member of the Club but can pay a small fees and use the restaurant. And if the Polo season is on, you can watch the game in progress while tending to your tummy!

A place that caught my eye just a few days ago is "Nouba" Restaurant on Sarojini Marg, 'C' Scheme. It boasts of a Rooftop Lounge which looks over the Eastern half of Jaipur which you might have missed from Tapri Central. Here you can gorge on North Indian and Mughlai dishes or their wood-fired pizzas. 

If you are very particular about organic food, there is a small Cafe called "Anokhi" on Prithviraj Road which will serve you homemade bread, fresh juices, seasonal food and salads topped by organic filter coffee. 

The best part - all these places are within 2 kms. from my house!

Venturing further, for Rajasthani/Indian food created with a modern touch, there is The Johri Restaurant located in a haveli on MSB Ka Rasta, a lane leading from the main Johri Bazar. The lane is a bit narrow but it is a worthwhile experience to see how nicely a haveli has been converted into a beautiful hotel. The food is unique with dishes like 'Chakundar and Kali Gajar Carpaccio', 'Crispy Avocado Chaat', 'Truffle Cheese Kulcha', 'Corn Palak and Zero Sized Matar' and 'Gadbad Ice Cream'. 

For Italian and Mediterranean food, we have discovered "Serai Brews Cafe" in a boutique hotel on Durga Marg, Bani Park, with outdoor seating in a small, cosy garden. We loved its ' Pesto Exotic Veggie' Bruschetta,  'Agilio-E-Olio' Pasta, and the 'Mezze Platter'. 

Just a couple of years ago, Raffles opened a hotel on the outskirts of Jaipur with "The Writers Bar" serving Singapore Sling sure to take you back in time with visions of Somerset Maugham working on his novels in the original Raffles Hotel.

The great travel writer Paul Theroux famously wrote that no matter how many places you visit, there is so much more to see. Same applies to Jaipur's restaurants; there are scores of them that I have only heard or not even heard of. So let's wind up here.

But not without taking cognisance of the coffee revolution. Jaipur was traditionally a tea place. An exclusive coffee place was not even known. Then came 'Curious Life Coffee' and that started a trend. Today there are so many they are running out of names; there is 'Nothing Before Coffee', 'Crazy Coffee', 'Coffee Sutra", 'Half Light Coffee Roasters, 'Aunty's Coffee', 'Uncle Coffee'....wow!! And at the LitFest we ran into 'Love Over Coffee' and fell in love with it!

There is a place in Jaipur, "DZURT", which is known for its sweets and desserts. It boasts of items like 'Belgium Chocolate Salted Caramel' 'Nutella Cheesecake', the very popular 'Tiramisu' etc. But for desserts for me, nostalgia wins and it is old "Niro's" all the way with its sundaes 'Honeymoon Special' and 'Knickerbocker Glory' which I first had over 75 years ago in my school days and which they happily served for me with special care!

Bon appetit!

 

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DINO BECOMES DEAN BUT SINGS LIKE DINO

 

It is Boxing Day today. Yesterday was Christmas and trust it was full of merrymaking for you. Regardless of our religious beliefs, all of us enjoy the day with visions of Santa Claus in his red outfit 'ho-ho-hoing' and riding his sleigh guided by Rudolph the red-nose reindeer in the vast expanse of white snow. We shall go on to say a fond goodbye to the present year with memories galore and eagerly welcome the new one. 

From time to time, God has his ways to remind us not to take things for granted and that we are not the masters of destiny. Fifteen years ago, Mummy left this world on the morning of the 25th.

And I chanced on the fact that Dean Martin too departed on this day in 1995. So let us recall the relaxed, easygoing, "King of Cool", one of the greatest showmen of the 20th century who kept us entertained for many many years with his acting and songs which I often listen to even now.

Born to an Italian father and an Italian-American mother, he was named Dino Paul Crocetti. When he took to show business, he named himself 'Dino Martini' before finally becoming 'Dean Martin'. 

Dean Martin first came into limelight when he and the great comedian, Jerry Lewis, combined to produce movies which were riots of fun. In 1956, they parted and Martin took to singing and acting on his own. He became good friends with Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. and along with others like Peter Lawford, formed a group called "Rat Pack" and performed in shows in Las Vegas. On TV too, 'The Dean Martin Show' was immensely popular. Sinatra brought Martin and Lewis together once again on stage in 1976 and their last act was on Martin's 72nd birthday in 1989.

I first saw him in my School days in early 1950s in the comedy movies of Martin and Lewis. Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis made a number of movies which were riots of fun. They had a natural chemistry for each other and could just ad-lib their roles without sticking to a script. The usual theme was Martin trying to keep his cool tolerating Lewis' slapstick antics and annoying behaviour till the former could bear no more and would chase Lewis out. Some memories of hilarious scenes flash in my mind from time to time bringing a smile to my face.  For instance, Jerry Lewis making a real mess eating spaghetti in "My Friend Irma Goes West". Or Lewis making a big deal of eating two pieces of beans with imaginary sauce and champagne singing "When You Pretend" in "Artists and Models".

In 1953, Dean Martin, in their movie, “The Caddy”, sang "That's Amore" which became an instant hit and had a lot of Italy in it starting with the title which according to the song is what they say in Napoli when boy meets girl. That's also amore 'when the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie' and the lyrics go on to 'Vita bella', 'gay tarantella', 'pasta e fasule', 'signore' and 'scusami'!

Blessed with a deep voice and smooth singing style, Martin became a top singer and he followed up with many big hits with the unique feature of Italian flavour in the lyrics. Hugely popular was "Volare", originally an Italian song "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu", words which Martin repeated often in the lyrics of his English version. There were a host of other hits like "On an Evening in Roma", "Arrividerci Roma", "Mambo Italiano", "Come Back to Sorrento" and "Innamorata." Needless to say, with my inexplicable love for all things Italian, all these songs are my favourites and I adore Dean Martin for them.

Martin had other big hits too without the Italian touch. Apart from his signature song "Everybody Loves Somebody", my personal favoutites are "Sway" and "Memories Are Made of This". The lyrics of the latter are a recipe for cooking memories and I quote-

"Take one fresh and tender kiss

Add one stolen night of bliss....

Don't forget a small moonbeam

Fold it lightly with a dream

Your lips and mine, two sips of wine....

Then add the wedding bells

One house where lovers dwell

Three little kids for the flavour

Stir carefully through the days

See how the flavour stays

These are the dreams you will savour....

With His blessings from above

Serve it generously with love

One man, one wife, one love through life

Memories are made of this."

Keep having Merry Christmases. Mummy and Dean Martin would want that.

 

THE LITTLE BOY AND THE OLD MAN

Every now and then we come across a song or a poem and think, "Oh, this could be written for me!" And why not, lyricists and poets are people like us going about their daily chores but are blessed with a keen sense of observation and a marvellous gift of creating a song or a poem from what they observe.

We might come across daffodils, take pleasure in the sight and move on but it takes the genius of William Wordsworth to make a delightful poem about them. I just have to quote a few lines-

"I wandered lonely as a cloud....

When all at once I saw a crowd, a host of golden daffodils....

For oft when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye, which is the bliss of solitude,

And then my heart with pleasure fills, 

And dances with the daffodils."

Often on a walk, we come across the sign "Keep off the grass", grunt in disappointment and quietly take a detour. But not Rupert Brooke, who sitting in a cafe in Berlin in 1912, sees a sign "Betreten des Rasens verboten", gets homesick and thinks of the house in a village near Cambridge where he had lived. So he puts down his thoughts in a poem, "The Old Vicarage, Grantchester", recalling the meads near the house "Where das Betreten's not verboten."

Sometime back, I wrote a post saying I felt that the song, "I'm an Ordinary Man" from "My Fair Lady" was written by lyricists Lerner-Loewe for me. Now a friend sent me a poem, "The Little Boy and the Old Man" by Shel Silverstein; is the poet’s old man actually me? The quirks are the same! Here goes-

'Said the little boy ''Sometimes I drop my spoon".

Said the old man, ''I do that too.''

The little boy whispered, "I wet my pants."

"I do that too", laughed the little old man.

Said the little boy, I often cry."

The old man nodded, "So do I,"

But worst of all, said the boy,

"It seems grown-ups don't pay attention to me."

And felt the warmth of a wrinkled old hand,

"I know what you mean" said the little old man.'

Life comes a full-circle!

REMEMBERING MADAN SAXENA - NAVY'S RAVI SHANKAR

As a kid, and even in advanced age, I was very fond of the fun puzzle "Connect the dots". One began at the start point and went from dot to dot ending with a complete picture.

Memory is like that - something triggers it and then you move from one memory to another till you end up with a whole picture of someone or something that was a part of your life. 

So it was when Shumita said she and her family planned to go to Cochin (for me it will always be that!).

Oh, that's where Sameer is!

Just the other day, on learning that Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena had taken over as Flag Officer Commanding Southern Naval Command, I had sent him a congratulatory message and got back a sweet reply. Sameer is the son of my senior colleague Late Commodore Madan Saxena who though seven courses my senior, was a close friend, in fact, more of an elder brother.

In fact, we had an older association with the Saxena family; Madan's father was well known to Pitaji, my Nana, since both started their judicial careers in the state of U.P. (United Provinces in the old days) and ended up as High Court Judges, Pitaji in Rajasthan and Justice Saxena in Allahabad.

And before I met Madan, his elder brother, HML Saxena, also a naval officer and known by all as 'Bhaisahib' thanks to Madan, was our Training Officer on the Cadet training ship Tir which we embarked fresh after passing out from the National Defence Academy.

I got to know Madan in June 1965 when I came to Delhi as Flag Lt to Admiral Chatterji, Commandant National Defence College. Madan then was 'Flags' to Admiral Soman, Chief of the Naval Staff. We met  very often both being aides to the two most senior officers of the Navy.

Those tenures over, our appointments took us to different spheres till we found ourselves together on Vikrant in November 1971. Madan was the Navigating Officer of the ship and I was Fleet Communications Officer on the staff of Flag Officer Commanding the newborn Eastern Fleet, embarked on Vikrant. As chance would have it, Bhaisahib was there too as Commander, second-in-command of the carrier.

Within a month of my embarking Vikrant, the Indo-Pak War started and, with our jobs requiring us to be together on the Bridge a lot, I developed a close bond with Madan. It was then that I learnt of his fondness of and proficiency at playing the Sitar. A particular incident is vivid in my mind; one early morning, one of our escort ships reported a submarine contact and we were at action stations for a long time. The threat was over at about 6 a.m. and Madan asked me to come along to his cabin. There he pulled out his sitar and played for an hour to calm and soothe ourselves before adjourning to make up for the disturbed sleep. 

Soon after the War, I decided to get married to Akhila in Bijnor, near Delhi. I requested Madan, then in NHQ, to join the baraat and he readily agreed and came along.

Some years later, Madan was appointed as the Naval Attache, Iran. A Boy Scouts and Girl Guides Jamboree was scheduled in Teheran and Mummy was deputed to lead the Rajasthan Contingent. We were a bit worried as this was Mummy's first trip abroad and further, she was a staunch vegetarian. I got in touch with Madan who kindly offered to look after her. Mummy stayed with Madan and Hema and was full of praise for them on return. 

The early 1980s found both of us in NHQ Delhi staying in the same Sardar Patel Marg block, Madan on 3rd floor and I on 5th. Hema and Akhila got on very well too and we often got together in the evenings for musical sessions and a drink. But I missed a super session they once had which Akhila recounted to me. I was away in Italy on work when Vinnie Mama and family came to Delhi for a short visit and stayed at our flat. Akhila invited Hema and Madan for dinner after which Akhila asked Madan to get his sitar. Vinnie Mama launched into Pankaj Mullick songs with Madan accompanying on the sitar. Akhila volunteered to play the tabla and sang too going well into sunrise. Akhila said her hands were sore for days after that!

Madan shocked all of us when he announced that he was seeking premature retirement. A number of senior officers told him that he was certain to be promoted to flag rank but he remained firm and put in his papers. I guess frequent transfers and relatively meagre pay of those days made him take the hard decision. So off he went in 1983 and joined the Merchant Navy with Hema settling in Noida.

I too moved to Delhi, Noida and back to Delhi after my own retirement and we met Madan and Hema often over the years. And then the final surprise: one morning mid-2008, Madan had a cardiac arrest and passed away suddenly at the age of 74.

We shall always remember Madan plucking away his sitar strings and now his absence tugs our heartstrings. 

"IN THE MOOD"

 

Today, let's get "In the Mood."

Before you get fancy ideas and start making wild guesses, let me clarify: I am only recalling a classic song which is just one year younger than me, a popular jazz swing instrumental by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra which has been inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame as also the US Library of Congress National Recording Registry among recordings considered "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." Add to that its inclusion in the US National Public Radio in its list of "The 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century" and you know we are talking of something special.

I am not a big jazz fan but this swinging number grabbed my attention from my first hearing of it and keeps buzzing in my head from time to time. Trombones, saxophones, trumpets and clarinets accompanied by drums combine to blow out a catchy rhythm which has one dancing or at the very least, gleefully tapping one's feet.

A few words about the great Glenn Miller. He was a bandleader, composer and played the trombone. He led an Orchestra which was the best-selling recording band from 1939-42. In this short period of 4 years, he scored 16 number one records and 69 top ten hits, more than Elvis Presley (40) and The Beatles (35). In 1942, he volunteered to join the US Navy but was rejected. Despite his Orchestra's outstanding success and rich earnings, Miller was bent on joining the military and finally his efforts succeeded when he was accepted by the US Army in September 1942. Shortly after, he formed the Captain (later Major) Glenn Miller Army Air Forces Orchestra which was the forerunner of big military bands. Deservedly, Glenn Miler is considered the father of modern US military bands. 

Glenn Miller's Orchestra entertained troops during World War II for more than two years before Miller went missing in action in the English Channel on a flight from England to France on 15 December 1944 and was eventually declared dead. That marked the end of a superb musician who had accomplished so much in a short span of just 40 years of life. His recordings continue to entertain us and keep us "In the Mood."

Lyricists and singers brought out vocal versions of the song but none could match the brilliance and popularity of Glenn Miller’s instrumental. He was wise to let his band play the music and leave it to listeners to get in the mood they desired.

To conclude, however, let's choose a number that is more definite on ‘mood’: "I'm in the Mood for Love". First sung by Frances Langford in a movie in 1935, it has many versions by dozens of fine musicians like Louis Armstrong, Vera Lynn and Fats Domino. Its plain message - "I'm in the mood for love, simply because you're near me, funny but when you're near me, I'm in the mood for love."

 

"YOU ALWAYS HURT THE ONE YOU LOVE"

What song shall we talk about today? 

I have something haunting me for the last couple of days, why, I don't know. I guess some songs touch you deeply right from the time you first hear them and stay with you throughout your life. The song I am talking about has its title from an old saying, ''You Always Hurt The One You Love", and has its origin way back in 1944 when The Mills Brothers sang it. It is one of the oldest songs I know from the days I first started listening to English songs in my early teens but I remember it as if I had heard it just yesterday.

Is the saying true? It would seem so. Most of us probably have on occasion said something which deeply hurt someone we are very fond of making us regret our words and wanting to take them back. 

So why did we say them in the first place?

That is one for the psychologists! But for an ordinary person like me to briefly ponder, I would say that intimacy or familiarity is the main cause: you feel that while you would weigh your words very carefully when talking to people you are not very close to or not care much for, you can open up and say anything to someone you love and that person would listen to you and not mind. But the loved one may construe the words as offensive, prying or unnecessary criticism and feel hurt. Consequence: something far from what you originally desired!

So now let me do your own thinking and leave you with lyrics so thoughtfully written by Allan Roberts and movingly sung by The Mills Brothers:

"You always hurt the one you love

The one you shouldn't hurt at all

You always take the sweetest rose

And crush it till the petals fall

You always break the kindest heart 

With a hasty word you can't recall

So if i broke your heart last night

It's because I love you most of all."

DEAR SWEETS OF JAIPUR

 

It's that time of the year when India's tooth is at its sweetest. All over the country, people are eating and gifting sweets. But this year, Jaipur, which has always been known for its sweets, has zoomed into limelight and exclusivity by producing perhaps the most expensive sweet ever made, at least in India. It has been created by Anjali Jain, founder of Tyohaar Sweet House in Vaishali Nagar, Jaipur, and is named 'Swarn Prasadam'. Its price, Rs. 1,11,000 (about USD 1200) per Kg. or Rs. 3000 per piece. Oh dear!

What makes it so expensive? Its basic ingredient is 'chilgoza' or pine nut, one of the most costly nuts in the world, blended with saffron and edible gold dust, crafted like a jewel and packed in a jewellery box. 

For less money, you can indulge in 'Swarn (gold) Bhasma Bharat' at Rs. 1950 or 'Chandi (silver) Bhasma Bharat' at Rs. 1150 per piece. There is also the 'Pataka Thaal' full of sweets made from cashewnuts and shaped like firecrackers resembling bombs, anaars, chakris and diyas.

Jaipur sweets have always been dear to me in the loveable sense of the word but it was inevitable that growth, progress and desire to be unique and creative would make the sweets dear in the other meaning of the word. The first sweet I remember enjoying soon after moving to Jaipur in 1950 was the Jalebi which Pitaji, my Nana, would send for every Sunday for breakfast, fresh from -where else!- Jalebi Chowk near the famous Hawa Mahal. Mataji, my Nani, for 'bhog' offering to gods at home, would get Kalakand and Misri Mawa from a 'halwai' in Gopalji Ka Raasta straight from the 'kadhai'. Another sweet we were very fond of was the milk cake from Chawla Sweets which had a distinct caramel like taste not available in milk cakes from other sources.

Later on, I discovered Delhi Mishthan Bhandar opposite the old Prem Prakash (now Golcha) cinema hall near the southern end of Chaura Raasta. My favourite was a sweet the name of which I forget which was like a juicy ’balushahi’ topped with dollops of cream. Next to that shop, Sarvesh Mamaji, son of Mataji’s brother, opened a restaurant, Paradise, and treated all relatives including me and friends for free. Needless to say he soon went into red and had to close Paradise!

The love affair with Jaipur sweets continues with some changes necessitated by passage of time. We miss the milk cake from Chawla's as the shop closed at the onset of Covid and never opened again. Gopalji Ka Rasta has lost its shine in competition with big shops like Laxmi Mishthan Bhandar. Jalebi Chowk is now more famous for ladies clothing than jalebis.

But there are other old timers that have survived and blossomed despite modern glitz. Bhagat Sweet House near Chhoti Chaupar continues to be known for its unique brown laddoos made out of 'besan' and milk. A small narrow lane off Johari Bazaar, Gheewalon Ka Rasta, boasts of two tiny shops which prepare sweets in the morning and are sold out by the afternoon. One produces first rate Misri Mawa and Gulab Sakri with distinctive rose flavour. The second makes the traditional Ghewar, the typical Jaipur sweet that resembles a honeycomb and you can have it dipped in syrup with the amount of sugar as required by you.

We look forward to each visit to Jaipur to replenish our stock of sweets. Hopefully, Swarn Prasadam will not be too dear a sweet for us.

Happy Diwali. Indulge!