Bite into great Desi Chinese cuisine - Beijing Bites, Jayanagar

Food - Bite into great Desi Chinese cuisine - Beijing Bites, Jayanagar

K, V and S giving a great colgate moment.
Bachelorhood. Married guys envy, bachelors pride. Yet another weekend spent postponing studying for the imminent competency exam. But no regrets. Yesterday, 29th, was one of the most enjoyable nights I have had in Bangalore. Dinner with good friends always ranks among top of my favorite activities.

So it was me, Ashu, Sandhya, Victor, Sandy and Kavita trying something other than loitering at BTM or Forum; we decided we would loiter around Jayanagar , except for Kavita who had better things to do, and then end it with dinner at Beijing Bites.

We first hit another avatar of Cafe coffee day, Kalamane koffee ( or something similarly named) to sample some fresh brewed south Indian coffee while waiting for Sandy to grace us with his ever delayed presence. Great place to chill with some really interesting kaapis. Worth checking out for its uniqueness and the price. The crowd was as usual youthful but I did notice an elderly gent with I guess more discerning taste present there. I wouldn’t mind visiting Kalmane kofee to seriously try some more.

After some more dilly dallying and delaying Kavita further, we managed to move into Beijing Bites a full hour later than schedule. No need for reservation, there was enough place for many diners. The décor was great. Grades better than the Beijing Bites at Banshankari which looks like an over glorified Chinese tapri compared to this place. The crowd was a good mixture of young and sophisticated. Again scoring above the Banshankari place.

Victor, luckily or un luckily, for him was seated between Sandhya and Kavita causing the young couple seated next table much pain. The gentleman then, I guess was forced to shield his ladyship from Victor’s charm by sticking real close to her. We provided them further engagement in their uncomfort by gesturing and speaking in obvious hushed tones at them. The entertainment was superb.

Trying to reform back to vegetarianism, albeit for a full 10 minutes, I made Kavita agree to Veg Koithio , a Malaysian noodle dish, and crispy chili vegetables. Veg Koithio I should mention is a must try at B B’s because of the unique flat noodle make and the spice. It’s a great welcome break from the usual fare. The veggies were great, better than some of the non veg stuff. Well that’s what I can say about the veg.

Many more fowls lost their lives when we asked for Manchow soup and Hot and sour Chicken soup. The Manchow was reliably good, but the hot and sour was just too bad. Sandhya and Ashu had a hard time gulping it down. Then we asked for the all time favorite at BB - lemon basil chicken which did not disappoint us. Must mention another connoisseur friend Samrat whose extensive research in non veg dishes at many eateries results in reliable recommendations. One more dish was passable. For the main course was noodles and fried rice. The spice was provided by pickle chicken curry. Frankly the main course wasn’t a great experience, it was just as expected. I was expecting a surprise. It seems the food dosent change much between branches of the same chain of restaurants.

The bill for such a big quantity of food came to INR 750. Shared among six that’s a great deal! The service was better than average similarly the food. Much better than the Banshankari outlet.

We continued chatting till we reached our steeds, strolling in the beautiful Bangalore night. For a guy from Bombay, which I love, the weather was simply wonderful. Bidding everyone a safe ride back home, I ended yet another enjoyable Bangalore experience.

Banjara

Food - Banjara

Bit difficult to write after what has happened in Bombay.

Chandu finally decided to generously host us for lunch for his belated Birthday at Banjara at Jayanagar 4th block after repeated reminders on Sunday 23rd Nov. At 253 INR for the buffet, yeah those 3 rupees are for the toothpicks, we intended to attack the buffet table for every last paise that Chandu paid. Me and Advait know that there is a similar financial ‘correction’ in store at our Birthdays.

Kavita had tipped me off about this place and I have to really appreciate her choice. The décor was surprisingly very good inside. Huge dining hall with capacity to seat almost 250 people comfortably I guess. We were led to a comfy corner by a hostess, waited by a head waiter and served with the usual cutlery and stuff by another guy. Great presentation must say.

After Chandu confirmed his financial situation and the fact that they do take tax saving meal cards, we voted for the buffet. Not a very wide spread, we started with three kinds of salads and pasta salads. But it’s the starters we made a bee line for. The vegetable manchuri ( mind you they call it manchuri intentionally ) , chicken ajwain, peanut chicken and tawa chicken were good. Ok the peanut chicken was great. Almost full, we were determined not to give up at this instant.

Next up main course of some really fancy phulkas made on a unique wire framed roti maker which made for a nice show every time the phulkas went into the flames naked. I went for my healthy compensate of palak paneer, dal fry, spl gujurathi sabzi –actually undhhio ,dakshin fish curry and chicken labadar. Full points for the veggies. But the non vegetarian fare was passable. I didn’t care , it was very difficult eating anything after the starters. I managed to try few more grains of pulao of the rice varieties offered which was pretty decently spiced, just for formality sake.

I strangled the last breath out of my attempt at eating healthy that weekend by the next onslaught. Gulab jamoon, gajar halwa, vanilla mousse, ice cream and some dish I don’t know what to call. I had it all. Gajar halwa was toooooo good. The mousse was excellent. Gulab Jamoon was ok. Ice cream..ho hum. Please call for a fork lift.

How was it? Totally totally worth the money. The extra 3 rupees too.

Mumbai, 26th Nov 2008

Event - Mumbai, 26th Nov 2008

At last count 125 dead and 330+ injured. Among the dead are 14 policemen. Unknown number of terrorists attacked Mumbai on 26th and as I write this post at 27th 10.17 pm in front of the TV, it seems the night that started yesterday hasn’t gotten over yet for many. I stare at the TV screen cumulatively adding to more than 6 hours of watching the news channel. I see the menacing picture of a young dark guy carrying an AK-47 with what seems a sardonic smile. I see news channel showing fat head opportunistic politicians and Bombay ‘celebrities’ like the idiot Prahlad Kakkar and the assorted bunch of morons. The ‘leadership’ has to show up at the hospital to pain the survivors further. Please appreciate my patience in using parliamentary language here.

Seems like the same story which has been happening in Bombay ever since I can remember. I called up Mom to assure myself about her and Manish my brother like before today morning, and as before both Mom and Manish go to office. They shall attend office albeit a little relaxed with all the excitement. Come back home, answer calls from relatives; update themselves with more news and go to sleep as usual to attend office tomorrow. Like the other many millions.
But many will not attend office tomorrow. I realize again that misfortune also affects the affluent. Stalwart policemen fell prey to bad luck when they entered a hospital, unexpectedly falling prey to bullets. Retribution is of no concern for the perpetrators. I guess they have achieved what they wanted to. The stock exchange was closed today. The mood among the industry isn’t good and there is going to be a further impact to the already reeling economy.

I hope retribution will follow. But vengeance is too personal a feeling to be taken seriously by the

‘leadership’.

My respects to the departed.

Movie - Dostana

Movie - Donstana

Finally a Karan Johar movie which I was able to laugh throughout and not choke on senti - baazi. The movie starts with the usual plastic perfect location of Miami (really?) with picture perfect bods throughout the movie ( except for Boman Irani). The overall theme was - as you can guess pretend 'Happy' guys are in love with the very very lovely Priyanka Chopra. So who ends up winning her heart? In the process losing a lot of other things. Aishwarya just in case, I am there for you .....

Quite awkward watching it with 5 guys and 1 sporting girl in a theatre which was attended by almost everyone younger than me! My first tryst with mid - young adulthood crisis. Just for the record, our group out classed any college kid in that hall who could whistle, cat call or pass colorful comments whenever Ms.Chopra did something worth commentable. The screen was too far away, or I was sure we would have danced in front of it when 'Ma da Ladla' played - exaggeration OK, but sure did that in our seats!

It was great letting my hair down like this, quite a memorable movie ! Enjoy, without your parents of course. And just for the record, I am totally behind baby log ha...

Yo Andhra! - Dinner at Mandara

Food - Yo Andhra!- Dinner at Mandaara

After a day of hard work (sic) four of us decided to have dinner at a place we had dined at recently. Mandaara’s which lies upslope of Katriguppe Junction towards Mysore road, is another miss if you blink eatery on the first floor. More visible on the exterior is the billboard announcing the Bar on the second level. Enter the decent well lit dining hall and you will find a sparse crowd of family and young diners. I am to be puzzled why. Not yet though.

We sit on very comfortable sofas seating 3 at a time and six on the marble table with folded plantain leaves. All this looks very inviting. The whole atmosphere is just right. Not posh not bad just decent and comfortable.

My fellow diners were Jason, Samrat and Ashutosh. All seasoned non vegetarians. And today Jason and Ashu are gonna test the Biryani. So shall we. Although we ordered the mini meal – which is not mini in any sense. “And we shall also have the kalmi kabab” says Jason matter of factly. One thing to mention is Jason is a thin guy for an Indian software engineer who eats meat twice a day, skips most of the veggies and feels chapathis are no match for parathas which he religiously eats with ofcourse chicken curry and lots of it while at it. Ashu agrees to the kababs, though a little doubtful whether he will be able to eat that much.

Me and Samrat wash the plantain leaves with water and the waiter ladles delicious thick dal, spicy brinjal and the unique chutney (what is its? Gram dal or peanuts or a combination?) .Then comes a plate of white rice, small bowls of rasam, curry, kadi and thick creamy curd. A sad excuse for a papad is also provided. The fragrant biryani comes in a brass serving kadhai. The Kalmi Kabab will take time. We start with the rice in front of us which is the main course of an Andhra Dinner. The dal is just right. The spicy brinjal is surprisingly well made, cause I detest brinjals. The chutney as usual is great but what took the cake was the kadi.I don’t know if what we had was kadi, but similar to that – it was just great.

Jason and Ashu seemed to applaud as soon as they had the biryani. The taste was well balanced, the spices and the flavors not overpowering, giving each other just space on the palate. The chicken portions seemed scant , but were tender and tasted great with the spice thoroughly mingling with it. The kalmi kabab appeared finally – it is a kabab made from chicken legs and is a favorite amongst chicken . So Mr.Kalmi arrived super tender and wonderfully spiced. The accompanying pudina chutney was unnecessary , the kabab tasted awesome and as Ashu said, we were just afraid of finishing it off soon.

All of this was finished off over a healthy discussion involving Multimedia. We didn’t bother with deserts cause we were just too full.

The bill came which was a very reasonable Rs.356.

Mini Meal – Rice with various curries and chutneys Rs 34 --------Great and superb value for money.
Chicken Biryani Rs84 ------------------------------------- Good but the price was above the wow zone
Kalmi Kabab Rs120 ---------------------------------------------Good and price seemed on the high side.

Bottomline – great place to have a meal. I had it the second time and will go back again.

Now bring your spreadsheet to the beach and make your friends to also work on it!

Tech - Now bring your spreadsheet to the beach and make your friends to also work on it!

I was surprised when I came to know that many of my friends dont use/know of office suites and applications like notebook.google, reader.google and google apps and OpenOffice.org . Understandable. We have had access to Microsoft Office all the time ( I am making a point here if you understand what I mean ;) ).

Now I buy a new laptop. I need an office suite. So what do I do? Financially drained from buying the lappy and unable to buy an MS Office suite, I am left with 2 choices now:

1. Get a net connection and start using docs.google apps


2. Get OpenOffice suite.

docs.google is really simple and quite convenient - you dont need to have it installed in your pc. You just need an internet connection and start using it a regular speadsheet/document application. Your data is on the net and can be shared for collaboration and such - this might also be a negative point. You are placing your data on the net. So most probably you would avoid using the service for official purposes. But consider the following use : - I am placement coordinator for my college. I need data of my batchmates such as semester scores and company preferences. I simply upload a template and share it with my friends. They fill in the required data. This can be tailored and further shared with recruiters and linked in many ways possible. Simple and sweet!

OpenOffice.org gives a neat package of fully functional Office tools like the Word equivalent - Writer. Pretty much the same functionalites, you can enhance it with further Open add Ons like EuroOffice Dictionary. You end up saving tons in money buying a set of Office tools and come on now its high time we started getting into the Open movement. The only thing that kept us from doing this is we never bought much of the software. Issues like compromising security and Microsoft blanking off your screens if you buy its pirated stuff ( yes now it can ...Huhuhuhahahahaha..) has turned many away from the lure of pirated software.

Well two points I needed to drive home so that my friends can start using the best stuff the net has to offer out and try some reliable FOSS ( Free and Open Source Software ) . Bottomline - we need to start exploring the net better.

Anyone heading for the beach? I will get my laptop...

Tech Post 1.0 - boring new stuff

Tech - Tech post 1.0 - boring new stuff

I might as well jump onto the tech blog that are as common as mosquitoes in a swamp, but try to make it relate to us..us being of a large definition.

A new bird ( Media player ) worth checking out: This is songbird 1.0 . From the makers of Mozilla, this looks like a cool player worth checking out. It comes across as highly customizable as with the likes of Firefox. Pretty cool if you are bored with Win Media Playa or iTunes and want something refreshing, to read more hit the link.

3D display - Shaktiman comes alive!! Yikes, looks like Star Wars isnt too far away. One of my favorite "Thing of the future" ..3D display technology I feel is long overdue. Might not be surprised if the next iPod pops up with a small version..hello Shakira!

Crapgadget at Engadget - Vote for you favorite crap gadget Engadget churnes up a list of the really bad gifts to give, now wheres my credit card..

Start your own e-commerce portal: follow the link. This site tells you how you can set up your thela on the net. Whats that coconut guy? you need a nice background for your e-store?

Namaste to the first person to suggest me a better name than "Tech Post 1.0" :)

Solutions to improper usage of meeting rooms (MRs).

( I was going to post this in my intranet blogosphere but I dont think this suits the forum)

Now I am gonna do something taboo! write about the office........

Office - Solutions to improper usage of meeting rooms (MRs).

Another meeting, another booking and yet again somebody other than your team occupying the room. They seem pretty busy to bother checking the availability of the room. Quite understandable. Hence occurs the idea – something to tell people that this room has been booked from so and so time. It is really rude if you occupy the room in someone else’s slot and going on a break while the team which has booked the room stands outside wondering whom to inform to take away their laptops and their papers from the room.

Ok, the last incident was a personal experience, true though. This prompted me to shoot some ideas to my team mate “What if there was a big LCD displaying the occupancy schedule for the meeting room”. He responded “Hey, great idea. Why don’t you put that up on intranet?”

What followed was my email to some of my friends with some genuine ideas and some humorous ones to solve to problem of ‘Solutions to improper usage of Meeting Rooms (MRs) ’ but to be taken with a pinch of salt.

Here some of the collective ideas, with some pitfalls mentioned:

1. An application which pops up on the system screen inside the room which displays the details – basically the above idea without the Hardware and it requires the system in the room to be kept switched on all the time.


2. A scrolling LED display board which displays the time, who has booked the room and the event/meeting. – Hardware cost and the interfacing of any scheduling software with the display (a project all in itself ! )


3. A printout posted with the details and stuck on the venue by the person booking the room. – wastes paper, will required the person to come in advance and is pretty messy.


4. A poster stuck inside the meeting room which says “Please adhere to the official schedule to avoid disturbing the booking schedules” – creates a bad impression.

And some really interesting ones by the more disgruntled than usual:

1. Keep a Doberman in all the meeting rooms and wire their brain to a central server which attacks all unauthorized users of the room. The dogs can also attack in case the meeting gets very boring – Dobermans require a lot of room, so can be implemented in larger board rooms only. Suggest replacing them with Pomerians.


2. Automate the doors of the MR such that they shut close whenever there is any unauthorised usage, quite useful if co needs to add resources like Dungeons - have to recruit dungeon keeper and costumed prison guards, rather can be replaced by harrowing hours of 'training'.


3. Finally, Use the (favorite disruptive political outfit) approach. Start pelting stones in case there are some ‘non native’ users of the MR – stones are not easily available.

Now I wonder where I can find some Pomerians…

Gymtertainment!!!

Remember those beautiful days when your mom hit you to get your lazy posterior off the floor cause you been playing the darn video game without blinking , eating-drinking , no pee pee, no homework, mind numbing five hours straight. Well now the kids and the older versions of them can rejoice they can do all this while buffing up their muscle mass. So say good bye to juvenile or early Spondylosis and allied bone altering ailments cause here come the video games incorporated with workout gear such as treadmills http://www.phillymag.com/articles/health_The_Greatest_Workout_for_Gamers/ and
http://www.portfolio.com/culture-lifestyle/goods/gadgets/2008/10/19/Video-Games-and-Gyms . The most well known perhaps is the Wii Fit. In May, Nintendo introduced the Wii Fit—a wireless balance board used for yoga and pilates and even snowboarding—to wide acclaim and sales. Nintendo 1.1 million units in its first two months alone!

Pretty soon I guess we will be heading to a Gym for some great video games and a great workout. But this isn’t new, Dance revolution. Its that dance game you find in the better arcades where you have to tap on the four direction arrows on the floor which light up according to a rhythm on the screen. You have music and characters grinding along to the grooves. Played 2 players usually, I do it in the usual competition mode, its great fun to goof up and just manage to save paying another load of money to continue the game whose pace just increases relentlessly

Pictured here are my two teammates R and Y at Amoebas Arcade at a Team Outing, who refuse to be identified with this blog, but at the same time enjoying the game with the usual IT infused muscular dystrophy. Just like Rocky said “I cant sing or dance, that’s why I joined IT :) “.

Hats Off Mumbai Police

Hats off Mumbai Police

In the last week of October, a young man looking for a job in Mumbai suddenly took a double decker bus under his control by the force of a revolver. He positioned himself on the top deck and held many people of the bus hostage. He shot a man in the thigh, injuring him, and tried to strangle the bus conductor. He fired several times from his revolver. The police gave him warnings and ultimatums, finally had to shoot him dead. The police had entered the top deck via the small stairwell.

My only thoughts besides the title; pray tell what the police should have done alternatively, risking minimal human lives and using prudence.

The paragraph again:
In the last week of October, a young man from Bihar looking for a job in Mumbai suddenly took a double decker bus under his control by the force of a revolver. He positioned himself on the top deck and held many people of the bus hostage. He said he wanted to kill Raj Thackray. He shot a man in the thigh, injuring him, and tried to strangle the bus conductor. He fired several times from his revolver. The police gave him warnings and ultimatums, finally had to shoot him dead. The police had entered the top deck via the small stairwell.

And the Mumbai police was condemned by people and media for the 'heinous' act.

The muslim flower seller.

People - The Muslim Flower Seller

My home is in Parla, Mumbai. There is a street close to its railway station simply called 'parla market'. Market hosts many hawkers who over the years have sold some of the best produce in Mumbai. In front of a vey usual readymade clothes shop, a crowd is the usual sight. And the crowd is buying the best flowers in Parla; or for many the best till Dadar along the rail line, at the most proper price, sold by perhaps a very honorable seller.

And Mom always buys all the flowers from her, so does half of Parla, I guess by the ever present crowd. Come festive season and its a mini Dadar in a few square feet ( Dadar is one of the biggest flower marts in asia, belive me it is huge and to the word wholesale ) . Her establishment has everything a Hindu festival can ask for. Usually everything comes fresh and at a price which is lower than most ( personally verified ). Staffed by a bunch of what seems like her male relatives who look like thugs, and act likely while transacting when the lady of the shop remains away, seldom though. If at all she happens to notice that the guys have managed to rip some money off someone, she promptly makes it up in cash or quantity. Once she told my mom in fluent marathi "What to do, these men are always looking to cheat at the shop and at the house".

So I can declare easily it’s a good establishment run by a good manager which attracts repeat business with the guarantee of a good product at a good price.

So whats the big deal?a lot of small shops impart the warmth and guarantees that this lady has to offer. But there she said something special that compelled me to mention her.

Evening, Diwali in October 2008. I am home after many days and have accompanied mom as usual to the market to buy the usual tons of fruit and veggies she always buys (which I noticed do get over, Ok I am lazy to nourish myself I know). And since its festival time we have to go to the flower shop. There is only one. There are many, but only one that we will buy from.

A crowd is present, as usual. Mom asks for the 5 rupees bunch, she starts wrapping up many different varieties of flowers and leaves which will eventually be used in a pooja back home. “10” she says. “Why?” asks mom back . “Prices have increased” says the seasoned lady. She wears the usual salwar suit which distinctly identifies her faith. She is visibly tired and still glances at mom as if she knew mom or the many moms and aunts and dads or the hundreds of people who visit her shop. Mom asks her why she was looking so tired, didn’t she have anything to eat? (That’s classic mom, she is always enquiring about ‘her’ people ) And the reply “I have been standing here since morning, and when your customers are fasting, it is does not feel good to eat” she says nonchalantly, I might be suspect but mom believes it. I believe it later.

She had nothing more to sell than the usual bunch which cannot be bargained from her. She never fires the no good helpers who I guess are family. She keeps her shop respectfully unobtrusive to the shop in front of which she encroaches; which I suspect has let her flourish symbiotically, she dosent have to not eat. She does not fast this time of the year. She is a good seller. That’s it. The Muslim flower lady that’s the identity I have created for her. Do I come across such people everyday? Not many. Worth a mention though, read? I need feedback for…