I’ve written before about the remarkable success story of Jayaram Banan so some of what follows might seem slightly repetitive to those who have read about him already or have seen him on A Matter of Taste. But such is Jayaram’s success – which shows no signs of ending – that I reckon he deserves another piece. Read more

One consequence of shooting an episode on spas in Asia for my Discovery Travel & Living show is that I get massaged a lot. So far I have been to the Oriental Spa in Bangkok (the trend-setter for day spas all over the world), the Dhara Dhevi spa in Chiang Mai (quite spectacular), several spas in Hong Kong (many of which have mastered Chinese medicine) as well as spas in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai and Phuket. Read more

I first met Vijay Karan around 1993. He had retired as Director of the CBI but his real claim to fame was as one of the best commissioners of police Delhi ever had.

It was Karan who told the Delhi police that they were perceived as being rude and insensitive and began the process of sensitivity-training that still continues. (All that “Delhi Police – With You, For You” stuff is his legacy.) He also stopped the police from beating up suspects routinely and cleaned up the force. Read more

I am off to Hyderabad, home of grand cuisine, alternative centre of north Indian food to Lucknow, birthplace of famous biryani and a city celebrated in gastronomic legend. Truth be told, I know very little about Hyderabad. I was here in the ’70s, a trip I remember because it coincided with the death of Elvis Presley. Read more

Why do people linger at the doors of some places even though other restaurants have tables vacant? Answer that and you’ll crack the New York restaurant scene… This has been such a rushed trip to New York that I have had virtually no time to eat properly. Nevertheless, some experiences have stood out and will linger in my memory. Read more

I’ve lost count of the number of people who have raved about Trishna to me recently. If you live in Bombay, then you know all about Trishna already. If you are reading this in one of the HT’s other editions, then you may have heard friends from Bombay bragging about Trishna. Read more

The one time I flew directly to the West coast of America, it was to Los Angeles. I took the United Airlines round-the-world flight (which no longer stops in Delhi even if it still exists) and changed planes at Hong Kong. It was a fairly tiring experience, despite the fact that my company had shelled out for a First Class ticket. Read more

I have been eating Ritu Dalmia’s food for far longer than I have known her. Years ago, when it was almost impossible to get good Italian food at reasonable prices in Delhi, I began to frequent MezzaLuna in the Hauz Khas Village. Read more

Anyone who has been to China will tell you that the principal difference between a real Chinese menu (i.e., at a restaurant meant for Chinese people) and an ‘international’ Chinese menu (at a place frequented by foreigners) is the nature of the ingredients. Read more

A couple of months ago, I suggested on these pages, that the old rules for Chinese restaurants in India were dying. We’d seen Sichuan (and its offshoot: Sino-Ludhianvi). We’d seen the next wave of Pan-Asian restaurants (India Jones in Bombay the many ITC places etc.). And, now we were ready for the new generation. Read more