I was pleasantly surprised when I sat down for dinner recently at a restaurant in Kochi and was served this as an amuse bouche. Take a good look at these images and tell me what you think it could be.
(No. This isn't a witch's pot being used to make magic potion. And yes, that is a dense nearly opaque smoke emanating from the serving dish!)
What is an Amuse Bouche?
For starters, this isn't a starter! An 'Amuse bouche' is not something you order.
Amuse bouche (French for 'Mouth Amuser') is a little bite that the chef offers to everyone who comes to his restaurant, offered free of charge, to give you an idea of his or her style.
It tends to be simple but with a touch of finesse.
Historically, it was used by chefs to offer the customer a taste of the natural produce of the area, devoid of heavy marinades. Scientifically, I think the idea is to increase your appetite and have you craving for more.
Amuse bouches became more popular during the 'Nouvelle cuisine' phase of French cuisine that focused on dishes with smaller portions and bigger emphasis on how it was presented. This involved seasonings replacing sauces, smaller cooking times to preserve the natural flavours, newer techniques, fresh local produce, modern equipment and inventive presentation.
So did you guess what that Indian amuse bouche was? Last chance before I reveal the answer below. So go look at those pics once more.
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Done with your guesses? Well, the correct answer was...
The humble Dahi Vada!
Sufficed to say, I had a wonderful experience with dishes ranging from water chestnut and edamame dimsums to mutton brain fry (!) at the Kochi Brasserie which excelled in fusing and playing around with eight different styles of cuisines.
And no, this isn't a sponsored post... just me appreciating some really good food done well.
My question to you - tell me one random restaurant you would recommend in the city you are in right now and why?
Let us share some positive food vibes :)
Authors note
I am linking this post with Esha and Natasha for #WordlessWednesday. You can find more picture based posts there and add your own too.
Earlier posts I have written for Wordless Wednesday include:
02. Have You Ever Had Pain During Surgery? (Medical)
03. Beautiful Desserts (Food)
04. A Dish I did not Expect to Like (Food)
05. What Show is this Dog Watching?! (Pets)
06. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie (Pets)
07. Pavlov's Classical Conditioning (Philosophy)
08. What if Gods were just Advanced Aliens? (Religion)
11. What is Your Favourite Coffee (Food)
12. 2 milliliters (Medicine)
I am linking this post with Esha and Natasha for #WordlessWednesday. You can find more picture based posts there and add your own too.
Earlier posts I have written for Wordless Wednesday include:
02. Have You Ever Had Pain During Surgery? (Medical)
03. Beautiful Desserts (Food)
04. A Dish I did not Expect to Like (Food)
05. What Show is this Dog Watching?! (Pets)
03. Beautiful Desserts (Food)
04. A Dish I did not Expect to Like (Food)
05. What Show is this Dog Watching?! (Pets)
06. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie (Pets)
07. Pavlov's Classical Conditioning (Philosophy)
08. What if Gods were just Advanced Aliens? (Religion)
07. Pavlov's Classical Conditioning (Philosophy)
08. What if Gods were just Advanced Aliens? (Religion)
11. What is Your Favourite Coffee (Food)
12. 2 milliliters (Medicine)
Dahi vada? I would never have guessed! I thought Rasmalai (yes, that’s my sweet tooth showing through).
ReplyDeleteWow. Talk about presentation.
ReplyDeleteI have to tell you that I half-guessed it would be Dahi Vada and it turned out to be just that! Looked super yummy and that magical effect was simply adding to the effect I should say.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I'd highly recommend Chianti in Koramangala for their perfect ambience and great Italian food, not to mention their delectable range of desserts. Has to be one of the best ever foodie experiences for South Bangaloreans!
Dahi Vada? Wow! I thought it was some exotic dish. The pictures are amazing too, Roshan.
ReplyDeleteAmazing! Have to try this place
ReplyDeleteI had no idea but with the smoke and "black mask" and "two eyes" I was sure it was something terrible. Ah, cultural differences!
ReplyDeleteGosh! I for once thought that was a poached egg with baby potatoes. That's some Amuse Bouche!
ReplyDeleteI've tried something similar at Farzi cafe here in Gurgaon. They serve Mishti Doe as Amuse Bouche, and a whole host of other food items and drinks with smoky experiences.
An epicurean's delight indeed.
Well, my favourite eating place is Burma Burma. Vegetarian but tastes so non-veg, and a delicious assortments of meals and salads. I love their menu, painstakingly created to bring in creativity and tickle the taste buds. The best I've tried.
I also like Town Hall for it's Unagi/Eel and Sushi. And the vibe is nice. :)
I was quite pleased with the customer service from Resumeedge service and most of all, the professionalism and expertise by my writer. He is an excellent writer and I was impressed with the first draft right out of the gate, but it was so good I encouraged him to dial it back a bit because it made me look like a super genius!
ReplyDelete