Mezze: World Cuisine Network, Indiranagar

Mezze at World Cuisine Network

I’d heard several people mention the World Cuisine Network in Indiranagar, but hadn’t been motivated enough to check it out until musician Avril Quadros suggested I do so.

World Cuisine Network, part of a Dubai-based chain, serves multiple specialty cuisines in separate restaurants housed under one roof.  The Bangalore establishment comprises Lebanese, Italian, and Indian restaurants, plus a coffee shop. I chose to check out the Lebanese restaurant, Mezze.

Pizzeria Romano, Koramangala

Pizzas... right?

What would you expect to find on the menu of a restaurant that names itself “Pizzeria Romano“? Duh. That’s what I thought too. However, I have asked several people – articulate, knowledgeable, well-traveled people – this question, and they have all, without exception, been wrong (this has less to do with them than with the restaurant in question).

Secret Garden Café, Edward Road

Making pasta at Secret Garden Café

Secret. Garden. Café. Three of my favorite words, all in a row.

Tucked away on Edward Road (betcha dunno where that is) off Queens Road (a clue, but eight out of 10 of you still won’t find it), this garden – okay, rooftop – café is so secret that only a select few know it exists. Which is a pity, really, since they serve some very good food indeed.

Knives: Back to Basics #2

Er... how many knives?

For the sake of academic interest, walk into your kitchen right now, and count how many kitchen knives you own. My guess is that you’ll come up with a figure between six and 15, of which, you probably use only three or four (sheepish confession).

Some of us keep old knives so we can “sharpen them later”. Some of us are seduced by knife sets housed in attractive wooden butcher’s blocks (mea culpa). Some of us believe that we need a different knife for each and every task in the kitchen, from mincing garlic to carving chicken. The end result is a formidable – if redundant- kitchen armory. So how many is too many?