Eight Months

Eight Months

It is coming on eight months now. I can't say it has gone fast or slow, the time seems to go by in waves. I am sure it is different for everyone, but there seems to be an emotional wall of about 3 or 4 months per trip segment at which time I begin to miss my family more and more. The first segment I was able to return home after close to 4 months and even then I could remember the feelings of increased anxiousness to see the family. I figured at that time it was just the knowledge that I would be returning that caused this, but now I believe this is time driven. By the time I see my family again, it would have been close to 6 months and I still have 2 more to go. This will be helped in some way by the fact that work is picking up more than ever and staying busy helps to keep my mind off of home for some of the time.

Food

I am now eating mostly at home, but still not doing a bit of cooking. The only thing that remains in my ice box is a month old Pizza Hut box, 2 or 3 bottles of water, and a Pepsi (although I prefer Coke). I usually get home about 9 or 10 and will usually walk up to Punjabi Rasoi and have a take-out prepared…maybe Chicken Tikka Masala with some Naan or some Chicken Tandori with some Chicken Biryani. The food will usually take me for 2 nights. I plan to go buy a tiffin so that I can start bringing my food to the office, something I don't even do in the US, as I tend to always eat our or in the cafeteria. The tiffin is the Asain lunch box and had 3 or 4 compartments (usually metal), round and they stack up to link together, putting a different food in each section. The cafeteria at the office only has veg and I need to have more meat in my diet.

I am starting to slowly come around to the veg dishes, the Kofta is one of my favorites with some romalli (think bread type which looks like a worn out wash cloth).

Wedding Season

The wedding season is in full swing and April and May are the big months. The weather is starting to cool down significantly, peaking in the middle of April. It has even started to rain a couple of times and that cools things down and keeps the dust low. I went to my first wedding yesterday. The groom instructed me to dress traditional, as he feared I might feel out of place. Putting on my kutra and a pair of kakhi's, I was picked up by my friend (who was wearing a button down shirt and slacks…non-traditional, as he didn't want me to feel uncomfortable) and we headed over. The wedding hall was about the size of a gymnasium with a couple hundred plastic chairs lined up in front of the stage. When we arrived (a token 15 minutes late), they had a reception line where all of the guests were walking across stage to congratulate the bride and groom. As a group of people would go up in batches, the photographer would snap a picture. The bride and groom were dressed in traditional attire; making the groom look wiser than his years, although looking much more relaxed than I remember on my wedding day.

People were coming and going while the ceremonies were going on, some going to eat at the food hall and others talking and having circle conversations, all a very casual experience, but very formal and traditional in the ceremonies. Of the couple hundred guests, probably a third were dressed in traditional Indian, while the rest were a mix of business casual and jean and a T-shirt. I was pleased to see one of the attendees arrive sporting the highly fashionable baseball cap with our company logo in it.

The main ceremony was provided by a hindu priest and his assistant. There were many parts which I still don't understand, but was getting some help with my guide. A fire was bought out in a 2'x2' brass container, fueled by wood and oils. The bride and groom would follow the guidance of the priest the whole time (no rehersal) and perform many acts such as tossing some [what looked like] puffed corn into the fire and regularly fueling the fire with some gee. Then the placement of the toe-ring on the bride by the mother, the placement of the wedding necklace on the bride by the groom, and the dabbing of some dye on the brides head at where the forehead and hair meet…all to signify that she was married.

I have invites for a handful more weddings of the next month and will try to make them. The food was all veg, and I hear the Muslim weddings have non-veg. One of the weddings is a Muslim wedding!

Back Pain and Sleeping

My back has not been doing so well as of the last couple weeks and the thin mattress is starting to wear on me. I take lots of aspirin before I go to sleep, hoping that the pain will subside enough for me to sleep through the night. Usually I can find that one position which will keep me pain free…on my side. I tried the other beds, but they didn't help; I think I will try to use the old 'death bed' mattress on top of the existing one to get some more support.

Each day, I have the cleaning woman come in, sometimes with a relative of hers. I came hope while they were cleaning the other day to find them bopping to music videos while they were cleaning; quite funny to see. I have a bowl of saunf (an after dinner sweet) which I keep on the shelf in the kitchen. I don't eat it that often (although love it), but each day I notice a little more is gone…and it is now almost empty. I need to refill it.

Mosquito Solutions

Temperature tends to be getting hotter now. I attempted to turn on my air conditioner last night on the bedroom only to find it non-functional. That wouldn't be so bad, as I ha vent used it yet, but the ceiling fan is slowing down due to overuse. I will call the broker today to see about both items getting repaired. If the fan can be fixed, full force, I probably wont need the A/C...turning it on will be low moment, as I will have succumbed to the heat and shown my weakness. Never!

While the mosquito's are still in force, I have found searched long and hard for the much guarded Indian secrets on how to avoid them and keep them from your home. When I first enquired about techniques to a colleague, he replied that there is a "mosquito bat" which I should definitely look into. Upon hearing the description, a tennis racket looking device which has some type of batter and shoots and electrical pulse. You swing it like a racket, slowly you come close to the bugs and zap...they are gone. I did not opt for this device however, first, because I didn't want to run around my apartment all night looking like Johnny "Mosquito" Fedderer, and second, I needed a solution which would work unattended while I slept.

Then came a more practical option, Good Night. The Good Night line of products (and similar competing products) provide general mosquito repelling. Good Night offers several products, firs the incense like stick, then the coil, and then the plug-in liquid. The stick/incense is the most cost effective, although I didn't want the smell. The coil I never really looked into. I went straight for the top of the line plug in.

I decided to go to Prem's Super Market across the street and see if they could help me. All I said was "Good Night" and the three friendly proprietors all had a big grin on. They knew exactly what I was after. The first raised his head to the heavens, and as if pointing to an angel beyond, directed me to a ceiling display of all the Good Night products, completed dusted and ready for sale - sitting right next to their Ganesh porta-temple.

I have a 3 room apartment, although usually it is just me and an occasional visitor, so I opted for 2 of the starter packages, along with 2 more refills. The starter package costs about 120rs (and included the initial fill of liquid). Each of the refill bottles costs about 56rs each. A bottle can generally last about 20-30 days, although I got about 15 days out of the first pass, as I think I left it on too much.

It looks similar to a glade plug-in, but comes which a bottle, not much bigger than a bottle of White-Out, with liquid and a stick popping out about an inch on top. You take the refill bottle and screw it into the holder and plug it in. It has two settings, normal and high. I opted for the high, but later found that the normal was just as effected for my use. Since I have plugged this thing in a few weeks ago, I have not seen one mosquito in my room.

The other option is the nets, which probably the most practical, take an initial investment and are somewhat of a pain to open and close the windows and doors behind it. I have one for the balcony door and the main windows and I never use them. Plus, I think the mosquitoes are actually coming from the bathrooms which don't have any screens.

Restaurant Review Links

This article was in the Sunday paper: No Frills Eateries. I think i need to try Shahi Daavat.

This Blog also has some phone numbers and his comments on local Pune Restaurants, he did some homework for the addresses and phone numbers: Ketaki's Restaurant Review Blog.

This Food Blog, The Cooks Cottage, seemed an excellent starting point for general food and recipes.

Restaurant Guide, Installment #5

Sizzlers (3 stars)
Located in Central Pune, Sizzlers is the Indian equivalent of a Tex-Mex restaurant. With many different sizzling stir fry dishes. The proportions are large and the atmosphere is very nice; with lots of natural wood around and unique environment which you can feel comfortable bringing Indians and non-Indians to. They seemed to do a good business; as the ‘sizzler’ style is getting generally popular in India. Expect to pay about 300rs per head. They serve both veg and non-veg. They serve alcohol.

The Ship (2 stars)
They have a great bar with less than desirable food which is primarily seafood – and not the daily catch from our experience. I always tend to remember the restaurants that have Kingfisher on tap. When we arrived, the atmosphere was that of a medium end typical seafood restaurant and the service was better than average, easily striking up a conversation with the staff while we enjoyed a pitcher on tap. While they wouldn’t negotiate with is for selling me us a branded Kingfisher pitcher, I wont hold that against them. Once viewing the menu with limited options, we decided to try a couple starters and see how things turned out…not too good, as we eventually ditched dinner and decided to call it an early night. Expect to pay about 400-500rs per head. They serve primarily non-veg (seafood). They serve alcohol.

Flags
Flags is a very popular multi-cuisine restaurant. As multi-cuisine restaurants go, the food is probably average and they do a lot of food ‘ok’ and do nothing great and the Indian is probably the last thing you would want to order. Stick with the Chicken Maryland or the Las Vegas Chicken and you will be pretty safe. Blue Nile is only a kilometer away, so you are better off to just go there if you are not with any veg people. Expect to pay about 400rs per head. They serve veg and non-veg. They serve alcohol.

Coffee Day Café (3 stars)
While not a restaurant, but a coffee house, its deserves getting a note in the Restaurant Guide. Coffee is very popular in India, although not in the morning; as they don’t open until 9am. Coffee Day Café is the Indian equivalent to Starbucks. I went knocking on the door at 8:30a when I first arrived with my big old Starbucks mug and requesting them to fill it up. They threw 3 coffees into the mug and it was still only half full, although I was out about 200 rupees – I didn’t bother to thy that again. It turns out that in the evening, the Coffee Days is a very popular nightspot to hand out at and they stay open til midnight on weekends, also subcontracting out to the local Hookah vendor who will server you a Hookah pipe while you relax (not that I have) – hookah is probably more similar to a fruity pip tobacco and somewhat popular. Expect to pay about 150rs her head. They don’t serve alcohol.

Pizza Hut (2.5 stars)
Pizza Corner (2.5 stars)
Both Pizza Hut and Pizza Corner are popular pizza franchises just like you would expect in the US. Although they have slightly sweeter pizza sauce and use more Indian ingredients and spices, such as capsicum, peppers, tikka chicken, baby corns, etc. The normal Indian will usually have a couple packets of ketchup to go with the pizza, using it generously; a habit I have not yet taken up. Once you get used to the ingredients, you will start to take to the Indian style and ingredients, if not even prefer it. In Koregaon Park, both Pizza Hut and Pizza Corner are right across from each other on Lane 6. Pizza Hut only having outdoor seating, while Pizza Corner has a much nicer sit-down facility in which you will commonly here them playing loud heavy metal much such as Metallica. Pizza in India is actually one of the more costly items, and you will find that the sizes are slightly offset, meaning a ‘personal’ is about the size of an English muffin, the ‘small’ is about the size of a US personal, ‘medium’ is the size of a US small, and the ‘family size’ is the size of a US medium. Both places have both pan and regular. You will probably find that unless you are in a hurry, you are probably better served to just have La Pizzeria deliver to you (which they do and they have better prices). Don’t expect to find pepperoni in India, as they have limited import of that. Expect to pay about 200rs per head, with a family size pizza running about 375rs. They don’t serve alcohol.

Peppercorn (3 stars)
Peppercorn is a local multi-cuisine restaurant located in Koregaon Park Lane 7. It looks somewhat popular and while I didn’t try any of the multi-cuisine offering, the Indian dish I had was not bad (Chicken Adhraki). I peeked at some of the other dishes that people were ordering and they actually looked pretty good and I think I might go back there another time and try some of the other dishes. They have both seeting inside and out and they provided good service…although tended to irritate me by hovering over me so often. The environment was clean and they had about 6 tables on the inside and 4 on the outside. They serve both veg and non-veg. Expect to pay about 150rs per head. They don’t serve alcohol.

Aangar Punjabi
Aangar Punjabi is probably best described as ‘the place you eat when Punjabi Rasoi has too long a waiting list’ (see Installment #4). It was ok, nothing great, and about twice the price of the restaurant next door which had much better food. Not enough value here, although the Chicken Peshwari was pretty good, although you might find it slightly better at Great Punjab (and they don’t serve it as Punjabi Rasoi). Expect to pay about 150rs per head. They serve veg and non-veg. They don’t serve alcohol.

Others
The below restaurants I have not been to, but they have been claimed to be highly recommended.

German Bakery
This is located pretty close to the Osho commune, so it is frequented with many foreigners and very few Indians. This is a coffee house and bakery just as you might expect. It looks like a very happening place and I have vowed to try it out before I leave. Its always crowded and looks somewhat border-line No Frills. My guess is that this will get a 3.5 stars or above, primarily due to its popularity, crowd and atmosphere.

The Kabab Hut
The Kabab Hut in Sun and Sands Hotel is claimed to have the best Kebabs in Pune. While the minced kababs are not my preference, the more typical whole meat chunks tend to be quite good. I will probably try this sometime before I leave. I expect that this will be a 4 stars due to the comments I have heard.

Restaurant Guide, Installment #4

Sigree (3 stars)

Sigree, well, it has location…I will give it that. It is in the premises if Mainland China and La Dolci Vita. The food for me was average and it is not my preferred eating spot. The main attraction is the atmosphere which is excellent. Low tables and chairs. It has a reasonably good buffet which we went to one time; split between a veg side and a non-veg side. The prices are probably reasonable given the atmosphere and the customers they cater to, but I prefer other locations. Expect to pay about 700rs per head. They have veg and non-veg. They serve alcohol.

Rajputs (3 stars) (No Frills)

Now Rajputs. A local favorite with a local atmosphere. A simple laminated menu with typical Indian dishes and a building with one of the walls made of tarp. They don't bring finger bowls here, but instead direct you to a shared sink. The food is good and economical, the reason I regularly go back. It is located on North Main Koregaon Park, close to Pizza Hut. I tend to prefer the Murg Angara, which is a spicy chili laden gravy disk and accompanied by some buttered Naan which are typically better than some of the 4 star restaurants listed previously. They serve veg and non-veg. Expect to pay about 100rs per head. They don't serve alcohol.

Author's Theme (2.5 stars)

I probably should have liked this place, but I just didn't. This is a very non-Indian type of restaurant with European type food. Seems like a lot of balsamic vinegar used in the turkey dish I ordered. It was ok, but not a place I will go back to by preference. I am probably being generous with the 2.5 stars, but I think that some may like the food, so will give it a chance. Expect to pay about $500rs per had. They really didn't differentiate between veg and non-veg. I am pretty sure they served alcohol. When we were eating, a kid (6yrs or so) came running into the restaurant to return to his parents. When he came through the entrance, he found a newly cleaned glass door…wham. Crying, screaming, and the dad eventually came over to settle him down.

The Hyderabadi House (Koyla) (2.5 stars)

Ok, I have been there only once when one of my first visitors came (a native Hyderabadian). The place is very ornate in decorations which almost distract you from the food. The décor can best be described as traditional mosaic. The food was so-so…no complaints but nothing to remember. It is located next to Rajputs on North Main Koregaon Park road. Expect to pay about 400rs per head. They serve veg and non-veg. They serve alcohol.

La Dolci Vita (2 stars)

I am not sure there can be a less desirable Italian restaurant in India. One of the most heavily Indianized places I have been to. I really don't have much more to say about this restaurant, other than they serve alcohol. Its overpriced and food which has nothing to do with Italian, other than name. Go to Mainland China next door or even Sigree on the other side. Expect to pay about 350rs her head. They serve alcohol.

The Den (2 stars) (No Frills)

Ahh...the Den. We first went there when I had some friends in town from US and wanted to hit a local establishment. This looked as good as any. It sits right next to the Hyderabadi House and I think they share a kitchen, but they won't serve any of the food from next door, only some substandard starters. When you walk in, only one feeling comes to mind…scared. The King Authorian style of décor and chain male accents make ones entering a little cautious at first. The second time we went, we didn't feel much better. The third, forth, or fifth (or sixth) didn't get much better. Each time, we were the only ones in there…less the guy sitting WAY back in the corner….only his cigarette coal visible. They serve alcohol. Normal priced bears and reasonable snacks. Don't stay more than an hour or so..but if Hyderabadi House has a waiting list (which they likely wont), its not a bad place to kill a few minutes.

* I have added a classification of 'No Frills' to indicate those restaurants which are local in nature. Meaning served in single or double stalls or huts, and typically have outdoor seating with plastic chairs. No guarantee can be made as to the sanitary conditions as such and I hold no liability.

Restaurant Guide, Installment #3

Mainland China (4.0 stars)

Mainland China is somewhat akin to PF Changs in the US, and food is comparable. The atmosphere is good and more or less what you might expect from a medium-high end Chinese restaurant in the US. They have a good dumpling offering which you want to order early when you get there, as it will take 20 minutes for them to prepare. My only complaint is that they had pictures of food on the menu which they did not offer. This restaurant is near a couple other high-end restaurants including Sigree and La Dolci Vita. They have veg and non-veg. Expect to pay about 500-700rs per head. They serve alcohol.

Punjabi Rasoi (3.5 stars) (No Frills)

Koregaon Park, Lane 7. This was a good little local find for a restaurant right down the road. As the name implies, it is Punjab style food (not quite sure what that means anymore, as all the Indian restaurants have about the same flavor), but they have an excellent value for the quality of food. The atmosphere is primitive, but not overwhelming. There is frequently a waiting list in this little Lane 7 roadside dinner, so come early! You will be sitting outside in plastic chairs and if you go in the daytime, there will likely be a large number flies. Expect to pay <75rs per head. No alcohol.

Khidmat (3.5 stars) (No Frills)

Koregaon Park, Lane 6. Kidmat is a local favorite for Indian food in Koregaon Park (at least for us). The food is good and you can watch them prepare the Naan right on the patio. The Naan is very good, although there are a couple places where it is better, there are many where it is worse. The atmosphere is good, although not great and you have an option of seating inside or outside. There is no bathroom (as is the case in many of the smaller restaurants). You have the standard variety of Indian favorites here, but I would stay away from the Chicken Hyderabad…maybe I order on a bad day where they were trying to get rid of some other dish. You can expect to pay 150rs per head. No alcohol (although occasionally when the owner is there, he will have some Kingfisher for the asking).

Sagar Plaza (2.5 stars, 5 star service)

Sagar Plaza is a 3 star hotel near MG Road and this is in reference to the restaurant in that hotel. It is a simple buffet in the morning (I haven't had lunch there, but it looks about the same). They will make dosas, omelets, and pancakes to order and the buffest has 10 or so items (veg and non-veg) along with some fresh fruits. The thing that sets this aside if you go there is the friendliness of the staff and the great service; I go there occasionally when we have some visitors staying there and they regularly great me, offer tea, good conversation. Tell Javed I sent you. Expect to pay about 200rs per head. They serve alcohol (although not for breakfast).

ZKs (3.5 stars)

This was a very trendy restaurant and bar we went to one night with some friends. Apparently the owner, ZK, is a soccer or cricket star and he has opened a restaurant in Bombay and one in Pune. The atmosphere was metro and definitely catered to the high end. The restaurant was a place you could bring your family to and was generally good atmosphere. The food was better than good, although I wouldn't classify it as great; it's a good place to go to once or you have some visitors. The location is a little out of the way from Koregaon Park (30-45 min). They serve veg and non-veg. Expect to pay about 500rs per head. They serve alcohol.

Deccan Harvest (2 stars)

Deccan Harvest is in Margappata City (about 20 min from Koregaon Park). It is in the center of the IT circle there and it is quite an interesting sight looking at all the new buildings surrounding you. They have a unique atmosphere and the establishment is very interesting. They serve generally Indian, but do have some multi-cuisine offerings (indianized). You can sit inside or out. The food is very sweet for most dishes and really not terribly good, but since there are no other places to eat in the area, you live with it. Not my favorite, but I do go there more than I would care to as it is really the only lunch option. The service is very slow and the food is overpriced. They serve veg and non-veg. Expect to pay 400-500rs per head. They serve alcohol.

* I have added a classification of 'No Frills' to indicate those restaurants which are local in nature. Meaning served in single or double stalls or huts, and typically have outdoor seating with plastic chairs. No guarantee can be made as to the sanitary conditions as such and I hold no liability.

My First Doctor Visit

Not feeling well today and believe that I have some form of a respiratory chest infection. I have had these before and know that they don't do too well clearing up by themselves. I decided to take proactive action and visit my first Indian doctor.

The experience was pleasant all the way through, probably the fastest doctor visit you will have in your live. I remembered seeing a small clinic on the main street so figured I would start my trek there. On the way, I passed what looked to be a small public clinic, but opted to continue my pursuit of the private clinic. When I walked in, there was no one waiting and the room was probably as big as a single-car garage broken into two rooms. One was the lobby/paying counter/side exam room, and the back room was the doctor's office with a desk, stool, and an exam table. As I walked in, he said 'Tell me'…at which point I provided my self-diagnosis to him. He asked if I had a fever, to which I replied 'Mild, but increasing' (he didn't bother to check). He checked my breathing with a stethoscope and after about the 3 minute visit took my diagnosis as medical fact and proceeded with the writing up of his medical notes and writing the prescription.

He had a computer there running specialized Electronic Medical Records software called 'Word'. He was quite proficient at it and the only past medical history he felt pertinent to gather from me was my name. He typed in my name, brought in some prescription template and printed it out. Some antibiotic and cough syrup. Once he printed it out, I watched him delete all the text without saving and prep it for the next patient visit. Upon exit, I went to the checkout counter and payed for my visit….70 rupees (about $1.50).

Next was to go the pharmacy next door. Handed the lady my script to which she filled as I stood there (the same size single-car garage style 'stall' establishment). Within 60 seconds, I had the script in hand, paid my 102 rupees ($2) and went on my way back home.

Smooth, efficient, no fuss – all for about a total of $3.50.

Would I go back, sure…but probably only if I had a good idea what was wrong with me to begin with and either had a self-diagnosis done or had my pharmacist wife provide direction. I still need to run the drugs by her to see what they are.

Restaurant Guide, Installment #2

Mahesh Home Lunch (4 stars)
Mahesh is near MG Road and a seafood restaurant. It is a type of place where you can place your order and they will bring out the seafood fresh for you to pick. I kid you not, I saw prawns the size 2 bananas. The atmosphere was very good and the prices reasonable for the quality of food. This probably isn’t the best place for veg eaters. They have a good crowd so be sure to go early. This is an excellent place to take visitors that come from outside of India; the taste is very similar to that of Goa. Expect to spend about 400rs per head. They serve alcohol.

Chinese Restaurant at the Renaissance/Mumbai (5 stars)
While not in Pune, I have to record this since I got to Mumbai to pick up visitors flying in quite frequently. The Renaissance is our hotel of choice due to location. They have a Chinese restaurant in there which is without a doubt the best Chinese restaurant I have eaten at. You can order ala cart or in the evenings, you can order ‘dinner’, meaning just order veg or non-veg and the rest is taken care if. This service is some of the best you will experience in true India tradition. Before dinner, you should relax at the ‘A Bar’ and listen to the local lounge singers. Even if your not staying at the Renaissance, it’s worth going there. The price is definitely on the high side, between 1500rs to 3000rs per head. If you do the dinner, you can do a ½ dinner for 1500rs and it will probably be more than you can eat. They serve alcohol.

Malaka Spice (3.5 stars) (No Frills)
Koregaon Park, Lane 7. This is a local favorite for Malaysian food and there are so many items on the many (close to 300), you have to order by number. I can’t remember any specific dish I have eaten there except one called the "Flat Tire" (not real name, but thats how I pronounced it), but I can say that they were all good. Be sure to ask for Dennis to be your server, he apparently has quite a following from the locals. They also show some of the local art there which is for sale. You can expect to pay 300rs per head. They serve alcohol. While I have classified this as a no frills, you should be very comfortable here.

Le Meridian Buffet (3.5 stars)
This is near the train station. The Le Meridian is the premier hotel in Pune (where Brad and Angelina stayed). We ate at the main restaurant (can’t remember the name). It was an evening dinner that night and the entertainment was Moroccan (belly dancer). The food had a good variety of both veg and non-veg, mostly Indian food, and they had a couple of areas where you can make-to-order. The best part was probably the desert bar…tons of good sweets. I can’t remember the pricing, but I think it was about 600rs per head. They serve alcohol.

All Stir Fry (3 stars)
This is a comfortable experience and similar to the growingly popular Mongolian Stir Fry (Crazy Fire), expect a little more Chinese. Instead of doing it on a round doughnut shaped griddle, they fry it up in a wok. Pay one price, fill you bowl as many times as you want and pick your spice levels. Its pretty good for all those coming and mixes a little Asian experience with something multi-cuisine. Expect to pay about 300rs per head. They serve alcohol.

* I have added a classification of 'No Frills' to indicate those restaurants which are local in nature. Meaning served in single or double stalls or huts, and typically have outdoor seating with plastic chairs. No guarantee can be made as to the sanitary conditions as such and I hold no liability.