Month: September 2008

  • Kubay

    Kubay has been around from the time that we’ve been in Bangalore. Earlier, i guess. There used to be a Mallu hangout in Koramangala called Ravi’s Kitchen. That unfortunately, no longer exists, but Kubay does, and now has a new management, though they have not changed the coastal cuisine menu. Kubay is on the same road as Imperial, (6th Cross, also called Koramangala Club Road), and is off the Intermediate Ring Road (Indiranagar-Koramangala) We missed out on a food festival that happened recently, so a visit was pending. 🙂

    Kubay now has a more ‘professional’ look about it. I used to love the clay masks they hung on the walls (from Mapusa market in Goa) and the very Goan yellow shade they used for the interiors. All of that have been replaced, and even the seating has undergone a change. But hey, we didn’t come to stay, we came for the food, so its okay 😀

    We reached there about 9.45, and got a table comfortably. We skipped the soup, and decided to start with a Kane (lady fish) Rava fry. It was done quite well, though I thought it could’ve been crunchier, since I’m usually able to polish off the bones too. We weren’t quite happy with the quantity either. Not very value for money, which is what we expect at Kubay.

    For the main course, we ordered a Chicken Stew, a pan grilled seer fish (you have other options like pomfret too) and a platter. The platter was supposed to have 2 each of Sannas, Panpole and Idiappam according to the menu, but we got 3 Sannas and Panpole each. We were too hungry to question. The stew, while different from the regular style we have, was quite delicious, and in sufficient quantity. But unfortunately, the fish failed on both counts. It was a bit burnt, though the masala was good. So we ordered a chicken pepper fry, and one more platter. The pepper fry was quite spicy, and made well. The sannas (a rice based dish that looks similar to Idli) though fluffy had hardened on the outside and so spoiled the taste to an extent. It didn’t have a coconut flavor either. The panpole (a very thin dosa, also called neer Dosa) was also not that great, again the problem was that it turned out hard instead of soft. There are not many dessert options, but you might want to taste the home made caramel custard, it used to be good.

    All of the above cost us just below Rs.500, and though that’s decent, our previous trysts with Kubay had given us higher expectations of taste and value-for-money. So we’ll wait a while before we visit again.

    Kubay, 110, 6th Cross, 6th Block, Koramangala Ph: 41105221

    Menu and Photos at Zomato

  • Talk of the Town

    A while back I’d read about Burrp, which started out as a great restaurant reviews site, expanding into lifestyle events – Art, Dance, Fashion, Film, Fairs & Festivals, Theater, and so on. Check out the entire bunch here. They’d also added TV listings. While it’s quite a diversification, I thought it was quite in sync with what they were doing so far, but it also means that it broadens their competition. 

    Among the bunch in the link mentioned, I thought Yulop was a great package, with their services spread across web and mobile. Meanwhile, I’ve been coming across a lot of websites appearing in the restaurant based services space – Grubhogs , which has reviews, and already shows the beginning of an event calendar, and A Place to Dine, which, in addition to listings, also allows for online orders and table reservations, and services for restaurant owners from website setting up and hosting to loyalty programs. It even has mobile versions. A very interesting path.

    I guess these new services ‘justify’ Burrp’s move into the events space, an expansion of the value proposition. I found some interesting associations here. Burrp has tie ups with Mirror (The Times Group) websites- Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata. I also read today that Buzzintown has tied up with MyToday SMS services, to provide its users events related information on the mobile, in three cities. 

    There are some very cool happening in the events space. Buzzd , a service in the US allows the user to find and share local events on the mobile. They have recently tied up with Virgin to provide data to the operator’s subscribers. I’m not sure on how the numbers are for city based searches on mobile, but I wonder if Yulop, with all their services and info, could benefit by tying up with an Airtel/ Vodafone. While on local events, Placecast, which describes itself as  “the world’s largest place-based interactive media company” has tied up with Eventful to produce some interesting location based advertising options. (via Mashable) 

    With the increasing usage of social networks, even events are finding their own long tails. So there are services which offer event planning for smaller groups. And while there are several event planning services available (including an Indian one called Funpiper), Doodle scores by having a facebook application that lets users collaborate on events. It also sends emails to non-Facebook users. Another service that stands out is Zipiko, which offers event planning on mobile.(via Center Networks)

    But before we get there, I think there’s a lot of scope for city based social networks, especially the mobile version. I came across an interesting net based service – Fwix, which, in addition to the usual stuff, and integration with Twitter, Yelp, Flickr etc, shows you “the most relevant and trendy information and media in your local area. It aggregates about 500,000 news stories per day, and delivers roughly 2,000 relevant news stories of those 500,000.” (via Startup Meme). But i guess, that will take us back to this earlier post of mine.

    until next time, text and the city

  • Meet and Greet

    Keralites in Bangalore are a strong force. But our influence has increased so much that this year, city authorities have ensured that our connection with our legendary King Mahabali, ruler of the netherworld, and the reason for Onam, becomes stronger. All major roads have been equipped with potholes which will take us straight to him.

    until next time, Happy Onam

    PS. Check out my earlier Onam stories here and here.

  • Seventh Heaven

    The blog’s editorial policy (ahem, we have one) ensures that tags are taken up only in the rarest of rare cases. One is when the tagger is someone who can’t be refused, and the second is when the subject is so compelling that it deserves a post. The relationship of the latter with ego massages, is a part of the above mentioned editorial policy that shall not be discussed. 🙂

    So, I was conferred the Brillante Blog award by two bloggers who are very dear to me, and who I hold in very high regard. First, by Phatichar, and then by Ideasmith. And just as I began writing this post, Suma left me a message. Somebody likes my 55s! 😀

    For those who came in late, this tag is an attempt to discover and connect to more blogs, and as part of this I have to write a post and display this award, and finally tag 7 blogs which appeal to me in content or design.  And so, without further ado, here are my seven wonders

    A vividness that that knows no ends
    A subtlety that transcends
    An eye for detail that’s a gift from the maker
    There’s no one quite like Austere seeker

    The name could actually be a misnomer
    For she has a never ending supply of humour
    But then the sarcasm plays a hand
    And we get Cynic in Wonderland

    Life and Other Such Nonsense
    The title does sound intense
    LOL, that phrase would summarise
    The hilarious and addictive Tys on Ice

    From award related strife
    To wonderful slices of life
    Everything is of consequence
    On Arunima’s Silent Eloquence

    From Bangalore to Mumbai he was hurled
    But he still reaches out to the world
    And be the matter amusing or bemusing
    Kavi will give it a trademark musing

    An amazing blogger from Down Under
    Whose radicalism can tear you asunder
    Jolt you, yet humour you, if anyone can
    That’d be Orhan Kahn

    Sarcastic to the point of being misanthropic
    With a humour, that’ll always be chic
    For the best portrayal of life’s colors and hues
    Visit my buddy Saltwater Blues

    This damn list reminded me of the kind of menu cards I hate. The ones with about 20 awesome chocolate desserts, and i can manage only a measly seven.

    until next time, i really wanted to tag this guy too 😉

  • Keep off the Grass

    Karan Bajaj

    Karan Bajaj’s debut novel reminds me a lot of Chetan Bhagat’s first work, perhaps because of the similarity in milieu- IIT and IIM. Karan Bajaj is an IIM alumnus, and so this does seem a bit autobiographical. Well, even if its not, its definitely introspective, and is at its root, a person’s search for himself.
    Samrat Ratan is the protagonist, who takes a break from his hotshot investment banking life on Wall Street, and gets into IIM-Bangalore. Its an interesting book, if not spectacular, and is definitely worth a read, if only for the analytic construction of the final lesson ‘ happiness is about being comfortable in your own skin…. living a life of your own, and not an imitation of someone else’s reality’
    Of course, even that is only a perspective, but it happens to be one I agree with 🙂