• the chocolate room

    This review first appeared in Bangalore Mirror, but since there can never be enough chocolate in the world, it gets posted here too. Over on Facebook, ‘Chocolate’ is listed as one of my religious views. For others like me, the chocolate room would be quite close to the paradise they have dreamt of.

    Getting to paradise isn’t that difficult. It lies between Forum Mall and Dairy Circle, here’s the map. Parking is easy for two wheelers and there’s some space in the basement for the larger species.

    The ambience plays its part quite well. The colours are a mix of dark and white chocolate, and sometimes makes you wonder whether everything is edible as it is in its namesake in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” There are even two tiny Taj Mahals – in dark and white chocolate at the counter. The quotes on the walls exhort you to consume more chocolate and give you quirky reasons to do so. I could also identify with the vision to build a chocolate city. 😀

    The menu has a deluge of chocolate vying for your attention in various avatars. First in the drinkable form – Hot Chocolate, Choctails, Chocshakes and Chillers. There is then some minuscule attention paid to coffee and tea. Just to give you a respite, there are a few ‘regular’ food options – panini, croques, wraps, baguettes, sandwiches, crepes, pastas and salads. Before you can be diverted, the next set of chocolate incarnations appear – preparing you with pancakes and waffles, before knocking you over with chocizzas, ice creams, sundaes and fondues. There are also ‘Shots on the bar’, like Choco Rum. You can take a look at the menu here. (this is a different franchisee, but the menu is standard)

    The Belgian Chilli Chocolate is an adventurous way to start your chocolate journey. The chilli delivers a delayed, but excellent kick. If you want a more sedate start, the Mint Cuddle cup will do the job, and to get right into the scheme of things, begin with a Black Forest chocshake. Among the chillers, the Choco Crunch Mocha chiller will remind you of ‘Coffy Bite’. The Coffee Nirvana did not live up to the promise though.

    The Buttered Mushrooms Croque serves as a good snack despite having an extra helping of cheese. The Open House Chicken Panino, with its tangy flavour was also a favourite, as was the Teriyaki Chicken Wrap. The Basil Chicken Pasta was quite decent too, but the Creamy Paneer and Capsicum crepes didn’t find many takers.

    The Chocolate Sizzler deserves the ‘chocolate, chocolate, chocolate’ description and would’ve been the day’s winner, if it were not for the Chilli Hot Chocolate Pizza. In appearance, this chocizza is quite an unassuming dish, but melted chocolate, chilli flakes, oregano and cheese converged to ensure that all decorum and etiquette were forgotten when it came to the last slice. Chief among the spoilsports was the hyped chocolate fondue which turned out way too mild for our liking. The Chocolate y Churros, (also known as Spanish Doughnut) might have worked in isolation but was completely lost in the chocolate avalanche.

    Though they seemed a little surprised that we were ordering non-chocolate items too, they were quite prompt in delivery, and except for the crepes that turned up less than lukewarm, all was well. The handwritten smiley Thank You on each bill is a nice touch. With loads of chocolate, reasonably good service and a fine ambiance, this place is a must visit if you consider yourself even remotely a chocoholic. If you’re not, this is probably the place which will deliver the chocasm that converts you.

    The Chocolate Room, No: 8,9, ‘Glassics’ Building, near Forum Mall, Krishna Nagar Industrial Layout, Hosur Road, Bangalore – 560029 Ph: 9243000422

  • Social’s Next Frontier – $ocial Commerce

    1970 words is long even by my copious post standards, and that is the size of my article on afaqs, on social commerce. That, and a fortnight trip to Kerala meant that I was too lazy to write up something new here. I have shared the article on all the networks, but in case you haven't read it yet, now is a good time. Click right here.

    Apparently, there is another reason to click it too, go

    ing by the response to this tweet 🙂

    But since the face isn't much to look at, I'm hoping you'll focus on the article 🙂

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  • Sight, Insight

    One Saturday, when we were getting out of Forum Mall, we noticed a trio fumbling around the entrance barrier ropes. Turned out they were blind and had no idea how to get out. With two loud events happening there, I guess their requests for help might not have been heard. We managed to get them out and in less than a minute, I learned how hard it must be for them to navigate- from steps to people in a rush, everything was a potential obstruction/hazard.

    When we left them, I felt guilty, wondering how they’d reach their home/next destinations, and how I’d let my plans for the evening take precedence over the help I could’ve done them. I was also quite frustrated at the seeming injustice of it all. It didn’t help that I like perfect systems, which have a reason for being the way they are. D said that in the volunteering work she does, they are advised not to bond beyond a certain point with the people they work with. Apparently, when they get attached, it becomes difficult for both parties.

    The next week, for the third time, this book “The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying” resisted my advances. It’s not the first one, nor is it going to be the last that just stayed on the shelf and mocked my attempts to establish some contact. But it definitely had been around the longest so far.

    The signature says we bought it on a Gandhi Jayanti day in 2004. This time I got to about a third of it before I was completely fatigued. Perhaps it’s do with my inability to read multiple books simultaneously or the lure of the unread ones staring at me from the bookshelf, but I just couldn’t go on. It did give me a few interesting insights on life, death, transience etc, before we parted ways. In case it isn’t obvious, I quite hate not finishing books.

    Letting go of things is never easy, though the difficulty varies as per the ‘thing’ under consideration. And yet, we do manage to let go. Sometimes by choice and sometimes slowly moving on without even realising (like the death of someone dear). But it doesn’t come easy as a practice – it either takes an iron will or is an unconscious act. The middle path slips from the grasp easily, such is the wiring of the mind. Perhaps, when I finish the book, I will understand how, and will be able to let go of books, blind people and a fancy dinner with the same ease and understanding.

    until next time, in the dark..

  • Polama

    A portal that allows you to compare holiday options from various providers and make a choice based on your taste

    and budget, that’s Polama.com. In conversation with co-founder, Dilip Panicker.

    [scribd id=57176085 key=key-25ceurvfmicbcc58ryyc mode=list]

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  • Dublin

    Edward Rutherford

    An epic novel that’s only one part of Rutherford’s Ireland saga. Starting in AD 430 and ending in AD1533, this book traces the story of Ireland using Dublin as a representative. From Dubh Linn to Dyflin to Dublin.

    Through the interwoven stories of six fictional Irish families, we see the transformation of Ireland from the land of druids and Celtic High Kings up to the reign of Henry VIII. The fortunes of these families rise and fall during the Viking invasions, the campaign of Brian Boru, the English annexation of Ireland and the rebellion of Silken Thomas, and possibly serve as a good microcosmic reference point for the rest of their kinsmen too.

    By juxtaposing actual historic events with the intrigues of fictional families, and by creating a set of very interesting and meticulously detailed characters, Rutherford helps us visualise what Eire must have been like in those times long ago.

    PS. ‘Ireland Awakening’ has been on my shelf for almost 3 years now, because ‘Dublin’ was so difficult to get hold of.