Restaurant Review: Lassi Te Parronthe, Carter Road, Bandra-West

Calling this a 'restaurant' review is, I confess, stretching things too far. A review it certainly is, and a rave review at that, but Lassi Te Parronthe (henceforth christened LTP) is, by no stretch of imagination, a 'restaurant'.
But if you are not too fussy about technical definitions, and have no qualms about sitting in/on your car/rickshaw/scooter/cycle rather than a proper dinner table as you dig into your food, then LTP is much, much more than your average restaurant. 

Simply put, LTP operates out of the tiny 4 ft x 4 ft front yard of a tattoo parlour in the Khau Gully at the end of Carter Road. During lunch hours on a weekday (which was when we visited LTP), it is very easy to conclude that LTP is a figment of the reviewer's (whose rave review made you hunt this place down - like this one here that led me to LTP) imagination. There is no signage, no chef, no kitchen area – nothing than an abandoned-looking platform with 4 induction stoves, each with its own frying pan. A young boy sitting twiddling his thumbs under the sun in the tumble-down looking yard further adds to the air of abandonment and disrepair. But a hesitant question about LTP being shut, changes the scene at once. The youn 'un jumps to his feet, pulls forth a small bench for you to sit on, hands you the menu and says that no, no, the shop isn't closed, isn't he there to cook up the parathas for you?

And so we sit, crammed into the sunlit 'aangan' on the ancient 2-seater bench and assorted stools that the young chef manages to get from the tattoo shop. He takes our orders, fires up the stoves, and soon we are treated to the mouth-watering sight, sounds and scents of parathas sizzling in the pans, generously anointed with pure ghee.

We sample the Alu (potato), Gobhi (cauliflower), Spinach-Corn, Capsicum-Corn-Cheese, and Paneer (cottage cheese) parathas and they all are fabulous- blisteringly hot, served with sides of green chilli pickle, mango pickle and a generous dollop of butter that has melted into a golden pool by the time you take the first bite. No two parathas taste the same - the Gobhi is naughtily spicy, with micro-mini florets (almost a mash) of cauliflower, while the Alu is mild and comforting. The Corn-Capsicum-Cheese is every yuppie's dream with its cheesy goodness and the Spinach is super yummy, with an unexpected cinnamon twist. The Paneer is rich and mild, gently spiced by cloves, pepper, cinnamon- no spicy chilli-ginger-garlic kick here! There are 1-2 more parathas on the menu that we didn't try - Muli (radish) and Methi (Fenugreek), but am sure they have their signature tastes as well.

The parathas are pre-made and pre-semi-cooked at owner/chef Nikhil's home in Santacruz, and are 'finished' at LTP. So one can argue that this is home-made food! ;) Nikhil wasn't around when we were there (he apparently mans the stoves in the evening rush hours) but he seems to be someone with very definite ideas about food and nutrition - the reverse of the laminated menu urges you to stop indulging in 'poisonous' foods like refined salt, sugar and oil, and instead stick to good stuff like rock/mineral salt, jaggery and pure ghee. In living with his beliefs, he uses organic ingredients for the parathas, pure ghee to cook the parathas in, and jaggery to sweeten his lassi. Unfortunately, the lassi and Mint Chhas (buttermilk) wasn't available when we lunched, so we had to make do with Malai Dahi (curds) set in little kulhads (earthenware glasses).But the dahi was so gloriously thick and creamy that it had us in transports of ecstasy.

The LTP menu is quite reasonably-priced, given the swish neighbourhood it operates in. Basic parathas (Alu, Gobhi, Methi, Muli - those without paneer/cheese) cost Rs 80, while the premium parathas cost Rs 100. Dahi costs Rs 20. Four of us ate till we were FULL for the grand sum of Rs 540. Try getting such a deal anywhere else in Bandra West!

And there's something to be said about Nikhil's belief in healthy cooking and eating. Despite the more-than-generous amounts of ghee and butter in/on the parathas and the amount of cream in the dahi, I didn't get that bloated, heavy, GREASY feeling one gets after an indulgent lunch. I gelt sprightly and skippety rather than "Oh God, someone roll me to the nearest couch and let me be". Perhaps its the quality of ingredients more than their basic calorific value that our body reacts to....a dollop of pure ghee (saturated fat) is perhaps better than a spoon of unsaturated oil of dubious origins....or pure dahi albeit creamy is better than processed 'low cal' cream piped onto fruit....at least my tummy seemed to think so!

Go to LTP  (with your own car/bike/collapsible chair) as soon as possible and see if your tummy agrees! :)

Turkey Travel-log(ue): Day 4

Istanbul Ataturk Airport, waiting for the flight to Goreme, 9:00 am – 12 noon

I am sitting in a coffee shop at the Ataturk Domestic Airport. The coffee shop, or rather, the coffee area in the BTA food court is called Kokpit Kafe (their spelling, not mine! :) ). It is a delightful place, consisting of a long brightly lit counter with danglers marked with prices, names and sketches of all the eatables available  - Turk Kahvesi (Turkish Coffee), Su Boregi ( a layered pastry filled with spinach and cheese) , pizza, beer, and more. Best of all, there are long wooden communal picnic tables with benches, arranged under two realistic-looking fake trees. 

Kokpit Kafe at Istanbul Ataturk Airport

One tree bears bright yellow lemons and is strung with lamps. The other has a red macaw and a red toy airplane hanging from it's boughs, along with more lamps. The picnic table has a huge stone bowl overflowing with huge artificial but pretty pink and white flowers. At the entrance is another tree, loaded with fake oranges. Clumps of bamboo and pots of white flowers are scattered elsewhere. Overall, it's so cheery and warm and fun, that waiting here for 3 hours for my flight is no chore at all. :) I have already had one tiny cup of dark Turkish coffee, shopped for roasted hazelnuts and pistachio chocolate at the deli/grocery (Tadinda Anadolu) next to the Kafe and now, sipping on bottled water, am reading Lemony Snicket and slowly getting used to the scary-yet-exciting feeling of travelling all by myself.

Turk Kahvesi - Turkish Coffee

By the by, the airport is clean, bright and welcoming....the people are very helpful and most importantly, the loos are clean! (no one can say I don't get my priorities right) I walked into one and encountered a group of coat-and-headscarf-clad old Turkish women. The doors to all stalls were closed so I waited patiently for them to open. After watching me for a couple of minutes, one of the Turkish Ajjis beckoned me over and pointed at one door, saying something in Turkish. Seeing my bemused look, she pushed open the door to reveal an empty stall! I murmured 'Thank You' and walked in.....I really should have learnt basic phrases in Turkish, so I could thank people at least!

An aside - there are so many Indians /Pakistanis around here! Three tables near me have apne des waasi clustered around them. The large-ish group at the neighbouring table is conversing in Gujarati. Waah! And they are headed to Kayseri as well. Maybe Goreme, like so may places around the globe will be overridden with the dhokla brigade too! To be fair, there isn't a dhokla or thepla in sight. They're  munching away on veggie sandwiches and coffee (and beer!!) from Kafe Kokpit.....oh wait, I see a packet of Garden diet bhel being opened......phew! Its good to see that some things never change! :)

Inside the pick-up van, en route to Goreme from Kayseri, 2:00 PM

Arrived in Kayseri to misty rain and cloudy skies. My hotel (The Kelebek) had sent  a guy to pick me up from Kayseri (Goreme is an hour’s drive from Kayseri airport). He heaved me and my bag into the pick-up van, which was equipped with a heater (ooooh so warm and toasty!) and Wifi. A little note with the WiFi password was tacked on to the dashboard. Astounding!

So, as we make our way across barren windswept plateaus and landscapes entirely composed in shades of ochre and grey and white (snow!) to Goreme, I am going to jot down a bit about my journey from Istanbul to Kayseri.

En route from Kayseri to Goreme

The whole excitement of being a in a strange faraway land all alone rapidly dissipated when I walked into the bay of the boarding gate at Istanbul airport. 90% of the passengers on my flight were Indian! Apparently there is some convention of Indian travel agents happening in Turkey and the whole platoon of tour agents are being taken to Goreme for some sight seeing (sights which they will then hawk back home to Indian travellers) What a let down! It was like following a secret trail that ends up in your own backyard. :(

Luckily, my neighbours on the flight were a couple of  young Americans touring Turkey on their own – the young man was a financial reporter working for the Wall Street Journal in Dubai while the woman was a journalist working in New York. Unlike me, who had just one-and-a-half day in Goreme, and wanted to maximise my stay by signing up for a day tour of Cappadoccia, these two were going to rent a car and drive through the valleys around Goreme at a slower pace and without a set itinerary – they had 3 whole days to explore Cappadoccia in! This has just strengthened my resolve to travel with at least pne or two friends the next time – there are so many adventures that are automatically off-limits (due to safety or budget constraints) to a single woman traveller!

As we approach Goreme, the views outside my window have started looking like the surface of the moon – thanks to the fairy chimneys that Cappadoccia is famous for. These fantastic, pillar-like rock formations dot the landscape till the horizon, making the whole area look surreal, yet beautiful with a wild, lonely kind of beauty. 

These rock formations are what Cappadoccia is famous for. They give the landscpae a surreal, haunting feel

The fairy chimneys of Cappadoccia

Can’t wait to get to see  Cappadoccia up close and personal!

The breakfast lounge, Hotel Kelebek, Goreme, 4:00 PM

I got a good look at Goreme as we drove through the main town to reach the Hotel Kelebek which is built on top of a hillock outisde the main town. Goreme is a very small town with a main square dotted with single-storeyed houses and shops. It surives on tourism so there are lots of hotels, restaurants souvenir shops and bike rental places. The homes of the locals are beyond the main shopping area. The whole place has a quaint, cozy feel, kind of like some of India's smaller hill stations. But this being the off-season (the end of an unseasonably long winter), there are no tourist hordes, and Goreme looks like it must have before it become a tourist hotspot.

The road to downtown Goreme

Goreme

Checking into the hotel was easy and done in a jiffy since my room was already booked online. Unfortunately, my room doesnt have WiFi - there's WiFi only in the breakfast lounge (a tiny glassed-in terrace with 4 tables and panoramic views of the fairy chimneys unfortunately marred by sights of buildings and other signs of civilization) and the trek to my room from here is short but fraught with danger thanks to the tiny but steep stairways and dark corners. 

The breakfast lounge at the Hotel Kelebek

My room's tiny and very rustic looking (rough textured walls, ancient looking cut-outs in the walls to serve as shelves, a roughly-hewn pelmet over the windows) with a spotless, surprisingly modern bathroom. The tiny shower area has the best shower is the best I have EVER seen, across all my travels.  What's funny is that the ancient wooden door (very like the doors we have in our villages, complete with a wooden plank serving as the bolt) of my room first opens into the bath area- that is, the area where the wash basin is placed. Straight ahead, behind sliding glass doors in the loo & shower. To the right is another wooden door that leads into the bedroom proper.  :)   

 The bedroom itself is very clean and comfortable with a nice old-fashioned radiator to keep the room warm, a comfortable bed with heavy blankets, a small mirror with a wrought-iron dresser, and white crocheted curtains over two small windows that look down into the small valley where Goreme village is located.

The built-in cupboard in my room at the Hotel Kelebek

My room at the Hotel Kelebek - cosiness itself!

It's now late afternoon, and am relaxing in the breakfast lounge with a steaming-hot glass of Turkish tea. Sitting here, in the pin-drop silence of the lounge (the only sound is the gentle tapping of keys being punched on a guest's MacBook) and looking across the vista of sand-coloured fairy chimneys and further, beyond, snow-covered mountains, I feel this is how the roof of the world must be - unmoving, ancient, windswept and with a great silence draped over it. Maybe like Ladakh?

View of the fairy chimneys and mountains from the terrace of the breakfast lounge

The cave-houses of Goreme - some villagers still live in these, though most have been converted into hotels

Coming back to mundane matters, I have booked myself in for a day tour tomorrow to visit the highlights of this area, and also a hot air balloon - the balloon ride is subject to weather being fair. Right now it's not looking too opportune.....fingers crossed.

 

The breakfast lounge, Hotel Kelebek, Goreme, 7:00 PM

Just got back from a short walk . Short but good, since it was a steep downhill walk and (seemed) steeper on the way back. On my way back, I met a few Uncles and Aunties from the Gujarati Gang at the table next to mine at Istanbul airport. They were about my parents’ age, and seemed taken aback on hearing that I was travelling alone. They have very kindly opened their hearts and doors to me, telling me that they were put up at the neighbouring hotel just 5 minutes away from mine and I could just join them if I felt lonely. That’s Indian warmth for you!

The Hotel Kelebek at night

Now it's getting dark and lights are lighting up all over downtown Goreme as I sit in the breakfast lounge, perched on the top of the hill. The great thing about the lounge is that tea, coffee, juices and WiFi are all available here 24x7. Its also a great place to read, write and catch up with other guests at the hotel. I see myself spending quite some time here!

Turkey Travel-Log(ue) : Day 3

Our room, Hotel Lady Diana, Sultanahmet, Istanbul. 2:30 PM

Paris has the Eiffel Tower, New York has Lady Liberty, London has the Tower Bridge – and Istanbul has the Blue Mosque.

The Blue Mosque, overlooking the Bosphorous - serene, beautiful, eternal.

The Blue Mosque is locally known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque and gets its better-known name from the blue-and-white hand-made ceramic tiles (21,000 of them in total) which line the inside of the mosque. The tiles have more than fifty different tulip designs - the tulip is considered symbolize Allah because the Arabic letters in the word “Allah” are used to write the word “Lale” in the Ottoman alphabet, which means ‘tulip’ in Ottoman Turkish. 

 

The hand-made ceramic tiles (21,000 of them in total) in the inside of the Blue Mosque, which give it its name. The tiles have more than fifty different tulip designs - the tulip is considered symbolize Allah because the Arabic letters in the word “Allah” are used to write the word “Lale” in the Ottoman alphabet. “Lale” is the Ottoman Turkish equivalent of tulip.

Built between 1609 to 1616 during the rule of Ahmed I, it is still in regular use for prayers - on Fridays the mosque is closed to tourists during namaaz times.

When it was built, its six minarets created a controversy, since four minarets were the common maximum, and exceeding that was seen as a challenge to the Grand Mosque at Mecca. So, Ahmed I sponsored the addition of  an extra minaret to the Masjid al-Haram, (Grand Mosque) in Mecca to settle the issue.

The Blue Mosque with its 6 minarets

The inside of the mosque is huge, with high domed ceilings decorated with ornate and graceful mosaics of tiles which look lacy and delicate when viewed from down below. The mosque also has tall panels of vividly coloured stained glass and woven carpets on the vast floor that echo the tulip design of the tiles on the walls. Swooping circular chandeliers hanging low from the ceiling hold thousands of glass lamps (now electric, but used to old candles in their heyday).

Within 5 minutes walking distance from the Blue Mosque is the Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya in Turkish). The Hagia Sophia (meaning Holy Wisdom) was, at different times, a Greek Patrirchal cathedral, a Roman Catholic cathedral and a mosque and is now a museum. 

A very telling mural over one of the arched doorways of the main hall of the church/mosque tells the origin of the monument – it shows King Constantine gifting a model of the city of Constantinople (now Istanbul) and King Justinian I gifting a model of the Hagia Sophia (conspicuously without the trademark-Islamic minarets which now decorate it) to the Virgin Mary with the Child Christ on her lap. The minarets were added later, when the cathedral was converted into a mosque (in 1453). 

King Justinian I and King Constantineoffering the Hagia Sophia and the city of Constantinople respectively, to the Virgin Mary with the Child Christ

Notice the model of the Hagia Sophia that King Justinian I is holding is without any minarets

  At the same time, other Islamic symbols were placed in the catherdral, like the four large medallions hanging in the nave bearing the names of Muhammad and Islam's first caliphs.

This photo shows 2 of the 4 Islamic medallions that were added when the cathedral was converted into a mosque

The gigantic mosaics all over the church depicting angels, saints, Christ etc were covered over by plaster since Islam doesn’t believe in praying to any idol or picture. However, some of these mosaics/murals were uncovered during the restoration of the monument in 1930. Some of themosaics still remain covered in plaster, a living proof of the tumultuous identity reinventions that this timeless monument has withstood. 

Our room, Hotel Lady Diana, Sultanahmet, Istanbul. 7:00 PM

After a morning gawking at Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, and of haggling over trinkets for folks back home in the shopping area near the Grand Bazaar, we returned to our hotel by 1 o'clock. After lunch and playing Gardens of Time on Dad’s iPad, I felt compelled to get out of the warm cozy room and do SOME exploring on my own. The cold weather had meant that I hadn't really explored Istanbul much, except for my leisurely exploration of the Hippodrome and my getting well acquainted with the grocery next to our hotel. Remembering my lofty plans of exploring this vibrant, bustling city and not returning to the hotel till late, and felt ashamed of my homebody-ness. Even though it was forced upon me by the rain and bitingly cold wind. But yesterday was dry and cold, with occasional appearances of the sun, so I really had no excuse to be holed up in the albeit warm and comfortable hotel room.

First stop- a kofte restaurant recommended by an Istanbul food blog called Istanbul Eats, that was within walking distance of our hotel. 

Tarihi Sultanahmet Koftecisi, recommended by Istanbul Eats for having some of the city's best Kofte

Inside Tarihi Sultanahmet Koftecisi

The menu at Tarihi Sultanahmet Koftecisi

Kofte means meatballs, and for the first time in my life, I knowingly had beef. Gulp. 

Toothsome, with a slightly bouncy texture, the meatballs (shaped like rectangles, not spheres) were glistening with their own fat which had melted during their cooking over the grill. Served with pickled green chillies and buns of crusty bread, they made a great sandwich. Washed down with cold Ayran, of course. :)

 

Kofte Sandwich!

 Next, I ambled around the charming bustling neighbourhood of our hotel, till I chanced upon a little cabin which was the tourist help centre manned by a handsome policeman. I asked for directions (I had planned to walk) to the Galata bridge, but the policeman recommended that I take the tram. The tram stop was just across the road, and I quickly walked to it, marvelling at the modern tram tracks laid down in the centre of the old cobblestone street! 

The trams in Istanbul are superb - silent, sleek and easy to use, even for a language-challenged foreigner. :) The best part is, the tram rails are laid down right in the middle of the narrow cobblestone streets of the Old City and at times, the tram passes so close to the shops on either side, you feel you are driving through people's front yards and shops and homes! :) A wonderful blend of old and new!

Inside the tram from Sultanahmet to Karakoy

I took the tram to Karakoy station at the other end of the Galata Bridge, and then walked back across- at times over the bridge, and at times, under it – there is a walkway under the bridge as well, level with the water of the Golden Horn. 

Fishing off the Galata Bridge - this bridge spans the Golden Horn. The Golden Horn is a scimitar-shaped estuary that joins the Bosphorus just at the point where that strait enters the Sea of Marmara, forming the natural harbor that has sheltered Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and other ships for thousands of years.

Unfortunately, it was too late for the famous fried fish sandwich from the fish restaurants under the bridge - it was nearly 4:00 PM and all the restaurants were closed. But there were some truly stunning views of Istanbul! Rising above dark green waters of the Golden Horn, the city, with its domes and spires and minarets looked like an enchanted apparition, untouched by Time…

A view of Istanbul's Old City from the Galata Bridge

Walking across the historic bridge, I saw the signboard of the famous Hamdi restaurant on the opposite shore, so made a beeline towards it.. A smiling suited-booted gent dispatched me to the top floor where the restaurant proper was located (the ground floor is the Hamdi sweetshop, and I am assuming the floors in between are their kitchens and bakery)  The restaurant is housed in a picturesque, enclosed terrace overlooking the Golden Horn, and gives amazing views of the Golden Horn, the Galata Bridge, the New Mosque and all the hustle and bustle of the paved courtyard outside the neighbouring Spice Bazaar. 

Inside the Hamdi restaurant

The view from the terrace of the Hamdi Restaurant - the New Mosque, the Galata Bridge and the scores of small shops - charcuteries, groceries, fruit and flower shops- in the paved courtyard next to the Spice Bazaar

Even at the odd hour (it was 4:30 PM or thereabouts), the restaurant was crowded with patrons enjoying a late lunch, or making an early start to the evening, with a few rounds of raki, the anise/fennel-scented alcoholic drink loved by Turkish.

Sampled the lahocum (Turkish pizza -very thin, crispy base spread with tomato paste, minced meat, garlic and parsley), the lentil soup (delicious, especially with a squeeze of lemon -giant, bright yellow lemon wedge) and some shish tavuk (grilled chicken kebabs, serviced with Turkish bread (roomali roti types) tomato rice and fresh salad). 

Lahocum

Lentil Soup

Shish Tavuk

 

Obviously, I couldn't eat all of this, so after taking a bite of the chicken (wrapped with salad in the roomali roti) -the chicken was tender, but kind of bland, by the way- I asked the waiters to pack it up, along with Sobiyet and Kunefe (Turkish mithai) for the parents.

Kunefe (left) and Sobiyet (right) - both feature crisp phyllo pastry, syrup, and have crushed pistachios as a garnish. Kunefe is stuffed with a creamy unsalted cheese, while Sobiyet is filled with thickened cream.

 A quick walk to the Spice Market or Egyptian Bazaar that we'd visited yesterday for some additional shopping, and then a tram ride back home....thus ended my day out in Istanbul!