New Beginnings...

Yet another year (almost!)... And yet another blog (pretty much).

I am discovering a city right now, a new home. And I want to record everything this transition means. And all my memories, opinions, catharsis don't quite fit into one blog... And I hate the sense of loss I feel every time I have to delete a blog for obvious reasons. But all of it can't be trashed, doesn't need to. So ladies and gentlemen, presenting my Timepass Blog. I am not qualified to be a movie/ food/ music/ literature critic... Anyway these are not things I criticize :P But this place is going to be a collection of my wanderings... For food, for movies, for plays, on vacation... And memories of days that I only curl up and read a book. And there will be recipes. And everything else that catches my fancy and has nothing to do with my feelings, or any kind of narcissism. Who am I kidding? ;)

No better day to start this blog. I have just had a super Saturday afternoon... And it's only fair to give credit where it's due :) So here's how the story goes. R and I and were whiling away our time last night wondering if there's anything "sasta, sundar, tikau" to do over the weekend. Cooking was out (been doing too much of it lately, both of us). And for me, on a day like this, the answer is always a movie. Got tickets for Kurbaan and planned to have lunch at Chowka, our friendly neighbourhood Rajasthani restaurant. Here's how it all was-

Kurbaan - I don't generally dislike movies, and I would still say it was average. Strictly so. With a theme as strong as terrorism, and actors as brilliant as Saif (remember Langda Tyagi?) and Om Puri, the movie fell flat. At least for me. What could have been a striking 2 hour movie stretched on to 3, and I came out feeling absolutely nothing for it. Some moments sent chills down my spine, but then again I hadn't gone for a Manoj Night Shyamalan, and those chills were unnecessary. Om Puri and and Kirron Kher were strong characters as Muslim Fundamentalists, the rest just whimpered through the movie. I still do not get what Kareen was doing in the movie in the first place. She doesn't look the part (size 0 Psychology Prof who also gets pregnant - not quite the right blend, don't you think?). The music was average. It took on where Khuda Ke Liye and New York left off, for most part. But neither New York nor Kurbaan impressed me. They were just lame cousins of Khuda Ke Liye. Agreed that Kurbaan has finally managed to bring to light, and very strongly at that, what really makes one a fundamentalist. But the rest of the story failed to have an impact.

Music - just about average. Story - I would say there was none. The writer almost forgot to weave a story around what are hard hitting facts. Kareena, as usual, was unimpressive. I honestly think she should stick with item numbers of the Chhaliya category, or have a director with "Omkara skills". Saif was OK, not strong. Just about OK. And wait, did I forget Vivek Oberoi? That says it all :)

Do I regret getting up early for a 10 am show? Not in the least, I got the tickets for 100 each and I am very thankful I didn't spend anymore on it. And all said and done, it is a Hindi movie. It must be watched. You can trash it, but you can't not watch it!

So as is the case every time, I came out of the movie smiling... More so because I was expecting a lot from lunch. And I was not wrong!

Chowka is a small restaurant in Thippasandra here in Bangalore. Known for their Thalis and cost. 120 bucks for a full, unlimited Rajasthani meal that's worth every penny(and more). So we get into a restaurant in the baazaar area, find ourselves a nice canopy with a table for 2. And before you start romanticizing, the ambience was nothing to die for. The food was. We were welcomed with small glasses of chhaachh. Very refreshing. The phulkas were HOT, and soft. Missi roti - brilliant. Paratha -niiiice! The quintessential Rajasthani Aalu sabji - spicy and just right. I wouldn't say much about the baati, but the daal it came with definitely was good. I wouldn't suggest anyone to have rice there, it sort of spoils the after taste. The rotis are good enough. And for dessert, there was fresh jalebi and rabri. What a way to end a meal like that. Complete slurrrrrp! How does it compare with Rajdhani, the most well known among Thali places? To start with, the food in Rajdhani is a little too commercial for my liking, the waiters a tad bit too persevering. And Rajdhani, for me, has never been true value for money. At 120 bucks, Chowka totally was!

Highly recommended for casual meals. Just don't take a girl on a date there, no matter how much she likes Rajasthani food ;) The ambience is strictly OK... A tad bit tacky, if I may say so. But overall, a complete sasta, sundar, tikau option on most days.

I would give this Saturday a 4.5 on 5 hands down! :)