Dining out : Wasabi, Seattle

This was my third visit to Wasabi Bistro. Being a vegetarian, I am not (or was not) a huge fan of Sushi. On every visit, I have left Wasabi with a pleasant lingering taste, feeling great about an excellent meal in an upscale setting.

This was a dinner to celebrate new beginnings – an exciting job offer and all the possibilities that it brings. Wasabi was a safe choice – they do almost everything perfectly and its hard to go wrong with a meal here. Wasabi is extremely popular and was crowded even at 10pm on a Friday night. However, the wait wasn’t too bad at all – we got seated within a couple of minutes. If you are planning to go during peak dinner hours, it probably is a good idea to make a reservation.

Where : 2311 2nd Ave Seattle, WA 98121

What :
Starters: Caramelized pears and brie w/ walnuts
An interesting dish, especially if you like brie cheese. Brie has a mild taste, somewhat similar to butter. Paired with caramelized pears and walnuts, it had a pleasant taste and served well as a starter while we waited for our main course. Eating the cheese with chopsticks was tricky (I have not yet managed to master the art).

Main : Green Decadence Roll, Vegetarian Cowboy Roll
Wasabi is great for vegetarians – it has a section on its menu dedicated to Vegetarian dishes. There are about 5-6 rolls in the veggie options and prior to this Green Decadence was my favorite. Now the choice is much harder – considering the cowboy roll was so good ! Taking the first bite of the tempura topped cowboy roll, I spontaneously made a slight dance move to the music playing. It had a great taste and I absolutely loved it.

The Cowboy roll has asparagus, avocado, cucumber and is topped with eggplant tempura (fried) and teriyaki sauce. I am not a fan of tempura in general, but in this case it enhanced flavor of the sushi. The Green Decadence roll green onion, asparagus tempura, wasabi aioli and is topped with avacado and a ranch like sauce. The roll tastes as amazing as it looks. Unlike traditional sushi, these rolls are slightly heavy but well worth the calories.

Final Course: Ume-Shiso-Yama Gobo Maki (Plum , Japanese Mint and Burdock root)
Having finished our amazing two rolls, we decided to give one of the traditional sushi rolls a try. This roll is much smaller than the rolls above, but also less appetizing. The burdock root (like a pickled carrot) was a bit too sour for my taste and getting this role was probably not a great idea.

Besides the great food, Wasabi provides an excellent atmosphere and is an ideal setting for a special dinner. All this comes at an above average price. A dinner for two could easily cost somewhere around $40 without drinks. However the experience is well worth it. My friend was all smiles leaving the dinner with her stating “I absolutely love Wasabi Bistro, this place is awesome !”.

Rating : 4 / 5 – The traditional rolls could have been much better, otherwise this is the best sushi place I’ve visited.

Website : http://www.wasabiseattle.com

Dining out : Vij’s Vancouver

There is one fine line between good and excellent. Vij’s, Vancouver, goes above and beyond what you would expect from any Indian restaurant and is way in the excellent category.

 Throw away all presumptions that you have about going to an Indian restaurant. This is perhaps the most unorthodox approach to Indian cuisine that you might ever come across. I am visiting Vancouver this weekend with my best friend from school – Avinash, who is visiting from Dubai. We actually heard of this place through a recommendation by a friend of Avinash’s back in Dubai who remembered Vij’s as the best Indian food he had ever tasted.

Step into the place, and you will be greeted by a lovely hostess (with an iPad to manage the guest reservations) who will probably tell you the wait is an hour long (We did not make reservations). They have a bar at the back where you can chill while waiting to be seated.

Where : Located at a short 5 minute drive from downtown Vancouver. : 1480 W 11th Ave., Vancouver, BC

What : 

Starters : Garam Masala Sauteed Portebello mushrooms in porcini cream curry
Yam (Arwee), Paneer and Cabbage kofta in pureed lentil curry

Main : Curry eggplant (forget the exact name of the dish and it doesn’t happen to be there on the website)

Like I said before, Vij’s is perhaps the most unorthodox approach to Indian food that you might ever come across. The names of the dishes though fairly familiar, are unlike anything you would find in a traditional Indian restaurant. Neither is the presentation nor the quality of service. Any meal order comes is accompanied by a unlimited supply of naan (Indian bread) and rice. The waitresses also keep coming by offering different snacks which the kitchen has prepared for the bar (mini poori’s, pakoras etc.) What is most surprising is that the food is delicious. (Those who frequent Indian restaurants might have noticed that quality of food and presentation do not generally go together).

All this definitely comes at a price. Vij’s is way more expensive than an average Indian restaurant. A dinner for two (we ordered two starters and one main course) cost us 80 CAD. But the atmosphere and the food was totally worth it. I think this deserves a place in the Michelin Guide.

Rating : 5 / 5 – I cannot think of what else describes a perfect restaurant. This definitely made my day.

Website : http://www.vijs.ca/

Dining Out : Z’Tejas, Bellevue

Celebrating the well deserved success of a friend – we decided to go to Z’Tejas Southwestern grill, Bellevue. Located on the third level of the Bellevue Square mall – this restaurant has a welcoming and pleasing ambiance the moment you step in. A special mention to the manager – Jeff, for being hospitable and ensuring an overall great experience at the place.

Where : 535 Bellevue Square, Bellevue, WA 98004 (http://ztejas.com/)

What :

Starters : Sweet corn bread

The restaurant welcomes you with a complimentary delicious corn bread. The bread was a mix between a lightly sweetened cake and dinner bread. It comes with honey butter on the side as a spread.  Overall the combination is great to taste – though it is heavy and could reduce your apetite for the delicious meal to follow.

Entree(s)

Vegetarian Pasta

I have never been a fan of pasta – especially since most places seem to have a similar approach to cooking a traditional pasta. But I have to admit, this linguine pasta was a pleasant surprise. Initially picked because my friend could not decide between the Enchiladas and the Pasta – I decided it would be good to let her try both.

The pasta is cooked in a creamy white sauce, and comes topped with thinly sliced peppers and Jalapenos – garnished with goat’s cheese. Surprisingly it wasn’t too hot – but I’d recommend to stay away if you cannot take even small amounts of chili.

Overall a great Entree ! Priced at 11$ – its a bargain for the great taste and the atmosphere of the place.

Veggie Enchiladas

I only savored a bite of this entree – even then it left a lingering taste. Slightly sweet from the cream tomato sauce that comes along with it – the enchiladas are served with a side of black beans and mexican rice. A good entree – one of the better options on the vegetarian menu in this place.

Overall Rating : 4/5

An excellent place to visit – be it hanging out with friends, or on a date. Definitely worth checking out.

Dining Out : Udipi Cafe, Bellevue

This restaurant opened in Bellevue on May 15th – and in that short period of time I have visited the place 4 times already. Hands down, this is the best South Indian food I have had outside India. The dosas here would give the Sarwana Bhavan’s and Sagar Ratna’s of the world some serious competition.

Where : 14625 NE 24th Street, Bellevue, WA 98007

What : Butter Masala Dosa.

Each time I go here, I try a different variety of dosa. So far none of them has failed to disappoint. Besides the Udipi Special dosa (which was a bit too unconventional for me), I have liked all the south Indian dishes here so far. The food leaves a pleasant lingering taste that makes you keep coming back. Kudos to the chef !

Surprisingly, the North Indian curries in this place aren’t too bad either. Me and my roommate (Gaurav) have tried a few curries here (Paneer Butter Masala and Matar Paneer to be precise) and both turned out to be pretty good. Udipi has become our staple Indian food dinner place.

For those whose appetite does not get satisfied without some animal in your plate , you might be a bit disappointed – this is an only vegetarian restaurant.

Rating : 4/5 : Some work on the ambiance and this would be the perfect place.

Dining Out : In the Bowl, Seattle

For those who have had the fortune of having savoured the food of the “dhabas” (roadside restaraunts) along the New Delhi – Chandigarh highway : you would know that the best food doesn’t necessarily come in the fancisest of places. “In the Bowl” , a small restaraunt in Capital Hill reminds me of the same. A small ”in-the-wall” kind of place (it might be hard to find on your first visit), it has some of the best vegetarian food you’d get in the Seattle area.

Where : In the Bowl , 1554 E Olive Way, Seattle

Having heard lots of good things about the restaurant – me and Shalu were determined to get a seat on our third try yesterday. Thanks to its rave reviews, the place is extremely busy and has a very limited seating capacity. Heeding to our voracious apetite we decided to order the main course directly.

What :

Fried Chowmien Noodles with Tofu                                                                        Basil Basil Curry with Fried Tofu

Rating : 4/5 – A slightly better ambiance and this place would be ideal for a casual dinner with friends or a first time date. With limited seating, its more of a take-away kind of food place for now. But considering how good the food tastes warm and fresh – I’d say its worth the 20 – 60 minute wait to get a seat . Go here if you are looking for something great for the taste buds. But if a candle light dinner at a fancy restaurant is what you’re looking for, you might want to give this place a miss.

PS : Don’t forget to visit the restroom in this restaurant. I know it sounds strange – but it has one of the most creative restrooms you will ever come across. I know, I thought my friends were crazy for suggesting the same to me at first. Ah ignorance !

World Cup after 28 years !

I remember watching my first world cup in 1996. It was the year when Sri Lanka demolished the Indian side in the world cup semi-final and some roudy scenes were witnessed at the Eden Gardens. Fast track , 4 world cups and 17 years later – India finally wins the world cup. I am at a loss of words for how good this feels.

I am lucky to be working at Microsoft with a crowd of over 1000 people who are as patriotic about their cricket as people back home. We witnessed the action live , staying awake all night, 1 am onwards to watch our team win, and see Sachin Tendulkar lift the world cup. Its a dream come true. Here are some videos I took (except the first) at the cafe. Its a dream come true and nothing can beat the feeling.

Winning Runs – MS Dhoni 6

Victory cheer at Microsoft Cafe 121

Sachin Victory Lap

Sachin getting his medal

The biggest sporting event for a generation of Indians

For those of you who do not know what I am talking about – India and Sri Lanka will be playing the cricket world cup final at Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium today. For a generation of Indians who have grown up watching their favorite countryman provide breathless entertainment for over 22 years – this is bigger than just a game. In India cricket is a religion – and Sachin Tendulkar is God.

It all started in 1989 – when Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, a short man just 16 years of age, played his first International cricket game for India. Few  people would have known that this one man would capture the imagination of the whole nation in a way no one else could. And 22 years later, Sachin has almost every single record in the cricketing book to his name. (See Cricinfo Profile) However, the world cup has eluded this man till date and today might just be when this one last laurel is added to his already stellar career.

Sachin has been compared to Alexander the great – with no territory left to conquer. That would indeed be true, if he wins today’s all important world cup game. Luck seems to be on his side – he was dropped 4 times in the semi final against Pakistan. That doesn’t sound surprising – considering he has the prayers and good wishes of 1.2 billion people.

Besides being the world cup final – there are several other facts that make this match thrilling. Sachin is at yet another milestone of his career- he has 99 international centuries to his name. His fans would hope he can reach that magical 100 century mark. Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium happens to be this little master’s home ground – and the cheering that follows him to the crease would put Obama to shame.

There have also been a lot of talk surrounding Sachin’s retirement. Sachin will turn 38 this year on April 24. (His birthday is a very special day in India. I remember distributing sweets to my classmates every year on his birthday in primary school. This was my way of celebrating my own birthday with my classmates, which was during the summer holidays) Having played for over 22 years now, Sachin has had more than his fare share of injuries. His fans want him to end his career on a high – unlike some other Indian cricket greats (Saurav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid for instance) who ended their careers with a lot (and sometimes undue) controversy which bought disrepute to their otherwise fabulous careers.

The match is widely anticipated to be a thrilling contest – with both teams hungry to win the World Cup. Just like Tendulkar, Sri Lanka will bid farewell to Muralitharan – cricket’s bowling genius.  (CricNext – Sachin vs Muralitharan) Just like Tendulkar, Murlitharan has almost all bowling records to his name. He has already announced his retirement post world cup , and he would be looking to end his career in style. (Read Cricinfo’s match preview).

Nothing can put into words , the excitement leading up to this game. I wish Sachin can reach his 100th ton and lift the world cup – it will be a dream come true. Oh and it would also make waking up at 2 am for every single India game for the last month totally worth it.

I leave you all with a collection of videos from the web, just to get your adrenaline pumping.

Sparsh

Sidhu at his best on Tendulkar

Sachin’s 200 – the superman for India

Sachin’s first interview – 1989

Sachin’s Greatest Moments aside from the bat

This is where it all started – Sachin’s first run in International One day cricket