10 posts and 10 followers - That's a Start!!!

We are at the end of June 2010. Its been a hectic month with all the traveling and work, but I've discovered a soothing effect via my blogs. Great to get some sort of record of all the mad times I've had and someday I can look back at these pages and reminisce. I'd like to thank the 10 souls of have stuck by me in this crusade and I'd love to hear from you guys about my blog. If you'd wish to contribute something more about a band or a restaurant, feel free to comment on the same. If you guys have tried out some of my recommendations and did find them good, then I urge you to stick around, cause there's a lot more blogging left in me.

Swami G is going international this July, with a 3 week long vacation to the land of fast food and the land of Classic Rock - U.S.A!! I'm so sure I will have about a 100 places to write about from the States, so you guys keep on reading and spread "The Flavor of Rock".

You can contact me via my Facebook page and if you guys have some good places to recommend, I'd be more than happy to join you - just as long as there's good food.  

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Jukebox Hero!!!!

The blogs are coming thick and fast this June, and I think I'm due another real "Classic Rock" review. Today I give you Foreigner. In my book easily one of the most underrated bands of the golden age, Foreigner first came to the scene in 1977 well after other contemporary bands like The Beatles, CCR, The Doors etc. The first time I heard Foreigner was when I was a die-hard gamer playing GTA Vice City. Now I know its kind of hard to notice a song like "I've Been Waiting For A Girl Like You" when you're in the middle of a mafia based violence game, but something about that song always made me smile. Still nothing came off it until recently when I was forced to listen to their entire discography.

Now I am not a music junkie who can go like 10 straight hours just listening to music, I am however one of those types who listen to their favorite songs OVER and OVER and OVER again. So it was just a matter of time, before i just stumbled upon the album "4". I've sort of been unfortunate enough to have been working late hours and as an accountant, 13 hour shifts on Excel and Microsoft Outlook aren't much fun, so you need to have a pass time activity. That's how I managed to finish Foreigner. The band has split up year's ago with lead vocalist Lou Gramm now an established solo artist. Its kind of sad that a great band like Foreigner lasted only 8 albums. But I think we should savor their impact and contribution to the classic rock world and just enjoy their music. Stand out albums have to be "4", "Agent Provocateur" and "Inside Information". The reason I love Foreigner is because they have insane range in their music. They can give you pure inspirational bliss with songs like "Jukebox Hero" and "I'm Gonna Win" and yet enthrall you with pure poetry in some classic love songs like "I Want To Know What Love Is". Most of their music is light and all about the cheer charisma of Lou Gramm. I think he's the kind of vocalist who can make a good band into a absolute Rock Revelation!!!

Yet again I have to recommend the entire discography. Hell I finished like 8 of their songs whilst i was writing this post. Foreigner is a proper feel good band, here's their discography (in order of preference)

• 1981 - 4
• 1987 - Inside Information 
• 1977 - Foreigner
• 1984 - Agent Provocateur
• 1978 - Double Vision
• 1979 - Head Games
• 1991 - Unusual Heat
• 1994 - Mr Moonlight

The last two of their albums were disastrous and I think that was the final nail in the coffin for the band. The band still get together and perform around the world, most recently right here in Bombay at St Andrews Auditorium in Bandra. I was too busy caught up with work and I sort of came to know about it only on the day of the event. I would have given anything just to hear them in concert once, but for now I think I should be happy that they form such an integral part of my i-pod.

PS: In case you were wondering, why would anyone name a band Foreigner, here's a thought, its probably because their vocalist was American and the rest of the group was from England. Well that's just my theory, for now enjoy my favorite Foreigner song, a timeless classic, beautiful lyrics and sheer pain in his voice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C00ffeNR5zw

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Lal Bagh ka Raja !!!!

I think it’s about time I gave a proper food review – which includes good Tandoori Food, Kebabs, good music and the true Fine dining experience of Mewar. Now I have to confess, I spent close to 20 years of my life being a pure vegetarian (well there’s no point crying over spilt milk), so a lot of my initial reviews will be good vegetarian places to eat, but don’t be disheartened – I’ve still got a lot of other places to recommend from both Udaipur and Bombay. Yes I’m still in Udaipur and we wanted to have the proper Udaipur experience so we went to this restaurant named Lal Bagh. Now I wanted to try out a new style of reviewing both the food here and my colleagues who I went to eat with. So here goes:

There once was a Brahmin boy named Gautam,

He joined Deloitte as an auditor cause he thought it might be fun,

In a few months he realized that there was no hope,

It finally dawned on him that being a pure Vegetarian didn’t have much scope.

Then he met a wise man named Nayan Shetty,

Who had a fancy Innova and would roam around the city,

From Bade Miyan to Kao Gulli, he had tried it all,

Anyone on his audit team, was sure to have a ball.

 

So together they set off to the land of Mewar,

How I wish, Nayan had got his big spacious car,

The palaces and the lakes left us awe stricken,

But like I said, this review is all about some Butter Chicken.

Lal Bagh as a restaurant is simple stunning,

One look at their Non-Veg menu and me and Nayan were Grinning,

Possibly the best Chicken Tikkas and Kebabs,

Main tho kehta hoon, Lal Bagh ka Shuruwat tha LAA-JAWAAB.

The ambience is classy with a live playing band,

Too bad for them, they weren’t really in demand,

And the service was ridiculously slow,

And boy some of the prices on the menu weren’t very low!!!

The Main course was an absolute delight,

Even the vegetarians were gobbling up the paneer, bite after bite,

Quick word of advice don’t order anything with a white gravy,

Only the Gora’s like such bland food, Gosh they must be crazy.

(in case you guys were doubting my Hindi credentials) 

Lal Bagh ke shaan tho inki Shirni thi,

Humare badnaseebi thi ki hume usse kaane ko nahi mili,

Udaipur aaye ho tho yahaan pe aana Zaroor,

Ab mujhe Angrezi hi pasand hai to isme mera kya kasoor?

All in all myself and Mr Shetty were totally satisfied,

The Cable cars at Pichola Lake were a spectacular ride,

Undoubtedly Lal Bagh has the best Tandoori food in the whole of Rajasthan,

But I have to say I really hated the roadside PAAN!!

Now that was a whacky food review wasn’t it? I would have loved to go to Lal Bagh again and try out more items in the menu, but unfortunately I just couldn’t find the time; still it was a great 3 weeks Nayan Shetty, I hope we have more such fun adventures together in the near future.

PS: I’m really sorry dad if you do indeed read this! I mean come on you have to admit this has to be the coolest way to find out that your son’s a hardcore non-vegetarian!!! :)

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Why I didn't miss Bombay!!!

3 weeks away from a city like Bombay can be very hard, especially if you've lived there all your life. When I was first told of the Udaipur trip, I asked myself – but what about the food? How am I supposed to go 3 whole weeks with only tandoori food? But thankfully Udaipur was an absolute haven for a budding foodie like me. You would have to be a brave man to try out the Chinese and the South Indian food at Udaipur, very very mediocre but they do however have a great roadside fast food scene going. There are a finite number of tourist attractions in the city, and the city itself is very small. After a lot of Phulkas and Pulao’s, the guys wanted something different, something that would drive those homesick blues away. Enter Original Pandit Pav Bhaji. Now I have to say, I always thought Pav Bhaji anywhere other than Bombay would be nothing but a disappointment but how I was proven wrong. 

The setup is basically a small vegetable cart where the proprietor is busy making the Pav Bhaji, and around the open area there are tiny benches and stools set up. 30 bucks for a plate of piping hot Pav Bhaji sounds a steal. Some of my colleagues were bold enough to say that Pandit Pav Bhaji’s Bhaji was better than anything they've had in Bombay, but I think that’s a little far fetched. This was definitely one of the better Pav Bhaji’s I've had but it still doesn’t come close the real Mumbaiya Pav Bhaji. I think what’s different about the one in Udaipur is that there are a lot more vegetables which some people might like. The Pav’s are cut into smaller pieces which make it easier to eat. I would definitely recommend this place; it’s a pleasant change to the otherwise less spicy food in the rest of Udaipur.  

A complete Pav Bhaji experience is not complete without the Gola, Falooda or Ice Cream/Kulfi afterwards. Right next the Pav Bhaji stall is a similar Gola walla; now you can’t possibly go wrong in the preparation of a Gola – I mean it’s basically just crushed ice and Syrup. Kalakattha is always the best flavor available although we were a tad disappointed to not get Bombay’s very own “Aam Panna”. Moving on towards Gujarat Ice Parlour; now I must confess until this trip I had never had a Falooda. I had always heard about it, but strangely the joy of experiencing the pure ecstasy of sipping, licking and slurping your dessert all at once had always eluded me. I did however eventually break my Falooda duck and in some style. Topped with a handsome helping of nuts, vermicelli and ice-cream the Falooda is probably the most filling dessert I’ve ever had. This entire evening was roughly just about 100 bucks a head – now that’s PROPER VALUE for MONEY!!! I would lie to you if I told you that this was the Best Pav Bhaji, Gola or Falooda ever, but it was definitely one of the places that you just can’t miss if you do happen to spend some time in Udaipur. Another such roadside stall was at the Fateh Sagar Lake – Park View Café (now also on Facebook). You know if a road side stall has made its way to Facebook then it must be bloody good. Best cold coffees I’ve ever had. Chunks of Choco chips, ice cream and whipped cream and all of this is just a measly 30 Bucks. All in all a weekend well spent!! And that’s why I didn’t miss Bombay all that much!!!

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Steve Miller Band..

It has come to my attention that a few of my followers feel that the music section of the blog is too much like Wikipedia and that they want me to try and be more expressive about the song/band and describe how it makes me feel. Easy for them to say, granted as Akshay Hariharan’s only sentences that don't include the words “Noob”, “Jhaata” or “It’s Gay” are probably spoken whilst ordering his grandma to feed his lazy ass even more. Still the mans got a valid point so I shall try and incorporate this new style in my next blog. 

Firstly I picked Eagles and CCR as my first two posts because 1) I literally knew the band's discography by heart and 2) I do spend a lot of time researching stuff on Wikipedia and that's pretty much how I started listening to these bands. It's not like I'm copy-pasting data off Wikipedia, please thats just sad. To prove my point, check out my review for Steve Miller Band. Now I have absolutely no idea about how many albums they made or who their lead singer is, all I know is that a friend of mine (the same fat dosai gobbling monster) recommended the Greatest Hits album of the band. Now at first Steve Miller Band may seem sort of dull, they don't have that X Factor that a lot of other bands from their time had, but again patience is the virtue. Four maybe five hearing's later you will really start to like Steve Miller. They've got like 6-7 good songs which you can listen to once in a while; nothing more. My honest opinion is that you shouldn't waste space on downloading their entire discography, I think just the Greatest Hits should be sufficient. Some of their noteworthy songs include “Jungle Love”, “Abracadabra”, “Wintertime”, “Give It Up” and “Wild Mountain Honey”. The stand out song just has to be “The Joker”. This is one song which will feel so familiar to you the first time you hear it that you would think you've been hearing it all your life. All in all I’d give the go ahead to the Greatest Hits album of Steve Miller Band. 

PS: No Akshay, I am not going to right “How it makes me feel”, I’m already tired of one village idiot asking me that question all day long, I don't want to entertain another one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmVusVh4TRQ 

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Keep on Chooglin’

When you think of Classic Rock, one of the first names that should come to your mind has to be CCR, which is an acronym for Creedence Clearwater Revival. Now I know the name gives off a very death metal sort of vibe but CCR are one of my all-time favourite bands; great vocals thanks to John Fogerty, catchy peppy beats and yet again the proper blend of country music with rock. 

I first heard a CCR song in the movie “The Longest Yard”, and instantly I liked the song. It’s amazing what an unlimited internet plan does, that I downloaded the entire discography just because of the one song that I liked. They started off in 1968 with a self-titled album that was a moderate success with the runaway hit Susie Q. Personally I found the first album very average, but I chose to stick around because I had a feeling that they would only keep getting better. And they did.

1969 was a breakthrough year for the band with 3 blockbuster albums, Bayou Country, Willy and the Poor Boys and Green River. Creedence are one of those bands that you might have heard playing in the background of countless TV shows and movies without even realizing it. Bad Moon Rising is right up there as one of their best songs, with many other classics like, “Hey Tonight”, “Who’ll Stop the Rain”, “Fortunate Son”, “Cotton Fields”, “Good Golly Miss Molly”, “Proud Mary” etc. CCR is not the type of band that has one ultimate platinum song, all their songs are just as good and it’s the perfect type of music that you just keep listening to without having to repeat the playlist. I think the best way to appreciate a band like Creedence Clearwater Revival is to set the i-pod on shuffle on a Sunday afternoon and just Keep on Chooglin’ !!!! Yet again it’s next to impossible to pick one favourite song but if I had to choose it would be a tie between “Have You Ever Seen The Rain” and “Up Around The Bend”. If you’re the type of person who just loves listening to music and always wants to expand his horizons, then CCR is so the band for you. I would definitely recommend the entire discography except their debut album. 

Here is their entire discography:

• 1968 – Creedence Clearwater Revival
• 1969 – Bayou Country 
• 1969 – Green River
• 1969 – Willy and the Poor Boys  
• 1970 – Cosmos Factory   
• 1970 - Pendulum
• 1972 - Mardi Grass

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu2pVPWGYMQ

• 
  

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The Rajasthani THALI!!!!

Since I'm vacationing in Udaipur, it is only fair that I bring to notice some of the delightful eat outs in this marvelous city. Firstly if you had the common misconception that the whole of Rajasthan was an arid desert, then you my friend are WRONG. Udaipur is a beautiful city also known as the City of Lakes, the weather is much cooler as compared to the rest of the state, the food is INSANE and the people are so hospitable that I left like the Prince of Mewar these past few weeks. Coming from a hectic noisy city like Bombay, Udaipur was a huge shock, the streets are empty by 9.30 pm, the sun sets only at 7.30 in the evening, making those office days so much longer. The first thing the locals recommended us was the traditional "Rajasthani Thali" and so just had to try it!

A proper meal at Natraj takes roughly 20-30 minutes depending on how fast you eat. Don't get me wrong, it’s not like the food is so bad that people leave early, it’s because of the whirlwind service at Natraj. You are welcomed to this ginormous empty plate with 7 cups inside and before you even update your FB status, the plates are full. The waiters tend to each table with inch perfect timing and the order of the food items served is almost like clockwork. Natraj has probably served a million thalis and I don't think a single person would have left disappointed. Not only is the service super-fast, the food is piping hot - even on your second serving and did I mention you are allowed UNLIMITED refills. One can gorge themselves to the proper Thali experience at Natraj with 3 Subji's - Paneer, Aloo and another vegetable which is basically the Rajasthani specialty. My personal favorite was the Besan ke Ghatte, but to be fair - had they served Karela also, I would have licked my plate clean. That's how good the food tastes in Natraj. Very light, as everyone would like to refer it as "Ghar ka Khana". The Phulkas seem as though they are handcrafted by artisans, they've got the perfect amount of Ghee, perfect fluffiness, perfect size - Just PERFECT! 

The Puri's are good too, as are the farsan items - Dhoklas, Kachoris and tiny little samosas and then you have the Dal Khichdi. When you first see the Khichdi, you would think it’s a semi solid prepartion specially made for a new born child who can't chew. No vegetables whatsoever, just a pale green colored slushhy thing. But my god we are proven wrong. I don't know how they do it, but the Khichdi is so easy to eat, it almost glides down your mouth. Topped up with ample Ghee and some Papads, this is one of the best things about this gigantic Thali. Every plate comes with its glass of Chaas and Namkeen Kadi which leaves you so full that you can barely muster the energy to take another bite. But it’s not over yet, as always I have saved the best for the end.

AMRAS. I was lucky enough to visit Udaipur during the end of the Mango season; hence every thali has a cup of Amras. I don't need to tell you how good the Amras is, but the only thing is that here you can have say 5-10 cups of Amras and the waiters will still serve you with the same smile on your face. Total value for money, yes all of this is just 100 rupees. That's right people, 100 rupees for all this food and hospitality. The Rajasthani Thali is a special special treat to your tummy and be sure to have it if you do visit Udaipur. Very importantly stay as far away as possible from the Gujarathi Thali - its identical, only every item is sweeter. Natraj is hands down the best food joint in the whole of Udaipur, strategically placed bang opposite the railway station, and at 100 rupees per head - it monopolizes the entire Thali industry in Rajasthan. For those who don't like the frantic pace of the Thali, you can go up to the second floor and experience a quieter, more fine dining experience with their extravagant a la carte menu. Though I'd strongly recommend the Thali - I've had it 4 times in 2 weeks and I still want more.

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Blogging isn't the Last Resort!

Okay, I wanted to get the Rock section of the "Flavor of Rock" started with a very safe artist that everyone has to love - The Eagles. A lot of people say Hotel California is the greatest song of the band, probably because that's the only song thats made it all the way to India. Its a timeless classic - very difficult to play on the guitar but in my book it doesn't even make it to the top 10 Eagles songs of all time. Seems like a long time ago when they started with one of the all time chart toper's with "Take It Easy" and that was just the beginning. The hits just kept on coming with "Peaceful Easy Feeling", "Witchy Woman", "Doolin-Dalton", "Desperado", "Tequila Sunrise" amongst a few. The Eagles optimized 1970's Rock with a Southern, Country touch to most of their songs.

Eagles were one of the few bands that merged proper southern music into mainstream rock, giving them a that "feel good factor" that every one loves. Eagles were probably one of the most successful bands with 5 beautiful albums in the space of a decade. The vocals were shared by Glenn Frey and Don Henley, most of the commercial successes were Frey's. There are a lot of similarities between the Eagles and the Beatles. I know thats a sensitive issue and a lot of people will side with our friends from Abbey Road just for the sheer presence of the late John Lennon but guys, give Eagles a chance. They sum up the very essence of the music from the early 70's or as I would like to call it "The Perfect Decade to have Grown up".

I think to start off one can check out their Greatest Hits album which comprises of 36 lovely songs and I promise you it won't be long before you download the entire discography. Here are all the studio albums ranked in order of preference:

• 1978 - Hotel California
• 1972 - Eagles
• 1973 - Desperado
• 1974 - On the Border
• 1975 - One of These Nights

I can't possibly name my favorite Eagles song because when I start listening to them, I run through like 50 songs without even realizing it, but gun to my head if I had to ever chose a true Eagles master piece - well it has to be "The Last Resort" from their best selling album "Hotel California".
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJ9YkSZ0wKo

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Kirti Vada Pav !!!

I wanted my first official post to be something that combined my favorite city, favorite kind of food (Junk Food) and of course my most FAVORITE person in this world - my father. Here's presenting Mumbai's finest Vada Pav - Kirti Vada Pav also known as VSNL Vada Pav.
First things first, if you're a pakka Mumbai-kar, then you would know that there's nothing in this world like a Vada Pav. Its dirt cheap, its filling and its something you can have for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner. A couple of  Vada Pav's and a nice cup of tea in the pouring rain is the hands down the PERFECT combination.

My father told me about this place, located a stone's throw away from Siddhivinayak Temple. The most you will spend on one Vada Pav is ten rupees !! And these things are huge, mind you - almost twice the size of a regular sized Vada Pav. Ashok's stall is never not crowded. College kids, School kids, office boys placing bulk orders for most of the offices nearby - getting your order in could be a bit of a problem. My dad however knew Ashok personally and hence we got special treatment or as my dad would call it "we got the the softest of Pavs". But the soft pav isn't the best part, its the "Chooran". Chooran is basically just the batter fried in oil to look like lil' droplets. That's what separates Kirti College Vada pavs from the rest of the pack - the sheer awesomeness of all the chutneys, perfectly made Vada and the Chooran.

This is the perfect place to go with a visiting tourist - if people want to have the best Vada Pav in Bombay, this place is definitely it and at ten bucks a piece, you can munch on without feeling the pinch in your pocket. And in the monsoon with the rains pouring, a nice big plate of 2 Vada Pavs and some friends over is the perfect way to spend those loong lazy sundays.    

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Getting Started.......

Life as a 21 year old can be a lot of things, but let me tell you one thing it shouldn't be - BORING. Clearly you are entering that phase of your life, 21 years young - graduated, looking for a steady job or planning to study even more. Well I chose a totally different route - I never went to college and I worked instead, when ideally one should have studied. Now I have to study when all my batch mates are working so I have started Blogging.

But no, seriously this was something that was always on my mind and I never really got the correct push to just go for it. Well I hope I have now thanks to some of my dear friends and colleagues - I won't be naming them cause well they would ideally be the first followers of this absurd idea.
Anyways a lot of my life revolves around Football, Arsenal, Cricket, Mumbai Indians, Sachin, Tennis, Movies, TV Shows etc. But that's what any kid's life revolves around isn't it ? So why blog about that ? I decided to blog about something that is part of every body's life - MUSIC and FOOD. Life without either is really a life without any meaning !

Yeah so basically I'm going to be recommending bands and artists and places to eat all over the world. Now I say world because I hope to travel the world one day, but for now the definition of world is just India - but give it some time. The name of this blog just had to be "The Flavor of Rock" and no Akshay I didn't do this just to piss you off. 

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