Food and Wine Reviews for March 2011

Starting this month, I am adding a new section to my blog where I would post reviews of the restaurants/places I’ve visited over the last month. These will obviously go on the google maps but this a way to consolidate all the reviews for every month.

Bar Boulud, New York City

Bar Boulud - <FAVORITES> Casual bistro by Michelin 3-star restaurateur Daniel Boulud lives up to its name and quality. Par excellence service, fantastic wine selection and amazing French food.

Eataly - <FAVORITES> If you love cheese, if you love bread, if you love chocolates, if you love meat, if you love wine; In short, if you love Italy, this is the place for you! My only regret is that I found it right at fag end of my New York stay. Thanks Richa Di for the farewell dinner and introducing me to this gem :) And they are adding a new rooftop beer garden this summer!!!

Cacio e Vino - If you are searching for lost Sicilian flavor, you will definitely find it here. Another gem to try exotic grapes from Southern Italy. Try the Cerasuolo di Vittoria doc '07 and Tancredi '05.

Birch Coffee - Another addition to ever-growing list of niche coffee shops in NY. Also, has wine, beer and small snacks on its menu.

Caracas Arepa Bar - <FAVORITES> The best Arepas in the city. The Reina Pepiada arepa and Cachapa are the best things on the menu. If not having wine or beer, Papelón con limón is a must drink with the food.

Cafe Mogador - <FAVORITES> Fantastic place for wknd brunch. Really popular and gets busy. Got to have the lamb chops!!! Visited again for dinner this month and got equally fabulous food. Great wine selection, love the merguez and the Moroccan Mint Tea is heavenly!!

Earthquake in Japan

Coverage of the 8.9-magnitude earthquake that hit the east coast of Japan on March 11th 2011. The quake -- one of the largest in recorded history -- triggered a 23-foot tsunami that battered Japan's coast, killing hundreds and sweeping away cars, homes, buildings, and boats. Below are some of the articles discussing/analyzing this crisis as it happened:

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Massive earthquake hits Japan

Japan Earthquake Map: Epicenter and other impact areas.

Japanese Earthquake: The Economic Hit

Japan: Earthquake aftermath

Thoughtful gesture from AT&T. Every bit counts.

Will Japan’s quake be the costliest ever ?

Some things are meant to be! (courtesy Sambit Bal, Editor, Cricinfo)

A forgotten anniversary

Ten years ago, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid constructed a partnership that would change Indian cricket. While the senses are riveted on the World Cup, a landmark day in Indian cricket has gone unheralded, unacknowledged even. Ten years ago, on March 14, the foundation for the golden age of Indian Test cricket was laid by two remarkable men. VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid looked defeat in the eye and refused to blink. Faced with a follow-on and an opposition which had won 16 Tests in a row, they batted on and on and on till hope and spirit drained off the Australians. For the record, they batted out the day, put on 376 runs for the 5th wicket, and the next day, which is ten years to the day today, Harbhajan Singh and Sachin Tendulkar spun out Australia for 212 to secure the improbablest of wins.

This would remain the defining moment of Laxman’s career, but the feat would have been less significant had it just remained a freak event. But not only was this match and series turning, it also changed the course of Indian cricket. The momentum carried India to a win at Chennai, the confidence derived from beating the one of greatest-ever Test teams carried them on a journey that ended with them becoming the No. 1 Test team in the world.
I should confess that I didn’t remember the day myself. But then I am hopeless with dates. It was Jaideep Varma, the rationalist half of our Running Between the Cricket team, who messaged me breathlessly from Eden Gardens. He was chuffed already to step in to one of cricket’s iconic venues for the first time in his life, but when he realised what day it was, he couldn’t believe his luck. “What an honour to be here today,” he wrote, “on the 10th anniversary of the greatest day in Indian cricket.”

I had a busy afternoon and it was quite late when I got around to reading his message. I then messaged Dravid, asking him teasingly if he knew the significance of the day. He replied a couple of hours later. No, he hadn’t known till late evening when a journalist from Kolkata called him.

But would you have guessed who his dinner guests were for the evening? VVS Laxman and family. It was a coincidence. Laxman’s wife had spent the day at Dravid’s house, and Laxman, who is in Bangalore to train at the National Cricket Academy, joined them for dinner. There are things you can plan, but some things are just meant to be.
Earlier this evening, I spoke about the day to John Wright, who is in Mumbai on duty as the New Zealand coach. The day before Dravid and Laxman’s partnership, with India 254 for 4 after following on, Wright had been counting his days as India’s first foreign coach. “That day, that Test, changed my life, and Harbhajan’s.”

We spoke for a while. I asked for one memory, and he gave me half a dozen. "It's all so vivid still." The fire in the stands after the win (“and then I looked back, and it was gone”); the noise when the wickets were falling (“I was asking myself how intimidating it must be for the opposition batsmen”), Laxman driving the first balls after the lunch and tea breaks for four (“just how can anyone manage to do that coming out of a break?”); and driving back with Sourav Ganguly after the press conference (“we were quiet, but a great weight had lifted off our shoulders”).

India is a different country now. And Indian cricket is unrecognisable from then. Victories are now expected, taken for granted even. But Indian fans must find a quiet moment, rewind to that day, and feel grateful for it.

Quick look at the month gone by: Cricket World Cup 2011

Some of the interesting reads from around the Web for March 2011

With a high-scoring tie and a thrilling upset, Chinnaswamy brings the 2011 Cricket World Cup to life!!! SG … Chinnaswamy ko kya khila diya ? 4th cracker of a match on the trot!!!!
March 2nd 2011 Ireland beats England
Feb 27th 2011 India ties England
Dec 7th 2010 India beats New Zealand
Oct 9-13th 2010 India beats Australia

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For all my New York friends with iPhone

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Charlie Sheen: Living life king size! Off the hook crazy!

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Have to go skiing here. Hell to the yes! Here I come Europe!!!

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A somber realization and perhaps reality of India!

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This is Just The Start!

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SuperBono to Spiderman's rescue!!!!

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Indecision 2012! Here we go again ...

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There's an app for everything. There’s an app for you!

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So I can get a BBM pin too ?!? YAY!!!

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Big Fat Indian Wedding! Band Baaja Baraat!!!

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A Healthy Financial System Cannot Be Built On The Expectation Of Bailouts!

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I am afraid so. I believe most Americans, specially the leaders, are in denial about the inevitable. And my theory is that if you don't think there is a problem, then you would do nothing to fix it!

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Very interesting analysis of the assumed correlation between Degrees and Dollars! As it turns out, it's not always 1.

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Fascinating! For every first-time parent out there!!!

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Watson turns Republican: "I've run every simulation as to how a Palin presidency would unfold. It always ends with a giant condor eating America."

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Long Live the Queen!!! London calling ...

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HAHAHA .. Awesome! Boys will be Boys!!!

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An 8.9-magnitude earthquake hit off the east coast of Japan creating unprecedented mayhem!

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I've no words!!! *shrug* Indians have been saying this for the best part of last 3 decades. But somehow because self-interest of American politics, America can never admit the irony of it's relationship with corrupt governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan!

John Oliver articulated on Daily Show in the best possible way: ‎"Peter King is simply abiding by the age-old proverb: If a tree falls in the forest, and doesn't land on an American, then did that tree really fall?" or offering Freedom Packages to highlight the hypocrisy and irony of American foreign policy!

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Love the smart cover. Absolutely brilliant design that is all set to upstage the main course! Btw, iPad2 is here1 =)

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Are you doing a good job ?

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Some things are meant to be!

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With more ideas offering visitation rights than ever before, learning how to empathize with an idea is critical. Couldn't agree more!

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Love the city! Will miss the Manhattan grid so very much :( Here's my tribute to the grid from last year's MANHATTANHENGE!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/adigupta/4679819967/in/photostream/

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Rang Barse ... Holi Hai!!!

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Carbon-Fiber Clouds. Now that's real sci-fi stuff! Reminds of the hovercraft vehicles from Back to the Future!

Smartphone OS Comparison

iPhone still remains the popular choice amongst smartphone users but with new phones running on Android OS flooding the market and RIM fighting to retain BlackBerry’s market share, Apple definitely doesn’t have a monopoly anymore & knows that it is in a foot race with its competitors. Below is a look at how these 3 rivals pit against each other as of date.

Category	Android	Blackberry	iPhone	Notes
Typing - High usage for email and text	3	1	2	Blackberry definitely has a advantage here if you are frequently using your phone to reply to emails. Also, texting and messaging. On touch screen, iPhone keyboard is slightly easier to use but like with everything Android OS every day a new phone comes with improved feature.
Phone Design - Size, Sleek etc	2	3	1	Hands down iPhone.
Qwerty Keyboard	2	1	2	Blackberry
Browsing	2	3	1	iPhone again has the lead here but the new phones on Android are now comparable. BB's browsing is msotly non existent
Notes / Tasks	1	1	1	All hardwares have some notes / tasks application. I use google calendar also.
Connectivity	2	1	3	Blackberry wins here because of the added BBM feature, which is it's USP. But only today I read that RIM has given in and would provide BBM to Android and it's already in works for iPhone also. Also, iPhone calling still sucks though new users of Verizon have given good reviews!
Social Media - FB etc	1	2	1	Both iPhone and Android OS have apps for almost all the popular social media sites So they fair equally. BB definitely lacks here.
Alarm Clock	1	1	1	This should be non issue across the board.
Apps	2	3	1	iPhone has the lead here but only because they were first. Android is catching fast.
Camera	1	3	2	I think this where Android OS being open to multiple hardware shops has an advantage. Most new phones on Android have better camera and memory capacity. iPhone camera is not bad but it's definitely not the leader. BB again is non existent in this category.
Skype, Video Chat etc	2	3	1	Skype is now available on both Android and iPhone. And both new hardwares have the front camera video chat. But if you are using any specific video chat messenger then they might only have iPhone app. But again this is a matter of time. Again BB is non existent in this category.

Quick look at the month gone by: Long Live King Danglish. Torres Who ?!?

Some of the interesting reads from around the Web for February 2011

King Danglish reigns supreme at Stamford Bridge. Torres who ?!?

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It all began in South Africa!

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The Story of India: Phenomenal series. Very gripping. Definite must watch. It’s on instant play on Netflix.

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Egyptian Revolution causes turmoil in the largest Arab and most stable state in the region. Sharing some of the insightful articles discussing/analyzing this crisis by few of the shrewdest observers of every-changing modern political landscape and related foreign affairs led by Fareed Zakaria and Thomas Freidman!

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‎"Alright, Hosni. Now you've gone too far. Hands off Anderson Cooper. There is not to be a silvery wisp out of place on that man's glorious head." On a more serious note, there were some other concerns too.

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Planning a friend's bachelor party in Vegas would have been so much easier if only GridSkipper had published this map a month earlier!

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Dumb and Dumber!!! WTF ?!? To complement and pander the idiocy of the Sarah Palin’s “Real America”, the Congressional Republicans propose “Eat the Future” budget! Unfortunately, I don’t think this will make America competitive in the 21st century.

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This is EXACTLY how I cook!

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SUPERBOWL XLV!!!! GO STEELERS! GO BIG BEN!!!

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Super Bowl XLV Commercial Line-Up!

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Dada, The Magnificent Bastard. If you read the "Indian" comments, you can easily make out who didn't watch cricket in the 90s. Those people will never understand who Dada was. Or for that matter what Sachin (Tendlya), Dravid (Jammie) and Kumble (Jumbo) meant to an entire generation before them!!!!

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IDIOT!!! I am tired of Glenn Beck's and Sarah Palin's idiocy already.

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Chinese New Year!

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Armageddon!!! Let's make sure we mark this date on Bruce Willis's and Ben Affleck's calendar now.

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How dare they ?!? Million Men March to McDonalds. USA USA USA!!!

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LOL!!!

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X-MEN!

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Garibi Hathao ?!? Wonder whatever happened to that!

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OLD IS GOLD!

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Best goal of the season … … …

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We speak "Indian"!!!

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Good news for all the chocolate lovers out there!

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How many lenses do you need ?

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Finally!! Hell to the Yes ...

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Yes. On the coast, we just curse and have gay sex!

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Journey to the Center of the World!

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Oscars 2011 Winners ...

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Dedicated to all the video arcades where I spent hours playing Super Mario Bros!!!

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Dude ... Sorry ?!? Holy Shit!!! Early warning to start backing up your GMAIL account. There's some advice in there on how to ...