Shiok is back; new cocktail lounge Moss launches

November 6, 2008

Hi folks. I'm happy to let you know that I've re-opened Shiok, my restaurant, at its new home on Inner Ring Road. I have also launched my new cocktail lounge called Moss on the first floor of the same building. 

Shiok version 2.0 is our attempt to provide you with the complete fine-dining experience. We have moved to a more visible location, and created a more upscale atmosphere without going overboard on the decor. 

So please do visit and check out the new look. We even have a 15% discount at lunch from Monday to Saturday. And you can book your table online.

Here's what the new place looks like:

We are now located on Koramangala Ring Road, right around the corner from Airport Road. If you would like to get a map and driving directions, it's all on our web site. The full address is:

Shiok Far-eastern Cuisine
96, Amar Jyoti Layout
Koramangala Inner Ring Road
Domlur
Bangalore - 560 071
Phone: 6571 5555 / 6666 (changed from old number)

I'm excited about Moss, our new laid-back cocktail lounge above Shiok. It's much larger than our old cocktail lounge, but still features the same great cocktails (and some new ones!) at prices that won't burn a hole in your pocket. (Yes, we have valet parking.)

Here's a sneak preview of Moss:

Other "coming soon" plans include:

• Theme nights including Ladies Night
• Home delivery
• Lunch buffets

We will introduce all of those as soon as we settle down in the new place and get over all the usual new restaurant start-up issues.

(I know this blog has been dead for a while. Blame it on a Movable Type upgrade that screwed up the publishing and left me unable to post on the blog. The latest version, thankfully, has fixed that problem. Who knows, this site may come alive again. Hey, if Obama can become the President of USA... :)

Posted to Food & Cooking  Permalink

How not to design a flyover

July 5, 2006

The problems with Bangalore's infrastructure are well-known. Everybody knows we have pathetic pot-holed roads, more traffic than the roads can handle, and an administration that talks through the wrong orifice about fixing things. Heck, we can boast that we are possibly the only city in the country, and perhaps the world, that has a traffic light on a flyover, thanks to the wonderful administration's short-sightedness.

But apart from the "oh my gawd, we didn't foresee the hordes of people moving in" excuse, there are certain problems with the way infrastructure, is  designed, that makes you wonder if we might indeed have better luck entrusting the planning work to a large group of chimpanzees, banging away at AutoCAD. For instance, at some places, you will find bus stops right after a traffic light. At others, you will find them around corners. This doesn't need some genius-level IQ to figure out, for cryin' out loud. Who in their right minds can't see that erecting a bus stop right after a damn traffic light is a sure way to cause a traffic block? Couldn't they move it, say, 200 metres ahead?

Another thing that the planners don't seem to understand is the concept of a "bottleneck". You simply have to look at Old Madras Road, where the 4 lane road is being widened to 8 lanes. Oh, that's a good thing, you think. Except that it's being widened only up to the point of a busy intersection, so all that happens is that the bottleneck shifts to another point instead.

Let me illustrate this in some detail with the example of the Airport Road-Koramangala flyover that's being constructed. This fine piece of work (I almost choked while writing that) was started in February 2003 and was supposed to be finished the same year, but of course, all kinds of bureaucratic problems (methinks somebody didn't get a big enough share of the "incidental expenses" pie) led to numerous delays and the first phase is apparently ready for opening in a fortnight - 3 years later.

The purpose of the flyover is to alleviate the congestion on Airport Road because the intersection of Koramangala Ring Road, Indiranagar 100 ft Road, and Airport Road is where three major streams of traffic meet. And anything that can ease traffic jams is good, right? Flyovers are supposed to help the smooth flow of vehicles without the problems of having a traffic light, aren't they? (Unless you're using the aforementioned Richmond Road flyover, of course.)

Read the rest of "How not to design a flyover"...

Posted to Society & culture  Permalink

Ode to a fallen warrior

March 28, 2006

Why, oh why, do people shut down their blogs and wipe all traces of themselves out? First it was the great Jivha, and now it's another vocal member of the Indian blogosphere.

For him, here is a farewell song. I apologise in advance to Phil Collins.

(sing to the tune of Phil Collins's Against All Odds)

How can you just walk away from us,
When all we can do is watch you leave
'Cause we�ve shared the laughter and the pain and even shared the tears
You�re the only one who knew the poor at all

So take a look at your blog, oh there�s just an empty space
And there�s nothing left here to remind us,
Just the memory of your ways
Ooh take a look at us now, well there�s just an empty space
And you coming back to us is against all odds and that�s what we�ve got to face

I wish we could just make you turn around,
Turn around and see us cry
There�s so much we need to say to you,
So many reasons why
You�re the only one who knew the poor at all

So take a look at your blog, well there�s just an empty space
And there�s nothing left here to remind us, just the memory of your ways
Now take a look at us now, cos there�s just an empty space

But to wait for you, is all we can do and that�s what we�ve got to face
Take a good look at us now, cos we�ll still be standing here
And you coming back to us is against all odds
It�s the chance we�ve gotta take

Take a look at us now...

Posted to Humour  Permalink

New outsourcing opportunity for India

March 12, 2006

(Special to MadMan's Web)

Move over call centres and data processing BPOs. The future of outsourcing belongs to another industry, if Indian Minister for Commerce, Kamal Nath, is to be believed. According to Nath, the next new wave of growth in the Indian economy will come from - believe it or not - the protest industry, now being referred to as SPO - Strong Protest Outsourcing.

Speaking at a news conference in New Delhi, Kamal Nath briefed reporters that he sees major business opportunities in getting Western countries to outsource their protests to India. Nath said, "the outsourcing business is about saving costs and increasing efficiency. Why should people in countries like USA and UK waste their time protesting over various issues? The per-capita income is too high to waste time on being offended. Instead, they can simply outsource this activity to Indian companies." Asked whether Indian companies were globally competitive in this market, Nath confidently added, "Can you think of any country better suited for this business? India is a diverse country with people of many faiths and beliefs. We have a rich history of being offended at every little thing, from western expressions of love like Valentine's Day to what someone names their dogs. I am certain that we can be the dominant player in this market in the next five years."

After the press conference, Kamal Nath granted MadMan's Web an exclusive freewheeling interview in which he talked at length about this new business opportunity, India's competence in this area, and the government's special initiatives to foster growth in the industry.

MadMan's Web: Mr. Nath, thank you for giving us this chance to interview you.

Kamal Nath: My pleasure. This is the Internet age, and blogs are fast becoming a powerful medium of disseminating information.

MW: Mr. Nath, could you please tell us a little more about this new opportunity for India?

KN: The world is far from a peaceful place. Every day, there are protests in Europe and North America over several issues. Part of being democratic countries is allowing people the right to protest against what they think is wrong. But protests also waste productivity. When  people are protesting, they are not contributing to the economy of their nations. So instead of protesting themselves, they can simply outsource their outrage to Indian companies that will specialise in this area. They can then go about their daily lives, confident that their protests are in safe hands.

MW: Why are you so convinced that Indians are the best suited for this activity?

KN: Of course we are the best! First of all, Indians have been offended at pretty much everything over the years. If you've written a book that's even slightly controversial, there are sections that want it banned. If you make a movie that tackles bold themes, you can expect howls of protest about how it's corrupting impressionable young minds. If you wear a female tennis outfit just like everyone else in the tennis world, somebody will be quick to point out how you are no longer a good member of your community. So let me assure you, no matter what the subject of the protest is, we Indians are capable of delivering a strong protest. Our service standards are world-class and globally competitive. When it comes to protesting, we are the epitome of "unity in diversity"! With our wide range of religions, beliefs, and castes, we are champions at being offended and having our sentiments hurt.

Read the rest of "New outsourcing opportunity for India"...

Posted to Humour  Permalink

Tips on making a radical career shift

February 14, 2006

Today's issue of Economic Times has a cover story on people who made drastic career shifts in their "High Flier" supplement. I'm one of the people featured in the story (how I wish I could actually find the darn article on their web site) because I moved from technology and started a far-eastern restaurant. The writer of the story had sent me a long list of questions a few weeks back, and I had written a mini-essay in response. Much of what I wrote didn't make it to the piece (ah, the size constraints of print media) but when I read it back, I thought that it would be good to post the whole thing here to help others who might be considering a career change like mine. So here goes...

1) What are the main reasons that provoked you to make a career transition from being a software engineer to a hotelier?

I have been passionate about cooking since I was 13. I chose to go with IT as a career, but by my mid-twenties, I had decided that in another 10 years, I would have my own restaurant. So it was more about moving the plans forward by a few years. I chose to do this because I was 27, single, and thought I could take more risks now than if I were, say 35. Also, the IT industry was going through its bust phase a few years ago, and companies were doing crazy things, including laying off lots of people. I decided that it was the right time to move.

2) What emotions did you go through while making a major career leap? Weren’t you a little skeptical of abandoning the career you did for so many years for something very new?

It definitely wasn't an easy decision to make, and I'm not the impulsive type at all. But several of my friends said I should give it a shot. Once I started considering it seriously, I thought about it for a whole month to make sure it wasn't just a passing fad. After I made a firm decision, I experienced anxiety and apprehension about a whole new future, but there was also some exhilaration about doing something I was so passionate about.

Read the rest of "Tips on making a radical career shift"...

Posted to Career advice  Permalink