WO’GOA something is always brewing…December 2014 Issue by WG Magazines

‘ W GOA O

DECEMBER 2014

something is always brewing

THE GOA YOU DIDN’T QUITE KNOW CHRISTMAS the EIGHT SEASON... NOBU MATSUHISA

World’s Greatest Sushi Chef

JACO LE ROUX

Grand design for Grand Hyatt Goa

HAUTE CABRIÈRE South Africa’s distinctive winery

GEORGE MENDES best new chef

GOA & BEYOND World’s Best Restaurants Luxury Hotels & Resorts www.wogoa.in

deMagneto

™

made to protect, built to last ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY • MAINTENANCE FREE NO EXTERNAL POWER • NO RECURRING COST chemical free hard water conditioner protect your home from the harmful effects of Hard Water... a proven innovative technology to soft, cleaner & better water • IMPROVES WATER QUALITY • FRESHNESS OF WATER • ELIMINATES SCALING & REDUCES CORROSION IN PIPES • IMPROVES WATER FLOW PRESSURE • POSITIVE EFFECTS ON SENSITIVE SKIN • REDUCES SOAP REQUIREMENTS • INCREASES EFFICIENCY OF APPLIANCES

deCastro Tech Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

Unit No 14, Kerant, Caranzalem, Goa 403002, India. Tel : +91 832 2461136 Fax : +91 832 2464201 sales@demagneto.com www.demagneto.com

www.visitrovaniemi.ďŹ 5

The World at your door step

Travel – Includes air ticketing both International & Domestic, Visas, Travel Insurance. Outbound – Holiday Packages outside India - Group as well as individual or customized tours Inbound – Hotels in India, Excursions, Customized tours & Air Charters.

Holidays Travel Services Hotel Bookings Trail Blazer Tours India Pvt Ltd 201-204, 2nd Floor, Gera's Imperium II, Patto Plaza, Panaji, Goa - 403001 - INDIA Telephone: (0832) 6456469 - 70/ 6456485 8

www.trailblazertours.com / https://www.facebook.com/tbigoa gsilveira@tbi.co.in / adsouza@tbi.co.in / jsaldanha@tbi.co.in / surajm@tbi.co.in / goa@tdi.co.in

B E Y O N D

S U S H I

A N D

S A S H I M I

Le MĂŠridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina Al Sufouh Road, Jumeirah Beach, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Tel: +971 4 399 3373 l +971 55 821 6062 www.watatsumi.ae 9

Editor Fabian deCastro Lifestyle Editor Doug Singer Editorial Consultant Teotonio R. de Souza Contributors Jasmine Chopra Selma Carvalho Dielle D’Souza Photography & Creative Design Studio FJM design Publisher

IZZY Publishing Pvt. Ltd.

METROPOLITAN R E P O R T

a connoisseur’s guide to the good life

WO’GOA™ is an online digital publication published by: Izzy Publishing Pvt. Ltd. Unit 14, Agnelo Colony, Kerant, Caranzalem, 403002 Goa, India Tel: +91(832) 2463234 Fax: +91(832) 2464201 sales@wogoa.in. Company registration number U22100GA2011PTC006731 Web Administrator Joel Savio Nazareth Marketing & Advertising Joel Savio Nazareth Call: +91 832 246 3234 E-mail: joel@wogoa.in WO’GOA™ New York Head of Operations - North America Doug Singer 404 East 66 Street, Suite 2E New York, NY 10065 E-mail: doug.singer@wogoa.in © IZZY Publishing Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved. Editorial material and opinions expressed in WO’GOA™ digital publication do not necessarily reflect the views of IZZY Publishing Pvt. Ltd. WO’GOA™ and IZZY Publishing Pvt. Ltd. cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies or errors and do not accept responsibility for the advertising content. All contents are strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. Production in whole or part is prohibited without prior permission from IZZY Publishing Pvt. Ltd. © 2014 WO’GOA™ All rights reserved.

Cover Image Credit www.visitrovaniemi.fi

www.metropolitanreport.com 10

‘ GOA W O ™

something is always brewing

The team at WO’GOA worked feverishly to bring you a holiday issue like no other and a brand new website that is sure to stimulate your senses. Once again, we have feet on the ground in many areas of the world bringing you the latest and the greatest in travel and cuisine. Our candid Q& A will give you a glimpse into the exciting new projects of 2011 Food & Wine Magazine’s “Best New Chef,” George Mendes. We will visit the remote region of Lapland to explore their eight seasons and step in on fine accommodations of Finnish Lapland Ice Hotel’s, Atlantis at The Palm, Corintha Malta & St. Petersburg and Waldorf Astoria New York. We will stop in South Africa to explore the past, present and future of Haute Cabrière, one of the most renowned vineyards in the Franschhoek Valley and globe trot to explore the best spas worldwide. Want more epicurean content? We have your back! We will explore an array of the finest restaurants in the world, as well as deliver a candid interview with prolific sushi master, Nobu Matsuhisa. It wouldn’t be an issue of WO’GOA without visiting the homeland and we will do so in the most fun of ways - by indulging in the world of Goan sweets. We will be diving into all that is yummy as we explore these timelessly loved confections. Additionally, in the spirit of the season, we take a colorful journey into the spirit of the holidays with ‘The Ghost of Christmas Traditions.’ The team at WO’GOA wishes you, our extended family, Happy Holidays and best wishes for a healthy and prosperous New Year. Doug Singer Lifestyle Editor

‘ GOA W O ™

something is always brewing

CONTENTS 16

George Mendes - Best New Chef

The Greatest Sushi Chef

The Ghosts of Christmas Traditions

His Grand Design for Grand Hyatt Goa

What’s cooking for Christmas?

A Remarkable Goan Sculptor

The Goa You Didn’t Quite Know

Christmas the Eight Season...

Santa Claus with his Little Elves on a Husky Sledge The Official Hometown of Santa Claus® www.visitrovaniemi.fi

The Melding of Cultures

Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best Restaurants

100

Luxury Hotels, Resorts & Spas

138

Dine at the kitchen table with Tanja Kruger

142

Signature Dishes

152

Goa & Beyond - Fine Dining 13

Aquatica Resort & Spa Ashvem, Mandrem, Goa. M ~ +919923484977 www.aquaticagoa.in, www.integralholdings.in

Aquatica-Goa (Rooms, Restaurant, Bar, Yoga and Spa)

George Mendes G

eorge Mendes took to the world’s stage when in 2011 Food & Wine Magazine named him Best New Chef. Since that time he has taken the culinary world by storm and has continued to deliver an array of cuisine that is exciting, while staying true to traditional roots. A first-generation American, born to Portuguese parents, George has fond memories of the elaborate, festive meals his family would prepare while growing up in Danbury, Connecticut. From a young age, food was his first love and soon after finishing high school, Mendes enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Fate had him in mind when in 2003 Mendes was hired by the highly acclaimed Basque chef, Martin Berasategui at his eponymous three-star Michelin restaurant in San Sebastian, Spain. This would prove to be a pivotal point in the beginning of what is still in the early years of an impressive career. This experience made a significant impact, as he worked alongside one of Spain’s most acclaimed culinary masters to create cuisine that would ultimately influence Aldea’s menu. WO’GOA’s Lifestyle Editor Doug Singer catches up with George shortly before service at Aldea.

GEORGE MENDES

Sardines Photo Romulo Yanes 18

WO’GOA FEATURE

WO’GOA: Tell me more about your formative years. How did you find your way into the culinary field and ultimately become part of an elite group? George Mendes: It really began with home cooked meals from my mother. She cooked at least six days a week for my father, my sister and I. During high school and graduation in my senior year, I didn’t really have a set path, or a decision as to what I wanted to do as far as a career went. I happened to visit the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park New York and was attracted to the adrenalin and hustle and bustle of the kitchen and it was then that I chose to take the culinary path. The formative years began in 1992 while working in a classical French restaurant in Connecticut. Then I then moved to New York City in 1994 and working with the likes of David Boulud and Edward Brown, and taking my first trip to Paris and training there, it was really a classical brigade system of French training. WO’GOA: Take us through that day in 2011 when Food & Wine Magazine told you that you were named the “Best New Chef.” Can you describe that feeling and what it meant to you? George Mendes: You know, I still remember that day. I happened to be running errands and I was at my bank when the phone rang. There was no caller I.D., but I answered it and the person on the other side of the line says “Hi George.” I said “Hello. Who’s this?” “This is Dana Calhan from Food & Wine Magazine. I am calling to let you know that it Best New Chef Day.” and I just felt my entire insides fall down and with excitement she said “Congratulations you have been selected by Food & Wine Magazine as the Best New Chef in the country.” It was great. It felt like I had arrived as a chef and I felt great pride for my country of ancestry and for my heritage. It was a very exhilarating

GEORGE MENDES

Photos FB:allwecandid 20

WOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;GOA FEATURE

Chicken Orzo Soup Photo Romulo Yanes

Cauliflower Bacon Migas Photo Romulo Yanes 21

GEORGE MENDES

moment. I remember flipping out as I was passing by a store. Everybody was looking at me if I was crazy - it was pretty exciting. It has made me push myself even harder now to keep going, you need to keep the ball rolling - it intensifies you. WO’GOA: How did Chef Martin Berasategui inspire you? Tell us about this experience and did it have a significant impact on your career as a chef today? George Mendes: Martin Berasategui, Papa of Basque Spanish cuisine… you know he reminded me of my upbringing. Taking recipes from his grandmother, and his mother’s restaurant’s classical Basque recipes and refining them in to avant garde - his own story of avant garde cuisine using his roots. So he made me open my eyes. He made me embrace my upbringing as well by bringing the flavors of my mother and aunt. He made me look into myself, instead of travelling and learning other chef’s work and reading books, he really made me look within.

George Mendes: You know, I thrive on ingredients like olive oil, but I really thrive on the team itself of working together like a machine and creating a dining experience for customers six times a week that inspires. Also, what pushes me a lot is my training and the chefs that I worked for like Martin Berasategui and David Boulud. The inspiration a lot of times comes as an emotional state. WO’GOA: Is there a process you go through to create a new dish? George Mendes: You know sometimes it comes out spontaneously when you’re tasting ingredients, or when you come across flavors. I have gone through years running down ideas, sketching on paper about dishes. But I think I am the most comfortable when there is a palate of ingredients - fish and vegetables, aromatics and herbs, even olive oil and just combining and starting to taste things.

WO’GOA: WO’GOA is a magazine that is partially about Goa and is published in Goa. It’s interesting that you’ve introduced a Portuguese menu which is WO’GOA: You take readers on an unforgettable inspired by the former Portuguese colony – Goa. journey with your book ‘My Portugal,’ which is Would you like to share the inspiration behind this? a wealth of culinary resources and defines the simplicity of Portuguese cuisine. You bring together George Mendes: As a chef you tend to look for these intense, satisfying flavors, passion and outside ingredients to inspire you and create new warmth, and the intense desire to eat Portuguese flavors and new combinations. We are still cooking food and dine at Aldea. What was the inspiration in that same Portuguese realm, pantry, or sandbox. When I started to do research, I read more about while writing your book? the former Portuguese colonies like goa, Brazil and George Mendes: The inspiration of the book was to Mozambique. It gave us another opportunity to really to show the American public and eventually open up flavors techniques. The Goan flavors are the world, what Portuguese cooking is and how just very aromatic. There is some heat as well and I familiar and adaptable it is. It was meant to educate thought that it was very inspiring to be able to work about the beauty of Portuguese cuisine and really with a different set of ingredients. It was really a fun display how flavorful, fresh and invigorating it is moment for us to create a menu of the Portuguese and also to tell a story of my upbringing and my colony. path—the road map to what brought me to open WO’GOA: What is your fondest memory of eating up Aldea. with your family as you were growing up and do WO’GOA: What are your greatest influences in the you replicate this way of cooking now with your own family? kitchen?

PorkBelly & Clams withPickles Photo Romulo Yanes 23

GEORGE MENDES

George Mendes: Growing up, our meals were very family communal. There were platters of food and pots of soup on the table, and everybody just served themselves. It was a very tight knit community of cousins and friends. Aldea is much more of a refined restaurant. There is a tasting menu. My fondest memories have to be the holidays. Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and Thanksgiving was always a large table of thirty people eating, talking laughing and telling stories—breaking bread and being with your family and close loved ones having a fantastic time. WO’GOA: Do you have a favorite piece of kitchen equipment and why? George Mendes: I love every single piece of equipment in the kitchen, whether it’s the blender or a pot, pan or grill. I don’t have one favorite thing. I just love a good spoon that fits in my hand very well for sauce, and to plate and decorate. A good spoon in your hand really goes a long way. WO’GOA: What new ingredient or ingredients are inspiring you right now and how do you select your ingredients? George Mendes: The farmers market right now is gleaming with fall harvest like grapes, apples and quince. I must say that every time quince comes out in the fall months of October and November, it excites me. It’s an aromatic fruit that I love. Of course there are new things that are discovered like Spanish importers that bring in cod tongues another exciting ingredient to play with as well. WO’GOA: Is there an ingredient that you weren’t able to master and have given up on and why? George Mendes: The ingredient which I don’t like to work with is chad roe. I have given up on trying to embrace it. It disgusts me, what can I say?

WOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;GOA FEATURE

Salt Cod, Potato and Egg Casserole Photo Romulo Yanes

GEORGE MENDES

Duck Rice Photo Romulo Yanes 26

WO’GOA FEATURE

WO’GOA: Creativity or Technique, what is more important to you and why? George Mendes: Technique is of utmost importantance to me because if you do not have good technique and you do something creative and it does not taste good because poor technique was used, then it’s a fail. So I think proper technique is more important. WO’GOA: What does George Mendes do when he needs a break? How do you spend your time off? George Mendes: I do enjoy travelling. I also enjoy running, and fly fishing for sure, which is definitely my favorite pastime during the spring and summer months. WO’GOA: Rumor has it that Heritage and Rustic Portuguese is the theme of your new restaurant coming in December. Could you tell us more about it? George Mendes: Sure. It going to be a very rustic, communal, brewery-oriented restaurant. It’s based on the breweries of Lisbon, Portugal which were first known for just brewing beer and then a food culture and sprouted from that. This restaurant will be serving very simple, very highly fresh, quality ingredients, in a very rustic manner and representing very traditional Portuguese rustic cooking. WO’GOA: Your culinary creations are based on simplicity, intense satisfying flavor and bringing your own personal food culture and heritage to New York City. Does you have plans to spread this Aldea culture to different parts of the world? George Mendes: Right now, I have my hands full with Aldea in New York City, as well as the second restaurant we are opening this winter. So I think maybe someday we will branch out, but we have no immediate plans. WO’GOA: What advice could you give to chefs who are first entering the field today? George Mendes: Stay focused, be patience and operate with a great work ethic.

W O‘GOA

NOBU MATSUHISA

WO’COURIOUS

obuyuki Matsuhisa, known to the world simply as ‘Nobu’, is the highly acclaimed and influential chef proprietor of Nobu and Matsuhisa, 32 restaurants in 28 cities around the world, spanning across five continents. With his multinational and ever expanding empire of restaurants, Nobu Matsuhisa has become one of the most talked-about international restaurateurs and arguably the world’s greatest sushi chef. Nobu’s culinary creations are based on the practice of simplicity, the art of using simple techniques to bring out the flavors in the best ingredients the world’s oceans have to offer, his innovations in food that fuses South American cooking with his traditional Japanese techniques, a unique combinations of Japanese cuisine and imaginative Western (particularly South American) cooking. WO’GOA Publisher had a chance to catch up with Nobu during the World of Nobu Gala Dinner at the Atlantis The Palm Dubai. The 6-course gala dinner boasted a menu that included Nobu New Style Sushi, Chilean Sea Bass with roasted tomato salsa, Truffle and panko crusted Wagyu beef and Santori Cappuccino with Chivas Whiskey foam. As an added twist, throughout the evening surprise cooking demonstrations and master classes were conducted by Chef Nobu, demonstrating the secrets behind his sushi.

NOBU MATSUHISA

WO’COURIOUS

WO’GOA: Tell me more about your formative years and how did you find your way into the culinary field to became one of the most renowned Chefs in the world! Nobu Matsuhisa: I was born and raised in Saitama Japan. My father was a lumber merchant who died in a traffic accident when I was seven. I traced the beginning of my professional career to the day my older brother took me to a sushi restaurant for the first time, where I found myself wanting to become a sushi chef. I drew upon my training at a sushi bar in Tokyo, my life abroad in Peru, Argentina, and the US, and my travels around the world continued to evolve my style cuisine “Nobu Style”. I opened Matsuhisa Beverly Hills in California in January 1987, and my restaurant was an overnight success. In August 1994, in partnership with actor Robert DeNiro, and restaurateur Drew Nieporeant, and Meir Teper, we opened “NOBU” in New York City and I continued opening my restaurants around the world.

Yellow Tail Sashimi with Jalapeño 31

NOBU MATSUHISA

Salmon Tataki with Truffel Ponzu & wasabi Salsa 32

WOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;COURIOUS

King Crab Daikon roll with Ikura

Toro Rosa with Caviar Pinchos Style

Tuna Tataki Matsuhisa Dressing 33

NOBU MATSUHISA

Black Cod New York Style 34

WO’COURIOUS

WO’GOA: Your culinary genius of incorporating Peruvian and South American ingredients into Japanese dishes and taking Japanese cuisine to a whole new level with your unique style, what inspired this? Nobu Matsuhisa: Deferent countries have different cultures and food. When I was in Peru, they ate sashimi not only with Soy sauce, but used different sauces. My imagination of my cooking method changed. WO’GOA: What are your greatest influences in the kitchen? Nobu Matsuhisa: When you working in the kitchen, the communication with other chefs and servers is very important. WO’GOA: In your opinion, what is the best recipe you have ever created? What inspired this recipe and why? Nobu Matsuhisa: Black Cod in Miso. This is one of our most popular dishes at NOBU and my Signature dish. It is actually a traditional Japanese dish that has been around for centuries. I made “Nobu Style Black Cod” a little bit sweeter. WO’GOA: Your culinary creations which are based on simplicity by using simple techniques to bring out flavors in the best ingredients in the world’s oceans which is a combination of Japanese cuisine and a South American touch, how do you bring this balance on the plate? Nobu Matsuhisa: Based on my experience and experimenting with different dishes, I try to keep it simple.

NOBU MATSUHISA

WO’COURIOUS

WO’GOA: Is there a process you go through to create a new dish?

Nobu demonstrates the magic behind his Signature Sushi at the first “World of Nobu” Gala Dinner at Atlantis the Palm, Dubai

Nobu Matsuhisa: I have been cooking for over 40 years, and of my experiences and inspirations, I’ve discovered that my signature dish come to fruition very organically. Once it becomes my dish, I tried to make it a different way, and test it again, and again, to make the best dish of my creation. WO’GOA: What new ingredient or ingredients are inspiring you right now and how do you select your ingredients? Nobu Matsuhisa: I am always looking for new ingredients and I don’t have any particular favorite. I always look for new ingredients that I have never seen that could be really interesting to cook with. WO’GOA: What are your favorite ingredients you like to work with? Nobu Matsuhisa: There are too many name, but can say Black Cod as it is my signature. WO’GOA: ‘Simplicity may be the rule in your cooking and exotic ingredients the key to your signature style’

NOBU MATSUHISA

Salmon Tataki with Shiso Salsa 38

WO’COURIOUS

your book Nobu The Cookbook – you bring together an amazing experience, what was the inspiration behind this while writing your book? Nobu Matsuhisa: Most of the food I cooked seemed to be enjoyed by my customers, and each dish is very important to my history. I wanted to write the cookbook so that my recipes will remain forever. WO’GOA: Do you have any special cooking techniques or equipment you particular enjoy using? Nobu Matsuhisa: When I’m cooking the food, I always imagined that people enjoyed eating my dishes and smiling and that makes me happy to cook. If you have a beautiful plate, that makes your interest in cooking grow. WO’GOA: Creativity or Technique, what is more important to you and why? Nobu Matsuhisa: Most important things when you are cooking is your heart that you put in to your food. WO’GOA: What is your guilty pleasure food? Nobu Matsuhisa: I feel guilty eating french fries, peanuts and chocolate. I eat too much of them. WO’GOA: You and NOBU Restaurants have received about every honor imaginable. What is it that keeps you motivated at this point in your career? Nobu Matsuhisa: My motivation comes from our customer’s satisfaction. WO’GOA: What advice could you give to chefs who are first entering the field today? Nobu Matsuhisa: Keep going, and try to do your best.

W O‘GOA 39

The Ghosts of Christmas Traditions

y earliest memory of Christmas is a Hawaiian doll. It really shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be; it should be Menino Jesu or Santa Claus, but there it is, a Hawaiian doll with a grass skirt twirling on a tiny blue, plastic music box, with her hands up in the air. My mother gave me that doll; wrapped it up, hid it behind the scruffy sofa which we had owned for as long as I could remember, and told me it was from Santa Claus. I believed her, as all children do; for the power of parents is infinite in the small lives of children.

and steamed sannas, platefuls of sweets sent to neighbours, stars lit up with bulbs, fairy lights glittering across the length of the verandah, tiny cribs with a baby Jesus, a fawning Mother Mary and a watchful Joseph, Christmas carols and mid-night mass, we all knew that Christmas was a borrowed European celebration, and that in some small way we were transporting ourselves to Europe during those two weeks. I wish my grandmother, with her sari pallu always tucked into her waist, her curt conversations and endearing tales, had lived long enough to meet my daughter. I wonder, what if anything, about my daughter reminds me of her, Maria Augustina. Nothing seems to connect the two; would they even recognise each other as stemming from the same tree of life? My grandmother never left the village she was born in, my daughter returns to it only on holidays, growing up as she is, in the western world. And yet, I like to believe their lives are essentially connected by blood, by history, by traditions that flow seamlessly from generation to generation. For what greater gift do we have to pass on except perhaps the gift of borrowed pleasures, once shared with a grandmother, now shared with a daughter?

There are other memories of course, of Christmas. Of my grandmother scrapping what seemed like an endless number of coconuts, stewing them in a white sugary sauce and then putting the cocad or gonz on fine coloured tissue paper, cut in a perfect square. For all the years, she lived, my grandmother, Maria Augustina Santimano e Gomes, was known as bhatkani (landowner), in that tiny, insignificant village full of impoverished bakers. And celebrating Christmas by distribution gonz to her neighbours was as much about her status in that village, as it was about Christian charity. To be able to afford gonz, one had to spare the coconuts from their usual fate; a thick, creamy fish curry. So Christmas created its own imperfections of class and equality in my mind, dichotomously bobbing in sea of With this in mind, I make my way to the winter market peace and love. Whatever mix of traditions, a at Hyde Park, London, with my daughter, to see if Goan Christmas brought with it, feasts of sorpatel we can capture the ghosts of Christmas traditions. 40

Silhouetted against a grey winter sky, the makeshift market has turned Hyde Park into a Swiss-German village with cardboard chalets, artificial snow and plastic pine boughs. There are whole hogs roasting on fire-pits, blonde beer flowing, candy floss, marzipan pink cakes, popcorn, hot chocolate all vying for our attention and bratwurst sausage being cooked with great efficiency by men dressed more for a Bavarian village than metropolitan London. This garish, tawdry makeshift village, this melting pot of people, this consumerist mayhem of glittery baubles, candles, fake Christmas trees mixed in with a plaster-of-Paris sitting Buddha and a dressed up pirate, seems a far cry from the Christmas of my childhood. But this bizarre transformation of London into a plastic medieval European town does bring home one point. That Christmas essentially predates Christianity. Long before Christianity came to the shores of Europe, the people of northern Europe, particularly Germany, Scandinavia and parts of the British Isle had all celebrated a festival coinciding roughly with the winter solstice, called Yule.

bringing light and reminders of green by way of trees and boughs, into the home. Dark nights and ghoulish winds also brought with it a fear of spirits. Ghosts and spirits were said to be particularly naughty during most of December. The Germans, for instance, believed a witch wandered the villages distributing either gifts or scolding. And unsurprisingly, many people believed, at this time of the year, the worlds of the living and dead collided. Either your ancestral spirits visited you or you could seek their counsel by calling out to them. These traditions of olde Europe, this belief in Christmas being a time for celebration mixed with the profound hope of something magical happening in our lives, something which transcends the ordinary has lived on and travelled to every corner of the earth.

As I walk through the winter market holding my daughter’s hand, eating cake and being scared by electronic ghouls howling at us, I finally arrive at the ice-rink. There, watching fathers’ guiding their children around the ice-rink, young lovers skating hand-in-hand and strangers picking up those who skid and fall dangerously close to them, I realise By midwinter, with the sun fading, the nights Christmas is what it has always been; about family lengthening, after the livestock had been and sharing our humanity. And even though my slaughtered and salted and the ale had been grandmother isn’t around, Christmas is magical brewed, celebrations took place all across North enough, to make me think somewhere in the spirit Europe with feasting and merry making. Being world she is watching over me and my family. dark, these celebrations naturally emphasized

W O‘GOA

His Grand Design for Grand Hyatt Goa By Dielle D’Souza

he new general manager Jaco Le Roux spills the beans on his strategy for Grand Hyatt Goa in the coming months.

Jaco Le Roux is everything he says hospitality should be – warm, friendly and charming. The general manager of Grand Hyatt Goa is taking his new goals for the resort pretty seriously, with an extensive leisure-focused strategy for the coming months. He comes to Goa following prestigious stints at various Hyatt properties around the world, the most recent at Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Resort and Spa back home in South Africa. Earlier, he worked in countries as diverse as The Netherlands, Turkey, Oman, Russia, Serbia and the UK. Le Roux’ experience has given him great insight into the hospitality industry as a whole.

WO’GOA: Why did you enter the hospitality industry?

The most difficult thing for me so far was the humidity. But it’s been exciting.

Jaco Le Roux: My initial aim was to study clinical psychology. I heard about hotel management from a friend and decided I wanted to pursue that instead. I love to entertain people and create fun experiences for them.

WO’GOA: What makes Grand Hyatt Goa different from other hotels here?

WO’GOA: Why did you decide to join Hyatt? Jaco Le Roux: During my time in Istanbul, I was approached by Hyatt and I just clicked with the philosophies and the people I met. I saw how typical Hyatt works when they orchestrated a move between three hotels so I could be close to family when my mother was ill.

Jaco Le Roux: We have quite a few unique selling points, and we’re working on new ones at the moment. The first is it’s a big hotel with 312 rooms, each with its own balcony. You are not confined to a room, but you can reach out into nature.

The second is we are one of the biggest event hotels in India, in terms of banquet space. We have event space inside, as well as huge lawns. Grand Hyatt Goa has become probably one of the most popular I was in Oubaai in South Africa for three years wedding destinations in India. People have the before coming to Goa. opportunity to accommodate all their guests in one WO’GOA: What expectations did you have when hotel and have receptions, dinners or ceremonies in different venues each day. you were coming to Goa? Jaco Le Roux: I was very excited because I had never worked in India before. It was a completely new experience for me and I love experiences. For the first time I did not do any research on the country and city I was going to stay in. I wanted to come, live it, and experience it. I just brought my two extremely naughty dogs, a beagle and a husky, so I have a family. 42

We are on the bay and have the only sailing centre in India connected with a five-star hotel. We also have a 16th century chapel in the garden, which is something an hotelier can be very proud of. The architecture is very unique. I have been told that the hotel looks like it has been standing here for years. It blends into nature. The architecture has a lot of Portuguese influence, and was designed

around the trees which already grew here.

position Shamana as a destination spa in India.

Grand Hyatt Goa has been perceived as an expensive business hotel in the local market meant for big weddings, big markets, and big groups. Those are all right except we’re not expensive. Targeting these groups was our marketing strategy for the first three years. That’s where the money

We have recreational facilities probably above any other hotel or venue in Goa. We offer 52 different activities inside the resort and 43 outside. We have a team which organises in-house activities and a Resort Centre One Stop Shop to coordinate all these events. I want the local people to come experience

is and luckily it worked. My goal as a general manager is to start giving the hotel more character, more identity, more reason for guests to come here besides MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and events). Currently we’re busy developing the hotel to be more equipped to satisfy the leisure traveller too.

our hotel. We’re building relations with clubs, cultural activities, historical activities and adventure activities here. Goa still needs to be placed on the international destination market.

We will start focusing on destination marketing. As a traveller, you first decide where you want to go, then where you want to stay. Our hotel is unique We have one of the biggest spas in India, with in that we can help you plan your holiday even if 19 treatment rooms, a huge indoor pool, fitness you’re staying elsewhere. Our team can customcentre, in-house doctor and dietician, sauna, make your perfect holiday. Hopefully one day our Jacuzzi, steam rooms. We want to eventually resort centre will become the place to come to in 44

Goa when you plan your vacation. WO’GOA: What activities have you got in store for Goans?

pastry shop for Christmas and New Year. There’s a great Christmas Eve dinner in the hotel and on Christmas day, a lavish lunch. There’s also New Year’s brunch on January 1. We are planning probably the biggest and the most elaborate New Year’s Eve party in India on December 31. The whole garden will turn into a magical theatre. It is something that’s never been done in Goa before. We’d like to market it as the best party in India.

Jaco Le Roux: We need to give our local community a reason to come here so we have different activities every day. On Monday you can go out fishing. On Tuesday you can learn to cook with chefs in Chulha. On Wednesdays there’s a fashion and ladies’ night in Verandah. People can sit near the big fireplace WO’GOA: What do you think the industry in Goa around the bar and listen to live music at night. lacks that could possibly attract more high-end On Thursday the whole area downstairs turns into visitors? a big seafood market, where we have seafood, clothing, furniture and other things. You select Jaco Le Roux: I think we’ll get a lot of support from unlimited fish and the chefs cook it for you, while the government because everyone understands the importance of tourism for Goa. We need to try and you have a great evening. make the guests’ experience seamless. Our arrival On Fridays we’ve opened an Australian bush experience into Goa, infrastructure, hygiene and barbecue restaurant at the pool with great Aussie cleanliness need to be improved. meats and seafood. Barbecues are very social, so on Saturdays we’ve allocated one of our lawns at As stakeholders in tourism, we need to decide on a the bay where you can barbecue a meal yourself. real reason to attract visitors to Goa. As a foreigner, We will have a blanket on the grass, picnic basket I can find a clean beach anywhere. We need to and a cooler with all the ingredients for your do what Istanbul did 10 years ago to become a chosen menu. You spend the afternoon sailing and destination. I’m sure we’ll get there; it just needs to enjoying your barbecue on the lawns with five-star happen a bit quicker. facilities and services. WO’GOA: What is your definition of hospitality? We are starting a Sunday farmers’ market with celebrity chef Karen Anand from December 14. All our restaurants and bars will be on the lawns with 40 vendors from outside Goa. There will be beer gardens, wine stores, cocktail bars and cooking stations. We have a South African duo Jovan and Thelma who perform various genres of music in different areas every night. People have been dancing during brunch in the dining room!

Jaco Le Roux: Friendliness is the most important thing. You can go to a restaurant anywhere, have a lovely experience and forget a mistake. But if the approach was not friendly, sincere and hospitable, you will be hurt by every mistake they make. WO’GOA: Have there been any interesting incidents that have stood out in Goa?

Jaco Le Roux: The fact that you have to wait for a cow to get out of the way to get to the ATM is quite funny! I love them. It shows how natural and During the monsoons, we’ll move as much as we untouched Goa still is. can inside and continue with everything in a smaller version. What I really enjoyed happened just after I came. I went to Thalassa for dinner and there were people WO’GOA: What special events are you planning from different walks of life having fun, together. this season? When I saw that, I knew that I’d be ok in Goa. Jaco Le Roux: We host the best children’s party in That’s a very good example of what Goa really is. Goa on December 13, with about 700 people on People accept and respect each other. It’s a melting the lawns. We have a lot of goodies to sell at the pot of everything.

W O‘GOA

Making traditional sweets at home continues to form a significant part of festive preparations in Goa, despite a slow but certain change in family-oriented practices t’s nippy at 6.30am, the air is crisp and you can literally smell December. This is that time of year when hopes are up, spirits are joyous and everything feels uplifting – it’s nearly Christmas. No matter what spiritual belief you follow, what dietary restrictions you are on, nothing seems to matter for this festive season.

Christmas has always been about giving and for centuries the ideal gift of the masses has been something that leaves a sweet taste behind and a feeling of familial warmth – from my home to yours. With one of the largest concentrations of Catholics in India, it is Goa’s most widely celebrated festival. Community stars are strung up in every neighbourhood, Christmas trees and baubles turn up in every Catholic home, nativity scenes try to one up each other from vaddo to vaddo, and tummy rumbling smells of seasonal delicacies fill the air. This isn’t just a festival of the day. It is celebrated through the season, from the soaking of dried fruit and nuts with rum for the plum cake and the backbreaking scraping of coconuts in the yard, to the continuous stirring of concoctions on the stove and the churning out of familiar shapes in dough. All is done with love.

Christmas day, but not before the little ones stole tiny pieces for themselves. Fernandes’ grandmother is now too old to make the sweet in the customary way, and with the family all at work, there is no one to continue this tradition that was handed down over the ages. A similar trend is being noticed across the state, where home-made sweets are on the way out and store varieties find their way onto the ‘kuswad’, a routine reference to the tray filled with Christmas delicacies and covered with a pretty napkin. With barely any leave from work, it is so much easier for young nuclear families to rustle up a tray with items from a paper bag. Still, most families try to make at least one or two sweets at home. The D’Souza family makes it a point to hold a kulkul-making session every year. With seven daughters and their families scattered across the globe, Ruby D’Souza has literally sent her time-tested recipes everywhere.

Each year, or alternate year, when the family congregates to celebrate Christmas together, one day is set aside to make those crunchy little rolls of sugar-coated dough. Young ones are taught ‘quicker techniques’, there is much banter and The most common sweets made in Goa during generally a lot of noise. It is reminiscent of the Christmas include bebinca, dodol, pinaca, cocad, time D’Souza spent as a youngster growing up in neureos, bolinhas, baath cake, milk toffee, kormola, Mumbai. kulkuls, perad or guava cheese, doce, plum cake, “I remember making dodol, milk toffee and nankhatais, marzipan, jujubes and roce cookies. neureos with my brothers and sisters. We would Sahaad Fernandes, now 27 and working in Dubai, all sit around the table to make the neureos; one recalls his grandmother’s famous dodol that she would roll the dough, another would stuff in the prepared every Christmas. “She would place four filling and so on. My mother would be constantly stones side by side and set wood and dry coconut frying them. With so many hands to help, we would husks on fire. When it was ready, she would place make dozens upon dozens. They were then covered the dodol mixture in a large utensil on the burning properly with paper and placed in a large basket. embers, stirring constantly until it was just right,” This we would hang from the ceiling to keep them away from the rats,” she said. he said. This smooth melt-in-your-mouth sweet made of Her friend Mary D’Souza also recalls making Goa jaggery, coconut juice, local rice and nuts “hundreds of small neureos” that were stored in was cut up and distributed to the neighbours on baskets. They filled them with gram flour as those 46

What’s Cooking for Christmas? By Dielle D’Souza

lasted longer than the neureos made of coconut stuffing. As a child, she too participated in the making of tiny crispy voddes, dodol, baath cake and kulkuls. Without electric mixers, they would grind all the ingredients by hand.

but the Cotas worked on it and made it their own. “There was a lady who used to come to our house to cook for parties, and my wife learnt the recipe from her,” said 87-year-old Damazo Cota.

Ruby D’Souza’s family does not make neureos any more as it is difficult enough to get the grandchildren together to collectively make one sweet – kulkuls. “If small families sit down to make kulkuls or neureos by themselves, it takes a fairly long time,” added D’Souza.

Age-old traditions such as these not only battle new techniques, smaller families and busy work schedules, but also constantly rising prices. Cota agrees that ingredients have become expensive over the years.

There is no written recipe the couple follow, and “After I got married, everyone would tell me that no one but Senhor Cota can accurately judge the they loved my kulkuls because we learned to make perfect amount of each ingredient that ought to it using a mixture of sooji (semolina) and flour so go into the bebinca mix. They even use coconuts they would turn out nice and crispy. After moving grown in their own backyard to make the bebinca, away from home, I also learned how to make East cooking the small round desserts in mud pots or Indian sweets like milk toffee and marzipan,” the kunnes over coconut husks. This lends the sweet a singular earthy and nutty flavour. 91-year-old said, looking up from her stitching.

Where eggs were priced at Rs 18 a dozen and Her daughters, while continuing the tradition of sugar about Rs 15 a kilo around 10 years ago, making marzipans, nankhatais, doce, Christmas it now costs about Rs 48 a dozen for the former cake and bolinhas at home, also throw in a few and Rs 30 a kilo for the latter. Closer to Christmas, contemporary global delicacies such as chocolate the prices shoot up even more. Last year, eggs, one of the main ingredients in festive goodies, set walnut brownies or hazelnut slice into the mix. consumers back by as much as Rs 60 a dozen. The The family of Damazo and Teresa Cota, on the price of coconuts also jumped from Rs 15 to Rs 30 other hand, enjoys tradition. The octogenarian a piece. couple have been making bebinca the traditional way for more than four decades. Their bebincas Despite the odds, families continue to celebrate are now the talk of Goa, thinly layered, smooth the festival with fervour, setting aside funds to and perfectly decadent. It’s even on the menus of buy ingredients and gifts so the season remains many restaurants in the state, including the famous special. There’s nothing more memorable than making and enjoying your favourite goodies with Martins’ Corner in Betalbatim. your favourite people at your favourite time of year. Strangely, this wasn’t originally a family recipe, Merry Christmas!

W O‘GOA

Ramchandra Pandurang Kamat a remarkable Goan sculptor

he statue of Abbe Faria at the heart of Panjim city is dynamic enough to have become a kind of visual symbol of the city. One approaches the pedestal and reads the details of the statue: the man with extended hands depicts the pioneer Goan hypnotist who disproved the theories of the once famous Anton Mesmer in France. The statue was installed through the initiative of a citizens’ committee. One wonders - who has sculpted this arresting piece? The pedestal offers no clue. But a little research yields the name of another interesting and talented Goan artist: Rama Kamat of Madkai. He was born in 1904. This year, 2004, we have the opportunity to celebrate the birth centenary of a remarkable Goan sculptor, Ramchandra Pandurang Kamat. The artist himself passed away four years ago, but his work lives on. Here once again we encounter a curious and enthusiastic mind to whom Goa was both restricting terrain to be escaped from, and inescapable and inspiring homeland.

By Isabel de Santa Rita Vas Solomon, glimpsed the spark of talent in the young man and got him admitted to the school in the year 1928. He continued to encourage Ramchandra through the years and under that protective wing, the fledgling sculptor gained skills and confidence to learn to fly across his own horizons. In 1929 he won the Mayo Medal at the J.J. School of Arts. The same year the young artist completed his work ‘ Fisher Boy” and was rewarded for his pains with the Silver Medal at the Bombay Art Exhibition. Sir Solomon thought the twenty-five year old artist deserved even better and registered his protest in the local press. Ramchandra graduated in the advanced course in Sculpture with a distinction but before he did so, he went to the prestigious Royal Academy of Arts, London, where he earned prizes and scholarships in recognition of his work: in 1931, the Second Landseer prize and the bronze medal; in 1932, the First Landseer prize and the silver medal; the Edward Scots scholarship and the silver medal. People began to respect his work. In 1933, the Dean of the Academy, Sir William Macmillan, called the young man to his office and pointed out to him a list of names: earlier gold medallists at the academy. Kamat too must have his name inscribed there, in gold letters. Kamat did not fail him. He sculpted a piece entitled ‘Expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Eden Garden’. It was highly appreciated and earned him a Gold Medal besides the Edward Scot traveling scholarship which enabled him to travel through Europe, including France, Portugal and Italy.

Rama Kamat was bitten by the creative bug very early in life. As a little boy he was already trying his hand at painting on the walls of the local temples. The Chaturthi festival found him busily at work fashioning Ganapati idols alongside more experienced craftsmen. At village fairs he put together mobile statues of great Indian leaders. But his world was too constricting - no possibilities for study and training in art, no exposure to great work, no financial backing. But the little boy knew exactly what he wanted. At the age of thirteen, with only Rs. 50/- in his pocket, the boy Rama ran away The name of Ramchandra Pandurang Kamat stands from Goa. His preferred destination: the exciting inscribed in gold on marble at the Royal Academy of Arts. With understandable pride, his son, Dr. city of Bombay, in ‘British India’. Aditya Kamat, a sculptor himself, tells us, “ He is the All he wanted for the moment was to study art, first and only Indian sculptor to get this honour.” In to learn all he could about sculpture. He joined 1935 he received the Livenlume Scholarship. Dean the Haldankar Art Classes, then the Ketkar Art Macmillan offered him the post of Asst. Professor, Classes. He quickly absorbed all they could teach but Kamat was homesick. In 1935 he returned to him and sought admission to the second year art India. course at the J.J. School of Art. The administration of the school refused. But somebody saw his work On arrival, Kamat was given a rousing reception and was impressed: the Director, Sir Gladstone at the Goan Institute in Bombay. The Archbishop 48

of Nagpur, Dr. Leonard Raymond, then Principal of St. Sebastian Goan High School, paid high tribute to the well-known Goan sculptor on this occasion. He was featured on the front page of The Times of India, interviewed on AIR and later on Doordarshan, and favourably noticed by art critics. Kamat refused the Deputy Director’s post at the J. J. School of Arts so as to be free to devote himself to professional work in sculpture in Bombay. He has worked with a variety of materials: bronze, marble, wood, cement, etc. His preferred subject seems to have been heroic personalities - perhaps because these were the commissions he received. The 10 ft. Abbe Faria statue in bronze was completed in Bombay in 1939 and installed in Panjim in 1945. He created the 15ft. bronze statue of the Goddess Laxmi which is atop the Laxmi Insurance Building on Sir Pherozeshah Mehta Road, Mumbai. The 12ft. bronze statue of Dinshaw Wacha which stands opposite the main gate of the Churchgate Railway Station , Mumbai, is his work. His is also the 16ft. bronze ‘equestrian statue’ of Shivaji that guards the historical Pratapgad Fort in Maharashtra. Other works include ‘ Raja Chamrajendra Wadir’ in marble, at Orissa, ‘ Rani of Jhansi’ in bronze at U.P., a mural in wood at the Reserve Bank of India, Delhi, ‘ Subhash Chandra Bose’ in bronze at Bangalore. Kamat was the founder of the Indian Sculpture Association and its first chairman. Ramchandra Pandurang Kamat passed away on 25th May 2000 at Prabhadevi, Mumbai. His love of art and sculpture was only matched by his love of Goa. Both these he has bequeathed to his son, Aditya, a ENT specialist by profession who devotes many of his hours to painting, poetry and sculpture. Dr. Aditya himself has earned first prize for a head study of his father in a Mumbai Art Society Exhibition in 1994. Which leads one to wonder. Who will immortalize in stone, for the inspiration of posterity, this remarkable Goan sculptor who put the seal of his art on many a statue of great personages? Doesn’t Goa owe her sculptor son some poetic justice? Don’t Goans owe their renowned ‘gaunbhau’ some lasting tribute? This article was originally written in 2004 and is reproduced from ABBÉ FARIA Souvenir – celebrating the 258th Birth Anniversary ©Dom Martin. 49

The Goa You Didn’t Quite Know Discover facets of this beautiful beach destination that will surprise you Dielle D’Souza

A pleasant vacation destination is not hard to find. Every country – with the possible exception of West Africa these days – markets itself as an unbeatable place to visit. But there truly aren’t very many of those that fit in the spectrum of ‘reasonably priced, gorgeous, fun, easy-to-get-to and relaxing’ at the same time. Goa is one of these. You certainly don’t need to have won the jackpot to visit India’s pearl of the Orient, no matter which part of the globe you’re coming from. It’s well-known that most Asian countries offer tourists the ideal blend of great value for money and a healthy dose of the exotic. Goa is far more cosmopolitan than the rest of India and possibly a bit cheaper than most South East Asian countries. There could be many reasons to skip over Goa for the other southern states of Karnataka and Kerala, both of which share swaying palms and pretty beaches. But the more undiscovered of these beaches are dotted with human filth and the more popular ones are filled with tourists. Neither of these is inviting. Goa, on the other hand, offers warmth, hospitality, and some pretty secluded spots too.

What you should do It’s agreed that beach hopping is the number one activity in Goa, and we encourage you to do so. But that’s certainly not the only thing you should focus on while you’re here. Chilling out at a shack on the soft sands is certainly appealing, although, it would make sense to juxtapose this laid-back activity with something a little perkier. Shopping is a favourite holiday activity and you might as well use it to take home memories and souvenirs for jealous family and friends. Scour the night markets – Goa’s most famous is the Saturday Night Market in Arpora – and find trinkets, bags and clothes that say boho chic. The day-time flea market on Wednesdays in Anjuna is not one to be missed either, starting off as hub where hippies and expats in the 60s found ways to sustain themselves. For something more traditional, wait for the main market day on Fridays in Mapusa to enjoy a hive of activity, buy local brews and medicinal herbs, cheap clothes, cured meats and other items.

Palolem Beach Photo ©WO’GOA 51

After a busy shopping jaunt, move inland on the state’s hidden waterways with an island boat cruise. The silence is shattered only by the song of birds, a fish jumping over the ripples of the river, the chatter of a band of rambunctious monkeys and the clink of your glasses. Cruises, to be booked in advance, sail down scenic rivers, some offering a meal and perhaps even an overnight stay. To get some exercise into your holiday, sign up with a trekking company, either online or through your hotel. A good company is very keen to show the undiscovered side of Goa to visitors and ensures that the campsites and waterfalls are kept clean and pristine. There’s no escaping the teeming ecology and picturesque sanctuaries that come with a walk in the wild. For a different kind of party, head down south to Palolem beach to experience Silent Noise. This one-of-a-kind headphone event keeps the noise around you at zero and the party in your head on full volume. You can choose from among three channels – each playing a different style of music – and dance the night away. And if you suddenly feel like the waves make better music, simply take off the headphones and walk off into the breaking dawn. Rumour also has it that a new entertainment concept is soon being launched in Goa. The Combat Cage Fight to be held at Tito’s Courtyard in late November is looking at combining a show of complex self-defence skills with sets by some of the best DJs around. The event, which will include six bouts, including one for women, is sure to pique curiosity. What you should eat This is the epitome of what one might call ‘OcciOriental’ cuisine in India. The Portuguese, who ruled Goa for more than 450 years, introduced the country to some of the current staples in Indian cuisine, including chillies, tomatoes and potatoes. Goa has married these gifts of the western world with the fruits of its own land and produced a cuisine 52

Chicken Cafreal Photo ©WO’GOA

quite unlike anything one would find in the rest of the nation. Its fragrant, spicy chourico sausages awaken the taste buds, and sorpotel is a heritage that expat Goans to return year after year. Not to forget the cabidela, bafad, roulade and balchâo. Restaurants across Goa cater to the seafood aficionado, with fish done every way possible – boiled, steamed, fried, grilled, barbecued. Hot favourites include fish fried with piquant, bright red reichado masala and the sweet-sour ambot tik curry with chunks of shark or stingray.

Crab xec xec Photo ©WO’GOA

Cafreal and xacuti are two ways to cook chicken if you’d like to entice a Goan for a meal. And no one will say ‘no’ to ras omlette, that ultimate street food consisting of an omelette drowned in xacuti curry and garnished with chopped onions and lime. Eaten with crusty hot bread or pão from the local bakery, it will ensure that your senses are in Heaven. But meat is not all that Goa has to offer. There’s an often-overlooked cuisine that can range from purely vegetarian to pescatarian, and is rather different from the popular restaurant offerings, but equally delicious. Usually served as a thali, it includes fresh local vegetables cooked with coconut, dry or gravy based, and served with either prawn curry or vegetable curry, and washed down with a refreshing juice made of kokum or hog plums. From vegetable stews called khatkhatem and spicy pulses called usal to beans with cashew nuts or tondak, spicy pickles and a variety of curries or hooman, this type of cuisine is an ode to the fruits of the soil, particularly coconut and tamarind. Desserts leave an unforgettable mark too. There are the Portuguese-influenced bebinca, serradura and baath that delight the senses, and the local neuris, kadio bodio, tizan and godshe that grace the tables of all Goans, without religious discrimination. Where you should go Many visitors spend the better part of their vacations 53

alternating between sleep in the comfortable airconditioned rooms of their hotels and getting burned on the beach. While this is certainly one way to exhaust your time off, it most certainly isn’t the only – or best – way to go about it. One of the most popular activities is renting a vehicle and travelling around. Goa is a rather small state; it can be traversed from north to south in the span of a little over three hours, and similarly from east to west. A host of rental companies abound and for a slightly overrated deal typical of all tourist places, you can get yourself a two-wheeler or a four-wheeler. Discover the lush paddy fields and quiet villages further away from the coast. Break your journey with piping hot vada pão or onion bhajis with sweet cardamom tea at a roadside local stall. Goa has a lucky combination of a lot less traffic and comparatively better roads than other states in the country, making getting around not only easy, but also enjoyable. An ideal way to see heritage and enjoy the open roads is taking a tour of Goa’s old forts. Perched on vantage points along the coast, each offers distinct beautiful views and an anecdote in history. The forts in Tiracol, Chapora and Aguada provide excellent look-outs to the unending horizon on the ocean, while those in Alorna, Corjuem and Nanaz are further inland. Down south, the Cabo de Rama Fort offers a stunning view of the stretch of beach from Colva down to Canacona. A number of forgotten heritage spots are scattered across Goa, one of the most notable ones being the Arvalem caves in Bicholim. Bearing striking signs of a Buddhist past, the ancient rock cut caves date back to the 6th century and tell of a legend revolving around the refuge of the Pandavas of Hindu mythology at the site. Shivlingas are found in the complex, as is a huge statue of the Buddha, causing opinions regarding the caves’ origins to be disputed. Not your average expectation To those who have never explored Goa beyond 54

Hut at Arambol Beach Photo ©WO’GOA

its beach façade, there will be lots of pleasant surprises. One of these is living in a hut on a beach. Hundreds of tourists opt for tiny huts on stilts, temporarily put up right on the beach, instead of living in fancy hotels. They may be small and basic, but who wouldn’t want to be lulled to sleep by the rhythmic roar of the ocean waves and wake up to soft silver sands right outside your door? Find out more about Goa with some unique walking tours, particularly in Fontainhas, the Latin Quarter of Panjim. Conducted by the Goa Heritage Action Group, the tours help take tourists back to the past with anecdotes about the days gone by surrounded by the old world charm of centuries-old architecture and tiny streets. While you’re at it, try out some serious activity by participating in races for charity. There are marathons, river runs, triathlons and beach runs that take place throughout the season. By paying a small fee that will go towards a good cause, you can see a part of Goa on your own two legs. Most have five kilometre fun runs for amateurs alongside the half and full marathons for the more serious athletes. If such intense activity is not your thing, look at filling your tummy by learning how to cook the Goa way. A number of entrepreneurs are offering cooking classes in local dishes, where you can learn the right techniques and return from your holiday carrying a bit of Goa with you forever. And for single women travellers who are on the lookout for safe ways to travel, there’s a new line of taxis meant just for them. A fleet of taxis with ‘travel hostesses’ have recently begun plying the state, with the women drivers doubling up as tourist guides and the cars equipped with GPS monitoring systems for extra security.

Hut at Arambol Beach Photo ©WO’GOA

Goa is an easy, laid-back place to visit, and if you only dig a little below the surface, you’ll discover a mine of activities to participate in and places to visit that will leave your vacation one of the most memorable one’s ever.

W O‘GOA

Dudhsagar Falls The magnificence of nature When you are burnt out after all the visits to all the beaches in Goa (no pun intended) and need to refresh yourself, Goa has a place where the crowds are few but the memories, big. The magnificent Dudhsagar Waterfall is perched in the high peaks of the Western Ghats and is a sight to behold especially in the monsoons when it is in full and furious flow. From a distance, the waterfall appears like streams of milk rushing down the mountainside, that’s how it gets its name. Goa Tourism has introduced a tour called ‘Dudhsagar Special’ that allows you to relax and enjoy your time here. With the stunning sight of high white waters and lush greenery along with a cool blast of refreshing air, your trip to Dudhsagar Waterfalls is guaranteed to be memorable. As you set your eyes on one of the highest waterfalls in India, you will be swept away by the grandeur and beauty of white waters falling through a sheer expanse of green hillock of the Western Ghats. It’s not every day that you get to experience such breathtaking wonder, though you certainly wish you could! And if you manage to take your eyes off this picturesque view, you may also want to visit the famous Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park. Dudhsagar waterfalls are rapidly earning a spot in every traveler’s itinerary, it has even formed the backdrop for several films. The Hindi film Chennai Express was also shot here. For the tour, after pickup at Panaji you will be taken to the falls via the cultural town of Ponda, and after you have had your fun you will be taken for a rest and a delicious lunch at Mollem. You are then taken to the beautiful, historical Mahadev Temple at Tambdi Surla. With a package designed for couples, the tour also offers the option of a comfortable stay at the luxurious Dudhsagar Spa Resort, or staying in a tent outdoors to continue the feeling of adventure throughout the night. The package also gives you deals for the Spa so that you can relax and refresh yourself for the trip ahead. And when you return to Panjim, the name Dudhsagar will have been forever etched into your mind along with a host of wonderful memories. DUDHSAGAR SPECIAL (Ex-Calangute/Mapusa/Santa Monica Jetty Panaji/ Miramar) is available only on Wednesdays and Sundays. The pick-up is at 9am and return at 6pm. The tour costs Rs. 1200 (per head) inclusive of taxes, lunch and transport by a non-AC vehicle. Visit the Goa Tourism website www.goa-tourism.com for more details and exclusive offers. 56

Mandovi River Cruise Sea, Sun and Sand. Often, these are the words used by tourists to describe what Goa has to offer. And once upon a time, that may have been true. However, Goa Tourism has made sure that your time in Goa is more than just beaches, beaches and more beaches. The diverse packages that they offer ensure that you can savor everything that the state has to offer and discover more reasons to keep coming back. One of the attractions which has earned a permanent spot in every traveler’s itinerary is the famous Mandovi dinner cruise offered by Goa Tourism. Few activities can match the fun you will experience on board the cruise which is ideal for all ages. Early birds have the luxury of choosing their places among the 200 seats available on the famous twin hulled Santa Monica launch. Once boarded, you will be taken along the tranquil waters of one of the most important rivers in Goa. On one side, you can see the beautiful city of Panjim, Goa’s capital and in front, the panoramic Arabian Sea. You will be able to see many of Panjim’s key landmarks like the Adil Shah palace, beautiful colonial buildings and go past the Promenade along Miramar beach. Closer to Christmas, the attractions will be decorated with fairy lights and look as pretty as a picture postcard. You can see the Mormugao Port and the Aguada Fort too if you look closely.

Of course, you won’t be alone as there will be a live band or a DJ making sure that there is some music to set the background score for these wonderful sights. The continuous entertainment highlights Goa’s culture through the famous dances of Dekhni and Fugdi and it is difficult not to get carried away by the contagious excitement and join the dancers to shake a leg! The entertainers will also enthrall you with mandos, Goan folk songs and give you the chance to showcase your own singing skills. Finally, you can head down to a treat by savoring the delicious vegetarian and non-vegetarian culinary delights offered. As you enjoy the experience, the boat will gently return along the peaceful shoreline of Verem and Betim and back to the Jetty. This cruise operates on Wednesdays and Saturdays and departs from the Santa Monica jetty in Panjim at 8:30 p.m. You can visit the Goa Tourism website www.goa-tourism.com for more details and exclusive offers. 57

Corporate Office: A-1, Dukle Heaven, Panjim, Goa. Contact: +91 8326487888 | +91 860565887 | +91 7875120669 Factory: Plot No. S-133, Phase 1/1-B, Verna, Goa. Contact: +91 8378987330 | +91 8605658886 | +91 9850973149 info@designerhomesindia.com | www.designerhomesindia.com

ARCTIC CIRCLE ROVANIEMI, FINLAND

Christmas the Eight Season in Lapland The eight seasons of the North make Rovaniemi an ideal place for cherishing the nightless nights of summer and the unique twilight of winter.

Since ancient times, the people of Lapland divided their year into eight seasons rather than four. The eight season approach of Frosty Winter, Crusted Snow, Ice Break-up, Midnight Sun, Harvest, Autumn Leaf Color, First Snowfall and Christmas offers a more accurate portrayal of nature’s cycle in the Arctic with each season in Lapland is as striking as the one before. According to Lapp and Sámi tradition, there are good reasons for dividing the year into eight seasons. The rhythm and tasks of the year were dictated by changes in the weather and temperature. The northern lifestyle has bred a mentality of its own, harmonized with the rhythm of nature. It is a cycle of constant change – when a new season has arrived, it is already time to prepare for the next. Similarly, human life is always transitory, a continuing journey. The destination is always tomorrow. A simple division into spring, summer, autumn and winter would not do the annual cycle justice in the far North, where seasons of transition – spring-winter, summer-spring, autumn-summer and winter-autumn, so to speak – have their own distinct characters. For example, the warm moonlit nights of August still feel very much like summer, but as the days grow shorter, their light takes on the melancholy shades of autumn. A few weeks later, the first light frosts hail the arrival of true autumn. This is the time when colorful leaves tumble to the ground and night mists on the lakeshore roll back in the morning, to reveal the first thin crusts of ice. Social structures and institutions change, but the mentality shaped by nature is a legacy that endures for generations. So are the eight seasons of Lapland that, in countless ways, still guide the way of life of the 60

GOA & BEYOND - FINLAND

Pure White Snow, Rovaniemi, Finland 61

ARCTIC CIRCLE ROVANIEMI, FINLAND

A Heavenly Performance The Northern Lights crown the northern skies, an essential part of magical Lapland. They create a beautiful performance for the excited audience - and there are always free seats for this show... According to age-old tales, the Northern Lights are created by a fox swishing its tail while running over the fells, throwing sparks into the sky.

Northern Lights, Rovaniemi, Finland 62

GOA & BEYOND - FINLAND

northern people, and their feelings and thoughts – without end. Christmas: The lead-in to Christmas is evident throughout the autumn. The autumn colors and the glitter of the first hoarfrosts is a sure sign that everybody’s favorite part of winter is approaching fast. The annual cycle of eight seasons closes with a long period of darkness, culminating in the celebration of light, rebirth and renewal that is Christmas. The winter darkness is a time of rest, sleep, good food, reflection and recovery from the busy summer. It is brightened up by the lights of Christmas. The streets become a melting pot of languages and cultures, as tourists from all over the world come to meet Rovaniemi’s most famous citizen, Santa Claus. As the domicile of Santa, Rovaniemi is a veritable boomtown around Christmas. The winter solstice, when the sun no longer rises above the Rovaniemi horizon, arrives just before the holiday. However, the darkness is not total – the faint blue light of midday and the colors of the aurora borealis, which light up the sky on many a clear night, are a unique experience. Frosty Winter: The first of the eight seasons is characterized by a period of harsh frost, known as the heart of winter. Each day has only a few hours of daylight, but you can already sense the days getting longer. Although the cold tends to keep people indoors, it is worth venturing outside and enjoying the majestic midwinter silence. Crusted Snow: The period from late February to the beginning of April is characterized by beautifully glistening snowdrifts. Sunlight reflected by the frozen surface sparkles like a thousand tiny diamonds. Rovaniemi’s rivers are frozen over and become a paradise for skiing and other outdoor fun. Throughout March and early April, the nights are still dark and cold, but the days are full of light. Ice Break-up: Among the eight seasons, this spring phase is the time of renewal. There is still snow on the ground, but plants begin to grow everywhere 63

ARCTIC CIRCLE ROVANIEMI, FINLAND

Autumn Leaves, Rovaniemi, Finland

Winter Snow, Rovaniemi, Finland 64

GOA & BEYOND - FINLAND

and reindeer are calving. During April and May, the ice recedes and spring makes its entrance in the North. In May, the nights are already bright. The return of migratory birds, cute reindeer calves and the ice shelves that float downriver are spellbinding signs of spring. As the amount of light increases, nature awakens to a new season of growth and people feel revived, pouring onto the streets of the town to enjoy the first warm sunshine after the long winter months. Midnight Sun: The midnight sun shines from the beginning of June to the beginning of July, a time of dancing, music and flowers. The river-valley landscape is at its most beautiful viewed from the fells on a midsummer night. The period of the midnight sun is characterized by soft green colors and dazzling light. Harvest: When the pink willow herb erupts into bloom in July, the harvest begins, lasting throughout August. This is when berries ripen in the swamps and forests. A rare – and frantically sought-after – treasure of the wetlands is the cloudberry. During the harvest period, the days get shorter and the evenings darker. A sense of melancholy permeates the air: autumn is on the doorstep! Autumn Leaf Color: In September, nature begins to prepare for winter. Following the first nights of frost, the vegetation adopts its most spectacular colors of the year. The unforgettable colors, autumn is a particularly favorable time for exploring Lapland’s wild outdoors. The dramatic display of nature’s last act before the curtain falls for winter – as well as the clear, fresh air of the northern autumn. While the autumn colors slowly fade, as nature and people prepare for winter, the pace of Santa’s hometown picks up as it readies itself for Christmas. First Snowfall: Wrapped in the gentle mists of October and November, nature awaits the first snowfall. The first snow of winter is dubbed “black snow” since it usually melts quickly, although there may already be enough for children to build a snowman or two. This is followed by heavy frosts, which ensure that subsequent snowfalls stay on the ground. Midnight Sun, Rovaniemi, Finland

W O‘GOA

SANTA CLAUS VILLAGE - ARCTIC CIRCLE ROVANIEMI, FINLAND

You can meet Santa Claus every day in his Office, cross the magical Arctic Circle 66° 33’ 7’’ at the Santa Claus Village, Lapland. Rovaniemi is the modern capital of Finnish Lapland, located on the Northern Arctic Circle. A place where reality and fairytales meet on the border of the Arctic...

Santa Claus Village - Rovaniemi, Finland 66

GOA & BEYOND - FINLAND

www.visitrovaniemi.fi 67

SANTA CLAUS VILLAGE - ARCTIC CIRCLE ROVANIEMI, FINLAND

Christmas fairytales begin from the Arctic Circle! Christmas in Rovaniemi is everlasting...

Santa with his favorite Reindeer 68

GOA & BEYOND - FINLAND

www.visitrovaniemi.fi 69

SANTA CLAUS VILLAGE - ARCTIC CIRCLE ROVANIEMI, FINLAND

Santa feeding his Reindeer 70

GOA & BEYOND - FINLAND

Santa and his little Elves

www.visitrovaniemi.fi 71

SANTA CLAUS VILLAGE - ARCTIC CIRCLE ROVANIEMI, FINLAND

Santa and his Elves at Santa Claus Main Post Office - Rovaniemi, Finland 72

GOA & BEYOND - FINLAND

www.visitrovaniemi.fi

Santa with the Main Post Office key 73

The Melding of Cult ures A Family Affair By Doug Singer

The history of South Africa’s distinctive winery, Haute Cabrière, dates back to December of 1694 when the French Huguenot Pierre Jourdan was granted a piece of land in Olifantshoek, which he named after his home town, Cabrière. Fast forward a couple of centuries when in the early 1980’s Achim von Arnim, then Cellar Master at Boschendal (one of the oldest wine estates in South Africa), purchased a portion of this land known today as Franschhoek with one vision - to produce wines in the style of the Champagne region. Keeping in step with the tradition that he held so close to his heart, he followed in the footsteps of the famous French Champagne houses as he meticulously planted the noble cultivars of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to produce his first Champagne equivalent, known in South Africa as Cap Classique. This new venture was named in honor of the property’s original pioneer, Pierre Jourdan. 74

GOA & BEYOND - SOUTH AFRICA

HAUTE CABRIÈRE

It was a few years later, that serendipitously, Achim discovered his next passion project - a piece of land on the slopes of the Franschhoek Mountains which reflected a similar type of terroir that he had encountered during his time as a student in Burgundy. Achim literally and figuratively “stepped in it” when he encountered the piece of land now known as Haute Cabrière. The genesis of this winery was what he discovered upon walking the land. The clay stuck to the soles of his shoes in exactly the same way it did when he worked the vineyards of Burgundy and it was this that was responsible for the inspiration to utilize the potential of these perfect growing conditions by producing both a Burgundian-styled Pinot Noir, as well as a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. It was 300 years to the date, after Pierre Jourdan had been granted Cabrière – on December 22nd, 1994 that the grounds of Haute Cabriere became his.

Achim & Takuan Von Arnim

Apparently this unbridled passion for wine runs in the family and in fact, Achim’s wife, Hildegard, hails from the famous German Mosel wine region. It is now their eldest son, Takuan von Arnim, who has made this a multi-generational family business and has taken the reigns of the continuous development of Haute Cabrière’s wine portfolio. Sharing the family’s interest in wine and culture, Takuan’s wife Christiane von Arnim has been the Estate’s Marketing Manager since 2010 and recently stepped up her role when she became Haute Cabrière’s Managing Director. Their ever-evolving production has a range of wines that includes two Cap Classiques – the Pierre Jourdan Brut and Pierre Jourdan Belle Rose, as well as a selection of still wines – the Pierre Jourdan Tranquille, the Haute Cabriere Chardonnay Pinot Noir, the Haute Cabriere Pinot Noir and the revolutionary Haute Cabrière Unwooded Pinot Noir. Fortunately for many locals and world travelers, it is Haute Cabrière Cellar 76

GOA & BEYOND - SOUTH AFRICA

not just wine that highlights this extraordinary piece of property. Situated high up on the Franschhoek pass and overlooking one of the most beautiful valleys in the world, Franschhoek’s iconic Haute Cabrière Restaurant & Terrace is well known for its unique location. Chef Ryan Shell’s menu revolves around the seasonal availability of locally sourced produce, or some of which is grown organically right on Haute Cabrière’s rich land. Much of the food delivered on the creative menu is sourced directly from the valley below – fresh salmon and trout straight from the waters of the cold stream that flows down the mountain, fresh vegetables and herbs picked daily, fruit from the surrounding plum, peach and pear orchards, and seasonal berries and goat’s milk cheese from Paarl. Add to that line-caught fish delivered daily from the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, mussels from Saldanha Bay, oysters from Namibia, and lamb and game from the Karoo and you have one serious cornucopia of fresh food for this culinary artist to utilize, and this he does with grandeur. Soaring arches and the view over the cathedral-like Pinot Noir Barrel Maturation Cellar below offer an extremely memorable experience. It is certainly a special occasion to wine and dine while enjoying the majestically beautiful vistas over Franschhoek from the terrace. During the cooler months, guests can move indoors and cozy up next to the roaring fireplace while enjoying a meal suitable for royalty. Haute Cabrière is one of the most renowned vineyards in the Franschhoek Valley. The array of fine wine and food, the elegance of Haute Cabrière Restaurant & Terrace and the breath-taking views from the pristine mountainside, put Haute Cabrière as a must see for the wine and food enthusiast.

W O‘GOA

WORLD’S BEST RESTAURANTS - MEXICO

Enrique Olvera

PUJOL - ENRIQUE OLVERA

Chef Enrique Olvera’s personal approach to Mexican gastronomy is reinventing ancient recipes and effectively moving his beloved cuisine into the 21st century at his celebrated restaurant, Pujol. Named by Wall Street Journal as the best restaurant in Mexico City and ranked 17th best restaurant in the world by Restaurant magazine in 2013, Chef Olvera is laser focused. A graduate of the esteemed Culinary Institute of America, Olvera’s Pujol creates Mexican cuisine with personal style, using local ingredients and both ancient as well as modern culinary techniques as its point of departure. Authentic ingredients and seasonings are mindfully selected and used in an array of experimentation with both ancient cooking methods and contemporary techniques. Discreetly tucked away amidst a quiet, tree-lined residential area in one of Mexico City’s most prestigious old neighborhood’s, Pujol’s service is tastefully delivered amidst an elegant environment. Olvera not only borrows from Mexico’s rich culinary history, by adding and

WORLD’S BEST RESTAURANTS - MEXICO

editing classic dishes with a lengthy history, but creating new cuisine that will in the years to come fall into the same category. The menu changes several times a year and the use of local, top quality ingredients is not following a trend, but is simply the roots and desire of this fine chef. His cuisine is inspired by elevating regional street food that includes dried insects and worms, and comes with an obsessive attention to detail combining the very old with the brand new. At any given time, you may find items such as Yucatan Bald Pig (in a pork reduction with bean salsa), Ensalada De Nopales (derived from the Nopal cactus), or Sopes (a street food from Culiacán, Sinaloa) on the diverse and ever-changing menu. Widely known for a high level of service and having just celebrated their 14th anniversary, Pujol has already withstood the test of time and continues to flourish and innovate. But don’t think that this masterful chef is sitting back on his success, he is well underway to open an outpost in New York City and word has it that expectations are rather high. If the past in any indication of the future, Olvera will certainly take a hefty bite of the Big Apple.

Hof van Cleve 82

WORLD’S BEST RESTAURANTS - BELGIUM

et in the countryside near the town of Kruishoutem, Hof van Cleve continues to raise the bar of the fine dining experience. Set in an old farmhouse in Flanders, not far from the Dutch border with Belgium, Chef Peter Goossens continues to master his craft. Often referred to as one of the godfathers of modern Belgian cuisine and clearly one of Belgium’s most respected chefs, his education includes training in France at Le Pré Catalan and with culinary icon, Joel Robuchon. Today, Goossens is a star in his own right and a force with which to be reckoned. Hof van Cleve was first awarded a third Michelin star in 2005, which it has retained ever since—an extraordinarily impressive feat.

MUGARITZ HOF VAN CLEVE - PETER GOOSSENS

A rustic exterior gives way to a sleekly elegant interior seating a mere 40 guests at a time. The elegantly minimalistic dining room is overseen by Goossens’ wife Lieve with an effortless charm. Back in the kitchen, expertly blending ingredients to create memorable dishes that manage to be both modern and classic at the same time, is the daily mission and one that always hits the mark. The menu is an everchanging array of expertly executed, local ingredients and only the very best products of the highest quality available are used— it is all about the quality of the components. Depending on what is fresh and available, menu items may include artistic creations such as Scallop ‘Erquiy St-Brieuc,’ (witlof, brown butter, Jerusalem artichoke) and Hare ‘Saddle-Shoulder,’ (salsify, goose liver, wild mushrooms). Whatever is on the menu on a particular day is sure to be of exacting standards and leave you haunted with flavor memories that will last a lifetime.

WORLDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BEST RESTAURANTS - BELGIUM

seabass algae passionfruit

Hof Van Cleve is about perfection and Peter Goossens goes the distance to give you an unforgettable experience. This is a true destination and just a short drive from Ghent, or a bit longer from Brussels which will take you out into the beautiful countryside of West Flander. Well worth the trip no matter where on the globe is your starting point. This remote little farmhouse will leave an indelible impression and the tremendous cheese and chocolate trolleys that patrol the tables ensure a perfect ending to a memorable meal.

chocolate Madagascar tonka almonds 85

WORLD’S BEST RESTAURANTS - SAN FRANCISCO

ocated in the North Beach district of San Francisco, rated No. 49 San Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurants List and the recipient of four stars from the San Francisco Chronicle, COI continues to make its mark through tireless and persistent innovation. Firmly at the helm of this ever-evolving restaurant, Chef Daniel Patterson was once again honored as he was named 2014 Best Chef: West by the James Beard Foundation. Patterson, a prolific restaurateur and owner of Plum Bar + Restaurant and Haven in Oakland and Alta CA in San Francisco, has made COI his flagship as it continues to rise to the highest culinary elevations. Originally from Boston and widely known for his creativity, he was one of the first to forage for seaweed and other coastal items—setting a long term trend that continues today. Additionally, he is known for embracing the science of aromatherapy and uses these principles quite creatively in his cuisine. COI offers only one menu nightly, enabling their food to be based on only the best ingredients available on any given day. Patterson describes its concept as combining haute cuisine, an emphasis on local vegetables, a modern aesthetic and a personal approach to cooking, with “a casual, neighborhood feeling.” The restaurant’s interior is inspired by the moody, primeval qualities of a Northern California forest. Wooden slats encased in black mesh fabric line the walls of the entryway giving guests an initial sense of warmth.

AZURMENDI COI - DANIEL PATTERSON

The front and main dining areas showcase chocolate leather chairs, livededge wood tables, and a darkened color scheme of taupe, umber, and charcoal. An installation of undulating woodwork pierced by pin lights adds an intriguing focal point on the ceiling while mid-century California pottery and hand-blown glass vases accent the space.

Chilled Spiced Ratatouille Soup 88

Photo Maren Caruso

WORLDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BEST RESTAURANTS - SAN FRANCISCO

The beneficiary of two Michelin stars, COI is well-known for their 8-course tasting menu comprised of highly seasonal and locally sourced ingredients. Dishes to be found may include items like Abalone and Oyster with fennel in different forms, Shiny Beets with citrus scented gel and vadouvan, Pastured Beef Encrusted In Seaweed Powder with cauliflower and parsley and Inverted Andante Dairy Goat Cheese with a black olive tart.

Poached and Grilled Lamb 89

AZURMENDI COI - DANIEL PATTERSON

Strawberries and Cream 90

WORLD’S BEST RESTAURANTS - SAN FRANCISCO

A self-taught chef, Patterson worked his way through the ranks beginning at the tender age of 14 working as a dishwasher. Today, a restaurateur many times over, this cutting-edge chef seems to know no boundaries. Creativity is his passion and apparently, nature his muse. One thing that can be counted on when dining at COI, your taste buds will stand up and applaud. This welcoming, au natural environment and stellar cuisine is artisanal and local food at its best.

Chef Patterson is a man with a vision. One of sustainability and with an eye toward the future. His boundaries seem to be limitless, as his new and innovative creations seem to just keep coming. Whether you are local, or simply find yourself in San Francisco for an evening, COI is one to keep on your “must try” list. Photo Maren Caruso

W O‘GOA

WORLD’S BEST RESTAURANTS - WOLFSBURG

he 3-Michelin starred Aqua restaurant relies on the tremendous acumen of Chef Sven Elverfeld, who continually refines his modern European cuisine at this celebrated eatery. Situated in the Ritz Carlton in Wolfsburg, Germany, Elverfeld finds true inspiration in his surroundings. Aesthetically inspired, his superlatively high-quality creations have earned him an array of well deserved honors.

This award-winning restaurant elegantly opens into a private garden area, where you are wowed and simultaneously calmed by a massive shell filled with water, creating Zen-like atmosphere. The restaurant’s beautiful décor is aligned with nature, yet highlight artistic panaches such as the union of woven metal curtains and mirrored walls create a mesmerizing shimmering effect as that of ripples on still water. Listed at No. 28 on S. Pellegrino’s ‘The World’s 50 Best Restaurants,’ this kitchen delivers brilliant technique, execution and flavor. Formerly a pastry chef, Elverfeld is billed as a passionate deconstructivist and reinventor of ‘plain’ cuisine - making the ordinary, extraordinary.

SVEN ELVERFELD 93

AQUA - SVEN ELVERFELD

WORLD’S BEST RESTAURANTS - WOLFSBURG

Both incredibly simple and cleverly refined, this modern European dining experience, brilliantly marries textures in combination with local, artisanal ingredients. Patrons of the Wolfsburg restaurant can expect avant-garde interpretations on classic dishes such as the Boiled Fillet of Müritz Lamb with Frankfurt Green Sauce, a classic example of how they effectively articulate Germany’s regional roots. Elverfeld leans on his pastry background while delivering extravagant creations such as the Apple Strudel, which comes in the form of apple-shaped blown sugar, containing froth derived from the traditional pastry. It is these artistic panaches that create an extremely memorable experience and keeps the team at Aqua on their toes and always exploring new and exciting culinary creations for their loyal fans. Aqua also takes its wine rather seriously and at the helm of that responsibility is Sommelier, Marcel Runge who delivers a 1,000 bottle selection with a leaning toward unusual and undiscovered wines. Delivering a top-notch service experience is second nature to Aqua, as seamless perfection seems to accompany everything from the moment you cross their threshold. There are no questions left unanswered as to why they hold the esteemed position and worldwide reputation that they do for any diner who has had the privilege of enjoying a fine meal on their premises.

W O‘GOA

Charcoal grilled belly of young pork,Sauerkraut, apple, foam of fried potatoes, balsamic emulsion 95

WORLD’S BEST RESTAURANTS - MELBOURNE

est Restaurant of the year for 2015 Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide, Best Restaurant in Australia and ranked No. 32 on S. Pellegrino’s ‘The World’s 50 Best Restaurants,’ and Chef of the Year from Good Food, Chef Ben Shewry seems to be making all the right moves to make our collective mouths water. Born and raised on the rugged west coast of the North Island, New Zealand, in the rural North Taranaki, Shewry holds strongly the belief that food can be evocative, emotional and thought provoking appealing to all of the senses. He is known to draw inspiration from his childhood that includes volcanos, rivers, the ocean and native bush that make up Taranaki, as well as his current Australian surroundings. He simply has a fundamental connection with nature and a deep respect for sustainability. Some of what you may find on your plate at Attica may even be the result of foraging by Shewry himself near his home on the Bellarine peninsula. This is one of the ways that he likes to spend his mornings and helps to articulate his deep commitment to excellence. Attica seats a mere 50 people in Melbourne’s unassuming suburb of Ripponlea, but those who have the privilege of dining here will participate in a

Ben Shewry 97

ATTICA - BEN SHEWRY

Wallaby Bunya Pine Begonia 98

WORLD’S BEST RESTAURANTS - MELBOURNE

rare epicurean experience whose memories will delight for a lifetime. Fully booked many months in advance, owners David and Helen Maccora have a firm handle on the dining experience and a true understanding of elegance through simplicity. But it is the wizardry taking place behind the line in the kitchen that will have you dreaming of a return visit well before leaving. A chef that keeps ten types of basil in his kitchen, is a chef with a serious eye for detail. If you manage to be one of the lucky ones who find themselves with

Salt Cured Red Kangaroo with Bunya Bunya

a reservation,dishes like Snow Crab and Sour Leaves, King George Whiting in Paperbark, Pork, Rotten Corn and Lemon Aspen Pears and Maidenii and the compelling Ten Flavours of St Joseph’s Wort will tantalize your taste buds. The experience of dining at Attica, is not one of pomp and circumstance, rather one that is based on the food. This is a culinary event. A place to go and truly settle in for an extended evening of adventure—quite simply, foodie heaven.

W O‘GOA

ATLANTIS THE PALM, DUBAI

100

GOA & BEYOND - DUBAI

101

ATLANTIS THE PALM DUBAI

an incredible romantic getawayâ&#x20AC;Ś To say that Atlantis The Palm Dubai is lavish would be an understatement, this marine-themed spread is in a realm of its own, the renowned Underwater Suites at Atlantis are a popular option for the most intimate, and honeymooners wanting a unique luxury experience. You arrive at your suite and you will literally descend into the perfect hide-away. The view from the bedroom and bathroom that takes you on an aquatic journey. The floor-to-ceiling views from the master bedroom directly into The Ambassador Lagoon aquarium creates an illusion of being beneath the sea and guaranteed to be captivated by the dramatic ancient ruins of the mythical lost city and its 65,000 marine inhabitants. This is the ultimate romantic getaway complete with a dedicated butler on hand 24/7 to meet all your requests.

102

GOA & BEYOND - DUBAI

103

Corinthia Hotel St Georgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bay

104

GOA & BEYOND - MALTA

105

CORINTHIA HOTEL ST GEORGE’S BAY - MALTA

Located in the culturally vibrant and historically important St Julian’s, the Corinthia Hotel St George’s Bay is a world-class resort that offers the perfect balance of tranquillity, panoramic views of the Mediterranean, culinary delights and leisurely activities. The resort boasts 141 rooms, 70 Executive Club rooms and 38 suites, all with a private balcony, as well as 5 pools, a private rocky beach and direct access to the Mediterranean sea. With an excellent selection of elegant and al fresco eateries, poolside dining and the top-class Pearl Lounge, St George’s Bay’s restaurants and bars shine out as some of the best of the area. The Apollo Day Spa, water sports centre and state-of-the art fitness centre ensure guests can all unwind in their individual way. Corinthia St George’s Bay is a 21st-century luxury seafront resort located on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Opened in 1995, the Corinthia St George’s Bay was created with a passion for craftsmanship and an understanding of world-class service. Corinthia St George’s Bay is a member of Corinthia Hotels’ collection of five-star hotels, founded by the Pisani family of Malta.

106

GOA & BEYOND - MALTA

107

WALDORF ASTORIA DUBAI

108

GOA & BEYOND - NEW YORK

109

THE WALDORF ASTORIA NEW YORK

110

GOA & BEYOND - NEW YORK

Experience the legend Discover luxury, grandeur and unrivaled service at the internationallyrenowned Waldorf Astoria New York, located on Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. The Waldorf Astoria New York hotel has set the standard worldwide for fine dining, lavish accommodations, and 5-star events for over a century. This landmark luxury New York City hotel is in the heart of Midtown New York City on famous Park Avenue. This New York luxury hotel offers guests superior hotel amenities including the Guerlain Spa at the Waldorf Astoria, legendary dining at Bull and Bear Steakhouse, boutique shopping, and a fully equipped on-site fitness center. Guests rely on our multi-lingual Concierge and tour desk services to help plan their NYC experience including visits to nearby Fifth Avenue shops, museums, the Theater District, Central Park and Times Square â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all within walking distance of our luxury New York hotel near Rockefeller Center.

111

Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort

Laplandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most enchanting holiday resort 112

GOA & BEYOND - FINLAND

113

KAKSLAUTTANEN ARCTIC RESORT, LAPLAND, FINLAND

In the summer of 1973, Jussi was on a fishing trio in Utsjoki, the northernmost village in Finland, while driving back he ran out of fuel and had no choice but to set up camp on the roadside in the middle of the wilderness. The place happened to be called Kakslauttanen. Jussi felt that this was home, his first summer was in a tent, the next year he erected a small cabin and began to run a cafĂŠ serving travelers on their way to the North Cape and ever there after, year after year Kakslauttanen began to grow as Finlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s travel destination in the Arctic Circle. 41 years later, the way it has always been - with great care and attention. Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort is a family hotel in Finnish Lapland situated 250 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle located at the edge of the wilderness, along the road to the Arctic Sea, a hop skip

114

GOA & BEYOND - FINLAND

and a jump to the Urho Kekkonen National Park. The surrounding environment is one of the cleanest one can ever find anywhere in the world, the water is pure that one can quench their thirst straight from a stream which flows to the lake, the air is fresh and clean and one can feel it deep down in their lungs, what you find in Kakslauttanen is perfection. Kakslauttanen is designed to allow one to enjoy Laplandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nature and culture comprehensively with glass igloos, snow igloos, log cabins. A night in one of Kakslauttanenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s snow igloos is an unforgettable experience, even if the mecury dips to minus 40 degrees centigrade outside, the temperature inside the snow igloo is a consistent minus three to minus six degrees centigrade and Kakslauttanen provides everything you need for a cool, comfortable night.

115

WALDORF ASTORIA DUBAI

Corinthia Hotel St. Petersburg 116

GOA & BEYOND - ST. PETERSBURG

117

CORINTHIA HOTEL ST PETERSBURG

118

GOA & BEYOND - ST. PETERSBURG

The Corinthia St. Petersburg, an award-winning renovation of two majestic nineteenth-century buildings, boasts an opulent interior overflowing with art, beauty and modern luxury. Located at the heart of Nevsky Prospect, the city’s main thoroughfare, the Corinthia houses 388 elegant rooms and suites, including 95 executive rooms. Refined hospitality, superior levels of convenience and inspired luxury are at the core of this hotel. From luxurious caviar and blinis to more humble dishes, all complemented by finely selected drinks, the hotel’s restaurants and bars offer among the best culinary delights of the city. Alongside an on-site fitness centre, the nearby Crystal Lounge & Spa offers the hotel’s guests the best in wellness. With a 1,000-guest capacity and 17 meeting rooms, the Corinthia St. Petersburg boasts the largest fivestar conference and meeting facility in the city and is the only St. Petersburg hotel with a Memorial Museum at its core. Corinthia St. Petersburg is a 21st-century grand hotel located in the heart of the city, created with a passion for craftsmanship and an understanding of authentic, world-class service. The Corinthia St. Petersburg was acquired by Corinthia Hotels in 2002 and underwent huge renovation and expansion in 2009. It is one of the Corinthia Hotels’ collection of five-star hotels founded by the Pisani family of Malta.

119

120

GOA & BEYOND - NEW YORK

Explore Luxury at Your Own Pace

The Conrad New York hotel is a contemporary architectural landmark conveniently located downtown in the midst of thriving lower Manhattan, where business and leisure meet. As part of the Hilton family of hotels, it welcomes you to enjoy the exhilaration and ambiance that is New York City. The Conrad New York hotel has 463 all-suite accommodations that exude luxury and style, and provide dramatic views of New York city and the Hudson River below. Stroll down busy sidewalks where the sights, sounds and personality of lower Manhattan come to life. Head toward Wall Street and feel the pulse of one of the most vibrant financial hubs in the world. Discover the culture of Greenwich Village, TriBeCa, SoHo, or visit the Statue of Liberty and the National 9/11 Memorial, all just minutes away. 121

ARCTIC SNOW HOTEL Experience the Wonders of Snow and Ice in Rovaniemi, Finnish Lapland! 122

GOA & BEYOND - FINLAND

123

ICE HOTEL ROVANIEMI, FINLAND ARCTIC SNOWHOTEL - ROVANIEMI, FINLAND

124

GOA & BEYOND - FINLAND

The Arctic SnowHotel in Rovaniemi in Finland is an entire world of snow, an experience destination that provides an exotic possibility to spend the night sheltered by snow and surrounded by picturesque and placid Lappish nature and to experience Arctic specialities, including the Icerestaurant as well as the surrounding fields of snow. The first SnowHotel was opened in 2008 by owners Ville Haavikko and his wife Heidi, and ever since they have been building the business together. The Arctic SnowHotel site consists of several ice and snow structures that makes it a memorable environment for both family and business events and for tourists seeking extreme experiences. In addition to the snow structures. The Arctic SnowHotel will offer 15 unique Arctic Glass Igloos starting from 01 December 2014. All All the igloos are equipped with adjustable twin beds, showers and toilets. The Glass Igloos are ideally located next to the Snowhotel and optimized for the observation of the northern lights dancing in the sky. Treat yourself and your family to a memorable, genuine, and extreme experience at the Arctic SnowHotel.

125

THE WALDORF ASTORIA NEW YORK

Guerlain Spa

s one of the first ‘grand hotels’ to combine elegance with luxurious amenities and services, The Waldorf Astoria New York has been renowned worldwide for over a century. An official New York City landmark since 1993. The Guerlain Spa New York provides an unrivaled luxurious and personalized spa experience within New York City’s most renowned hotel. Nineteen floors above the historic Waldorf Astoria grand lobby, Guerlain Spa offers a serene, French-inspired oasis complete with a rose-adorned lounge area and spacious treatment suites. The Guerlain Spa New York features 14 treatment suites, a nail salon, a fitness center, and Grand Salon relaxation venue. Mirroring the beauty and grandeur of its hotel locale, the spa’s customized treatment suites deliver an unsurpassed guest experience. Each fitted with a private bathing lounge, signature Guerlain amenities, and personalized music selections, guests of Guerlain leave each treatment refreshed and refined from the inside out. 126

GOA & BEYOND - NEW YORK

This lavish space inspired by Waldorf Astoria’s legendary Art Deco design. Diamonte tile flanks the main entryway where an illuminated Baccarat crystal feature evokes a calming, elegant aura throughout the expansive spa. Amid a sweeping backdrop of Park Avenue and Manhattan, guests relax and socialize specialty tea, champagne, cappuccino and an exclusive, seasonal menu created by celebrated Waldorf Astoria chefs. For post-treatment pampering, “The Final Touch” offers a complimentary shoe shine, garment steaming and make-up dusting with every treatment. In addition to its wide spectrum of body therapies, Guerlain Spa at Waldorf Astoria Towers utilizes the exclusive Guerlain Méthode comprised of traditional and advanced skincare technologies. With an emphasis on customization, Guerlain Spa treatments endeavor to enhance beauty, improve well-being, and address individual result expectations through a precise, personalized skin analysis. 127

CONRAD MALDIVES

Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is home to two unique Spa experiences, The Spa Retreat on Rangalifinolhu Island and The OverWater Spa on Rangali Island. Combining expertise from around the world with carefully selected products and therapies influenced by the environment, the two Spas offer unique and effective experiences to suit the needs of every individual.

A unique experience in the Maldives, the OverWater Spa on Rangali Island is comprised of four thatched-roof treatment rooms set on stilts over the Indian Ocean. Three of these treatment rooms have glass floors, providing entrancing views of the colourful coral reef below, whilst a secluded serenity deck with open-air jacuzzi provides the perfect finale to the spa rituals on offer. The Over-Water Spa ritual begins with a soothing cup of herbal tea in the iconic thatched-roof reception area before moving to the glass floor coupleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s treatment room and enjoying a signature treatment as colourful fish swim amongst the coral below. An altogether different experience, guest will take part in colour rituals which are each unique and have been designed to correspond with the chakra systems of the body to bring about physical, emotional and spiritual enlightenment. 128

GOA & BEYOND - MALDIVES

Located 50 metres off of the tip of Rangalifinolhu Island, The Spa Retreat offers a holistic experience based on the five elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Plant Life. At this luxurious sanctuary every aspect of health is addressed, from diet and exercise to body treatments and beauty. The Spa Retreatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s five element philosophy extends into Mandhoo Spa Restaurant which is located just opposite the spa. Set on stilts over the Indian Ocean, Mandhoo Restaurant perches above gentle waves and marine life and provides a refreshing setting in which to enjoy lunch or dinner alongside a visit to the Spa. Also based on the five elements philosophy, Mandhoo Restaurantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cuisine is light and refreshing, serving only organic and biodynamic ingredients.

129

SHAMANA SPA, GRAND HYATT GOA

Escape to a luxury spa oasis overlooking the Bambolim Bay on the shores of North Goa. The Shamana Spa at Grand Hyatt Goa offers a peaceful and serene retreat for the ultimate in wellness and relaxation. Embracing the mythical concept of the “monastery of the Indo-Portuguese Palace”, Shamana Spa offers South East Asian treatments with a contemporary approach. “Shamana” is a Sanskrit word for balance. The essence of Shamana Spa is to create a perfect balance between wellbeing and lifestyle through a serene environment with an international range of products, some exclusively available at the spa. Shamana

Spa,

being

Shamana Spa

a true oasis of tranquility 130

GOA & BEYOND - GOA

the largest spa, houses 19 spa treatment suites. Designed to enrich a guestâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience, the treatment suites comprise of six couple suites with a sunken bath space, an Ayurveda / Indian treatment suite and single suites. The spa has a beauty salon, fitness centre, lifestyle studio, indoor and outdoor pools, whirlpools and wet areas with sauna and steam. The spa offers a personalised spa therapies ranging from two hours that can be tailor-made by discussion with the spa expert. A number of treatments can be combined, depending on individual needs, to create a complete and sensory spa experience.

131

MARINA BAY SANDS

Banyan Tree Spa 132

GOA & BEYOND - SINGAPORE

Sanctuary for the Senses… Using a “high-touch, low-tech” approach that celebrates human touch coupled with the use of natural herbs, spices and aromatic oils, Banyan Tree Spa’s exotic treatments are inspired by Asian traditions that have been passed through the hands of many generations. This Awardwinning spa operator Banyan Tree Spa at the Marina Bay Sands is Banyan Tree’s very first venturein its home base of Singapore. Famous for pioneering the tropical garden spa concept with its time-honored Asian therapies and holistic focus on spiritual, mental and physical harmony, offering an exclusive retreat and an intimate haven for renewal. The well-loved Classic Rejuvenation packages featuring a combination of classic body scrubs and massages now offer six unique For Her and For Him spa experiences. For deep relaxation, ladies can choose the Sweet Serenade which comprises the refreshing Almond Tomato Purifier rich in Vitamin C, and the new Thai Classic Massage that blends subtle stretching to stimulate energy flow and improve flexibility. Men can revitalize with Absolute Lift, a treatment that purifies the skin and releases muscle tension with the Ginger Lemon Cleanser and Sports Massage delivered with medium to strong pressure by the professional therapists. The spa consists of 15 treatment rooms including 2 Royal Double Spa Suites that offer the legendary Tropical Rainmist treatment; a Beauty Salon, a Tea Lounge for post-treatment relaxation. With all treatment room names are inspired by the Orchid. Harmony Banyan harnesses the power of the Orchid. The spa experience is performed by two therapists who synchronize in physique and movements to bring about a harmonious sense of well-being. Royal Banyan highlights the Royal Banyan Herbal Pouch Massage, which uses East-meets-West massage techniques and a herbal pouch dipped in warm Sesame Oil to soothe muscular tension and improve blood circulation. Tropical Rainmist experience is a rejuvenating combination of Rainmist Steam Bath and cascading Rain Shower to uplift the senses as a prelude to the luxurious body treatment that follows. 133

ESPA LIFE - CORINTHIA LONDON

134

GOA & BEYOND - LONDON

ESPA Life at Corinthia is a new generation of spa designed for those seeking an exclusive haven dedicated to relaxation, health and fitness. Spread over four floors in the heart of London, ESPA Life at Corinthia offers revolutionary lifestyle programmes, incorporating complementary and alternative medicine and targeted fitness and rehabilitation services that focus on sports training, detox, sleep, weight loss and general vitality. A specialised team is committed to creating never-before-seen lifestyle solutions and spa treatments to revolutionise the way we address common lifestyle stresses and the impact these have on our general health and wellbeing. In addition an extensive repertoire of treatments for men and women are available to try in its 15 oval treatment pods. The new age-defying facials and ‘Rush Hour Beauty’ treatments have been created for maximum results within an hour. Each treatment uses the highly efficacious and natural ESPA product range and combines both new and indigenous techniques of the world’s most renowned therapies to deliver a unique treatment offering. An extensive thermal floor area provides a dedicated space in which guests can completely relax and unwind. Alongside a swimming pool, there is a vitality pool, glass amphitheatre sauna, steam room

and heated marble loungers. ESPA Life at Corinthia is also a destination for grooming and fitness needs. Premier beauty treatments such as ShellacTM polish for manicures by Creative Nail Design, IPL by Palomar and Lycon Wax place ESPA Life at Corinthia at the forefront. The elegant and contemporary black granite manicure stations, dark stained oak and leather panels of The Nail Studio encase a social area where guests can enjoy champagne and freshly-squeezed juices as hands and feet are treated. A state-of-the-art gym is home to LifeFitness cardio-vascular equipment and strength machines for an unparalleled exercise and personal training experience, and to ensure wellness inside and out, The Spa Lounge serves delicious, nutritious cuisine and daily health shots. Every detail has been thoughtfully incorporated to raise the bar on spa excellence. Light welcomes guests to the spa, which slowly descends into rich and opulent darkness. Strong curved walls and soft contours enhance the energy flow and create individual pods and cocooning spaces of peace and comfort from the warmth of the ambient fireplaces and atmospheric mood lighting. The sophisticated use of Calacatta and black Italian marble, rich black and champagne lacquer panels, stained dark oak, textured leather, polished chrome and pewter art work create a luxurious and tranquil environment. 135

WALDORF ASTORIA DUBAI

nspired by the pristine beauty of its iconic location on the Palm Jumeirah, the Waldorf Astoria Spa offers internationally-inspired spa journeys utilizing the some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most exquisite spa products. Establishing itself as a haven of well-being, the Spa focuses on providing highly personalized therapies in an inviting yet intimate environment, ensuring that each experience is unique and truly unforgettable. The refined and elegant features cover upwards of 3,200 square meters of palatial indoor space, overlooking a lush outdoor garden. The Spa showcases a wide-range of fifty luxurious treatments, with twelve treatment rooms, two private Spa suites, a nail care studio, Spa boutique, thermal and water flotation lounges, an ice fountain, a herbal steam room and Himalayan salt stone saunas, all housed in one an inviting space to relax and unwind, preparing guests for a heightened treatment journey ahead. Each experience combines rich healing traditions with refined products and specialized techniques to deliver an extraordinary experience. 136

GOA & BEYOND - DUBAI

luxurious wellness escape, truly unforgettable Spa journey

With exceptional product brands the Spa offers indulgent and original spa therapies designed to create a one-of-a-kind experience in harmonious opulence. High end products such as the Valmont range from Switzerland are available and the Waldorf Astoria Spa is currently the only hotel Spa in Dubai to offer these exclusive Red Flower branded amenities from New York. In addition, the Spa offers products by renowned French artist Serge Lutens and Omorovicza from Hungary, which includes the decadent gold body and facial therapies originating from their region. Experience the local culture of the traditional â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Attarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; perfumery, featuring Serge Lutens perfumes rich in woody aromatics from the East and feminine florals from the West. The signature experience allows guests to complete a sensory test from the collection where each perfume has been selected to ignite a unique sensory journey, transporting individuals to another destination and time. 137

MAJEKA HOUSE, SPA & MAKARON RESTAURANT SOUTH AFRICA

Dine at the Kitchen table in the heart of Makaron’s New Kitchen S

ummer at Majeka House is set to be both entertaining and delicious. Makaron Restaurant has just introduced a Kitchen Table, designed just for two, and a new summer menu characterized by the creative stamp of Head Chef Tanja Kruger. More than ever before, Tanja strives to express her personality through the creations on the menu.

The Kitchen Table

The Kitchen Table is literally a table for two in the kitchen – like having front-row seats in a culinary theatre, taking in all the action that happens during a typical dinner service. Guests at the Kitchen Table are served a five-course tasting menu by the chefs in the kitchen, and Esmé Groenewald - the sommelier comes into the kitchen to offer wine pairings with each course. The Kitchen Table is only available for the tasting menu, only seats two and needs to be booked in advance. Makaron’s new-season menu was inspired by Tanja’s sabbatical earlier this year. Instead of cooking in famous kitchens in Europe, as she did last year, she chose to walk the Camino – the full 800 kilometres of the famous Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route – and came back a changed person, she says. ‘The process of persevering day after day, sometimes just putting one foot in front of the other, was physically and mentally tough. The experience has given me a sense of balance and a new-found confidence in my ability to face 138

Pork belly and fillet, jewel sweet potato, apple and meebos

WO’GOA DINING EXPERIENCE

fear head on,’ says Tanja. This balance and honesty is reflected in increasingly pared-down dishes in which the provenance of the ingredients is paramount. Examples include a starter of ancient grains with miniature vegetables and a cauliflower veloute; a main course such as the dry-aged ribeye and marrow with parsley crumble and

Tanja Kruger

onion; and a dessert of fresh fruit with passion fruit marshmallows and lemongrass. Tanja’s love of Asian flavours is highlighted in dishes such as Akamiso seared tuna, dragon cracker crumble and smoked tofu; and Mauritian sea bass with laksa foam, carrots, cashew and coconut. The fun side of her personality is responsible for desserts like the decadently rich Fifty Shades of Chocolate or a clever take on salted caramel popcorn.

W O‘GOA

139

THIRSTY BEAR - GOA

‘Deli’cious Delights You don’t have to leave a 24-hour comfort food fix to the imagination any more. Any time you feel a craving, stomp on the gas pedal and you’ll be at Thirsty Bear in Bambolim, north Goa, in no time. And this is where your dessert dreams come true. If you thought only little children would love it, the steady stream of people of all ages stand testimony to quite the opposite. It’s the perfect location for midnight discussions among students from the nearby colleges and university hostels; and an ideal place to hang out after a night on the town. Parking is certainly not an issue and many visitors find themselves hanging out at the deli for a fairly long time, thanks to the warm hospitality of the staff and the relaxed atmosphere. There’s a mix of poufy sofa sets, and chairs, so you can choose based on whether you want to simply stretch out or tap away comfortably on a laptop or iPad. The décor is modern chic and the cold case is filled with delicious delights. The counter is filled with equally tantalising puffs and pastries and the refreshing aroma of freshly brewed coffee spills into the seating area. A variety of fresh fruit juices are on offer for those who prefer to stay away from hot beverages. The milkshakes are definitely worth trying, with the chocolate version attaining near legendary status despite the deli being around only for a few months. When those hunger pangs kick in, try out the 140

Apple pie with Ice Cream

WO’GOA DINING EXPERIENCE

Thirsty Bear’s sandwiches. Ranging from roast beef to chicken, ham and cheese to duck, tuna, and a variety of burgers, the soft warm bread is stuffed to the moon and back, keeping you filled and very happy indeed. The savoury section also finds paneer, mushroom and barbecue chicken rolls, with a cafreal variant to keep it local. For a slightly less filling snack, opt for the patties done in spinach and corn, mushroom, vegetables or chicken. Borrowing favourites from En-Route World Café next door – owned and managed by the same company Bennet & Bernard Gastronomy – the menu features pizzas with an eye-popping combination of classic and fusion toppings. There’s the well-loved Margarita, Pepperoni and Barbecue Chicken toppings. But there’s also the pizzas with a twist – Goan Sausage, Salmon and a to-die for Four Season Pizza showing off its mozzarella, gorgonzola, gruyere and parmesan cheese side over a light thin crust. But Thirsty Bear is also about desserts. Not a day goes by when patrons are not glued to the glass case struggling to decide what to order. From tiramisu to gooey cakes in double chocolate, triple chocolate and more, mousses – hazelnut, chocolate or mango, to croissants, crêpes, cookies and chocolates, there’s so much on offer. The profiterole oozing with custard and drowned in chocolate ganache is definitely a treat, as is the warm carrot cake flavoured with cinnamon. No other place in close range serves their waffles with three scoops of ice cream and a whole lot of love! With a menu that caters to every decadent desire at any time of day or night, Thirsty Bear can only go down as a favourite on Goa’s best places to indulge.

W O‘GOA

141

GEORGE MENDES - ALDEA RESTAURANT NEW YORK

Grilled Sardines with Charred Peppers Serves 2 2 poblano peppers 1 green bell pepper 1 red bell pepper extra virgin olive oil, as needed kosher salt, to taste sherry vinegar, to taste 6 sardines, gutted and cleaned maldon sea salt, to taste 1 tbsp fresh parsley leaves, chopped 4 lemon wedges, for serving Prepare a grill by heating a mixture of all-natural briquettes and hard-wood lump charcoal until very hot. Lightly coat the peppers with oil and very generously season with kosher salt. Place on the hot grill grate and grill, turning occasionally, until blackened and collapsed, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a dish. When theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re cool enough to handle, peel the skins off and remove the stems and seeds. Cut the peppers into 1/2-inch (12 mm) wide strips and toss with oil and vinegar. Let stand to marinate. Make sure your grill is still very hot. If not, add more charcoal and heat. Lightly coat the sardines with oil and sprinkle generously with kosher salt. Place on the hot grill grate and grill, turning occasionally, until grill marks appear and the sardines start to whistle, about 8 minutes.

George Mendes

142

Transfer to serving plates and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle Maldon salt on top of the fish. Garnish with the parsley. Serve with the marinated peppers and lemon wedges.

143

COI - DANIEL PATTERSON

Carrots Roasted in Coffee Beans mandarin, roman mint

Photo Maren Caruso 144

SIGNATURE DISHES

Recipe Daniel Patterson COI

Instructions Clean the carrots well, but leave the skin on. Use big or small carrots, of any color, just use ones that are sweet. Toss them with a little pure olive oil and salt, and place them on a bed of dark roasted coffee beans in a covered container. Cook in a 350°F (180°C) oven, shaking the pan occasionally, until the carrots are very tender. Don’t undercook the carrots, as their sweetness will not be fully revealed. Remove to a plate or baking sheet and let cool. Cut, as you like. To serve, slice small rounds of young carrots, or the tips of a larger one not-too finely or you will lose the texture-and season with rice wine vinegar and salt, kind of a quick pickle. You will need three slices per dish. Warm the cooked carrots in a low oven, covered, until just warm. Combine the carrot juice and mandarin juice. Season with rice wine vinegar and salt until the juice is on the sweeter side, with gentle yet persistent acidity. You might need to add more carrot or more mandarin juice, depending on the taste. Heat until just warm, check seasoning again and spoon some broth in a bowl. Drizzle in half a spoonful of fruity olive oil, and arrange the carrots in the bowl. Top with slices of the pickled carrot, and leaves and flowers of roman mint. Ingredients Carrots 4-12 carrots, depending on size 15 g pure olive oil 250 g whole coffee beans (we use Blue Bottle decaf.) Salt To Serve Young carrots Rice wine vinegar 80 g of carrot juice 80 g of mandarin juice 2 tablespoons fruity olive oil 20 roman mint leaves 12 roman mint flowers Salt (Yields 4) 145

MAKARON RESTAURANT SOUTH AFRICA

Ancient Grain Salad 146

SIGNATURE DISHES

The Dressing: 15g Garlic 75g Red onion 10ml Dijon mustard Juice of two limes 100ml White wine vinegar 500ml Sunflower oil 40g Flat leaf parsley, chopped Method: Place all the ingredients except the parsley in a blender and blend for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the chopped parsley. The Velouté: 30g Garlic 100g Onion 500g Cauliflower 125g butter 100ml Vegetable stock 300ml cream Salt and pepper to taste Method: Chop the onion, garlic and cauliflower. Melt the butter on a low hear and sweat the onions without colouring them. Add the vegetable stock and the cream and leave to simmer until the vegetables are tender. Season the velouté to taste and blend until smooth.

The Salad: 100g white quinoa, cooked 100g black/red quinoa, cooked 100g amaranth, cooked 50g couscous, cooked 100g carrot, ribbons 100g courgette, ribbons 15ml olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Dressing Sunflower shoots Shaved raw cauliflower Method: Grill the carrot and courgette shavings in a hot pan with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Roll the cooked vegetable ribbons into rounds. Mix the quinoa, amaranth and couscous with a little of the dressing and check the seasoning. Place the grains in a round mould on the plate. Place the vegetable ribbons on top of the grains and garnish with the sunflower shoots and cauliflower shavings. Place the cauliflower velouté in a jug and at the table pour it into the middle of the ancient grains.

Recipe Chef Tanja Kruger Majeka House and Makaron Restaurant

147

THIRSTY BEAR GOA

148

SIGNATURES DISHES

Christmas Pudding Ingredients:Caramel colour 20g Cinnamon powder 2225g Refined flour 1/4 tsp of Salt 200g Butter 200g Sugar 1tsp Vanilla essence 4 Eggs 300g Mix dry fruits 100g Mix peel 150g Glazed cherry 100g Sliced almonds Method: Beat the mixture of eggs, butter and sugar till you get a smooth mixture then keep it aside. In a separate bowl add the flour, salt, cinnamon powder, mix dry fruit, mix peel, glazed cherry and sliced almonds, Mix all the ingredients well. Add the first mixture with the second mixture then add vanilla essence and artificial caramel colour. Pre heat in the oven at 200 degree Celsius. Pour the mixture in a baking tray and bake for 1 hour. Use the toothpick test to check if done Recipe Chef Naresh Chaudhary Thirsty Bear 149

Plan Y GRA our St ay & ND HYA Wee TT G k OA

150

Grand Hyatt Goa, the award winning resort and spa has specially crafted a weekly plan for its guests, be it an individual travellers, corporate, honeymooners or families, one is assured a memorable experience. Situated on the Bambolim Bay, Grand Hyatt Goa is known for its serene waterfront, impeccable hospitality, tranquil spa, its lush landscape and serene tropical gardens. Monday - Go Fish Go out fishing with the local fishermen, bring back your catch and ask the chefs to cook it to your liking. Tuesday - Cook with our chefs Don’t just eat like a local; learn to cook like one too. Grand Hyatt’s master chefs teach you to prepare your favourite Indian recipe on a first come first serve basis, then share your masterpiece with family and friends. Wednesday - Ladies Night / Fashion Night Meet at the Fire Place for a complimentary welcome drink. Enjoy a midweek break with special themes on haute couture and beauty sessions and a 50% discount on food and drinks at The Verandah. End the night with live music Jovan & Thelma at the Capiz Bar. Thursday - Seafood Night Market Grand Hyatt presents the ‘Grand Goan Night Market’ ambience with artifacts, jewellery and handicraft stalls. An amazing variety of seafood delicacies and enjoy the unlimited fresh catch of the day combined with live entertainment. Friday - Wellness day and sundowners Unwind and relax at “Shamana Spa”, the award winning wellness destination. Spend your day indulging in yoga, meditation or get your own health package customised by our trainers, or just pamper yourself with our popular Balinese massage. Saturday - BYO - CYO Want to cook your own barbeque at the lawns? Call up the Grand Hyatt Resort Center six hours in advance, Buy-Your-Own & Cook-Your-Own barbeque on the lawns. Saturday Night - Music On Fire Get your favorite beverages, cocktails and snacks with your friends and family around the fire with live music, before you head out to Saturday night market or Goan nightlife. Sunday - Champagne Brunch Begin your brunch with lobster and Champagne, then proceed towards the five interactive kitchens – the salad counter, Indian, Italian, Grills and end the culinary journey at the dessert station. 151

MASSIMO RESTAURANT AND OYSTER BAR - CORINTHIA HOTEL LONDON

Massimo Restaurant and Oyster Bar 152

WO’GOA DINING EXPERIENCE

Personality and Flair For fine dining with effortless panache, look no further, the Corinthia Hotel’s Italian restaurant. This informal, charming Oyster Bar features an all-day menu to be enjoyed as dinner approaches or is overlooked altogether. Drinks feature selected Champagne and wines from France and Italy. Diners can enjoy seasonal dishes, using only the finest and freshest ingredients, alongside the Chef’s signature crudo and oysters.

153

PEACOCK ALLEY - WALDORF ASTORIA NEW YORK

Peacock Alley 154

WO’GOA DINING EXPERIENCE

Eeperience the Art of Cuisine Dine in New York’s most prestigious hotel. Embark on an epicurean journey at Peacock Alley with a personalized, private tasting dinner. The stylish Peacock Alley is renowned for its innovative cocktail culture, extravagant brunch and seafood-inspired small plates menu. It is the gem of the hotel’s lobby and the place to “see and be seen,” while sipping a hand-crafted cocktail. Peacock Alley’s setting is opportune for getting a taste of a culinary experience or to host a special event in the private dining salon. Pairing a classic and convivial ambience, Peacock Alley offers to our guests and New Yorkers a Power breakfast, an a la carte lunch menu and a distinctive dinner of small plates and traditional selections. The bar and lounge serves exclusive wines and martinis with nightly entertainment by the Cole Porter piano. Chef de Cuisine, Matt Schindler puts a firm emphasis on using locally sourced and organic ingredients wherever possible. Steps taken include foraging on the hotel grounds, including harvesting our own honey. The result of this is each dish tastes beautifully fresh and we also proudly support local suppliers and the environment. The result of this is each dish tastes beautifully fresh. Waldorf Astoria has been the birthplace of iconic culinary inventions that have inspired chefs since the hotel’s founding in 1931. Eggs benedict, red velvet cake, Waldorf salad and Thousand Island dressing were all created at the Waldorf Astoria New York.

155

RONDA LOCATELLI - ATLANTIS THE PALM, DUBAI

Ronda Locatelli 156

WOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;GOA DINING EXPERIENCE

Celebrity Michelin star chef Giorgio Locatelli creates a rustic, warm and inviting restaurant that blends the charm of an Italian countryside with the modernity of Dubai. Authentic, classic Italian cuisine is blended seamlessly with new flavours using the freshest of ingredients. Traditional pizza is served hot from the brick-oven, as well as delicate pastas and favourite Italian classics. Ronda Locatelli has a beautiful outside terrace, which is lined with olive trees reminiscent of Chef Locatelliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sicilian olive grove where he makes his renowned olive oil. The garden is inviting and peaceful blending the charm of an Italian countryside with the modernity of Dubai.

157

RICKSHAW - CORINTHIA HOTEL BUDAPEST

Immerse yourself in the wonder of the Orient at the RICKSHAW

For a truly unique dining experience, Rickshaw serves authentic dishes from across the Orient in an atmosphere which complements the traditional arts and materials of the Far East. Offering world class quality and fantastic gastronomic experiences reminiscent of the Far East with delectable dishes from Thailand, Japan, Singapore, China and beyond in downtown Budapest, our chef dazzles diners with traditional Asian flavours prepared exclusively with the finest, freshest ingredients. 158

WO’GOA DINING EXPERIENCE

159

BABLE RESTAURANT, BABYLONSTOREN – SOUTH AFRICA

Bable Restaurant’s food leans towards simplicity – but with an edge. Meals are creative though always clear in structure. Vegetables and fruit gathered daily from the garden are often served with their skins on. Helpings are generous and meals may be taken either in the glass enclosed restaurant or under the Plane trees in the courtyard, depending on the weather. Bable’s food reflects the colours of the season.

160

WO’GOA DINING EXPERIENCE

BABLE

Three Friends Wearing Green, Orange & Red 161

SNOWLAND IGLOO RESTAURANT ROVANIEMI, FINLAND

Taste of Rovaniemi, Finland

Rovaniemi pampers your senses with Lappish and international aromas. Laplandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own cuisine is served to you from the Lappish Ă la carte menus of the restaurants and in the great outdoors. The Rovaniemi Menus introduce the very best Finnish flavours and top class expertise of master chefs. Snowland Igloo Restaurant and the Northern Lights - Rovaniemi, Finland 162

WOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;GOA DINING EXPERIENCE

At Snowland Rovaniemi, you dine in genuine arctic surroundings â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an igloo restaurant seating over 200 people with an outdoor area with open-fires and candles dotted around to create a mystical contrast to the snow and ice all around you. The indoor area features seats and tables made from ice with the interior lit-up by storm lanterns and candles, all under a ceiling emulating a starlit sky. Ice sculptures glimmer in the atmospheric light while you are enjoying a delicious 3-course dinner. 163

LA BRASSERIE- ATLANTIS THE PALM, DUBAI

La Brasserie offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a modern bistro, with a spin on the classics. Menu items include Seeds & Grains’, a delectable salad with Quinoa, Pumpkin, Goats Cheese, superb Sea Bass with Zucchini, Cockle Vinaigrette, Samphire and Baby Gem, Corn Fed Chicken Breast served with Asparagus, Mushrooms, Boulangères Potatoes and the Beef Cheek Bourguignon adorned with Carrots, Celeriac, Pomme Purée. For those with a sweet tooth, the La Brasserie Chocolate Bar with Salted Caramel, Nougat and chocolate milk is not to me missed. The patio at La Brasserie catches the spectacular Dubai sunshine with the surrounding trees giving the area just enough shade, and creating a perfect al fresco atmosphere where guests can enjoy French delicacies.

164

WO’GOA DINING EXPERIENCE

La Brasserie 165

HAUTE CABRIERE CELLAR RESTAURANT - SOUTH AFRICA

166

WO’GOA DINING EXPERIENCE

Vegetarian Delights at Haute Cabrière Cellar Restaurant Franschhoek’s iconic Haute Cabrière Restaurant & Terrace is well known for its unique location, set into the side of Franschhoek Mountain and overlooking the Valley. In the kitchen, the talk is about root to flower eating, with the new vegetable garden at Haute Cabrière estate, Chef Ryan Shell is spoiled for seasonal choice, creating dishes around the fantastic produce from the ground - whether it’s asparagus, baby fennel, turnips, salads, beetroot or pea shoots. For example, the smoked ricotta ravioli, which is served with textures of beetroot - there are roasted cubes, pickles pieces, crispy leaves and a purée of this earthy bright vegetable on the plate, highlighting the smoky creaminess of the ricotta perfectly. Like all dishes on the menu, the vegetarian options at the restaurant are also expertly paired with the estate’s Pierre Jourdan and Haute Cabrière range of wines and Cap Classiques.

167

168

SUNSET CRUISE | DINNER CRUISE | MIDNIGHT CRUISE

Only

AED

250 per person

P. O. Box 126012, Dubai, UAE res@xclusivecruise.com www.xclusivecruise.com Like us on & win! facebook.com/xclusivecruise

Call now to book your Xclusive experience

04 457 3185 169 53

METROPOLITAN R E P O R T

a connoisseurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guide to the good life

www.metropolitanreport.com

170