Mumbai Diary: Saturday Dossier

24 June,2017 11:50 AM IST |  Mumbai  |  Team mid-day

The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce


Kunal Kapur

Down Under with Kunal Kapur
Screen presence today goes beyond being a known face on television. This explains why an increasing number of personalities aren't active just on social media platforms, but are also taking the web route to ensure greater reach of content, especially among those who view the Internet as their primary source of information and entertainment.

The latest entrant to the buzzing online scene is chef and restaurateur Kunal Kapur with his seven-episode web series, #TravelWithKunal. It captures his food and wine experiences in Australia. The first episode, which premiered yesterday, showed Kapur sipping on some of the best spirits of South Australia, home to 18 wine regions.

He also demystified the complex process of wine-tasting, as he asked the wine ambassador of a vineyard in the famous Barossa Valley to explain the nitty-gritty of holding the glass from the stem, swirling and nosing the drink, all within eight minutes.

The chef promises to go beyond offering a culinary experience and showcase the country's culture, history and rich wildlife in the travelogue as well. "Travel is a dear passion of mine and #TravelWithKunal is my way of bringing it to life..." he said. Chef Kunal is being paid to eat and travel. We want his job.

Pocket-friendly literature
For bibliophile who are convinced that e-readers are not for them, buying books at a reasonable price can often be a challenge. Gurgaon-based bibliophile and entrepreneur Riticka Srivastav experienced something similar while in college, which prompted her to launch Book Thela, an online bookstore that offers new and used books at throwaway prices. Launched in March, the venture has received overwhelming response. With a varied collection of books, and a separate section for bestsellers, we hope the online store gives a boost to the now hard-to-come-by habit of reading.

Sounds good in Andheri
We all love Indian Ocean. So, we are excited to learn about an upcoming performance of theirs, this time in a bar! Next week, Andheri (E) will see the launch of the Finch Restaurant and Bar, and on July 1, Indian Ocean will take the stage.

The new space (above in pic), offering European, Oriental and Indian food, promises live music every day, covering Classical, Jazz, Retro Pop, R&B, Soul, Folk and World Music. Expect names like Mikey McCleary and the Bartenders, Keisha, the Radha Thomas Ensemble, and the Mad Hatters.

They have plans of starting a microbrewery, but for now they will be serving fresh craft beers and ciders. Food wise, expect dishes from India, Europe and the Middle East, from tandoor kebabs and biryanis, organic pizzas from a wood fired oven, to Asian dim sums. We like the sound of it.

Great heights in Vashi
Gone are the days when 'work your way to the top' was only a metaphor. Sport Climbing, which began in the early '90s has finally gained recognition and will make its debut at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

In an effort to make a global mark and motivate Indian climbers, Girivihar, one of India's oldest non-profit mountaineering clubs, in collaboration with a sports and entertainment brand has brought the IFSC Climbing World Cup to India for the second straight year.

To be held today and tomorrow in Navi Mumbai, the initiative is part of the club's vision for the year 2020, for which it has also started a crowdfunding campaign to pay for aspiring climbers' training and participation in various tournaments.

Pic/Bipin Kokate

Size doesn't matter
Ace designer Wendell Rodricks judges a model at a plus-size fashion show at Lower Parel five-star yesterday.

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