Lunch at Peyala

Peyala is known well for its 'rastar cha', salad bowls and wraps, and customizing my wrap seemed like the most comforting thing to do before the bill showed up.

Overcooked chicken with raw vegetable and mushroom, pleasantly spicy tofu and balsamic vinaigrette, wrapped with thin flat grilled tortilla managed to just stay together. The bites were satisfying to a hungry stomach and I had to bite once on the right and once on the left to get the flavours from all of them. Capsicum gave the crunch while the salsa brought in the subtle acidity. Mushrooms helped to make it umami, and the spicy heat from the tofu covered for the boring chicken in the wrap. The vinaigrette could have complemented well had there been a more generous drizzle in a large fat wrap like that.

Six layered chocolate cake at PEYALA

Looks can be deceiving and this one was just hiding behind a very tempting impression.
In a nutshell, this cake did just enough to ruin the dining experience.
The cake had dry fudge. The frosting was too dense and sweet. The grease coated the tongue and palate leaving an obnoxious taste. This certainly was a horrible dessert to follow a good wrap.

Totally disappointed! Tk300 for this slice is just not worth it. In fact, I would not like to pay any money for this. I would not eat it as a complement either! 

Coupled with a six layered chocolate cake that comes for Tk300, and a small bottle of water, the meal cost me Tk800+.

What actually baffles me is the demand for 'rastar cha' or the roadside tea!
I find it hard to understand why would anyone ask for it at 6 times the price in that establishment? Peyala actually gives me the idea of a refined tea shop. Asking for 'rastar cha' and to be served like that is like asking for the rikshaw experience in your Mercedes Benz, at a price higher than the actual one.
The real experience of 'rastar cha' from the 'tong' cannot simply be replaced with the tea in an air conditioned room, just how real football game cannot be replaced with FIFA.

While sitting is comfortable and there is a good cold interior, getting up to get tissue papers every now and then could be annoying and the loud crowd makes it difficult to spend some quiet time. The music needs to get louder here.

Joël Robuchon-Did you know about him?

Do you know this guy? 

Oh yes you do! He is Anthony Bourdain!!! He was a celebrity chef, traveler and a food writer. The guy passed away this year and we have been lamenting since. A few public speakers who didn't know him had to pretend to on social media to keep their popularity intact. That's how much Anthony means!

Now, did you know about Joël Robuchon? 'Joël who?' are probably the words in your mind now.

This man is Joël Robuchon! This man passed away this year too. In fact, just a little less than a month ago, he died. 

So why this piece about him today? Who is he? Why does he matter?

Joël Robuchon was the most decorated French chef, who stayed true to his work and would not be wrong to be considered the flag bearer of the Post-nouvelle Cuisine. He was the very face of Michelin Stars, I dare say, having 32 of them, the most by any chef in the world ( of course many more than Gordon Ramsay's-twice to be exact!) The first year he received his first Michelin star, the following year, the second one and the year after, the third. Three years, three Stars, a feat never seen before in gastronomy! The only problem is, he didn't make it to the media as much as Anthony, Gordon, Jamie, Bobby or a few others did, though his legacy is far greater than their. He showed how to make healthy dishes exotic and vibrant.

It is about him today because, the world went in tears after Bourdain's death (which I have no complains about, and he did entertain the world for ages), but the most celebrated chef, and The Chef of The Century as recognized by Gault Millau, has had only a few to remember him. I haven't seen many offering condolences on the death of a Chef who was the epitome of creative cooking, making every ingredient show off on the plate. He dedicated his time to introducing or merging ideas in the kitchen and picked several techniques from other parts of the world to elevate his dishes. 
He mentored Gordon Ramsay in Paris, and Joel is also known to be the only person to ever throw a plate at Gordon.

Joël said: "I remember it was a dish of langoustine ravioli.
"He hadn’t made it properly. I told him so and Gordon reacted in a very arrogant manner."

You will certainly not be crucified for not knowing him. But if you knew him, you must be a passionate worker in the kitchen. If you don't, no harm done, but you missed knowing a legend!