A French Indian Masterclass From A Master Chef
On May - 10 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
While I’ve enjoyed the delights of award-winning French Indian restaurant La Porte des Indes before, after seeing the contestants on Masterchef battle it out in the La Porte kitchens under the tutelage of executive chef Mehernosh Mody, I wish I was better with food so I too could have that amazing experience. Well now I can and all without the pressure to deliver to discerning diners. On the final Friday of every month, Mehernosh hosts an unmissable masterclass during which he demonstartes how to recreate La Porte des Indes’ fabulous dishes at home.
If you’re keeping up with the London food scene, you’ll know that ‘pop-up’ bars and eateries are so on trend right now. But with such a temporary existence, you can blink and they’ll be gone again. 
It is not often us girls get excited about a new car launch (seriously guys if it drives smoothly and holds our drink, that’s good enough for us!). However when we discovered that the Citroën DS5 was offering the chance of having a five-course meal designed by Masterchef 2011 winner Tim Anderson at a pop-up restaurant we thought it was worth finding out more. 
If you conjure up an image of traditional Italian dining, you might visualise red checkered table cloths, huge canvases of the Roman coliseum, and giant peppercorn mills standing by pots of shaved parmesan. But how would you visualise a classy fine dining Italian joint in Mayfair? Not sure? No, neither were we when we ventured to the restaurant with no name at 5 Pollen Street in Mayfair. 
The Playboy brand and all that comes with it certainly divides the opinion amongst us ladies. Are the fluffy tail and bunny ear outfits degrading to the sophisticated modern woman out there? Or are they a nostalgic reminder of a playful and glamorous 60s era? 
Spring is perfect for light, fresh food full of flavour and since sushi opened our palates (and heads) to the idea that raw fish could be tasty, South American dish ceviche has become increasingly popular. Celebrated Argentinian restaurant Gaucho has had this cured seafood dish on their menu for ten years now and is having a ceviche dinner at Gaucho Piccadilly to mark the occassion. ‘Ceviche is the ideal summer dish as it has a perfect balance between the oily fish and the tartness of the citrus,’ Fernando Trocca, executive chef of Gaucho Grill says. ‘The trick is to use the freshest and best quality fish you can find. Once you’ve got the hang of the traditional recipes you can then start experimenting with twists on the classics – I’ve really enjoyed creating original new recipes with more unusual ingredients for the new Gaucho ceviche menu – it’s such a simple dish but there is so much you can do with it.’ 
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