Day: May 8, 2011

ROSHAN’S ELEVEN: Songs 2 Play While Driving

- Roshan

I don’t drive, don’t have a car and don’t have a license. But when I am in a car with close friends or my cousins, I love to play music. It’s usually loud rock & metal music. Drums, bass, keyboards and screaming lead guitars. That’s the best kind. Here’s my faourite songs to play while riding in a car.

  • Here I Go Again – Whitesnake
  • Ride The Wind – Poison
  • Pinch Me – Barenaked Ladies
  • Radar Love – White Lion
  • Highway Star – Deep Purple
  • Paradise City – Guns n’Roses
  • Living In Paradise – David Lee Roth
  • Rearviewmirror – Pearl Jam
  • Highway To Hell – AC/DC
  • Dreamline – Rush
  • Wanted Dead Or Alive – Bon Jovi

Counting My Chickens

- Roshan

A few days ago me and my friend while driving past it noticed the new KFC franchise being completed on MG Road near Pallimukku. Neither of us had previously known that there was a new franchise being planned in Cochin. There is just one KFC outlet here but that is on the bypass road and it’s difficult to get there without a vehicle as buses don’t stop near there, or you have to catch an auto. That is good, we get to go there as it’s much closer and easier to get too. I guess what I’m gonna do is get a bucket once they are all setup and sit with dad & mom one evening.

However it’s not like we haven’t had KFC style food – Cochin boasts of 3 other fast food restaurants that serve you similarly fried chicken specialty houses. We have Chick King, which has several franchises (5 by my count in Cochin alone) in the state. Based out of Dubai, they advertise big and I usually buy from them. In 2010 I went along with some friends to Chicknic, a similarly style restaurant about 2 kms from my place. I like the ambiance, the decor, the food and even the plates & glasses. I found it to be a relaxing place to sit with some friends and chat while eating some food.

The latest to come out in Cochin is Chicken Chicago, started by an Indian business group based out of Qatar. I guess they only have one outlet and it’s only in Cochin (from what I could make out). Rather stupidly named (no connection to Chicago or Illinois to speak off) the restaurant offers what it calls “original taste and low cholesterol count” food. I haven’t been there or ordered food from them so I can’t comment on their wares.

Oh and before I forget, before all of these came out, a small group tried to re-create the KFC taste by opening up an outlet called Kentucky Chicken Broast. They didn’t last long and I never tried the food from there. Anyways, I’m gonna order from KFC one of these days. I used to love them when we lived in Kuwait and the only other times I have had any from KFC is twice from Bangalore – once in 1996 and once in 2010!

Bru – Coffee For Me

- Roshan

Which is the most popular coffee brand in the world? To most people’s minds, the answer popping up automatically could be Nescafe. Many years ago, when I first started drinking coffee regularly, Nescafe was a staple at my house. Around the early 90s or so we switched to the Indian brand Bru and I pretty much prefer it. Bru is instant coffee and it’s a fine powder and over the years I guess I have just gotten used to the taste. I drink coffee with sugar & milk (not cream) but usually if I’m making it, I drink black with sugar. That’s mostly because I’ m too lazy to boil milk or heat it up if it’s cold from the fridge.

We recently bought some Nescafe as Bru wasn’t available and although it has a nice aroma, I just can’t get used to the taste. Also I just can’t seem to make a good cup of coffee with it. I can’t seem to get the measurement of how much coffee powder to use for my cup. In the case of Bru, I could do it in my sleep but with Nescafe I just can’t  get it right. I either put too much and the coffee is too strong & bitter and I have to either add milk or more sugar or it’s too light and I have to add more coffee powder. It’s just too hard. And on the rare occasions when I do get it right, it’s like a huge achievement – comparable to climbing Mt. Everest! I fist pump the air, give a hi-5 to anyone who happens to be nearby and shout “hallelujah!”

So I’m gonna stick with Bru? What’s your favourite brand of coffee?