Writing is the new photography.

Bull shitting is the new consulting.

Startup’s are the new “job’s” we all are looking for.

‘Blah’ging is the new therapy.

Social networks are the new Page 3.

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Did you say something, dear??

My romance with Water Front began in 2007 when the restaurant had newly opened.Back then the decor was brilliant with the glass walls offering a great view, as we were served what could only be called phenomenal food. Adding further to the charm of this earthy toned restaurant was a live band (perched on wall) dolling out renditions of popular songs even as a larger than life aquarium formed the perfect backdrop to the bar. There were tastefully done partitions that offered each table a definate privacy.

I still remember how utterly delighted I was to visit this restaurant the first time around – the views, the ambiance, the music and the food screamed spectacular (so much so that the uber slow service was overlooked and forgiven). On my first visit we had tried vegetarian gold coins, a delicious salt and pepper prawn starter, various mock tails, biryani and dessert. In fact the initial impression was so great that despite the slow service and the exorbitant prices, I knew I would come back to this restaurant time and again.

Ever since that first visit in 2007, I have re-visited this restaurant 4 more times – the experience souring with each visit.

My most recent visit (and perhaps the final) visit to Water Front was yesterday – the city was shrouded in fog and it was a particularly beautiful day to be around the Hussain Sagar lake. The lake was filled to capacity and the fog seemed to merge the skies with the water, none of the manmade structures lining the lake were visible and an illusion of an endless horizon was a rare sight indeed.

But the charm of the restaurant was missing; the decor was lackluster with all the beautiful earthy elements taken away and the space reduced to a vast hall with plenty of tables. Usually a crowded restaurant where a reservation is needed to get the good ‘water-front’ seats we walked into an almost empty restaurant. Further, in stark contrast to my previous visits the wait staff was overtly attentive and seemed oblivious to give the few customers any privacy. The decor was uninspiring and the beautiful aquarium taken away and above all the food also failed to be the saving grace.

For drinks we ordered the Shanghai peach cocktail and the ginger and rock coke cocktail. This was followed by a Paneer Soya Chili starter ( our first choice of a broccoli starter was unavailable- but somehow magically broccoli was present in abundance in our main course). For main course we tried Thai flat noodles and a mixed vegetarian and soya side dish (cannot remember the exact names). Not only did these dishes fail to excite, the Thai course disappointed as it lacked the signature mix of clashing textures and flavours that I so love about this cuisine.

But the stellar failure was yet to come in the form of ‘Chocolate Heaven’ – the menu had us believing that this would a indulgence of passion fruit, chocolate and all things exotic but what was brought tasted more like a day old chocolate cake with a very negligible hint of fruit. This hard and stale dessert was neither smooth and silky or wonderfully gooey.

Yesterdays visit (and the ones prior) have been a testimony to the almost constant disappointment that Water Front  now seems to be -truly a shame as I had always considered this restaurant a must visit every so often (despite its flaws).

Although the waterfront still does boast one of the finest views from any of the Hyderabad- Secunderabad restaurants, I will most likely not bother with another visit.

In what was once one of the most romantic and a beautiful restaurant’s the cons far outweigh the pros. Water Front seems to fail in keeping up with its original glory squandering away all the potential and possibility it holds.

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Rosanne Cash

My first learning on perception was when I was 6 years old. The occasion was a neighbourhood musical evening. The setting was stunning – complete with a center stage, food stalls and game counters.

Many individuals performed fantastically but the limelight was stolen by someone who did not even perform – an engineer who had automated the rise and fall of the stage curtain. All of us were in awe of this remote that the chief guest was holding that had snazzy buttons to lower and raise the curtain – a special power for the guest of honour indeed. 

The chief guest was an army officer and the engineer happened to be his much younger subordinate. For years, the talk of the magic remote graced conversations and also ensured a lasting bond between the two.

What the chief guest and the others did not know was that the remote did not directly control the curtains rise or fall. The ‘Up’ button in the remote was actually a switch that triggered on a red bulb and the ‘Down’ button would switch on a green bulb, these bulbs were hidden back stage and were signals to raise or lower the curtain.

The kids worked laboriously keeping their side of the deal pulling up and lowering the curtain on cue and the engineer walked away ‘Genious of the night’.

I walked away with my first lesson on team work, perception and the importance of information security .

The latest change in their menu is the addition of new appetizers, drinks and pizza’s.

We tried the ‘Mango Banana Smoothie’, ‘Hot and Spicy Paneer Quesadillas’ and the ‘Cheezy Bite Rustica’ – and were pleasantly surprised that we liked them all. Usually a place where I find it best to stick to the ‘safer’ choices of lemonades and pizza, the change in the menu made believer of me.

Kudos to Pizza Hut for changing it up ever so (wonderfully) often and stepping it up not just with the decor but with menu options as well.

You can check the new menu and prices online on the Pizza Hut website.

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Sunday lunches are always more elaborate than the meals that I cook daily.

Today’s was even more special as I made the very “Andhra” dish of Ragi rice and curries to go with.

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Drop in a line in the comments or send in a mail for the recipes.

Dining out  has always been celebration of sorts,  buzzing with activity, not the least of which is the quintessential question “Where do we eat?”.

Over the last couple of years there has been a significant jump in the choice of cuisines and volume of restaurants offering great dining experiences. Sadly,some live up to the hype while others dish out dollops of uninspired and overpriced food.

Through the  ‘Hunger is attacking’ series of posts I will review eateries , provide my recommendations and publish the occasional recipe .

For, hunger will attack – but there is much joy when you kill it beautifully.

“Eventually I discovered for myself the utterly simple prescription for creativity; be intensely yourself.

Don’t try to be outstanding; don’t try to be a success; don’t try to do pictures for others to look at – just please yourself.”

Ralph Steiner