Home   |  Issues  |  The Daily Star Home | Volume 5, Issue 65, Tuesday April 28, 2009

 

 

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Chinese Food Festival

Experience a unique gourmet feast as you travel Far East with master chef Guofu Zou, Shuyan Deng and Yen Lin Chen flown all the way from Shanghai. Radisson Water Garden Hotel will host these chefs to present the real taste of authentic Chinese cuisine at the recently inaugurated Chinese Food Festival. To kick off the event a gala presentation was arranged where lions walked and danced their way in the hotel lobby.

Chinese culinary delights can be broadly classified into Ten Great Traditions depending on regional, cultural differences. Sometimes, four out of ten are emphasised, which is considered to dominate - Szechuan (Western China), Cantonese (Southern China), Shandong (Northern China), and Huaiyang Cuisine (Eastern China).

Their cuisine has a heritage that dates back almost 5000 years and its rich variation is derived from the differences of the geographical localities, the richness of the condiments and the use of exotic herbs and spices.

Szechuan style, the most popular style across the globe, is famed for bold flavours, particularly the pungency and spiciness resulting from liberal use of garlic and chilli peppers, as well as the unique flavour of the Szechuan peppercorn.

The buffet at Radisson presents a sampling of the authentic delicacies, which foodies of Dhaka crave for wholeheartedly. Starting from Szechuan Mum Tang (a spicy soup made from leafy vegetables and noodles) to stir friend green beans, La Zi Ji Ding (a dish made from spicy, diced chicken) and the famous Beijing Duck.

In addition to the magnificent cuisine, the guests at the Festival will also get a chance of winning an exciting raffle draw prize that includes tickets to Dhaka-Shanghai-Dhaka for a couple from China-Eastern Airlines. The winners also gets a five nights stay including breakfast in the Radisson Hotel Hong Quan, Shanghai , China .

The Chinese Food Festival will continue up to the 4 May 2009 at the Water Garden Brasserie between 6:30 pm to 11 pm.

Contact: Radisson Water Garden Hotel Dhaka, Airport Road, Cantonment, Dhaka1206 # 8754555, 01713042269.

Off to the pyramids
On the occasion of the first year anniversary of Casablanca Restaurant, a month long even has been chalked out. A master chef has been flown to create tantalizing delights for the distinguished clientele of the popular dining place.
A raffle draw has been arranged, the first prize for which is a return ticket to the land of the pyramids, Egypt!

Contact: Casablanca, Hosna Centre (Level 1), 106 Gulshan Avenue, Dhaka 1212 # 9894437, 9894434.

Vibrant and festive
The tradition of celebrating Boishakh has taken a new form lately, but its seeds are sown deep within our cultural heritage. We have celebrated Pohela Boishakh since the time of Emperor Akbar and its vivid colours have been captured in songs, poems and folk musicals. Style, for one, is no different.
On 20 April 2009 boutique Nittoupohar arranged a fashion show at their gallery celebrating the coming of Boishakh. In a span of 30 minutes they upheld the heritage of this nation, blended with a mark of contemporary style and fashion.

New locale for Woman's World
THE Banani Sharif Plaza outlet of beauty care salon Woman's World has been shifted to more spacious premises at 43 Gulshan Avenue, Circle 2. The new branch is well equipped with most modern facilities of international standard. Woman's World invites its clientele to visit the new branch.

Contact: Woman's World, Shansudding Mansion (1st Floor), 43 Gulshan Avenue, Circle 2 # 8852283, 8832465

 

On The Cover

When the heat bears down, when the city grind becomes intolerable, we need to escape to greener pastures. Join us on page 7 as we take a romp around the parks in the city
Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayeed

Ponder

A face from the past

“Look familiar?”
Her blank look gave away the answer.
-Ah…refresh my mind. She said with a beautiful smile
“I am Zarif, Shoma remember me? You used to live a house next to ours”
-Oh yes, now I do…how are you?
Her blank face gave away her pretence.
Almost two decades had passed since we last saw each other, so I couldn't really blame her.

I was much shorter, skinnier and certainly without the receding hairline. I was barely eight or nine after all. She was different too. The vermillion on her forehead gave off her marital status and the radiant face said she was happy.

Now don't get me wrong, no 'amour' involved. I was just amused to see a childhood 'buddy' turn into a beautiful Bangladeshi lady.

Shoma was quite the tomboy. Never liked playing with her girl friends and had an affinity for searching bird's nests up on the trees that once surrounded our neighbourhood.

We played hopscotch and fought over who won the game of marbles. We spent endless afternoons playing 'bouchi', 'ha-do-do' and 'borof pani'. Under the canopy of the mango trees we played hide and seek as the whole neighbourhood had enough nook and crannies for us to hide. Shoma and I were a tag team, unbeatable in 'shaat chara' or seven stones.

Standing in the queue at polling station of the parliamentary elections Shoma looked elegant. Seven months pregnant, she glowed in her newfound identity of an expecting mother.

We still live in the same locality, now devoid of the greenery that once surrounded it. Children, living in the concrete slum that had been erected in the last decade or so now play cricket in their concrete driveway…much to the irritation of the chauffeurs and their 'sahibs'.

How will Shoma's child grow up? Will she be the tomboy like her mother, stealing green mangoes from trees or will she be like the other children, spending most of her time in front of the television watching Disney channel and browsing through zapakgirls.com putting make-up on princesses and wings on fairies. I am afraid, we all know the answer to that question, just a little too well.

By Pothbhola
 
 
 

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