??Vegan food finds a parking space?
The director of the German cultural centre in Hyderabad Amita Desai, who is a fan of vegan food, has decided to indulge her passion further. So we have a newly opened cafe named Poets and Oats-Terrassen Cafe at its centre in Banjara Hills. The simple? cafe serves bagels, sandwiches, salads, cakes and coffee --? ?all completely vegan. It is operated almost single-handedly by Dhanesh Sharma who runs his bakery Poets and Oats in Secunderabad. Since even dairy produce is not allowed in vegan food, Dhanesh makes mayo by using pumpkin, cabbage and onion or coffee using soy and almond milk. His bagels with a smear of peanut butter are delicious as are the lemon and banana cakes. Soy kheema sandwiches served with mint chutney on banana leaves and the spicy tomato-cucumber sandwiches are also appealing. Dhanesh bakes his own whole-wheat breads with sour dough. The cinnamon rolls are really addictive. "Many people who go out for breakfast or a brunch in Hyderabad choose the comfortable option of dosas, vadas and idlis. Veganism is a new concept but it is catching on in the city," says Dhanesh. What's best is of course the cost which would even put college canteens to shame. A sandwich costs Rs 25 and a lime juice with cane sugar costs Rs 10. Dhanesh says he used to be a staunch beef-eater till four-five years when he suddenly decided to give up meat as well as dairy. "I have lost 12 kg but I am more energetic and I feel that I see world more clearly," he insists. It is difficult not to share Dhanesh's enthusiasm but as a true blue Telugu, I could not help but grimace when I took the first sip of almond coffee. Let’s make one thing clear. For south Indians, nothing, absolutely nothing, can take the place of filter coffee.?
??Upendra delivers a good performance?
Kannada superstar Upendra has acted brilliantly in new Telugu release S/o Satyamurthy directed by Trivakram Srinivas. None of the eyeball rolling histrionics though he plays a character with negative shades. The S S Rajamouli film Eega had earned Kannada actor Sudeep a lot of praise. S/o Satyamurty is doing the same for Upendra though there was talk that his fans were unhappy at his absence in film's promos and late entry. But if reactions of audiences in film theatres across Hyderabad are any indication, Upendra's macho man persona has struck a chord. His long curls and intense eyes which light up the screen are worth catching the movie for, apart from Allu Arjun of course.
?Malik on Malik Jr?
Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, who is over the moon with wife Sania Mirza's World No. 1 ranking in tennis doubles, recently took questions from his fans on Twitter. Stating that he would be flying down to India shortly to be with his wife, Shoaib also told his fans, "Junior Malik is coming soon, Inshallah". The star couple got married in 2010 and there have been several rumours about their marriage being in trouble. But the couple has constantly issued clarifications on the same. Wonder if Sania is going to back up hubby's tweet and make a "baby" announcement soon.