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BANGALORE: As Americans the world over sit down to a family dinner on Thanksgiving Day, enjoying homely fare like chicken pot pie and the piece de resistance that makes Thanksgiving special - roast turkey, expats and foodies in India plan to do the same, albeit at restaurants. It's a trend that could lead to Thanksgiving and Halloween being firmly placed on the Indian festival calendar. Jay Singh, co-founder and executive director, JSM Corporation, which runs fine dining restaurant Shiro in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore, says, "For most restaurants and hotels, this as an opportunity to create an event to drive up footfalls. Valentine's Day and Halloween are both Western concepts, but our events around it ensure an increase in footfalls of around 20%-40%. Most of this is made up of locals, not expats," says Singh. "Spending power has increased tremendously and everybody looks for an opportunity to dine out," says Nimish Bhatia, regional executive chef - South and master of trade at The Lalit Ashok, Bangalore, which has a special Thanksgiving dinner with dishes like roast duck with onion jus, turkey, clam chowder, hot crab cakes and pumpkin sweet cakes. For Vibha Pingle, founder of Ubuntu At Work, a global social enterprise, a Thanksgiving dinner with her family will be a way to celebrate a festival that has become a part of their lives over the 25 years she spent in the US and where she still spends a part of the year. Explore here Restaurants in Bangalore "My husband is based in the US and we all shuttle between Bangalore, Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts. I've spent most Thanksgiving weekends there. This year, we all happen to be here. As I don't have the foggiest idea how to get a turkey in Bangalore or have an oven big enough for it, going to a restaurant is the next best option," says Pingle.Olive Beach's Thanksgiving dinner in Bangalore is sold out. "Thanksgiving is a great festival around food and there is no reason Indians can't embrace it. Also, we have many patrons who are either expats or NRIs who have returned to India. They've been to Thanksgiving dinners in the US and want to experience the food again, but, of course, it's not easy to do at home," explains executive chef Manu Chandra, who will serve a three-course dinner, with entrees like corn chowder and a main course that includes slowly roasted turkey priced at Rs 1,100 plus taxes per head. According to Vipin Sachdev, MD of fine dining restaurant chain Tuscana Kryptos Restaurants in Chennai, "Birthdays, anniversaries, Holi, Diwali, Christmas -- they all come once a year. But today Indians want an occasion every week. That's because stress levels are rising and people need to relax." He estimates that 30% to 40% of consumption on Thanksgiving will come from locals who order from the special menu. The restaurant chain has procured 90 kg of turkey for its chain of four restaurants in the city. Bageecha Restaurant in Bangalore is also fine Dining Services .You can get here North Indian and Chinese Cuisine. For those who want a quieter celebration at home, restaurants such as Indigo Deli in Mumbai offer a festive takeaway menu that includes American butterball turkey, smoked ham and prime tenderloin, priced between Rs 990 and Rs 2,500 per dish. "In the past 2-3 years, our takeaway menu has been popular with the non-expat crowd," says Deepti Dadlani, brand and marketing head at Indigo. This restaurant is also putting together a special Thanksgiving menu at its outlets in Colaba and at Palladium Mall. Sanne Emborg, GM of Courtyard by Marriott, Mumbai International Airport, believes Halloween has much more of an appeal to the local audiences compared to Thanksgiving, "which is very American in concept and is characterized by the traditional dinner and turkey". "Among the popular Western occasions, the most sought after include Thanksgiving, Boxing Day and St Patrick's Day. While expats and NRIs like the idea of an authentic celebration to recreate the experience they would have had back home, for locals it's a reason to celebrate," says Anil Chadha, area manager and GM, ITC Gardenia, Bangalore, which is dishing out American specialties like butternut squash puree with charred pepper mousseline, shrimp and pumpkin bisque, turkey roulade with prune chestnut giblet stuffing and roast gravy. visit BookMyRestaurant to get the Best Discount Offers. Source “TOI”
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