Bombay Palace Dinner with Uncle S

Uncle S and Auntie Guek had not gone home yet after the Beijing trip and we had a family dinner, one of two

We chose Bombay Palace because it is earmarked for demolition to make way for a spanking new building soon.

the fountain looking misty and dreamy because of the heavy rain

it was a bungalow housing a Chinese family with neo classical arches, columns and balustrades

me and special guest

 Moghul or Northern Indian cuisine...

spices in all forms

 the mains, we had mutton, chicken, lamb, fish (no pork, it is halal, and no beef, it is Indian)

unleavened bread

samosa

 fish in spices and gravy

lamb

 rice

 chicken

drinks: lassi

we took photos of every part of the house: nostalgia!

Bombay Palace has won many accolades.

Deepavali Lunch at Bombay Palace 20 October, 2009.

Went to Bombay Palace for Deepavali lunch and thoroughly enjoyed myself : unusual North Indian cuisine, great place, relaxed and fun people of international ethnic origin!

The welcoming facade of Bombay Palace....once it was someone's mansion! I wonder who?

Bombay Palace was once Tadika Yu Der and before that was owned by a Chinese family.

Now it is an award winning Indian restaurant!!!

Ladies from the IWA...International Women's Association...

Soon to be my table mates

The organising committee in their Indian finery

Anita had the ladies enthralled with the story behind Deepavali

Exquisite table setting

Not quite papadum....don't know what this is called, to be taken with multi dip in foreground

Chutney, pickle, and.... forgot to ask what they were

Yoghurt dip with herbs

For starters ; roti with garlic and parsley, potato salad, and Indian curry puff-like samosa

The main course: fragrant rice with tandoori chicken

you need to acquire a taste for this purried spinach with cottage cheese

Naan, rice, dhall, tandoori chicken, vegetables, spinach with cottage cheese gravy

Dessert: Gulab jamun and clove ice cream (sth like that) ...Then it was time for fun and games: A sari tying competition

All the time we were served by costumed waiters!!

Then the fun started: tying the sari....

Jessika from Finland got down to it straightaway!

She finished in no time....she is so expressive...her rendition of Indian gestures!!

such fun tying sari

bevy of sari-clad contestants

Shoba(in Facebook) said this sari is not for petite girls like me....Anita tied this for me

Cat walk time!!

The tall girl in red won first prize for her neatly tied and beautifully draped sari

She won the 2nd prize for best dressed sari

Admiring her prize...ooops!!! I forgot to flip this picture!!! NVM ok?

Beautiful and interesting Indian jewellry set as 2nd prize

She won the best dressed for the day.

Looks good enough to eat!!! Next: rangoli decoration time

My pattern for the rangoli

The colourful "rice" for making the rangoli

Just like the sand art Sue and Jenn used to make when they were kids, lol!

My finished product!

Ingenious!! When you join all the pieces you get instant kolam!

The first prize for the rangoli design

She won second!!!!

I had such a nice time, thanks for the extra Deepavali holiday , otherwise I would not be able to attend this!