THE MAG CONCIERGE

  • 04 Nov - 10 Nov, 2017
  • Mag The Weekly
  • High Life


Luxe Retreat

Sheraton Grand Phoenix, USA

Situated in the heart of downtown Phoenix and close to countless attractions, Sheraton Grand Phoenix blends urban convenience with a relaxed ambience. Settle into the hotel's spacious, well-appointed accommodations and enjoy the top amenities, including a rooftop pool, comprehensive fitness centre and several on-site restaurants. Rising 31 floors and sitting adjacent to the Phoenix Convention Centre, the downtown Phoenix hotel is close to an array of restaurants, boutiques and nightlife. It is also situated near the downtown campus of the University of Arizona and as well as Chase Field. Beautifully appointed guest rooms feature amenities such as rich wood furnishings, signature Sweet Sleeper bed, flat screen television, luxurious bathroom accents and a coffee maker. High-speed internet access is available as well for a daily fee. The hotel also offers such luxurious amenities as concierge service, fitness and business centre, rooftop herb garden, outdoor lap pool with sun deck, valet parking and porter service.



Food review

Thai Food Festival – A taste of Thailand in Karachi

The Pearl Continental Hotel Karachi, with great zeal and enthusiasm, puts forward various cultural and literary, festivities and celebrations of international accord all the year around, providing its guests with pleasant, fun-filled and memorable experiences.

The five-star hotel, recently celebrated Thai Food Festival – a five-day celebration of genuine Thai meals. The festival’s menu was crafted by internationally acclaimed Thai Chef Thawaichai Saithong who has especially joined PC for the event, while the celebration included a lavish buffet dinner with delicious Thai curries and delicacies.

A colourful assortment of salads, desserts and Thai main courses were enough to get one’s tummy growling for food. It wasn’t just the appearance of the vibrant looking dishes that kept one hooked to the menu, in fact, the deliciousness of the entire cuisine literally tantalised the taste buds. From the mouth-watering chocolate dessert to the scrumptious Red Snapper with Tamarind Sauce, the festival takes one on a trip to Thailand – the land of exotic beaches and picturesque locations.

The festival welcomed the chief guest for the evening, Consul General of Thai Consulate in Karachi, H.E. Mr Suwat Kaewsook, as well as the guest of honour the Honorary Consul General of Morocco Mr Ishtiaq Baig, along with other esteemed guests. An official ribbon cutting ceremony kick-started the event. Preparations for the festival were done by the hotel’s Marco Polo Restaurant, which offers delicious savoury dishes as well as a collection of delectable desserts in an all-you-can-eat international dining experience. – Rabia Mushtaq



What’s in the menu?

Risotto

There are few dishes as popular or as versatile as risotto. At its simplest, risotto is a hearty, warming rice dish, rich with flavours of the stock used in its making, as well as saffron, parmesan, butter and any of the hundreds of ingredients that match so perfectly with it. Risotto is not only versatile, but easy to make, and as such the dish has found popularity around the world, from home kitchens to those of the finest restaurants.

The history of risotto is naturally tied to the history of rice in Italy. While there are many conflicting opinions on the historical intricacies, rice was first introduced to Italy and Spain by the Arabs during the Middle Ages. The humidity of the Mediterranean was quickly found to be perfect for growing shorter-grained rice, and enormous profits were made by those selling rice in Genoa, Venice and the surroundings.

The popularity of rice grew through Italy, though primarily among the wealthy, owing to the still-exorbitant prices of the product. Once the outside world discovered the quality of the Italian product, money poured in and the availability of the short-grains spread, making rice far more widely accessible.

It was in Milan where rice met its delicious destiny. Milan had been under Spanish rule for almost two centuries (hence the similar evolution of paella in Spain), and rice had become a staple. Slow-cooking also dominated the culinary landscape of the region, with Ossobucco a long-held favourite.

The slow-cooking principles were combined with the local rice, emphasising rich flavours, and spices (particularly saffron) for which the area was known, to create ‘Risotto alla Milanese.’ Served by itself, or as an accompaniment to Ossobucco and other dishes, risotto was discovered to be an excellent way of using the shorter-grained rice, the starchy component of the dry grain mixing with the stock to create a thick, creamy sauce.

Today the dish is served extensively, almost unchanged, in a kitchens and restaurants of the world. Ingredients as varied as scallops, lobster, truffles, veal, mushrooms, squid ink, snails, asparagus, duck, sausage, pumpkin and almost anything else are paired with this classic dish.

RELATED POST

COMMENTS