MAY 1, 13 .. KODAIKANAL PIZZA RE-VISITED ..

I am going to mix the old with the present here.  A year ago I visited this Pizzeria on February 11th 2012.  I re-visited it on Sunday the 21st and again on Tuesday the 30th of April 2013. The pizzeria is located down-the-hill from my Internet Cafe. 

Change IS the only constant and the ownership has changed hands.

The below photo looks down my Internet Cafe Street.

And this photo looks back up my Internet Cafe Street.

The below photo was taken February 11th 2012.

The building looks pretty much the same as last year.

Last year their sign featured WOOD OVEN PIZZAS.

Today's view looking in from the front door.

A close-up of the back of the restaurant.

If you turn 90 degrees left from the front door last year this is what you saw.

And today the same view. You can see my large hat and other items of mine on the front table to your left.

For some reason .. this wonderful sign has been taken down.

The below photo from last year looks back towards the main entrance door.

Today's view looking towards the front door.

In the photo above you can see my table this year.  It is to the right of the main entrance doorway above. Today looking back across the room from my chair at the above table beside the main entry doorway.

Below are two photos from last year of the wood burning pizza oven. IF you have never had a wood oven pizza .. you have missed one of the great treats of a pizza lover. 

And today the wood oven has not changed.

Last year's pizza photographed better and was a better pizza.

But in all fairness to today's pizza which I show two photos below .. I prefer a well done pizza with a dark almost burned crust.  Odd .. I like my toast dark to the point of being charred.

Try as I might .. for some reason .. I could NOT get the pizza I had on Sunday .. April the 21st to photograph as-good-as-it-tasted!

The below photo was a 'flash photo'.

I slipped back Tuesday the 30th to revisit this special pizzeria.

This was cheese and tomato with green olives.  It was very good.

What this year's experience lacked was the below man who baked the pizza last year.  Last year's PROUD cook had a book for pizza lovers such as myself to lovingly sign.

It was because of the above gentleman and his pride that I was 'drawn' to re-visit the pizzeria. Yes! I am happy to state the book is still here and I looked up my entry from February 11, 2012!

Thanks for sharing with me this sentimental return to this still-very-special place.

Much Joy .. Cap  

APR 6, 13 .. AL BAIQ .. MY FAVORITE RESTAURANT IN KODAIKANAL ..

AL BAIQ is a decidedly middle eastern name! I can not quite master how they pronounce it.

The word BAIQ is a combination of BIKE / BOIK. That is my best shot! 

In the photo below you will see that AL BAIQ is immediately adjacent to my Raahat Inn!  So I do NOT have to go far in the dark-of-night to get to AL BAIQ.  Do you all see the Raahat Inn to the right of the light pole.

Below you see one of my favorite views from my room!  Study closely the home I look directly across at.  Get it fixed-in-your-mind. Two white railings .. the stone 'arch' .. the color of the home ..

Looking above the blue Tamil writing in the photo below looking down upon AL BAIQ .. do you see the above home?  I show you this to 'orient' you to AL BAIQ and my room and the Raahat Inn.

Don't forget to also look at AL BAIQ!

Now let's go inside AL BAIQ.  The below photo looks at the cashier's desk and the entry door to the right.

The first photo below looks into the kitchen in the far rear.  The second photo below looks into this same general area.

OH YES!  OH YES!!  AL BAIQ can be VERY BUSY!

Now I want to show you some 'people' photos of the AL BAIQ staff.  They are busily folding napkins.

I took a close-up photo of the back of the shirt of the man at the left in the above photo.

I just heard 'Zilla say .. "NIFTY!"

AL BAIQ has a very complete menu.

   

Below is a very nice page in the menu.  It tells about some of the visitor highlights here in Kodaikanal!  A nice (NIFTY) touch!

And I THANK YOU AL BAIQ too!

  What's that 'Zilla?  The food?  Have I forgotten the food? 

For Breakfast (served 7:30AM to 11AM) I have either ..

A South India TRADITIONAL 'Dosai' (the 'i' is silent .. you pronounce it Dosa) .. a gigantic rice pancake folded into 'thirds' that you break into pieces and use to eat the four dishes you see above the Dosai.  I use a spoon to eat the liquids with and eat the Dosai as I spoon the food into my mouth.  The below 'plate' costs 45 Rs Indian or $0.90 US Dollars.

   
It is quite interesting to be at an age that I am cognizant enough to realize that I am 'losing it'! There was-a-day (NOT long ago!) that NO hot pepper could deter me!  

And my old-stand-by .. a Masala Omelette.  The word masala means hot / spicy. It IS .. hot and spicy!  35 RS Indian or $0.70 US Dollars.

  
For Lunch (12PM to 4PM)  I have my Chicken Noodles (Chicken Chow Mein).  135 Rs Indian or $2.70 US Dollars.

For Dinner (7PM to 10:30PM) my two favorites to-date are ..

Chicken Tikka (boneless Tandoori Chicken) with Mint Chutney.  I mean this is 'to-die-for' good!  150 Rs Indian or $3.00 US Dollars. 

  
Al Faham Arabic Chicken which is also 'to-die-for' good!  190 Rs Indian or $3.80 US Dollars.

Do you see (see photos 8 and 9 above showing the crowds) why AL BAIQ is one-popular-place!

I don't know why this is BUT .. I do seem to 'get-along-well' with the people in this part-of-the-world. 

Below I show you TWO CHIEF HONCHOS at AL BAIQ.  Without their joint blessing and very enthusiastic support I would not have been able to shoot the photos that I did!

     
'THE MAN' is on the right above.  Because I talk to people .. really get-into-the-now with them .. I learned the gentleman on the left worked in London England for two (2) full years and then worked in Moscow Russia for three (3) full years. 

'THE MAN' is MUCH WARMER and friendly than his serious expression would indicate.

I was sitting at my table enjoying lunch one afternoon when 'THE MAN' came over to my table with his associate (on the left above) and said to me .. "I want a photo with you!"

He had brought his associate over with him specifically to take the photo!

Whew!  Go Figure!

I hope that you all have enjoyed this little photo tour of AL BAIQ here in Kodaikanal.  

I am speechless at how warmly I have been received here.

With Much Joy .. Cap 

Please DON'T STOP NOW .. below in the following Post I show you my 'other' restaurant here in Kodaikanal .. FAVO*RS!