Restaurant review: Toscano

Throwback to last year at Toscano in Nungambakkam, Chennai.

I wanted to put up a post on food as well but due to the current pandemic I was not able to that. So I thought I could share one of my experiences from last year instead. I had gone to this place in the month of October 2019 with my friends after a few people recommended it. After hearing the rave reviews that they gave me, I really had to check it out.

We had ordered the ‘Pesce del giorno’ which literally translates to fish of the day, the ‘Vegetariana’ pizza and the ‘Four seasons’ pizza both of which I did not take pictures of. The fish that we were served that day was sea bass. Everyone says that you eat with your eyes first, and that is so true because the moment I saw my plate, I was really blown away by the presentation and just wanted to dig in. Oh my, I wasn’t disappointed!! The fish was really juicy and succulent and cooked perfectly. The grilled vegetables which were served as accompaniments were perfect and they complimented the fish really well. The sauces that were served also did their purpose and they were really good as well. The cohesiveness among the elements in the plate was really strong and it really played an important part in making the dish perfect.

Now coming to the pizzas, one bite was all it took to transport me to another world. The pizza was so light and the base was amazing. Usually most of the pizzas that I eat, make me feel so full after a while but this did not. It just made me crave for more without the feeling of being full and I really loved it. Both the pizzas with the different toppings were unique in their own way and it was really amazing. I would definitely recommend you all to try out their pizzas first when you visit, before you go for anything else on their menu.

The ambience was a cherry on the top and made the whole experience really surreal.

My overall rating: 4.5/5
Food: 4.5/5
Ambience: 5/5
Customer service: 4.5/5

Unfortunately, I didn’t try out the desserts but I look forward to trying out the Tiramisu during my next visit.

Book review: Marley and me

If you are a bibliophile and cynophile, then you are in for a double treat. This beautiful book is a true story which chronicles the life of the titular character Marley, with his family. John and Jenny, a newly married couple, decide to adopt a dog to gauge their parenting skills before they plan for a baby. Little did they realize that their life would never be the same again.

Enter Marley, the cute little Labrador Retriever who turns their life upside down with his antics. From swallowing Jenny’s gold chain to chewing up everything to being kicked out of obedience school, this dog has done it all. Though the title of the book says, ‘World’s worst dog’ and he did live up to it, he proved that he had a heart of gold when Jenny suffers a miscarriage and he just lays his head on her lap and allows her to weep. The usually out of control Marley actually had it in him to understand her grief.

If you want a nice warm fuzzy feeling along with your cup of tea, then this book is perfect to evoke those emotions. I am sure all dog lovers out there would relate with it. It also beautifully portrays how a dog easily blends into our family and becomes one of us. They have a far better understanding of us than we have of ourselves and truly love us for who we are and not what we are. I am sure if we all follow this simple rule what dogs follow, this world would be a much better place.

I actually became nostalgic writing this review as I started thinking about my dog who would happily be chasing chameleons in heaven now. So all dog lovers out there, even if you don’t read books much, do give this a try. I am sure it will be worth your time. Be ready to shed a few tears as well!

My rating: 4/5

If you guys have read this book, do let me know your perspectives in the comments below.
For those who want to check out this book, here is the link: https://amzn.to/3dTL6qy

Author: John Grogan
Publisher: HarperCollins

Book review: The psychology of time travel

If I were to rate this book based on the concept alone, then it definitely gets a 5 star rating. I mean what’s not to like about time travel? The fact that it also includes four women engineers who actually discover time travel, diversity and inclusion and different sexual orientations is also a great thing, so kudos to that. Being a debut novel for the author, I really feel she has done a great job in terms of the concept and also being original with the rules that come with time travel. The plot also involves a woman being murdered and a young woman named Odette who is determined to find the murderer. Again, great concept But that’s where the compliments end.

The writing was totally scattered and completely missed the cohesive element. I felt that unnecessary characters were introduced without any significance and there were many loopholes in the plot. To be honest, this made the book quite boring and I had to force myself to read through the first half, which in itself is shocking as I am a bibliophile. It also has the psychometric tests conducted for a time traveller candidate by the Conclave, which is the agency that governs time travel, at the end of the book and I felt that was quite unnecessary to add. This book definitely did have great potential but completely missed the mark due to its various flaws. In spite of its various shortcomings, the author definitely deserves a thumbs up for the concept and its originality.

My rating: 2.5/5

If you guys have read this book, do let me know your perspectives in the comments below.

For those who want to check out this book just for the concept, here is the link: https://amzn.to/2HdhMj1

Author: Kate Mascarenhas
Publisher: Head of Zeus

Book Review: A Thousand Splendid Suns

This being my first post, I wanted to start out with a book that had a huge impact on me.

I am sure most of the book lovers out there would have already read this book or would have plans to do so. This gem of a book which is set in Afghanistan is about the sufferings that two women undergo with an abusive husband and the takeover of the Taliban in their country. Mariam, who is an illegitimate child has to undergo a lot of social stigma for no fault of hers and this continues throughout her marriage as well. Enter Laila, the girl who lives next door and is much younger than Mariam. After a few hiccups in their relationship, she assumes the role of a guardian to Laila and thus starts the saga of one of the purest forms of love ever seen.

The author has wielded his magic throughout the book with his impeccable writing which will definitely keep you captivated till the end. It also highlights the toxicity of a patriarchal society and how women were victims of it. A definite tear jerker which will melt even the hardest of hearts.

If you haven’t read it yet or if you plan on entering the world of books, I strongly recommend that you start with this. I am sure you will thank me later.

My rating: 5/5

If you have already read this book, do let me know your perspectives in the comments below.

For those who plan on reading it, use this link to buy yourself a copy: https://amzn.to/3djhGlq

Author: khaledhosseini

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing UK