With Kamzor Kadi Kaun having taken a break on Star Plus, a dinner date withits anchor Neena Gupta was a most relaxing thing to do. For an actress who has straddledthe entire spectrum of showbiz—from stage to films to TV—the meal had to bespecial and we couldn’t have settled for a better restaurant than the Maroush at theITC Grand Maratha Sheraton, Mumbai.
We began by ordering Hummus (chickpea paste with sesame oil and lemon juice garnishedwith parika and chopped parsley), accompanied by some fine pitta bread which promptedNeena to ask the waiter if the bread was imported from Lebanon; it was not. I was alsoquick to order some Kibbeh. Although it was not on the menu, it was served without amurmur. Kibbeh are fried drum-shaped balls of pounded lamb with cracked wheat and filledwith sauteed mince lamb and onions. The starters were heavenly and so was the Tabouleh(finely-chopped parsley with cracked wheat, tomatoes, spring onions dressed with olive oiland lemon) which was served to us just as we began discussing Neena’s future. She hadreams of praise for Sushma Swaraj (God! how women like other women still beats me), whoshe had just met. We continued with this journey until the belly dance began. I was toldby a not-so-shaken Neena that it was easy to do and she had to learn it while filming thefamous Choli Ke Peechhe number. Apparently all you need to do is hold your breath for sometime and then release it and jiggle you know what and it happens. Then the best part ofthe evening unfurled: the arrival of Shish Taouk (char grilled morsels of marinatedchicken served with garlic sauce) for me and Fatayir Bil Sabanih (triangle-shaped pastriesfilled with with fresh green spinach, sauteed pine nuts, flavoured with cinnamon andsummak) for Neena who has been a vegetarian all her life.
The belly dancer had just about begun to end her tryst with us and we were at the endof our meal. It was an evening of pure hedonism: great food, great music and a great bellydance. We left like deeply contented and overfed souls. Maroush is certainly a place tovisit: with or without an actress since the experience in itself is immensely dramatic!
