Damn Those Donuts- They Get Me Everytime!

You know how you start the New Year by making a whole bunch of resolutions? You know... drink less, exercise, eat healthier... well, I did anyway :) And then the cravings start. For some people it's french fries, others, butter chicken... for me it's donuts! They call out to me, and try as I may, it's impossible to resist:) And when it comes to donuts, I shamelessly admit that Dunkin' Donuts is the place I go. So, in the never ending war between Krispy Kreme and Dunkin Donuts, I am very much a Dunkin' loyalist :) (there, I've said it... love it, or hate it... judge all you want!) 

The full arsenal of colorful yumminess

Surprisingly though, Dunkin' Donuts isn't just about donuts alone. I have been hearing people praise their burgers ever since they opened shop in 2012. A few weeks back, I got the chance to attend a Dunkin' Donuts workshop held at their original CP outlet, which has now been renovated into a swanky, hip place. I got a chance to understand their strategies and thoughts behind their India menu and, it was quite an interesting experience. It's kind of amazing the thought that has gone into creating their menu, which is not just about donuts, but so much more... some great wraps, delicious burgers and of course COFFEE! 

New Interiors

While reading about the iconic Dunkin' Donuts brand, I was intrigued to learn that in the 90s', in the US, they strategically placed themselves as a brand that sells coffee and donuts (with an emphasis on coffee). The thought being that people would enter into a Dunkin' store wanting to buy coffee and get tempted into buying donuts! Quite sneaky :) But this strategy has proven to be quite successful, since psychologically people may not want to walk into a place solely for donuts (I'm the exception of course) because, let's be honest, they aren't exactly good for you :) But everyone wants coffee at some point, and well, when you see all those pretty colorful donuts, who can resist... a good strategy that seems to have helped them over their main competition, Krispy Kreme, at least in the US. 

It looks like in India they have tweaked this strategy. I think that they've realized that we Indians have a more savory palate and so they reel us in with their delicious burgers and wraps, which are actually quite delicious. This differs quite starkly from their global archrival, Starbucks, which is also a coffee shop where you can get a bite to eat. But I think what's happened in India is that Dunkin' has positioned itself as a place to get a variety of decent fast food options at reasonable prices, very different to Starbucks, which is mainly seen as a coffee shop with food, that is priced slightly on the higher side. 

Learning about the menu

After finally trying the burgers at Dunkin' I must admit I rather prefer their burgers over the burgers at Burger King (in India). The Tough Guy Chicken burger is a beast of a burger, but so worth the calories. And I love their wraps! My favorite being the Not So Wicked wrap which has chicken, doritos and an absolutely moreish mango relish sauce (which is more like a mango chutney), a crazy combination that works.  I love it so much that I've started ordering it whenever I have tons of work and don't have the time or the inclination to cook. I'm expecting more judgement here :)

When it comes to their donuts... I'm a traditionalist, and I love their jelly donuts. I don't know who came up with the idea of filling fried dough with jam, and then sprinkling sugar on top, but whoever it was, I am in their debt. And in India, I personally think Dunkin' does it best. To add to this, Dunkin' has added a number of new donuts to their huge arsenal, I'm not going to name them all, but my favorite (my mouth is watering thinking of it) is the 'It's a Mistake' donut, a glazed donut filled with guava jam and topped up with chili flakes and a dollop of some more guava jam... heaven! And I don't even like guava!

The oh! so delicious 'It's a Mistake"

So if you are a fan of Donuts, or a fan of Dunkin Donuts, and you haven't checked out the new menu... then do! If you are a health freak and and never touch the good stuff, you don't know what you are missing. If you are like me, and your motto is "Everything in moderation, including moderation!" then it's definitely worth the occasional binge :)

[All images by Shalini Pereira. Please do not use without prior written permission]

A Home seen through Instagram Vignettes

Happy New Year peeps! It's a brand new year, and I'm sure we have all made a whole bunch of resolutions! Me, I have made just two.... Do less with more Focus, and get better at Photoshop:) (Do you like my efforts above?)

Somewhere towards the end of last year I kinda lost focus on what the blog was about... and it became more of a task than a labour of love. After some amazing feedback from a few fellow blogger friends I did some introspecting and realised this was true. So I have gone back to my core area of interests... design and decor, food - mostly my food, with a few (very few) restaurant reviews thrown in and travel. This what gets me excited and this is why I blog!

And this is my New Years present to all you guys, a little visual treat for the senses. My Space, My Style is back! An old, familiar friend seen in a slightly different light:)  My good friend Kunal Shah, of Kunal Shah Designs, has the most fabulous home. And I have been nagging and nagging and nagging him to send me images of his place. I finally wore him down (I never give up and rarely take no for an answer) and he sent me a few awesome vignettes of his home captured through instagram. (Kunal... so sorry for filling your inbox with nagging reminders)

I love Kunal's home. It's so understated and stylish. A beautifully thought out, minimally styled space with Indian accents as well as some very hip international flair. It's a home that lovingly showcases beautiful pieces of art and craft as well has items of furniture that Kunal has collected on his travels, both in India and abroad. 

Through these images, captured by Kunal, you get a sense of his keen eye in picking out things. His choices reflect his sense of style and personality. There is tongue-in-cheek humour, wit, an appreciation for Indian art and craft and a love affair with international style- all juxtaposed over a muted, neutral palette (Kunal has an aversion to wall color). But there is also, surprisingly, the odd splash of color... in the form of books, sculpture and artwork.

So enjoy the eye candy my lovelies... do write in with your thoughts! Feedback is always welcome! And stay tuned for more eye- candy, some healthy recipes and lots more in 2015. Enjoy!

Those three doll heads on the antique cabinet are not a favourite of 

Kunal's friends, but he gets a huge laugh from creeping friends 

out with them :)

A collection of glass vases Kunal has picked up from flea markets 

in Ahmedabad, Delhi and other cities

Gandhi's Three Monkeys in a hot pink, velvety avatar 

An antique picked up from Jew Town in Cochin

A cane chair with a mid- century look that is one of my favorites

Some more antiques

A sculpture Kunal picked up from the Crafts Museum in Pragati Maidan

And still we are still in the festive spirit for a few more 

days... I couldn't resist this one 

Hope you enjoyed this installment of My Space, My Style. If you think you have a fabulous home and would like to share please do write in. Oh and I almost forgot... do you like the new look of the blog?

[All images courtesy Kunal Shah- please do not re-use without prior written permission]