The new Batman movie, The Dark Knight, opened this past weekend. This movie has broken all kinds of records so far. It had the best midnight showing for a Thursday and it raked in over $155 million over the whole weekend to make it the biggest opening weekend at the box office. As many of you, we fought the lines to watch this movie on opening day. We got to the theater about 1 hour before the show and the line had already started to form. Luckily for us, it was not too long. Within 15-20 minutes, the line was around the corner. Were we glad that we had went early! Either way, we got into the theater about 20 minutes before the move started and got decent seats.

Enough of that, let’s get on with the movie. I’ll start off by saying that The Dark Knight was GREAT. I’ll even say that this is probably the best movie of the year. I had read a lot of good reviews and thought it may not live up to its hype, but it truly did. The performances were fantastic and the storyline kept you guessing. Even though all the actors were good, the best acting award goes to the Joker. The Joker was played by Heath Ledger (who passed away earlier this year) and he was amazing. He definitely pulled off the Joker as being the demented and psychotic serial killer he is supposed to be. Rumors are that he got so involved in this role that he had trouble sleeping after the movie was finished and this had some part in him having so many prescription drugs (which he eventually overdosed on). I guess we’ll never know what really happened with him, but I would not at all be surprised if he wins a posthumous Oscar for his portrayal of the Joker. I didn’t even know one of those existed until recently.

So if you haven’t seen the movie yet, what are you waiting for?! You don’t have to be a comic book fan or even familiar with the Batman movies to enjoy this film. This is one of those movies you will watch in the theater (maybe even twice) and watch on DVD once it gets out.

The Dark Knight – 5 out of 5 stars.

I was really never into watching Hindi movies, but after watching Jodha Akbar, I’m definitely going to start watching them.

The movie is set in the 16th century and is a love story about a marriage of alliance that gave birth to true love between a great Emperor, Akbar (Hrithik Roshan), and a Princess, Jodhaa (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan). Little did Akbar know that when he married Jodhaa, he would be embarking upon a new journey; the journey of true love.

I recommend everyone to watch this movie. If anyone has any suggestion on what I should watch next, please let me know.

To read a more extensive review of the Movie Jodha Akbar, please visit the Hindi Movie Reviews section on SABAsearch.com

Happy Holi everybody!  I hope all of you had a great Holi and threw powder all over your sister-in-laws, brothers, cousins, dads, uncles, mummy’s daddy’s cousin’s brother’s son, or whoever you care about.

Raghav and I went to the Music Masala Holi Event, and it was awesome!  We’ve never attended a Music Masala event, but we went because all of our friends told us how great it would be.  So, Raghav and I decided to head out to Oyster Park to see what all the fuss was about - we’re glad we went!

When we got there, it was already packed!  We arrived at the park around 2pm, and it was already difficult to find parking.  The security was guiding us through the parking lots and we could hear the music blaring from the park grounds.  People were already covered in colored powder and we think some of the uncles had already had their fair share of Bhang. 

When we got into the park grounds, it was a madhouse!  People throwing powder everywhere, the music jamming, Sunil T on stage dancing…you get the picture.

If you missed it, here is a video of the festivities.  Enjoy!

Raghav and Rohini’s Event Review:

Holi 2008, Festival of Colors - Location:  Oyster ParkDate:  March 23, 2008 (Sunday)

What we Liked:
Raghav and I enjoyed the festive feel to the whole event.  Sunil T is a great host - he’s a comic and also keeps the party going.  It was fun to see him on stage making jokes and also encouraging the kids to get up their and show their talent.  We also liked the music they were playing throughout the event..it made us want to just get up and start dancing.  We also loved that we got blessed with a BEAUTIFUL day in Houston!

Not so Hot:
We didn’t like the organization of getting in and out of the festival.  It was difficult because it was just tight traffic everywhere.  There was only one entrace we could find and things were moving slow.  Maybe next time, there can be more direction as to where to go or where to park.

If We Hosted the Event:
If Raghav and I hosted this event, we would definitely try and bring in a famous singer..there were so many people there that it could almost account for being a large concert.  It would be awesome to see someone like Dahler Mendhi come and rock the crowd with his bhangra songs.  I know it would be expensive, but it would add a nice addition to the party…maybe next year Sunil T?  Wink…Wink

Overall Rating:  5 out of 5 Stars….Great Event!

Hello Houston!  So Raghav and I have been settled in for about a month now here in Houston, so we decided to join a couple of our friends who were going out Friday night.  They had decided to grab dinner at London Sizzler (which was awesome, but the service was kinda slow) so we joined them.  Shortly after dinner, we all decided to head over to Bristol Lounge, since it was literally right around the corner.  We had a blast! Those couple of extra drinks probably helped out a bit

Bristol Lounge (Above Khazzane)
5711 Hillcroft @ Harwin
832.330.1352
http://bristollounge.net

Bristol Lounge is suppose to bring the Bombay party scene right here to houston.  Here is the description as posted on their website:

“The DNB Group introduces the most unique addition to the Houston Nitelife as we know it. With accolades already received by newspapers, radio and magazines, BRISTOL LOUNGE is the first venue in the United States that brings together the sexiness of Bombay with a modern elegance fused together with Houston’s high energy vibe. State of the art sound system and visually stimulating lighting accents every inch of its revolutionary approach. The use of “Inlaid Color Kinetics” creates an array of color extending from the walls to the bar. The soft transition from one color to another creates an ever-changing atmosphere overshadowed only by the attractiveness of the very audience which the decor seems to service.”

When we walked in, we didn’t know what to expect.  We were bracing for a young teenage, thuggish crowd, but were surprised to find a good looking, chill crowd.  Here’s our review of the place:

What we Liked:  The MUSIC!  It’s been a long time since we had a good mix of different types of music, and the DJ was definitely doin’ it right.  Altough there weren’t many people dancing, it was good chill music, which got a lot more hoppin as the night went on.  We also liked the Hookah patio because we just hung out outside and enjoyed the weather for a bit.  We also liked the decor..definitely a nice chic setting…great job!

What we didn’t Like:  The location.  It felt kinda weird partyin on Hillcroft, but i guess it’s convenient.  Good food at the restaurants and then good drinks afterwards.  The only other thing we didn’t like was that it was above the restaurant.  We definitely felt weird walking into the lounge while there were familes eating dinner downstairs.  Hard to mix a family and party atmosphere.

Hints/Tips:  They have a happy hour on the weekdays from 6pm - close, but don’t expect the black label.  It’s for wells and kamikazees and stuff.  Either way, they have good prices that won’t break your bank on any night.

Raghav and Rohini’s Rating:  3 out of 5 stars
We definitely think this place has potential.  Good music, good people, good times.  We could tell it was new, and they are still working on a few things, but it’s definitely an awesome addition to the Houston nitelife scene!  If they keep it clean, and keep it drama free, this place will definitely be around for a while!  Hospitality of the staff was great, so we’ll definitely go back.  We hear the food at Khazzane is good too, so we’ll probably check it out sometime

Hello Houston!  My name is Raghav, here with my girlfriend Rohini.  We just moved into Houston and SABAsearch.com has asked us to be their official consumer critics for businesses around the Houston area!

Rohini and I have been all over the country for our medical residency, but finally made a home here in Sugarland, TX.  Boy, there are a lot of desis here :)  Anyways, we’re excited to bring you the most raw, straight up, in your face reviews so that you can make sure you’re getting the best of the best!  As we get settled here in Houston, we’ll be sharing our experiences with you on various things that we do every week, from eating at various restaurants to using certain services around the Houston area. 

Our first stop:  India’s Restaurant right off of Richmond Avenue.  Rohini and I decided to wake up early (noon) and catch lunch after a good night of partying at Houston’s Rice Village for the first time last Saturday night.  Both of us and our friends decided to meet up at India’s for a good “hangover buster”.

India’s Restaurant
5704 Richmond Ave
http://www.IndiasRestaurantHouston.com

What we liked:  Definitely do the buffet on Sunday!  The small chaat station hits the spot!  They have a good variety of items and very tasty.  Their daal is great, and they make it with a little less cream for those weight watchers.   Look out for celebs!  We ran into one of the Houston Texans while eating - cool stuff.  Also, service was good, can’t complain.  They brought fresh naan to the table, which is my number one favorite.

Not so Hot:  The place was packed!  Although we didn’t have to wait for a table, the buffet line moves slow.  I guess this is a good sign that it’s full though :)  Parking was a b*tch and a half!  Their parking lot is VERY tiny, so make sure you get there early so you’re not waiting around.  We also didn’t like the steep charges on the cokes!

Hints/Tips:  This place is hard to miss.  It has a little ole’ sign.  If you’re coming from 610 and hit Fountainview, you’ve gone too far.  Order the Kulcha naan - its great.  Finally, look for coupons, they have multiple in Houston Chronicle and also on SABAsearch.com.  We got 15% off.

If I were the Owner:  I’d definitely make more space for parking.  With that many patrons, its time to fetch up some cash and make it comfy for us to park.  Keep your staff, they’re doing a great job and have excellent customer service skills.  Food is good, but i’m a spice freak - let the Non-Indians experience the TRUE Indian spices…burn em baby!

Raghav and Rohini’s Rating:  4 out of 5 stars

Rohini’s up next week.  If you guys want us to go check out a business, let us know!  Later.