Some days are salad days. Your system is literally lusting for some greens. Generally when I’ve had too many night outs and take away days – I’ll whip myself a salad. It’s like I’m absolving myself of the excesses – even if for one meal! It’s winter though (Bangaloreans shiver at 16 degs, #truestory) and the idea of a cold salad gives me the heebie-jeebies. So my easy out is to make a warm one 🙂
Fun Asian Dining and quirky interiors might be all the rage these days, but in all honesty, Mamagoto was the true pioneer in India. Mamagoto literally means to ‘play with food’ in Japanese and that’s exactly what they set out to do. Experimental, Casual, and Affordable, this place tickles me in all the right spots. It all starts with walking through the big yellow door. Let’s go have a peek shall we?
Being a South Indian myself, I am wont to think that I don’t need to dine out in a restaurant that specializes in South Indian cuisine. Why, my mom could churn out the same things at home and I would probably like that better because my palate has developed a taste for it over the years. This deluded thought process however, has robbed me of one of the best fine dining experiences the city has to offer – till today. (Ok, it was three weeks ago, but let’s not get that specific!). Dakshin has been rated time and again as one of the finest South Indian restaurants in the country (It just won the Times Food Award for the third time in a row this Sunday). Specializing in authentic coastal and regional specialties of the five Southern states (Telangana included) – it strives to recreate the splendor and diversity of a cuisine that is definitely not restricted to Idly-Vada-Sambhar. The restaurant has taken it up a notch and now indulges us with an array of …
Missy baba, Tip-top, Abli, Bleddy Buggers, Dekchis, Blessed thing, Suzies – If all this sounds like mumbo-jumbo to you, you probably didn’t have cool Anglo-Indian friends and neighbors like I did! Growing up in the Cantonment area of Bangalore, I was exposed to more than my share of ‘my girl, ‘junglee’ and ‘what men (man)?’ than I care to remember. But what it also did, was expose my palate to the wonder that is Mutton Ball Curry, Coconut rice, Railway cutlets, Bobo Curry, Kedgeree and Keema Puffs. I’m not ashamed to say that I sat close to Melanie Lushington during junior class, so that I could share her tiffin! So it is with some nostalgia that I welcome the Hobson Jobson Festival at Monkey Bar. A tribute to all things Anglo-Indian, but with the customary monkey-business thrown in!
The kitchens at the Hilton are buzzing with creativity. Every time I’ve dined there, there has been something that’s always caught my eye and my imagination. Few restaurants serve food with as much panache as the Ministry of Food. Part of the credit definitely goes to Chef Anirban Dasgupta, who seems to take pride in turning the ordinary into something extraordinary. A Street Food Fest centered around an Asian theme (including the Indian subcontinent) served as a perfect backdrop to showcase his craft. Weekday lunches are a good excuse for some theatrics, no?
My favourite festival at my favourite restaurant in Bangalore is back! Aquafest at the Karavalli started 24 years ago and has become an event to look forward to every year. A seafood lover is assured of a sublime experience till the end of this month! Karavalli (the land by the sea) has distilled the best cuisine secrets from the bunts of Mangalore, the Kodavas, the Malayalees, and the Goan Portugese to bring them under one roof. And Aquafest is the crown jewel, where twenty new Sea food preparations with as many seafood varieties, will be dished out from the kitchen as well as the ‘West Coast Grills Station’. And for those who love their classics, the Karavalli Signature Collection is also part of the festival.
I get up on Saturdays and have these grand plans of elaborate four course meals that I am going ruffle up complete with menu tags and napkin rings. Unfortunately there has not been a day in the past five years that this ‘plan’ has materialized. A lesser mortal would have been aghast at the failure and made amends as soon as the realization struck. But I’m made of stronger fiber and clearly shake it off and move on with another quick meal Saturday.
Sunday brunches are sure shot ways of letting all your diet plans go down the drain, or in this case go down a flute of champagne. Over indulgence aside, the sheer variety of cuisines laid out like a smorgasbord of sin is enough to send my head reeling. And with zero will power when it comes to the amount of food I consume – I’m walking on dangerous territory. So getting to HIGH Ultra Lounge for their Sunday Brunch was guided by two important aspects – a. They focus on just Asian fare which is definitely lighter than our ghee laden kormas and b. The absolutely fabulous cocktails their main man Guru dishes out. What’s a Sunday brunch without some tipple eh?
The FoodPorn Diaries 