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Feeling Blue – News Cafe (Indiranagar, Bangalore)

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News Café is like the poor cousin of Smoke House Deli. They opened pretty much the same time on 100 ft road in Indiranagar and both have a similar cafe/ all day dining format. SHD created quite a buzz in the Bangalore food scene, whereas News café failed to garner anything newsworthy. The reason we ventured there was also because of SHD – they were full one Saturday afternoon and could not accommodate us. We were hungry and had already parked our car close by and it seemed like too much of an effort to drive again. So we walked next door to News Café and zoomed up the elevator to the terrace. (Seems like the trend in Bangalore to have restaurants and café’s on the terrace – is the rent cheaper?)
News Café is a South African chain of restaurants and boasts of having 50 outlets with two in Bengaluru and Hyderabad. (Concentrating on the IT hubs, are we?). Their website claims that they have won the ‘Best Cocktail Bar’ 11 years in a row – but I’m guessing that’s for their flagship restaurant in South Africa. Unfortunately I won’t be able to tell you about the cocktails here because none of us were in a mood to drink that afternoon. The café/ lounge in Bangalore is split into three distinct zones. A cozy indoor area that overlooks a bright and sunny deck with cane chairs and white cushions and if you walk up one more level – another deck with the main bar and really lounge worthy, blue sun beds! We headed to the topmost level because it was blue, breezy and beautiful – perfect for a lazy afternoon.
It was just us that afternoon (another group of six walking in, just as we were leaving). That itself made me wonder, if we choose the right place to eat. Sometimes…not always…crowds at a place are a good indicator of quality. This of course does not apply to the nightclubs – Bangalore’s younglings jump from one new place to another, just to be seen. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what News Café aims to be – a place to see and be seen (according to the website again). Ironic much?

The waiter was definitely attentive. After all how could he ignore a group of three ladies, when there was no one else around? We were bought glasses of water with a wedge of an orange as the menu was handed to us. The menu is designed like a Newspaper and bought to us all rolled up. (Yes, I get kicks out of such random delights). The offerings are quite vast. There are sections for All day Breakfast, Soups, Salads, Toasted Sandwiches, Wraps and Quesadillas, Burgers, Pasta, Sizzlers, Steaks, Asian food etc.etc. and it again made me wonder about the quality of produce and the holding time in the inventory, considering the dismal number of people coming in. We decided to order the Cobb Salad. Simple assembly of items is all that it requires for this American classic. They did a good job of it as well. The lettuce was crisp and fresh and they loaded the salad with Bacon – which is always a good thing. The dressing for a Cobb Salad is generally a red wine vinaigrette, but they gave us a mayo dressing. No Matter, it provided the necessary creaminess for the salad, considering they decided to give the Avocado a miss. The portion was substantial as well and I would have been disappointed if it was not considering they charged us 300 bucks for it (excl taxes). Oh yes, this place is not cheap.
I order wings wherever we go. Ok, that’s too much of a generalization, but I do order wings as a starter in most places. I saw it with the usual suspects in the finger foods section and decided to give the fiery chicken wings a try. (Besides, the Prawn Tempura at 495, bucks seemed like it would burn too much of a hole in the pocket.) The menu described it as buffalo chicken wings dipped in a fiery sauce and served with Blue cheese, carrots and celery. The wings were just fine – neither fiery nor amazingly tasty and were dry. Where was the ‘dipped in a fiery sauce’ bit? The biggest spoiler was the so-called blue cheese dressing. It looked like curdled milk and was NOT Blue cheese. If you throw away the blue cheese dressing – the wings are still palatable.
We generally can keep at appetizers and completely ignore main course, but since the wings (the most basic requirement for me) left a lot to be desired – we decided to just go in for the mains. I can’t ignore Laksa if it’s on a menu and this one promised to include both chicken and prawn. The presentation was lovely. I actually ooh’d looking at the noodles placed gingerly over the broth. It’s another story to question what a bit of parsley is doing in an Asian dish, but I will hold my peace. This was clearly a curry Laksa (not many can stomach the fierier counterpart – the assam laksa). While I agree that in principle this was a curry laksa, what I couldn’t wrap my head around was how thick it was. Reminded me more of a Thai red curry and it tasted a lot like it as well. The cubes of Chicken breast remained insipid because it didn’t absorb any of the flavors. (Maybe chicken strips or a flatter cut of meat would have been more conducive). Thankfully there were a decent number of prawns in the dish, so even though I won’t forgive them for mucking it up, I shut up and ate my meal.
My dear friend had ordered the Lamb Tagine and again though the almond slivers and stew looked appetizing, the final result was a letdown. The lamb was over cooked and tough and it had none of the exotic flavors of Morocco. (Cinnamon, saffron, cloves). The saffron rice had just a hint of saffron (I think I saw a strand peeking somewhere) and was closer to steamed rice. By now we knew that News Café could not deliver on taste.
The Beef Sizzler was something we hoped they would get right. I mean, anything in BBQ sauce should taste good right? Wrong. My friend asked for her steak to be medium-well done. Not a choice I support, but each to their own. The steak when it arrived sizzling on a plate was definitely, extremely well done. The BBQ sauce was a black glaze that had a distinct burnt aftertaste. Maybe adding a cabbage leaf on the hot plate would have avoided the same. Or just using your hotplates more would have seasoned them well enough to not burn! The garlic broccoli and potato mash were very similar bedfellows and failed to add anything to the steak. She actually left the steak half eaten and trust me, I’ve seen this woman polish off more than an 8 ounce steak with ease.
Food Chains standardize their menus after a lot of trial and error and I’m sure the actual recipes are quite delectable. But News Café Bengaluru, is a place that is let down because of its execution. For me the quality and taste of food is paramount. I will literally stand on the road and polish off a plate of biryani if it tastes brilliant, hygiene issues be dammed. Coupled with the fact that the price of my meal for three main courses, one salad and one starter was close to Rs.2500/- I’m not going back there in a hurry. We decided to leave without dessert. Lavonne next door sounded close to divine after this fiasco.
News Cafe
72-1-1211, 100ft Road,
2nd Stage, HAL
Indiranagar,
Bangalore.
Ph: 080 25201238
Parking: Valet Available
Cost: Rs.1750/- for a meal for two without alcohol

Flight Of Cocktails – Sundowner @ LikeThatOnly (Now Closed :( )

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I like my cocktails. Why must I have a stodgy old rum and coke when I can have an exciting Cuba Libre with a dash of lime? Or if you’re a vodka drinker like me, a fancy Cosmopolitan to sip at, whilst we elegantly drape one long leg over the other, at the bar counter? Or to go all James Bond and have a Martini – shaken, not stirred. Sounds dated? Well it is! With so many permutations and combinations of heady liquor and even headier liqueurs, you would expect the bars in Bangalore to offer us something other than creations from the 1960’s! Yes, we like our cocktails and yes, we order them religiously on a night out, but just because we are easy to please – doesn’t mean you don’t even try!! For lord’s sake, a single cocktail costs as much as a main course in some places and if I’m going to get Vodka topped with Cranberry juice from Tropicana – I’d rather give it a miss. (Ok, I lie… I’ll still drink it …but grudgingly). So finally coming to the point – LikeThatOnly (of all things Asian and Whimsical and Whitefield) invited a couple of us discerning drinkers (ahem…ahem…) to give their new Cocktail menu a go. 5 PM is a good time to start drinking, yes?
We seated ourselves at the long bar counter with two handsome men behind the bar. (That always helps – restaurateurs take note :P) While we checked out the, ahem…cutlery, Chef Manu Chandra gave us the lowdown on why LikeThatOnly had to be the one to take the plunge!  LTO has set a benchmark in the city for its innovative food, quirky décor and often-irreverent take on the concept of traditional cuisine – It was only a matter of time before the bar caught up with the kitchen. With the cocktail making a comeback the world over, it was time to replace mindless sugary concoctions with house made bitters and artisanal gins. No, it’s not pretentious to call Bartenders ‘Bar Chefs’, if the final focus is on elevating the quality and the experience. We appreciate the effort LTO … we really do!
Seven was the lucky number of the day and we started the cocktail journey with ‘Misty Mornings’. Absolut Vodka shaken with Rose Petals and Fresh Lychees. Lychees and roses remind me of some exotic Chinese harem or if you want to keep it ‘A’ rated – Pierre Heremes’ Ispahan creations. He uses raspberries to balance the sweetness while Misty Morning resorts to vodka to do the same. Subtle, intoxicating and oh so pretty! Now, just because I used ‘oh so pretty’ in no way is it just a woman’s drink. Just saying.
Grape and Goats Cheese Salad? ‘Umm… No, it’s a Martini’, he said. (Keep Calm James Bond, Keep Clam). Was LTO going boldly where angels fear to tread? The combination of Goats Cheese and Grapes is classic, but in a drink?? Surprisingly, it works! I might even say that it was one of my top three this evening. The tangy wine infused grapes blended with the rich goats cheese and Absolut vodka, gives you a decadent drink. Give me some seared Foie Gras on the side and I can take decadence to a whole new level.
We had some great food to keep us company (and line our stomachs). Chef Prashanth kept sending us some delectable bar snacks from the kitchen. Krispy Fish Katsu Sushi Roll, Asparagus Tempura Roll, Minced Vegetable Gyozas, Beef and Jalepeno Dimsums, Chicken Satay, Crispy Squid, Coconut Prawns in Spicy Mayo and Spicy lamb Bao’s gave us a good reason to keep drinking 😉 
We had another food inspired cocktail next. This time we were reinventing a Soup – the much loved Tom Yum. By now, my reservations were swept under the rug and I was keep to try this concoction. The LTO Tom Yum is a Absolut Vodka cocktail shaken with fresh pomegranate and tamarind. The flavors of Tom Yum are hidden in the vodka infusion – think lemongrass, birds eye chilli, galangal and all things that make the soup such a hit. When I first tried the cocktail I couldn’t taste anything but the pomegranate juice. Why were my companions raving about it? Looking at my ‘ho hum’ face, Manu asked me to sniff the pure infused alcohol. Still nothing. Then he poured me a neat shot of the infused alcohol. Gulp. Still nothing! This is when Monika stepped in and gave me a quick slap on the back and asked me to have a sip of water. Who knew I needed to cleanse my palate between cocktails? 😛 The water did the trick and I could finally distinguish the hit of chilli and the refreshing smell of lemongrass. Neat … pretty neat. Maybe I’ll order this instead of my soup next time 😉
LTO has these gorgeous passion fruit vines, dancing lazily across the path to the bar. They apparently yield the sweetest fruit. So LTO decided to put local produce to good use and created the LTO House Passion. (House. Passion. Get it? I love the play on words). Fresh Passion fruit pureed and shaken with Watermelon and Vodka. Taking a time out to tell you that all the herbs and fruits used in their cocktails are fresh and not some Manana squash. But knowing LTO, I guess that disclaimer was redundant! So back to their passion…it was overwhelming. No seriously, the Passion fruit flavor was just too intense for me. One half of the group loved it and one half of the group was reeling with the sweetness. The bartenders remixed the drink for me by watering down the passion fruit puree and that seemed to work a lot better. But the other group dissed my version instantly. Well, you win some and you lose some.
For the next drink I have to borrow the words from Mort (of Madagascar fame). ‘I like them, I like them! Before I even met them I liked them! You hate them compared to how much I like them!’. ‘Basil Bliss’ – you know I’m a sucker for Basil. Combine that with fresh Pineapple, Sweet and Sour and shake it down with a nice Gold Rum from Bacardi and you have yourself a winner. It’s not a mindboggling, super quiz – guess the ingredients kind of drink, but it does it’s work. And again, you know I’m a sucker for Basil.
The next cocktail could actually make every other cocktail go green with envy. It was not exotic like Misty Morning nor fancy like the Goats Cheese Martini but it was one after my own heart. The Bath Tub Special is a rendition of the classic Gin and Tonic and called so because the gin is infused with botanicals. So in its own way, its artsy as hell! Now bad infusions can result in Gin’s that are fit only for unclogging drains, but this one bucked the trend! Bombay Sapphire infused with secret ingredients (Truth be told – I forgot, but Orange Rind was one of them) blended with cucumber. I make a version of this at home with vodka, mint and cucumber but have to agree that the infused Gin makes a much better bedfellow. My number one this evening! (The Fried Crispy Squid tossed in lemon and chilli sauce was the perfect accompaniment to this one. Regular batter fried calamari can go hide in the kitchen.) 
I am going to deviate from my cocktail session to sing paeans to the perfection that is the ‘Pork Belly on Skewers’. I think I died and went to heaven and then came back to earth to finish the platter. It’s that amazing! Slow braised Pork belly with a mustard miso sauce glaze results in the most succulent and melt in the mouth experience. Literally a food orgasm in your mouth! No I’m not going to censor my thoughts – I’ve had six cocktails already! 
I was reluctant to try the last cocktail. Not because it was called Muddy River, but because I was still reeling from the Bathtub special and the Pork Belly. It would almost seem blasphemous to taint that memory with anything else. Add to the fact that I don’t much fancy Baileys and Kahlua! Coffee drinkers might rejoice, but I stay away from dessert cocktails. I’ll eat a nice Tiramisu, thank you very much. But try I had to. (Can’t end the journey of seven with six now, can I?) This after being promised that I’ll have another Bath Tub special to cap the evening. The coffee lovers loved it. Baileys and Kahlua topped with Vanilla Ice Cream and some fancy chocolate feathers. Don’t let the fuzzy demeanor trick you into thinking its innocent – it’s a potent combination, more so because of the liqueurs. 
LikeThatOnly lived up to its claims of quirky, irreverent and most of all innovative. Head there for a drink and prepare to be taken on a whirlwind journey of fun food and even funner (I know Wren & Martin hate me already) cocktails. The music helps and so does the décor. And fairy lights always add to the magic!  
Thursday’s are the new Saturdays. Head to LTO for their ‘ILikeThursdaysOnly’ for the best bar nights in Whitefield. Let them stir up some Absolut and Jameson cocktails for you while you snack on some delectable food and groove to some DJ beats. There’s no excuse not to party! For hard working souls (like me :P) why don’t you clock in the Second-Shift at LikeThatOnly on weekdays. Enjoy special discounts on your bar bills from 5pm – 8pm!
Like That Only
#14/31A – Hagadur Road,
(Behind Forum Value Mall)
Whitefield, Bangalore – 560066
Phone: 080 65475610
Website: www.likethatonly.com/ Facebook: facebook.com/Likethatonly
Cost: Rs.2500/- for a meal for two with alcohol
Parking: Valet available

There’s a Dragon in your Cafe – Coffee on Canvas (ST Bed Layout, Koramangala)

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Prost is not open at 10 AM in the morning, apparently. So we walked across the street to Coffee On Canvas. This was not my first visit to the place and the last one did not go down well with my finicky friend. The Toast, you see, was not warm and the Honey Chilli Chicken acted all dicey and only spicy with me – so there goes. So my second visit was more out of circumstance than choice. But the dragon turned it around and so I decided to sing.  
The last visit was at night and I must say mornings compliment this place a lot more. Airy and filled with light, the potted plants and creeping vines give the impression of a large, fun balcony in an old friends house. And then there is the Dragon. You don’t notice him at first – sly and shy that he is, hiding behind the windmill bookcase. And then you notice a tail, then a claw and then finally his face. I think I have a crush on him J

Coffee on Canvas a place that people come to unwind, have a cigarette, talk to their friends and browse on free WiFi. If they have exhausted the above activities they might read a book or play a board game. If that dosen’t cut it anymore, they might just sink into the bean bags and lazily look at the creepers swaying in the wind. The food is incidental. But my agenda on most days is to eat, so yes I ordered breakfast and then proceeded to sink into the bean bags. Unfortunately, I haven’t mastered the art of lazy and quickly moved to the chairs to soothe my aching back!
The menu predictably starts with Coffee. (The ‘coffee on canvas’ name comes from the fact that there is some coffee art on the canvas that makes it to your table top. Thankfully its covered with glass). Since I don’t drink coffee, I ordered a Masala Chai and my friend got himself a Cold Coffee. I liked that my pickings came in a nice ceramic teapot that ensured it stayed hot. There’s not much that I can drill down about the chai other than it makes for a nice companion on a bright, breezy morning. I saw a lady at the next table (complete with three kids and a husband in tow *hint hint* – kid friendly), order an Irish coffee. I’m fascinated by liquids and their relative density (go figure!) and was drawn to the double colored drink like a moth to a flame. I’ll let you order it when you go there and tell me how it was.
My friend asked for a Spanish Omlette, when there was none. Maybe he didn’t wear his glasses on right that day – it was actually a spinach omlette! He quickly changed the order to a Masala Omlette and I decided to get Fried Eggs with Sausages. And then we chatted …. And waited … and waited some more. The service is laaaid-baaack, but we didn’t complain because the waitress was very nice when the order did arrive.
The Masala omlette was palatable and the Fried Eggs were perfect with just a bit of runny yolk (I Likey). The Sausages are chicken sausages (boo hoo!) and probably Venky’s. But they gave me two sausages and they cut them up diagonally, so I won’t complain!
After another hour we got hungry again and ordered the Mushroom Quiche and some Churros. Both were unavailable that day. So we ordered Waffles with Maple Syrup and my friend the coconut lover, ordered a Coconut Pancake with Honey. The waffles were hot, soft and quite delicious with the amount of maple syrup I poured onto it. (Ok – it’s actually pancake syrup. I don’t think it’s economically feasible to give out Maple syrup at those prices). The super hit of the day was the Coconut Pancakes. I have been dreaming of them every day since I got back. Thin crepes filled with fresh grated coconut, capped off with a sprinkling of white sugar, folded and served with honey. So simple but so amazing. They actually reminded me of a Mangalorean delicacy called Paanpole. My mom used to make these for us when we were kids and the combination of coconut and sugar is something that brings back happy childhood memories!
Coffee on Canvas is a place that encourages you to unwind and order some food or a coffee to keep you company. The food is not the biggest draw here, but after my second visit I have to conclude that it’s not bad either. With the most expensive thing on the menu (Chicken Lasagna) being Rs.150/-, rest assured it’s not going to burn a hole in your pocket. And if you keep coming here to chill out, maybe you’ll figure out your favorite item and stick to ordering that. Simple? I think so, yes. Now back to using their free WiFi and pretending I’m at work!
Coffee on Canvas
84, ST Bed Layout,
4th Main, 4th Block,
Koramangala,
Ph: 080 41210131
Parking: On the street (Road leading to Halcyon)
Cost: Rs.450 AI for a meal for two.

Sunday Brunch @ M Cafe (Bengaluru Mariott Hotel Whitefield)

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The FoodPorn Diaries dictionary (yes, it exists…if only in my mind!) defines ‘Brunch’ as nothing but copious amounts of Booze + Lunch, generally consumed on a Sunday, to arm yourself for the travesty of work on a Monday. Since most of us run the corporate rat race during the week, (which gives us just enough time to drag ourselves to bed every night), what better way to spend a weekend afternoon than by overcompensating? I generally don’t bother reviewing brunches because, let’s face it – everyone has the same offerings. Indian, Chinese and European cuisine served with loads of alcohol and bubbly, edging you to consume in one afternoon what you probably should be eating over a span of a week! But since so many of us are in the quest for the holy grail of Sunday Brunches, I decided to take a dive and do it for you. Starting with the brunch at M Café in the Mariott, Whitefield.
I am forced to look at the Mariott everyday because my work desk faces the large window that overlooks it! So when S invited us to brunch at the Mariott, I almost felt like it was a trap to get me to come close to office on a Sunday! I was persuaded by the fact that the brunch would include specialties’ from their new Italian restaurant – Alto Vino and that is how I caved.

M Café is the primary location of the brunch with the live stations spilling out into the atrium. They have a massive foam palace or whatever the kids like to jump up and down in these days along with some activity counters for them. So rest assured that the kids will be occupied. It was a lovely sunshiney day and we chose to sit outside. There are cabanas next to the live grill stations and it almost has a picnic like atmosphere with the smell of grilling meats. The buffet counters, cheese, cold cuts and dessert stations are set up inside in addition to a vast array of goodies spanning the length and breadth of the globe. Hot appams and stew, rich gravies and parathas, pastas and risottos, wood fired pizzas, biriyanis and salans, the list was endless and I was truly a bit overwhelmed. The fun part at the Mariott is that you can choose to get your food custom made by the chef as well – the live cooking stations will ensure your get your ‘mera wala’ item. Or just let the helpful chef and staff make some recommendations for you on what should grace your plate. I would advise you give the entire space a once over before you settle down to eat – that way you’ll know exactly what your stomach is craving. I was in super lazy mode that day and didn’t really want to keep heading to the buffet, so I choose the last option. I was also tending towards a more European and Asian spread, so this time I gave the Indian options a miss. There were enough and more vegetarian delights, but if you know me well enough – you what I focused on 😉
You can choose to have a variety of Indian as well as FML and wines with your food. They have a fun bar with mixers stored in laboratory beakers – so we ordered a Bloody Mary. It came in a mini beaker with two droppers filled with Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce, what fun! The cocktail selection was quite sparse actually and none of it inspired me to try it. So the rest of the afternoon, I stuck to a Jacob’s Creek Chardonnay – refreshing and relaxing. They also serve a Sula Brut but I don’t care much for bubbly. Here’s a picture review of all the things we tried that afternoon.  
We were served a very elegant puff pastry with a dip as soon as our drinks arrived. The café calls it their most famous bread. Sprinkled with sesame seeds it makes for a nice crunchy start but I don’t see what the fuss is all about. The platter of open faced sandwiches on different breads was on the dot and the Smoked Salmon and cream cheese one was my favorite. Chef Alfonso from the Alto Vino arrived with some freshly made Bruschetta and it’s hard to say no to his charming ways. The Bruschetta was fantastic, fresh and bursting with flavors. Simple ingredients that come together to tantalize your tastebuds. Alto Vino was trying to popularize true blue Italian home style cooking – if the proof is in the pudding, the bruschetta makes for a very strong spokesperson. We were served a lovely Pumpkin Ravioli later in day and it was again an ode to simple cooking.  
Though the Mariott itself does not have an Asian or Japanese restaurant, the brunch does dish up some interesting fare. We tried a variety of Sushi and Maki rolls. And even had a brilliantly plated Dragon Roll topped with orange roe with the tail of the dragon made from a Prawn tail. Theatrics aside, the Asian section is well represented and you can try some steaming dimsums, grilled seafood and stir frys in sauces of your choice. They got us a beautiful dish of Pork Belly which was rich, succulent and just redolent of the caramelized bits that every pork lover craves! I wanted to ask for seconds but I also wanted to try so many other things that I restrained myself. (Ok, not too well because I snuck a bite out of A’s plate!). If you like asian street fare, they have some Chicken Satay and hawker style Nasi Goreng. The chef claims his version is the best in Bangalore and after a couple of bites I found agreeing that it was very good but the best? Hmm… (Note to self – who else serves Nasi Goreng in Bangalore? Must do a comparison!) 

If I had to give credit to the Mariott for getting something bang on that day – it would have to be the handling of their meats. A Tenderloin steak, Grilled Lamb Chops and Roast Beef – all impeccable in their taste and presentation and cooked to perfection. The Roast Beef was hearty and was served simply with some grilled vegetables and gravy. My Grilled Lamb Chops were served with a side of roast vegetables and couscous and definitely reminded me of exotic lands. Lamb Chops are my favorite entrée and this one did not disappoint. The crowning glory – The Tenderloin, was served with some horseradish cream and I don’t think it needed anything else. The juices kept it moist and dreamy and when cut, the pink interior was smiling smugly! ‘A’ and ‘S’ went completely silent at this point and gave their main course the due respect it deserved and polished it off!

We were all ready for desserts and I headed inside to fill up my plate. It looked like dessert land on acid. Everything was brightly coloured and shouting ‘pick me pick me’. The tendency to load up my plate with sweet treats is a battle that’s hard to win and I lost this one very easily. My plate was a smorgasbord of sugar and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I saw a lot of kids just hanging around the Gummy bears (guess who won’t be sleeping tonight! :P)  

Whitefield will be thrilled to have a classy place that they can unwind in on a Sunday afternoon. The Sunday Brunch at the M Café is a treat to the senses. With Indoor and Outdoor options coupled with a separate play area for kids – you can find a space that suits the weather and your mood! The Mocktail brunch option comes in at Rs.1500/-++ and the Alcohol option at Rs.2500/-++. (The Alcohol Brunch includes Champagne). Though I found the alcohol options a tad underwhelming, the food more than makes up for it. The multi-cuisine option ensures that there’s something for everyone, but it is put together in such a way that you can choose to deep dive into one cuisine without feeling the need to hop around like a mad hatter. Or if you like cheating on your Indian Naan with your Italian Bruschetta or your Chinese dumpling – the Mariott will keep your secrets for you!
M Café
Bengaluru Mariott Hotel Whitefield
75, 8th Main Road,
EPIP Area,
Whitefield,
Bangalore.
Ph: 080 30412940
Parking: Valet Available
Cost: Rs.1500/-++ for the Mocktail Brunch, Rs.2500/-++ for the Alcohol Brunch

Citibank Restaurant Week – Szechwan Court (The Oberoi, Bangalore)

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Restaurant Week is a week of indulgence for me. But excesses of the excellent variety are always welcome in my books! This is the second year for the Citibank Restaurant Week India (RWI) in Bangalore (23rd Sep to 2nd Oct) and reservations open for Citibank customers today. Everyone else will have to wait till the 18th of September to get a chance to dine in the finest restaurants of Bangalore – think Olive Beach, Szechwan Court, Dakshin, Caperberry and a whole lot more! RWI runs twice a year in March and September, simultaneously across Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. The prix fixe menu allows the restaurants to showcase their signature dishes in each category and diners get a chance to experience this at an unbelievable price of Rs.750/-++ in Bangalore. You need to make reservations online before you can dine – so having a fast broadband connection and the gumption to beat the hundreds of others vying for a dinner slot helps.
I was offered a preview dinner for RWI at the Szechwan Court a week ago and I gladly accepted. The Oberoi in my opinion has no equal when it comes to service and I have always been a fan of their award winning restaurants. I had offered a step motherly treatment to Szechwan Court in favour of Rim Nam and Le Jardin on many occasions. So when RWI put Szechwan Court on the list – It was my first choice. We strolled in for our 8:00 PM reservation and were promptly taken to our seats by the window. The restaurant is a subtle mirror of the orient with red and gold hues. With large windows looking out to the garden and soothing music playing in the background you can sink into the comfortable chairs and await a truly five star experience.

 

We were offered hot towels to refresh our weary selves (he he .. ), while they poured us a cup of hot Jasmine Tea. It was raining cats and dogs that day and the jasmine tea was just what the doctor ordered. You can choose to order drinks to go with your food or even some fantastic wines or just beer like my dear companion did. (Additional cost from RWI prices). I chose to stick to the Jasmine tea because I was designated driver!
A bowl of fried noodles arrived to keep us company while the waiter arrived with our soups. I tried the Lemon Coriander Vegetable Clear Soup. The broth was light and lemony and the addition of mushrooms and sliced veggies made this appetizing and just perfect to kick off the evening. My companion ordered the Hot and Sour Chicken Soup – which lived up to its name. This is a thick soup with chicken and bean curd and can be quite filling.  
The Appetizers arrived next. The Chicken Dry Chilli (which sounded quite pedestrian to me) was actually quite a revelation. The Chilli was the insane hit of the Szechwan pepper tossed with some wood ear mushrooms (tiny crunchy fungus) for texture. If you like your adrenaline rush – definitely order this. The single portions are quite large and I felt the starter could have easily been shared by two people.
The vegetarian appetizer was a choice between Spring Rolls or Salt and Pepper Vegetables. By now I had learnt my lessons – don’t let the simple sounding names fool you because the final dish is anything but! We were veering towards the spring rolls but our waiter insisted that we try the Salt and Pepper Vegetables. He claimed everyone who came to the restaurant ordered it and loved it. So ofcouse we indulged him and he delivered to his promise. The Salt and Pepper Vegetables were a medley of different veggies from Carrots, aubergine, Orka, Babycorn and peppers coated in a light batter and deep fried. The surprise was how great it tasted. While not very different from our Bhajjis, I can vouch that no one makes orka taste this good!
The RWI menu offers you a choice between Soup or Appetizer. If you are two or more diners, definitely get the appetizers. Totally worth the extra calories.
There are four choices for main course (2 veg and 2 non veg) and Szechwan Court lets you pick two main courses! So if you are two diners you can pretty much cover the entire menu! The Braised Tofu in Black Bean Sauce is pure protein for the vegetarians. The black bean sauce is slightly sweet and has bits of the bean itself. Tofu is something that has a neutral flavor and pretty much picks up the flavors of what it is cooked in. So if you love Black Bean sauce (I do!) this is a must try.
I noticed that most of the dishes came in a simple white plate with no frills or fancy garnishes. The chef explained the ‘Wok to Plate’ concept. Chinese food is meant to be eaten piping hot.  The dish is cooked in a very hot iron wok for a very short period of time. This is just enough to bring all the flavors together and cook the food. Once it’s done, it’s transferred to a plate and immediately bought to your table so that no flavors are lost in translation! The focus is clearly on the food here and it shows.

The Chicken in Black Pepper Sauce was another excellent entre with succulent pieces of chicken and green peppers in a pungent and spicy black pepper sauce. The sauce is tasty enough that you might be inclined to ask for more of it. That I realized, was a typical Indian request! We love to douse our rice or noodles with ‘gravy’ as we call it. But typical Chinese cuisine has very little sauce and it just serves as a backdrop for the meat and not the other way around. Your local Chinese restaurants take the easy (and cheaper) way out by resorting to the latter.
You can choose to accompany your main course with either plain Steamed Rice or Vegetable Soft Noodles. We opted for the latter and it was a pleasant enough (if not amazing) accompaniment. Let me warn you that the single portions are quite large and after stuffing my face with the appetizers I had to struggle to make room for the main course.  
I washed my meal down with another cup of Jasmine Tea (bliss) and scanned the dessert section. By now we were thoroughly pampered. (Oberoi service I tell you – they make you feel like you’re the most special person in the room!) My companion chose the easy (boring) way out and got himself a never fail Chocolate Brownie with Ice Cream. It was great but which brownie has failed to score browine point ever??! I wanted something with an oriental twist and coconut appealed more than lychee that day. So I got myself a Coconut Ice Cream. The softest, most creamy Coconut Ice Cream I have tasted, garnished with a beautiful sprig of mint. Most Coconut ice creams leave me underwhelmed because a. they are grainy, b. they taste like they were made from Dabur Coconut Cream and c. they leave a itchy feeling in that back of your throat when you are done. This was superlative because it resulted in none of the above and actually made me lick the bowl clean. Perfect.
So for noveau Chinese cuisine and exceptional service – head to the Szechwan Court this restaurant week. You’ll come away with completely different expectations on what Chinese food should taste like. If you have a group of 8 people, lucky you – they have a private room paneled in silk that you can reserve in advance.
You can book a table here http://restaurantweekindia.com

SZECHWAN COURT
The Oberoi, Bangalore
39, M.G. Road,
Bangalore – 560001
Ph: 080 2558 5858/ 4135 8202
Parking: Valet Available
Cost: Rs.750/-++ for the special RWI menu from 23rd Sep to 2nd Oct
http://restaurantweekindia.com

Two ways to be Feta Chic – Salad and Appetizer

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Feta is a brined soft cheese, made from sheep (and goats milk) and is very popular in Greek cuisine. It looks like paneer but is much softer, grainier and tangier. While the most popular way of using feta is in a Greek Salad – this cheese has the ability to shine in many other dishes. I picked up a slab of Feta this week and was hard pressed to find a recipe that does it justice. I wanted Feta to be the star of the dish and not just a supporting element. After many frustrating hours of searching my recipe books and the internet, I just decided to use it in a Watermelon and Arugula (Rocket) Salad. Besides, I had recently learnt how to deseed a watermelon and I was itching to see if it works. (It does – Instructables shows you how!). The salad is an amazing medley of tastes and textures – sweet and crispy watermelon, crunchy and peppery arugula and finally creamy and salty feta, dressed with silky honey and olive oil. The salad is super easy to put together and colorful to look at as well. I used up half the slab of feta here and packed the other half away.
Later in the day, I remembered a beautiful meal that me and the co-resident had in one of our favorite Greek restaurants – Thalassa in Goa. The appetizer was a slab of marinated Feta served with toasted Pita! I had found my Feta Star recipe. This is an absolute breeze to make and you will not believe the flavor explosion in your mouth. If I wanted to serve up a really chic appetizer in a fancy party – this would be it! It makes sense to go out and scout for a good slab of Feta, just to have the pleasure of eating this. The creamy Feta just luxuriates in a good quality olive oil and once you dress it in some herbs – your work is done. Like Leonardo Da Vinci said and Steve Jobs believed – “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”.  


Feta, Watermelon and Arugula Salad
Prep time: 15 mins
Serves 2
What you need:
150 gms/ 1 packet Arugula, washed and dried
75 gms Feta, cubed
200 gms Watermelon, deseeded and cubed
Dressing:
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Honey
3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
What to do:
Put the cubed watermelon in the fridge. Wash the Salad leaves and pat dry or use a salad spinner. In a small bottle with a tight lid  – add the dressing ingredients and shake well to get a creamy dressing. Use half the liquid to dress the salad leaves well. Now place the salad leaves in a bowl and top with the watermelon cubes. Gingerly place the Feta cubes all over. (The Feta is very soft and creamy. If you just add all the ingredients and toss the salad, you will end up with a curd like coating and no sign of the Feta cubes! ). Now dress the salad with the remaining dressing. A summer day is a perfect foil to enjoy this gorgeous salad!
Feta – marinated in Olive Oil and Herbs
Prep time: 10 mins
Serves 3-4
What you need:
75 gms Feta, cubed
60 ml Extra Virgin Oilve Oil
1 Tbsp Mixed Herbs (Oregano, Thyme, Rosemary) – I use Keya Italian Seasoning
½ tsp Crushed Black Pepper
½ Tbsp Chilli Flakes
To serve:
Pita/ Crostini
Black and Green Olives
What to do:
Dry roast the herbs, pepper and chilli flakes in a hot pan for 2 mins. (This helps release the aromatic oils).  Alternatively you can just heat the herbs in the microwave for 30 secs. Now pour the olive oil onto the herbs and warm through in the microwave for 30 secs. Place the cubed Feta, in a small shallow bowl, Now pour the oil and herb mixture over the Feta. Use a very light hand to ensure all the cubes are well marinated. Add some more oil here if necessary. Serve with Pita (I like mine toasted) and some olives. Prepare to be crowned Queen (or King) of Chic Appetizers. 

Hot Chocolate Shots @ Jus’ Trufs (Jakkur, Bangalore)

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When we think of indulgence, the first thing that comes to mind is smooth, dark, rich chocolate. Anything from a dull day to a roaring bad mood can be instantly remedied with a bar of chocolate. No wonder that it’s called the food of Gods! “A” likes his chocolate dark and dreamy and I like my chocolate rich and creamy – so between the both of us, we pretty much have a good collection. Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate, Chocolate with Nuts, Fudge, Mini Truffles…ok, the list kinda goes on! So when I walk into a Chocolate Cafe, you can bet your bottom dollar I’m going to go crazy!
Jus’ Trufs call themselves ‘customized chocolatiers’ and have been crafting premium truffles since 2001. Chenddyna Schae is the lady behind the brand and her love for fine chocolate easily translates into a beautiful end product. While the focus all these years has been on corporate clients and event based gift boxes they have recently opened a lovely Chocolate Café to let people come and indulge in some chocolate love. They are located on Jakkur Main Road and while this might seem very far away for most of us – it is also a welcome respite for people living in that part of town.

We stumbled in on a Sunday afternoon and were greeted by an airy and cheery space with a huge counter at the back displaying all the goodies on offer. While I was making a mental note of everything I need to take back home, my stomach was grumbling and I decided to grab a bite first. The café menu is concise and has the usual suspects of burgers, sandwiches, pizzas and pasta. But then you flip the menu over and you realize that the food is but an accompaniment to the star product – the chocolate based concoctions! Our eyes were instantly drawn to the Hot Chocolate Shots. Now this is literally a shot…of pure dark melted chocolate! They offer two variations their signature dark (Rs.50/-)and their real dark (Belgian 60%) (Rs.70/-). We of course opted for the latter. It arrived in a shot glass (true to it’s name) and we started off the day with a chocolate bang! The owner later informed me that you can buy the liquid chocolate shot pouch and make your own ‘real shot’ at home with an addition of some liquor to the chocolate. *Slipping into the adult version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory here*. 
Another fun element on the menu is the Chocolate sides where  you can choose to order chocolate dips and sauces to accompany your meal. I loved the Chocolate Coffee Spoon (Rs.20/-) – a spoon crafted out of their signature white or dark chocolate that you can use instead of a real spoon to stir your coffee!  We also ordered a plate of Fries, just so that we could try their White Chocolate Jalapeno Dip (Rs.30/-). Now while this might seem like an odd coupling, it actually works really well. The sweetness of the white chocolate marries beautifully with the heat of the Jalapeno and the salty fries just complete the trio!
The menu lists a Hazelnut Chocolate Sandwich, a Chocolate Pizza and even a Chocolate Truffle Sandwich, but we decided to get something savory first. We picked the Bombay Sandwich (Rs.100/-) and the Chicken Salad Toasted Club Sandwich (Rs.200/-). A Bombay Sandwich is typical Mumbai street fare – a basic tomato-cucumber-onion-potato layered sandwich with the special Bombay masala. It’s the vegetarian equivalent to the Club Sandwich. I would have preferred my sandwich toasted, but apparently that’s a Bangalore rendition and so I let it pass. The Club Sandwich was filled with a chicken and mayo salad, egg and cheese. This one was toasted and automatically got a better rating in my books. Sandwiches are served with a generous helping of crisp fries.

We also ordered a Burger De Pollo (Rs.200/-) – A chicken and Cheese Burger. The menu says ‘our in-house Hugh Grant helped design this’. I looked around for him that day – I seriously did, but I had to be content with the Burger. The patty was juicy and plump and was mixed with spices and minced peppers giving it the much needed hit of flavor. (Lamb and Beef bring their own game to the table, but the café does not serve either). The Pasta with their home made Pesto was supposed to be a crowd favorite, but we were saving space for something special, so we had to give that section a pass.

The something special was a picture of a drink that was plastered on a board with a caption that said “It will change your life”! Now this I HAD to try. It turned out to be a chilled Belgian chocolate Milkshake topped with Fudge Cake (Rs.180/-). Yum, yummy, yum! It was rich, it was thick, it had fudge cake and boy, was it heavy! The space I saved was falling short and I’m glad we decided to share this one!

Jus’ Trufs also has a great range of cupcakes and cheesecakes on display. Since our tummies were filled to the brim, we took some home for the family. We tried the Dark Chocolate Ganache and the Black Forest (Rs.70/-). The surprise winner was a Blueberry Cheesecake Cupcake (Rs.70/-). Think cheesecake in a cupcake mould! They also specialize in the Baked New York Cheesecake in different flavours (wild cherry sounds fun!). The owner told me they use Philly Cream cheese and that’s what makes all the creamy difference.

We finally dragged ourselves to the truffles counter and started with the task that we first entered the cafe for – taking a box of chocolates home! Belgian Chocolate is generally considered the gourmet standard against which all other chocolates are measured. Just Trufs uses 60-70% Belgian Couverture which is smooth, dark and intense. They also have a less expensive Signature range made from Asian Couverture (Calibo). We tried the Pure Truffle, Orange Truffle and the Nougat Crisp from their signature range (Rs.20/- each). The Belgian style Pralines included the Rocher Noir and the alcohol infused Whiskey Warmth and Heavenly Rum (Rs.50/- each). We also got some Fresh Truffles and Almond ones from their Luxury range (Rs.35/- each). My favorite was the Pure Truffle! They have a range of packaging options for you to take the truffles home in. You can pick boxes, little pouches with teddy bears or even lovely glass platters (additional charge). With the Festival season coming up – I can see these becoming a sure fire hit. (I have my eye on a white and gold platter for diwali!)

Jus’ Trufs is a wonderful little hideout for chocolate lovers of all ages. Though you can order online (Delivery charges = courier charges) the café is a great place to see and try a variety of their offerings, before zeroing in on the ones you like. And if you are in North Bangalore, you can thank you lucky stars that you have another option to your Coffee days and Baristas. (They serve chai and coffee too J). While Bliss or The Chocolate Room advertise themselves as Chocolate Lounges, Jus’ Trufs prefers the tag ‘Café’. They aim to serve simple homestyle food in a relaxed setting (service is slower than most places) that serves as a backdrop to their gorgeous chocolate treats. The chocolates have always been and will always be their USP.

JUS’ TRUFS
#9, Jakkur Road,
Jakkur,
Bangalore – 560064.
Ph: +91 9844016984
Parking: On the Road
Cost: Rs. 700/- for a meal for two (inclusive of VAT, no Service charge levied)
http://www.justrufs.com/index.php

Togarashi and The Bento Box @ Monsoon (The Park, Bangalore)

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Japanese cuisine is so varied that to even fit the basics into one post would be a gargantuan task. So I will restrict myself to what I tried as part of the new Bento Box introduced by Monsoon at The Park Bangalore. The Bento Box is ahem…a box (sheepish grin), that holds a single portion meal of rice, cooked fish or meat along with pickled vegetables. It is the Japanese version of our lunch dabbas, albeit carefully prepared and presented (as is with everything Japanese)!
The Japanese have created an art form, even with something as simple as a lunch box. Bento’s can range from the simple arrangement of food to the more complex ‘Kyraben’ where the items are arranged to look like popular Japanese cartoon figures or ‘Oekakiben’ where the food is arranged to form a picture. The Bento boxes itself can range from beautiful black lacquered boxes, shiny metal boxes to the more modest and convenient disposable microwave boxes. Japanese homemakers spend a considerable amount of time making Bento’s for their kids and they even have competitions to judge the most beautiful Bento. (I shudder to imagine how much time that must take up everyday – especially with our harried schedules and workloads!)


I opted for the non-veg Bento and we started the meal with a Miso Soup. This is essentially a clear broth (Dashi – stock made with dried kelp, sardines, tuna or shitake mushrooms) spiked with Miso paste (generally fermented soy bean paste) topped off with your choice of ingredients. Here it was seaweed and bean curd. Now miso is an acquired taste (fermented things generally are – think stinky but also think Beer J). I personally love the salty, smokey, tangy taste of miso. It is also known for the Umami it packs – essentially a flavor punch or as people like to call it ‘The sixth taste’. This is supposed to heighten all other tastes. 
The Bento Box arrived – a beautiful black lacquered box complete with a bright red lid. Red and Black can be such a striking combination! And then I opened it and smiled. Everything looked so fresh and pleasing to the eye. Our Bento box came lined with banana leaves and I’m not sure that is traditional, but it sure made the food stand out! Here is a quick lowdown on each of the elements.

I tried the Sashimi first because I didn’t want the delicate flavors to be marred by other cooked/ sauced offerings in the box. Many people use Sushi and Sashimi interchangeably but there is a world of difference between the two. Sashimi refers to any preparation of raw fish. The fish needs to be absolutely fresh and slicing the fish itself is an art complementary to the serving of sashimi. The raw fish is then placed over a bed of garnishes – in this case, slivers of daikon or asian radish. You are served wasabi and soy sauce on the side along with pink pickled ginger. The Wasabi not only adds some heat to the fish, but is also believed to be useful in killing harmful bacteria and parasites that could be present in raw seafood. The Sake Sashimi here was a Salmon sashimi and I am happy to say it was absolutely fresh. The slices could have been a tad thinner, but that’s just a small gripe. Now, I’m no Japanese food expert so I can’t resolve the debate of whether to mix the wasabi with the soy or just dab the wasabi to the ends of the chopstick while savoring the sashimi. You can try both methods and tell me which one works for you!

The sashimi whetted my appetite for some sushi. This is not a part of the Bento box, but we couldn’t resist. We tried two types of Sushi ordered from their new Japanese menu. Sushi is simply – cooked vinegared rice with other ingredients. When it forms a bed for a piece of raw fish – it is called nigirizushi and when it is wrapped around ingredients – it is called makizushi.  Makizushi itself has many types, but for the sake of the length of this post I will again restrict myself to what I ate.
We tried the vegetarian Futo Maki. This is a also called a Fat roll because it is larger in size to the other sushi rolls. This type of roll falls into the category where the sushi rice is on the inside and is wrapped with seaweed. The rice holds different fillings like cucumber, avocado, bamboo shoots etc. The filling is generally chosen to ensure that when you cut the roll into slices – it looks colourful and enticing (of course care is taken to choose complementary flavors as well).
The next type of sushi on order was the Uramaki. The difference being that the sushi rice is now on the outside and the nori on the inside! The restaurant called this the Spider roll and we were relieved to find that it was filled with soft shell spider crabs and not spiders. This one came decorated with fish roe and I couldn’t stop at one.

I got back to eating the Bento now and tried the Kani Salad. This was a crabstick salad dressed with Japanese mayo and sesame oil. It also came highlighted with small orange fish roe which gave it crunch and texture. I also sensed a certain spice hitting my palate and was told that was ‘Shichimi Togarashi’ – and then my day took a most interesting turn. I loved the tangy, spicey, crunchy and slightly chaat like taste of this and was definitely intrigued to know if this was Japanese or just something that is added to make it appeal to the Indian palate which desires spice!
The chef told me that it was THE Japanese seasoning and was an amalagamation of seven different spices. Togarashi means red chilli pepper (or chilli powder) and when this is combined with ground schezuan pepper (sansho), ginger, black and white sesame seed, hemp seed and roasted orange peel and finally seaweed (nori) – it results in Shichimi Togarashi. This bento was special in that it had a separate compartment for the seasoning and the chef explained that most Indians requested for it to spice up their meal. Blasphemy  to the Japanese I’m sure, but atleast the spice is still Japanese! (I went and picked up a bottle of the shichimi togarashi from Godrej Nature’s Basket soon after – I intend to use it on Green Mango slices. Sue me! :P)
Tempura is something that everyone has a palate for – it’s deep fried! The trick with the Japanese deep fry is the extremely light batter that they use. The batter is made just a few minutes before the actual frying to ensure the gluten is not activated in the flour and the batter remains light but not chewy. We had the Ebi Tempura or the Prawn Tempura. Three large, perfectly golden fried beauties – if only they had been a little light handed with the salt, it would have been perfect.

The Tori Teriyaki or Chicken in teriyaki sauce is a crowd favourite – most pan-asian restaurants make it a point to feature this on their menu. The technique involves yaki or basting the broiled meat with a marinade of soy, mirin and sugar resulting in teri or a glaze. Of course the Americans have reduced any dish with the teriyaki marinade as Teriyaki.
The accompaniment to the meats is a Yaki Meiji or fried rice with chicken and egg. The only difference to a regular fried rice is the addition of Japanese soy sauce, which is sweeter than the Chinese variety. 
We ended with a Fried Sesame Ice Cream. We ended with a Fried Sesame Ice Cream. This was the anti-thesis to the otherwise beautifully served bento. It felt out of place and garish compared to the elegance and simplicity of the rest of the dishes. I would recommend omitting the fried ice cream and just serving a beautiful scoop of the sesame ice cream in the future.

If you have never tried Japanese food and you want a quick sampler of many things – the Bento is a good bet. If you love Japanese food and want a quick meal – the Bento is still a good bet!
The Bento Box is served for lunch and dinner at Monsoon. It will leave your pockets lighter by Rs.1500/- for the non-veg Bento and Rs.1200/- for the veg Bento. You can order sushi on the side and the prices for that start from Rs.525/- for the veg and Rs725/- for the non-veg. (Prices are exclusive of taxes and service charge).
MONSOON
The Park, Bangalore
14/7, M.G.Road,
Bangalore – 560042
Ph: +91 80 2559 4666
Parking: Valet Available