Koramangala turns up surprises in every corner. I recently struck gold with Onesta. The lovely iron and wooden board announces that it is a Pizzeria, Panificio and Pasticceria. It basically means they serve Pizza, bread and pastries – simple, honest (that’s what Onesta means in Italian) and utterly inviting!
Now ‘quaint’ is a word that is loosely used with a lot of cafes in Bangalore – a practice that must stop, after visiting the Café of Joy. This café can now claim monopoly of the term, with its picket fences, an all white theme with lavender accents and the most interesting knick knacks! If not for the in-your-face-signage of Bhagini restaurant next door, I could almost imagine that I stepped into a gorgeous café in the German countryside. And I’m not saying that because of the cute figurines of the German baker couple, or the little white cow milk pourers, or the cow butter dishes, or the fact that the board says Brot.Gateaux.Biscotti. (Ok, that is very German :P) But I’m game for a little round of active imagination and if their desire was to transport me to a European café – game well played! We heard that apart from cakes, artisanal breads, and baked goodies (produced at their on-site bakery) they also serve lunch. So on Saturday, a really talented baker friend and …
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 …
No, I haven’t turned vegetarian or vegan (Not anytime soon at least)! Two reviews of vegetarian restaurants in a month, does raise its suspicions – but I assure you this was purely coincidental. A completely enraptured with bacon-and-all-things-that-crawl friend, suggested we head to Carrots for a weekday lunch. I had to wrap my head around two things a. Did he have a sinister plan in his head and b. was the name of the restaurant really Carrots?! The answer to both was a resounding yes! The name board of the restaurant is a ‘blink and you miss it’ size – so use the 80ft road bus depot/ Legends of Rock as a landmark, if you don’t want to drive around in circles. I entered the restaurant and was greeted by cane furniture, some art on the walls and bamboo plants on every table. A specialty store (rack) selling vegan and organic goodies was strategically located next to the blackboard menu with the day’s specials. The evil friend arrived and I set about trying to dissect …
When you hear of a restaurant serving delicious vegetarian meals without the use of onion or garlic you are bound to be intrigued. When someone tells you that the restaurant is located in the upmarket Sadashivnagar area and serves ‘designer’ vegetarian fare – it piques your interest some more. And finally when you read that the restaurant not only serves vegetarian fare, but that all of it is Sattvic as well – the deal is sealed! The concept of Sattvic food is not new to me – all temples in India serve it as Prasad (food blessed by the Gods). The reason I used to frequent the Hanuman temple near my house, as a kid, was because of the yummy Prasad. (Food has always been my focus!) Sattvic food is referred to as a ‘yoga diet’ – something that leads to clarity and equanimity of mind, while also being beneficial to the body. So the diet is rich in fresh and unprocessed food. These tenets of Sattvic cooking are reflected in Sattvam, where they develop …
The FoodPorn Diaries 