Another microbrewery in the neighbourhood is always welcome, but hold your horses, the brewery will only open in October is still not open. We couldn’t, so we visited back in August, one Sunday afternoon. The place can be accessed from inside the mall as well as through a tiny path between VR and Phoenix City Malls. There’s outdoor and indoor seating. The theme is colonial – the crest, and the dishes in the menu – though the seating is a little more modern. Wood is the primary element in the seating – benches and chairs – though the section inside does have a few plush sofas. The weather was pleasant, with a nice breeze, and the inside seemed like a refrigerator, so we chose to sit outside.
In addition to the standard fare, the liquor menu has a few interesting house specials. I was torn between Air Mail and Queen’s Park Swizzle, but decided on the latter. D asked for a Blitz. My drink was supposedly a Trinidadian concoction and had a few layers to it – muddled lime, mint and sugar, crushed ice and topped with rum and red wine. The rum and wine worked surprisingly well together. Add to that the zing of the lime, and I had a winner. The Blitz was quite unlike we’ve ever tried before. Though I called it a disguised lassi, the mix of mango yogurt, gin and mint was very refreshing. For bites, we ordered a Grilled Honey Chilli Beef and Confit Pork Tartlets. We had originally wanted a duck dish, but it wasn’t available, so we went for the latter. The beef was well cooked, but the honey was dominant over the chilli. I’d have preferred it the other way. The pulled pork was a unique dish, with roasted cashews, and what was supposed to be a spicy apple chutney. But once again, the spice quotient was left wanting. They got the tart texture right though.
I wanted another drink, and asked for the Air Mail, but that wasn’t available. So I decided to try the Old Fashioned. The drink was only average but the real drama would come later. For mains, we got ourselves Ms. Bridget White’s Bobo. A chicken stew with olives, lemon, peppers, served with Basmati rice. We asked for the last item to be replaced with mashed potato. A mildly spicy dish, and though it looked a tad different from the stew we’re used to, it was quite tasty. Desserts was a difficult choice given the options, but we went for something we haven’t seen around – Spiced Tea Creme Brulee. This had a spiced tea custard topped with crispy caramel. Subtle flavours and quite enjoyable, with the biscuit sticks adding a nice texture change.
And then came the bill. They had charged us for two Jim Beams (Rs.700) in the Old Fashioned, while the menu (and I) were very clear there should have been one. When I asked for an explanation, I was told that they usually make the Old Fashioned that way. I was quite irritated and said they could make it with toddy if they cared, but they should either specify that in the menu or tell the customer when it’s being ordered! An apology was given, but no change in the bill. Might be a good idea to confirm things when you order.
All of the above came to a little over Rs.3150. The food was average, the ambiance was pleasant, there was some excellent music, and the service was quite good except for the part above. We’ll visit again for the brew, but unless that is phenomenal, that would most likely be the last visit.
The Whitefield Arms, VR Bengaluru, Whitefield Main Road, Ph: 9591220066