Being in the vicinity of two favourites – The Fatty Bao and Bombay Brasserie – meant that 612 East, even weeks after it had opened, got a bit of a stepmotherly treatment from us whenever we visited Indiranagar. But one evening, we resolved to go. Since we planned to reach around 6 and leave before 8, we didn’t bother to reserve. Quite a mistake, especially if you want to sit in the terrace section. We were offered a regular table which we would have to vacate by 8, but chose to sit on stools closer to the edge, with our backs to the giant screen – for the view and the lovely evening breeze! This was easily the best part of the experience. In the cab, we had been discussing how in a few months, it would be 15 years since we first got off the bus from Kerala. The setting was perfect for rumination. 🙂
We began with a Whisky Sour for myself and a Zombie for D. (Does seem like, thanks to my company, she has developed a taste for her brain being eaten!) While we waited for our drinks to arrive, we wondered how they would manage to keep 3 floors full all the while. The Whisky Sour got the orange bitters proportion wrong, quite eclipsing the alcohol. The Zombie, on the other hand managed to balance three kinds of rum, brandy, orange juice and grenadine syrup quite right! Oh well.
It was the kind of evening that was perfect for a hot bowl of soup, and the Slow Cooked Beef delivered very well! Very goulash-like, it had excellent chunks of beef with onion, potato and carrot in a thick tomato flavoured broth. The Deep fried Bird Eye Chili Glazed Beef unfortunately didn’t live up to our spicy expectations. In addition, it was quite salty too. This partially explains the rather disdainful look the person who took the order had! Maybe he knew how it would turn out.
I overcame the guilt of not ordering a pork starter by getting myself a Slow Cooked Pork Belly Vindaloo Pot Pie. If you don’t mind a dash of sweetness in your gravy, you’ll like this. The flaky crust provided some good texture, and the only problem in this entire dish was the soggy masala bread that came with it. The Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta got everything right – from the mild spice to the well cooked chicken and pasta to the rich, slightly cheesy sauce. It’s quite filling too!
The dessert selection didn’t really excite us much, so we hopped to Frozen Bottle nearby. The meal cost us a little under Rs.2400. Except for the ambiance, everything is a mixed bag here. The person who took our order switched between promptness and that slight air of snootiness, but other staff, and even someone who seemed liked management, came over to check if things were ok. That gives hope. Some of the items we ordered were excellent, while others were underwhelming. But the terrace is calming, I’d repeat just for that!
612 East, 12th Main (above The Entertainment Store), Indiranagar Ph: 080 49652779 (map)