Category: Restaurant Reviews

  • Hunan

    Thanks to Chinese stalwarts around, and home delivery doses of Delicacy, Hunan has always been ignored. But a casual glance at the menu on Zomato and the spotting of some Thai fare meant that it was quickly chosen for dinner.

    Hunan is above Costa Coffee on 1st A Cross, the road that goes to Jyoti Nivas from 100 feet Road, Koramangala. (map) This is the area that has the maximum number of eating options per square km in Bangalore. Yes, not even Church Street can beat it. 2 wheeler parking is relatively simple, if you have a 4 wheeler, you should probably use the parking lot next to Empire unless you want to try your luck with basement parking.

    2 flights of stairs (there is a lift I read about but didn’t bother to find – probably from the basement) leads you to a cosy, well utilised space that does have the mandatory dose of red and the television, but also plays soothing music and has 3 tables that give you a street view. Yay! Two were already taken, but we were just in time for the third. The place is neat, exudes a charm and generally gives a feeling of being well run.

    We went in quite sure that we would start with the Tom Kha but got a googly in the form of a special menu that featured a Thai Chicken Coconut soup. It had all the usual suspects – galangal, lemon grass, chillies, and so we switched allegiance for the night. The addition was glass noodles. Fantastic soup, with rich coconut milk flavours. Slightly sweet, but a few chillies helped restore the balance. We didn’t miss the Tom Kha at all. Since we were satisfied with the Thai, we agreed to go ahead with the main course we had planned, but it was a combo dish – with rice – and we weren’t sure of the quantity. So we asked for a starter –  Chicken Red Dragon dumplings. Orange -red in colour, we got 10 momos with a good tomato-chilli sauce. The momos were excellent, mildly spicy and cooked really well.

     

    For the main course, we ordered the Kang Pet Gai – Thai red curry chicken. (comes with steamed rice) I must say that given the culinary strangeness in that part of the world, the word ‘Pet’ is not very reassuring. 😉 We also ordered a Roast Pork with Red and Green Chillies. The rice was sticky but that worked well with the curry. Again, the chicken curry was sweet, but we were saved by the spicy pork! All of this was exactly the right fit for our appetite, so we didn’t have space for desserts!

     

    Quite a good experience, and we’ll be sure to drop in again, because the menu does have much more. All of the above cost us just over Rs.1400.

    Hunan, 123, 1st Floor, 1st Main, JNC Road, 5th Block, Koramangala Ph: 9739130000

    PS: Happened to notice that Adaa has shut down! 🙁

  • The Egg Factory – JP Nagar

    It’d been a while since we went the eggstra mile for a meal. Since we had liked the St.Marks Road version quite a bit, it was an easy decision to make. The landmark, when you’re on Outer Ring Road (from Bannerghatta Road towards Kanakpura Road) is Mast Kalandar on your side of the road. Opposite that is an HPCL Petrol Pump. The Egg Factory is right next to Mast Kalandar. Sounds easy, we missed it! Had to call for directions, oh the shame for a guy! 😐 There is a parking lot adjacent to it too.

    We took one of the seats outside, not really facing the road – those were taken – but good enough for us. There was a notice on the door that said that they were short of staff and we should be patient in case there were minor delays. The menu continues to be the awesome instruction-manual style, though many items seem to have been added. Zomato has a menu, but it seems incomplete. We started with a Morning Burst, though it was just past noon. Being Sunday, I’m sure timings can be relaxed. 😀 Though there was a promise of orange, it was all Banana, but we didn’t really mind. The range of dishes on the menu ensured that there was a lot of debate before ordering.

    In the end, we asked for 3 items and had a fourth in mind in case we had any appetite left, after allocating space for a chocolate dessert we had spied. The Akoorie (Classic Parsi Scramble) arrived first, and was a pretty picture with Amul butter and Kissan packaging adding more colour. It was the right amount of ‘gooey’ for me, and just the exact amount of spice too! We accepted the Amul help, but didn’t need Kissan at all! The Huevos Supremo arrived even before we could finish this. This stuffed omelette with garlic bread combination had a superb tang to it and some chilies, and the brown sauce (baked beans in it too?) complemented it very well. The last to arrive was the Eggs & Mushroom Ragout Penne – the sauce was thick and creamy, a bit thicker than I’d have liked it, and quite bland. A dash of pepper helped. The 4 Chilli Omelette was what we had in mind, but we were too stuffed and the Choco-sin had to be consumed! That cylindrical awesomeness of mousse, cream and a crunchy, biscuit-y base turned out to be a great finish to a splendid meal.

     

     

    The bill came to just less than Rs.600 and was totally worth it! That delay they were talking about in the notice never really happened. The dishes arrived really fast! There are so many things to try here that we’ll definitely be back. I liked this outlet more than the St.Marks Road one mostly because the outdoor seating gave it an extra relaxed feel that specially works a charm on lazy Sundays.

    The Egg Factory, 288, Ground Floor, 15th Cross, 18th Main, Opposite HP Petrol Pump, 5th Phase, JP Nagar. Ph: 40124848

  • Bakasur

    First appeared in Bangalore Mirror. 

    For those unfamiliar with mythology, Bakasur appears in the Mahabharata as a glutton who pioneered home delivery, bless his soul. Not only did he force a village to send him enormous quantities of food, he also ate the person who brought it – an extreme version of ‘bite the hand that feeds’. That was until the Pandavas arrived on the scene and Bhima decided to help the village. One day he took the food for Bakasur and not finding him, began eating it. Bakasur finally arrived, saw that there was hardly any food left and questioned Bhima. Bhima said something to the extent of ‘first-come first-served’ and in the fight that ensued, killed Bakasur. But in the annals of gluttony, the legend of Bakasur lived on. The current version of Bakasur, on Outer Ring Road (just before the IBP Petrol Pump on the Service Road when coming from Koramangala – map) has its soul right going by the quotes “Now serving in L, XL and Bakasur” size. Spread over two floors, with the one above offering semi-open seating, the quirky theme carries across the menu, coasters, and other messaging, including the ‘toilet club’. On one corner, I could see a cart wheel. If it was a hat tip by design, it was a stellar job – the village in the myth was called Ekachakra. Speaking of wheels, there’s valet parking.

    The menu is not really Bakasur size; it literally fits into a plate, but the options are quite unique. There’s also a liquor menu. We started with the Malai-wala Lassi, Zeera Chaach and a Virgin Bakasur! The Lassi and the Chaach were served in slightly larger-than-normal earthen mugs. The Chaach was particularly refreshing and the Lassi got the sweetness just right. The mocktail turned out to be just the standard Virgin Mojito and not the best we’ve had.

     

    The first starter to arrive was the Top Secret Gosht Kastoori Tikka – the meat was cooked well and the subtle fenugreek flavours did a reasonably good job, though it would’ve been better if it were served hot. The Mushroom Galauti, served on an ulta tawa paratha, had a smoky flavour that might not find favour with many. From greenery, we shifted to aquatic life – the Tandoori Panja Prawns was mildly spicy, succulent and had a tasty ginger garlic flavour. But the pick of the starters was the Beera Murg, 4 chunky pieces of spicy chicken that we couldn’t get enough of. The wind kept us company throughout and often sent tissues flying. Also present were flies, which seemed to take our frantic waving as a sign of friendliness!

     

     

    The main course took its time to arrive, but the good news was that the flies became tired of waiting and left. The dishes arrived in huge vessels, as though meant for bottomless appetites, but appearances were deceiving – they turned out to have false bottoms. We started with the Paneer Saag, Doodh Kalimiri Murg and the Palak Puri. Combined, there was enough oil to warrant a WMD search. The Paneer Saag, in particular, was a heavy dish and was tasty enough to make us just pile it on! The chicken dish was more subtle, with mild explosions of pepper. The Palak Puri was another oil factory but well worth the calories. The Tandoori Ragi Roti was a unique bread that turned out to be surprisingly good, a chocolate hero look helped. The Taash Gosht was a bit of a disappointment – though the masala was spicy and well appreciated, the meat itself was tough and we were in no mood to wrestle. The other let down was the Keema Naan that turned out to be more bland than expected. Though we had also asked for a Dum Apricot Pulao, we were told much later, when we asked for its whereabouts, that it was over. Probably there’s a Bakasur in the kitchen?

     

     

     

    Though we expected the Ghee Jalebi with Doodh Kurchan to be the dessert star, it was the Pista Kulfi that actually stole the show. The crisp, cloyingly sweet jalebis were no match for the subtler, creamy kulfis.

     

    Bakasur is definitely a unique experience – large tables, an open, relaxed feel and an ambiance that’s enjoyable despite the strong wind and the flies. For about Rs.1600, you could share a non-alcoholic drink, a non veg starter, a couple of rotis, a non-veg gravy, and end with a dessert.  (Inclusive of taxes and charges) The food, except for a few items, was quite good. The pricing though, is debatable, and though it isn’t the “bakwasur” it was made out to be on review sites, it probably needs to figure out a better price-quantity proposition before laying on the Bakasurcharge!

    Bakasur, Surami Plaza, Outer Ring Road, Next to Shobha Hibiscus, Bellandur, Ph: 9916076720, 8095501980

  • Spaghetti Kitchen (Koramangala)

    Though we asked for an EMI option at the Indiranagar version, we picked up the courage to try out the Koramangala version, thanks to Poshvine. Mostly for the awesome view of Hosur Road while we dined. Located right at the Forum junction, above Punjab Grill, there’s valet parking. There’s also a coffee shop in the same premises.

    The ambiance, which is bright and cheerful in daylight, gets an additional classiness at night, and suckers that we are for road facing views, this one was just awesome. We had a fair idea of what we wanted, courtesy the menu at Zomato, but added a Sangria for two to that list.

    The complimentary bread basket was excellent, and the bread was indeed fresh. We started with the Cappuccino of Four Mushroom soup (/2) and it turned out pretty and tasty, though I’d have liked a dash of pepper. Thankfully that’s available on the table easily. For the main course, we asked for a Fettuccine with Cream & Cheese and a Tutto Carne thin crust (Rs.50 extra) pizza. The all meat pizza arrived first and though we couldn’t complain about the meat presence – ham, lamb…, the crust was burnt a bit too much. Basically, pay Rs.50 extra for a burnt crust. The pasta though, was awesome. Don’t judge it by its skimpy appearance, it’s quite heavy and there’s no stinginess on the cream and the parmesan – pecorino sauce was just amazing.

     

    The wallet felt lighter by about Rs.2350, after the Poshvine discount. Pricey, and probably the place to go to when you’re in the mood for celebrations. The lunch buffet on weekdays (<500 after tax) is something I’d very highly recommend though.

    Spaghetti Kitchen, 1, SJR Primus, 1st Floor, Adjacent To Raheja Arcade, Koramangala. Ph: 41160500

  • Bow Barracks

    The good news is that you don’t have to go as far as Kolkata. There is no bad news. A little away from our regular Indiranagar haunts is 2nd Main, near the BDA complex. The last time we were on this road (On Double Road, take a right just before you hit Old Madras Road when coming from the CMH Road direction) was years back, and that restaurant has been replaced by a safer Punjabi outlet. In fact, the road now sports several food options including Chettinad, Punjabi and a few others! The map as well as the menu can be found on Zomato. Parking for 2 wheelers is easy and there are lanes around for 4 wheelers in case you don’t find space in front of the restaurant. A brick building with a doorway that makes you feel as though you’re entering a home. 🙂

    The interior too has a cosy feel to it with just the right amount of buzz. We chose the less crowded 1st floor and by the time we left, that too was fairly full, and people were being taken to the next floor. I think that’s where it ends, but can’t be sure. In addition to the splendid ambiance, watch out for the knickknacks. The clock, the old kind of switches, some wonderful photographs on the brick wall, all add to the personality of the place.

     

    The menu has Anglo Indian, Continental as well as Indian sections, but we were clear in our intent. We were even reasonably sure of 3 out of 4 items we planned to have, but we still needed to decide the 4th. As we sat debating that, an amuse-bouche made its way to the table. A fig with vinaigrette. I popped it in without giving it much thought until the flavour explosion hit me – tangy and sweet at the same time, with a crunch that will definitely make you sit up and pay attention.

    We started with the Pantheras – the beef version. The beef mince was superb, and the crumbed, deep fried crepes wrapped it up very well indeed. But what made us completely forget to add that lime twist was the sauce that came along with it. In terms of taste, it reminded us of a local favourite – sauce that came with the Delicacy momos – but this one was more suave! For the main course, we ordered the Khow Suey – Chicken, and in the battle between the Fish Moilu and the Chicken Ball Curry, the latter won. We also ordered Coconut Yellow rice to go with the curry. The Khow Suey is a favourite and they did complete justice to it – the Anglo Indian rendition doesn’t really vary from the original Burmese and the coconut milk, noodles, cumin, turmeric etc with the help of a twist of lime made up an excellent mix as always. The Chicken Ball curry also has coconut milk flavour in the background, but it’s only to add that little extra to the tomato base (consistency and taste) and to the chicken mince that is made into koftas. The Coconut Yellow rice – basmati – worked beautifully with the curry and for our Mallu palates, this overdose of coconut felt just divine! :))

     

    We were almost full, but the bread pudding had already booked itself space, though it was more mind and spirit than body! Served with mild custard sauce, I felt it could’ve been slightly less watery. But thankfully, it didn’t take away much from the taste. An excellent meal in a perfect setting! The service was prompt, helpful and altogether smooth. The meal made us poorer by Rs.1276 (including a service charge) but it was thoroughly worth it. This one goes into our favourites, and with so many more dishes to try, we’ll raid again soon!

    Bow Barracks, 618/1, 2nd Main, HAL 2nd Stage, Indiranagar. Ph: 42072555, 9739601015