Category: Restaurant Reviews

  • Kumarakom

    The review was first published in Bangalore Mirror.

    Thanks to HSR Layout’s proximity to Koeramangala, some would say that it is one of the first areas that have been earmarked for expansion in the Mallu global domination plans. So it’s no surprise that Kumarakom, after opening outlets in Chennai and the international Malayali homeland Dubai, chose to set up shop here. Kumarakom is better known as a tourist destination in Kerala, located near Kottayam, and with the Vembanad Lake as its backdrop.

    Kumarakom in HSR has a the BDA complex as the backdrop, but makes it up with an ambience that immediately transports you to Kerala – a décor that includes a few mural paintings, a charupadi in some areas, a chuttuvilakku, and even right down to the boat-shaped salt’n’pepper holder on the table. The music, though, moved from Malayalam movie soundtracks to 90s pop and then lounge music in the space of two hours.

    The menu does provide a range of options from traditional Kerala cuisine, and if for some reason, those fail to impress you much, there are some Tandoori and Chinese options! Here’s the Kerala cuisine part

     

     

    In case soups work better for you, the mildly spicy Kozhi Kurumulaku soup (chicken and black pepper corn respectively) would be a good bet. We ignored the Veg Spring Rolls, Chicken Lollipops and Katti Rolls and decided to go for the ‘Chenda Muriyan Kappa with Mulaku Chammanthi’ (tapioca with chutney in case you are Malayalam challenged), Stuffed Squid Fry and Green-masala-fried fish. The last two items were not available, so we switched to the more standard Koonthal (squid) Fry and promoted a main course dish ‘Karimeen Pollichathu’ to opener status. I was initially quite dismayed on account of the minuscule Chammanthi (chutney) provided with the Kappa, but soon found that they had perfectly nailed the spicy green chilli-salt flavour, a small quantity of which can last several rounds of Kappa. The tapiocas too had been boiled to perfection. The Karimeen Pollichathu is priced according to size (so ask beforehand) and cost us Rs 400, but the Pearlspot fish grilled perfectly, with a banana leaf wrap, and a spicy sweet and tangy ‘secret masala’ was totally worth it. The squids in the Koonthal Fry were perfectly fried and the masala had permeated enough to make the dish wholesomely flavourful.

    The main course is easily skewed towards non-vegetarians, though the creamy, coconut milk-based Vegetable Stew would find favour with all. It is difficult to identify a favourite among the non-veg main course dishes, because the masalas involved were only separated by fine nuances. I would pick the Duck Roast, for its coconut milk-based mildly spicy, thick gravy, and meat that was tender. The Mutton Roast, a dry dish with a tasty curry leaves flavour, would be a close second. The Naadan Kozhi curry is also a coconut milk-based preparation and is a thinner version of the Duck Roast. The Meat Roast could’ve been better, as the masala was more fluid than usual, and missed the generous coconut sliver presence that makes the dish special. The Prawns Fry got the frying part right, but lacked the zing that the squid’s masala had provided. The Fish Moilee was a bit of a disappointment on account of its blandness. The soft appams with crispy edges proved to be a favourite, and the amazing pace at which they appeared at the table was only matched by the speed with which they disappeared soon after. The ‘alcoholic’ version – Kallappam (Kallu = toddy) managed to get the flavour, albeit mildly. The Porotta was also perfect with just the right amount of flakiness. The Puttu was a mild disappointment as it was a tad too powdery. The Thattu Dosa was unavailable for comment.

    On paper, the dessert options would make you salivate in anticipation – Ela Ada, Ethakka Appam, Ethakka Roast, Jackfruit with Coconut and Paani, and so on. But we were brought back to earth with the now familiar ‘Unavailable’. The Caramelised Dried Ethappazham turned out to be a bit too syrupy and had less-than-ripe bananas and the Ada Pradhaman was quite insipid too.

    Kumarakom does quite a good job of delivering authentic Kerala cuisine, and considering the portion sizes, the pricing is also just right – Rs.900-1000 for two. The non availability of certain dishes is thankfully compensated by the tastiness of those that made it to the table.

  • Biryani Pundits

    Sometime back, while on a Natural Ice Creams (map) expedition in Koramangala, we found that an iconic Koramangala food spot had gone missing – Sonakshi Sharma’s Family Restaurant. In its place was Biryani Pundits. Though we did visit soon after, missing out on the Biryani among other small things, I decided to wait for an official review in Bangalore Mirror before I published it here.

    It’s located in Koramangala 1st Block, near Sichuan. Usually it’s easier to park in Indiranagar and take an auto, but you can try your luck in one of the side lanes. You’ll have to climb a flight of narrow stairs to get to the seating area.

    Take a look at the menu on Zomato. If you’re up to it, you can mix and match with the Chettinad, Tandoori, North Indian, and Biryani that’s available. There are also value-for-money priced, ‘legit’ combinations available. As you’ll notice, the menu doesn’t have a starter section, but there are more than enough items in the ‘Fry’ ‘Tandoori’, and ‘Daily Specials’ section that can serve the purpose quite well. In fact, with Quail 65, Prawn Sukka, Crab Soup, Fish Cutlets etc listed among the day’s specials, there was much lip smacking. Unfortunately, none of the items in that section were available, and that left about a dozen ‘Fry’ and a few Tandoori options.

    The Chicken 65 was the pick of the starters, boneless, succulent and quite spicy thanks to a chilli paste. The Lamb Liver Liver Fry was just a shade below, and though the masala couldn’t be termed spicy, it had a flavourful zing to it, helped by the green chillies. The Pundits Special Chicken just about passed muster with a masala that seemed to be a ‘ghee roast’ wannabe, but without the ghee or the texture. The Paneer Chilly turned out to be a disappointment and the least spicy, with the Paneer in a guest appearance and corn flour and capsicums hogging the limelight. Though the chicken was tender, the Chicken Tikka Boneless was quite bland, despite peppery attempts.

    The Chicken Wheat Parotta Koththu is quite famous as a street food and Biryani Pundits does a good job with it, not being stingy with the chicken, and with a slightly spicy and consistent masala featuring ginger garlic, chilli and turmeric flavours. The Lamb version was not so fortunate with the masala, as some portions were too salty. But here too, it needs to be mentioned that there was an ample proportion of meat. One of the drawbacks of an enthusiastic service was that they brought the entire set of dishes at the same time, despite the order having things like appams , Wheat Parottas and Biryani, which really need to be served hot. I expected the egg appam to have an unbroken yolk, but that was not to be. However, it did a good job otherwise, making a good combination with the Lamb Curry , which was the only item that redeemed the main course. The meat was tender and juicy and the gravy, while not overly spicy, had a piquancy about it that made it a favourite. The Chicken Pepper Masala was a also quite a dud, with no sign of the pepper. The Wheat Kerala Parotta obviously lacks the fluffiness of its maida counterpart, but is still a safe bet. The same can’t be said of the Veg Lbabdar, which somehow tasted all wrong. An extremely dominant tangy flavour made the dish quite unpalatable. Much was expected from the Special dosa, priced higher than the egg appam, but it was just a roast dosa, which could barely hold on to its crispiness. But the biggest disappointment was the Pundits Special Chicken Biryani, special because it used kababs, but the masala made only a fleeting appearance. Also mildly irritating was having to ask for the raita and the brinjal chutney that were supposed to be given along with the dish. And when they did appear, it didn’t make much of a difference either. The other disappointing aspect was the non availability of dishes. To feature items like ‘Lamb Head Masala’ and ‘Quail Biryani’ on the menu and not have it is gross injustice, and enough to convert carnivores into cannibals.

    The menu does not have a dedicated section for desserts either, and our only hope was the ‘traditional sweet’ promised with the biryani. That turned out to be another item we had to ask for, and when it did arrive, the jamun was a tad too sweet and syrupy.

    For a restaurant that has Biryani in its name, Biryani Pundits have quite a way to go before their offering delivers some dum.  Some of their dishes are quite good, but the unavailability of items doesn’t really help their cause.

    Biryani Pundits, No:1018, 1st Main, 80 feet Road, Koramangala. Ph: 8880050001

  • Adaa

    Koramangala’s autumn cleaning has meant that we have a new set of restaurants. Adaa is one of them, and has the advantage of already being famous in Marathahalli, one of those recent upstart villages that is trying to give Koramangala’s sheer number of restaurants a run for its money. 😉

    A social visit earlier meant that the tummy was half-full, so we decided to walk to Adaa. This is on one of Koramangala’s food streets, same as Kobe, Empire, Sufi etc. You’ll see it on the left turn (corner) just after the Jyoti Nivas College left, opposite what used to be Paramount. (and now seems to be on its way to becoming Naushad’s The Big Chef) I think Adaa has taken Desmond’s spot. Thanks to the parking lot near Empire, you should be able to easily find a place.

    Adaa is a compact restaurant with a warm yet classy interior, and comfortable seating options. The menu informs you that it is part of the same group that owns Treat in Indiranagar. That used to be one of our favourite haunts during our brief stay in Bangalore East. The usage of green in the menu and logo is also a good hint to the connection, on hindsight.

    We started off proceedings with a Bukni Kabab. ‘Bukni’ seems to be a powdered masala with a dominant red chillies flavour. This indeed turned out to be a hot, fiery seekh kabab with an excellent texture, complemented well by the lemony, tangy onions. We washed it down with a thick, sweet lassi, that proved to be a good investment too. For the main course, we ordered a Murg Raada and a Magaz, and to go with that, a Kheema Kulcha, a Lal Mirch Paratha and later a, Hari Mirch Roti.

    The chicken dish seems to have a back story too. Apparently, it was created in a dhaba near the Road Transport Authority in Old Delhi. The mince and meat combo was good but though that made it a thick dish, the gravy itself proved a bit watery and bland. The Magaz, which is goat’s brain in a spiced masala was a much better dish, in spite of being slightly inconsistent with its flavours. There were spikes of salt and tanginess, but that didn’t take away much. The roti, paratha and kulcha did their jobs well, though we expected more spicy versions.

    There were dessert options, but we were too stuffed. There was this cool packaged ‘paan’ that came with the bill. First time I have seen this, and it’s quite good. So good that we ate two each and took the remaining with us. 😀 The bill came to just over Rs.900, including a 10% service charge. The service is courteous and attentive. In short, quite worth a visit, if you’re in Koramangala and would like some North Indian fare.

    Adaa, 48, 4B Cross, 5th Block, Koramangala Ph: 41103144/55

    A review published in Bangalore Mirror later

  • Applewood

    It’s been a while since we left the safe confines of Koramangala city and explored dining options in the suburbs. And thus it was that we decided to try out Applewood, the newly opened restaurant in Indiranagar. It’s on 100 feet Road, above the Van Heusen showroom, just after the 12th Main junction when going from Koramangala. Here’s a map to get you there. There’s basement parking, so you don’t need to worry on that score.

    Applewood is on the 3rd floor, and is more partly open than really alfresco, with a few seating options facing the 100 ft Road – 2 and 4 seaters. The ambiance is quite pleasant, and wood indeed dominates. Music is 90s pop including MLTR. 🙂 The menu is mostly continental, with plenty of pasta options, but also has sizzlers, and a smattering of Mexican and Spanish. You can see the complete food and liquor menu at Zomato.  Meanwhile, the placemat spelling did manage to confuse me. Though there are no soup options on the menu, except as part of the pasta combination, they do serve it if you ask for it. But we went for a Pema Chicken, which is billed as ‘must try’. It turned out that it indeed was. A kind of spicy kebab-like dish complemented extremely well with a Skinner’s chutney and a smooth mint chutney.

    For the main course, we decided to check out the sizzlers. The Roast Clay Pot Chicken was only moderately spicy and the skewers reminded us more of kababs than anything else. The Cheesy Chicken Fungi got the chicken breast right but skimped on the cheese and cream. The onion rings were also soggy. For dessert, we asked for the Very Good Chocolate Cake. It turned out to be Very Long in making, but was thankfully worth it. Bit costly at Rs.195, but boy, it’s XL!! Make sure you leave enough room for it.

    The service is quite enthusiastic, and only the serving time for dessert was a downer. All of the above including the service charge and tax cost us just over Rs.1300. Do give it a shot if you’re in the area and are in the mood for some fine dining.

    Applewood, No: 760, 3rd Floor, Above Van Heusen Showroom, 100 Ft Road, Indiranagar Ph: 40942311

  • Cafe Malabari

    (This review was first published in Bangalore Mirror)

    Malabar is the northern part of God’s Own Country, lying between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea. For those not familiar with Koramangala’s official language, ‘Malabar’ is derived from the word ‘mala’ meaning hill in Malayalam and ‘bar’ has nothing to do with Kerala’s increasing alcohol consumption of late. Until the middle of June, the premises were occupied by what keen observers of the cuisine would identify as one of the last bastions of authentic Malayali food in this part of Bangalore – Kairali. That awesome Beef Roast may now exist only in fond memories, but otherwise, with daily specials beefing up the regular menu, Cafe Malabari does promise to be a worthy successor.

    Cafe Malabari is just a couple of buildings after GK Vale and underneath Krishna Cafe, on the same road as Yana Sizzlers, ‘Flambe‘, China Pearl, Vicky’s Tava Lounge, Oye Amritsar, The Esplanade etc. (map) Park as soon as you enter the road, and walk up.

    The regular menu does not acknowledge the existence of starters, so make sure you ask for the week’s special menu.

    There were six starters available the week we visited, with the Gobi/ Mushroom/ Paneer 65 being the sole vegetarian representative. The ‘Prawns Kombail Korthuthu’ is a specialty and quite deserves the tag. It’s satay-like in presentation, but has a crisp exterior and succulent inside, flavoured with a spicy masala. The Kunthal (squid) Varuval wasn’t as much a favourite as the masala hadn’t quite seeped in, but it was reasonably tasty. The Travancore Chicken Dry Fry is just another name for the item that’s commonly found in menus across Kerala – Poricha Kozhi. Purists might frown at the presentation, since the dish is not famous for garnishing, but it did make a pretty picture. The chicken was crisp on the outside and tender inside, just the way it should be done.

    In the main course, the Cafe Malabari Chicken Curry, a signature dish, has an onion-based, mildly spicy gravy that  works well with the excellent Kerala Porotta – crisp, yet not flaky, on the outside and soft inside. And you must Meat Kappa Roast, well boiled tapioca mashed together with a spicy and thick meat gravy. For the vegetarians who would like to get a taste of this eternal favourite of Malayalis, try the Kappa Ularthu. We were given an excellent red chillies and onion-based chutney along with the starters. It goes  very well with the kappa, so make sure you ask for it. The Kurumulagu Peralan Mutton had only a subtle  pepper flavour, but did prove a good combination with the appam, though the latter was reheated and was of the flat variety as opposed to the more favoured appachatti version. The spicy tomato-based Egg Roast was also a good side dish for the appams. The Puttu (steamed rice cake) hit that exact mid spot between pasty and powdery, and had just the right amount of grated coconut, though its trusted combination – the Kadala curry – was rather insipid. The Chilly Gobi, which is waging a battle along with its Manchurian cousin for the title of Kerala’s most preferred dish, was moderately spicy and a tad too colourful. The Chicken “Ishtew” got the coconut milk flavoured gravy right, but the country chicken was bent on putting up a good fight in its afterlife. The ‘Cafe Malabari Special Gift’ is meant to be a meal in itself with Kappa, Fish Vattichathu, Appam and Avoli (pomfret) fry but except for the spicy second item, which went well with the Kappa, it was a bad show. Another mala-barb was the Meen (fish) Varutharacha curry, in which we could find no trace of the fried coconut flavour that makes it special. Ghee Rice it was called, but only the rice could make it for dinner. But the biggest heartache turned out to be the non availability of the Pathiri (a thin ‘pancake’) and the Moplah Mutton Biriyani, the latter being a favourite wedding dish in Malabar.

    Payasams for dessert, a different one every day. I dreamt up Ada Pradhaman, Semiya, Palada, and received a reality check for my efforts when I was told they had run out of it. Meat frenzy has its drawbacks. You win some, you lose payasam.

    An average meal for two would cost Rs.400-500. The service is cheerful, and obviously, you get a free smile if you order in Malayalam. Cafe Malabari sets the Malabar high by doing a good job on quite a few traditional Kerala dishes. You’d do well to make an early start to your dinner though, just so that you don’t miss out on the specialties.

    Cafe Malabari, No: 143, 5th Block, Munireddy Kalyana Mandapa Road, Next to Anand Sweets, Koramangala Ph: 25507373