Category: Restaurant Reviews

  • Oye Shaava

    And when Bangalore decided to play host to a nagging rain, we plonked our way through Church Street to have ‘Punjabi food with a pinch of Bollywood’. When i saw the ad, I was wondering how this positioning would be viable when ‘Oye Amritsar’ was so close by. I realised it would be, if its an add on to the latter. Oye Shaava is a floor below Oye Amritsar, the difference is in the ambience, a bit of the menu, and the fact there’s a DJ belting out Bollywood numbers and remixes.

    From the crowd we saw (in spite of the rains), I’d recommend you book a table if you aren’t the waiting sort. The seating was very comfortable, and we were given a decent table, with a nice view of Church Street.

    The part I loved about the menu was the half plates for starters and main course dishes. Since our appetites are not exactly XL, we’ve always sacrificed starters to do justice to the main course. This time we didn’t have to, because the starters as well as the main course had an option of a half plate. For starters,we ordered a ‘Pahalwani Dhabe de Maahi Tikka’, which is fish in English. Good stuff, a bit spicy, and exactly the right quantity for a ‘half’ starter.

    For the main course, we ordered a ‘Chitta Kukkad Kali Mirch’ and a 1/2 Bheja Fry (which is actually a starter) along with a masala kulcha, and a makki di roti. The chicken was a white gravy dish and was quite different from the regular kali mirch stuff we usually get. Definitely worth a try, if you like the pepper kind of spice. I’ve never had a bad Bheja Fry thus far, and this one was no exception. Meanwhile, the Makki di roti was the size of a small raw pappad, so we had to order another Naan, but whatver was there was tasty 🙂

    For those who can’t do without soups, there are shorbas available. There’s also a small selection of desserts available. The regular north indian stuff, so we skipped. Would definitely not recommend it for the quiet dinner type, but if you’re okay with minimal conversation and some loud music to keep you entertained, this place should be on your list. All of the above left us poorer by just over Rs.500.

    Oye Shaava, 3rd Floor, Asha Enclave, Church street, 080-41122877

    Menu at Zomato

  • Mocha

    The Koramangala version, since the Lavelle road version was highly recommended, but a bit too far from the current residence. To get there, just turn left from Forum on Hosur Road (when coming from MG Road) and you’ll find it on the left. Alterantively, turn right on the intermediate ring road (from Indiranagar) at Sony World and then take a left before the Games village. You’ll then find it on the right.

    We got there by around 7.45 and it was a bit crowded. We found a place upstairs (its not covered, so it might be a problem during the rains, but at this time of the year, is absolutely the perfect place to be). We went prepared for a very ‘snacks’ sort of dinner, so the place didnt disappoint. We ordered a Crepes Monte Cristo (I loved the character) which is chicken based, and the Non Veg Club Wrap (its everything thats ‘animal and eatable’ based :)). Aaaand we ordered a Black Forrest shake. Its the stuff fantasies are made off. And it was a difficult choice given the range of stuff they’ve got in that category. The food was quite good, bot don’t have the wrap if you don’t like gherkins.  The quantity is sufficient so long as you have a drink like the one above to fill the extra space 🙂

    Lets not forget the plethora of shishas that you can puff away if you’re the kind who like hookahs. (pun slightly intended) No, there’s nothing such as a free hookah, but hey, its an experience you know. And now, we come to the finale. We were so stuffed that we just couldn’t find it in our stomach (in our hearts, yes) to have dessert. So we did the next best thing, packed a Chocolate Avalanche Sr. Now this, you must understand, was arrived at after some three gruelling rounds of elimination, each one rivalling those reality shows in terms of grief and heartburn caused when a contestant bows out. If you’re on a diet, you really don’t belong here.

    Mocha’s ambience is more of a philosophy than decor. Its soothing, refreshing and very laid back. And I’m not punning on the lounge chairs they have. I heard a couple of people expressing discomfort at those, but i was a happy man. All the furniture has been apparently picked up from flea markets, though i saw something that i thought i ogled at once in Westside. I think i also saw a Sintex tank used as a table, but hell, its a really groovy place. Also, they say if you particularly like a piece, you can buy it.

    All of the above cost us a bit over Rs.700. So, will I be back? Most definitely, because its an experience, and as the Mocha philosophy goes, ‘Life can wait’. But hey, i can’t, not for those chocolates.

    577, 80 Feet Road , Koramangala 8th Block. 9886750549

    http://www.mocha.co.in/

    Menu and photos at Zomato

  • A Taste of Rampur

    is obviously quite good, because we’ve been repeat vistors, although this time we fell for a marketing gimmick – them calling up D and wishing her a happy birthday. 🙂

    The restaurant is in the service road (on Hosur Road) opposite Globus in Koramangala. There’s parking available and the best way to reach would be from the ‘National Games Village to Forum’ road and turning left just before the Forum junction.

    We don’t book in advance, but it would be better to do so on Saturday nights, especially after 8, since we had to wait once for around 15 minutes. The decor is very Awadh, and the background music is usually very Hindustani, although the TV in the corner does show EPL 😉

    The ambience is quite soothing, with soft lighting and comfortable seating. Although I’ve never tried it, the liquor menu does look well stocked. They have a good selection of kebabs. We usually ditch the shorba for starters, though the chicken shorba we had once was quite good. (but no 1/2 ok?!) This time we had the Murg Potli Kabab, which has chicken mince filling. Quite tasty.

    For the main course, we wanted to have a Murg Kali Mirch, but they recommended Murg Raseela since we wanted something spicy. Spicy it was, but i liked the Kali Mirch better (from previous visits). They also have a stew which we’ll try sometime. There’s a good selection of rotis, chicken and mutton. Though the dessert spread is good on paper, we have never managed to get the stuff we wanted. This time was no exception.

    A meal for two would cost about Rs.700-800 for a starter, 2 main course dishes and dessert. Overall the place is good, and we’ll definitely repeat the visits.

    Menu and map at Zomato

  • Yoko

    The outlet on Church Street is fairly new, but they’re apparently quite a famous chain in Mumbai, and have also started an outlet in Hyderabad.

    Its essentially a sizzler joint, and essays that role quiet well, given the choices and the ‘value for money’ factor. We reserved in advance, but a peek into the diary told us, we were the only ones to have done so :). The place has two floors, and the ground floor was quite full, but we were only one of two groups on the first floor. I would recommend the first floor, cosy, comfortable and a little less congested.

    We started with a cream of chicken soup, which was simply awesome. I would rate it as one of the best i’ve had in Bangalore. Unlike a lot of places we’ve been to, they believe in using both cream and chicken in a ‘cream of chicken’ soup. There are also a lot of starters you could choose from.

    For the main course, we had a ‘Chicken Satellite’ sizzler and a ‘Diced Steak with chips’. The steak had a wonderful flavor, the sizzler was only average, but it could be my intense dislike for most vegetables that biased my view. Speaking of vegs, there’s enough choice her for vegetarians too. The meal was just the right quantity and leaves you enough space for dessert.  There are not many dessert options, and its pretty much the standard Mousse, Ice Cream, Caramel Custard kind. Would have loved to review that too, but had to rush.

    Overall, a good experience, Yoko’s a good place to visit when you’re hovering around MG/Brigade Road,  but I might be more inclined towards Tangerine (Indiranagar) when in the generic mood for sizzlers. Its the dessert, stupid, though a Barista and Java city close to Yoko pretty much evens it up. 😀

    Yoko Sizzlers,

    No. 42, Church Street, Next to KC Das, Opposite Hotel Empire, Bangalore, 41266588, 41266589

  • Pink Pepper

    The poor place suffered at the hands of Bangalore Times’s review, but we still decided to give it a try. After all, we aren’t that gourmet yet.

    Since we didn’t want to go around in circles (considering that 13th main, 6th cross can be mny different places in indiranagar), we called up the place for directions, and were guided quite well. For those familiar with the Indiranagar culinary scene,  its on the same road as Sigri. (the first right turn when you enter Indiranagar from the Old Madras Road – 100 ft road intersection)

    The name and the decor would recommend a setting different from what it currently occupies. The seating is very comfortable, with a smoking and non smoking section, and a view of the road its located in. The menu has a bit of continental, Indian and Chinese stuff. As always, we decided to mix and match. So we went for the Hot and Sour Chicken soup first, which was quite thick and delicious, a bit on the salty side, the wife said, but I’d still say it was pretty good.

    For the main course, we went Indian and ordered a Murgh Masaledar and a Goan Fish curry. The portions were quite sufficient for two people, and they actually serve a roti as part of any dish for the main course. That is not something I’ve come across earlier. Both the dishes were unlike the regular fare we get to eat, and definitely tasted like some good work had gone into it. A strange thing was the lack of bloated feeling, which usually accompanies our Saturday dinners 🙂

    The menu did have some dessert options, but the lure of the Casa Picola nearby (CMH road) was too tempting to miss. So we had our regular Black forest Crepes and Chocolate Mousse Cake, after the waiter there handed us a ‘Duh’ moment, when he asked us ‘Garlic Bread or Rice’ for the order above.

    Contact – Pink pepper,

    No.152,1st Floor, Indiranagar, 2nd Main,1st Stage, Bangalore

    25217787, 25217788, 9945272366, 9741311443