Category: Restaurant Reviews

  • Kappa Chakka Kandhari

    With a name like that and the nostalgia it evokes, there is no way any Malayali can ignore the place. In fact, such was the spread that we have already made two visits and probably need at least a couple more to ensure that we have done justice to ourselves and the menu! Our first visit was in December during the week they opened, and the second was in early February. On both the occasions, we ensured we had company – if you want to make the most of the visit, this is what you should do too. The portion sizes are small, and that means you can just keep ordering.

    There is no toddy for now, and the name of the starters section – Touchings – rubs it in! But there are other favourites to make sure that you don’t miss it much. The Nannari Sherbhath is a great example of that, and given that non-Malayalis have seen Nivin Pauly’s Premam, you will recognise that first drink with its trademark khus khus. They also make a thick, delightful Morum Vellam – buttermilk with shallots, bird’s eye chilli and curry leaves. The Absolute Kandhari is another excellent drink, especially if you don’t mind the bird’s eye chilli. A couple of other drinks to try are the Guava Temptation and Kerala’s own Sharjah Shake! 🙂

    We began with the Prawn Kizhi. I use “we” loosely since prawns are allergic to me and try to make their way out of my body when I consume them. But I was told that the coconut masala was excellent. The Vazhappoo cutlet was next in line, and I largely ignored it, only tasting a bit. Nothing wrong with it, except that it is a veg dish, and I think when one is surrounded by all sorts of non-veg dishes, this was insulting! 😀 But the banana blossom and potato, crumb fried, is worth a try. And now on to some real food! Kallummakkaya is mussels cooked in a flavourful masala. Ask for it if you don’t see it in the menu. The last of the seafood among the starters was Koonthal Roast – fried squid rings with a chilli and turmeric marinade. How is it different from the standard stuff you get everywhere else? Our not-so-secret weapon – coconut oil!

    The only fowl play we experienced was the KCK Chicken Fry, I think there are better options on the menu. The Syrian Irachi fry is one of the reasons why one makes repeat visits – Central Travancore’s gift to mankind. It is quite literally a holy cow of Kerala cuisine, and KCK’s version does not disappoint. The Mutton Coconut fry had a generous portion of coconut shavings, which added a lot to the dish’s texture and complemented the meat’s taste too.

    The expanse of dishes is a feature of the main course too, but I have to admit there are a few things that we (D and I) are repeatedly drawn to. The Kappa Vevichathu and the Shappu Meen Curry is one such combination.  In English, tapioca and a toddy shop style fish curry – the latter served cold just as it should be. The Puttu Biriyani is another. We have tried the beef and chicken versions and loved both. If we had the appetite, we would have also repeated one of the Kanjis. Rice porridge – food for the soul.

    We also discovered new favourites on our second visit. For instance, Vattayappam with Tharavu Mappas. That’s fermented rice cake with a duck curry. What makes it an awesome combination – the mild sweet flavour of the former and the peppery hotness of the latter. The Pidi was great too – rice dumplings with coconut milk. The menu suggests a combination with the Ramapuram Kozhi curry. This is not bad, but I’d stick with the duck. D was adamant about trying the Ramassery Idli this time, and thanks to that, I tasted a “podi” I hadn’t in a couple of decades. This serves as an accompaniment to idli/dosa and is roughly, a coarse dry powdery mix made from a bunch of spices, pulses etc that you then mix with oil. The texture and taste varies as there are many versions. This one, I remember from my childhood vacations in Palakkad.

    For desserts, on your first visit, try the Kandhari ice cream because it’s unique- chilli ice cream. If you’ve had Wasabi ice cream, you’d have an idea. The Paalada (rice flakes and milk) is not bad. I am not a fan of Unnakkai so I will stay away from recommending it. The Pazhampori (banana fritters) was a surprise disappointment – the bananas were clearly not ripe enough. But here’s the thing – if you don’t really want to try assorted stuff, just ask for the Cloud Pudding, made of tender coconut. You won’t be disappointed and you will ask for repeats.

    The funny thing about all this is that you won’t really feel very heavy. Ask for a Sulaimani (black tea) to close the meal.

    The service is superb – friendly and prompt. Chef Regi Mathew makes it a point to drop in at tables and have a quick chat, and that adds to the homely touch that the dishes have in abundance. We will most definitely repeat, multiple times, the damn menu is like the Arabian Sea itself! 🙂 Now’s a good time to get back in touch with that Malayali friend of yours, and attack! Make sure you book in advance, because the second time we visited, there was a queue that spilled on to the road!

    Kappa Chakka Kandhari, #438, 18th Main Road, 6th Block, Koramangala Ph: 636471010

  • Fox in the Field

    Each time we visited Forum Shantiniketan, we wondered when the sign would evolve into an actual microbrewery, and finally, sometime in early January, it actually happened! The craft beer menu wasn’t available on Zomato so we called to confirm. After reasonably meh experiences at multiple eateries in the mall (Rassasy by Barcelos, Smokehouse Deli, Uno Chicago Bar & Grill) and only Punjab Grill being the saving grace, we were naturally cautious and expectations were minimal.

    Seating should never be a problem here – there are 4 floors, including one that seemed like a mini amphitheater! We chose the terrace option on a crisp Saturday night. Part covered, part al fresco, it has comfortable seating options for different group sizes. Bacardi seems to have branded the fox’s den, if one goes by this floor’s decor.

    Of the five craft beers available, we skipped two – the Chocolate Stout and the Tripel IPA. We began with a Hefeweizen, which from experience is the safest bet. This one was no exception, and seemed fresh as well. The Saison Farmhouse had an intriguing description – “champagne of the beer world”. A pale ale, highly carbonated, it had a touch of sour that worked well.

    The Dabeli pizza with bacon was interesting since they don’t really occur naturally together. The bacon was only the topping but its texture and the spiciness of the dabeli complemented each other very well. Naan Pops also was an interesting dish – we chose the Butter Chicken option and it didn’t disappoint. A good time to note that if you like pork, the menu has a ton of options across cuisines.

    We then tried the lager – spicy hops and a refreshing zing! For mains, we chose the Linguine with lamb dumplings. The pasta itself was a little suspect, but the tomato based sauce, and the lamb dumplings made up for it. The bread too contributed with texture and taste.

    The dessert options didn’t excite us much, so we skipped.

    The bill came to a little over Rs.1800, which is absolutely a good deal given the location and the quality of beer and food. The service was friendly and prompt, and the playlist was perfect evening lounge. This one we will repeat!

    Fox in the Field, Forum Shantiniketan Mall, Whitefield Ph: 47483072

  • Bohemians

    Bohemia in the heart of Indiranagar would seem an impossibility, but Bohemians does manage to get it done. My first visit was with colleagues and since I knew D would love the decor, I decided to give her a surprise and we braved the traffic to Indiranagar on a Saturday evening.

    I was given a surprise by the folks there who said the entire indoor section was closed for pest control. A restaurant choosing to do that on a Saturday evening is indeed Bohemian! Thankfully, on promising that we wouldn’t grab a table, we were allowed to look around a bit before taking a table outside. This section, facing 12th Main, is a great alfresco option too – the transparent fiberglass makes sure the view of the open sky, and tree isn’t obstructed. That’s if you want to look up. You could also raise your spirits by looking sideways – at the bar! Oh yes, there was a “no photos” challenge too, which I tend to happily accept in public spaces. In this case, why would you not want people to share this lovely looking space!

    It was the perfect weather for the Portobello markets mulled wine that D ordered, and enjoyed much. I went with a Turkish version of my favourite drink – Old Fashioned. Normally, I dislike any variations, but cardamom bitters are an exception, because the aroma adds to the experience.

    The Ukranian Borscht seemed like a good place to start. My intense dislike for beetroot was balanced by the love for beef. The soup was flavourful and delicious, though I missed the sour cream topping. The Banana Leaf Wrapped fish (Patra Ni Machi) got the green chutney perfect and the garnish added a little texture.

    Since we were eyeing the dessert section already, we decided to go light on the mains – the Barbeque Chicken seemed perfect. I found the sauce a tad too sweet for my liking, but was distracted enough by the bacon. The Oreo Peanut Butter pie has obvious greatness in the name itself and is a great way to end the meal – excellent ganache and surprisingly light.

    The service is helpful and prompt, which was a surprise since I had heard exactly the opposite! The playlist is perfect for the mood of the place. The wallet was lighter by a shade short of Rs.3200. Drop in when you’re around 12th Main, for good food and a unique experience.

    Bohemians, 966, 12th Main Rd, Indiranagar Ph: 9880435789

  • Punkah House

    Punkah House has its fans, and they have been recommending the place for a while now. But we really didn’t have the appetite to negotiate traffic, and kept postponing the visit until we got one of those weekends when people leave Bangalore for a long weekend and transport it to the past. That also meant that we arrived earlier than anticipated. Not complaining, since we hopped over to the church of Magnolia (judging by the lines of those of us who waited patiently in a queue for salvation) to get ourselves some banana pudding for later.

    Punkah House is undeniably classy, and barring the honking, manages to keep the chaos of 12th Main out. The decor and wicker furniture on the first floor, where we sat, would remind you of an older era of clubs. There are other sections too, each with a distinct nuanced layer over the broad colonial theme.

    The menu follows this with dishes from the subcontinent with a lot of representation from Ceylon and Burma and of course, India, albeit with a contemporary twist. An amuse-bouche arrived – sago with a zingy sauce – even as we were debating over drinks – which one to order, that is! D chose a Tokyo Tomo, and I asked for the Brigadier. The first has sake, lime and a mild pandan leaf flavoured gin, altogether quite refreshing. The Brigadier’s presentation is quite something, and bourbon, absinthe and bitters made for a fantastic drink that one could nurse for a long time!

    The Chorizo and lentil Goa vada was intriguing enough for us to try, and it delivered an excellent texture in addition to the combination that worked well together, helped by a spicy chutney that came along! We then went into zombie mode and ordered an Old Bombay Brain Scramble hoppum. I know appam (from my homeland) and hopper (from Lanka) but it seems the combination is a word! Curiously enough, it was served with coconut and chilli-tomato chutneys that are more of dosa BFFs. It wasn’t bad though and in any case we were distracted enough by the delicious brain! Midway through this, we were served another hoppum. We thought the staff were going above and beyond, but turned out it was billed. Oh well, getting punked at Punkah House is probably par for the course.

    There were a bunch of mains we wanted to try, but we were stuffed. The Rustic Chicken flat bread with fermented chilli salsa turned out to be a safe bet. Chocolate won over Kapimisu but the Eton Mess was the only dish that we would file under just ok, at least in terms of flavour if not texture.

    The bill was a a hefty Rs. 3400+ affair, but given the location, ambiance and quality of food, I wouldn’t complain. The service is friendly, the vibe is unlike anything else in the vicinity and we’ll definitely make the trek again.

    Punkah House, 2989/B, 1st Floor, 12th Main Road, Indiranagar Ph: 41471005

  • Lord of the Drinks

    Given the name, the ideal location would’ve been the Ring Road, but this one is in the Mahadevpura part of Middle Earth. Specifically, Phoenix Market City, and just so you don’t wander and get lost, its large signage is difficult to miss when you’re standing in front of the mall.

    We were early and got ourselves a table on the first floor that gave us a view of the mall’s front yard, and the road beyond. The table seemed to have started early, without us, and was already wobbling when we joined its company. We shifted to a less wobbly one. The seating is comfortable and the decor and the high ceiling lend the place a distinct look and feel.

    Since my regulars were unavailable, I opted for a Black Jack Whiskey, and D got herself a Cucumber & Basil Sangria. Black berry, ginger ale and lime juice actually worked well with the whiskey. I found D’s sangria a little too sweet for my liking, but since she didn’t agree, everything was fine!

    The food menu is elaborate and you’ll be spoilt for choice. We finally mixed cuisines and went with a Spicy Chicken Katsu and Kalonji Mutton kebabs. The first had shichimi and tonkatsu (spelled wrongly in the menu) sauce which made it perfectly spicy. They were also generous with some surprisingly good wasabi. The pepper malai added a zing to the mutton kebabs though the Malabar parantha (sic) was quite off.

    The Spicy Chettinad Chicken Pizza sounded promising and though it wasn’t spectacular, it did a fairly good job. For dessert, we had the Boozy Cakesicle – it’s difficult to get a combination of Old Monk and chocolate wrong, and we weren’t disappointed.

    The bill came to a little over Rs.32oo. The staff was friendly and prompt, and the playlist added a nice lounge feel to the ambiance. The price might be justified given the setting and location,  but there’s plenty of competition around – from Social to Shizusan.