For a change, D had already visited once, but she hadn’t tasted the jamun beer that had been recommended to me. And that was how, we ventured to ORR for an evening out, deviating from my policy of avoiding anything from Brookefield onwards!
Deck Of Brews is a little away from the main road (ORR) and resides in a large industrial-meets-Total Environment building. There are multiple seating options – al fresco, and at least two floors of indoor seating. One reason I was lured was the terrace, but that apparently is open only during weekdays, which is when their main crowd (from the IT parks nearby) frequents the place. The next best spot for a pleasant Bangalore evening was the al fresco area.
We’ve been hearing about Roxie for a while now, and everything we had heard had been good. So, in what is now becoming a little tradition, we set out for Sarjapur Road on the Diwali weekend, when we hoped that most of Bangalore would either be at home, or visiting their hometown. That indeed seemed to be the case, as our journeys both ways took us just about half an hour. Yes, that is a very big deal in Bangalore.
I think the biggest thing going for Roxie is how pretty it is! We didn’t get an opportunity to go upstairs, but the interior as well as the al fresco space somehow exudes an old world charm while still providing a contemporary comfort (furniture). High ceilings and those lamp posts outside accentuate all this. It was, as the meme goes, “looking like a wow”. ‘Roxie’ is whom the theme is based on – a traveler who picks up favourite recipes from different journeys. Yes, she is about as real as the tooth fairy. That explains Korean, North Indian, and Italian on the same (digital) page. (the menu we actually found there was slightly different)
Meanwhile, D said she has been here when it was some other restaurant. Any idea?
I was boring and chose my regular Old Fashioned. In many recent experiments, the cocktails have failed. This was one was par for the course, nothing extraordinary. D was more optimistic, and chose ‘The Solution’. I think that was some hint aimed at me. This tequila-based drink apparently has an origin story from Roxie’s hometown – Amalfi, where her friend Max used to run a Speakeasy. With Jalapeno, orange, passion fruit, thyme and lime juice, and a fancy garnish that included chilli flakes, was very good. D couldn’t resist a smirk.
If you’re going to Roxie, this is the one dish I will highly recommend. Korean Garlic Bread. Super soft bun filled with Philadelphia Cream Cheese and garlic butter, this one is really the melt-in-your-mouth kind. To the extent that we were tempted to pack one up for the next day!
This is the Chateaubriand Royale: Rosemary Wine Elegance. This apparently pays homage to a Parisian dish. Grilled Chateaubriand beef in Rosemary Wine jus , accompanied by mashed potatoes and Hollandaise sauce. The beef was very well cooked, and the sauce complemented it very well.
We debated pizza vs pasta, and finally went for the Siciliana. Smoked Turkey was the attraction, and it also had pesto, Jalapeno, Mozzarella, Parmesan Cheese, Confit Tomatoes, and Arugula. This was quite a disappointing dish. First of all, that smoked turkey only made a guest appearance, and secondly, there was some very inconsistent saltiness that made ‘shock’ appearances that really took away from anything the dish might have accomplished. I also felt the amount of pesto could have been reduced quite a bit. It was overwhelming.
If you’re visiting, probably a good idea to reserve, since, even on Diwali eve, the place began filling up after 8. The service is friendly, and my request for keeping the sugar low in the cocktail was carried out reasonably well. The music was retro, and I loved it. The wallet was lighter by about Rs. 3100, but thanks to Dineout and Infinia, we paid a little over Rs.2550. Not bad at all, given the location. Despite the pizza, I have to say the place has pizzazz. I’d definitely recommend a visit, especially if you’re going to Sarjapur Road, whose breweries I am anyway not a fan of. (except maybe Aurum)
Roxie, 26, Haralur Main Rd, near HP Petrol Station, Amblipura, PWD Quarters, Ambalipura, HSR Layout Ph: 074062 75551
Our intense contempt for Sarjapur Road’s microbreweries is well documented – Vapour and Hoot being the catalysts. Aurum pulled it back a little, and that’s why, despite my instincts, we decided to make our way to La Casa Brewery & Kitchen. Actually, a little more than instincts. Around 8 years ago, I’d visited the place with my colleagues. Some of us, who loved Khow Suey, persuaded a colleague to try it. Unfortunately, La Casa massacred the dish. Said colleague, to his credit, continues to be a good friend, or is maybe planning a cold revenge.
The signs were ominous. Google Maps showed us an early turn to get off Sarjapur Road, to save 5 mins. That turned out to be literally an off-roading experience along unpaved roads that had garbage and pigs featuring prominently in the landscape. La Casa Brewery & Kitchen is reasonably well done, and somehow manages to keep out the chaos of the road. Since only a few tables were occupied when we arrived and we were told we could sit wherever we wanted, we chose a 4-seater in the corner. Along with the menu, we also got a request to shift to a 2 seater “because Saturday night”. Unnecessary, we felt because there were no less than seven 4-seaters vacant. We pointed that out to him with the promise that we would shift if those got occupied. As predicted, didn’t happen.
Craft beer was the sole reason for the trip. From the five that were available, we chose the Saison and the Belgian Wit. Completely lacking in spirit (not literally), they offered a perfect prelude to the meh that followed. In fact, the original plan was to use Zomato Gold for a 1+1 on drinks, but such was the quality of beer that we skipped that. Imagine!
Bamboo pork was the first dish we asked for, and were told that it would be spicy. Predictably, it wasn’t. Spicy Dunken partially lived up to its name – the preparation was basic Chinese fare. We had lost the appetite we came with, and hoped to salvage some of it with a Kerala Style Irachi fry. On hindsight, a dumb decision. Whoever made it clearly hadn’t tasted the dish before.
Dessert was fun. The only interesting dish seemed to be a Chocolate Opera. We casually asked what it was, and panic seemed to set in. In the third attempt, we figured out that it was a pastry. Since we’d had enough drama, we skipped.
The bill came to a little over Rs.1400. I shall leave it there with no more comments.
La Casa Brewery & Kitchen, 15, Amrita Engineering College Road, Kasavanahalli, Sarjapur Road Ph: 30456363
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!
After the horror story that was Vapour, we had sworn off Sarjapur Road. But a peaceful Saturday evening, combined with a reasonably good experience at Sarjapur Social a few weeks ago, and favourable reviews of the new microbrewery, got us back to the area and specifically Aurum Brew Works.
The dingy access lift got us panicking a bit on whether we had gotten it wrong, but we were fine once we were in. We chose to sit outside – the weather was pleasant and there was a skyline view to be enjoyed.
Not all the craft beers were available. We tried the Amber Lager, Witbier and the Cider. The last one was seasonal and was just ok. The Lager was the best of the lot and the Witbier was quite good too.
