From our current environs – Whitefield – getting to Church Street can be classified under ‘travel’, and that’s probably why I took to the theme of The Lost Caravan immediately! (map) The building it’s housed in reminded me of old hotels – the kind you used to see in the 80s and early 90s. A lift sometimes takes you to the second floor. (Bangalore and power cuts, you know the deal) A reassuring large bar and peppy interiors greet you as soon as you get in. The walls are full of curios – clocks, a neat open-suitcase way of showing travel paraphernalia and a/c ducts covered up with maps of all sorts! Also check out the post card sized travel photos. Fantastic stuff. That Mars-Venus touch on the loo doors – nice. 🙂 We had reserved a table for 8, but got there early and sat in the smoking section, which has the kind of street-facing view I really like.
Category: Restaurant Reviews
-
Barebones
First published in Bangalore Mirror
If you’re stuck between a 26 year old pub chain that’s iconic enough to go for an IPO (why is it so difficult to believe that Pecos filed for an IPO?!) and a microbrewery that’s arguably the town’s favourite you’d probably stick to the basics, make no fuss and figure out a unique proposition for yourself. (map, it’s above 3oh3 and yes, there’s valet parking) You’d also call yourself Barebones. (though I suspect the idea behind the name is more about a ‘come as you are’ attitude) A flight of stairs takes you to what’s primarily a balcony bar, with some amount of indoor seating. The first thing that hits you, or more precisely, your eardrums, is the music. We have much to talk about on that , so first, take a seat. You can choose between the outdoor space – dim lighting, a few high stools, and a reasonably good view of the road, and a cozy looking indoor area – well lit, some very interesting wall art, chalkboards that add a layer of meaning to the quirky sounding cocktails, and a bar that reassures you that you’re in the right place! So far, so good, but wait, there’s something clamouring for attention. Ah yes, the music. Under normal circumstances, this is the point where I’d whine about not being able to have a conversation thanks to the volume levels, but when the playlist starts churning out Sting, Counting Crows, Crash Test Dummies, Snow (Informer!) and so on, mixes it up randomly with the Bee Gees and Lou Bega, and in general takes me time travelling, it’s hard not to grin happily. But hey, let’s not get sidetracked by nostalgia when there’s food and drinks to talk about.
-
Maya Firangi Indian Lounge
First published in Bangalore Mirror
Remember High on Thai? And then White Elephant? In a couple of years, this floor has seen three iterations. Given that the last version seemed to have lived up to its name – White Elephant – it will be interesting to see what the name Maya could do for the future of this establishment. The logo design is a bit of an illusion, one would have to know the place to find it. Once inside, there are two sections – one that houses the bar and is a closed seating space, and the other with an open kitchen and semi open seating. On a sultry Bangalore night, the latter is easily the better pick. The high seats offer a good view of the 100 feet Road, and together with contemporary pop remixes, set up a good mood very well, at least in the beginning. There was some unintentional entertainment thanks to a giant television screen that was playing Bollywood song sequences on mute. The steps for some reason matched the music perfectly! As the night progressed, so did the sound levels, until WhatsApp seemed a more viable conversation channel than speaking to each other! There was quite a college crowd in attendance, the DJ night might have had a lot to do with it.
Maya, meanwhile, has a suffix too – Firangi Indian Lounge. I brought that up during dinner and we tried to find the logic. Largely, the menu offers the answer. Though it starts off with an Indian and Oriental mix, the firangi representation happens in the form of pasta, pizza and sliders. There are also at least a few dishes on the menu that could be tagged as fusion. (more…)
-
Boondock Bistro
This place caught our eye right at the time Whitefield became a serious contender for ‘home’. The name does have a self deprecating charm. So when the plan for a Mallu movie at Inox, Forum Value Mall was made, Boondock Bistro (map) was an easy choice for dinner. The restaurant is on the third floor and on your way up, the scrawl marks on the lift walls offer some entertainment. 🙂
The place somehow conveys an easygoing, unpretentious nature and one immediately feels comfortable. Loved the music posters – the Bob Dylan concert one was my favourite. There are also a couple of fun little Bangalore caricatures. In essence, a great place to lounge around. I think it would do even more better if there was alcohol. The music was superb, until they reached a point where MLTR tracks started playing in a loop. (more…)
-
SodaBottleOpenerWala
Jacques La Brasserie had been on my list for a while now, and the only reason I missed out was because its neighbours like Biere Club and The Glasshouse seduced me away. Given that we’re now in Whitefield, a trip to Lavelle Road is pretty much counted as a weekend getaway! But thanks to the hype that SodaBottleOpenerWala has been getting on my Instagram feed, a visit was warranted. Jacques La Brasserie was my fallback option in case we didn’t get a table, except that when we got there, we realised that JLB had given way to SBOW! Such is Bangalore’s restaurant scene. The place is right opposite the Harley Davidson Showroom (map) and they have valet parking. To note, of course, that your car could disappear. They don’t take reservations, ensuring that there is always a crowd outside waiting to get in. Thankfully, we got a table immediately. High stools and close to the bar, but hey.
The space is not huge, though it manages to pack in tables with enough room in between. They have also ensured that all sorts of group sizes can find a place. Irani Cafe with a modern finish, that would describe the ambiance. The decor ensures that quite a few adults (like me) behave like kids in their favourite store, pointing out interesting things to those with them. The framed photos, the signature, red-checked table cloth, the little bakery, the old fashioned switchboard, the wall signages – make sure you take the time to soak it all in. Do not forget to look up and catch the toy train. D spotted it, I was too busy with eye level sights. The music, when we got in, was complete retro Bollywood, played really loud. Somewhere during the night, it switched to contemporary pop! The television was tuned to some gags show.
