The FPD Festival: mmmBurger @ Smoke House Deli (Bangalore)

Grills, Burgers, Cold Beers and other tidings of summer always make a Bangalorean happy. Not that we have too much to complain, considering our weather is more equitable than most cities in India and we indulge our summer fancies right through the year! The pub capital of India seems to have a soft spot for burgers (including veggie ones) and I can bet my bottom dollar that every pub has burgers listed on their menu. Why, even coffee shops and breakfast joints can’t stay away from listing meat sandwiched between a bun as their runaway hit. Smoke House Deli went a step further and had a whole festival dedicated to burgers. They call the mmmBurger Festival an ode to all things meaty as well as a little gift to all their patrons. “Each burger promises a distinct charred, smoky and flame licked flavor”, they say. We went on a balmy Wednesday evening to unwind over a couple of cocktails and sample their wares.

Comic Relief - Leaping Windows Cafe (Near Indiranagar Club, Bangalore)

If you manage to find it (Google maps included), I’d say pat yourself on the back. If it makes it any easier – Leaping Windows Cafe is on the road parallel to Indiranagar club (Ask the fruit vendor at the end of the road). Like all things Indiranagar, this is an old bungalow converted into a café. What it also uniquely is, is a comic book library to read your Tintins, Asterix and Calvin and Hobbes in peace. Of course, you pay 40 bucks an hour, but that’s small change. You walk past the reading den on the ground floor to the 1st Floor which has multiple seating options, all of which have bold comic paintings hanging on the whitewashed walls. We choose to sit outside as it was cool and it faces a canopy of trees, which always is a plus point for me. I plonk myself on the low cane chair/ settee and proceed to look at the menu. Standard breakfast options coupled with a section for Burgers/ pastas/ salads/ mains and quick bites (available post noon). A whole page dedicated to coffee and its variants including an exciting sounding Aztec coffee blended with vanilla ice cream. (Didn’t really try that because I’m not a java lover!).

The FPD Quickie: Breakfast at Red Fork (Indiranagar, Bangalore)

Procrastination is a much maligned word. In my opinion, all of us should give ourselves the benefit of putting away things that can be done today to tomorrow, or even day after. I have been luxuriating in the knowledge that I have been lazy. And it’s an absolutely wonderful state of mind to begin the New Year after the mad rush of December. So Happy New Year to you…I might have even wished you in February, but I figured halfway into the month is a good upholder of the procrastinator flag. In keeping with the lazy attitude I bring to you a perfectly lazy way to enjoy a Sunday - Breakfast at Red Fork in Indiranagar. This one has been on my list for a very long time but I always postponed it. The current urge to dine here was driven by the fact that I was long overdue to meet my friend (there you go again… I’m so good at this procrastinating thing!) to catch up on happenings in our lives. Outdoor seating on a Sunday morning totally appealed to our senses and we landed up for breakfast at a half past ten.

Of Picket Fences and a Lavender Door - Cafe of Joy (Whitefield Main Road, Bangalore)

Now ‘quaint’ is a word that is loosely used with a lot of cafes in Bangalore - a practice that must stop, after visiting the Café of Joy. This café can now claim monopoly of the term, with its picket fences, an all white theme with lavender accents and the most interesting knick knacks! If not for the in-your-face-signage of Bhagini restaurant next door, I could almost imagine that I stepped into a gorgeous café in the German countryside. And I’m not saying that because of the cute figurines of the German baker couple, or the little white cow milk pourers, or the cow butter dishes, or the fact that the board says Brot.Gateaux.Biscotti. (Ok, that is very German :P) But I’m game for a little round of active imagination and if their desire was to transport me to a European café – game well played!

We heard that apart from cakes, artisanal breads, and baked goodies (produced at their on-site bakery) they also serve lunch. So on Saturday, a really talented baker friend and I, went to check out the café. Story goes that ‘the said friend’ is such a bread fiend, that she hatched a little ploy to steal the starter yeast from a famous bakery in Pune! Well, we weren’t planning any such heist at the Café of Joy and so this was just going to be a casual visit ;)

Feeling Blue - News Cafe (Indiranagar, Bangalore)

News Café is like the poor cousin of Smoke House Deli. They opened pretty much the same time on 100 ft road in Indiranagar and both have a similar cafe/ all day dining format. SHD created quite a buzz in the Bangalore food scene, whereas News café failed to garner anything newsworthy. The reason we ventured there was also because of SHD – they were full one Saturday afternoon and could not accommodate us. We were hungry and had already parked our car close by and it seemed like too much of an effort to drive again. So we walked next door to News Café and zoomed up the elevator to the terrace. (Seems like the trend in Bangalore to have restaurants and café’s on the terrace – is the rent cheaper?)

News Café is a South African chain of restaurants and boasts of having 50 outlets with two in Bengaluru and Hyderabad. (Concentrating on the IT hubs, are we?). Their website claims that they have won the ‘Best Cocktail Bar’ 11 years in a row – but I’m guessing that’s for their flagship restaurant in South Africa. Unfortunately I won’t be able to tell you about the cocktails here because none of us were in a mood to drink that afternoon. The café/ lounge in Bangalore is split into three distinct zones. A cozy indoor area that overlooks a bright and sunny deck with cane chairs and white cushions and if you walk up one more level – another deck with the main bar and really lounge worthy, blue sun beds! We headed to the topmost level because it was blue, breezy and beautiful – perfect for a lazy afternoon.

It was just us that afternoon (another group of six walking in, just as we were leaving). That itself made me wonder, if we choose the right place to eat. Sometimes…not always…crowds at a place are a good indicator of quality. This of course does not apply to the nightclubs – Bangalore’s younglings jump from one new place to another, just to be seen. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what News Café aims to be – a place to see and be seen (according to the website again). Ironic much?

There's a Dragon in your Cafe - Coffee on Canvas (ST Bed Layout, Koramangala)

Prost is not open at 10 AM in the morning, apparently. So we walked across the street to Coffee On Canvas. This was not my first visit to the place and the last one did not go down well with my finicky friend. The Toast, you see, was not warm and the Honey Chilli Chicken acted all dicey and only spicy with me – so there goes. So my second visit was more out of circumstance than choice. But the dragon turned it around and so I decided to sing.  

The last visit was at night and I must say mornings compliment this place a lot more. Airy and filled with light, the potted plants and creeping vines give the impression of a large, fun balcony in an old friends house. And then there is the Dragon. You don’t notice him at first – sly and shy that he is, hiding behind the windmill bookcase. And then you notice a tail, then a claw and then finally his face. I think I have a crush on him J

Sunday Brunch @ M Cafe (Bengaluru Mariott Hotel Whitefield)

The FoodPorn Diaries dictionary (yes, it exists…if only in my mind!) defines ‘Brunch’ as nothing but copious amounts of Booze + Lunch, generally consumed on a Sunday, to arm yourself for the travesty of work on a Monday. Since most of us run the corporate rat race during the week, (which gives us just enough time to drag ourselves to bed every night), what better way to spend a weekend afternoon than by overcompensating? I generally don’t bother reviewing brunches because, let’s face it – everyone has the same offerings. Indian, Chinese and European cuisine served with loads of alcohol and bubbly, edging you to consume in one afternoon what you probably should be eating over a span of a week! But since so many of us are in the quest for the holy grail of Sunday Brunches, I decided to take a dive and do it for you. Starting with the brunch at M Café in the Mariott, Whitefield.

I am forced to look at the Mariott everyday because my work desk faces the large window that overlooks it! So when S invited us to brunch at the Mariott, I almost felt like it was a trap to get me to come close to office on a Sunday! I was persuaded by the fact that the brunch would include specialties’ from their new Italian restaurant – Alto Vino and that is how I caved.

Hot Chocolate Shots @ Jus' Trufs (Jakkur, Bangalore)

When we think of indulgence, the first thing that comes to mind is smooth, dark, rich chocolate. Anything from a dull day to a roaring bad mood can be instantly remedied with a bar of chocolate. No wonder that it’s called the food of Gods! “A” likes his chocolate dark and dreamy and I like my chocolate rich and creamy – so between the both of us, we pretty much have a good collection. Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate, Chocolate with Nuts, Fudge, Mini Truffles…ok, the list kinda goes on! So when I walk into a Chocolate Cafe, you can bet your bottom dollar I’m going to go crazy!

Jus' Trufs call themselves ‘customized chocolatiers’ and have been crafting premium truffles since 2001. Chenddyna Schae is the lady behind the brand and her love for fine chocolate easily translates into a beautiful end product. While the focus all these years has been on corporate clients and event based gift boxes they have recently opened a lovely Chocolate Café to let people come and indulge in some chocolate love. They are located on Jakkur Main Road and while this might seem very far away for most of us – it is also a welcome respite for people living in that part of town.

Togarashi and The Bento Box @ Monsoon (The Park, Bangalore)

Japanese cuisine is so varied that to even fit the basics into one post would be a gargantuan task. So I will restrict myself to what I tried as part of the new Bento Box introduced by Monsoon at The Park Bangalore. The Bento Box is ahem…a box (sheepish grin), that holds a single portion meal of rice, cooked fish or meat along with pickled vegetables. It is the Japanese version of our lunch dabbas, albeit carefully prepared and presented (as is with everything Japanese)!

The Japanese have created an art form, even with something as simple as a lunch box. Bento’s can range from the simple arrangement of food to the more complex ‘Kyraben’ where the items are arranged to look like popular Japanese cartoon figures or ‘Oekakiben’ where the food is arranged to form a picture. The Bento boxes itself can range from beautiful black lacquered boxes, shiny metal boxes to the more modest and convenient disposable microwave boxes. Japanese homemakers spend a considerable amount of time making Bento’s for their kids and they even have competitions to judge the most beautiful Bento. (I shudder to imagine how much time that must take up everyday – especially with our harried schedules and workloads!)

Who wants to eat at The Tuck Shop? (Koramangala, Bangalore)

If you studied in a school in Bangalore your most likely hangout would be the canteen or what we convent-educated kids liked to call it, “The Tuck Shop”. This was one place that you would rush to, as soon as the Tea break or lunch break was announced with a loud bell. The place where you would buy fryums and samosas and wolfed down cutlets and burgers (if you were lucky and feeling rich) even wash it down with a milkshake. So of course this little eatery will pull at your heartstrings with nostalgia!

Started by two young (really young) entrepreneurs and hotel management graduates Mayank Agarwal and Ahmad Sharif, The Tuck Shop tries to help you re-live your fondest school memories. The ambience is one of a spruced up garage made pretty with creeping vines, casual seating and fun paintings of crazy kids in a school bus. Though the target audience is college goers, surprisingly the place has an equal number of office goers and families that throng the all day diner. Being in Kormangala also helps to tap into the myriad educational institutions and offices that dot the surroundings!

Breaking Bread at Lavonne (Domlur, Bangalore)

Now anyone who knows me well enough will know that I shy away from baking bread. All attempts of bringing forth a glorious loaf of bread or a soft buttery croissant have always yielded the opposite result. The kneading is another killer exercise that my arms do not want to do. So why would I bother going to a baking class? The dishonest answer would be ‘to learn how to bake a good loaf of bread’. The honest answer would be ‘to massage my ego’. I just wanted to witness the making of a loaf myself, so that I could find some secret ingredient that the baker added into the dough. Then I could console myself that a failed loaf at home was a result of  the omission of that ‘secret ingredient’! Was this too harebrained a scheme to work? Well last Sunday I learnt a few lessons!

What does Masterchef Australia and The Whitefield Baking Company have in common? - Kate Bracks!!!

Masterchef Australia can be credited with starting a revolution that completely altered that way that anyone approaches food. It has within the span of three years turned the nation (and I mean India here) into a completely food obsessed one. Not that we were not connoisseurs of the good stuff already, but the appreciation and knowledge of a variety of cuisines and techniques definitely stems from there. The regular dal-chawal eating home was now attempting to get a perfect crust on their pie!  Dinner time (the holy thread that bonds us in an Indian family) was moved to an hour earlier, so that we could all sit down to watch Masterchef at 9:00 PM. Who ever heard of a food show being given a prime time slot?

Masterchef Australia Season 3 was one of my favorite seasons.  I don’t think I missed even one episode. I knew each and every contestant by name and followed their escapades in the kitchen closely.  And Kate Bracks - Dessert Queen and  mother of three, took home the title with a sweet flourish! For people like me who live and breathe food – these are our celebrities! So do you think I missed a chance to meet Kate when she came down to Bangalore – no freaking way!!

Mike - the GM of the Bengaluru Mariott Hotel and Kate, launching The Whitefield Baking Company

How did this miracle come to be? Bengaluru Mariott Hotel, Whitefield got Kate down to launch their deli and patisserie – The Whitefield Baking Company. They offer a wide variety of goodies like cakes, tarts, muffins, quiches and pies. Because of WBC, Whitefield can boast of having the luxury of freshly baked artisan breads everyday now! Kate being an avid baker and lover of desserts was a right fit for the Mariott's latest venture.  

I was invited to a special Masterclass (yippee) by Kate and even got to ask her a few questions. She is charming, down to earth and a fireball of energy. Kate is such an animated cookie that getting a decent picture of her where she’s not moving is close to impossible. (See for yourself!). Here’s what Kate said about Masterchef, her love for Baking and where she had the best butter chicken in her life!   

The many moods of Kate Bracks!

On Layered Coffee Cake

One of my first memories of cooking was when I was 8 years old. Summer holidays can get terribly boring, so my mum asked me to cook something. The result was a whole afternoon spent in the kitchen making a layered coffee cake complete with piped icing. You can say that was the kicker.

Applying to MasterChef

Applying to Masterchef was one the most difficult decisions I had to take. I was arguing with my husband about all the reasons I couldn’t go and he counterd it with all the reasons I should go. Being a mother (of three), it creates a huge internal conflict when you need to leave your kids behind for your own dreams. Having a supportive and encouraging husband helps! I honestly couldn’t have done it without him – he dindn’t complain one day the seven months I was away. Of course it’s funny that when I left for Masterchef he said, ‘Go for it, it’s not like you are going to win it anyway!’. Boy, were both of us in for a surprise.

Secrets to making it to the top and impressing the Judges

The pressure is really intense. You are away from your family for so long and you always have to perform at your peak everyday because everyone is so talented. Maybe I had an advantage because I was a mom – we are so used to juggling things! I took one day at a time, listened during masterclass and the once a week phone calls and skype chats from home were the saving grace. The episode where I had to cook for my family was the best. It was lot of pressure trying to put up a dish that would impress the judges but I wanted to cook something that my children loved to eat as well. (Comon, I was a mum cooking for her babies after 6 months!).

In the earlier episodes of Masterchef, none of us imagined that we could turn out beautiful food. Practice does make perfect and I also had a little formula that I used. The judges were always looking for a balance of flavors and textures. And my mantra that I tried to incorporate in every dish was sweet, salty and sour for flavor and crispy-creamy for textures! That way I had covered my bases! I am truly grateful to Masterchef because it has deepened my passion for food and given me a lifepath that fuels it!

Gary or George

Hmm… this one is a tough one because both of them are so wonderful in their own ways. Gary is more the father figure. He would always come to us during the show and enquire about our well being. He even had a list of father jokes down pat! George on the other hand was the funny one… someone who would crack a joke and wet his pants laughing about it! He is the one that pushed us harder and was passionate about making each contestant a better chef. He was inspirational.

Life after Masterchef and cooking at home

It’s been a whirlwind of activity. I’m a full time working mom now! I work with food and people – two of my favorite things and for that I feel blessed. Also when you love something you do, it doesn’t really feel like work.

A typical Aussie family will have sausages and mash for dinner and so do we. But  as soon as I got back from Masterchef the kids and family expected fancy food from me. They even started scoring my dishes! Of course I put a stop to that, but I do make an effort to present my food well and ensure it’s good for the family. There is lot of difference in the food from a fancy professional kitchen with the best ingredients and uninterrupted time to churn out something fantastic, to what a regular person in a home kitchen with kids running around, door bell ringing and twenty minutes can churn out! Luckily, my kid’s favorite breakfast currently, is still just hot toast with butter and cinnamon-sugar so …Take heart!  

The Sweet Life and Chocolate

I love the sweet stuff – desserts. So it was only natural for me to bring out a book on desserts. I love baking (and chocolate) and this one plays to my strengths and more importantly passions.

Chocolate is my favorite ingredient to work with. If you get a good quality chocolate (not compound) most of your work is done already! And it tastes so good and is so comforting. I can’t resist it!

India and Butter Chicken

This is my first visit to India and I love it! I have always eaten Indian food in Australia but it tastes nothing like what I had here. I ate at this restaurant on Church Street called Queens - it had the best butter chicken I had tasted in my whole life! I wish Indian restaurants in Australia would make it this way! I went shopping on Commercial Street (my husband is keeping a close eye on the credit card, I’ve already run up a big bill!) and even went to Russel Market. The sights, sounds, flavors and smells are all wonderful!  

We were lucky to have a Masterclass with Kate where she demonstrated her Chocolate, Hazelnut and Raspberry Muffins! Delish! Here’s a recipe for you to replicate the same at home. And like Kate said – “the better ingredients you use – the better the end product”!

Chocolate Hazelnut and Raspberry Muffins

What you need:

Prep time: 15 mins

Baking time: 35 mins

Makes 12

What you need:

330 gms Plain Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

100 gms Hazelnuts, coarsely chopped (you can use Almonds as well)

300 gms Caster Sugar

½ tsp Salt

250 gms Unsalted Butter

60ml Hazelnut Oil (or a regular neutral vegetable oil)

480 ml Buttermilk (or whole milk + 3 tsp lemon juice left to sit for 5-10 mins)

3 Eggs

150 gms dark coverture Chocolate (high quality, extra cocoa butter 32-39%)

150 gms Raspberries (we get frozen ones in India)

30 gms Demerera Sugar

What to do:

Preheat you oven to 180°C.

Line the muffin tin with paper muffin cups.

Combine dry ingredients (flour, hazel nut meal, caster sugar, salt) into a large bowl.

Melt the butter and whisk to combine it with other ingredients (hazelnut oil, buttermilk and eggs)

Pour wet mix over the dry mix and stir to combine. (micture should still look a little lumpy).

Gently fold through the chocolate, hazelnuts and finally the raspberries.

Spoon mixture into muffin cases until almost full.

Sprinkle tops with Demerera sugar.

Bake 30-35 mins until cooked through and golden on the top.

You can meet Kate too! There is a special Masterclass on 16^th Mar from 3-4 pm. Head to:

THE WHITEFIELD BAKING COMPANY

Bengaluru Mariott Hotel Whitefield

Plot No 75, 8^th Road, EPIP Area,

Near Satya Sai Speciality Hospital,

Whitefield, Bangalore.

Ph: 080 6732 0000/ 080 6690 1111

Cost: Starts from Rs.60/- plus taxes.

Parking: Valet Available.

Smoke House DELI in Bangalore! (Indiranagar, Bangalore)

I don’t want to be biased…no I really don’t. But I couldn’t help doing cartwheels when Smoke House Deli finally opened in Bangalore a week ago. I remember driving down 100ft road and doing a double take in Feb, when I saw the huge glass façade with the black and white writing that said ‘Smoke Hou’ (the rest of it was covered, but I knew in my heart, that it was Smoke House Deli). For all practical purposes we are going to refer to it as SHD in the rest of the post!.

“Smoke House Deli is an all-day café and delicatessen. This award winning brand serves everything from pancakes to noshes, pasta to burgers and dessert to cocktails.” - SHD

After wowing patrons in Mumbai and Delhi SHD decided to grace Bangalore!! I was invited for a Bloggers Table a day after it opened (yes, I have some perks) and boy was I raring to go, even though it was a Wednesday night. And what a night it turned out to be –chatting with the owners Riyaaz and Kiran, being lavished with an awesome menu from chef Glyston Gracios, gossiping with my fellow bloggers and downing cocktails like there was no tomorrow. (Unfortunatley there was a tomorrow… and a hangover crashed the party as well, but that’s a story unfit for a food blog!)

You walk into SHD and it’s like walking into a very quaint and expensive illustrated storybook. The walls are like a treasure trove of interesting sketches of the stories that make Bangalore special. Take a walk around when you visit and spend some time staring at the walls. I guarantee a wave of nostalgia and euphoria will sweep over you, as you decipher and connect the dots about what makes this town your own! Zameer Basrai needs a big pat on the back for doing his research on Bangalore and translating that into his detailed quirky illustrations. Riyaaz Amlani, can we get a coffee table book soon please?

For the second day that SHD was open, it was packed. The hipsters sure know how to find the best watering hole! We made ourselves comfortable in our little nook, when our cocktails arrived. SHD is not SHD for nothing! The concept revolves around interesting food that they can churn out using a smoke machine. Meats are de rigueur but they even have smoked cocktails! I opted for a Pineapple and Vanilla one (to start with). By the end of the night we had tasted all of the smoked cocktails and most of the other cocktails on the menu. There’s a picture of umpteen empty martini glasses doing its round on the internet. (I’m just saying….) 

That night, the cocktails were perfect. Good amount of quality alcohol and great taste coupled with quirky combinations. (Need to go back and check if they maintain the same good punch on regular days).

Considering our calorie intake for the day was already maxed out on the alcohol, we asked the chef to bring us only tasting portions of everything. So here’s a grand tour of what went down that night.

The Paprika puffs with Wasabi Salsa were so bloody good, that I could eat a whole plate by myself. It’s almost like fancy chaat and no, that’s not a bad thing at all!

The Squid rings are an all-time favorite at most places. Here the batter was spicy and crunchy and I couldn’t have asked for it to be any lighter. Hear hear! The Tenderloin bites apparently were a hit as well.

Cottage Cheese Skewers – ok so they were fine, but I really don’t care for them much. The Tofu and Sesame sliders on the other hand were really good. If Tofu can be pimped to taste this way, maybe more people will turn fans of it!

The holy grail of SHD for me – the Bacon wrapped Potatoes. Hamana hamana hamana!! Good Lord have mercy on me! I am melting in my seat just thinking about them. Perfectly chewy bacon wrapped around crispy on the outside, buttery on the inside golden potato squares. Sigh… sigh… sigh…!

In a day and age where soggy lettuce leaves are the norm for salads (even in fancy places), I loved that SHD got its salads right. I don’t have a picture of the Oak Ash Chevre with California Oranges and Passion Fruit Emulsion, but that was the star of the three! Divine.

Heading to the mains – the Spinach and Ricotta ravioli with tomato, capers and olive tapenade was faultless. The Chili crusted Cobbler with Lemon and Thyme was good as well. Basa is gaining popularity in Bangalore though there are an equal number of folks who would run a mile away from this most un-fishlike fish. There is even a foodie group that says ‘Basa beda’ – which essentially means ‘we don’t want Basa’! I am not in that group – so I liked this fish main course especially because it was served with a gorgeous risotto. I sent my compliments to the chef.

Little did I know a revelation still lay in store for me – the Mushroom risotto! This was a close to heaven experience for me. I have always sung paeans of the Mushroom risotto at Graze (Taj Vivaanta)  – this one is it’s equal! I don’t think I can do justice to it by writing flowery words here – just go eat it!

Even though we tasted all the mains as a group – I was reaching bursting point. I took a small bite of the Peri Peri Chicken. I’ll give it a decent rating. It’s not the Chicken’s fault – if you follow the Risotto, that’s what happens to you! The rest of the group raved about the Tenderloin steak. They got the Medium rare just right and I heard a round of applause when they sliced it and found it nice and pink.

My spare stomach for dessert was putting on it’s party shoes. There was a heated debate on the Tiramisu being mildly under the radar on the coffee flavor. Since I don’t much care for coffee at all, this didn’t affect me. The flourless Chocolate fudge was brilliant. Being a chocolate dish, it got polished off the plate in a jiffy. 

The White Chocolate and Orange Crème Brulee was very well made. The custard silky and creamy and the caramel crust just cracking with a snap under the spoon. (You know how this works right? After all we are Masterchef addicts!). I’m saving the best for the last. The Plum Philly Cheesecake. Most perfect cheesecake in Bangalore. Take a bet with me…go ahead I dare you! It brought back memories of the perfect Philly Cheesecakes I used to gorge on in Philadelphia and New York. 10/10 for you SHD.

I loved the SHD experience. Can’t wait to go there for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Maybe for tea sometime in the evening as well – they are open all day! Welcome to Bangalore Smoke House Deli – I expect fantastic things from you …don’t let me down!  

  

SMOKE HOUSE DELI,

No.1209, Ward No.72, HAL II Stage,

100ft Road,

Indiranagar,

Bengaluru.

Ph: 080 2520 0899/ 080 2520 0898

Cost: Rs.2500/- plus taxes for a meal for two with alcohol.

Parking: Valet Available

Raspberry Mascarpone Pie

Raspberry Mascarpone Pie @ A Spoonful of Sugar, Indiranagar, Bangalore

I drove furiously; a few motorists were roughly pushed to the pavement. Six kilometers was nothing to satisfy a craving. And this time it was bad. I couldn’t think straight, I needed the fix…now. I had the rest of them on speed dial, but this one was different. If I wanted it, I had to go there myself. The anticipation builds up as you come closer. Maybe that was part of their plan? Parallel parking was not my scene, but I did it anyway. I didn’t want the moment to be interrupted by the cops. I walked into the space. There were others like me, reverently consuming their poison. He looked at me from behind the counter. The clear glass displayed everything that I wanted and more. Which one would I choose today? Something dark and dangerous or something sweet and exotic? There was one in Red calling out to me. I looked with scare concealed desire. He smirked and handed it over to me. I took Red with me to a corner. I didn’t want anyone recognizing me here. My face was already contorted with pleasure. I sat down on the cold concrete seat and picked up the spoon. The first bite is the most exquisite. I reverently dug into the layered pie. The Raspberry gelee mottled with raspberry bits, soft creamy mascarpone whipped to feel like air and the crumbly sweet biscuit – could it have been any more perfect? It was melting in my mouth and exploding on my tongue at once. Bite after bite the experience reached a crescendo! Sigh… it was over now. I walked up to the counter and paid him. ‘Would I like a tissue?’ he asked. Apparently, I still had evidence all over my face. 

Mangrove - Restaurant.Cafe.Wine Tavern (Kalyan Nagar, Bangalore)

I live at a point where going to Indiranagar or Koramangala or MG Road is the same distance. I know, lucky me! With so many food options scattered at my doorstep, I hardly travel beyond these areas for a quick bite. But after a point it becomes same old same old and this weekend we decided to travel to the beyond. Ok, that’s Kalyan Nagar near H.R.B.R. layout for you. We took the Bypanahalli route because the GPS on the co-resident’s phone said it was the shortest and fastest route, but we din’t know it would lead us to a defunct railway crossing! After a few more adventures, we reached Mangrove. It’s a new American cuisine restaurant that’s opened its doors, to entice the sudden population burst towards Manyata Tech Park and ORR. There is a big sign painted on the entrance wall so that you don’t miss the restaurant on the quite road. J

We expected to find the restaurant under a Mango tree, but realized that the young couple who run the place came up with the name when they were scuba diving in the Andamas (which you know is also famous for its Mangroves). The lady also runs a bakery called Oven Treats and after being in the business for 8 years thought the time was right to step it up. The restaurant/café/wine tavern offers all day dining from 11am to 11pm, but you still have to wait for a while longer to have your meal with some wine. (The license is on its way). The space is split into two areas – the ground floor being more casual and café like, while the top floor acts as the more formal dining space. (The co-resident fell in love with the wooden chairs, but unfortunately it’s not something we can buy here. The restaurant had them tailormade and shipped from Pune L)

Mangrove calls themselves a contemporary kitchen that captures the influences shaping Bangalore. The menu tries to focus on all American favorites – Steaks and Grills, Burgers, Tex-Mex, but also has some Pastas and Pizzas to please the crowd.  There’s a small (tiny) standee on the table which had exactly three Indian dishes. The owner in a resigned manner admitted that the pressure from the office goers made him offer that, but he hopes to phase this out. (It apparently keeps the older members of large families happy as well, as they feel comfortable sticking to recognized fare while the rest of the family can indulge in new cuisine options.)

Since it was just two of us, we didn’t feel like usurping a table for six in the café area, so we walked up to the next floor. We were offered some garlic bread, breadsticks and a dip while we made our meal selection for the day. Both of us love our starters, so we were happy to see quite a few options. There are soups and salads as well (the Blue cheese one looked interesting), but we decided to stick to the fried stuff. (Weekends are for indulging!) The starters are named ‘Sharables’ here and we tried three. The Mushroom caps came stuffed with spinach and cheese and were crumb fried. Served with a homemade tomato dip and some peppers, this was quite nice. The veggies have some nice options here, however that was the only veggie dish we tried for the evening. We also just stuck to water and not some fizzy drinks or smoothies that the restaurant offered. (I wanted to save space for main course).

The owner informed us that he gets very good seafood from a trusty vendor. I love all things prawn, so we ordered the interesting sounding Coconut Prawns. We got six medium prawns coated with a breadcrumb, spice and coconut mixture fried golden yellow and served with a tangy white dip. I vouch for the freshness of the seafood. Absolutely spot on! However, since it was called Coconut Prawns, I expected it to have a more robust coconut flavor. And finally, the most loved starter of the day – the Hot Buffalo Wings. Grilled wings basted with a yummy BBQ sauce served with more hot sauce for dipping. This was a winner. We licked our fingers clean!

For main course we were hard pressed between the burgers or the steaks. The burgers had some very interesting combos and toppings (Avocado, Bacon, Cream Cheese etc etc) which you could then choose to have with a veg/ chicken/ beef patty. We decided to come back another day for that experiment and narrowed it down to the steaks. The co-resident ordered Spice rubbed Spare Ribs served with Polenta and I got the day’s special of Pork Chops. You can choose to get your steaks as sizzlers, but I’m not a fan of all that smoke and noise. (Besides, the humidity does nothing for blow dried hair!) The main course arrived in front of us. This is when we realized we had made a huge mistake. After stuffing ourselves with starters, we were left staring at huge portions! No matter, I can pack it in… I just needed to meditate for a few minutes :P

The Pork chops were doused in a brown sauce with whole pods of grilled garlic. The meat was falling off the bone and I wondered if it was pressure cooked to achieve this result. (I call that cheating…) However the restaurant clarified that it was cooked in the oven and then finished off in the grill pan. I enjoyed the chops, but it was the accompaniment of mustard potatoes that stole the show. Baby potatoes soft on the inside and crisp on the outside coated with a cheesy mustard sauce. Heaven! Now that I think about it, maybe it was doused in butter as well. How else can you expect such yumminess?! They served some grilled veggies as well and that made it quite a filling meal. The co-resident’s Spice rubbed Spare Ribs also came in American sized portions. Along with the creamy polenta and the veggies he was stuffed like a turkey! (This is when I reminded myself that NORMAL people eat just one starter among themselves and then proceed to the Main Course).

Yes, we did dessert. We just had to. Din’t I tell you that the lady of the house had a bakery for eight years? They don’t really have a fixed dessert menu. That was good for us because we decided to walk down and have a look for ourselves. (Some exercise and a good way to check out the seating on the first floor – so comfortable). We settled on the Apple Cake with Ice Cream. The filling was yummy and cinnamonny and raisiny but was let down by the fact that the pastry had gone soft when heated in a microwave. Maybe next time they warm it up in the oven instead?

So what’s the final deal? The co-resident’s friends in the area will be happy to hear that they have a place to go to when they get the munchies at odd times J  and I would definitely go back there for a meal, if I was in that part of town. Good food, great portions, pleasant service and the owners actually seem like they are passionate about providing a good dining experience to their patrons. That’s half the battle won if you ask me. The other half is not succumbing to peer pressure and turning it into a multi-cuisine restaurant to make your numbers. That, only time will tell. For now, it’s a good place to hang out and enjoy some good food and fun conversations.

MANGROVE

9^th Main, 1^st Block,

H.R.B.R. Layout, Kalyan Nagar,

Bangalore – 560043

Ph: 080-25450306/ +91 9886028118

Parking: In the plot next to the restaurant

Price Point: Salads and Soups from Rs. 120-190/-, Starters Rs.160-245/-, Mains from Rs. 170-390/-, Desserts Rs.100-150/-. Service Charge of 7% included, but you can choose not to pay, if you are unhappy with the service. (It says so on the menu!)

French Macarons and Amande Patisserie

There has been a flurry of activity around the Macaron in Bangalore. Suddenly home bakers have taken to trying their hand at churning these pretty treats out, Taj Vivanta has a Macaron festival, patisseries are selling them hot off the mint and  there has even been serious discussions on a popular food group around their spelling! Adding to this is Masterchef Australia – I don’t think there’s been one season where the contestants have not tried their hand at impressing the judges with a fancy macaron. I guess we’ve reached critical mass for the Macaron in Bangalore and Amande Patisserie has come in at the right moment!

Before you read any further, I have a few things to profess. When I first came across Amande, I was just a happy customer. Being a click crazy person, of course I had to take pretty pictures of the Macarons and cry out to all and sundry on Facebook on how much I loved them. Owing to this evangelist behavior Amande’s customer list included people from my friend list as well! Amande’s owner was tickled pink that a few pictures could get him a larger fan following. (They don’t have a retail outlet yet..only home delivery by ordering online.) So he asked me to click a couple of more pictures for his website – to showcase new flavors. I happily obliged (which food photography obsessed geek wouldn’t?). So now that Amande is a photography client, (P.S. As of now, none of my pics are updated on the website yet. Will let you'll know when they are) Would it be wrong of me to write about them?  I did think of this for a long time and finally decided – I love their macarons irrespective of shooting for them and it would be a great disservice to you guys if I didn’t talk about it here. Besides, if I’m telling you upfront about the circumstances, so I'm sure you guys would understand. (P.S. I got paid in kind in Macarons and wine, so that lessens the promotional angle :P)

So let’s start at the beginning. (And God said ……) Ok, just the beginning of the Macaron then? The Macaron is a cookie made of almond powder, sugar and egg whites. It was actually born in Italy, but the current version with two macarons sandwiched together with jam, butter cream or ganache was the brain child of the famed Laduree Sweets and Gourmandises in Paris. They even have a story of ‘le Macaron’ on their website J They apparently sell 15,000 macarons a day and are one of the best macaron makers in the world. Since we can’t fly down our quota of the little pieces of heaven (yes, it’s true), we can contend ourselves with the next best alternative – order them in Bangalore! Now the Macaron (French) is not to be confused with the Macaroon (American/ English/ Indian). The 'macaroons' most popular variety is the coconut macaroon and the cashew macaroon – easily available in our Iyengar bakeries and not all that delicate! So unless you want to end up wondering what the big deal was – be sure to get the name right!

Amande means Almond in French. The owners thought that would be an apt name for their patisserie since the main ingredient of a macaron is almonds! They have nine regular flavors that are available every day and they intend to introduce new flavors on a weekly basis. Of the nine, my favorite happens to be the Belgium Dark chocolate and the Raspberry. (There were more flavors on trial when I visited the patisserie and let’s just say something with ‘fig’ in it will be my future favourite J).

Since they don’t retail out of a store as yet, you would need to order online. You have two options – you can visit their bakery and pick up the macarons yourself – no minimum order required for the same. Or they will deliver the macarons at your doorstep (minimum order is set at a different level for different areas in Bangalore + delivery charges). The delivery charges to my side of town (the farthest) is Rs.300, so it makes sense to order in, only on a large quantity.

The macarons itself come in a cute little carry box (of eights and fours) and that adds to the charm of giving it as a gift to someone. I generally order the assorted flavors because I love to be surprised, but they do boxes of single flavors as well. The owners said the macarons last for six hours outside the fridge and upto five days if refrigerated. However, I prefer to eat them the same day because I feel it tastes fridge-y after it gets cold. (Just thinking about them is making me crave some!!). They even do a Macaron tower on order. I saw a dad take one for his little girl’s birthday. (Hint hint: My birthday’s next year but Diwali is close by ;)

I have eaten the macarons at Café Noir (too sugary), Nitash Patisserie (love the salted caramel) and at Taj Vivaanta (expensive) and The Chancery (standard flavors). So in comparison, like Goldilocks’ story of the Baby Bears bed being just perfect – Amande works for me! Enjoy Le Macaron!

AMANDE PATISERRIE

115, 4^th Main, 4^th Stage, T.R. Nagar,

Bangalore – 560028

Ph: +91 80 2676 1080, +91 90360 61734

Website: www.amande.co.in

Parking: On the Street

Order Online and Home Delivery Available

Price Point: Rs.200 + taxes for a box of 6. (does not include delivery)