Sunday Brunch @ HIGH Ultra Lounge (World Trade Center, Malleshwaram)

Sunday brunches are sure shot ways of letting all your diet plans go down the drain, or in this case go down a flute of champagne. Over indulgence aside, the sheer variety of cuisines laid out like a smorgasbord of sin is enough to send my head reeling. And with zero will power when it comes to the amount of food I consume – I’m walking on dangerous territory. So getting to HIGH Ultra Lounge for their Sunday Brunch was guided by two important aspects – a. They focus on just Asian fare which is definitely lighter than our ghee laden kormas and b. The absolutely fabulous cocktails their main man Guru dishes out. What’s a Sunday brunch without some tipple eh?

Bright and breezy – we couldn’t have asked for a better day for an open air  Brunch. By open, I mean the 31^st floor of the World Trade Center - getting High is literal here! The brunch is laid out across two of their four dining areas – High Mix (the indoor part area) and High Dine (alfresco dining). The cold starters are laid out for you to pick and choose, however the rest of the hot starters, dumplings, sushi and main course need to be ordered off the special brunch menu. We chose a table overlooking the fantastic views of Bangalore city and sat down to get pampered. 

Breakfast and Gossip @ Church Street Social (Church Street, Bangalore)

I hate having to get up at unearthly hours on a weekend (10 AM of course) to catch breakfast at a decent joint. Church Street Social serves Breakfast throughout the day. That’s reason enough for me to like them. I also like their industrial design, quirky prints, funky trays and fun drinks, but we’re not focusing on that today. We are paying homage to bacon and sausages and pancakes and eggs and French toast and sugar and spice and everything nice. Just like God intended. Word.  

Candlelight and Surprises - Grasshopper (Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore)

I really wanted to hate this place. I wanted to turn up, eat there and then call peoples bluff on it. Give people fancy, mastercheffy, pretentious food and they all go gaga over it, just to avoid being called pedestrian. After eating out in *insert any five star restaurant* the squiggle of reduced Modena balsamic vinegar on that white plate or the lego-like placement of grilled meat over asparagus spears over celeriac mash, was frankly getting boring. And here I was, heading to a place that exalted in doing just that. Why? Because I am a seeker of truth. (Yes, the profoundness of it all boggles my mind as well!)

Mixology with Shatbhi Basu @ Harry's (Indiranagar, Bangalore)

Indiaranagar’s bars have one more watering hole to compete with – Harry’s! The famous Singapore bar choose this location in Bangalore to open its fourth outlet, hot on the heels of the Mumbai one. Most bars these days are moving from glass and chrome finishes, to more casual and warm interiors. Harry’s adopts a mahogany and exposed brick look that is reminiscent of a speakeasy, albeit a modern one. With the days of our prohibition (11 PM deadlines :P ) coming to an end, I’m sure Harry’s is going to ride on the wave of general elation in the months to come. 

We were invited for a mixology session by the godmother of bartending in India – Shatbhi Basu. For anyone who’s watched her show on NDTV Good Times, you already know the level of celebrity she is. But what you probably don’t know is that her joie de verve is all natural and not just for the TV show. We got to witness her finesse in churning out creative cocktails and keeping her audience glued to her charming stories at the same time. Her hands seemed to have a life of their own when she was mixing our cocktails and before we knew it, she dished out one perfectly balanced drink after another.

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.

The FPD Festival: Mango Mania @ Grand Mercure (Koramangala, Bangalore)

It’s very hard to keep me away from Mangoes. Considering they make their hallowed appearance once a year and all the good ones are always exported – I always give them A-one priority on my list. So when Grand Mercure announced a Mango Festival (on till the 17^th of May), where everything from drinks, appetizers, main course and dessert will be mango based, I was hard pressed to say yes. Considering the hotel is practically in my backyard, I even accepted a weekday invite. Anything for good mangoes I tell you!

A table under the stars was arranged for us (complete with organic mosquito repellent) and the blogger group got to work immediately. (By that I mean running around to find seats with the best lighting!). Drinks were ordered and we waited in anticipation of our first experience of the mango menu. 

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!).

Live Blogging for Social Media Week Bangalore 2014 @ Fava (UB City, Bangalore)

Bangalore played host to Social Media Week (#SMW Bangalore) this year and it was definitely an honor to be a part of it! The FB page states that “SMW Bangalore is where we make progress in regards to how humanity and technology come together”. Taking place in eight cities simultaneously from February 17-21, 2014 it is truly an amalgamation of the best social media mavens in the world. #SMWBangalore is powered by Nokia India & Hosted by R Square Consulting, and I was invited to take part in the Live Food Blogging Session at Fava. I also spoke in a panel discussion about Social Media and its impact on the restaurant industry, but I will focus my efforts on taking you through the live blogging session. 

Let’s be honest first off. It is super difficult to eat, listen, interact and finally blog at the same time. Especially when people like me are attached to their DSLR’s like conjoined twins. My Samsumg S3 takes fairly good pictures compared to other mobile phones but it really cannot do justice to the food presented. So in all fairness, the blogging that happened at the event was restricted to my FB page. I could not however deprive you of the beautiful pictures from the lunch at Fava and so this post materializes!

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.

The FPD Festival: The Monkey Bar Burger Festival (Residency Road, Bangalore)

Monkey Bar has some tricks up its sleeve for the next two weeks – their Gourmet Burger festival! I mean, who better than the Gastro pub pioneers in the country, to bring us something out of the ordinary?! If you’ve read Malcolm Gladwell’s book - Outliers, you know the ‘10,000 hour rule’. It simply states that mastery in any field can be achieved with close to 10,000 hours of practice. Well, MoBar can aim to get on the master bandwagon – after all, they claim to have churned out 10,000 burgers since they opened! J

MoBar has always been out-there when it comes to their interpretations of classics and I like that they push the envelope a little bit (ok, a lot!). How different can a burger get? Well, they promised us it was ‘the most fun we could have between two buns’ (ahem…), and I for one wasn’t planning to pass up an opportunity to try their creations.

We were a little spoilt for choice – 8 different gourmet burgers to choose from, between the three of us. Oh wait…the last one was a dessert burger! (How? Why? Really?) Comon, where’s your sense of adventure? :P  

The FPD Quickie: Drinks and Dimsums @ Yauatcha (M.G. Road, Bangalore)

This restaurant has been spoken about in hallowed hushes and reverent tones ever since it opened its doors to us poor Bangaloreans. The branch of a Michelin starred restaurant from London? Here? To grace us? *gasp, stutter, swoon*. Take a second - breathe. Now hear me out. For all the brouhaha – Yauatcha does not claim to be some super sexy, high-on-a pedestal brand. What it does claim to be and rightfully so (considering its pedigree) – is a contemporary dim sum teahouse offering an international experience. You would not wince to spend $70 on a nice meal for two abroad with the same quality of ingredients, similar setting and almost ditto execution of the dish – so why flinch now?

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?

Flight Of Cocktails - Sundowner @ LikeThatOnly (Whitefield, Bangalore)

I like my cocktails. Why must I have a stodgy old rum and coke when I can have an exciting Cuba Libre with a dash of lime? Or if you’re a vodka drinker like me, a fancy Cosmopolitan to sip at, whilst we elegantly drape one long leg over the other, at the bar counter? Or to go all James Bond and have a Martini – shaken, not stirred. Sounds dated? Well it is! With so many permutations and combinations of heady liquor and even headier liqueurs, you would expect the bars in Bangalore to offer us something other than creations from the 1960’s! Yes, we like our cocktails and yes, we order them religiously on a night out, but just because we are easy to please – doesn’t mean you don’t even try!! For lord’s sake, a single cocktail costs as much as a main course in some places and if I’m going to get Vodka topped with Cranberry juice from Tropicana – I’d rather give it a miss. (Ok, I lie… I’ll still drink it …but grudgingly). So finally coming to the point – LikeThatOnly (of all things Asian and Whimsical and Whitefield) invited a couple of us discerning drinkers (ahem…ahem…) to give their new Cocktail menu a go. 5 PM is a good time to start drinking, yes?

We seated ourselves at the long bar counter with two handsome men behind the bar. (That always helps – restaurateurs take note :P) While we checked out the, ahem…cutlery, Chef Manu Chandra gave us the lowdown on why LikeThatOnly had to be the one to take the plunge!  LTO has set a benchmark in the city for its innovative food, quirky décor and often-irreverent take on the concept of traditional cuisine - It was only a matter of time before the bar caught up with the kitchen. With the cocktail making a comeback the world over, it was time to replace mindless sugary concoctions with house made bitters and artisanal gins. No, it’s not pretentious to call Bartenders ‘Bar Chefs’, if the final focus is on elevating the quality and the experience. We appreciate the effort LTO … we really do!

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

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.

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!

Friday Barbeque Nights @ Alila, Whitefield

I work in Whitefield. The drive from Airport road to my office is like a treacherous and painful way to kill time – which is inevitable when you are stuck behind the wheel of a car moving at 5 km/hr.  Thank God for small mercies, the Alila Barbeque night was a hop, skip and short drive from office. And Friday night I’m always in a jubilant mood, no matter what tragedies transpire during the week!

This was an invitation to the CaL Bloggers table to experience Alila’s take on Friday night bbq. Now almost everyone I know loves a bbq night. But no one has the time or the patience to marinate the meat in advance, set up the grill, stand around while your burger patty gets cooked and then wait for someone to plate it! So Alila lets us skip all the prepping and just enjoy a good bbq night with a couple of friends and fun cocktails. And with weather like in Bangalore, it almost seems ridiculous that no one thought about the idea before! 

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!)