Reviewed By:
manuscrypts
6/15/2008 11:52:38 AM
Serengeti
Bangalore
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Serengeti
A little googling tells me that its the name of a wildlife national park and ecosystem in Tanzania. Since I’m not particularly adventurous by nature, I restricted myself to visiting the dining ecosystem in Madivala. After all, it was supposed to have an African rainforests theme.
A call for reservation was answered, the second time, and we were politely told that since it was Saturday night, reservations could be made only in specific timeframes - 7.30 to 8.15 pm and 9.45 - 10.30 pm. We chose the latter.
Its on the 3rd floor in Total Mall alongwith Zanzibar, Silver Metro and a food court. The mall is quite easy to reach. When coming from the MG Road side, turn left onto the road that goes to St.Johns (you don’t have an option anyway after you cross Forum ), then take a U turn onto the road that leads to the Madivala market. You can see Total on the left but the entrance is on Hosur Road.
There was a crowd waiting to get in, when we reached, and even with reservations, and landing up exactly on time, we were made to wait about 10 minutes. Once we were inside, the undergrowth was not quite thick, so we got to see people dining among alligators, vines, elephants, waterfalls and so on :). For those who don’t mind the gurgling water sound, the outside seating would be fine. I dont, and thankfully, we were taken inside the ‘Guffa’. Its a closed structure within the restaurant and is slightly better lit than the outside. We can also see animal-skull trophies on the walls, that add to the effect - what they have called ‘the wild side of dining’. In fact, they have tried to do that in everything, including the waiters who are attired like shikaris. No, don’t expect the hostesses in grass skirts!!!
Meanwhile, the cuisine is Lucknowi and Peshawari, which made me wonder about the connection with the setting. We went straight for the main course, though there were a couple of ‘not quite common’ options in the shorba and starters categories. We ordered a Murgh patiala kadai se and a Machi Mazedar, along with a bran roti, an onion kulcha and a plain naan. The quantity was quite sufficient, though i would recommend the fish dish to be eaten with rice. The food was good enough to warrant another visit. We also had a Sariska Panna, which is made of pineapple pulp. It was chilled and had quite a unique flavour. Though this was supposed to be an apertiff, we got it in the middle of the meal
That notwithstanding, the service was quite good. We were also given a potato chips based snack before the meal started, turned out to be quite good, with chat flavors. We opted out of desserts because there were only the usual suspects, including a chocolate brownie. But then, dessert doesn’t need context, does it?
The above meal cost us about Rs.650, and we’ll definitely make one more visit, if only for the unusual setting.
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Reviewed By:
manuscrypts
6/8/2008 1:09:53 PM
Mocha Coffee
Bangalore
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Mocha
The Koramangala version, since the Lavelle road version was highly recommended, but a bit too far from the current residence. To get there, just turn left from Forum on Hosur Road (when coming from MG Road) and you’ll find it on the left. Alterantively, turn right on the intermediate ring road (from Indiranagar) at Sony World and then take a left before the Games village. You’ll then find it on the right.
We got there by around 7.45 and it was a bit crowded. We found a place upstairs (its not covered, so it might be a problem if it rains). We went prepared for a very ’snacks’ sort of dinner, so the place didnt disappoint. We ordered a Crepes Monte Cristo (I loved the character) which is chicken based, and the Non Veg Club Wrap (its everything thats ‘animal and eatable’ based :)). Aaaand we ordered a Black Forrest shake. Its the stuff fantasies are made off. And it was a difficult choice given the range of stuff they’ve got in that category. The food was quite good, but don’t have the wrap if you don’t like gherkins. The quantity is sufficient so long as you have a drink like the one above to fill the extra space
Lets not forget the plethora of shishas that you can puff away if you’re the kind who like hookahs. (pun slightly intended) No, there’s nothing such as a free hookah, but hey, its an experience you know. And now, we come to the finale. We were so stuffed that we just couldn’t find it in our stomach (in our hearts, yes) to have dessert. So we did the next best thing, packed a Chocolate Avalanche Sr. Now this, you must understand, was arrived at after some three gruelling rounds of elimination, each one rivalling those reality shows in terms of grief and heartburn caused when a contestant bows out. If you’re on a diet, you really don’t belong here.
Mocha’s ambience is more of a philosophy than decor. Its soothing, refreshing and very laid back. And I’m not punning on the lounge chairs they have. I heard a couple of people expressing discomfort at those, but i was a happy man. All the furniture has been apparently picked up from flea markets, though i saw something that i thought i ogled at once in Westside. I think i also saw a Sintex tank used as a table, but hell, its a really groovy place. Also, they say if you particularly like a piece, you can buy it.
All of the above cost us a bit over Rs.700. So, will I be back? Most definitely, because its an experience, and as the Mocha philosophy goes, ‘Life can wait’. But hey, i can’t, not for those chocolates.
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Reviewed By:
manuscrypts
6/1/2008 12:31:41 PM
Oye Shaava
Bangalore
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Oye Shaava
And when Bangalore decided to play host to a nagging rain, we plonked our way through Church Street to have ‘Punjabi food with a pinch of Bollywood’. When i saw the ad, I was wondering how this positioning would be viable when ‘Oye Amritsar’ was so close by. I realised it would be, if its an add on to the latter. Oye Shaava is a floor below Oye Amritsar, the difference is in the ambience, a bit of the menu, and the fact there’s a DJ belting out Bollywood numbers and remixes.
From the crowd we saw (in spite of the rains), I’d recommend you book a table if you aren’t the waiting sort. The seating was very comfortable, and we were given a decent table, with a nice view of Church Street.
The part I loved about the menu was the half plates for starters and main course dishes. Since our appetites are not exactly XL, we’ve always sacrificed starters to do justice to the main course. This time we didn’t have to, because the starters as well as the main course had an option of a half plate. For starters,we ordered a ‘Pahalwani Dhabe de Maahi Tikka’, which is fish in English. Good stuff, a bit spicy, and exactly the right quantity for a ‘half’ starter.
For the main course, we ordered a ‘Chitta Kukkad Kali Mirch’ and a 1/2 Bheja Fry (which is actually a starter) along with a masala kulcha, and a makki di roti. The chicken was a white gravy dish and was quite different from the regular kali mirch stuff we usually get. Definitely worth a try, if you like the pepper kind of spice. I’ve never had a bad Bheja Fry thus far, and this one was no exception. Meanwhile, the Makki di roti was the size of a small raw pappad, so we had to order another Naan, but whatver was there was tasty
For those who can’t do without soups, there are shorbas available. There’s also a small selection of desserts available. The regular north indian stuff, so we skipped. Would definitely not recommend it for the quiet dinner type, but if you’re okay with minimal conversation and some loud music to keep you entertained, this place should be on your list. All of the above left us poorer by just over Rs.500.
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Reviewed By:
manuscrypts
5/25/2008 12:02:55 PM
Yoko Sizzlers
Bangalore
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Yoko
The outlet on Church Street is fairly new, but they’re apparently quite a famous chain in Mumbai, and have also started an outlet in Hyderabad.
Its essentially a sizzler joint, and essays that role quiet well, given the choices and the ‘value for money’ factor. We reserved in advance, but a peek into the diary told us, we were the only ones to have done so :). The place has two floors, and the ground floor was quite full, but we were only one of two groups on the first floor. I would recommend the first floor, cosy, comfortable and a little less congested.
We started with a cream of chicken soup, which was simply awesome. I would rate it as one of the best i’ve had in Bangalore. Unlike a lot of places we’ve been to, they believe in using both cream and chicken in a ‘cream of chicken’ soup. There are also a lot of starters you could choose from.
For the main course, we had a ‘Chicken Satellite’ sizzler and a ‘Diced Steak with chips’. The steak had a wonderful flavor, the sizzler was only average, but it could be my intense dislike for most vegetables, that biased my view. Speaking of vegs, there’s enough choice her for vegetarians too. The meal was just the right quantity and leaves you enough space for dessert. There are not many dessert options, and its pretty much the standard Mousse, Ice Cream, Caramel Custard kind. Would have loved to review that too, but had to rush.
Overall, a good experience, Yoko’s a good place to visit when you’re hovering around MG/Brigade Road, but I might be more inclined towards Tangerine (Indiranagar) when in the generic mood for sizzlers. Its the dessert, stupid, though a Barista and Java city close to Yoko pretty much evens it up. ;)
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Reviewed By:
manuscrypts
5/18/2008 10:39:31 AM
Taste of Rampur
Bangalore
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The Taste of Rampur
is obviously quite good, because we’ve been repeat vistors, although this time we fell for a marketing gimmick - them calling up the wife wishing her a happy birthday. :)
The restaurant is in the service road (on Hosur Road) opposite Globus in Koramangala. There’s parking available and the best way to reach would be from the ‘National Games Village to Forum’ road and turning left just before the Forum junction.
We don’t book in advance, but it would be better to do so on Saturday nights, especially after 8, since we had to wait once for around 15 minutes. The decor is very Awadh, and the background music is usually very Hindustani, although the TV in the corner does show EPL
The ambience is quite soothing, with soft lighting and comfortable seating. Although I’ve never tried it, the liquor menu does look well stocked. They have a good selection of kebabs. We usually ditch the shorba for starters, though the chicken shorba we had once was quite good. (but no 1/2 ok?!) This time we had the Murg Potli Kabab, which has chicken mince filling. Quite tasty.
For the main course, we wanted to have a Murg Kali Mirch, but they recommended Murg Raseela since we wanted something spicy. Spicy it was, but i liked the Kali Mirch better (from previous visits). They also have a stew which we’ll try sometime. There’s a good selection of rotis, chicken and mutton. Though the dessert spread is good on paper, we have never managed to get the stuff we wanted. This time was no exception.
A meal for two would cost about Rs.700-800 for a starter, 2 main course dishes and dessert. Overall the place is good, and we’ll definitely repeat the visits.
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Reviewed By:
manuscrypts
5/11/2008 11:43:03 AM
Pink Pepper
Bangalore
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Pink Pepper
The poor place suffered at the hands of Bangalore Times's review, but we still decided to give it a try. After all, we aren't that gourmet yet.
Since we didn't want to go around in circles (considering that 13th main, 6th cross can be mny different places in indiranagar), we called up the place for directions, and were guided quite well. For those familiar with the Indiranagar culinary scene, its on the same road as Sigri. (the first right turn when you enter Indiranagar from the Old Madras Road - 100 ft road intersection)
The name and the decor would recommend a setting different from what it currently occupies, so don't judge it by its surroundings. The seating is very comfortable, with a smoking and non smoking section, and a view of the road its located in. The menu has a bit of continental, Indian and Chinese stuff. As always, we decided to mix and match. So we went for the Hot and Sour Chicken soup first, which was quite thick and delicious, a bit on the salty side, but I'd still say it was pretty good.
For the main course, we went Indian and ordered a Murgh Masaledar and a Goan Fish curry. The portions were quite sufficient for two people, and they actually serve a roti as part of any dish for the main course. That is not something I've come across earlier. Both the dishes were unlike the regular fare we get to eat, and definitely tasted like some good work had gone into it. A strange thing was the lack of a bloated feeling, which usually accompanies our Saturday dinners :)
The menu did have some dessert options, but the lure of the Casa Picola nearby (CMH road) was too tempting to miss.
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Reviewed By:
manuscrypts
5/4/2008 12:01:10 PM
Shezan Restaurant
Bangalore
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Shezan
I was introduced to Shezan a few years back, thanks to it being located close to my ex-place of work. It was quite a wallet friendly place then, thankfully still is. They've also added more floor space on the ground floor quite recently.
Though the place is quite well known for the steaks, we usually have the North Indian fare, because thats quite good too. But having said that, we usually start with the Chicken & Mushroom soup. :) Though we've always ordered that, we've never had the soup tasting the same across visits, but there never has been a reason to complain either, so far. This time, though, was a big let down, because it seemed to be a hastily prepared concoction with the mushrooms looking like they had been chopped and put in somewhere on the way between the kitchen and the table.
For the main course, we had onion kulchas, fish biriyani, murg patiala and fish hyderabadi (yes, we are an equal opportunity consumer). The chicken was very good, and so was the biriyani, and the quantity was just right for two people, and just enough space for dessert. We usually skip dessert here, and hop across to Corner House for the must-have dose of 'Death by Chocolate'
A meal for two costs about Rs.450 (not including dessert).
What brings us back to Shezan is the lovely seating on the terrace where we can watch the world go by on Lavelle Road. So, yes, we'll be back, bad soup notwithstanding.
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Reviewed By:
manuscrypts
4/27/2008 11:44:34 AM
Bangalore Bistro
Bangalore
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Bangalore Bistro
When we first came to Bangalore, we’d heard about the Bangalore Bistro somewhere near Cunningham Road, but since that area wasn’t our regular haunt, we never managed to visit. Thankfully, they shifted location to Brigade Road, and have ever since, made us quite regular visitors.
Except for the first time, we’ve never reserved, because there’re only a couple of tables occupied when we reach there (around 7.45 -8 pm), but if you’re planning to go later, it would be better to reserve in advance. Although they have some wonderful seating outside, a sort of terrace with stone benches, I’ve never seen people sitting there, but i'm sure it'd be great during summer. There’s a lovely view of a church and the city skyline, which adds to the entire Gothic+Euro theme.
The owners have a tremendous sense of humour judging by the copy in the menu card. One of the best ones as the verse on how you’d have to pay if you broke the hookah.
Meanwhile, we asked for a cream of chicken soup (they don’t have soups on the menu card, all they say is ask for a soup and we’ll make it for you), and a Honey Chilly Roast Chicken and Chicken Cannelloni for the main course. The soup was excellent, as is usually the case. Generous helpings with soft, fluffy garlic bread.
Both the dishes we ordered for the main course were not lacking in quantity. While the Cannelloni I ordered was leaning towards bland, D’s dish was quite spicy, but both were awesome. The place also has some Lebanese, Turkish stuff, and some good choices in sea food. The desserts are a bit costly, but this time it wasn’t that which stopped us. We were stuffed after the main course, so no Desserts :|
Bistro remains one of our top 3 restaurants in Bangalore for its quiet, soothing ambience and the sheer quality of the food.
You can get all the details on their website - http://bangalorebistro.com/
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Reviewed By:
manuscrypts
4/20/2008 11:58:38 AM
Cafe Masala
Bangalore
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Cafe with lots of masala
Cafe Masala is brought to you by the BJN group, and has ‘Aromas of China’ and ‘Vaayu’ for neighbours on the top floor of Eva Mall, Brigade Road.
We made reservations in advance, and i think a wait of about 15 minutes would’ve happened if not for that. We were given a reasonably good table, with comfortable seating, though some poor staff were dealt with sternly by my wife when they tried to pull one of our chairs for an adjoining table.
While the menu does have some continental stuff, a lot of it is meant for the evening snacks category, and not dinner. But we did manage to get some corn soup, which was quite good. And like good mix and matchers, we ordered mutton pepper chops, murgh bhartha, kulcha and butter naan for the main course. The mutton chops gravy was awesome, though not recommended for people with low spice tolerance. The chicken was also good, but for once, was overshadowed by the above. And yes, special mention for the fact that they gave us a Lachcha Paratha instead of the Butter Naan, and when we pointed it out, we were told that this was how Butter Naan was made here, but it could be replaced. We’re yet to figure that out.
You’ll notice from later reviews that we are no novices when it comes to desserts, but this time, we were too stuffed, although the menu listed some decent options.
The pricing is as per the regular BJN standards, and all the above came upto about Rs.650.
The ambience is pretty good, somewhere between the rgular noisy neighbourhood cafe, but with an effort to make it look more organised. We noticed a lot of large groups there. And yes, there’s even a one-man-band, who plays requests. Heard him play MLTR and Bollywood numbers, so metal guys can consider that a warning.
Overall, it was quite a pleasant experience, and definitely makes it to the ‘please visit again’ list.
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