Food Festival: An Essence of Chettinad @ Sheraton Grand Bangalore

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It was Day 01 of the Marriott - Starwood Merger and Yes, I was there :)

We kicked off our evening at Sheraton experiencing the in season Oktober Fest menu; buts that's for another post. Fast forwarding the evening to when Chef Sabari with all enthusiasm walked us to our table at feast to experience the food festival close to his heart - 'An Essence of Chettinad'. Hailing from the region, Chef Sabari shared stories of the culinary journey his team set out on to bring the authenticity and experience back to Sheraton Grand Bangalore and it clearly showed through the evening spent.

Indian section of the buffet was dedicated to Chettinad cuisine which was extensive enough to ignore the rest of the otherwise magnificent buffet spread. True to the restaurants name, the Chettinad spread alone was a 'Feast'.

We were welcomed with Panakam and Neermore and before heading to starters we started off with condiments placed on our table like a variety of chips, chutneys, pickles, spread of podi and more before we progressed to the next course of starters. Panakam is a jaggery based drink with lime juice, ginger, cardamon forming key ingredients. We shamelessly enjoyed a couple of rounds of this drink as we nibbled through the condiments placed on our table.

Starters was an enjoyable course - a result of good ingredients, spices, marination and cooking style. The non-vegetarian starters included quail cooked in Chettinad spices (Kadai Perattal), prawn fry (Karuvepillai Eral Fry) and lamb chops (kari Varuval). This only made me look forward to the coming courses from the buffet spread.

Live stations continuously dished out vegetarian and non-vegetarian starters, appam, Adai, parothas and Nei Paniyaram. Adai as recommended by Chef was enjoyed in the company of ghee and jaggery. Neil Paniyaram was relished with the wide spread of chutneys and podi. 

Mains included a range of dishes for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. There was Karaikudi Attiracha Curry; a flavourful lamb dish and Chettinad Meen Melagu Varuval; a seer fish preparation (yes! I was equally excited to hear Seer and not Basa)  that went well in the company of a nice flaky parotha. There was also Chettinad chicken biryani which I have usually never been  fan off. 

This was not all, I loved the vegetarian section too which had Pusanikkai More Kozambu, Vatha Kozambu and more. These were my favourites from the vegetarian menu and were relished with steamed rice. 

I'm not a big fan of desserts but I did venture into it. Amidst a wide spread selection, a fellow blogger recommended I try the Sago Payasam and it hit the bullseye. I did not need to look for any other dessert from the spread. At the end of it all there sure was a need of a digestive and to finish there was a delicious paan on offer.

It's a limited time showcase and the menu offering is on a rotational basis. So head here to enjoy a buffet that has an extensive offering of Chettinad food prepared from the heart by Chef Sabari and team. While only one more day remains for this food festival, I urge you to try it out and if that's not possible the buffet spread at Sheraton Grand Bangalore is fantastic and makes for an enjoyable experience. The buffet at feast comes priced at Rs. 1445++ for lunch and Rs. 1595++ for dinner.

Quick Tips:

Go enjoy an Essence of Chettinad at Feast, Sheraton Grand Bangalore and stay tuned for more to come.

Address: Sheraton Grand Bangalore, 26/1, Dr. Rajkumar Road, Malleshwaram - Rajajinagar, Bangalore - 560055

Phone Number: +91 80 4252 1000

mmmBurger Festival @ Smoke House Deli, Bangalore

My tryst with Smoke House Deli began with a friends visit one Sunday afternoon. It was an afternoon that left each of our stomach and heart very well satiated. The food was fabulous; most of the dishes hit the good notes be it the appetizers, the burger, Italian or continental. Desserts provided for a perfect end to a fantastic meal. This was enough to make for a good reason to visit Smoke House Deli again and again.

Burgers have always been successful in tempting me into submission. And this is what happened when I  heard about 'mmmBurger Festival' being hosted at both - 'Indiranagar' and 'Lavelle Road' outlet. One fine evening, I ended up at SHD with a cousin and no points for guessing, it was an evening spend over conversations and burgers.

Menu:

First off, the special Menu - mmmBurger Festival menu. specially crafted by the chefs at SHD. This special menu on offer till 8th June, has an interesting selection for burgers and something for everyone; be it vegetarian and non-vegetarian. In addition to this, their regular menu is also on offer so there is plenty to choose from if you do not wish to go for burgers.

What We Ate:

Burger.. Burger.. Burger.. Yes, we tried 3 of the burgers that evening. It was 'Fried Chicken with Peri Peri Sauce', 'Lucy's Juicy' and the 'South-West Lamb Burger'. We also called for a martini each which we drank while the burgers arrived. All burgers come with a generous potion of french fries and a small portion of side salad. 

The star of the evening on our table was the 'Fried Chicken with Peri Peri sauce'. Do not get deceived by the hint of sweetness as you bite into it because by the time you think of peri-peri, you will then be introduced to the heat that comes from the sauce. What a wonderful transition! If heat is what you love then this has got to be your pick making this festival a must visit. 

'South-West Lamb' was a burger that I looked forward to get my hands on. A first bite into it and I could say the meat was of great quality and cooked perfectly to keep it moist and juicy. What did't work for me though was (in random bites, not all) a mystery ingredient that brought in a distinct flavor. Must have been a one off thing because a few friends who gave a shot at the SHD mmmBurger menu loved this burger.

'Lucy's Juicy' was an interesting take on the original Jucy Lucy, introduced and made famous by 5/8 Club (well, this can be debatable), Minneapolis, MN, USA. The original is a mined beef patty which comes with melted gooey cheese oozing out of the center of the patty on the very first bite. Here, it was the chicken patty with the melted cheese oozing out. This was nice but I'd have preferred the patty to be a minced lamb patty instead of chicken for the sheer flavor lamb meat imparts.

While these burgers will be gone post 8th June, I find solace in the super delicious Lamb burger from the regular menu at Smoke House Deli. I have enjoyed eating this on numerous visits and am glad it is a part of the regular menu.

For dessert, like always we indulged in a White Chocolate and Orange Creme Brulee.

Verdict:

The food, ambiance and service standards here have been quite consistent making me want to visit SHD on a time and again. The burger festival per say has a very interesting menu and some burgers do make their presence felt. A burger meal for 2 without drinks will cost around Rs. 800 plus taxes and charges and is more than sufficient to keep you away from hunger for the rest of the night.

SHD offers valet parking in both the Indiranagar and Lavelle road outlets.

Quick Tips:

This special 'mmmBurger Festival' menu is available only till the 8th of June. Go give it a try; it surely is worth a visit.

Read more about Smoke House Deli Here - SHD Review

Address: Ground Floor, No. 52 & 53, Lavelle Road, Bangalore 560011

Phone Number: +91 80 4127 6272 

Mango Mania Festival @ 12th Main, Grand Mercure Bangalore

This fruit needs no introduction - It's called the 'king of fruits' and is my only respite during the summers. My love for mangoes got me really curious drive up to Grand Mercure Bangalore where a special menu has been crafted to celebrate the season and love for mangoes. They call it the 'Mango Mania Menu' and is available as an a-la care option at 12th Main - a fine restaurant at Grand Mercure, Koramangala.

Menu:

Being a specially crafted menu and to pay tribute to mangoes this menu will be available only until the 17th of May for you to try. 

What tempted me totally and to tempt you as well - each of the preparation on the menu; be it vegetarian or non-vegetarian; starters, mains, desserts or beverages contains mango in it. Here's a look at the menu:

What We Ate:

Pretty much all of it from the menu, Yes, we were a group of about 10 of us so tasting most of the menu listings was an easy task. Of all that we ate and drank, here's what appealed to my palate and I think you will share common views with me once you've tried them.

It all began with the arrival of the vegetarian and non-vegetarian salad. Mango Caprese Salad (Yes, you heard it right - Mango Caprese) was the first to arrive on our table and was an absolute stunner. The mango used was well ripened and beautifully complemented the creamy soft texture of the cheese. The cherry tomato and lettuce added a nice flavor too.

Shrimp and Raw Mango Salad comes with a soy-chilli dressing. The salad gets its punch from this very dressing. Hence, I recommend you ask for the salad to be served with a generous amount of dressing and you are up for an excellent salad.

Other starters included Falafel Mango poppadums and the chicken, mango poppadums. Both were baskets made out of poppadum and filled with respective fillings. I didn't get to try the vegetarian version which was filled with mango and falafel but the non-vegetarian one was nice. Distinct flavors and textures could be identified as a result of the chicken, sweet mango and the spicy poppadum. Made for an interesting appetizer but jumped up a notch when the previously served soy-chilly sauce was poured in to the poppadum baskets.

Chicken, Mango Filled Poppadums

For the mains, a look at the menu and a few dishes caught my interest right away. Let's begin with 'Stuffed chicken breast' which was served with a mash of potatoes and mango,and veggies in jus. There was a lot of mango as the chicken stuffing too included raw mango and mushroom. Great for a mango lover! I absolutely loved this preparation and only looked forward to the other mains.

'Grilled Fish with raw mango parsley picada, roasted baby potatoes and a mango tender with coconut salsa was a much awaited dish. The topping of the bean sprout was weird and to what it looked didn't complement well with the dish. Each of the elements tasted brilliant on its own but together they were unable to whip up a storm.

What tempted me to try the next 2 dish was the description on the menu - Balsamic Grilled Vegetables, Parmesan Mango Polenta and a glaze of Pomegranate'. I just know I wanted to try this preparation to savor the complexities of flavor coming from the various ingredients like balsamic, mango and pomegranate. It was brilliant and was loved by each one of us on the table.

The second was the raw mango, spinach and ricotta ravioli in a mango sauce. A real delight for a mango lover. This dish had many takers on our table and did have its share of repeat order. 

Last of the mains - 'Thai Green Veg Curry with jasmine rice' also had mango chunks in it and made for a fabulous dish. Again, this was loved so much that a repeat of this was called. I hear that the Thai Green Curry on the regular menu at 12th Main is equally good and is one dish that must not be missed. I know for sure that, the next time i'm at Grand Mercure - 'Thai Green Curry' will be on my table.

While this was the good stuff, the menu did have it's share of misses. The alcoholic menu was interesting but when served was a disappointment. Likewise, in the mains I hear, "though cooked perfectly, the tenderloin steak lacked any mango ingredient to it and this was the cause of disappointment." Anyways, there's nothing interesting about recommending what not to eat. I love food and love to share only what to eat. Moving on...

We had to end with desserts which again were; of course - Mango based. I'm usually content with the other courses and am pretty much done till we arrive to the sweet endings. Like always, this time too I had no appetite for desserts but there were 3 of them served on the table. Of the 3, I enjoyed the passion fruit mango tart though I wished the dough was slimmer than served.

Verdict:

You love mangoes and love it in every way it can be served. This festival has got to be on your mind. It clearly shows Executive Chef Vijay David's love for mangoes and trait of being experimental and innovative with food.  

The ambiance at 12th Main is fabulous with options for both indoor and outdoor seating. While the outdoor setting is fabulous, the flies can be a problem. Barring that, 12th main has always been a pleasure to dine at. Grand Mercure Bangalore nestled in the residential by lanes of Koramangala also boasts of another brilliant restaurant 'By the Blue' which is a pool side set up serving Indian cuisine.

A mangolicious meal for two at 12th Main will cost around Rs. 2500 plus taxes and charges. 

Quick Tips:

Go enjoy the Mango Mania menu at 12th Main, Grand Mercure Bangalore before it ends on 17th May.

Mango Mania menu is served only for dinner between 7 pm to 11 pm.

While you try this out, I'll soon be back with more 'Mangolicious' posts from some restaurants across Bangalore that are running a Mango festival.

Address: 12th Main Restaurant, Grand Mercure Bangalore, 12th Main, 3rd Block, Koramangala, Bangalore

Phone Number: +91 80 4512 1212 

Ottimo @ ITC Royal Gardenia, Bangalore

'Ottimo' ('Excellent' in english) is the most recent restaurant offering from ITC Hotels in Bangalore. This Quintessential Italian restaurant replaces West View Grill and resides in ITC Royal Gardenia which also houses 'EDO' - one of the finest Japanese restaurants in Bangalore.

Resident Chef Vittorio Greco of Italy, takes centre stage in the kitchen of Ottimo. Inclined towards traditional Italian cuisine, Chef Greco at Ottimo offers a rare fusion of traditional Italian with emphasis on both nutrition and fresh ingredients which are sourced both locally and internationally. While maintaining simplicity and keeping food at its authentic best, plating of food at Ottimo is exquisite and in true sense signifies 'food porn'.

Menu:

The menu showcases specialities of Rome, Florence, Parma, Milan and Livorno in the form of appetisers, soups, pastas, pizzas, other main course dishes and desserts. The menu offers both vegetarians and non-vegetarians with plenty of options to choose from. On our table was a pre-fixe 4 course meal which included both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options.

What We Ate:

I was late for dinner and when I arrived, what I first saw on the table was these really pretty looking  Aperitivo. There were 3 of them -

'Paramigiana de Melanzane' is the chef's deconstructed version of the classic Paramigiana. Served cold and presented with a twist to the classic, this was a ball of deliciousness. The best way to enjoy this creation is to take the whole ball into your mouth in one go and let the magic happen in your mouth.

Paramigiana de Melanzane

'Rocher Al Fegato Grasso' is another aperitif of Foie Gras stuffed in a Ferrero Rocher. Foie Gras was my first time and was not something that appealed much to my palate. I enjoyed the rocher though. On a more serious note, a Foie Gras enthusiast was really happy with the preparation and gave it full marks. So I'd say, this didn't appeal much to my palate but for you it may not be the same.

Rocher Al Fegato Grasso

A lamb aperitivo which is a preparation inspired from Chef Greco's mother but comes with a twist from the kitchen. This dish is still being experimented with and will hopefully make it to the regular menu soon.

Moving on, we headed for the next course - 'Antipasto' which is an appetizer and signifies a start of a traditional Italian meal. On the vegetarian side it was Potato dumplings with gorgonzola in bell pepper and tomato coulis. Chef Greco loves to experiment not only with the food preparation but also with plating the food and this is what he did with this dish. We had this antipasto presented to us in the form of an abstract art. If the looks aren't sufficient; I will add that, "this dish was a fantastic preparation and set the state for a lot more to come."

Morbidoni di patate e gorgonzola con pepperoni dolci e pomodori

On the non-vegetarian front was another fabulous dish of gratinated scallops ad shredded cuttlefish with leek coulis and pumpkin. I absolutely loved this dish and imagined this would be the only highlight of the entire meal. The scallops were simply brilliant and looked like they had been treated with a lot of love. All ingredients complimented each other really well and made for a lovely treat.

Capesante gratinate e sfilacci di seppie con crema di porri e zucca

We had just begun... Soon followed the next course - 'Primopiatto' which translates to first course. I was blown away by 'Risotto con funghi selvaggi, scampi e cipollina croccante'. A simple and exquisite dish of wild mushrooms and shrimp risotto with crispy shallots. Yes, you know I don't like mushrooms, but this preparation had me stumped. Easily the best risotto I have ever eaten. Another highlight of the evening.

Risotto con funghi selvaggi, scampi e cipollina

The vegetarian option for the first course was yet another delicious preparation - Tortelloni di melanzane con salsa al pomodoro fresco e ricotta salata. A preparation of roasted aubergines in homemade tortelloni dusted with smoked ricotta and tossed in fresh tomatoes.

Tortelloni di melanzane con salsa al pomodoro fresco e ricotta salata

'Secondo piatto' the next course also considered the main course comprised of 'Sea bass crusted with pistacchio and served with a sicilian styled fresh vegetable caponata. Expectations were at its peak and for me this dish did not do the trick. I wished the fish was more moist and flaky while the pistacchio crumble could have been finer.

Filetto di branzino in crosta al pistacchio con caponatina di verdure

On the vegetarian plate was a bed of delicious tomato tomato and basil sauce on which came a  buffalo mozzarella sphere stuffed  parmesan spaghetti. The presentation was really fine and the Parmesan spaghetti along with mozzarella cheese made for a fine combo with the sauce.

Sfera di mozzarella di bufala e spaghetti in salsa la pomodoro

'Dolce' - What arrived was a show stopper - A chocolate based desert called 'Torta Caprese con sorpresa akka caniglia'. A ball shaped casing of hard chocolate with a gooey center of white chocolate, dark chocolate cake with a burst of tantalizing vanilla. The only perfect end to a lovely meal is this very chocolate dessert. I was suddenly hungry and polished off the plate clean. Felt like I'm in Heaven...

Stage 1 - Chocolate Dessert

Stage 2 - Steaming hot chocolate being poured over

Stage 3 - Chocolate crust melts to give way to the decadent chocolate cake and white chocolate

What's an Italian meal without an accompanying wine!!! As we cruised through our meal, we enjoyed sipping a few glasses of the Fratelli white wine.

Verdict:

It was a long eating session and the food was fabulous. Normally, for an invited event I do not include comments on service for it is expected to be top notch. However, I must mention that i was delighted to see the staff paying attention to the other guests dining at the restaurant, guiding and suggesting to them various options and ensuring they had a fabulous experience. 

The interiors of the restaurant are really classy and rich. The coat of arms; specially crafted for Ottimo, elevates essential herbs like rosemary, thyme and sage to royalty like status. In all, its a nice place to dine at with Chef Greco raising the bar by retaining the authentic flavors of a traditional Italian meal yet incorporating his nuances and giving the food a very contemporary feel.

An average meal for two at Ottimo will cost around Rs. 4000 ++. This does not include alcohol. As for the parking, it's no hassle for ITC Gardenia provides for valet service.

Quick Tips:

Go here for a leisurely meal. There is a lot to be enjoyed at Ottimo but for me the highlights of the meal were - Paramigiana de Melanzane, scallops and cuttlefish dish, mushroom and seafood risotto and the chocolate dessert.

Address: ITC Gardenia, 1, Residency Road, Bangalore

Phone Number: +91 80 4345 5140 

Monkey Bar - Indiranagar, Bangalore

Double the Fun... Two's better than One...

A new monkey is in town... Indiranagar holds the crown...

Yes, you may have heard the buzz or read the words - Monkey Bar opened doors of its 2nd outlet (3rd in India) in Bangalore earlier this month. If not for the crazy schedules for the last 3 weeks, Monkey Bar was my go to place to enjoy a piece of Bangalore Nightlife.

Unlike any other weekend, this specific Saturday was different, I was at Monkey Bar, Indiranagar not at night but at noon. No, it was not for breakfast either. There was a bloggers event organised where we got to tour the venue, and indulge in some lovely eats, drinks and monkey business.

What We Ate:

It was a day out for us friends in the blogging community. There was too much of everything - be it food, drinks or fun. I got to try various drinks over the course of the next few hours which included the fantastic 'Copper Monkey' - a whiskey based drink, my drink for most of the day - 'Ginger Roger' which is a gin based drink with peach syrup and ginger ale. This was not all, there was also a vodka based 'Red Riding Wood', an interesting 'Wild Leaf' cocktail; which is a subtle drink and a new favourite of mine. How can one miss the Monkey special Mangaa!

Giner Roger

You know this.. It's Mangaa

Wild Leaf (Photo Courtesy: Kunal Chandra - Monkey Bar)

For food, there was a never ending menu or it at least seemed to just go on and on right from starters to mains and finishing with dessert. While the menu lay emphasis on the non-vegetarian food, there was sufficient for the vegetarians to savour too.

As you may suspect, it is true that my focus remains on the non-vegetarian section of the menu. In starters, I thoroughly relished the 'Pirogies', 'Crab Rangoon', 'Devilled fish' and 'Tempura Calamari' the most. The pirogies are pan seared dumplings which come with various of vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. I absolutely loved this preparation especially the one with a filling of chicken, celery and jalapeños filling.

The crab rangoon is a New York classic wonton filled with crab mean and cream cheese. Pop one in your mouth to enjoy a burst of textures like crunch from the fried wonton wrapper, the freshness of the crab meat and the generous proportion of cream cheese.

Crab Rangoon (Photo Courtesy: Kunal Chandra - Monkey Bar)

Devilled fish is a Thai inspired stir fried fish which got its flavors from the Thai spices, galagal and lemon grass and Tempura Calamari was a preparation having very subtle tasting notes. Both these dishes exuded the use of fresh ingredients and were thoroughly enjoyed. If not treated well both the fish and calamari can be a total disaster but in this case they seemed to be treated with a lot of love and care in the kitchen. We couldn't keep our folks off these preparations.

Tempura Calamari (Photo Courtesy: Kunal Chandra - Monkey Bar)

The Goan Chorizo Pav was very nice too. In vegetarian, the only dish I tried was the lovely roasted beet and orange salad.

This doesn't end it all at all, there was pork sliders and Sloppy Joe. From the two, my vote undoubtedly goes for the barbecue flavoured shredded pork in between the buns and all the works in between and alongside it. Yes, that's Sloppy Joe.

For the mains, there was the Monkey Bar classic Pandi Curry and Pita, the Parsee orderlies' mutton curry and rice and berry pulav - an Iranian berry pulav with chicken in it.

The mutton curry and the coconut rice creates for a fabulous whole some meal for an individual and the Pandi curry with Pita is a crowd pleaser. If you love pork; the coorgi style, Pandi curry with Pita Bread has gotta be on your table.

The berry pulav is a classic preparation at Monkey Bar and is always a delight to eat. It has morsels of chicken kabab and shredded chicken in an Irani berry pulav with flavours also being contributed by saffron, fried onion and potato salli.

Berry Pulav (Photo Courtesy: Kunal Chandra - Monkey Bar)

In desserts, there was 'Chocolate Pot De Creme with salted caramel' and a 'Lemon Cake'. It's hard for me to pick one as I liked both the desserts. On our table though, there were many who were not big fans of the Lemon Cake; but for me - it was a thumbs up.

Lemon Cake

Chocolate Pot De Creme with Salted Caramel

Verdict:

In between all these food and drinks, we enjoyed a few games of pool and foosball available on the mezzanine floor. After senior monkey, the new Monkey Bar did set high expectations and very well lived up to it.

Is the new Monkey any different from the old? My answer would be a 'Yes' and a 'No'.

Yes, it is different -

 - The new Monkey Bar on the 12th main road of Indiranagar is more spacious than its predecessor.

 - The new Monkey Bar has new introductions on its menu

 - It does not have a basement like the one in Ashok Nagar. But, fret bot my friend; it has an equally amazing mezzanine floor.

No, it is the same -

 - It has the red scooter too. (Manu, what's the story behind the scooter?)

 - It's got the same feel, the open brick walls, the rustic interiors like a New York style pub

 - It lays emphasis on natural lighting

 - The menu does have the Monkey Bar classics

 - A foosball and pool table.

 - Buzz speaks fun, food, drinks and monkey business.

Quick Tips:

Head here for pure monkey business. I hear a new cocktail has been introduced in the last few weeks and it's aptly called 'Kalabandar'. I' won't say more about it, but here's a picture to leave you with.

Drink responsibly & most importantly eat well as you drink.

Cheers!!!

Address: #610, 12th Main Road, HAL 2nd Stage, Near Crosswords, Indiranagar, Bangalore

Phone Number: +91 80 4411 4455