A New Brunch in town - B:Brunch at Bene, Sheraton Bangalore

Twitter: @nkandhari     Facebook: Review Of Restaurants     Instagram: Review Of Restaurants 

I'm always on a lookout for new and interesting experiences. What I get even more excited about is; sharing with you a new and exciting experience that I really enjoyed. Sheraton is probably a hotel I frequent often for it houses splendid dining options in the form of Feast, Bene and Persian Terrace.

Last week, Sheraton Bangalore at Brigade Gateway launched not just the newest and the coolest brunch in town but also an exclusive and unique brunch in various ways viz..

 - While every brunch focuses on world cuisines, this one is exclusively; I repeat exclusively an Italian and Mediterranean brunch.

 - This brunch at Sheraton is a lavish spread of food with 80% or more coming from live counters; the way you'd like it prepared.

A perfect outdoor setting with the lovely Bangalore weather, live music and DJ, 3 bar counters (Main bar, martini & Mojito Bar, Bubbly bar), activities to keep the kids entertained and live counters dishing out freshly prepared food. The ambiance and set up is perfect for a relaxed and leisurely Sunday Brunch.

We were welcomed with shots of different liquor base setting the mood for the rest of the brunch.

There is loads of food and drinks laid out all the way from where you enter (indoors) to the end of the Al-Fresco (outdoors) section. It begins indoor with soups, salads and dips, live counters serving up customised salads, cold cuts, cheese platters, desserts at the heart and extending outdoors to the live Persian and Italian mains and grills. All of this, well alternated with different bar counters.

The salads and dips as always were delicious and aplenty to choose from. Puja loves the cheese platter with crackers, nuts and fruits by the side to accompany. We sat outdoors, enjoying the lovely weather of Bangalore, the fresh salads, delicious dips, cheese and sipping on Kir Royale (a sparkling cocktail) and wine.

My new favorite was the finely sliced Parma ham with Parmesan cheese strips. A really simple combination of cured and thinly sliced parma ham with cheese slivers and that's all it takes to enjoy this lovely dish with a glass of medium bodied red wine.

On the weber grills were assorted starters for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. I tried the chicken sausages and the fish from the non-vegetarian section and cottage cheese and mix veg sticks from the vegetarian. Except for the sausages which were perfect, i found the marinade on the rest to be quite bland for my liking. I'd have preferred it to be a little more robust in flavor.

All through the brunch, I tried various beverages like the Kir Royale - a champagne/sparkling wine based cocktail, the very innovative Paan martini, mojito and some good wine as well. The cocktails were well concocted and made for a good company for the day. My personal favorite of them all was the Paan martini which apparently also made for a great finisher after a complete meal - Well, that's the paan lover in me speaking. 

Moving on to the next course or the mains if they may be called - It again primarily comprised of live counters for burgers, Italian and Persian food. We settled down with pasta of mix sauce, pizza from the wood fired oven, and also some delicious Persian rice and kababs - both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. Like always, they all tasted good but would have preferred to have more options to choose from bot in terms of dishes and the meats offered.

Desserts were inviting right from the the very beginning and our eyes were all set on them. So when we arrives to this final course, we were in a fix on what to eat. We settled for an assortment that we plated ourselves from a really generous selection. Oh Boy! I absolutely loved their Banana-Walnut cake, carrot cake and the subtly flavored coconut cake.

Tiramisu at Bene has always been a signature creation and it wouldn't be justified to not have dug my spoon into it.

To sum it up - it was a lovely day, perfect weather, great ambiance, live music, fabulous spread of delicious food and the premium beverages and interesting cocktail concoctions to add to the zing. For the kids, there was tattoo art, interesting balloon creations and more. Memories are to be treasured and hence, Sheraton goes the extra mile to get you photographed during the brunch and as you are all set to call it a day and step out; Surprise! the you'll spot your picture printed and ready for you to take back home.

Address: 4th Floor, Sheraton @ Brigade Gateway, 26/1, Dr. Rajkumar Road, Malleshwaram - Rajajinagar, Bangalore - 560055
Landmark: Adjacent to Orion Mall in the same campus

Phone Number: +91 80 4252 1000

Zaffran, Bangalore

Zaffran a fine dine restaurant specializes in Mughlai cuisine. Originally from Mumbai, they made an entry into Bangalore in the year 2011 on St. Mark’s road. Somewhere in the second half of 2012 they opened shop in Orion Mall, Malleshwaram. Post the shutdown of Zaffran on St. Mark’s road, their outlet at Orion mall is the only one in Bangalore. A lot of good feedback about the food (especially the Raan biryani) has been the driving force behind my visits; ‘Yes, Visits’ to Zaffran.

Menu

The Menu at Zaffran lays emphasis on the rich culinary delicacies of Northern India. Their menu comprises of an array of mouthwatering delicacies which includes soups, starters, refreshments, main course, accompaniments, biryanis and desserts; all of which can be consumed in the company of some alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages offered from their full-fledged bar. The menu is well structured with the courses clearly categorized independently and further between vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

What we ate:

Having visited Zaffran multiple times, I was able to sample a variety of items from their menu. To do the honors was masala papad which actually is a crisp roomali roti topped with the tomato and onion masala. Being made with all-purpose flour, it has a tendency to get tough and chewy as it gets cold. When had hot and fresh, it was actually quite nice. An interesting dish to nibble on as one waits for the other courses to arrive.

For starters, Murg Zaffrani Tikka served with mint chutney visited us during both my visits. It had a nice flavor of saffron, was tender, well cooked and in a word 'Delicious'. For the vegetarian, the pick was veg. Galauti Kabab. I didn't try it but the vegetarians loved it.

Image Courtesy: Zaffran Management

In the course of visits to Zaffran, another non-vegetarian starter we relished was the succulent Tandoori Murg. The overnight marinating does pay off and is evident from the flavor it exudes.

In the mains, it was Rogan Josh and Paneer Makhni that paid visit to our table. The Rogan Josh came with a twist; the recipe at Zaffran involves extensive use of saffron. The meat was succulent and tender slipping off the bone with slightest of the efforts. Though the Zaffran version tasted good, I personally would prefer the authentic Rogan josh. The vegetarian counterpart was a fine dish which was paneer immersed in a rich and creamy tomato based gravy. It was indeed a fine dish to order for the vegetarians. These gravies were accompanied by assorted Indian breads which were well cooked too.

On one of the occasions, we called for the Murg Tikka biryani which was served along with raita. The biryani was flavorful combination of aromatic rice and succulent pieces of chicken tikka and could do even without any accompaniment.

Image Courtesy: Zaffran Management

A visit to Zaffran cannot be complete until you have had the Raan Biryani (mutton leg) served here. The portion is enormous and can feed 5- 6 people. The mutton is very tender, flavorful and melts in the mouth instantly. The rice is well flavored with saffron and the mutton masala it is cooked along with. This preparation packs the flavors of the meat, rice, spices and saffron so well that it can entice the weakest of the taste buds.

Verdict:

Zaffran offers both indoor and outdoor seating options. The decor is really classy. The music playing in the background is really soothing and has a mid-eastern world influence.

The service first time around was average. The staff seemed a bit hesitant and puzzled when asked for recommending the food to pick. The service during other visits has been reasonably good. I appreciate the management for being receptive to the feedback given and acting upon improving it.

An average meal for two will cost Rs. 1500 for food excluding taxes and charges; yet leaves you well satiated. Being located as a part of the mall, there is no valet parking offered.

Quick Tips:

Raan Biryani is what I will always go back here for every single time. 

Address: Orion Mall, Brigade Gateway, Malleshwaram - Yeshwanthpur, Bangalore

Phone Number: +91 80 6595 8888

Feast @ Sheraton, Bangalore

Last year, around the same time Sheraton, Bangalore hosted a Japanese festival. OK, let’s be precise, it was a Sushi festival. And now; ‘Feast’ a multi-cuisine restaurant at Sheraton, Bangalore plays host to yet another Japanese food festival. On till the 14^th of July, Chef Kyoji Endo from Westin, Tokyo is here to take you through the culinary delights from the ‘land of the rising sun – Japan’. An invite came my way for this event and it took me no time to say a ‘Yes’.

Menu:

Since it is Japanese food fest, a section of the buffet otherwise shared between the South East Asian countries has been solely dedicated to Chef Kyoji Endo’s creations of his homeland. This spread included specialties like sushi, sashimi, miso, udon, green tea ice cream and not to forget something Chef Kyoji Endo is a specialist at – Tempura preparations. All of this was accompanied by a magnanimous spread of food and desserts representing various cuisines of the world. So aptly named is this restaurant!!! ‘Feast – world of flavors’

What we ate:

Of course! It was a Japanese fest and that’s exactly what we kick started our meal with. My companion seemed very fascinated with the concept of customizing her own soup. Chef Kyoji Edno helped her with the customization. The soup was served cold in a broth made of miso, dashi and more. Ingredients include udon noodles, topped with tofu, nori, finely chopped scallions and some other toppings. This was a winner since when we dug into it.

My pick was the miso - egg drop soup that was served hot. This soup was really light in consistency, the flavors well balanced appealed to my senses. I remember having not enjoyed this soup much at another Japanese restaurant a couple of months ago. But here, I loved it.

Moving on - next on the radar was tempura and sushi. I savored the non – vegetarian version of both while my partner in crime – a vegetarian went with the vegetarian options. Both tempura and sushi were served plated on our table. The tempura was the first to arrive. One look at it and I could say, “The batter must be really light and crunchy”. True to my imagination, the batter was light, crisp, and non-greasy. The shrimp was perfectly cooked and retained its flavor, moisture and softness.

The veg tempura was stuffed with chunks of assorted veggies and was also equally enjoyed. What took the whole tempura experience up a notch for us were green tea salt and chili salt; the unique accompaniments prepared by the visiting chef.

The sushi followed soon. The buffet displays just the rolls format broadly known as Maki sushi. On enquiring, we were told, nigiri and sashimi was on offer too. The reason for it not being present on the buffet display was just to maintain the freshness factor. What came to my table was a platter of sushi, sashimi and nigiri. While I love maki sushi rolls, it was the salmon nigiri that stole the limelight for me. There was California roll for the vegetarians which had a crispy cucumber as the filling. I did dig into this and loved it too.

The Japanese section of the buffet also had fried pork (Ton Katsu), whitefish in a vinegar sauce, potatoes in teriyaki sauce and fried tofu. The whitefish in vinegar sauce was cooked but served cold; traditionally the way it is eaten and was good in flavor but the fish seemed a tad bit hard and dry. ‘Potatoes in teriyaki sauce’ was a nice preparation with sweetness felt from both potato and the teriyaki sauce.

Whitefish in Vinegar Sauce

At a Japanese dinner one would definitely expect to dig into a scoop of green tea ice cream. Though not displayed on the buffet, this in-house creation is brought to the table. The ice cream had a mild flavor of green tea but was one dessert we relished.

In between all this, we also paid visit to the other sections of the buffet. To show you the magnitude of the spread Sheraton has on offer here is a quick pictorial representation:

Salad Bar: Make your own salad or choose from ready salads

Mediterranean Fare: Pita bread with assorted dips; herbed rich with Chicken and Lamb kababs 

Indian Non-Vegetarian Fare: Meen Pollichattu, Chicken Biryani & a gravy I do not recollect

This is not all; the buffet also hosted a vast spread of Italian and American food as well. Not to mention, a fantastic array of desserts Indian and international.

For more food pictures from this dinner, visit the photo albums on my FaceBook page Review Of Restaurants

Verdict:

The Japanese food was nice especially the soups and the tempura. I’d say, “If looking for Japanese food and you are in the vicinity – Feast is the place.” What better? You also get to experience the whole range of spread offered on the buffet.

True to its name - ‘Feast – World of flavors’; we got to experience not just the Japanese fest but also a diverse range of cuisines from across the world all under one roof. The dinner buffet priced at Rs. 1345 ++ is absolutely worth a splurge. The ambiance during the day is filled with a lot of natural light and at nights the warm lighting sets the mood for a great evening ahead. On the service front, I appreciate the attention the staff gives to every table to ensure that the diners’ requests are met in the best of their capacity.

Feast at Sheraton, also offers a lunch buffet which is priced at Rs. 1195 plus applicable taxes and charges.

Parking is never a problem here. Valet service is available.

Quick Tips:

Go here to experience a world of flavors the buffet has to offer. 

Address: Sheraton @ Brigade Gateway, 26/1, Dr. Rajkumar Road, Malleshwaram - Rajajinagar, Bangalore - 560055
Landmark: Adjacent to Orion Mall in the same campus

Phone Number: +91 80 4252 1000

Bene @ Sheraton, Bangalore - Italian Food Festival

It doesn’t happen often that, a chef comes down all the way from Sheraton, Rome to showcase the authentic regional preparations of Italy in our very own city - Bangalore. And when it does, it’s best not missed. Chef Fabio Colace and Sheraton Bangalore are hosting an Italian food festival at ‘Bene’ – a signature Italian restaurant at Sheraton Hotels, Bangalore. This event is on for just 10 days starting 21^st to the 30^th of June. In addition to food, Sheraton plans to engage diners with contests at individual tables where diners get to win some goodies.

A media preview dinner was organized and I was invited to the CAL Blogger’s Table to get a firsthand experience of Chef Fabio’s creations. Inspired by the history of Italian cuisine and the contest planned by Sheraton, I will not only share my experience of dining at Bene but will also share some Italian trivia along the way.

Chef Fabio Colace

Menu:

A new and innovative a-la carte menu has been crafted especially for this festival and I must say goes well beyond pastas and Italian style thin crust pizzas. At our table, we indulged in a traditional 4 course meal which comprised of signature creations from the antipasto, primo, secendo and dolce sections of the newly orchestrated menu. As it is believed, meals in Italy are usually an elaborate affair and a means to spend time with family, friends or guests. So was the case on our table with food, wine and conversations.

Trivia: Italian cuisine with origins going as far back as the 4^th century gets its inspiration from the diverse regional cuisines which in turn get their structure from the available ingredients and influences from their neighboring geographies.

What we ate:

Once seated at the table, in no time; we were sipping wine and relishing bread with 3 different types of dips – a tomato based dip, an herbed butter dip and the third was a cream based dip. But wait, we have not begun our meal yet; at least officially!

In quick succession, arrived ‘Il Fungo Porcino’ - an antipasto. Antipasto can be compared to an appetizer and once served signifies an official start of a traditional Italian meal. This was a single chunk of potato stuffed with minced mushrooms in the center, topped with a porcino mushroom and accompanied by delicately flavored parsley sauce. If you love mushrooms; this dish has gotta be on your table. I am not a mushroom fan yet found this dish quite interesting for it broke the monotony of the usual bruschetta.

Another View of Potato stuffed with mushrooms

Primo - ‘La Lasagne Bene’ it was. Primo is the first course in an Italian meal. There is emphasis on hot preparation and usually but not necessarily comprises of vegetarian food. ‘La Lasagne Bene’ was exactly that; alternating layers of lasagna sheet, and a veggie preparation of basil, chunks of eggplant, roasted cherries and slivers of onion all tossed in olive oil; not to mention topped with hot parmesan cream cheese. Once on our table, the staff was quick to bring on a slab of parmesan cheese which was grated finely onto our plate to our liking. The minimal use of seasoning which helped retain the original flavor of every ingredient was what worked best in this dish. Loved it!

For me, primo set the expectation really high for the next course and being a meat lover, I looked forward to ‘Secendo’ – the second course. Yes, this course is considered the main course and is usually a non-vegetarian preparation though the menu does cater well for the vegetarians too. For us non-vegetarians, it was ‘L’Agnello’; lamb loin cooked with aromatic herbs and was served with reduced balsamic vinegar sauce and roasted potatoes. This dish was fantastic and was relished with a glass of red wine. What worked for me in this dish was the flavor of the meat, rosemary herb and the balsamic sauce which were clearly felt on the palate. Roasted garlic plated on the side was a big hit with some of the diners on our table; not for me though. One thing, I believe could have made this preparation score more points versus the lasagna is the tenderness of the lamb meat. Nevertheless, its one dish I’d still wish to have again.

Trivia: ‘L’Agnello’ is a recipe from Chef Fabio’s very own region Lazio which houses the city Rome.

The vegetarians were served ‘Il Pemodoro’ which was a whole tomato stuffed with vegetable caponata and placed in a crispy basket made of filo pastry. Caponata was a sweet and sour filling made with some veggies and eggplant. This was liked by the vegetarians on our table. I dug into it too and liked the medley of flavors and the crunchiness of the filo pastry.

Trivia: Copanata is a Sicilian preparation. Sicilian food, though predominantly Italian is known to draw influence from Greek cuisine. This can be seen in Chef Fabio’s preparation of ‘Il Pemodoro’ which uses kataifi or filo pastry (Greek origin) around the tomato.

Our final course was dessert or ‘dolce’ is referred to in Italy. What grabbed our attention instantly was the plating of the dessert called ‘La Crema’ on a red plate. The frozen cream with apple sandwiched between puff pastry along with a prosecco (an Italian sparkling wine) based sauce not only looked fabulous but was down-right delicious to its last bite.

Verdict:

The service was fantastic; we were well attended to. The staff ensured none of us were kept waiting for either the food to arrive or our wine glasses to be refilled. Customary to Italy, post our desserts we were offered to be served a cup of coffee which I believe was a good touch. The menu was beautifully designed by chef Fabio to offer a good selection of the regional dishes of Italy. The food was fabulous and definitely provided for a unique dining experience.

A meal at ‘Bene’ for 2 which comprises of any of the above 3 courses each would cost you an average of Rs. 2000 plus taxes and charges (alcohol extra).

Sheraton is located in the Brigade Gateway campus adjacent to Orion Mall. Valet parking is available at Sheraton.

Quick Tips:

Go for a good Italian experience and fine dining. When there also take a few minutes out to take a look at the products on sale like cheese, sauces, and cold cuts which are available for purchase.

Address: 4th Floor, Sheraton @ Brigade Gateway, 26/1, Dr. Rajkumar Road, Malleshwaram - Rajajinagar, Bangalore - 560055
Landmark: Adjacent to Orion Mall in the same campus

Phone Number: +91 80 4252 1000