An Ode to Summer @ The Fatty Bao - It's a Summer Special Menu

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It's been really really long since I wrote about a restaurant in Bangalore and when I heard about the Summer Collection menu at The Fatty Bao; I was really excited and looked forward to it. 

Paying an ode to the summer that's going by leading to the monsoons; The Fatty Bao has sketched out an interesting Asian Summer collection menu of food and cocktails that are refreshing for the summers, fantastic on the palate and easy on the stomach. 

We started with the international sensation Thai Summer Salad which exuded freshness coming from ingredients like fresh watermelon, radish herbs and the fragrant and flavourful dressing of Sriracha, honey, lime, salt and pepper. Very classy, very summery (Is it even a word?) and a perfect start to wet the appetite for the courses to come.

The joy of eating sushi is incomparable and since I love Sushi, it had to be on the table. On this menu was caterpillar sushi. Don't go be the name, it's just the  form of presentation. The sushi roll within contained tempura prawns and was topped with poached shrimp and a dressing of black, wasabi and Chili mayo. This was fresh and the balance of flavours perfect. 

There are a few drinks specially concocted to ease the summer time madness. Our pick was the cucumber cooler, Sunny Margarita and litchi fizz. The cucumber cooler is a gin based drink with cucumber juice and fresh lime which hit the right notes to kick start the afternoon. 

There was a sunny Margharita; a tribute to the king of fruits mango. This was made with tequila, fresh mango, passion fruit syrup and fresh lime. Being a huge fan of mangoes, I was happy to see it on the menu and my pick was made easy. A lovely drink but I'd have preferred the flavor of the mango to be more upfront. The drink looked lovely and through the afternoon it was clear that this was the crowd favourite.  

The rice paper roll came next with a Thai sweet Chili sauce. Dip the roll in the sauce and dig into it; Viola! The balance was perfect, texture crunchy and light on the palate. The sweetness of the Thai sweet Chili sauce to begin with and the spicy notes to finish really elevated the joy of eating a summer roll. For starters, we also had the Korean Fried chicken which did not really appeal to either of us. I thought the breadcrumb casing was either too thick or the chicken within the casing was too little. The flavour profile too was nothing exceptional and something I'll really not recommend you to venture into for the menu has a whole lot of other offering that is fantastic and an experience in terms of flavours and textures.

The third drink was litchi Fizz. I was hesitant to get one for litchi cocktail can many a times be really sweet. This was unlike what I imagined; it was aromatic thanks to the star anise. The favouring was perfect; not so sweet, not really sour and the star anise crept in as though the wells infused with it. 

For the mains, we were pre-decided from the start. It had to be chicken rice which was 'The Fatty Bao's' take on Singapore's famous Chicken Hainanese Rice. This came plated with a salad, two sauces - Hoisin and red chili-garlic sauce, a lovely chicken broth to go along and of course the chicken and rice. Eat just the chicken and rice or with a drizzle of the two sauces, the flavors were bang on and only got more enjoyable as I continued to relish this food. It was a celebration on flavors and it spoke why Chicken Hainanese Rice is considered one of the national dishes of Singapore and the reason for it being among the 50 delicious foods in the world.

Next up was the Malacca Asam Pedas aka 'Hot & Sour Malaysian curry with pomfret and vegetables'. The gravy was rich in consistency, spicy (well, not so spicy) and sour to taste; is best enjoyed with rice. Adding to the flavors and textures were accompaniments like fried onion slivers, peanuts and fries. 

I'm not really a dessert person but I did look forward to trying the rainbow cake only to witness the gorgeous presentation and plating of the desserts usually seen at 'The Fatty Bao'. This was nothing short of expectations. Needless to say, going by the name the cake was colourful, placed on a bed of pistachio and cinnamon crumble and candy floss spread around. In this case, I really enjoyed the dessert as much as I did witnessing the presentation. Why so? Because, it was riot of not just flavors but also textures. The cake was basically layers of flavoured sponge and ice cream. The crumble added a lovely crunch and enhanced the experience of enjoying this plated delight. 

A meal for two with two starters, two mains and a dessert each will cost around Rs. 1800 plus taxes and charges. Add a round of drinks each and you will shell out around Rs. 2500++ which is absolutely fair for a lovely weekend dinner or a pleasant and relaxed Sunday lunch. 

Verdict:

We really enjoyed almost everything we had for lunch that afternoon and I highly recommend you visit 'The Fatty Bao' to try out this special edition Summer Collection Menu that is on for the next 2 days (hoping it gets extended) till 29th May for lunch and dinner. Go there to try out the food that uses seasonal ingredients in a setting perfect for either lunch or dinner. The cocktails are lovely too and do try the limited listing of concoctions created specially to celebrate summer. 

Overall, it was a perfect ode to summer and trust me you'll love it.  

Address: #610, 3rd Floor, 12th Main Road, HAL 2nd Stage, Opp. State Bank of India, Indiranagar, Bangalore

Phone Number: +91 80 4411 4499

Note: This visit to The Fatty Bao was on invitation but the opinions expressed are solely mine and are absolutely unbiased nor influenced by the brand in any way.

Care for a Bubby Bento or Sushi?

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My neighborhood is known to host some of the best hotel properties of Bangalore. I may sound over-confident but that doesn't change the equation. Very recently, I visited this beautiful and sophisticated Pan-Asian rooftop offering tucked away in possibly one of the most expansive hotel properties in Bangalore. Driving into the property itself is an absolute pleasure. This rooftop restaurant is also an apt place to lounge and soak in the wonderful weather Bangalore has to offer especially around this time of the year.

You possibly have guessed it by now, "I am speaking of none other that 'OKO'". I love the concept of Bento meals which offers personalized portions of multiple meal courses allowing you to explore a cuisine of interest. Going a step ahead, sometimes it also allows for customization of what goes into the Bento meal. 

Being served for lunch at OKO it is called 'Bubbly Bento'; for the bento meal comes with a glass of bubbly to savor. Here one can choose a bento meal being offered for 3 cuisines - Japanese, Thai and Chinese. Interestingly, it is also possible for you to customize the box to include more than one cuisine if you may wish.

Each of the cuisines are available in vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. My Bubbly Bento meal was customized to offer a mix of Chinese and Thai dishes. Here's a look at a wholesome Asian meal:

The above box was a nice mix of the somethings Chinese and something Thai. The soup was 'Tom Yum Kai' was fragrant Thai with Thai spices and exuded distinct hot and sour flavors. Lemongrass, Kaffir lime leave and Galangal were clearly felt and contributed to a lasting after taste. In the salad it was the Thai classic 'Som Tam Thai'. It's a salad that can easily go wrong but when it's right it has the potential to kill your appetite for the remaining cuisines you may have planned for your meal. The flavors were bang with an interesting medley of flavors and textures like sour, chili, sweetness, crunch and so on.

The bento meal also comprised of delicious and succulent 'Szechwan La Ji'; a delicious and succulent preparation of chicken with chili bean sauce. The flavor was distinct and the chicken was melt in mouth. The stir fried Chinese greens were light on the stomach and perfectly blanched to retain the much required crunch. Both the chicken and the stir fry greens were best enjoyed on their own or with the accompanying Thai jasmine rice. 

The meal was enjoyed in the company of a lovely glass of Sula Brut sparkling wine; the buttery texture and the complex flavors of which best complimented the milder Asian dishes. 

I'm in love with sushi and given a chance I'd be more than willing to make a complete meal out of it. Unable to resist the temptation, I gave an assortment of sushi a shot. There was 'Maki sushi' (rolls), 'Nigiri sushi platter' (Meat on a lump of sushi rice) and 'Sashimi platter' (just meat). Describing the ingredients as top quality or fresh will be an understatement and this clearly reflected in the taste.

Maki Sushi

Sashimi Platter

Nigiri Sushi

It was time to call it a meal and having chosen a mix of Thai and Chinese bento, the dessert of my choice was the obvious 'Tab Tim Grob' - water chestnuts in coconut milk with a heap of shaved ice. It's the best way to end a meal at any Thai restaurant and for me it did make for a perfect ending to a lovely meal.

Continuing the indulgence on sushi, Chef Tenzin brought out her signature that was rightly kept for the end - 'Chocolate Sushi'. This was rich and indulgent with a chunky stick of chocolate ganache stick used a s filling and melted dark chocolate to coat the sushi rice. In short it was a burst of richness in the mouth.

The bento bubbly meal is very well priced at Rs. 899++ for vegetarians and Rs. 999++ for non-vegetarians. Here's leaving you with more reason to visit OKO. For table reservations please call +918030527777.

The Lovely Bar Counter

DimSums

Restaurant Seating

Bon Appetit!

Address: Oko, Hotel Lalit Ashok, Kumara Krupa Road, High Grounds, Bangalore

Phone Number: +91 80 3052 7777

New Menu @ The Fatty Bao

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Normally, innovation is something you don't expect in most cases but with Manu Chandra, innovation is the least you can expect. The bar set by him is already high and yet you walk out post a meal which has easily surpassed these expectation. When 'The Fatty Bao launched last year, I was excited to visit this restaurant and again at this time of the year I was really excited to get to preview the new menu that was recently launched.

The new menu has a lot of interesting and innovative stuff. While I really love things from their old menu; I kept focus on just the new offerings. And the good news is; there's plenty of new stuff on the menu and even better there's plenty for the vegetarians as well.

Puja and I visited one Sunday afternoon and unlike my prior visits, we chose to take a table on the 3rd floor instead of the Rooftop bar. We walked in pretty early to just find a couple of tables taken and in no time we realized the restaurant was packed to full capacity and the wait list began to grow. Bringing focus back to the food and drinks, we spent a leisurely afternoon over loads of great food and a few drinks.

We cruised through the menu starting with Sushi rolls - 'Spicy Salmon and Dill roll' for me in non-vegetarian and 'Asparagus Tempura and Cream Cheese Roll' in vegetarian for Puja.

Next up was Bao - Sheng Jian Bao which was first steamed and then seared on a cast iron pan. On the vegetarian pan it was the 'Spicy Tofu and Spring Onion Bao' and on my non-vegetarian side, it was the 'Lamb with Oyster Sauce Bao'. The bao's both tofu and lamb were so delicious; we reserved the last piece of it for the end of the meal.

We tried two new dim-sums off the menu - 'Spicy pumpkin and Radish dim-sum' and the 'Prawn and Garlic Chive dim-sum' from the non-vegetarian segment.They came served in small steamer baskets in the company of an assortment of dips which included the black bean dip, soy with herbs dip and spicy tomato dip. The dips made for really nice accompaniments but neither the bao not the dim-sums needed them to be enjoyed. They were so good all by themselves.

Drinks always kept company as we ate, I tried the 'Green Kimino' - A drink of Absolut Pepper, fresh pineapple blended with curry leaves and lemongrass and garnished with a celery stick which added to the freshness in flavor. A very Asian drink taking me down memory lane to a recent holiday in Asia. 'Ho Gin Min' has been on the menu since the start and the combination of Aniseed and ginger did not really appeal to my palate. 'The Fatty Sour' is a twist to the classic ad I've always enjoyed this Jameson Irish Whisky drink.

We also tried a mocktail called 'Señorita Sangria' which was a cranberry based drink with fruits soaked in it.

I love Baos right from the time I ate them for the first time in US way back in 2007. In Bangalore, I am confident that the best bao available is at 'The Fatty Bao' followed by 'Monkey Bar'. After some great dimsums, we were back at eating bao. This time, it was the open-faced bao with a filling of 'Miso-Eggplant' in one and 'Chicken Katsu' in another. So yes, one was the vegetarian and the other non-vegetarian. Both were scrumptious and specifically in the non-vegetarian Char Sui Bao takes the top spot. But if pork belly is not your preferred choice of meat the Chicken Katsu is clearly the way to go. Like I've said it earlier, this bao is best enjoyed in about 3 mouthful bites.

In small plates,  it was 'Stir Fried Pork Neck' that I really enjoyed. It was stir fried with Asian greens, ginger and basil in chili bean sauce. The sauce was well balanced and married well with the succulent pork meat without really trying to over power it.

Ramen at The Fatty Bao have been a delight in my previous visits. This time, we tried a vegetarian and a non-vegetarian ramen which clearly are meals in a bowl. Puja enjoyed the 'Stir Fried Kimchi Ramen with Spicy Tofu' and for me it was 'Lamb Tsukune Ramen'. Just going by the description of 'Lamb Tsukune Ramen' on the menu; I looked forward to relish this bowl of ramen and when it arrived, it had my favorite right on top - minced lamb meatballs. It was a Miso-Korean Chili paste broth with works like sauteed spinach, sweet corn, sprouts and pickled egg. Portions are great and a bowl of ramen is best shared among two especially if you have gone in for various courses.

Having eaten so much, we did not have any space left for either trying anything from the large plates section or desserts and decided to skip it during this meal.

It was a fantastic Sunday afternoon with the atmosphere at The Fatty Bao filled with a wonderful vibrancy and loads of new dishes on the menu for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. Cocktails here are interesting with 'The Fatty Sour' being my favorite here since my previous visits followed by Green Kimino which I tried on this visit. A meal experience for two including food and a cocktail each will average at Rs 2500 plus taxes and charges.

Whether you are looking for a quick lunch or spending a leisurely afternoon or an evening with friends over some after-work drinks, a fun Asian rooftop bar; The Fatty Bao is the perfect destination.

Address: #610, 3rd Floor, 12th Main Road, HAL 2nd Stage, Opp. State Bank of India, Indiranagar, Bangalore

Phone Number: +91 80 4411 4499

FoxLifeIndia: Launch Party of a new TV show - 'Tales from the Bush Larder'

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It's rarely that I spend hours together watching something on television and when it does, I usually spend my time watching food and travel shows. Talk of Kenya and one can't help but think of the wild. Even for me who first thinks of food, it's the wild that fills my mind when someone takes the name Kenya and this is the case only until very recently when I met Chef Kiran Jethwa for a short interview of his soon to be aired TV show - Tales from the Bush Larder.

Born to an English mother and an Indian Father, Chef Kiran Jethwa is a 3rd generation Kenyan. A chef and owner of Nairobi’s premier seafood restaurant, Seven Seafood & Grill; he traveled the world over to broaden his palate and professional abilities. His streak with success is not just limited to food and his restaurant but also with athletics on the Rugby field. He has played rugby not just at school at college level but also represented his nation on the same. 

Apart from food and rugby, he loves the game of cricket but is quick to get back to the topic he loves most - Food. Extremely enthusiastic of his soon to be aired (in India) TV show, Kiran says, "Kenya isn't exactly known for it's cuisines; instead it is the incredibly fresh, organic and unusual ingredients that are a main stay. " The TV show shot around beautiful landscapes focuses on the source and use of Kenyan ingredients and cooking techniques. 

Apart from the interview, Kiran also demonstrated the preparation of smoked lobster, toasted coconut, crispy limiri all stuffed in between a soft and juicy steamed bao. It was deliciously mind-blowing to say the least. Now having eaten some of his preparation at the launch party hosted at Shiro's Bangalore, I eagerly look forward to the show being aired on television.

With 3 seasons already shot and the first having been aired on Zuku sometime mid-September, watch out for it's India Premier -  

Show - 'Tales from the Bush Larder by Chef Kiran Jethwa

Channel - Fox Life India (@FoxLifeIndia)

Days - Every Thursday and Friday

Time - 20:00 hours (8PM IST)

Start date - 29th January, 2015

Event Alert!!! Citi Chef's Table Week 2014 is Back, Bangalore

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It's that time of the year when Citi Chef's Table Week makes a comeback. This week long festival features Chef's 6 course tasting menu at 10 of the city's (Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi finest restaurants. This format works wonderfully as it not only facilitates you to savor the signature dishes from Chef's kitchen but also prevents you from the hassle of deciding what to order. Of course your dietary preferences are well cared about.

Citi Chef's Table Week is a dinner only event and will be on from the 14th to 20th July. Reservations open on 9th July and guess what? It is 9th July meaning, reservations are Now Open.

One cuisine just doesn't work for me and it is a joy to see the diversity of cuisines on offer which is evident from the restaurant listing. What's also nice is that I have visited 5 of the participating restaurants and each of them cover a very distinct cuisine ranging from Italian to my West, Indian/Lucknowi at the epicenter to Japanese on the extreme East. Here's sharing with you a list of participating restaurants from Bangalore that I have visited:

1. Blue Ginger, Taj West End

Having celebrated its 10th anniversary this Vietnamese restaurant is known not just for it's ambiance, service and food but also for holding the title of being the oldest Vietnamese restaurant of India. I have been here a couple of times and undoubtedly this restaurant figures as my best Vietnamese dining experience. 

Leaving you with some images from my dining experience here and also a link to the reservations page.

2. Dum Pukht Jolly Nabobs, ITC Windsor

A power house of indulgence, exquisiteness, extravagance and elegance, Dum Pukht Jolly Nabobs is an experience to be lived. Serving the finest of the Lucknowi cuisine in a setting that's  unmatched thus far, Chef's Table Week is a perfect time to make a visit to this restaurant that is housed in ITC Windsor Hotel.

Again, some images from my dining experience here and also a link to the reservations page.

3. Edo, ITC Gardenia

Edo the fabulous Japanese restaurant at ITC Gardenia is an institution of sorts for Japanese cuisine. The resident master chef 'Sensai Kikuta San' lays high emphasis on procuring ingredients fresh and of the highest quality and this emphasis is clearly evident from its taste. The interiors here are really simple yet very elegant and make for a wonderful dining experience. Japanese food paired with their tradition drink 'Sake' only completes the experience of dining at Edo. I cannot think of a better time to make a visit to this restaurant.

4. Ottimo - Cuicina Italiana, ITC Gardenia

Translating to 'Excellent' in english, Ottimo is the most recent restaurant offering from ITC Hotels 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'. 

Leaving you with some images from my dining experience here and also a link to the reservations page.

Yauatcha, 1 MG Mall

A London based dim-sum tea house serves up the finest dim-sums I have had thus far. Be it their Chicken and Prawn Shui Mai, Crispy Prawn Cheung fun, Crispy Duck Rolls, mains, or the Raspberry Delice for dessert - This place has stolen my heart. 

Leaving you with some images from my dining experience here and also a link to the reservations page.

What I look forward to from this event is being able to visit at least one of the remaining 5 restaurants that I have not paid a visit so far:

Alba, JW Marriott Hotel Bengaluru

For me, it has been Italian cuisine for quite a long time. Having eaten this cuisine extensively I only geo fonder of the same with every passing day. I'm definitely spoiled for choice and am only curious now to see if Alba; housed in JW Marriott on Lavelle road makes it tougher for me? Yes, it is a speciality restaurant of one of the worlds most famous cuisines - Italian and here's the page I'd go to for a reservation.

Oko, The Lalit Ashok
Off lateA Pan-Asian restaurant close to home is nestled on the roof top of The Lalit Ashok. The food and ambiance are much spoken about and is on my list of places to visit.

Rim Naam, The Oberoi

Known to be one of the oldest Thai restaurants in Bangalore, Rim Naam is not only famous for its delicious and mouthwatering food but also very popular for its alfresco dining set up. If you love Thai food, Rim Naam is surely a name that instantly rings the bell. If you wish to reserve the table I'm sure you know where to click.

Riwaz, The Ritz-Carlton

On my wish list? Of course it is. The food of the North-Western Frontier has always intrigued me. It has the appeal to get me hungry even after a really satisfying meal. Is it because of my love for food or the character of this cuisine? I don't know myself. Anyway, Riwaz at the much spoken about The Ritz-Carlton serves up exactly the cuisine being spoken about. Looks like now's the time to make a visit.

Zen, The Leela Palace

I've been to Citrus at Leela a couple of times and en route to Citrus have spotted this wonderful looking restaurant that serves Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Korean cuisines in a setting that is heavenly. A restaurant that needs no introduction, is a place I look forward to visit and experience the goodness that has been doing the buzz. 

This specially crafted tasting menu is on offer at Rs. 2000 plus taxes and charges in Bangalore at each of the above restaurants only from 14 July to 20th July, 2014.