Mamagoto - The Fun Asian Dining

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Mamagoto is a Japanese term that essentially translates into 'to play with food'. It is a chain of restaurants spread across many major cities of India. While the food is clearly a success story, the very first thing to grab your attention is the famous yellow door which is a trademark of sorts at Mamagoto. I was recently invited to dine here and I gladly accepted.

At most restaurant (including Mamagoto) a guest is greeted by the staff but here, you are welcomed with the lingering aroma of the Asian herbs which are key ingredients to the Asian Cuisine. This aroma that fills up the air; in no time has you lost to the food fantasy land. With the aroma spread around, it's hard waiting for the food. 

I was recently invited to dine at Mamagoto to experience a wide range of delicacies that are dished out from the 'Fun Asian Kitchen' and also the innovative infused cocktails which again have a lovely Asian touch. We were provided with the menu cards which made one thing clear right away - the food (veg and non-veg) and beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) offering seemed really extensive. Having recently traveled to Thailand and Indonesia, my expectations were high and the flavors and tastes from the trip still lingered in the back of my mind.

With the help of the restaurant staff and our choices too, we started our food-trip which involved a round of Mamagoto special infused cocktails and starters. As we dined, what really worked well was my companion was a hardcore vegetarian and I was all into non-vegetarian. Okay I agree; 'hardcore vegetarian' is an oxymoron. :)

In non-vegetarian it was honey chicken with bell pepper and mild shezwan pepper, hot basil chicken cups and rock shrimp tempura. For me, honey chicken dish was a highlight in the starters and I could stop myself from polishing off the plate. Rock shrimp tempura is a simple preparation and came a close second in terms of the light batter, fresh and perfectly cooked shrimp. I generally like lettuce cups but in this case, I'd have preferred more flavoring in the chicken considering chicken doesn't really have a flavor of its own and usually adapts the flavors of the ingredients.  

Honey Chicken with Bell Peppers & Mild Shezwan Pepper

Rock Shrimp Tempura

Hot Basil Cups (Chicken)

My vegetarian friend called for vegetable basil cups, mixed veg tempura and Makati city discovery. He absolutely loved the light and crunchy mix veg tempura, vegetable basil cups followed and while the rice paper rolls served with a pineapple salsa was nice it was a little too bland for his liking. I didn't get to try the veg basil cups but personally liked the crunchy tempura vegetables and also the rice paper rolls stuffed with veggies.

Vegetable Tempura

Makati City Discovery

We surely needed drinks and decided to call for a couple of infused and signature Mamagoto cocktails. In the drinks what clearly stole the show for us was a Jack Daniel based cocktail called 'Cinnamon Whiskey Story' and two of house infused cocktails; 'Mexican Confusion' - a tequila based drink infused with Kaffir lime leaves and 'Thyme and elder-flower martini' thyme infused gin with an elder flower essence. What really surprised me with Mexican Confusion; and in a good way was though it contained lychee juice the drink was not overridden by the sweetness that lychee normally brings in. As for the martini, it was really smooth and went down the throat really well.

Cinnamon Whiskey Story

Mexican Confusion

Thyme & Elder-flower Martini

For the mains I was pre-decided on 'java grilled fish in red hot sambal salsa' and 'the laksa tribute - prawns' and my dining companion zeroed in on tofu teriyaki meal in a bowl and coal fired egg plant. First the non-vegetarian mains; the fish was a nice big and long fillet coated with the red hot sambal salsa and came wrapped in banana leaf. Steamed to perfection, the fish was soft, flaky and got a nice zing from the sambal salsa. This came portioned with a small mold of sticky rice. Overall the portion was quite generous and good to make for a main course.

There are no two ways - a noodle soup made with coconut milk, lemongrass, galangal, red chillis, prawns and more can have me slurping it off the bowl directly. That's 'the laksa tribute'. Had it not been for the enormous portion, I'd have swept it clean. Yes, even without the fish dish, I'd have easily split this laksa by two and walked out with a filled stomach; happy and content.

In the vegetarian territory, both dishes scored good points but off the two my friend loved the teriyaki meal in a bowl which again was a portion fit for two (not so very hungry souls). It didn't have meat but I still loved the flavors of this dish. It was a bowl full of sticky rice, veggies and teriyaki tofu. A perfect meal in a bowl with equally hearty portion.

With most of the dishes hitting the palate in the right way, we surely had a wonderful lunch and sipped some really good and not so good cocktails. The restaurant is well spread but gets really crowded. Like I mentioned earlier, please do make a reservation before you head here for a meal.

An average meal for two with food and a cocktail each at Mamagoto will cost around Rs. 2500 for plus taxes and charges. The pricing is pretty much standard and you surely will walk out happy and content with the food with out really making a hole in your pocket.

Address: 949, 12th Main HAL 2nd Stage, Indiranagar, Bangalore - 560038
Phone Number: +91 80 4093 7237