Bombay Brasserie, Indiranagar, Bangalore

A 'brasserie' is a small restaurant serving beer and wine as well as food. Just mentioning it here to clear out lingerie related confusion. Indiranagar has a multitude of classy and vivacious food joints. In simpler terms, it's a hub for food. And in this hub is this quaint, starkly white, villa-esque restaurant tucked away unassumingly on 12th Main road. In fact, if it weren't for the sheer number of automobiles driven around the building by colour coded valets, we'd have definitely missed our destination.

Bombay Brasserie is gaining loads of traction with respect to what they do with food. So it is definitely preferred to make a reservation. Something we ignored and were made to pay for by having to wait about 35 minutes. Now we were so determined to taste the food, having travelled so far for it, that we decided to spend time on our phones. And voila! Time flew by and we were assigned a comfortable table by the super attentive Maitre D'. On the exterior, Bombay Brasserie is deceivingly small. The interiors, though, are highly accommodating and host a severely large number of guests. Decorated like a hip bar with a smattering of Hipster Indianess & loads of cheeky posters, that you find yourself in a well-lit, elegant and comfortable zone with a pretty bar, ample space and a "totally into it" live DJ. And they serve water from a jug which has a slice of lemon/orange and mint. First Impression status: IMPRESSED!

We were handed what was a hard bound, colorful BOOK of a menu! It is a 26 page book with some excellent designs and quirky dish descriptions. Win! The Desi Cocktails and Desi Mocktails particularly caught my attention for the Indianisation of popular international drinks. Unfortunately, being slightly under the weather, we decided to stick to water. But the Southern Express cocktail and the Not-So-Saada mocktail are drinks I will most definitely try on my next visit. After a cursory glance at the myriad dishes on the menu, we asked our waiter for suggestions. This guy seemed to read our tastes well and so, suggestions came out thick and fast. We took his suggestion and ordered the 6 chutney papad tokri as an appetizer and it didn't disappoint. 6 different types of chutney and fryums. The fryums themselves are served ina  bowl made from a masala papad. It's so great, you also eat the plate!

Delightful section of the review:
Chilli cheese naan: 4 bite size naans stuffed with chilli cheese. Tangy, cheesy and gone within a couple of minutes.
Spicy Pahadi mushrooms: Huge button mushrooms covered in flavourful masala and grilled along with bell peppers. Crunchy bell peppers and exquisite flavouring of the mushrooms hit the spot.
The Old Delhi Murgh Boti with Butter Roomali: Just insanely flavoured chicken served with a crispy, delightful buttered roomali roti, onions and pudina chutney. It was over so fast that, if not for the picture, I can't seem to remember what it looked like :P

Kashmiri Naan Kebab: Okay, this one caught us off guard. We assumed this to be a generic sheekh kebab with a soft naan. But, no! This sheekh kebab was as long as my forearm with a huuugge naan along with a creamy yogurt based dip! It was almost a meal for one! DEFINITELY RECOMMEND. Loved the dish so much, it deserves it's own paragraph in this review.

We chose the Nawabi Gosht Biryani as our entree. The mutton was succulent. The rice was long and fragrant. The masala seemed to permeate through every ounce of biryani. It was such a delightful feeling, that as a Biryani Aficionado, I would suggest you have 2 of these. Beautiful.

Decadent Section of the review:
Having tasted some endearing flavours from appetizer through the entree, we decided to 'wing it' with the dessert. We received the Amritsari Kulfa as a suggestion and, without a second thought, asked for it to be served to us. What we were served was an Instragrammable marvel of a dessert with bite size pieces of kulfi covered in rabdi and almond phirni topped with falooda and rose syrup served in a bowl with a saucer filled with what looked like liquid nitrogen. It was so pretty to look at that after an entire session of photography, we decided to chow down and IT WAS DELICIOUS! Creamy, cold, subtle and decadent. Perfect end. Little tidbit here, we were given the bill along with some Mango Bite candies. Nostalgia Hit!

Bombay Brasserie is one of the few places whose popularity deservedly spread through a positive word of mouth. And in my opinion, there is no better way to be popular. I hope you guys keep doing what you're doing and keep churning out some excellent Indian dishes with your Chef's inimitable twists added to them. More power to you. Kudos and Cheers!

Brewklyn Microbrewery, Kalyan Nagar, Bangalore

New York City. The Big Apple. NYC. The City That Never Sleeps. The Five Boroughs. A melting pot of the world. Such is the influence of this vibrant city that pig out joints in Bangalore are inspired by it. One such hip locale is Brewklyn, a microbrewery with a name that is cheeky pun on one of the Five Boroughs of NYC. Situated above Barbecue Nation (quite metaphorically) in Kalyan Nagar, it is an easy spot in bustling CMR Road.

Located on the 4th floor of an unassuming building, Brewklyn's decor throws you off completely. An assortment of the various grains used to make their beautiful beer greets you at the reception along with graffiti that reminds you of THE Brooklyn from pop culture. Ambient light indoors and a splendid view outdoors invokes a dilemma on seating, that once solved, allows you to enjoy an absolute gem of a place!

With flat screen TVs strategically placed in the restaurant, you get to see the Premier League live on weekends. Therefore, I WAS SOLD ALREADY! A pool table adorns the center of the lower floor with a lop sided, dimly lit afterthought of a foosball table nearby. They also have a floor above which host parties at night with a lovely looking bar, an oven, a sweet looking stage and a breathtaking view of North Bangalore. Did I mention that the restrooms pay tribute to two legendary locales in NYC appropriately named Manhattan for men and Queens for women. Subtle. Absolutely dig the decor!

The staff is always busy but are super sweet and courteous and will make all efforts possible to make you feel comfortable. Any mistakes on their part is swiftly corrected with a smile and minimal fuss. Keep those smiles going. Your customers love it :)

We're now getting serious about this place and nothing spells seriousness like BEER! Brewklyn's Finest is an absolute gem of a beer to start with. Smooth, refined, Brewkyln's finest. Iron Mike was a solid favourite on our table, a dark brew with strong tones of coffee. Biggie, their German brew, though, was a personal favourite. Rich, citrusy and strong, it is one of the best beers I have tasted in my life thus far. Brewklyn's brewmasters also serve a special beer. We had the opportunity to taste a Mango based beer which, in my opinion, was ambitious in the right direction. Kudos to the brewmasters. You guys are doing an absolutely epic job with that beautiful amber fluid.

Food section. Ready? Seeing pork on the menu raised my appreciation for the place by a couple of notches. And luckily the Pork Chilli Cilantro, Bullet Pork and Bacon Wrapped Sausages lived up to expectations. The Brewklyn's Special Chicken wasn't exactly special but it went really well with the beer. Beef chili stood out for it's raw and hardcore Kerala flavour. Delightful. My only grouse with all these dishes was the quantity. The price and the quantity did not balance out for me. Might want to look into it, Brewklyn :/

Now for the Piece De Resistance, Wood Smoked Pizza. DO NOT MISS IT AT ANY COST! ANY COST! Sumptuous toppings and delight flavouring made all the pizzas we had absolutely unmissable. I have nothing more to say about the pizzas other than GO TRY SOME OUT!

Just when we were contemplating for the bill, we decided to wing it and try the dessert. We ordered for the 5 desserts on their menu and My Word! The desserts went to our hearts. The Coup De Grace being The Chocolate Fondant *Heart flutter* Brewkyln's take on the Lava cake served with vanilla ice cream is warm, gooey, splendid, beautiful, delicate, sumptuous, messy......... Sorry lost myself there a little because that Chocolate Fondant is a thing of beauty and a stuff of dreams. Gorgeous little gem on their menu that warranted 3 more orders of the same. No disappointment at all. Just a warm fuzzy feeling.

We walked out of Brewklyn warm, content and happy. The beer, the pizza and chocolate fondant are some of the things we still talk about in our conversations after almost a month of having visited the place. This underrated, happening, quaint little slice of NYC in our very own city of Bangalore is a must visit that will not disappoint and will probably set the bar for you in terms of beer and pizza. Go enjoy this joint.

Keep up the great work Brewklyn! Kudos, congratulations and cheers! :)

Windmills Craftworks, Whitefield, Bangalore

Apparently food tastes better when you're hungry. And hunger develops over time. When you have to travel 30 kilometers in the infamous Bangalore traffic (including the dreaded KR Puram Junction) to get to a restaurant/microbrewery, you know you will work up a substantial appetite. Windmills Craftworks is one such experience that is totally worth the harrowing journey.

Situated in Whitefield is probably the first thing you will notice about this place when you research on it. With some trepidation about the journey and in hope that we may find a table without a prior reservation we trod off to Windmills on a Wednesday. We arrived hungry to find that every single table was occupied! We were allotted a place at the bar and I was praying we'd find ourselves at a table soon because hunger coupled with Bangalore traffic can make a person quite irritable. Lucky for us, the staff is extremely courteous and we were soon seated at a comfortable table for 3.

Now, ideally, Windmills Craftworks has an ambience that would make someone who loves their literature and music feel quite at home. An aesthete, if you will. The restaurant is well lit and gives off a learned feel. Thousands of books line the walls of this "restaurant". And the music played off on it's speakers is classic jazz which oozes class into this establishment. The setting is so well planned that the view transitions from books, to a DJ box, to the microbrewery seamlessly. An entire wall is dedicated to music with a showcase of vinyl records and books for one to behold and admire. With a lot of expats as patrons, this place is surely making the right kind of music with their work.

The Important Section:
DRINK:
The beers are excellent. Smooth and tasty they move very well with the food. The Stout (dark beer) and the Hefeweizen are personal favourites. Cannot get enough of them. The Beer Sommeliers make excellent recommendations based your needs. You can also try the Indian Pale Ale if you prefer bitter beer or Helles which is their lightest most refreshing beer.

FOOD:
The menu is in an iPad provided to each table. This reduces a lot of clutter in terms of asking the maitre'd for suggestions as every dish is displayed alongside it's description and price and the various courses are displayed separately. We asked for a dish that could be served ASAP and they promptly suggested the nachos. Cheesy, crunchy, flavourful, they were a great combination to start off along with the beer.
The Brie and Garlic mushroom was next and I must say this is worth a try for the ones who don't like the regular vegetarian options found everywhere. Soft, warm bread with a little crunch and some lovely garlicky mushroom along with Brie is fuzzy and sumptuous.
The Windmills Pork Ribs were next and it's place in their recommended list is fully and completely warranted. Soft, succulent ribs with a delicate barbecue sauce. Beautiful for a pork lover.
The Santre Wala Kebab was yet another surprise package with the orange juice in the marinade adding a flavour that was new and one that adds lovely zing to your palette. With a dash of lemon and pudina chutney, this kebab is supreme.
Main course resulted in a one dish per person.
The Keema Mutter Pav has the most generously buttered pav I have ever had the pleasure of tasting outside a chaats street. With the onions and the mutton mince, this dish is nostalgic, messy and, not to mention, delicious.
The Herb Spiced Salmon is dish that is an acquired taste with a fillet of grilled herbed salmon on a bed of coleslaw (!). Could've been a little more moist.
Lamb Curry is a dish that is earthy, hearty and a hug chunk of mutton that accompanies rice flavoured with coconut milk. Gorgeous stuff.

With no time for dessert, we had to settle for the bill.

A long drive back home helped me gather my thoughts better about the kind of flavours I had just savoured and how the ambience, with their enormous book collection and soothing jazz, had contributed to add to the flavour of some delicious food and tasty beer.

Definitely recommend.

Great job Windmills! Keep up that class :)

Fatty Bao, Indiranagar, Bangalore

I've got 3 words to describe Fatty Bao and they are delicious, delicious and delicious.  You must have already read up on the different reasons why Fatty Bao is such a popular hangout. You must've read up about the food, about the ambience, about the location and about the staff. Let me tell you, it's all true and there is absolutely no exaggeration.

The restaurant is inconspicuous as it is located on the upper floors and the only indication you get during the day is from a small Fatty Bao board near the patio of the building. I say during the day because at night the terrace is lit up and bustling with a crowd that will draw you to Fatty Bao with it's positive energy. Tastefully decorated with all things Oriental that you are still not overwhelmed by it being "Too Much Chinese". All the countries of the South Asian region are equally represented from the walls, to the decor to the food.

The food. Superb. Superb. Superb. Anything and everything they recommend you is excellent. If you are told that a particular dish is a Fatty Bao special, order it no questions asked. If you absolutely revel in pork eating, Fatty Bao is THE place for you to pig out in. Anything on the menu with phrase 'Char Siu' (pork) is worth trying. Their stuffed mushroom dish is another must try. Even otherwise mundane chicken wings are delectable with their choice of delightful Asian influenced sauces. A bao is the Asian equivalent of a Taco and boy, oh boy, it is awesome. Soft, juicy and filled to the brim with flavour, you will complain there are just 2 of them in a plate :) The Ramen noodles are just the perfect way to round off a meal. I JUST LOVED THE CHAR SIU ramen, because with dried pork, fried pork and cooked pork all in one bowl how can you not? The Thai ramen with coconut milk was another game changer. So was the chicken ramen with eggplant infused black noodles. Makes for some interesting Instagram posts.

The staff is so polite that they will constantly make sure you're comfortable despite the restaurant being almost always full. So 10/10 for that.

All in all a delightful experience. Do try it on any given day but make sure you call ahead and make a reservation. Even if you don't, I bet the staff will still take good care of you.

Cheers!

Druid Garden, Sahakarnagar, Bangalore

YES! Finally a much awaited upscale, hip, cozy, ambient and tasty joint in North Bangalore. Druid Garden is a new, warm, sociable, architectural masterstroke with a live DJ that will soon serve their own brewed beer. My 5.0 rating is justified right here.

At first sight, the place is really spacious. And I mean REALLY spacious. Tastefully decorated for the season, the wreaths and mistletoes were everywhere. I'm guessing the restaurant looks even bigger with the decorations off.  The tables are appropriate to the space and allow a large seating number. And their restrooms, opulent. Absolutely lovely. That probably has to do with smart architecture as well. Loved it. The DJ box was in an inconspicuous cozy corner and the DJ was belting ambient songs and, quite refreshingly, enjoying himself.

The staff is so polite asking them for a table was a breeze. The bar is well equipped with mixologists belting out some lovely looking and tasting cocktails. Behind the bar are the barrels and machinery intended to brew beer. Oh, how much I have wished for a brewery in North Bangalore!

Now for the most important bit: The Food. They were serving a brunch and it is utterly, completely and totally worth the price. This place serves eclectic food catering to all taste buds. From gourmet European hor d'oeurves to chatpata tikka, the choice is massive. They serve duck, beef, chicken, pork, lamb, tofu, sprouts, vegetables and fruits. Lovely use of imagination with the food. SUPER IMPRESSED! Being able to taste Thailand, Italy and Punjab in one place is not something I would say about a lot of food joints. They also serve sumptuous pizza. And their homemade pasta with slow braised lamb is a must have.

Ms. Sujata was taking care of our needs and I must say, considering the number of questions we asked her regarding the food and arrangement of the brunch, she was lovely and patient and ever smiling. Never change Ms. Sujata :)

Now for my favourite part: DESSERT!! BEST TIRAMISU EVER! PERIOD.
We were served an assorted plate of dessert as a part of the brunch and they were so lovely, despite being close to full on the appetisers and main course, I could devour 2 plates of them. So light and easy on the tongue, absolutely delectable! Best experience of 2017 so far ;)

The Century Corbel building is locally known as the Gold's Gym building in Sahakarnagar. This will most definitely change to the Druid Garden building if you guys keep up the experience you served us on the first day of 2017.

Edit on 26th June 2017:
THEY NOW SERVE 6 OF THEIR OWN BREWED BEER. All classy and they have tastes for everyone. The Dunkel, Hefeweizen and Witbier are a must try. They have now transitioned to a more set menu with no change in the quality and class of food.

Mr. Santosh, thank you so much for being such a sport and being so caring :)

SodaBottelOpenerWala, Lavelle Road, Bangalore

 An extremely chic place set up in the uber cool locality like Lavelle Road makes for an interesting combination of intrigue and delight. SodaBottleOpenerWala, ignore all that jargon I just spewed because Baap de baap, you guys are absolutely killing it.
The place has a surprisingly bland banner outside the restaurant although the men seated outside with dabbas remind you right away of the famous and original Swiggy's app, Mumbai's very own and beloved 'Dabbawalas'. Now, the inside, on the other hand is so tastefully done up I felt like I was in a Parsi household stereotyped for me by Bollywood. The ambience is an unconventional blend of a home and a restaurant with a bar. And this unconventional setting hits home. The retro jukebox belting nostalgic 80s Bollywood songs at one end, Parsi Bakery next to it, lovely wooden seating arrangement, smell of freshly baked kharis and freshly made Parsi chai wafting through the air and a toy train passing over the restaurant. That little lacy curtain to the washroom? Lovely baba! The decor makes SodaBottleOpenerWala one of my absolute favourite restaurants in namma Bengaluru yet.
Coming to the food, this is where things get a little interesting. The menu is one of the quirkiest ones I have come across making me want to believe Parsis are some of the quirkiest people we have in our diverse country. They serve chicken, mutton, fish and pork for the meat lovers and they have some unconventional options for the vegetarians. The Chicken Farcha was delicious and was finished off in no time. Same with the Non veg bhel with pork (interesting combination that I didn't know would work so well). Mushroom on Khari took quite a while to reach our table which ruined the near perfect mood we had going on. Tasty but certainly not worth the wait. (Interesting little snippet here. All the dishes are served in dabbas. Yes, the original aluminum dabbas! Aabhar!).  In SBOW's defence the stewards were finding it quite difficult to manage the whims of a near full restaurant. The squid and prawn patio with freshly baked pav was a toast of a dish! The freshly basked pav is one of the primary reasons to return to this joint. The Irani Falooda was classic and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake felt baked, like a pastry. Good one time try though.
To the managers and owners of the restaurant, you guys are doing a brilliant job and kindly continue to do so. The only reason you lost a 0.5 from getting a perfect score is because I think you can do better on the quantity of the food you serve. This literally made me feel like  "Oont nee gaan ma jeera no vughar" (which, all my  Non Parsi Zomatians (?), literally means “a sprinkling of jeera in the bum of the camel”, a phrase uttered when someone with a large appetite is offered little food. Hats off for coming up with a phrase like this my Parsi Bawas :D ). But if you take care of that teensy aspect, you, for me, BAU SARAS CHE! Here's to more success! Cheers! :)

PS. I regret not being able to try the Irani Chai so expect me ;)

Toit, Indiranagar, Bangalore

Right, so Toit. I had to ask the Maitre D' there what the right way to pronounce this name was because I kept hearing about this place and somehow people's pronunciations didn't satisfy. She said "Toyt" and I was like, Yay!
So let's dive into how Toit adds up.
Started in 2010 and located at the heart of bustling Indiranagar 100ft Road, it is located on the southern side of Bangalore. Convenient for most, horrifying for others.
The Microbrewery has an elegant decor mixing eclectic bohemian pop culture references (They have a GEORGE CARLIN poster! Liked this place then and there) with wood like and rustic finish to it's interior. The method of seating people is modern and allows no hassles and must become the norm in all restaurants. (It is preferable to reserve a table beforehand).
Toit has created an ambience that is a strange mixture of the carefree old time Bangalore with a splash of modernization and if you don't mind a little volume in your music, the place is brimming with life.
Diving straight into their "World famous in Bangalore" beers. Each of their beers have a personality that can only be understood after more than a couple of sips, so it's highly recommended to try them all ;) The Tintin Toit is a personal favourite for it's refreshing citrusy flavour but beer buffs can experiment with beer ranging from the colour of the Indian Rural Sun, named Basmati Blonde to a thick, dark, choclately-coffee beer cheekily named The Dark Knight. Yes, they do have a sampler, but it's charged :/
Now the cardinal section of this review, FOOD!
1. The Nachos are justifiably recommended. These are sumptuous, cheesy with a zest of lemon and coriander that remind you of the refreshing taste of street chats. Very Filling. Highly recommended.
2. Swedish meatballs (beef and pork meatballs with a cranberry sauce), lemon chicken (deep fried chicken with a lemony twist, unlike the familiar corn starch based appetizer), crumb fried calamari (squid with bread crumbs, deep fried) and TOIT SUNUVACHIK (peppery chicken with the choice of spice. Loved the name) are pretty rudimentary in most menus. So go ahead, experiment.
3. The Goan Sausage Pizza is by far, the best pizza I have had in any Pizzeria. The unique Goan tang of the sausages is captured beautifully in this thin crusted pizza. Thank you for creating this masterpiece Toit :)

The essence of Toit is not limited to it's new age feel but in the manner in which it attracts people, young and old without reserve and also in it's carefree, unapologetic ambience. A must visit in Bangalore to relive it's age old glory and to have a glance at it's fast paced present.
Good job guys! Keep killing it :)

Cafe Nosh, Sahakaranagar, Bangalore

Cafe Nosh. A cozy little place tucked away in the most unlikely place.
I had heard about this place from a friend and was wondering when I would land there. Thankfully a long time friend visited and we ended up in Cafe Nosh for a post tea, pre-dinner sort of a meal.
The place itself is tastefully decorated with their desserts of the occupying the central focus of the cafe. A touch I personally liked.
I started off with an iced tea and the vanilla milkshake for the lady. She loved her drink, while she agreed when I suggested mine tasted less lemon more sugar. We moved on to fish fingers. Which were well stacked (quite literally) and crispy and were finished as fast as they had arrived.
The Sausage Pizza came next. I was slightly disappointed with the size although the guy did tell us about it. The mozzarella and the sausage actually blended well though the crust was slightly burnt which is nice if you like crispy pizza crust.
We finished with a Chicken Steak. A sweet and sour, peppery flavor with a texture that was different.
All in all, a nice meal with lovely company.

A small suggestion though, Cafe Nosh. I stay around the area and I can understand the people you cater to. But an increase in portion size will be just perfect for what you guys are trying to do.
Thank you for setting up in this region. We needed a cafe like Cafe Nosh around. Keep up the good work :)

Absolute Barbecues, Marathahalli

I had lunch at AB's in Marathalli, so while my innards are relishing the challenge of digesting the food I've devoured, here's my two bit on the place.
Reservation is highly advised. This place is teeming with people. All. The. Time. Didn't see any locals around in the staff and didn't find the need to because the staff was courteous, polite and really helpful. They're also creative if you're celebrating an occasion which was cute :)
If you're having carnivorous, or even omnivorous, tendencies of the human kind head over to this place. You will be more than pleasantly surprised. Boasting meats of chicken, fish, mutton, rabbit, quail and emu this place serves you with a LOT of choice. And vegetarians needn't be disheartened. The cheese aloo, achari mushroom and paneer, grill watermelon and pineapple are to die for. Also the AB's special dal is beautiful with rice. Yes, beautiful.
Do not miss the special grilled whole pineapple. It's sweet, sour and lovely. The pan shot ice cream is another must have. The thought process that went into creating and introducing it is commendable :)
All in all, best grill I've been to in Namma Bengaluru. Keep it up you guys! I will most definitely see you again.