Famous for its dynamic and ultra-casual dining scene, India’s ‘Garden City’ of Bengaluru has an interesting bunch of new restaurants offering a range of cuisine and dining experiences to suit everyone
By Raul Dias
No longer content at being relegated to a ‘third place’ ranking when it comes to dining out in India—when compared with the rather flashy Delhi restaurant scene or with Mumbai’s high concept driven one—the city of Bengaluru is rapidly carving out its own niche. And it does this by playing host to a number of interesting restaurants that each mirror the city’s love for relaxed, ultra-casual dining with a focus on good food.
We bring you four such eateries, each poles apart from the other as far as cuisine and ambience is concerned, but each tied in together by the culinary philosophy of Bengaluru. One where the main focus is strongly on good food in environments that references the easy-going ethos of India’s Garden City!
Mikusu at Conrad Bengaluru
Ulsoor
Though prima facie—thanks to its delightfully onomatopoeic name—Mikusu at the Conrad Bengaluru might seem like a purely Japanese restaurant, the truth is that while it is one, it also prides itself on being an “Asiatic affair” featuring a mélange of Japanese, Chinese and Thai cuisine influences. All this is set against a luxurious, aesthetic backdrop that reflects a sophisticated Asian vibe. It achieves this with the help of key décor pieces such as a delicate cheery blossom branch-inspired light feature and a Japanese yukata art piece made from bits of Chinese blue pottery among other pieces. Overlooking the hotel’s verdant foliage outside its large floor-to-ceiling glass windows, Mikusu is an oasis of calm with a menu featuring some highly nuanced dishes and drinks. Sent out and curated by Executive Chef Praveen Shetty and Chef Rawat, expect to find dishes here such as the traditional Thai tom yom soup, spicy salmon sushi, vegetable futomaki, tuna sashimi, and mains from the kitchen such as sriracha lotus root and grilled fish with togarashi garlic. For desserts indulge yourself with a host of mouth-watering treats such as the passion fruit tiramisu, and the almost-sculptural looking strawberry religieuse and black forest entremets. A special mention for all you cocktail lovers: make sure to call for a curated range of exquisite sake-based and exotic Asia-inspired cocktails that are made table side by a bartender behind the restaurant’s specially purposed mobile cocktail cart.
GoNative
Lavelle Road
A true-blue, feel-good kind of a place, surrounded by a virtual forest of live plants and lush foliage, GoNative is a space of not just calm and serenity, but also one where good, honest-to-goodness food and beverages trump all. To begin with, the all-vegetarian, alcohol-free restaurant uses indigenous grains, pulses and spices that are consciously chosen for their positive impact towards the environment, society and wellness. Spread over two levels, the rather huge dining space features a host of seating options, ranging from a large communal-style table to smaller nooks for intimate gatherings—all lit wonderfully by lights and eco-friendly chandeliers made by GoNative’s in-house lighting brand called Oorjaa. But coming to the food, all their dishes celebrate traditional and familiar flavours in slightly unusual and contemporary ways. Dishes like the bright green soppu neer dosa served with a veg gassi, the innovative cabbage akki roti served with a gongura thokku and the filling banana, almond and date milkshake are also said to be made from pesticide-free ingredients, homemade condiments and fresh organic produce that are sourced from farms around Bengaluru. They also periodically change their menu to integrate seasonal fruits and vegetables into their dishes. This keeps the food light on the tummy, nutritious and healthy. But that’s not all for this eco warrior of a restaurant, not only does GoNative claim to segregate waste, but all organic matter is also composted, and their takeaway containers are biodegradable and plastic-free. Go green, GoNative seems to be the mantra here!
Foxtrot House of Subculture
Koramangala
Dubbing itself as a place modelled on a frat house, Foxtrot House of Subculture claims to be Bengaluru’s new address for good times. And we simply cannot get over the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde kind of hybridity that this place is imbued with. A bustling coffeehouse focussed in the outdoor patio area during the day, Foxtrot transforms into a thriving cocktail bar indoors during the night with plush couches and crystal drop chandeliers creating the ambience. And as an added plus, Foxtrot is also the home to Mimansa, a health cafe, store, and studio for your daily yoga regimen. The menu here is a global mix of small plates and some large plate options, leaning towards forgotten, hyper-local Indian creations mixed with global ingredients and vice versa. It is divided into breakfast, brunch, south Indian menu, lunch trays with numerous dependable options like the beetroot galouti and the chicken tikka kulcha for snacks and the Tellicherry mutton boti and soya haleem for mains. Their signature cocktails like the lavender- and vodka-based poison ivy and the dark rum- and turmeric-based tornado are also quite impressive with a great mix of flavours. We like!
Cantan
Lavelle Road
Totally devoid of the expected and rather clichéd embellishments like plenty of calligraphy and Chinoiserie one finds at most Chinese restaurants today, Cantan is a like a gentle, refreshing breeze. Calling itself a ‘Chinese Bar House’, the twin-level restaurant nestled along the leafy Lavelle Road in the heart of Bengaluru is a rich multi-sensorial experience with as much subtle drama in its ambience as there is in its sumptuous fare. Speaking of the former, here you will encounter elements like the red dragons laying claim over the bar, the clay tile clad feature wall above the bar inspired by the Great Wall of China and lit-up panels, continuing design details from the lower floor as well as evoking a tea room. Crafted by Executive Chef Prashanth, a veteran in his field, the food’s central theme is inspired by Cantonese fare, specifically from Guangzhou. Think hearty hot pots, Shaokao style Chinese barbeque skewers of aromatic meats and vegetables ready for a wood-fire oven, cold plates, dainty dim sums, the freshest seafood tossed in house-made sauces, and a line-up of stellar signature cocktails like the plum and gin-based Cantan XO. For afters, don’t forget to leave some space for the pillow-y, cloud-like Cantonese steamed cheesecake with a zesty mulberry coulis to give the dessert that perfectly tart send off.
(A differently edited version of this piece was first published in the January 2020 issue of The Week's Smart Life magazine)
By Raul Dias
No longer content at being relegated to a ‘third place’ ranking when it comes to dining out in India—when compared with the rather flashy Delhi restaurant scene or with Mumbai’s high concept driven one—the city of Bengaluru is rapidly carving out its own niche. And it does this by playing host to a number of interesting restaurants that each mirror the city’s love for relaxed, ultra-casual dining with a focus on good food.
We bring you four such eateries, each poles apart from the other as far as cuisine and ambience is concerned, but each tied in together by the culinary philosophy of Bengaluru. One where the main focus is strongly on good food in environments that references the easy-going ethos of India’s Garden City!
Mikusu at Conrad Bengaluru
Ulsoor
Though prima facie—thanks to its delightfully onomatopoeic name—Mikusu at the Conrad Bengaluru might seem like a purely Japanese restaurant, the truth is that while it is one, it also prides itself on being an “Asiatic affair” featuring a mélange of Japanese, Chinese and Thai cuisine influences. All this is set against a luxurious, aesthetic backdrop that reflects a sophisticated Asian vibe. It achieves this with the help of key décor pieces such as a delicate cheery blossom branch-inspired light feature and a Japanese yukata art piece made from bits of Chinese blue pottery among other pieces. Overlooking the hotel’s verdant foliage outside its large floor-to-ceiling glass windows, Mikusu is an oasis of calm with a menu featuring some highly nuanced dishes and drinks. Sent out and curated by Executive Chef Praveen Shetty and Chef Rawat, expect to find dishes here such as the traditional Thai tom yom soup, spicy salmon sushi, vegetable futomaki, tuna sashimi, and mains from the kitchen such as sriracha lotus root and grilled fish with togarashi garlic. For desserts indulge yourself with a host of mouth-watering treats such as the passion fruit tiramisu, and the almost-sculptural looking strawberry religieuse and black forest entremets. A special mention for all you cocktail lovers: make sure to call for a curated range of exquisite sake-based and exotic Asia-inspired cocktails that are made table side by a bartender behind the restaurant’s specially purposed mobile cocktail cart.
GoNative
Lavelle Road
A true-blue, feel-good kind of a place, surrounded by a virtual forest of live plants and lush foliage, GoNative is a space of not just calm and serenity, but also one where good, honest-to-goodness food and beverages trump all. To begin with, the all-vegetarian, alcohol-free restaurant uses indigenous grains, pulses and spices that are consciously chosen for their positive impact towards the environment, society and wellness. Spread over two levels, the rather huge dining space features a host of seating options, ranging from a large communal-style table to smaller nooks for intimate gatherings—all lit wonderfully by lights and eco-friendly chandeliers made by GoNative’s in-house lighting brand called Oorjaa. But coming to the food, all their dishes celebrate traditional and familiar flavours in slightly unusual and contemporary ways. Dishes like the bright green soppu neer dosa served with a veg gassi, the innovative cabbage akki roti served with a gongura thokku and the filling banana, almond and date milkshake are also said to be made from pesticide-free ingredients, homemade condiments and fresh organic produce that are sourced from farms around Bengaluru. They also periodically change their menu to integrate seasonal fruits and vegetables into their dishes. This keeps the food light on the tummy, nutritious and healthy. But that’s not all for this eco warrior of a restaurant, not only does GoNative claim to segregate waste, but all organic matter is also composted, and their takeaway containers are biodegradable and plastic-free. Go green, GoNative seems to be the mantra here!
Foxtrot House of Subculture
Koramangala
Dubbing itself as a place modelled on a frat house, Foxtrot House of Subculture claims to be Bengaluru’s new address for good times. And we simply cannot get over the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde kind of hybridity that this place is imbued with. A bustling coffeehouse focussed in the outdoor patio area during the day, Foxtrot transforms into a thriving cocktail bar indoors during the night with plush couches and crystal drop chandeliers creating the ambience. And as an added plus, Foxtrot is also the home to Mimansa, a health cafe, store, and studio for your daily yoga regimen. The menu here is a global mix of small plates and some large plate options, leaning towards forgotten, hyper-local Indian creations mixed with global ingredients and vice versa. It is divided into breakfast, brunch, south Indian menu, lunch trays with numerous dependable options like the beetroot galouti and the chicken tikka kulcha for snacks and the Tellicherry mutton boti and soya haleem for mains. Their signature cocktails like the lavender- and vodka-based poison ivy and the dark rum- and turmeric-based tornado are also quite impressive with a great mix of flavours. We like!
Cantan
Lavelle Road
Totally devoid of the expected and rather clichéd embellishments like plenty of calligraphy and Chinoiserie one finds at most Chinese restaurants today, Cantan is a like a gentle, refreshing breeze. Calling itself a ‘Chinese Bar House’, the twin-level restaurant nestled along the leafy Lavelle Road in the heart of Bengaluru is a rich multi-sensorial experience with as much subtle drama in its ambience as there is in its sumptuous fare. Speaking of the former, here you will encounter elements like the red dragons laying claim over the bar, the clay tile clad feature wall above the bar inspired by the Great Wall of China and lit-up panels, continuing design details from the lower floor as well as evoking a tea room. Crafted by Executive Chef Prashanth, a veteran in his field, the food’s central theme is inspired by Cantonese fare, specifically from Guangzhou. Think hearty hot pots, Shaokao style Chinese barbeque skewers of aromatic meats and vegetables ready for a wood-fire oven, cold plates, dainty dim sums, the freshest seafood tossed in house-made sauces, and a line-up of stellar signature cocktails like the plum and gin-based Cantan XO. For afters, don’t forget to leave some space for the pillow-y, cloud-like Cantonese steamed cheesecake with a zesty mulberry coulis to give the dessert that perfectly tart send off.
(A differently edited version of this piece was first published in the January 2020 issue of The Week's Smart Life magazine)
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