I worked at a company that was not too far away from The Paul. From the inner ring road, the hotel's signage loomed large and always generated a sense of curiosity. And then one day it finally got the better of us and we decided to head there over the weekend. What better than a Saturday to drag a friend along... and so Bhavya was dragged on this expedition as well. The Paul is on the Inner Ring Road, can't miss it when you are heading down the road from the Sony World signal. The Paul is little of the main road and the turn is easy to miss. Its just before the flyover that heads to Indiranagar.

The entrance to The Paul looks like a wooden fortress on the outside and a bit deserted. But once you are on the property its like you will be transported to a pleasant new world. After handing over the car to the valet we stepped inside. The Sidewalk is just off the reception and is like a little wooden and water oasis. Its sits in the middle of the buildings' atrium and most of the rooms' balconies overlook the cafe. A grand piano being played in the background added to the wonderful setting and the water fountains gave the place its serenity.

Once we were seated and the menus brought on, it was not long before we decided on what we wanted. For starters it was Pate di Tonno e Capperi, - this was tuna pate with spring onions, capers and parsley, served on a crostini bread over a layer of pickled aubergines. It also came with a tomato basil salad on the side. The tuna was fresh and light, the crunch of the spring onions was evident with each bite. The pickled aubergines gave it a huge infusion of vinegar. But when you put the bite together, it blended perfectly.

As another starter we ordered the Crab cakes with Jambalaya Vegetables. This was described as as lemon grass scented crab cheese cakes served with cajun spiced veggies. The cakes were well stuffed with crab meat. It still carried a lingering sense of the ocean and didn't really go well with me. Sudhakar and Bhavya enjoyed every morsel. The veggies on the side were really good though.

For main courses I opted for the Raviol del Cavaliere Virzi. This dish was handmade ravioli stuffed with tomato based minced meat. The meat was well pounded, the tomato sauce fresh. Coupled with red wine, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and Italian cheese, it was quite heavy, but wonderful right down to the last forkful.

Bhavya had the Pollastrella which was char grilled breast of chicken with rosemary, olives, capers, garlic and white wine. Roasted mushrooms and the wonderful pickled aubergines were on the side. This dish is for those who like broken mustard in their food. The twang is unmistakable and the dish was really good.

Sudhakar had the Grilled Beef on Rosti potatoes. This was char grilled, well done tenderloin served along mashed potatoes, rosemary jus and onion jam. Getting beef to be tender and moist is an achievement and one which the chef accomplished splendidly. Sudhakar loves a well done beef dish and a spotlessly clean plate at the end shows how much.

We were stuffed to the enamel of our teeth by now, despite which we decided to share a Chef's Creme Brulee. It was perfectly fired on top and sinfully moist on the inside. A wonderful end to the meal.

This restaurant is one of those quiet yet suave places that you can take a girlfriend for that romantic meal or a spouse for your anniversary. Its also a wonderful setting for a quiet business lunch or dinner. And if you need to impress the inlaws, head here. They will be mighty pleased. The Indian part of the menu will also help. Sidewalk Cafe is one of the restaurants that accepts the Dine Club card. You get a flat 50 % discount on the bill. For this particular meal, the bill came to Rs 1910 inclusive of alcohol for three people. A flat 50 % discount + of course VAT and we paid just Rs 1170 which was brilliant for place we were dining at. The service is top notch and the loos a treat in themselves.

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, Dine Club is giving out an exclusive two-day offer for their annual membership only for the readers of Bangalore's Restaurants. You can purchase an ANNUAL membership card for Rs 1500 (A WHOLE Rs 1000 off). This offer will be valid only for 2 days (Monday, May 10th to Wednesday May 12th till 12 noon).