Bangalore restaurants- Food and Travel: MG Road

Polo Club's Menu Like You Have Never Known It!

Thursday, July 13, 2017ruthdsouzap

When I was working full time as a reporter, I remember coming to the Polo Club at The Oberoi and holding interviews with scores of personalities who visited the city. It was the one, and continues to be, that central place, which had a fantastic space to look over - whether you are talking to a pharmaceutical giant or sitting with your photographer waiting for an interview slot that is getting unnecessarily delayed.

One of the things I remember the most is the endless cups of tea I have had here and how that tea sometimes was the only thing saving me from nodding off during a boring interaction. And that one time when I ended up skipping breakfast and lunch thanks to work and a very fabulous Club Sandwich at the restaurant came to my rescue!

Anyways.. that was a long time ago and since then, The Polo Club menu has had its fair share of revisions to bring in newer trends, newer approaches and some great food. Just one such wave of change has been steered right now by Chef Ajit Raman, who has recently taken over the reins in the kitchen. The idea, he says, is simple - the food business has seen enough of grandiose displays and gimmickry - its time to go back to what its really all about - simple, good, wholesome food. And it is this very approach that you see in the new menu that now features. I was invited to experience the new menu at Polo Club for lunch a while ago.

To understand the menu, you have to know that The Polo Club goes through a few avatars during the course of the day. It begins as a space for breakfast, in the beautiful landscaped environs and around the indoor space - where you can have a leisurely one, or a quick one when you are dashing out for your meetings for the day. Come lunch and you see everything from friends catching up to business luncheons taking place. Early evenings, the mood lighting kicks in, guests settle in with a drink in hand and the food choices can be varied.

Now the food experiences offered have to change to suit the need of the hour. The new Polo Club menu does just that - so if you are a solo diner looking for a meal that gives you the freedom to try out a few dishes at one go, the small plates on offer help you do just that. Or if you come with a ravenous appetite like when the Club Sandwich came to my rescue, you have several hearty meals to choose from. Healthy salads - check, filling gourmet burgers - check, something to go with your drink - check, decadent desserts - check. And oh yes, some delightful new cocktails - doubly checked!

So let me tell you all about what I enjoyed that afternoon with the lovely Pinky Padmaraj.

Let's start with the very interesting set of Barrel aged cocktails that are now on offer - 7 of them to be precise. Imagine your cocktail, created and then aged in wine barrels for a minimum of 21 days before being chilled and presented to you. Let me tell you, you will be sipping on it as though it were an aged single malt, taking in the deep flavour infusions. I started with the Angel's Share, that brought together Grey Goose, Bombay Sapphire and Martini Rosso. Since it was a working afternoon I stuck to the one drink, but the Ruby Spritzer, the Cantaloupe Cooler and the Sea Buckthorn Reduction are all on my wish-list now!

Complimentary nibbles with my drink are definitely not run of the mill - Spiced Lotus Seeds and Ragi Chips. Fair warning - both are highly addictive and you can end up filling yourself up, which you don't really want to do.

I went through a fair number of dishes that afternoon and for the purpose of this review, some of what I was served was in tasting portions. I am a sucker for good salads, and the choice here is not going to disappoint at all. Beginning with the Tomatoes and Whipped Feta (L) with Hyacinth beans, spring onions, toasted ciabatta. A cold mound of whipped feta with a sprinkling of crushed fresh black pepper, tangy tomato wedges and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Look at the picture, and the ingredients, do I really need to say more? The Iceberg wedges (Top Right) were up next. - This hearty salad packs in quite a bit - Hearts of palm, barley, moong bean sprouts, blackend chickpeas, sunflower seeds - all tossed up in a buttermilk ranch dressing. So much of good health in such a delicious way. The Greens and Grains (bottom right) salad has Broccoli, a generous set of organic mesclun, crunchiness from bamboo seeds, texture from quinoa, and some lovely flavour from chia and raisins - all of this wrapped up in a balsamic dressing.

From this we moved on to something for which you definitely want to switch off your cellphone, cut off from the world, stop talking and enjoy. The Artisanal Burratta, over asparagus and mushroom in a truffle broth with potato roesti. Let me tell you that after this dish, a small bit of nirvana was definitely mine!

Chorizo Fritters - now these are little babies of fried goodness are good company any time of the day or night.

There are some good things about this menu - like the wide focus on food that is close to the heart and the local region. With some inspiration and ingenuity comes the Military lodge lamb Madurai style Uttapam - a Chettinad preparation, where pounded and spiced mince tops a thick uttapam with some chutney and coconut. Hot, spicy and spot on.

Pinky and I shared the Chicken Cordon Bleu Burger- Crumb fried chicken (with none of that annoying fibrous messes that tend to come), chicken ham, and some gorgeous gruyere that flows out the patty when you bite into it. The burger is layered well, with the crispness of the patty staying intact and the structure staying put till the end. The lettuce and pickles come on the side, just the way I like it.

The trio of desserts that came our way began with the Churros with chocolate sauce. Crispy, sugary, cinnamon laden and that chocolate sauce completed the deal.

The Mini Summer Sundae is a complete party in a dessert bowl and you will like the fact that you are the only one invited to this one!

And when you want to go all prim and proper, yet treat yourself to something sweetly indulgent - the Berries and vanilla gelato is your best bet.

The new menu at Polo Club is something you want to try. Good thing is, just about any meal and any food craving in between will be amply satisfied. A meal for two here is an average of Rs 3000++

The Polo Club
Address: The Oberoi, 37-39, MG Road, Bangalore
Phone: 080 25585858
Cuisine: International
Parking: Valet
Location: You will find it here

MG Road On Invitation

India. By Oberoi

Thursday, August 13, 2015Me! In words

If there is one way we love to celebrate things in India, its with food! We honestly don't need a reason to congregate in the kitchen, get something going and share a meal. The fact that our country has such a vast repertoire of cuisines and foods, that quite literally change styles every 100km or so, adds to the bounty that can come to our tables.

What better way to celebrate our 68th Independence Day than pay a month long tribute to our culinary heritage. India. By Oberoi is doing just that. For the duration of this month, the dinner buffet at Le Jardin will have a week each dedicated to various cuisines of our great nation. Week one was a showcase of food from Punjab, Rajasthan and Kashmir. Currently on from August 10th to 16th is food from Kerala, Coastal Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Visit between the 17th and 22nd and you will get a taste of Goa, Gujarat and the Konkan region. And from the 23rd to the 21st, and the reason I would love to go back, is the food of Bengal, Assam and Orissa.

I was invited to sample some of the dishes that will be served across the weeks. Let me just say that it was an afternoon well spent.

Since I was the last to arrive, my blogger friend and our host for the afternoon took the liberty of ordering drinks for us. To the left is the Earl Grey Martini, to the right a gin concoction and behind, with the massive sprig of celery is a spiced Bloody Mary. Naturally the sips came out of each of the drinks and I liked them all, especially the Bloody Mary, since I am partial to spicy drinks. Only my heart sank a bit to see such a lovely sprig of celery simply be taken away on a plate. Maybe a smaller sprig could have better impact visually and prevent wastage.

Our starter platter was representative of North India - Beginning at the corner right is the Lamb Sheek from Kashmir, the white Chicken Reshmi Kebab, the Amritsari Fish, Bharwan Paneer, the Tandoori Cauliflower and the Gujar Vada next to the chutney. What stood out prominently for me was the Chicken Reshmi Kebab and I just couldn't put my finger on that one ingredient that was giving it that special touch. Till Chef Nimisha let the cat out of the bag - a small hint of cheese just before it went into the tandoor made that delicious difference. Next in line was the Amritsari fish, with its crunchy batter coating and its moist flakes of fish on the inside was a delight. The Lamb Sheekh too was a really lovely addition to the platter.

Main course featured a small bit of something from each week and was served to us as a thali. So let's take it from the left - Fish Puttu, Gobi Musallam, Avial from Kerala, Thovial Sorakka from Tamil Nadu, Fish Tenga from Assam, Kosha Mangsho from Bengal and Suwar ke Saonth from Rajasthan.

There was also the Andhra Biryani with Baigan Salan (which you see below)

The steamed rice that accompanied the little katories on the platter and the Baingan Salan

All of the dishes were truly great, being very representative of the region they are from. But here are the dishes that I really enjoyed, capital R and capital E! The first was the Fish Puttu - traditionally made with Shark in Kerala, Chef Nimisha told us that her version is made of Grouper. It comes together very beautifully, with just the right balance of fish and coconut. Its full of flavor but really light on the palate.

Fish Puttu

And then there was the Suwar Ke Saonth from Rajasthan. As with many misconceptions regarding food and communities - Rajasthan does have a strong non-vegetarian legacy, especially with game meat. The Suwar Ke Saonth is usually made with wild boar. In this case, we were served pork made the same way. Safe to say that this was the bowl I dipped into the most. It was also the one I wanted to spirit away home. It was also the bowl, I thought of longingly later in the evening as I recalled its taste and thought how great it would go with beer. Believe you me, this is a dish you want to try.

Suwar Ke Saonth

And if you don't like bottle gourd, then this dish is something you ought to try - the Thovial Sorakka of Tamil Nadu. The bottle gourd is finely chopped and dished up in this classic manner. Unless someone, tells you it is the dreaded Lauki, you will not be able to tell at all. And it is an absolute delicious rendition of the vegetable.

Thovial Sorakka

And if you happen to go in the last week of this showcase, be sure to serve yourself large helpings of the Assamese Fish Tenga. A light tomato and onion gravy, spiced with green chillies, this dish is delightfully tangy and once I was stuffed with enjoying it with the rice, I began to eat spoonfuls of it till I was done. Goes really well with the steamed rice.

Assamese Fish Tenga

The dessert platter was also representative of the North - and so we had a Gulab Jamun soaked in Basundi, Paan Ice cream, Ghevar and Balushahi. The Ghevar emerged winner for me, followed closely by the Gulab Jamun.

So there you have it - India. By Oberoi, a delicious showcase of the culinary splendor that defines our country. These dishes will be available on the dinner buffet and is priced at Rs 1475+ taxes per person.

Bangalore restaurant reviews Expensive MG Road

Graze at Taj Vivanta - An all new menu

Saturday, May 23, 2015Me! In words

There is something so exciting when a chef is given a free hand in the kitchen and a whole new menu comes to life. Graze at the Taj Vivanta on MG Road has always been a place to head to if you are looking for a great meal. But there is a special kind of joy when you are invited to partake of a new menu that has been launched, and one that has been thought of so meticulously.

This was one of the first invites we accepted since Anoushka went on vacation with the grandparents. So the desire to have a great meal was high on the cards. Chef Gaurav, at the helm of affairs for the evening, explained to us how the Graze menu, which once focused fine dining has now "moved the focus to showcasing classic recipes with rustic presentation". Though there is a substantial menu on offer, we placed ourselves in the hands of Chef Gaurav and asked him to serve us a 4-course meal.

The bread platter, as is customary made its way to the table. Some interestingly different breads and dips made their presence known - Three breads - corn bread, the classic garlic bread and pesto rolls were served, each one warm, crunchy and aromatic. The dips had an interesting chickpea offering, which had coarsely ground chickpeas with a hit of olive oil dressing. The olives were marinated in chilli and olive oil and the tomato pesto was tangy and provided the perfect offset to the bread.

The Corn Bread and Pesto Rolls were my pick of the platter

First course was the Salad Graze - a beautiful creation of greens, asparagus, a touch of orange and the gorgeous crunch of toasted pine nuts. A great salad is always a pleasure, especially when its a visual treat as well - fresh green, retaining all their colour and crunch, the perfect balance of flavours, even when you have multiple ingredients vying for attention - this one was enjoyable right down to the last crunchy bite that was doused with raspberry vinaigrette.

Our evening was also paired with some beautiful wines, all in consultation with Chef Gaurav and what he planned to serve. We began with a gorgeously light Bibi Graetz Casamatta Toscana 2010 - This Tuscany wine is unabashed in its floral notes and made for a great counter in terms of acidity, to the salad we were served.

You know a chef has found his true calling when he plays magic with a few powerful ingredients. The soft shell crab came up next as an appetizer. With a bit of lemon and seasoning, these offerings from the sea are crumb fried and served with a pineapple jalapeno salsa that gave the dish that zip that completed it. The dish was devoured right down to the last flavoursome crumb.

And then we moved onto a pasta - Two delicate Tortellini parcels stuffed to the last crease with smoked chicken, placed on a bed of tomato sauce and fresh leaves of argula, with a generous shower of freshly milled pepper. The sauce was a chunky one and that added to the texture of the pasta. But the absolute star of the dish was the smoked chicken inside. You simply must ask chef the story behind - it involves some planning, some coaxing and a cigarette!

This course was paired with the Little Saint James Basket Sauvignon Blanc - I have always liked this French wine, especially since it pairs well with a range of foods and is always a reliable one.

It was now time for a palate cleanser - and a mango sorbet was presented. It was mildly sweet and refreshingly cold.

Our main course for the evening was Chef Gaurav's interesting pairing of Pork Knuckle marinated in red wine placed on a airy cushion of saffron laced polenta. The combination definitely works and the crunch of the fresh veggies adds to the medley of textures you feel in your mouth.

This course of the meal was paired with a strong Gran Coronas Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, Reserva - This was a lovely full bodied wine, went well with the pork. A sip of wine really whetted the appetite for the next bite and brought out the flavours of the meat perfectly.

Of course for desserts Chef insisted we try the Tiramisu as he had his own special touch to this version - inspired by one of his sojourns abroad - Sudhakar did just that, and enjoyed the dessert to the hilt. The difference is for you to find out in the taste and the layering of the dessert.

I had the Melting Chocolate which has a 53.8% cocoa content and the singular reason behind the gorgeous lava-like flow of chocolate that comes from this mound when you dig into it. But, the star of this dessert platter is the olive oil icecream you see on the other end. Every cold bite dissolves into the flavour of olive oil without leaving behind a sense of slickness on the tongue. Now that is talent! being able to tease out flavours from the most unexpected of ingredients!

The entire evening for well spaced, as chef gave us all the time we need to savour each course and reminisce about every flavour as we waited for the next way of goodness. A meal for two here is approximately Rs 3000++. The service is impeccable.

Address: #41/3, Vivanta by Taj, MG Road, Bangalore

Parking: Valet parking

Phone: 49653105

Cuisine: European, Continental

Cards Accepted: Yes

Google Maps Link to Location

Bangalore restaurant reviews Expensive MG Road

The Tao Terraces

Tuesday, March 05, 2013Me! In words

A few weeks earlier we stepped into Tao Terraces for lunch on a weekend and were hoping for an a la carte meal. The minute they told us it was the Sunday buffet on, we turned tail and headed straight to Carnival de Goa. We came back another night, this time Friday, after calling in and confirming that they were serving off the menu as well. As soon as we entered the heavily carved wooden doors, we were asked to check out the upstairs seating, which was an open air one. The stairs could definitely use some light, especially on the second landing on the way up. As soon as you open the doors to the outside, you first see an empty space and then a cordoned off area reminiscent of the decor downstairs. No doubt it is a beautiful space, well done. But considering it was raining that day and the DJ had cranked up the volume really high, we opted for the downstairs.

Here too the place is pretty with a central water body and a dark wooden setting. Though the lights are dim, its not the kind where you cannot see your menu and food. We settled on having a Shangri-la and an Antop Hill Mocktail. The first was a mix of Guava, Litchee and Passionfruit juices with Grenadine syrup and Lemonade. The second was Peach and Apricot crush with Lime and Lemonade. Both were really nice, but the glasses could use coaster below as soon our table became pretty wet.

Antop Hill and Shangri-la

Anoushka insisted on having a soup and since she was already half way to dreamland, we ordered a simple miso soup for her and a sushi/sashimi platter for ourselves. Right away when the soup arrived, it was obvious the bowl had been rattled on the way to the table. The soup and the garnish was all around the edges and it did not make a for good presentation for a restaurant that was charging what it was for a soup. Of course little one did not mind but I cleaned her plate up before she had her soup.

The sashimi/sushi platter was average at best. The tuna, sea bass and salmon were not delicately sliced and very rough on the edges. Also, I found the temperatures of cold varying with each of the slices. The sushi was supposed to be a sweet prawn, squid, scallop and crab. I honestly could not make out any of the filling other than the crab stick (again something I don't like). The rest seemed to be some colored mash of sorts.

The sashimi/sushi platter

A view of the upstairs that was really nice

The main course we went for the Pork Nonya style egg noodles. I was not sure what Nonya style noodles was and turned to my best pal Google - I could only find Nyonya noodles which is a stir fry that has chillies, fermented bean paste, chillies in the base. Not sure if the two are same, but these noodles were on the slightly crisper side and tasted no different from the neighborhood multi-cuisine that I ordered from. Again, the sloppy bowls put me off when it came to the table. I mean, even the smallest of places take care not to have their noodles hanging out of the bowl.

Pork Nonya style egg noodles

We paired this with a stir fried Vietnamese squid - the squid was thick and generous in size, but the sauce it was tossed in was pretty nondescript. Again the first thing that came to my mind was the neighborhood uncle I regularly order from. Him I have been going back to for 11 years now, but this, I would never order again.

Stir fried Vietnamese Squid

The absolute star of the evening however was the Korean Bibimbap, which we ordered in chicken. The dish was well presented, with the sticky rice, sprouts, veggies, meat all neatly segregated and topped off with a bullseye. The taste was also great and made for a really filling meal. The veggies and sprouts were crunchy and nice and the sticky rice was not the gooey glop that is normally served in its name. A bowl of miso soup with mushroom and tofu is also part of this meal.

Chicken Bibimbap

Tofu, mushroom zucchini miso soup with the Bibimbap

Like Mainland China, you have Jasmine Tea making the rounds, but it doesn't come unless you spot it on someone else's table and ask for - each time you want. Little one loves Jasmine tea and she had a few rounds of it.

Jasmine tea

For dessert we ordered the wasabi icecream and walnut toffee vanilla ice cream. We really wanted the Kaffir Lime Avocado Tiramisu, but were told it was not available. The wasabi icecream was nice, the hit is present, though I preferred the one at Republic of Noodles. The walnut toffee vanilla icecream had no toffee in it, at all though I must say that the walnuts were toasted well and did not give you that bitter crunch. Worth the ordering? ... not for me.

Walnut toffee with vanilla ice cream and wasabi icecream

When the bill came to us, it was without the drinks added on. It took the staff close to 15 minutes to rectify the mistake. This brought the bill in the Rs 4000 bracket which I was not at all happy parting with. I have spent much more on a meal but have come out with a satisfaction that is unbeatable. Not here. Did not visit the loo as little one was by now asleep and its usually her forte. The service is prompt but the kitchen is what will let down the place.

Address: 5th Floor, 1 MG Mall, Opposite Taj Vivanta, MG Road.

Phone: 9986911444

Cuisine: Oriental
Wallet factor: Rs 2000 for two

Accepts Cards: Yes

Parking: Mall Parking

Bangalore restaurant reviews Brunton Road Expensive

Portland Grill House and Cafe

Monday, August 06, 2012Me! In words

Sudhakar kept passing the massive gates of Portland Grill House several times since it falls on the route he takes to office. After passing by one too many times, he decided that it should be the lunch option one weekend afternoon. And so we found ourselves at the massive wooden gate, which had smaller door that needs to be pushed open to get in. We were a little unsure as to whether the place was open - no security guard, semi closed door and so we asked as much when we entered and were assured that the place was open.

A few minutes after we settled down and were handed the menu, the complimentary bread basket with butter came to the table. While the pastry twists were nice and warm, the other hunks of bread seemed a little hot and cold, suggesting that they may not have been "oven fresh". Not that anyone claimed it was. Nevertheless, cold bread is a put-off.

The complimentary bread basket

The decor is largely white, spread over a sizable space. There are a few skylights around and we were under one. There is also a little garden space in one corner. The restaurant is below a service apartment, though both are separate entities. Also, since the steaks section of the menu was dedicated to Haroon, it was obvious that the management were closely related to the creators of The Only Place.

The space from our seat

We each decided to have a grape fizz and a passion fruit fizz. Both nice. And since this was brunch, we were going all the way - starters were, Batter Fried Calamari, Anoushka's latest love and Strips of beef on lettuce with a lemon dip.

Grape and Passion Fruit fizz

Batter Fried Calamari

The Batter Fried Calamari was really nice. The batter was crisp without being slathered on too thick. Just enough to give you that crunch and allow the taste of the calamari to come through. The aioli with it was nice too. The Strips of Beef - we first had a bite each to see how good the meat was. It was tender and nice. And then we went ahead and made ourselves lettuce leaf parcels with generous dollops of the lemon dip.

Strips of beef on lettuce with a lemon dip

Anoushka wanted pizza the second she heard us reading it out loud. We opted for the margherita but requested that they add chicken to it. They did and very generously too. The pizza was not a wood fired one, but was a thin crust and rather crisp. Anoushka finished just a slice and we took the rest home.

Margherita Pizza

And now for our main courses - when at a grill house you can't possibly go in the for pasta and burgers that they did have on the menu. You choose your steak, the sauce to go with it and the accompaniment you like. So Sudhakar had the Double filet mignon with Chimichurri sauce and creamed spinach and I had the Porterhouse steak with red wine bordelaise sauce and silky mash. Lovely sounding names and I was even brought the Porterhouse for viewing before it was cooked for me. We both asked for them to be done medium rare.

Double filet mignon with Chimichurri sauce and creamed spinach

Blame it on Masterchef, but as soon as the double filet mignon came, we pressed on it to check its softness. Looked good enough. I found the proportions a little wonky - would have preferred more of the sauce and less of the creamed spinach (which is bland as it should be and can get boring in a short while). When Sudhakar cut through the first filet he found it a little too rare though it did not stop him from eating it. May be he should have cut through both in the beginning, because the second filet was rare and after a point he just got not get through it. Pity, because the filets were good.

A closer look

My Porterhouse had some chunks neatly cut out for me, which is good considering I always ask Sudhakar to do the cutting for me normally. The wine sauce was nice and the mash was silky as mentioned. There was a sizable amount of meat still on the bone and I was really disappointed that most of it was close to uncooked which meant I had to leave a good deal.

We did mention it to the staff and got a polite smile and were told that we could fill in the feedback form and they would discuss it with the chef. I do hope the chef has takes heed.

Porterhouse steak with red wine bordelaise sauce and silky mash

What we liked about the dessert menu was that they had platters for two, four and six people. We decided to give the platter for two a shot. We got apple pie, mango cream profiteroles and chocolate cupcakes with a peanut nougat topping. Everything looked really pretty, but the apple pie was straight out of the fridge onto the plate and I always prefer mine warm, maybe we could have been asked? The cupcakes were as good as the ones we make at homes and the Mango cream profiteroles were pleasant. Overall, not a very satisfying platter.

Platter for two - apple pie, mango cream profiteroles
and chocolate cupcakes with a peanut nougat topping

The skylight above our table

On our table

The starters were brilliant, but the steaks disappointed. May be it is teething trouble, but really with the competition around can one afford to be like that with your specialties. The Only Place was a very disappointing experience when we visited. I do hope this place doesn't do that to itself. It has so much potential. The meal came close to Rs 2500 and I would rather have better taste than pretty pretty plating for this pricing. The loo could do with some sprucing up.

Address: #1, 1st Cross Road, Brunton Road, Bangalore

Phone: 25593403

Cuisine: Continental, Soups, Salads
Wallet factor: Rs 1200 for 2

Parking: We got some right outside

Polo Club's Menu Like You Have Never Known It!

India. By Oberoi

Graze at Taj Vivanta - An all new menu

The Tao Terraces

Portland Grill House and Cafe

Find by Location

Hello!

Get easier updates through Facebook!

Instagram

Contact Form

Bangalore restaurants- Food and Travel

Polo Club's Menu Like You Have Never Known It!

India. By Oberoi

Graze at Taj Vivanta - An all new menu

The Tao Terraces

Portland Grill House and Cafe

Find by Location

Hello!

Get easier updates through Facebook!

Instagram

Labels

Contact Form

Bangalore restaurants- Food and Travel