I have always been a beer girl - yes I do love my wines and vodkas, but a beer tops the list any day. So when an invitation from Bangalore's latest, and pretty neat looking District 6 came my way, I did not say no. The promise of German beer and good food on a Saturday is too good to resist.
I love well done interiors (the architecture and interiors writer in me at least) and District 6 is really fascinating once you step in. A wood theme runs through the brewery and you will find sleeper logs and old railway planks beautifully building up a rustic theme. The copper and metal vats, with their intricate pipelines passing on overhead add an interesting touch.
The concept of District 6 is one where the thought of divide and conquer works great - the food and drink are divided in 6 distinct offerings. Drinks have the likes of Beer District, Wine, Shooter, Toddler and more. Food has German District, Fry and Wok & Grill besides others. Interesting way to give every kind of beer drinker the kind of food they would like to pair it with.
There are a couple of sections for seating - a large indoor space, cordoned off spaces for large groups and families and a semi-open air that surrounds the reception as you enter. We chose to go indoors to get away from what was an unusually hot day, despite it being bang in the middle of so-called winter.
Once settled, we were offered a sampler of the beers - the best way to check out what brew master Paul Hubmann has on offer. The basic range of six give every beer drinker something to look forward to - from the mild wheat beers to the stronger stouts you have a good choice. Beers are offered to you in a range of containers - from steins to 500 ml glass to litre and 2 litre dispensers... the place definitely knows how to get a party started.
6 samples from the Beer District
My pick was the Dark Wheat beer called The Chief, while my dining partner had the Liberator. For someone who hasn't graduated to stronger stouts just yet, this played the perfect in-between light and strong for me.
The idea is always to start light and work our way upwards. We had the Apple Feta salad and the Beetroot Goat cheese salad - crisp, crunchy, flavorful and well proportioned. You can't ask for more. If I could have these as an everyday working lunch, I would!
From the Grill District, we began with the Pork Yakitori - which is Pork Belly with a Five Spice mix - Love at first bite it was, but naturally, considering that porcine love flows in the viens. The prawn crackers on the platter make for a nice nibble. I did not feel the need to try the sauce with so much goodness already coming from a skewer.
Vegetarians do not despair, there is a sizable selection of deliciousness in each of the sections. We tried the Okra Eggplant Yakitori which was served along with a Ponzu-shoyu - a soy based dipping sauce that was yum... I love both vegetables in general and it really was good.
From the German District came the German Snail Sausages over a bed of mashed potatoes. No doubt the sausage was brilliant, especially with those caramelized onion and the drizzle of pan sauces I am guessing; but it was the mashed potatoes that truly were the hero - with bits of burnt garlic and capers... Its the type of mashed potato you want coming out the magic pot instead of the fairy tale porridge.
And yes, just because glut mode was on, we asked for a tasting portion of Bratwurst and truly did not regret it!
BBQ Roast Ribs - The only let down in the entire display was this BBQ Spare Ribs - the meat was tough, the sauce did not complement it and it fell flat on its face compared to the other wonderful dishes that were served. The crispy onion rings were the saving grace here.
This beauty of a Cochin Roast Crab came to us whole and the staff walked up to us armed with an apron and shell crackers. Honestly speaking, eating whole crab is all about sitting on the floor with a paper spread, rolling up the sleeves and going all barbaric on crab. I couldn't possibly do that here at District 6 and so requested that the staff be kind enough to do the work for us. All done and served, this spicy crab seriously hits the spot. Lots of dry red chilli, curry leaves and the twang of spluttered mustard make this a real winner with beer.
Fry District - Andhra Prawns - spiced with Byadgi chillies and curry leaves served on a bed of fryums - that's one thing I loved about the place, that almost every dish that came out was served with some form of crackers or the other. No generic ones, but rather those that complement the main dish in terms of flavor profile.
We were not about to be let out of there without a taste of desserts. We needed something to nurse while our stomachs settled from all the eating and so came in two drinks from the Mixology District - Old Fashioned No.1 and Wellington Island - a mix of vodka, kiwi, mint and lime, which makes for a fabulous drink to nurse over a long leisurely meal. I could have done with a little less ice as it tends to dilute the drink, but like it nevertheless.
Big Stuff cheesecake - baked cheesecake with berry coulis and beer cream. Not much of a dessert person, I still totally love a good cheesecake. This one was definitely high up on the charts and the berry coulis helped it shine. the beer cream did not really deliver on the beer part for me, but then I could see how too much of a beer flavor could overwhelm the dessert.
Chocolate Fondant Cake - Its chocolate - there's no arguing with it - end of story.
A long leisurely meal with drinks can set you back by around Rs 3500 for 2. The space is gorgeous, the food good and the beer even better. Its family friendly, especially in the afternoons and at the Sunday brunch that is recently introduced. The loos are big and well maintained.
Address: G-03/04/05, 26/1 Gateway Campus, Dr. Rajkumar Road, Malleshwara-Rajajinagar, Bangalore
Phone: 61766666
Cuisine: Brewery, German, pub, brunch
Wallet factor: Rs 3500
Wallet factor: Rs 3500
Parking: Valet
