Bangalore restaurants- Food and Travel: Ulsoor

Carnival de Goa

Monday, February 18, 2013Me! In words

On a recent weekend we headed to Tao Terraces at 1 MG in the hope of some good Oriental food. Entered the place to be told that they were serving only buffet. What's with every place having buffet only on the weekends. Can't it be a choice - those who want buffet its there and those who want a la carte can have that too. So we headed out and popped in at Grill and Curry Bowl next door. Settled down, looked at the menu and saw a funny mix of Kerala and Mangalorean dishes with a kappa meen curry priced at Rs 550... I don't mind spending money on good food, but come one... Rs 550 for a dish that would normally not cross the Rs 75 mark in a posh place. I understand paying a premium for high end places, but this did not come across as high end and neither was the little service we had worth the premium. I prefer value for money and so decided to walk out of here as well. There are several other seafood places in Bangalore that will fare much better at much less.

And so, we decided to cross off one more place on our list since it was right around the corner - Carnival de Goa. The idea was to eat here, good or bad and be done with lunch. We had a little one who was getting edgy. As soon as we stepped in I liked what I saw - the yellow walls, the metal chairs and the tiled tables. The staff were in straw hats and ridiculously loud flowery shirts and there was a karaoke baila going on in the background. We choose to sit on the semi-outdoors which won't be our choice next time - prime time weekend traffic noise seeps right through and you have speak up to be heard. Inside is much better.

One look at the menu and I had to order a beer - I mean what could go better with goan pork sausages otherwise (and I am a huge fan). We also ordered a pina colada for our friend and a something for Sudhakar that I can't remember.

The drinks

Now if I had my way, I would have much more than my tummy could have handled that day. So I decided to really pick and choose my way. The beef enrolado - this was beef that was rolled with a goan pork sausage filling - two of my favorite meats. I loved what came - the beef rolls were additionally cooked in a green masala that added to the spice factor. The sausages on the inside were not too tangy and the whole thing came together very well, though the beef was a tad bit chewy. Husband, daughter and friend are all not fans of the vinegary pork sausages so I got most of this dish to myself.

Sudhakar ordered the king fish rechaedo. The fish though big in size was not all that fresh, but the red masala was quite typical and really nice. Yes the spice was there but in a nice sort of way. Wash it down with some alcohol and you have several reasons to be happy.

Beef enrolado

King Fish Rechaedo

For main courses, Sudhakar went in for the roast beef with Goan pav. It tasted brilliant no doubt and the convenience of having it burger style cannot be disputed. But I would have preferred the two separate where I could use the pav the mop up the plate. There is a kind of a fun in that as well.

Roast beef in pav

I had to have pork sorportel and there is no denying the spice and the "vinegaryness" (yes I concoct words too, but you did get the exact picture didn't you) of the dish. The Goan sorpotel has several versions and each home stakes its claim to authenticity. Traditionally it is supposed to have a bit of coagulated blood added to it as well, though am not sure if this particular one did. It was paired with sannas, an unbeatable combo. It takes a while for you to feel the spice of the dish but again its a good one (at least for me). Heads up though - its vinegary as it should be and not everyone will like it. Acquired for many, long since acquired for me.

Pork Sorpotel

Little one and friend shared a goan style chicken curry - a typical coconut milk preparation with sannas. Very nice and judging by the clean plates and serving dishes at the end of the meal - those two shared my opinion as well.

Goan chicken curry with sannas

Bebinca is one of those typically goan sweets and I had long ago served myself a restraining order against it. Dad was a frequent traveller to Goa and would always come back laden with bebinca. I ate enough to give my future generations too a tummy ache and so swore off it for several years. Even now if it is brought home I take like a smidgen of a bite. We did order the bebinca here and it came with the ice cream and was really nice. Fresh, the layers neat and not sagging into each other. I could have preferred a triangular cake slice-like serving instead of slices, but that doesn't change the taste in any way. We also ordered Sudhakar's eternal favorite caramel custard and wrapped up this meal.

Bebinca with ice-cream

Caramel custard

After the disappointments in both of the earlier places we stepped into Carnival de Goa and it really made our day. I thoroughly enjoyed the food and the bill came to around Rs 2000 which I think was a good deal. Every child who came to the restaurant was served a plate of french fries, which I think is really sweet. The noise factor on the outside can be painful, so if you can get seating inside, head there. The loo is clean and the staff constantly on their toes. They know to manage a full house.

Address: 1st floor, 8/6 Kensington Point, Ulsoor Road.
Phone: 7676767620

Cuisine: Goan
Wallet factor: Rs 1000 for two

Accepts Cards: Yes

Parking: Not really

Bangalore restaurant reviews Expensive Japanese

Teppan

Wednesday, November 07, 2012Me! In words

We love our Japanese food and have sampled the fare from all of the restaurants in Bangalore currently offering the cuisine. Highlights for us have naturally been Edo, which is all the way up there, Harima which has remained an affordable great option, and Oko whose offerings I would give a miss any day. When Teppan came on to the Japanese scene, it brought about a massive discussion of for and against, authenticity and of course comparison to the others in its league. But since its only best to form our own opinions, we decided to head there ourselves, twice in a short span of time - once for their sushi festival by Chef Joseph Ruiz and the second for Sudhakar's birthday. We ended up with a unique experience the first time since it was a festival and the second time round managed to experience the restaurant as they normally are.

The table setting at the Teppanyaki counter

Teppan is based on reservation alone since there are a limited number of people that can be seated around the Teppanyaki counter - 8 in all. You can of course opt to sit at regular tables, but there is a unique kind of fun being seated around the Teppanyaki with a group of people you don't know. The first time round we were not too particular about the Teppanyaki since we were after the sushi. Anoushka chose to sit at there however, was regaled by the Chef, given her meal and she even managed to make friends with those around the table and had her meal on her own. The ladies on the staff kept checking in on her and if she needed anything and told us to sit back and enjoy our sushi on the side. Two thumbs up for allowing us parents the rare privilege of having an uninterrupted meal (not that we are complaining otherwise)

I wasn't sure what to have from the beverage section, since the first time round we went there with really bad throats. Went ahead and decided to indulge nevertheless. We left it to the bartender and I told him anything except lychee as an ingredient would do. What I got was a fresh orange, pineapple and something else mocktail which was really nice.

Chef Joseph had some unique sushi creations of his own for this festival and we were keen on tasting just those. So we started with the Mojacko Maki - salmon, tuna, cream cheese, spiced with Togarashi, a Japanese chilli mix, and rolled in tomago sheets (sweet omelet sheets). Chef Joseph works fast and allowed us to see him put the sushi together. While the sushi was rolled quick enough, I just loved the way he did up the plate. This sushi platter was very soft and to use a cliche - melt in the mouth. Since it was wrapped in Tomago and not nori, it was not chewy at all. The wasabi did not match the texture of the freshly ground one we had at Edo, but it did pack the punch and did its job well. A bite of the gari to cleanse our mouths and we were ready to order the next platter.

Mojacko Maki, just after it was rolled and cut

And how it was finally presented to us

With Chef Joseph Ruiz

We decided to go with the Dragon Maki roll next. Basically a prawn roll, it was available in three options of Red (Tuna), White (Sea bass) and Pink (Salmon). We opted for the Salmon. While that was being made, we headed to where Anoushka was at the Teppanyaki counter. What you order from here is made right in front of you, with a few acrobatics thrown in for good measure. Eggs are flipped and caught in toques, they are thrown in the air and strategically cracked in mid-air on the way down, seasonings from steel containers are rhythmically clanked together and then thrown up to be caught. And if the chef misses catching something, he puts it down to a "Japanese mistake". It made my little one sit up in awe and that was good enough for me. The Chef draws hearts with the eggs, wrote out her name on following it and constantly engages the guests with conversation.

An egg cracked on its way down

He ran out of yolk to write Anoushka's full name

Chicken and egg fried rice in the making

The chicken and egg fried rice

The steaming bowl is placed in front of you as soon as it is done. Its topped off with some great roasted garlic which gives it a great crunch. We helped Anoushka finish this and with good reason too. It was delicious.

The Pink Dragon Maki Roll

By then our Pink Dragon Maki roll around. It was arranged to look like the body of a dragon. Again, the wrap was of the salmon and prawn, topped up with tempura crisps and roe on top. The sweet soy around it added a nice touch and each bite, though a mouthful was a mixed of different flavors and textures. I found it fresh and really nice.

Another look at the Dragon Maki

It only whetted our appetite for more and we decided to go for the surf and turf maki. The filling was a salmon, avocado and crab stick. The finishing is done with thin slices of beef that cover the rice. This was topped off with a Japanese mayo, tempura batter crisps and julienned crab sticks. The beef stole the show in this one, coming off as soft as can be. We were stuffed at this point and had to wrap up for the evening.

Surf and Turf Maki

A closer look

The second time round was for Sudhakar's birthday and we decided to seat ourselves at the Teppanyaki counter, more for Anoushka's benefit. Eight can be seated at one time, but I personally felt a little more elbow room would be in order. The space felt a little cramped. We went in the for a sashimi Edo platter and a Sushi Edo platter. Nicely presented plates, evenly sliced sashimi which was fresh tasting. We had salmon, mackeral, tuna and bassa. First time am having a mackerel sashimi - interesting. But would have preferred it sliced all the way through than half way down two slices.

The sushi platter came in tuna, salmon, bassa and prawn - all of which were nice. Not much done by way of presentation here, compared to the sashimi platter, nevertheless, it did taste good.

The sushi platter

From the Teppanyaki, Anoushka wanted another round of chicken and egg rice which she got. We also ordered a Yaki Soba noodles with meat. A great dish to have on a cold winter day - hot, gooey, tasty

Yaki Soba noodles with meat

Both times, Anoushka was well entertained. Once she finished her meal, she spent time with the staff who took her around the place and basically kept her well occupied. She had a blast, so did we and both sides now have good reason to go back. Teppan is by no means a budget eating Japanese place. Each of our visits saw a bill of approximately Rs 3500. The sashimi platter was around Rs 850 for 12 pieces and sushi Rs 1000 odd for 12 pieces. The place is not overtly Japanese in terms of decor or even fancy cutlery, but it hits the spot really well. The loo is clean.

Address: 2nd floor, 1/3 Ulsoor Road, Bangalore.

Phone: 30412940

Cuisine: Japanese
Wallet factor: Rs 2800 for two

Parking: Valet

Bangalore restaurant reviews Serves alcohol Thai

Benjarong

Tuesday, November 15, 2011Me! In words

We were just done with our first Metro ride and since it was around lunch time were trying to figure out where to go. Sudhakar suggested we hike it up to Benjarong since it has been on that never-ending list of ours. Now, the authenticity of Thai food is not something I know much about, and so in my mind I had gone there with just "let's check out the flavor factor". Up the elevator we went and out into the waiting area of the resto. Just as we stepped out of the elevator we see this young maiden in a sarong sitting right below an ornate Oriental mirror carving a watermelon into a massive rose. Since she did not get up to welcome or seat us, I honestly thought she was part of the "living decor" of the place.

After we exchanged a few confused glances, a gentleman comes forward from within the restaurant and asks if we have a reservation, we reply in the negative and he runs off, only to send a second guy who asks us to wait a bit, goes in, comes out and then seats us. By then watermelon lady is done with her carving, she places it on the table and sashays off into the kitchen.

Ok... now done with that we were handed the menus... a recipe on the side panel of each page, then followed by the list of appetizers, soups, main courses and desserts with all the descriptions. Takes a minute or two to figure out the different tags, spicy, signature dishes etc.. So to make things easier for us, we just decided to choose from the signature dishes.

To drink Sudhakar chose the Siam Sparkle - ginger, some spices and a fizzy drink... nice! Reminded me of Sula Brut just a bit more spiced up! Since junior is now into soups we first thought of going in for the signature Tom Yum, which Benjarong has even got the Times Food Award for... but since it was marked spicy, decided to go in the for the milder Tom Som Pla (fish). The soup was clear, had a nice tangy zing to it and was generous enough with its fish.

Siam Sparkle

Tom Som Pla

While we were contemplating the main course, the complementary tray of Miang Kham came to the table. The name put together means eating a number of things in a single bite. Miang is a reference to food that you wrap in leaves, in this case, lettuce and Kham means a 'bite'.This tray of Miang Kham came with ginger, lemon, roasted peanuts, slivers of bird's eye chilli, the sweet n sour sauce (don't know what it is called though) and sliced shallots. All rolled up in the leaf, it did make browsing through the menu more fun. A word of caution though, those bird's eye chillis pack quite the wallop, you may want to think of adding just a skoosh when you rolling your leaf.

Miang Kham

For starters we ordered the standard chef's special at Benjarong, the Gai Hor Baitaey. This was a spiced chicken, wrapped in pandan leaves. The dish is quite the sight when it comes with these little parcels waiting to be opened. Anoushka was quite excited seeing them, though she was not about to get her hands messy. The chicken is steaming hot as you open the leaves, but the meat is soft and comes off easily in your fingers. The chicken was definitely marinated in ginger, pepper, coriander and few other spices. The slight sweetness I believe comes from palm sugar or perhaps an equivalent used here. This entire parcel is fried and thanks to the soy sauce, oil and of course the pandan leaves themselves, all the juiciness is retained on the inside. We really liked this one. The accompanying sauce was a bit overpoweringly sweet despite having the slivers of chilli in it.

Gai Hor Baitaey

And for the main course, we decided on Jasmine Rice, The Phad Thai Gai (chicken) and the Poo Pad Cha, a spicy dish made of crab meat. Below is a look at all three dishes together.

Jasmine Rice

Now from what I have read, Jasmine rice is best prepared by steaming and should have a slight aroma to it, which I have got when I have eaten it in other places, but not here. Also the rice, was quite the sticky mess, all clumpy and sticking to the spoon. In fact you can even see a few grains hanging on for dear life at the edge of the steamer. Anyways, this was by no standards a good rice and was definitely not fluffed out when it had done its time in the steamer. Most likely someone in the kitchen forgot it was on.

Phad Thai Gai

The Phad Thai Gai had all its ingredients right except it was missing the fish sauce am guessing and though we found it nice, I wouldn't really call it award worthy. Some of the noodles were sticking to each other and this was probably my main grouse with the dish. Now judging from the looks of the Poo Phad Cha you would say that there is a lot of crab meat in there and there was. Loved the taste, spicy, and right on the button. It even made the sticky Jasmine rice palatable, but a few spoonfuls later, I was tempted to give up. Even if the chef was trying to prove that he had personally shelled a real crab and put in the meat, I would prefer if he showed me a bowl of cracked shell on the side, rather than pepper my main course gravy with it. Almost every bite we took ended up with us finding a bit of crab shell. Blyak!

Poo Phad Cha

And yet we soldiered on. For desserts, despite having a totally messed up throat, I went for the signature Tub Tim Grob/Krob/Grub (found that there are many ways to spell this). Tub Tim literally means rubies and grob means crunchy and a final description of this dessert is crunchy water chestnuts in coconut milk. The rubies had settled on the bottom of the bowl of coconut milk. Once you scoop them up with some of the coconut milk, the crunch is really nice in the mouth. The dessert is great in the first few spoonfuls, but I felt the crushed ice that was added just diluted the already very thin coconut milk. After a point it was like drinking white water with chestnut rubies. Of course the next day I totally lost my voice thanks to the ice, but then I was asking for it.

Tub Tim Grub

Sudhakar went for the Sankhaya Fakthong - Pumpkin custard with coconut ice cream. Now this was one great dessert. The pumpkin custard was of the set variety and the spoon goes in ever so smoothly. Team that up with a lovely coconut custard and this is an absolute treat. Loved this one!

Sankhaya Fakthong

Overall, I wouldn't say we didn't like the meal, but its the small things, like the sticky jasmine rice and the shell in the crab that can spoil on otherwise good meal. The place does served beer and on a houseful day the staff can get a bit lost at to which table needs their attention. The decor is alright, and there is balcony seating, which on a rainy day can be really nice! This meal came to around Rs 2000 which is a bit steep for an average experience.

Address: #1/3, Ulsoor Road, Ulsoor, Bangalore

Phone: 42066166 (Reservations are always a good idea here)

Cuisine: Thai

Wallet factor: Rs 2o00 for two without alcohol

Cards Accepted: Yes

Parking: There is valet parking

Bangalore restaurant reviews budget eating Chinese

Xian

Monday, October 04, 2010Me! In words

Bangalore restaurant reviews serves beef Sizzlers

Grill House

Monday, January 18, 2010Me! In words

Out of the comfort zone of Koramangala and places like MG, Brigade and Residency Road, we headed to the relatively new Grill House on Ulsoor Road. Set right in front of a bus stop, the place has a nice wood and glass facade and a complete wall of glass that overlooks the bustling road. Thankfully the din of the streets is cut off as soon as you are inside the air-conditioned confines of the restaurant.

There is a first floor to the restaurant and the whole place is done up in wood, with a very Mexican salon look to it. Some of the wait staff also had on a sombrero, even though they looked mighty odd in them. A customer or two were allowed to take the decorative sombreros off the wall and wear them for the duration of their meal. It took a little while for us to get the attention of the staff for water and menus, but after that the service was pretty smooth.

For starters we had Chicken Tenders which the menu described as tender chicken supreme, lightly breaded and quick fried. Put simply chicken version of fish fingers which was not different from the Poulet Goujons what we had at French Quarter Bistro. This dish was more for Anoushka's benefit and it served the purpose. The dip that came with it was tangy and added the much needed moisture to this dish.

Complimentary bread basket and dip

Chicken Tenders

Sudhakar also wanted to have the Buffalo Wings, which were fried wings that were tossed in a Grill House signature sauce. You had the choice of opting for the sauce being mild, medium or spicy. We opted for medium and the dish was an absolute delight. Hot, juicy bits of spicy chicken in a sauce that hinted of Tabasco, chilli flakes and tomato. We also ordered cheese garlic bread for junior, but looks like she has outgrown this favorite and so we had it packed for home.

Buffalo Wings

Cheese Garlic Bread

For the main courses - Sudhakar opted for a lamb burger with cheese. While the menu described it as lamb mince that has been marinated and grilled, they forgot to mention the patty part. It was served as a patty. The burger was decent sized and tasted really good. A satisfying meal for when you are not-so-hungry-but-still-want-to-eat.

Lamb burger with cheese

I had the Grill House special which was a beef fillet steak with a Tabasco butter sauce, served with mashed potatoes and veggies. You have a choice of how you want your meat and whether you want it as a sizzler or on a plate. I, of course, opted for the sizzler and the meat well done. The menu omits the fact that the dish also comes with buttered rice. The portions were decent and just right for one person. The fillet was on the thicker and juicier side and was really well done, just as I had asked for.

Grill House Special Fillet Steak

Halfway through the steak, I ran short of the Tabasco butter sauce and very quietly whispered to Sudhakar that I wish they had served more of it. A minute later, the guy who took our order leaned over my shoulder and asked if I would like more sauce. I was delighted and I got a tureen full of it. I was really happy because I love to drown whatever I am eating in sauces or gravies that go with it.

Drowning of the steak

Dessert, the menu says, we have to ask the staff for the day's specials. We opted for the Passion Fruit Cheesecake and it was yumm right down to the scrumptious last bite. I personally though would have preferred it if the butter and biscuit based was a bit less crumbly. Also I didn't much like the chocolate streaks, but Sudhakar enjoyed it. Overall, the taste was great.

Passion Fruit Cheesecake

A lot of reviews I read of this place faulted the staff. I did not find them lethargic in any way but rather found them confused. Bus boys were taking orders, order guys (is there a better word for them?) were bussing tables and the chef from the kitchen kept coming out with a prepared dish. The place can get crowded but the food is worth coming for. With two Bacardi Breezers, the bill hit a comfortable Rs 1200. The loos are clean and on the first floor, so you might want to sit there if you have kids who love the loo as much as my daughter does.

This review is also at the Sify Food Site

Address: Kensington Point, #8/6, Ulsoor Road, Bangalore - 08

Phone: 40977011/22

Cuisine: Steaks and Sizzlers

Cards Accepted: Yes

Wallet factor: Rs 1200 for two

Parking: Exclusive but very limited

Carnival de Goa

Teppan

Benjarong

Xian

Grill House

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Bangalore restaurants- Food and Travel

Carnival de Goa

Teppan

Benjarong

Xian

Grill House

Find by Location

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Get easier updates through Facebook!

Instagram

Labels

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Bangalore restaurants- Food and Travel