FBAI Drinks Pub Crawl | Indiranagar | Bangalore

bangalore
Patron XO Cafe 

It has been quite a while that we went pub crawling!

A pub crawl if properly executed and managed is a lot of fun and the opposite is disastrous and frustrating. Bangalore has a lot of watering holes and Indiranagar, specifically is a region where pubs & bars are abundant.

So, this is all about our recent pub crawl encompassing 3 drinks & 1 detox drink to help get through the night.

This pub crawl was organized by FBAI and it was their maiden activity in Bangalore and what better way to kick start than a pub crawl.

The pub crawl was short & sweet and other than the focus on drinks, we had loads to eat too.


Veg Pizza

Chicken Skewers

First up, Glocal Junction & the Aperol Spritz. The drink was not too strong and served with sparkling wine, brought out its true colours. The citrusy and fruity notes made this drink very enjoyable. The Aperol Spritz is a sweet drink & even when consumed raw doesn’t do much.

Along with the drink, we were served appetizers: Dynamo Prawns, Chicken Sliders, Chicken Skewers, Veg Pizza, Tokri Chaat. The pizza was decent, but the first two were the favourites. The Prawns were crispy, sweet & went well with the drink. The sliders were bite sized and the chicken was really juicy.

Dynamo Prawns

Aperol Spritz

Chicken Sliders

Next up, Bootlegger & the cocktail using Stolichnaya Vodka. Now this drink was pretty strong. The balancing was great in some but not all. The cocktail probably had orange juice & honey and was mildly sweet. The vodka had a smooth after taste.

We tried 3 items at Bootlegger: An extremely hot & spicy chicken preparation, special gun-powder fries & cheese pops. The fries were delicious! The spice combo went well with the drink. The cheese pops were decent but the chicken was marvellous. It almost made us cry but who cares as long as mouth-watering and eye watering happen side by side.

The last destination was Sly Granny where we had nothing except for one of the best shots we’ve had till date: The Patron XO Café!

A perfect combination of Tequilla & Espresso. The drink was super smooth, mildly sweet and mind blowing. We are actually planning on buying this, so if you have any leads: Let us know!

Stoli Vodka

Chicken appetizer

Cheese Pops

Now, for the detox drink: Morning Fresh has come up with a special drink which prevents handovers if you ensure that that is the last drink of the night (water is not considered). This flushes out harmful toxins from the liver, so no hangovers, no headaches and a fresh morning for sure. These come in 3 flavours: Cola, Strawberry & Mint.

A fun pub crawl is something we always look forward to.

If you find the drinks & visuals interesting, you know where they are available!

We’ll swing by soon with more F&B info.


Till then—drink responsibly & bon apetit!

The Cafe Full of Life | Zoey's | Bangalore

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Pesto Chicken Strips @ The Cafe Full of Life | Zoey's | Bangalore
Pesto Chicken Strips

We have been to many cafes in the past and each of them have a different story to tell.
From our experience, we can say that we have come across a variety of establishment in our food blogging journey but very few of them actually have a “life” of itself. They are basically the manifestation of somebody’s concept, but what we are about to talk about here has a life of itself. Yes, it does sound absurd but you need to experience to believe it.

So, here’s to the Café full of life: Zoey’s in Sarjapur, Bangalore!

This is an open air café which caters to a wide variety of audience. They specialize in all day breakfasts and breakfast items and we really liked what we had.

They brew a mean cup of coffee and is perfect after a hard day of work but that’s not all! Coming to the items we tried and what we absolutely recommend:



For drinks we tried the Lemon Grass Cooler & the Date Almond Oatmeal Shake. The former was very refreshing whereas the latter had a thick consistency and was pretty filling. The Oatmeal shake was well balanced in terms of flavour: dates, almonds and a hint of banana as well.

We tried the All Angrezi Breakfast which had baked beans, toast, sunny side up, sautéed mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, salami and sausages & hash browns. They were all at par and the pricing is pretty reasonable.

Their Waffles are brilliant! Not so soft, but taste great. They’re served with a bowl of Nutella and pieces of fresh, sweet Mango.

Next up, we tried the Keema Omlette, Mushroom on Toast, Pesto Chicken Strips & Spicy Keema on a bed of mashed potatoes.

Dates & Almond Oatmeal Shake @ The Cafe Full of Life | Zoey's | Bangalore
Dates & Almond Oatmeal Shake

All Angrezi Breakfast @ The Cafe Full of Life | Zoey's | Bangalore
All Angrezi Breakfast

Keema Omlette @ The Cafe Full of Life | Zoey's | Bangalore
Keema Omlette

Mushroom on toast @ The Cafe Full of Life | Zoey's | Bangalore
Mushroom on toast

The Keema omelette had generous quantity of mutton keema. The 2nd was delightful and creamy. The mushroom & cheese combination is heavenly without any doubt. Another piece of toast would have done justice.

The chicken strips were spicy and well done. A perfect snack and weighs less on the calorie scale. The quantity was more than enough and the best part is that the chicken retained all the flavours. The keema preparation is legendary and really nothing worth mention. Just try it and relax! The spicy keema and creamy mashed potatoes will surely make you feel better.

Now these are all recommended as they are all high on taste and provide great value for money.

Next up, the best item we tried on their menu: The Chicken Stroganoff! The sauce was insanely tasty and creamy. The chicken is in the form of strips inside the sauce and this is served along with an island of herbed rice.

Spaghetti with Meatballs

Spicy Keema with mashed potatoes @ The Cafe Full of Life | Zoey's | Bangalore
Spicy Keema on a bed of mashed potatoes

Waffles

We also tried the Lamb Burger which was not that great especially for the price. The patty was tasty but thin. Another problem is that the patty breaks down with each bite. Unless the patty is thicker, this is definitely going to happen.

We also tried a Spaghetti with Chicken Meatball pasta which was exactly the way it should be, but this is not that recommended.

We were really full by this time and we tried only one: Mango Pudding.

Well presented, this dessert was a little bit too cold for comfort. Taste wise it was decent and with the chocolate crumble at the bottom: nice!

Lamb Burger @ The Cafe Full of Life | Zoey's | Bangalore
Lamb Burger

Mango Pudding @ The Cafe Full of Life | Zoey's | Bangalore
Mango Pudding

That’s all we have to tell from our side! They have comfortable seating both inside & outside with a children play area as well. The place is always full with people thanks to the special attention the owner, Farheen gives to each and every customer.

Their portions are pretty decent but if you are a very large eater, it is better to talk to the owner/who is taking your order before-hand.

Their dishes are really good and you can understand the quality up front. We definitely recommend a visit.

They provide great value for money. Do let us know about your experience if you visit.
We’ll be back soon again with tasty news ;)

Till then—keep searching for great places to eat & bon apetit!



A Romantic Dining Experience @ Grasshopper | Bangalore

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Orange Panna Cotta with pomegranate @ A Romantic Dining Experience @ Grasshopper | Bangalore
Orange Panna Cotta with pomegranate

 So, what is your idea of a romantic dinner?

Different people have different ways of showing affection and thus the answer to the above question differs in each case. However, the most common answers are: a home cooked meal, candlelight dinner, an especially reserved table in a posh restaurant with loads of flowers and wine and many more.

We had a different kind of experience very recently: a farm house away from the main road, a boutique by day and a romantic restaurant by night (Sounds similar to the batman theory doesn’t it? Billionaire by day, crime fighter by night :P)

Jokes apart, it was one of the most romantic encounters we have had and the homely experience they provide made it even better! The restaurant is in existence for the past 13 years and it is none other than Grasshopper located in Bannerghata, Bangalore.

There is silence all around at Grasshopper with 5 tables beautifully decorated with fresh flowers and a candle. They play instrumental music and combined with the moonlight & candlelight it is definitely something!


Watermelon and lime cooler

This is a reservation only restaurant and we were there by invite. They have a 5 course and 7 course menu and we tried the latter.

The food has restaurant & home-style qualities: fresh ingredients, perfectly balanced but has a comforting touch which makes it a lot better.

So, now moving on to what we tried:

The Grasshopper experience is only 40% food and 60% environment/ambience. Out of the 7 courses, there are 3 appetizers, 1 salad, 2 main courses & a dessert.

We have no complaints with what we had as it was a fully chef curated menu and there were no negatives at all.

The appetizers we tried are: Diced gel & real cucumber with cream cheese & flying fish eggs, Crostini with pine nuts & ricotta & Prawns with ginger, sesame & seaweed.
Prawns with Ginger, Sesame and seaweed @ A Romantic Dining Experience @ Grasshopper | Bangalore
Prawns with Ginger, Sesame and Seaweed

Crostini with Pine nuts and Ricotta

Diced cucumber with cream cheese and flying fish eggs @ A Romantic Dining Experience @ Grasshopper | Bangalore
Diced gel and real cucumber with cream cheese and flying fish eggs

All 3 were spectacular in terms of flavor and taste and were very simple. We would definitely recommend the first and the third. The cucumber, cream cheese & eggs tasted great together. The prawns were lip smacking. It was super appetizing and the creamy texture along with the seaweed went really well.

We were served freshly baked bread on the table. They were crunchy on the periphery and soft & fluffy on the inside. We had loads of these!

The salad was amazing too: Oven roasted tomatoes with the usual greens, walnuts, pine nuts & feta. It was well balanced with the balsamic dressing but the tomatoes were the star of the salad. Remarkable!

For mains, we tried the Sea Bass with a spicy & tangy pepper sauce. The fish was fresh and perfectly done as expected. The sauce tasted great and truly speaking, we wanted more. We also tried the Braised Lamb Shanks in herbed red wine and shallot sauce. The sauce was delicious and the lamb was cooked to perfection. This was served with herbed potatoes.

Oven roasted tomato salad @ A Romantic Dining Experience @ Grasshopper | Bangalore
Oven roasted tomato salad

Sea bass preparation @A Romantic Dining Experience @ Grasshopper | Bangalore
Sea Bass

Braised Lamb shanks with herbed red wine and shallot sauce @ A Romantic Dining Experience @ Grasshopper | Bangalore
Braised lamb shanks in herbed red wine and shallot sauce

Freshly made breads

Lastly, time for the desserts: they have quite a few options but we tried the Lemongrass ice cream & the orange panna cotta with pomegranate.

The former had the characteristic flavor but was not overpowering. The sweetness and creaminess of the ice cream was perfect. The latter had the right wobble and mouth feel. The orange flavor was also distinctly identifiable.

We also tried a chocolate preparation with mustard ice cream. The salted chocolate went well with the spicy and bitter mustard flavoured ice cream.

All of this tasted even better because of the calm and mysterious surroundings. This is more of a couple place so couples visit more because of the romantic and peaceful environment. They also have semi-private and private seating arrangements.
Lemongrass ice cream

A Romantic Dining Experience @ Grasshopper | Bangalore
salted chocolate ganache with mustard ice cream

There are many cute dogs (not stray) around who crave attention so, if you love dogs, you’ll have more fun!

We had an amazing time and we would love to revisit. If they manage to increase their portions a bit more, it would be even better.

Their 5 course meal is priced at INR 2k and 7 course at INR 2.5k.

Do let us know about your experience if you visit. They are also open to special requests ;).

We’ll be back again soon with more news on grub.

Till then—read on & bon apetit!

Innovative & Delectable Molecular Cuisine @ White Plate | Bangalore

bangalore
Honeysuckle Smoked Duck Breasts @ White Plate | Bangalore
Honeysuckle Smoked Duck Breasts

After a pretty long time we are super excited after visiting a restaurant and it is justified as we believe it is one of the best in town!

Food has a lot of craftsmanship involved and nowadays there is a lot of controversy between presentation & taste. In some cases the dishes are presented very well but don’t taste as good and sometimes vice versa. Thanks to Instagram, many good eateries are facing the heat because their presentation is not “Instagram” friendly, leaving aside the fact that they might taste amazing.

This post is dedicated to a relatively new restaurant in M.G Road, Bangalore named The White Plate by Chef Jason which serves food which is not only a masterpiece in terms of presentation but also the taste! They use molecular gastronomy but it is nothing like the other encounters we have had.

The environment they provide is relaxing, romantic & airy (except for the occasional heat spell where you start to feel the heat). Since it is an open air restaurant, it does tend to get a bit hot when it’s not breezy. They have an open kitchen where Chef Jason and his team create plate licking wonders.

Now coming down to what we tried:

Appetizers: Celebrity Shrooms, Chilli Crunch Chicken Squares, Jalapeno Motichur Salmon Compound, English Bacon Wrapped King Shrimps & Jamaican Rhum & Demerara Chilli pulled Pork Belly.

Amuse Bouche

Celebrity Shrooms @ White Plate | Bangalore
Celebrity Shrooms

Chilli Crunch Chicken Squares @ White Plate | Bangalore
Chilli Crunch Chicken Squares

Jalapeno Motichur Salmon Compound @ White Plate | Bangalore
Jalapeno Motichur Salmon Compound

Quite a long list isn’t it? The best part about all of them is that all the flavors are distinctly identifiable. The meat has a delicate pink colour in all cases because they are cooked to perfection and Chef Jason makes sure that the experience he provides will make people come back!

We’ll touch the highlights only: The shrooms were crispy with a rich peanut butter & chilli flavour. The Chicken squares had an amazing chilli flavour and the meat was pink in colour. The crispiness was unforgettable! The Motichur salmon compound is something you need to try to believe. The salmon compound by itself had a distinct taste but slightly bitter. When all the components in the plate are tried together, they create symphony in your mouth and: perfect balance!

The bacon wrapped shrimps had a twist: they were served with mustard caviar and curry leaf foam. For a change these actually added flavour and the meats were perfectly done as expected. As for the chilli pulled pork belly: It was one of the best pork preparations we have had till date. It was spicy & the texture was perfect.

Drinks: Smoked Tennessee, Caribbean Sin, Blushing Sunset and White Plate’s new Pickle Back Tini.

The first had a delicate smokiness along with the good old taste of Tennessee whiskey. All the others had fruity foams in them. The second had pineapple foam which just added a touch. The third one was a white rum based cocktail with orange, pomegranate and cranberry foam. The last one had suspended mint caviar which was the highlight. Their drinks are all well balanced and serve as perfect accompaniments with the food served.

Innovative & Delectable Molecular Cuisine @ White Plate | Bangalore

English Bacon Wrapped King Shrimps @ White Plate | Bangalore
English Bacon Wrapped King Shrimps

Smoked Tennessee

Blushing Sunset @ White Plate | Bangalore
Blushing Sunset

Now for mains: Pan Seared Breast of Chicken, Honeysuckle Smoked Duck Breast & Fruits of The Sea.

The duck was marvellous! It has a luxurious pink colour and we could never imagine that duck breasts could be this soft. Along with the poached pear, quinoa and the smokiness of the meat it was too good to be true. The Chicken preparation had a lot of items but undoubtedly the mass of chicken stole all the attention. The stuffing in the chicken was absolutely mouth-watering and it tasted heavenly.

Lastly, the fruits of the sea had a different charm altogether. The preparation has a pair of scallops & prawns and a fillet of sea bass on coconut Arborio along with two water cakes filled with salt water and capers. The idea is to burst these and have the dish to experience seafood beside the sea! The sea bass was not as juicy as expected, but the coconut Arborio was delicious. The scallops and prawns were fresh but the spice covering was a tad bit overpowering.

Pan Seared Breast of Chicken @ White Plate | Bangalore
Pan Seared Breast of Chicken

Fruits of the Sea @ White Plate | Bangalore
Fruits of the Sea

Re-Constructed Black Forest Raspberry @ White Plate | Bangalore
Re-Constructed Black Forest Raspberry

Lastly, for dessert we had the Chefs special: Re-constructed Black Forest Raspberry.
Chef Jason made this in front of us and we could see his excellent plating skills and vision. This was created from scratch and it looked and tasted fab! The highlights were the raspberry dollop and the Malibu coconut ice cream. This had honey and watermelon caviar which gave a further boost.

This marked the end to a nothing less than excellent meal. It was indeed one of the best experienced we have had till date.

The concept & idea of opening White Plate is of Mr. HRG Swaminath from Les Roches hospitality who also owns the restaurant.

So, the next time you feel like you want to blow your mind: this is your ticket.

Do let us know about your experience if you visit.

We hope to visit soon and we’ll of course let you know.

Till then—hold on to your horses and bon apetit!

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