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BangaloreMirror

I FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012

18

This soul needs saving!

DURGESH KUMAR Y

Manu Prasad bmfeedback@gmail.com

From top: Tangari Kabab; Pind Baluchi Tikka; Gosht Taar; Gajar ka Halwa.

recipe has no soul. You, as the cook, must bring soul to the recipe. Thus goes the quote, and it should apply to any dish. But with the advantage of hindsight, I think we should have started with the Murgh Hussaini Shorba or at least tried the Kadhi Pakora later the former for chicken soups bestselling association with the soul, and the latter for the restaurants name. They probably contained the soul connection that we missed in our entire meal. In fact, such was the standard of the fare that, several times during the meal, an (almost) homonym flashed through my mind kadi. It means bite in Tamil and Malayalam and also has a genre of jokes named after it. The rest of the review should provide ample explanation of why this thought crossed my mind! Appetisers: Though there were soups in the menu, and some chaats as well, the starters sounded more promising and provided more options. So we be-

gan with the Banarasi Seekh Kabab. Soul holy city auspicious start, you know. Though presented well, they turned out to be like cutlets in taste, and some parts were burnt as well. The overall crumbliness didnt help either. The Tangari Kabab had a marinade that wasnt really bad, but its interiors hadnt been introduced to the masala. In fact, the interiors didnt seem to have been introduced to cooking in general. The Murgh Gilafi Seekh was particularly bland and the mint chutney didnt seem interested enough to save it either. By this time, we were ready for a fight, and the Pind Baluchi Tikka proved a worthy opponent. It put up a solid battle against our collective ravaging canines and proved to be a tough opponent! Despite its faults, the Mahi Tikka Ajvaini stayed true to its origins. The fish was salty enough for us to believe that sea water had actually seeped into its very soul. Entree: The Mushroom Makai Hara Pyaaz tried to turn the tide with its

creamy gravy, and gave us hope, but the Dhaba Dal managed to set fire to the bridges with its overbearing fried garlic flavour soon after. We were sceptical about the Bombay Chicken, given that other almost-flying have been misrepresented. It did turn out to be chicken, but brought with it the entire dynasty of tang flavours! The Gosht Taar was probably the saving grace of the main course, with its silken gravy, wellcooked meat and mildly spicy flavours. Next up was the Dum Jhinga Anari, which seemed so eager to get to our table that it did not even bother to cook itself! The roti basket had nothing extraordinary to offer, and the last dish to make it to the table was the Gosht ki Biryani, a dish spoiled by its overzealous affection for garam masala. Afters: On paper, there were many options, but the only dishes available were Gulab Jamun and Gajar ka Halwa. Thankfully, the meal had a sweet ending, literally and otherwise. The

Gulam Jamun was nothing extraordinary, but it gave no reason for complaint. The Gajar ka Halwa went one step further and was actually good the right consistency, sweetness and the perfect amount of ghee. In all: I was told that the lunch buffet on weekdays was really popular with the office crowd, but nothing that we tasted was stellar enough to bring us back. Judging by the quality of the food, there is indeed quite some soul searching the restaurant has to do before it can earn some laurels. Bangalore Mirror reviews anonymously and pays for meals

FIVE OF A KIND - CHRISTMAS PUDDING

The Christmas pudding is as much loved as the stuffed chicken this time of the year. Here are some of the best places you can have it at
COMPILED BY: RUTH DSOUZA/ PICS: P MUTHU AND KAUSHIK J N

OLIVE BEACH
#16 Wood Street, Ashok Nagar ` 150 for every 100 gm his is one place that always gets it right, year after year. Available at their gourmet bazaar hosted each year, this is one pudding that has all the work done for you already. You can take it home, steam it and add it to your own Christmas menu. A slice of gourmet, without all the hard work involved. Samarth Shekar, media professional

ITC GARDENIA
#1, Residency Road ` 1,050+ for 1 kg ust thinking about it makes me long for it the pudding here is loaded with prunes, figs, assorted citrus zests and the most heady of liquor mixes. All of these are so well balanced that when the dessert comes to your table, it is impossible not to reserve space for this. A perfect ending to a festive meal. Jason Cutinha, hospitality professional

KOSHYS
#39, St Marks Road ` 450 per kg ere is a pudding that has decades of history to it, being a recipe handed down generations. It is decadent thanks to the brandy butter it is soaked in. Steamed to perfection, this plum, raisin and cashew-laden beauty is, of course, heavy but then it is the Yuletide, so whos counting the calories! Rebecca Mathews, homemaker

TOSCANO

CAPERBERRY
48/1 ground floor, The Estate, Dickenson Road , `475 for 450g hough not a festival I celebrate, it is one I love to indulge in, for its culinary delights. I prefer the Christmas pudding over the cake any day and Caperberrys is what I love it the most. From the way it is presented to the way it tastes, it is all unique and befitting of the season. Aranya Sujith, architect

UB City, Grant Road, `400+ for 500g have always felt that a perfect end to a meal is a dessert that you will remember for a long time. For Christmas, it is the pudding at Toscano. Heavy, but in a lovely way, loaded with dried fruits and nuts and steamed to seal in all those aromas, I feel it is best enjoyed with a glass of wine. Nishitha Fernandes, medical professional

Next week: Roast turkey

Do you believe you have tasted the best roast turkey in Bangalore? Then write to us about it. In 50-100 words. Mention the name of the eatery, the place, cost and why you think it is the best tasting roast turkey in the city. We will test your choices and give our verdict next week. Send your choices to bmfeatures@gmail.com