Humming Tree, Indiranagar

Hello there! It’s been AGES since we posted something on Rukelicious. College work, exams , submissions there was a lot on our plate and very little time to go exploring and to sit down and pen our reviews ! We are extremely sorry about it. But the good news is, WE ARE BACK ! *badum-tish*

Recently, there was a lot going on about this place in Indiranagar called Humming tree. Things like , “Hey! You must try humming tree” , ” I was at humming tree last evening ” , “I’m going to humming tree again” came up too often. I decided to go ahead and see what the hype was about . Actually, Social on church street was my first option , but then , I dislike waiting for hours to get a table . But clearly, the whole of Bangalore has been there and the only thing I do is look up at their Instagram posts of fancy rainbow coloured drinks in bath tubs and syringes . So probably, I should just wait for a damn table the next time – oh well!

Anyway , back to humming tree. We went on a Tuesday , since they are closed on Mondays .Frankly ,The place is slightly difficult to spot. With all the massive billboards along the lane, the tiny pale blue board that said humming tree was spotted only after two walks up and down the street.

They have a terrace seating and an indoor seating . The weather way brilliant for us to say no to the outdoors, so we climbed our way to the terrace .
There is no defined entry as such , so we just landed into a vast open space with garden chairs , potted plants and umbrella shades . The view from the rooftop is breathtaking .The cool breeze on our faces and the slight drizzle was a different feeling altogether . All I needed was a good book and a cup of coffee and I would have probably been there the whole afternoon .

We quite liked the menu, although there aren’t many option for vegetarians . And from the very few that they had listed, they declined it when we placed the order. So, we ordered two starters, Belled potatoes with a dip and roasted peppers with sweet potato and jalapeños. I’m usually not a big fan of vegetarian starters , I find them boring and tasteless . But these two dishes blew my mind, at least the roasted peppers did -The texture of the sweet potato was just right , melt-in-the- mouth- creamy with the right amount of spice and a perfect dip to go along with it . I loved it!
We ordered a Long Island ice tea and a mojito as well . Again, perfect!

We were still hungry so we decided to order a veg pizza with peppers , mushrooms , jalapeños . We asked them for olive toppings, but they dint seem to have any. But oh boy! Was I glad when I saw the pizza arrive. To me it was like a treasure chest on a plate- It looked absolutely delicious and I couldn’t wait to dig into it. I had my first bite and I sank into my chair. I haven’t tasted such an amazing pizza in a really really really long time. I’ve been craving for one, But you know, your cravings don’t stop unless you get that perfect salami sandwich or a blue berry cheesecake or whatever it maybe that you’ve had in mind . That afternoon, I was a happy happy girl. It’s amazing what a 10/10 pizza can do to you!
I was quite full by then , but for the sake of trying a non veg dish, I decided to go for the meatball skewers . It wasn’t bad, it tasted good. It’s just that after a while I started getting bored of the taste in my mouth. Moreover, it was a dry dish with no dip or sauce so it was just average to me.
We finished the evening with more shots and happy clinks !
We happened to be there during the happy hours which is usually till 8pm. So we got a 50% cut off on a few drinks . It’s just that we ended up shelling out more on just list of taxes and the service charge- Quite a shocker there!

I would surely come back to humming tree, at least for their food. Overall, a really pleasant place with good food , drinks and service!

Try out the place and let us know your take on it! We would be happy to hear from you.

Due to a technical issue , the photos failed to upload. However, it’ll will be added soon!

Spread the love! xo

The Rouge Elephant , Basvangudi, Bangalore

I loved Rouge Elephant the minute I stepped into it. Finally! A restaurant that breaks away from the conventional, stodgy eat-outs.

Loving the traditional ambience

Rouge Elephant is a small, simple and delicate restaurant with no whims and fancies whatsoever.  The  warmth and welcome given to you by Mr Anand Chettur, the chef and owner of Rouge Elephant makes you feel at home. With Anand’s eye for perfection and detail, he makes sure to add a personal touch to all his dishes. He ensures that the food is served exactly the way you want it.

I’ve been to Rouge Elephant twice and the more I go there, the more I Fall in love with the place and its food. For Starters, We ordered Hummus and Pita bread and went ahead with the main courses, Cajun Chicken, Chicken Coronation Sandwich, Pasta Alfredo with chicken and mushrooms, Pasta Pomodoro, Pan Fried Fish with Puttanesca and as  for desserts, Apple pie with vanilla ice-cream and White chocolate bread pudding!

Cajun Chicken- Flavorsome!

Pan Fried fish with Puttanesca

Pasta Pomodoro

Creamy Alfredo with mushrooms and chicken!

The pita bread was exceptional- Fresh, warm , soft and the creamiest Hummus to accompany it. The Cajun Chicken – tender and juicy, I wish they served it boneless though. The Chicken Coronation Sandwich is a favourite for many and is a must try! The Pan fried fish was done to perfection. I have a weakness for desserts and the white bread pudding, I could eat it all day!

Chicken Coronation Sandwich

Delicious Pitta bread and creamy Hummus!

White chocolate bread pudding -The best!

Warm Apple pie and Vanilla Ice-Cream!

The prices are pocket friendly and more than anything, the quite peaceful and homely ambience is something you wouldn’t want to miss.  If not Lunch, you could simply sit by the courtyard with a cup of tea and delicious titbits.

The perfect Tea Time setting!

Food- 4/5

Service- 5/5

Ambiance – 4/5

Value for money – 4/5

Rogue Elephant is located Near New Generation School, Opposite Krishna Rao Park, Kanakapura Road, Basavanagudi, Bangalore.

Bierre Republic, Church Street, Bangalore

Bangalore’s microbrewery lovers have a new destination to hang out in Church Street, The Bierre Republic.

The recent hype about this place got me curious and I decided to visit it along with a few friends for a birthday celebration. From where we parked, Bierre Republic was a long walk. Finding a parking bay in Church Street is something near impossible, on a weekday that too!

We stood right in front of the building and had a good long confused gaze at the top most floor- Why does it look like it’s still under construction? Has it even opened yet?

We decided to try our luck and step in, and so, we walked and walked into what seemed like a never ending maze of corridors, lifts, and stairs with huge sign boards to guide us along, Amen to that.

And Voila! The happiness when we finally saw the huge wooden door to Bierre Republic. Clearly, we had no idea what was in store for us, we were awed by what the place had to offer -It was a marvel. I almost felt like Jack Sparrow from  the Pirates of the Caribbean. Huge antique mirrors at the entrance, the whiff of an old wooden ship, archaic wall hangings, dim lighting, a flight of wooden stairs that lead to what felt like the open wooden deck of a ship. A perfect blend of open and closed spaces with a pretty decent view.  They also have a little raised platform and a DJ console to host parties and special events.

A rustic feel !

The spacious open deck.

The little bar counter nudged away to the center.

The Indoor seating.

The DJ Console and a space for gatherings and events.

It was really hot and we decided to get a seat indoors, well, that dint help too much – it was pretty much like sitting in a sauna for some odd reason.

The Drinks and the Food menu were handed over to us and I exchanged glances with my friends- That’s it? 10 dishes? Err, Alright then.The Menu consisted of Club sandwiches, nachos, fries, pizza’s -that’s about it. The drinks- usual.

I don’t know what exactly went wrong here, but half the menu was missing. It would obviously be dastardly to ask the servitor – Hey, Don’t you have anything else on the menu? . So we decided to stay restrained and order what was given to us.  Eventually, I got to know from a couple of friends who visited earlier , That it was indeed only half the menu and that they had so much more to offer with the main courses , desserts and a wide variety of cocktails.

We went ahead and ordered Nachos, chicken pizza and BBQ chicken wings since nothing else seemed very appealing.

The nachos seemed slightly dead- No toppings and nothing of that jazz. Just plain Nachos with a minuscule quantity of salsa and cream dip. A big disappointment!

The ONLY saving grace of that evening was the chicken pizza. It is certainly the BEST pizza I’ve tasted in my life. Cheese-wise, it beats Domino’s so called world’s cheesiest pizza. A generous amount of cheese and chicken, the burst of flavour – a wallop in my mouth!

The BBQ chicken wings was a sight by itself, the presentation of the dish was like no other. The wings were juicy, tender and full of flavor. And it remained warm throughout because of the little candle they placed underneath.

The prices on the menu are pocket friendly and worth it. I will have to visit Bierre Republic again in search of the halved menu and try out the rest of the dishes.

Apart from all that, I had quite a good experience at Biere Republic. And, I’m sure it only gets much better in the evenings with the music and the happy crowd. Frankly, I can’t wait to get back soon!

Ambience- 5/5

Food-(Too early to rate, but from what we little we had) 4/5

Service- 3/5

Value for money- 3.5/5

Overall- 4/5

The first time I saw Glass House was during its initial construction stages, I happened to come to Lavelle road for a site visit and this restaurant was under construction. I clearly remember standing there and looking at what would be a full-fledged restaurant a few months from then, but I did know something was going to be great about this place.

I had quite forgotten about the place until my college faculty member came up to me and said, “Hey, remember Glasshouse? I went there this weekend. Really nice place, the food is amazing. Try it out? “That’s when I chose to check out this place.

Midweek and I decided to head to Glasshouse with a few friends for lunch. We weren’t aware that they offered Valet Service and we went around in circles trying to search for a parking spot-Quite a difficult task on Lavelle road. We reached around 2:30pm and figured the main kitchen closed at 2 pm and that they couldn’t really offer a full lunch. However, we still had the option of pizza’s and sandwiches.

A Glass house tucked away in the greens! – Photo Courtesy Spoorthi Vasudev.

Green pockets and the ripple of water – Serene.

Flowering potted plants – Little joys. -Photo Courtesy : Spoorthi Vasudev

We were awestruck with the ambiance Glass House had to offer. It was just perfect. Little paved pathways, lots of potted plants, a nice little tree in the corner with a large canopy, a very warm open space on a raised platform with well-arranged tables and dainty candles. I can’t imagine how beautiful this place would be in the evening. And as the name suggests the restaurant is made from glass. So the entire place has a very open feel to it. And guess what, they grow their own herbs which they use in their dishes- How amazing is that?

We got ourselves seated and they had a pretty interesting menu. Although my friends didn’t really have much of an option on the veg dishes- Quite limited. We ordered a Lamb burger and Funghi Pizza. The service was great and the food was amazing. The Lamb Burger came with Spicy potato wedges, and a really tasty salad. I’m not a big fan of salads, I find them boring. But, I finished the salad before I even started with my burger. The pizza was good too, thin crust, cheesy, flavoursome!

Funghi Pizza! Cheesy goodness!

Pizza and chilled beer. It can’t get better than that !

Juicy Lamb Burger with melted cheese. Delish!

Spicy potato wedges and the tastiest salad,ever.

More pizza! Photo Courtesy : Spoorthi Vasudev

From where we sat, we had a good view of the whole place. They have a little bakery with a variety of breads. And we did see a few customers who came in only to buy the bakery products. When asked, they make bakery products every two days. A nice little counter to display all the deserts that isn’t on the À la carte.

The little bakery full of goodies.

I have a friend who just can’t complete his lunch without having a dessert. So we asked the servitor for the Desserts menu, but it was declined to us because the kitchen was closed, and we had to choose from what was on display. As we stood there deciding between Crème brûlée, Tiramisu, Lemon tarts, macaroons and muffins , the manager comes up to us and talks about all the confections they usually serve. I saw cereal milk in bottles and asked him about it, and apparently, there are only two places that make cereal milk and Glass House is one of them. Frankly, I found that a little hard to believe, but OK. We spoke for a while and he asked us to try the best deserts that Glass House had to offer. He went out of his way, gave us the À la carte and showed us the best on the list and asked the chef to prepare it for us. This little gesture is more than enough to give Glasshouse a 5 star for their service.

I really have no words to express how awesome the desserts were.  We ordered a Banana Sorbet sponge cake, ice-cream with black salt and hot caramel syrup. The taste was as unique as it could get. It was the first time I tasted black salt, but the salt balanced the sweetness beautifully.  A divine dessert. We also ordered triple chocolate balls, which was chocolate sponge cake with melted chocolate topped with chocolate filled goodness! Oh yes, and they also added gold dust to it. Just perfect! -I’m smiling away just by recollecting how good it was.

Look at that melted caramel. What a divine dessert.

Gold dust and an overload of chocolate. Loved it!

Well yeah, so that was pretty much our little lunch. And we headed out, we stopped by to look at the mini garden that they have. Little pockets of soil with various types of herbs and a tiny note describing the herb! I loved the idea, so fresh.

Little pockets of herbs!

Glasshouse is a restaurant I would surely recommend to anyone. Especially if it’s a nice little date in the evening or even a casual meet up with friends. And as for me, I would certainly go back , try new dishes and also, see what the top floor looks like, as it was shut when we went. Glasshouse might be on an expensive side but it’s totally worth it.

Rukelicious Rating

Ambience: 4/5

Food: 4/5

Service: 5/5

Value for money: 4/5

TOIT BREWPUB, INDIRANAGAR, BANGALORE

Bangalore is home to a variety of restaurants but none of them have created as much buzz as this microbrewery located in Indiranagar. Even though the 100 feet Road on which Toit is located is full of places to eat and get something to drink, Toit is the first name that comes in mind when one is looking for a place to just relax and have a great time with friends.

I have been here several times with friends and my liking towards this place has only grown. It is located on the 100 feet Road and is at a walk able distance from the Indiranagar Metro station. Valet Parking is available however if you are planning to use a 2-wheeler to get there, parking might be a hassle. Also, this place is incredibly popular and we recommend that you make reservations before you head over there.

As soon as you enter Toit you are at once encircled by the wonderfully stylish ambiance-with brown wooden interiors and a view of the huge microbrewery, your expectations of the place rise even more. Toit has 2 levels-the ground and the first. While the ground only has non-smoking seating (with a special section for pets), the first floor has multiple seating arenas both smoking and non-smoking. The servers are quick to guide you to your table and extremely friendly.

It won’t take you long to feel comfortable as the ambiance is just perfect-it can make you forget all your blues and help jazz up your mood! The ambiance is like that of a Manhattan Pub combined with that of a microbrewery.

As soon as you enter Toit you are at once encircled by the wonderfully stylish ambiance-with brown wooden interiors and a view of the huge microbrewery, your expectations of the place rise even more.

The brewery in action

You can make your choices from a variety of Beers they brew, from British to Belgian to Irish and order their legendary starters while enjoying the beauty of this place. And while you wait for your food, you can use their Wifi! If you have been waiting to update your phone software but haven’t had the time or the chance to do so, you can definitely do so here as you get download speeds of upto 15MBps!

The music is light and enjoyable, though they have a DJ performing from 7:30 PM on wards on the weekends. I must let you know that the music on the weekends is a treat as they have a light show to go along with the music! I decided to try out the “testers” priced at a modest INR 200! I instantly had my favourites-Toit Weiss and Tintin Toit, both light beers, both having a smooth, refreshing taste! The Tintin deserves a special mention as its taste is so awesome that it has become the most popular demand at Toit. The other beers include the Toit Red, the Dark Knight, the Basmati Blonde, etc.

The Tester Beers-try the best of Toit at only INR 200!

The legend itself-TinTin!

The hard liquor, like most upscale places is pricey. We have tried most of the cocktails here from the Long Island Ice Tea to the Doctor’s Remedy which they claim is a cure for the common cold! The cocktails are fairly priced and the taste and quantity of alcohol is decent. I must inform you that it is mandatory for everyone to carry ID proofs. Toit is pretty strict about the age limit for consumption of alcohol (which is 21 in Bangalore).

Moving on to the food, for starters, my favourite are the Baked Cheesy Nachos. True to their name, the Nachos are baked (not fried, which gives them their characteristic flavour that lingers in your mouth) and full of cheese and freshly chopped onions, a delight really! The barbecue chicken wings are served with sour cream and the taste is pretty satisfactory too! A favourite here are the Baked Potato Wedges, which I also recommend. If you have an inclination towards Jalapenos, and Mexican food appeals to you, try the Nachos with a Mexican twist.

When it comes to main course, this place is the most famous for its wide variety of Pizzas! They have a variety here too, from Sea Food Pizza to the All-meat Pizza, Paprika to Oriental and the BBQ Pizza. I must say that all the Pizzas are made with utmost precision as they have just the right amount of meat and spices baked to perfection! The food menu also includes soups, salads, desserts and fondue. The pastas available here are a major draw too! Unlike the hard liquor, the food is priced at a very reasonable rate.

Barbecue Chicken Wings

The Barbecue Chicken Pizza

The Baked Potatoes

The Doctor’s Remedy

Cheesy Baked Nachos

Mexican Bhel

So in short, if you want to have a great time with your friends over some good beer and great pizza, head straight to this place without a doubt in your mind.

RUKELICIOUS VERDICT

FOOD: 4/5

AMBIENCE: 4.5/5

SERVICE: 4/5

VALUE FOR MONEY: 4/5

OVERALL: 4.25/5

CREDIT CARDS: ACCEPTED

COST FOR TWO: INR 1200 (Without Alcohol)

INR 2000 (With Alcohol)

ADDRESS:  298, 100 Ft Rd, Indira Nagar II Stage, Bengaluru 560038

CALL: +91 80 2520 1460
E-mail: toitblr@toit.in

Hoppipola, Indiranagar, Bangalore

I’m still unaware as to why we chose Hoppipola. Was it the jingle in the name? Or the fantasy land image with unicorns, lollipops and balloons that was instantly produced in my mind. Well, our only intention was a nice little place to celebrate a birthday with a few close friends. We looked up  a few places and decided to head to Hoppipola on a Monday afternoon.

Hoppipola is a rooftop restaurant and pub , right above the Mainland China Building. As you enter the lobby you can find yourself looking up at whacky posters and a handful of trophies by/from Hoppipola . First impression? Impressive. How bad can this be, I asked myself,  little did I know what was in store.

The minute I stepped into Hoppipola ,I felt queasy. And trust me I’ve never felt this way before. I’m still unsure of the reason. I’m guessing it was the crowd. The outdoor space was jam packed and the indoor seating was empty, I repeat, empty. Excessive noise, chit chatter and smoke is something I’m not a big fan of. So, we decided to get a table inside .  From what I’ve heard, getting a table at Hoppipola is not an easy task, especially during the evenings.

There is nothing fancy about the seating indoors – average. They have a very rough indoor ambiance. It is quite different from what I saw on various websites. The outdoor seating is comparatively better, it is well done with high and low seating arrangements.

At Hopppipola , be nice to the servitors and invite them to your table for the menu, your orders or any other requirement. Pathetic service throughout . The servitors seemed unresponsive and lost.

The Menu seemed pretty interesting though. We ordered the TinTin’s pizza, Pasta in Champagne sauce, Pasta in Bloody Mary sauce, Cheesiano – Bread with cheese and  jalapeño  .The food tasted fine. Although the presentation was a bore and the portions served was too less. They have a large variety on the drinks menu and the prices are pocket friendly. +1 for that.

Cheesiano (Bread with cheese and  jalapeño)  and   TinTin’s pizza

Imagine this, a nice hot steaming platter is served to you and you have the worst music played in the background. Clearly the most bothersome thing while one tries to eat. The music was fiddled with every now and then. The volume kept increasing and decreasing.

Pasta in Bloody Mary sauce

Apart from all this, there is one thing that I liked about Hoppipola . They have a shelf stacked up with books and board games for entertainment and to pass time . On your tables, you can find tiny little wooden boxes with colored chalk pieces in them , so that you can doodle away on the table while your meal arrives. Pretty interesting uh?

Bailey’s shots

Issue number # ….I’m sorry I lost count. Having toilets and washrooms at a restaurant is one thing and to have respective denotations is an other. At Hoppipola, unfortunately the latter is missing. There is a reason why I’m mentioning this here. And Yes! It happened to me- The horror! So dear readers, please carry a sign board with you if you happen to visit Hoppipola.

Pasta in Champagne sauce

Overall, I wouldn’t really recommend Hoppipola. Most of the times, the reactions towards Hoppipola is mixed. Many Like it for the way it is and many don’t. I fall into the latter. Hoppipola is the perfect place for month end meet ups, and college goers. If you are looking for something basic,nothing with frills and fancies, I guess Hoppipola is the place.

Rukelicious Rating:

Ambiance: 2/5

Food and Drinks:3/5

Value for money :2.5/5

Service:1/5

Overall rating:2.5/5

Phone:080 25217070

Location:

4032, Terrace Mainland China Building, HAL, 2nd Stage, Indiranagar, Bangalore

SMOKE HOUSE DELI, LAVELLE ROAD, BANGALORE

Greetings readers! With this article we bring to you a restaurant that brings the typical Parisian Bistro to Namma Bengaluru! Smoke House Deli, located in the city’s posh Lavelle Road, is a recent addition to Bangalore’s elite list of pubs and restaurants. It offers the best variety of food from all over the world to its customers. Pastas, burgers, sandwiches, steaks, salads, soups or just the classic Tiramisu, they have it all. And if you were thirsty for some booze, yes, they have a bar!

Greenery surrounding the place made me feel at home while the white walls having black paintings of groceries, different kinds of bread, ketch ups, desserts and like many other places in Bangalore, lots of French posters were the USP of this place.

The ambiance was even better inside and everything was just spick and span! The lighting was perfect too.

I headed to this place after a tiring day and an exhausting game of football and I was hungry as an infant! I could easily find parking as the building has parking in the basement, I wouldn’t say that it’s huge, but I quickly add that it’s big enough for this part of town. The ambiance of the place was incredible and drew me in instantly! Greenery surrounding the place made me feel at home while the white walls having black paintings of groceries, different kinds of bread, ketch ups, desserts and like many other places in Bangalore, lots of French posters were the USP of this place. The music was soft, jazzy and switched between English, French and Spanish. The bar has whiskey, vodka, beer and a whole section exclusively for vine where you can purchase a few bottles for your home. We were given an option between indoor and outdoor seating. Curious to find out more about the interiors, we chose the former!

The ambiance was even better inside and everything was just spick and span! The lighting was perfect too. The bar menu came first, and before I could read through it I was stuck up with the first option! Unlimited sangria at INR 450 per person! Being a vine lover, I knew I was going to exploit this option for sure! They also have this option on Budweiser Beer (INR 550), and on cocktails (INR 750). For sides I ordered the Spicy Coriander Chicken Skewers and the Sweet Paprika French Fries. I must say, the starters and my drinks arrived pretty quickly and they were served with a glass of orange-flavored water. The food was perfect and the sangria re-energized every cell in my body! The fries were the usual, nothing that extraordinary, but the skewers, they took my breath away. Meat cooked to just the right white colour on the inside and the perfect golden brown on the outside. The green coriander masked the skewed chicken beautifully and it all came together in my mouth like a Roman feast!

For sides I ordered the Spicy Coriander Chicken Skewers and the Sweet Paprika French Fries. I must say, the starters and my drinks arrived pretty quickly and they were served with a glass of orange-flavored water. The food was perfect and the sangria re-energized every cell in my body!

Hungry for more, I ordered the Smoked Chicken with five spices jus while my friend who is a bacon lover ordered the bacon wrapped chicken filled with sausage. This time we were a little disappointed as the service got really slow in both bringing us the order and refilling our Sangria glass.

Bacon-wrapped chicken steak with sausage filling

Smoked Chicken with five spices jus

But the disappointment was short-lived and we soon were staring at our steaks! The presentation was good, but the flavours and smell were reckoning! I hurriedly took a few photos for the blog (yes, work comes before hunger :P) and dug into my steak! Good lord, was I in heaven! As promised by my kind waiter, the five spices that were promised to be used in my steak played hide-and-seek along with the tender chicken meat in my mouth! I savoured this steak and within a few bites I knew that this was one of the best I’ve had here in Bangalore. My friend wasn’t disappointed either and his order was equally lip-smacking. But my steak was so good, he even considered being blasphemous and giving up his bacon-flavored chicken for mine! It took us some time to finish up our order as the quantity was very good and more importantly because we savoured every bit!

All-in-all this place is perfect to bring your partner, your close friends and even your family! It has a charming and vibrant, yet serene feel to it.

We were completely and fully satisfied with this place and our verdict is:

AMBIANCE: 4.5/5

VALUE FOR MONEY: 3.5/5

SERVICE: 4/5

TASTE: 4/5

OVERALL: 4/5

COST FOR TWO: INR 1800 (without alcohol)

CREDIT CARDS: ACCEPTED

Phone: 080 41276272, 080 41277989

Address:

Smoke House Deli, Lavelle Road, Bangalore, 52 & 53, Ground Floor, Lavelle Road, Bangalore.

ARBOR BREWING COMPANY, MAGRATH ROAD, BANGALORE

Hello Readers! It has been pretty dry in here and I am sure you noticed the reduction in the number of places we review off late! But we are BACK! And with a BANG!

Yes, this is one place we absolutely adore! Ambiance, service, variety, quantity, and quality! Everything is top-notch! But let’s not get ahead of ourselves; we shall describe every aspect of this place to you!

To begin with, Arbour Brewing Company (let’s call it ABC as it is popularly called across the world) is the first one in India and is conveniently located at the heart of the CBD! There is ample parking space available and the place is a stone’s throw from Garuda Mall.  You have to carefully look for the sign or you may not find the place! Located on the third floor, ABC has a huge seating arrangement for its customers-both outdoor and indoor. The indoor seating has wooden interiors with walls having paintings of the huge variety of beers brewed here! The USP is that the indoor seating runs parallel to the brewing machines and the bar counter is right adjacent to it. This means that while you sip your chilled beer, you can look at these machines and watch in awe as to how it was made!

Having spoken about the ambiance, let us talk about food! Variety is wonderful! Chicken wings, Cheese fries, Nachos, you name it, they have it! Pastas, Pizzas, steaks, burgers, salads, sandwiches, and a whole other variety of the classic main course dishes are also available! We found the food very well-served and with a unique flavour platter! A big thumbs-up! We thoroughly enjoyed our BBQ Chicken Wings and the Sweet Potato Fries! Desserts like the Red Velvet Cake and the Tiramisu-a classic add to the platter!

Talking about the alcohol, hard liquor will burn a whole in your pocket for sure! So unless you are loaded on cash, or really in a mood for some whisky on the rocks, avoid ordering hard liquor! Everything from Glenfidditch to Jack Daniels is available here. Martinis, Margaritas, and a host of other cocktails are available too!

Now getting to the real deal! THE BEERS! ABC started in India with a mission to popularize the craft beer movement. Started by Gaurav Sikka, ABC offers at least 15 varieties of craft beer. These include Oktoberfest, Ryeclops, Independence (a special Indian edition one), No parking, Belgian Dubbel, American Magic, Smooth criminal, Brassiere Blonde, Bangalore Bliss, Belgian Brown, Belgian tripel, Raging elephant and so on! You think the names are innovative? Well, the taste is better! These may cost you INR 275-325 for a full 500 ml but you can go with the taster option! At INR 50 for 120 ml of beer, this is your chance to explore the great variety this place has to offer. The best part is that with each beer you get a detailed description in the menu about its colour, strength, history and taste! You are also given suggestions about which food goes along well with which beer!

So folks, impressed already? We are sure you are! So hop onto your bikes or jump into your cars and head straight to ABC!

RUKELICIOUS VERDICT

TASTE: 4/5

AMBIANCE: 5/5

VALUE FOR MONEY: 4/5

SERVICE: 4/5

OVERALL: 4/5

CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED

COST FOR TWO (WITH ALCOHOL): INR 2000

ADDRESS:  8, 3rd Floor, Allied Grande Plaza, Opposite Home Stop, Magrath Road, Near MG Road, BANGALORE.

PHONE: 080 30412940

WEBSITE: http://www.arborbrewing.com/

BISTRO CLAYTOPIA, INDIRANAGAR

Pottery painting combined with brunch? Sounds like an interesting mix? Well, at Claytopia, you can find that out for yourself! Yes, this wonderful bistro, located in Koramangala and Indiranagar has a wonderful ambiance, and for all you art lovers out there, this is one place you must visit! Clay pottery and dolls everywhere, beautiful warm lights and French posters hanging on the wall-this place breathes art!

This Friday I was exhausted and had the appetite of an elephant ,so I decided to brunch here. The menu is pretty simple and has the basics such as burgers, sandwiches, pastas and a few appetizers (like nachos, tacos etc.) to choose from. To accompany the food they have a variety of beverages, from frappes to milkshakes to espressos!

The Mumbai Chats Nachos

I ordered the Mediterranean pasta and a brownie milk shake while my friend ordered the Classic crispy cheese burger. We ordered a plate of Mumbai Chats Nachos just because of the attractive name!

As we observed around us while waiting for our food, we noticed the place had the most positive vibes you may get in the city. Even though it is located in the heart of the bustling Indiranagar, this place is serene and tranquil.

The Mediterranean Pasta served with the usual Garlic Bread

The place is attached to a clay workshop where different sizes and patterns of pots are available. The price to paint each one varies from pattern to pattern. Once you are done, you get the glazed pot in 2 weeks time.

The service is pretty slow. It took us about 20-30 minutes to get our order. Let’s start with the pasta-being a pasta aficionado; I must admit that I found it just average . The flavors didn’t exactly shout Italian and I found something missing. The brownie shake was just okay, not too much chocolate or sugar, but at least it was served chilled. My friend seemed to be enjoying his burger and claimed that it was as good as any other burger he had had in the city, if not better. We also enjoyed the Nachos as they were differently prepared and such an edge to it!

So for us this place was a mixed bag!

RUKELICIOUS VERDICT

TASTE: 3/5

VALUE FOR MONEY: 4.5/5

SERVICE: 3/5

AMBIENCE: 4/5

OVERALL: 3/5

CREDIT CARDS: ACCEPTED

ALCOHOL: NO

COST FOR TWO: 600 (Without Alcohol)

Small Pots: 250-350

Large Pots: 450-550.

Bomaby Dosa Camp, Triangle/Chat Street, SanjayNagar

Ever felt like having something quick , filling and yet homely? Head to Chat street. I wasn’t aware of this place until a few days back .  A couple of us were heading back home after a long day . Around 8pm and we were starving, we clearly had no energy to get seated at a restaurant, ponder over the menu and then wait another 20 minutes for the food to be served.  But like they say, one cannot think, love or sleep well if  one has not dined well. That is when my friend Arjun suggested Chat street, in Sanjaynagar.

I was taken back upon reaching the place, a crowded lane, and a line of hawkers on mobile carts cooking away and dozens of people surrounding every cart. And what a varied age group! That is when I figured this place definitely had something special about it that attracted so many people!

Here is one thing about me, 20 years and I’ve never experienced something like this. I’ve always seen vendors cooking and making these dishes in their carts and hungry people surrounding them, And I’ve always wanted to try it, out of curiosity . So, chat street was my first experience and I was quite excited about this!

From Dosa’s to Chats, you can pretty much find everything there! I din’t really know which one to try.  So I decided to settle for dosa, at The Bombay  Dosa camp. At least the crowd around his cart was pretty huge. The cook prepares more than 25 types of dosas.  Arjun is a regular here, so he gave me a detailed step by step explanation of how the dosa was made, while it was being prepared in front of me. It was so much fun to just watch. I ordered a Mysore paneer masala dosa and a Mysore Masala dosa- it seemed to be a favorite for many. A little bit of paneer, cheese, beetroot,  butter, spice followed by his signature toss and fold. And there my dosa was ready- Fresh and hot!

I had my first bite, and it was brilliant! . Yeah, I’ve tried all the rockets and paper in the dosa category but was what I had was something else! A few of my friends ordered chats , and they were pretty good too!

If you happen to be in SanjayNagar , You could check this place out!