Dahlia - Church Street - Bangalore

This was a Thursday evening. My friend and I thought we should try some new cuisine and after a pint of draught each at Coco Grove, decided to go for Japanese cuisine.

The place was not crowded (around 9pm), with a couple of tables occupied. The ambience was clean and nice (as any far east restaurant would be), I did not notice any sushi bar. However, there were a few low tables to sit with folded legs and eat like one does in Japan. We sat down at one such table to enjoy the fare and the menu was offered to us. The menu had the photographs of some of the dishes, but not for all of them. The dishes had Japanese names and the menu did not specify whether a dish is a rice based or noodle based one or whether it is spicy or less spicy and so on (in most cases).

We decided to take the services of the captain who was taking the meal order. He tried to explain for one query from us and then told us (in a pretty rude tone)that he is not paid to explain what is in the menu. By Jove! Were we surprised by this! On asking him as to how were we to order without knowing what we are ordering, he went on to say that it was upto us to figure out.

The poor service prompted us to walk out without tasting the food.

Reco - Avoid if you want good service 

Toscano, UB City, Bangalore

I have reviewd this restaurant on 2nd Nov.  This blog is only an update.  I went to UB City to enjoy some Italian cuisine @ Toscano with some whiskey by the side.  However, they still do not serve alcohol...probably why it had any customers compared to the other restaurants around it!

Bon South, 80 Ft Road, Koramangala, Bangalore

This is a fairly new joint that has cropped up in one of the 'Food' streets of Koramangala - 80 Ft Road.

From the outside it looked upmarket and as the name suggested was to serve South Indian Cuisine.

They have both an ala carte and a buffet.  The buffet is billed as - lunch buffet (does not include unlimited alcohol) for INR 350/- and brunch buffet (includes unlimited tiger beer / bacardi / eristoff vodka and cocktails based on the aforemnetioned drinks).

I opted for the brunch buffet.  

There were only two starters (there was a tomato rasam and a chicken soup also) - a dry baby corn fry and a really dry chicken 'bones' fry - the less said about them the better.

Aapams and Kerala Parotta are served hot on the table.  The Fish gravy and the mutton gravy were good and went well with the Aapam and parotta.

There were a few rice items, sambar, rasam, and a few veg curries and salads - not bad but not good either.

The desserts included vermicili payasam (sweetened condensed milk), a rice Halwa, ice creams and cut fruits.  The latter two were good while the former two were very sweet.

The service was quite good and certainly is worthy of mention.

Reco - Maybe once in a while when you want to tank up on the drinks!  otherwise avoid!

Maharaja - 80 ft Rd, Koramangala, Bangalore

The ambience is similar to any of the Andhra restaurants such as Bheemas, Sridevi, Navayuga and so on. The menu was multi cuisine, but I stuck to the traditional thali meals.

While the food was tasty, the service was slow, considering the fact that some of the tables were not occupied.

The powders used for mixing with rice in any Andhra restaurant was not available on the table and had to be requested for. Ghee also was not served with the rice. The rice served was not hot and one had to request for hot rice.

For a change there were hot pooris served with the meals unlike chapathis that are normally on offer.

The special boneless pepper chicken was tasty as were all the accompaniments with the meals, especially the dal and rasam. Meals for 3 with a couple of side dishes costs between INR450 to INR 500.

If you can forgive tardy service and can wait for hot rice, you can try out the meals here.

(The restaurant has since shifted to a place on the other side of the road.  I have not been here yet)

Crocodile Meat

Happened to taste Croc Meat Down Under.

Was prepared like an Indian Curry though.  It was the Croc Tail that was cooked.

Tasted quite like chicken, looked quite pale (white) and a little less rubbery than chicken.  

My Verdict - As good as chicken!

Australia..land of the flies

Had a wonderful time vactioning in Australia.  Covered Sydney and Melbourne.  Would have loved to go to the Great Barrier Reef...but time was a constraint.

You only need the sun to shine nice and bright on a day with tempratures around 25 degrees C and you would be attacked by houseflies.  It is as though you are walking in a really dirty slum in Mumabi sans the dirt and stink.

Some of the interesting things I saw covered were...

- The Boxing Day Test Match on Boxing Day

- Kangaroos jumping / grazing along the roads - even one that was run over

- The Kookuburra @ close range

- Ate croc meat

- Dandenong Ranges

- Sydney Harbour Area

- Boarded a fighter ship and submarine @ the museum

- Great Ocean Drive

- 12 Apostles

- Yarra Valley wine tasting

- Jenola Caves

- Blue Mountain - 3 Sisters

- Melbourne Casino and Pokies joints