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BangaloreMirror

I FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013

18

The bak starts right here

KAUSHIK J N

Manu Prasad bmfeedback@gmail.com

B
K L

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H 5

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M R P 8

he place has a bakstory the Manchester United Restaurant and Bar. But after its game ended, the buck was passed on to Bak Bak Bar on Childrens Day last year. It belongs to the same group as Bakasur, and even if you miss the mention at the door, you might find an odd stirrer or two that have the Bakasur motif. But there ends the connection. The theme stays true to the name, sometimes in the form of good advice Dont walk into a bar. Use the door instead (though the poster is inside) and sometimes as great conversation starters Avoid nuts. You are what you eat. Coasters, posters, plates, bak bak is all over the place. A special mention needs to be made of the music from Modern Talking to Peter Andre to Coldplay, it seemed to be the soundtrack of an average 30-year-olds life! But enough bak bak, and on to the bar and the rest.

Cuisine Owner(s) Chef Alcohol Price range

Parking Wheelchair access Service Music & Sound level

Good mood food K K Eateries Pvt Ltd Hassan Hic, yes! For about `2,000, you could share a cocktail, a couple of non-veg starters and main course dishes and a dessert. (Inclusive of taxes and service charge) Valet parking No

Appetisers: Its difficult to slot the menu into the regular starters, main course silos, so well just proceed in the order of consumption and move to the next section at half time! The drinks have amazing names mostly popular culture characters! It was difficult to believe that Captain Jack Sparrow was a mocktail, but even then it was more entertaining than Mary Poppins. We also tried Princess Leia. Yes, that does sound wrong given that shes an (ahem) icon among males, but unfortunately, we found her lack of taste rather disturbing! Since the idea was to pig out, we began with Porkalicious. Though the meat was well cooked, it was a bit bland given that it was supposed to have a green chilli presence. The Beef Kheema Pav made up for it though and was probably the best of the starters. In close contention was the Prawn Pesto cutlet, though we felt that the signature gunpowder mayonnaise that came with it did not live up to gunpowder standards. The PCP (Perfect Citrus Potatoes) had an excellent masala coating, but (thankfully) was not as addictive as its more famous acronym. The Lemongrass Fish steamed riceballs were really strong on flavours, and if you find that too overpowering, its dip is a real help. The Chicken Sausage Kalimirch is usually a safe bet, but during this visit, was lacking in spice. The Monk-Flamed Chicken provided some flamb entertainment, but was more or less a flame out. The Mushroom Tikki Bakwich was also very mediocre and it was only the Beef Burger (with the bacon contributing generously) which brought some respite. The patty scored well on texture and flavour, though it was a task to ignore the overexcited lettuce leaves which was forever trying to get in the way! The Lamb Seekh Bak Wrap failed to evoke any extreme reaction and played a decent supporting role. The star though was the Chicken Roulade with Makhni sauce. The cheese filling was subtle and allowed the Makhni sauce to shine. The only tiny chink was the strong mustard flavour in the mashed potato. The Butter Chicken pizza (yes, you heard that right!) was a huge disappointment thanks to its unavailability!

Prompt and helpful Great playlists! Gen erally toned down to allow bak bak, but Saturdays are a loud exception! Ambience Pleasant and peppy, some outdoor seating available as well. Hours 12-11 PM Home delivery No Reservations Yes, will work better.

BM VERDICT

Afters: The writing was on the wall

(actually a plate, but you get the message) Exercise is good, but desserts taste better. So we tried everything that was available. The chocolate easily won Ganache Tart with Badam Milk sauce, though the latter was ignored. The second half of Apple Pie with Pista Kulfi was a favourite as well, and if they had been less stingy with the Caramel Rum Sauce, the vanilla ice cream would have left us in high spirits as well!

Entree:

From top: Beef Kheema Pav; Chicken Roulade with Makhni Sauce; Prawn Pesto Cutlets; Ganache Tart with Badam milk

The Apricot Meetha Pastry couldnt really match up to the other performances. In all: Bak Bak Bar serves oodles of character from the liberally strewn fun messages to the yellow cycle. The food they served was not stellar, but it doesnt make you go What the bak either. Theres a definite buzz about the place, and courtesy that, and the Bak Bak meter (a bill holder) that thankfully doesnt do a one-and-ahalf, an extra point.

Bangalore Mirror reviews anonymously and pays for meals

BM SAVEUR: LES AYEURS OF THE CITY

They are not the usual foodies, their empirical approach redefines fine dining, the Balliage De Bangalore break the traditional rules to enjoy gastronomic delights

Gulab Ki Kheer with Begum Pudding served at one of the events

brotherhood that is bound by their experimental taste buds, the Chaines Des Rotisseurs is a cult group with an eclectic interest in haute cuisine. Hoteliers, sommeliers, wine connoisseurs and many hospitality professionals are part of this group. But when it comes to food, they believe in eating and promoting haute cuisine, literally. Instead of the usual food combinations, their table boasts of an interesting mix of dishes. Dishes can get radical with special creations like Lobster with Pepper Coulis with three tomato reductions/sauces including sambar, Blach Truffle Dosa with truffled Coconut Chutney, Tournados of Yellow Fin Tuna, Pan Seared Foi Gras sprinkled with world famous truffles from Tuscany/Italy. Present across 70 countries with about 25,000 members, the city chapter Balliage De Bangalore was started in 2008 by AnjaMatysik-Kroll. She says, We have been

Guests relishing a multi-course meal paired with wines served unique dishes like dosa with caviar and lobster with sambar the tastes have been fantastic and I am sure a chef could not have served this otherwise to diners who expect regular combinations. Their spread could break all the traditional ways of serving a dish but when it comes to dining, this group is particular about certain rules that the members must follow: No smoking during the meal until coffee is served; no speeches during the

meal; when water is being served, it shall not be mixed with wine; no mobile telephones to be used during the meals and lastly, no salt and pepper on the table. Any member who misses three events in a row for no proper reason is asked to resign. We speak only of food at the table, as the chefs try to excel in creativity, she adds. But this brotherhood isnt a recent phenomenon. This society originated in the land of fine dining with wines France in 1248. French King Louis IX (later canonised as Saint Louis) wanted to thank traders who had contributed to the construction of Sainte Chappelle. Thats when Confrrie des Rtisseur was set up. The members were called Les Ayeurs or goose roasters and were given the privilege of roasting geese, a particularly appreciated meat at that time. For more than four centuries they cultivated and developed the culinary arts, meeting the requirements of professional-

ism and quality demanded by the Royal Table until 1793 when the guild was dissolved during the French Revolution. They were completely forgotten until 1950 when it was restored as Confrerie de la Chane des Rotisseurs (abbreviated to La Chane). The members don the official coat of Arms of the Confrerie to this day. It was awarded in 1610 by King Louis XII. It consists of two crossed turning spits and 4 larding needles, surrounded by the flames of the hearth, on a shield encircled by a Fleurde-lis and chain. The chain represents the mechanism used to turn the spit. The outer chain along with the legend was added in 1950 to represent the bond which unites members. Membership is by invitation but open to anyone professionally connected with fine food and wine or who has a special interest in them. The society, spread across 70 countries, has about 25,000 members. Jayanthi Madhukar