Every now and then, you stumble across a dessert that leaves an impression, not only owing to its taste, but also its conception, plating, and those other small touches that elevate it from mere greatness to sheer genius. I happened to encounter one such masterpiece during my meal at Farmlore, Bangalore. It was the penultimate…
Tag: dish review
Peanut & Butter Sandwich
Every city has its share of heritage eateries, places that serve dirt-cheap food and have been doing so for ages. Kolkata has its cabins and sweetshops (although the prices are often a bit higher than “dirt-cheap”). Bangalore on the other hand, has the breakfast spots and bakeries. The Iyengar Bakeries are a Bengaluru signature, the…
Rustic Meets Trendy (Part 2)
Aloo Parantha, Dahi aur Achaar Striking the right balance between tradition and innovation can be tricky indeed, especially when you’re trying to revamp a classic. You need to be able to apply your vision to the dish so that it becomes undeniably yours, yet stay within a certain limit so that it is still recognizable…
Panna Cotta Perfection
A plate with some meticulously piped dots and an untidy dollop, looking like a novice’s attempt at scooping ice-cream, arrives at the table. Confused, I ask the waiter what the dish is, and he shakes the plate a little. And something stirs at the edge of the plate. It’s a panna cotta. Of the two…
Red, White and Green
With its hues of red, white and green, it looked like the Italian flag on a plate. The colours of the dish were reinforced by a liberal dusting of dehydrated tomato, celery and asparagus around the plate. The burrata from the antipasti menu at Ottimo seemed like a literal embodiment of the old adage that…
Not Too Sweet (Part 1)
Sugar, Lime and Bitters Consider a gulab jamun, that magical orb of khoya or milk solids fried in hot oil and dunked in a sugar syrup. It has a thin crust and a rich, luscious interior. You could elevate it by flavouring the syrup with saffron, rosewater or cardamom; or by stuffing it with dry…
The Gourmet Glutton 