Lido (Coffee Shop) at Hotel Ista, Bangalore

The old Lido cinema screen gave way to creation of the Lido mall and the Fame Cinemas in Bangalore (just off MG Road). As I write this - Big Bazaar is looking at setting up shop there. But the hidden treasure there is the hotel Ista (on top of the complex) which has its own entrance and its own set of beautiful restaurants.

By Bangalore standards - this is by far the best coffee shop I have come across - whether it is ambience, quality of food or service - a fantastic combination!!!

We went in to be awed by the open feeling in the coffee shop which is on a covered-open air setup (on a partially open 4th floor terrace which is covered well). The coffee shop opens up right into the pool and the palm trees make the ambience vey romantic! My mom thought it was a Persian touch although I felt there was a contemporary touch to it. We ended up agreeing that it is a mix of both.

They have continental, oriental, italian, western and indian on their coffee shop menu which I think is great for choice. We ordered as we wanted. Thin crust pizzas and vegetable shaslick. Couldnt have asked for more. The pizzas were fresh from the oven (including the crust) and the shaslick had grilled veg sheeks with rice and tomato based sides (of course the menu had a more sophisticated description than what I give).

There was a nice menu for the buffet (but not for me - it was a cold menu!).

I would not do justice if I do not mention the exquisite italian brouche with olive oil - that keeps you busy while you wait for food.

Romantic evening, business meeting, casual dinner, friends get together or just some coffee - I would go there again!

Style - 5 stars

Would I go there again - ABSOLUTELY!

Food for two - Rs 1000

Shiok - Inner Ring Road - Domlur Bangalore

This is a relatively new place in town. A small cosy place on the Inner Ring Road that connects Indiranagar to Koramangala.

We were actually driving down to another place when we remembered this attractive board and were fascinated by the name - Shiok.

It was a very warm welcome - the manager and the waiters were very welcoming right from the moment we walked in. It was not all that crowded perhaps because it is relatively new. The interiors are nice and woody - which we thought was neat.

Starters was a unique dish of King Prawns in Black Bean sauce - which we really liked They had opened up the prawns well and garnished with the usual chinese dressings which made it taste quite good.

We tried Indonesian Chicken Chill and the Sumatra Fish (Red Curry). Both were fine. I would not say the food is exceptional but certainly something we liked. I thought the rice was intentionally left a little uncooked but over the years have realized that this is how they like to serve it in Far Eastern restaurants.

They have a decent variety of chicken, lamb, beef, seafood and of course vegetarian options. They have also tried to mix in a little bit of chinese into the menu but I would rather go to Shiok only if I want Thai or Indonesian food.

Quantities served are reasonable (we eat less and ended up consuming just half of the 2 main course dishes served).

Style - 2 Stars

Will I go there again? - Yes (specifically for Indonesian )

Dinner for 2 - ~ Rs 800 total

Roomali with a view - Indiranagar Bangalore

This one is located on 100ft road in Indiranagar, Bangalore (just near Benetton). There is some parking in the basement but we were disappointed that there was no valet parking down there. We went on a Friday night but luckily got parking.

Its on the third floor terrace and we entered to see a buffet spread that was reasonable. Salads were on a stand (way too high to even notice!), there was a choice of about 5-6 veggies (the tawa veggies were the best), chicken and mutton looked rich but tempting and there was an out of place but tempting dal baati churma. The food is good if you are looking for the typical North Indian meal but slightly heavy on the oil. The Rogan Josh mutton was soft and inviting. Chicken Curry was nice too. Well marinated. The tawa bhindi, karela and the paneer were well cooked - standard taste which you would look for when out for a normal dinner. They provided us Roomali Rotis and Tandoori Rotis with the buffet. Dessert comprised of Ice Cream and Lauki Halwa (quite nice).

Overall - I felt it was a good outing for us. Service definitely needs improvement - nothing went wrong but it wasnt that warm or delicate either. If you are looking for a change and want to try out a quick bite - try this.

Style - 2 Stars

Will I go there again? - Yes (when the mood is quick Indian)

Buffet for 2 - ~ Rs 600 total

Lazeez - Koramangala Bangalore

If you are a Biryani lover (specially with a love for the Mughlai blend) or if you like Kolkata style - hot kati rolls - you HAVE to try Lazeez. Ideally located in Koramangala (in 5th Block just near the old Infosys building or near Casa Picola) - this restaurant even seems to have picked up the culture from Kolkata's mughlai restaurants!

Try Chicken/Mutton biryani if you are a good eater but if you really want to pamper your stomach - go for the Mughlai Chicken/Mutton biryani - its got the additional potato/egg in it which is quite filling. You can always have a chanp with the biryani. The rolls are made with maida parathas that are literally "floating" in oil so only have it if you can take in all the calories :) But the taste is fantastic. For the veggies - there are aloo, paneer rolls and for the meat lovers - there is every possible variety right upto double chicken double egg roll. The kebabs are very heavy and serve good portions. The curries have generous portions of oil so watch out. They seem to have realized this recently and during the last couple of months - I have noticed that the biryani is not shining because of excess oil (or ghee) but has the same good taste as it always did.

Ambience - its quite ordinary and a typical Kolkata Mughlai restaurant. This is not for a stylish family outing but for simple eating. I like to get food parcelled (they even have home delivery now) and relax at home. If you know the joy of coffee at coffee house - then you will know what I am talking about for ambience! Needless to say - this is not the place to go for expecting high end service.

Style - 1 star

Will I go there again? - I prefer home delivery

Meal for 2 - Rs 350

Mugen - Indiranagar Bangalore

Being close to our place is always an advantage because it saves us the effort of driving all over town to get to a meal! But this one is a new find. The food is different - Indonesian, Thai and Chinese. Parking is not tough as there is a valet (although I thought the guy could have been more proactive in the way he helps customers). You are bound to notice the interesting chef's table with "Benjorong" crockery as you enter. Pretty attractive - although we preferred eating in the more functional normal crockery :)

The starters are very nice - they can tune the taste to your buds which is quite cool. We tried veg momos and the "Gai yang horappa" - grill chicken with thai herbs and basil leaves. It was a good start. We've done some Thai curries, Chinese Curries and also went adventurous with Indonesian but and thought that food was good overall. They do seem to have a nice set of chefs. I recommend the "Pla neug manow" - fish in coriander & lemon sauce.

Service is decent and portions are good too. Get 2 starters and 2 dishes at a table of 4 (normal diet!!!).

Style - 2.5 stars

Will I go there again? - Yes (when the mood is traditional Oriental)

Meal for 2 (sans alcohol) - ~ Rs 1400

Barbeque Nation - Indiranagar Bangalore

A very different kind of place and I certainly like the idea of having kebabs and drinks! Its the perfect place to catch up with friends, family or business. Its split across 3 levels - the terrace being our favorite but remember that it is also the most cluttered. So if you are going at a time when its crowded - I would suggest that you rather sit at the ground level or first floor.

The unlimited starters are served at your table and a rather innovative grill on the table slowly cooks the kebabs on your table as you chat. A fantastic idea - specially when you are able to add in the dressing or sauces that are available at the table. Its good for both veggies and non-veggies - a good mix of starters at all times. The chicken was soft, seafood well done and the lamb was well marinated. As for veggies - the variety is decent - I felt a bit spicy but great when eaten hot off the grill on the table.

Once you are done with the unlimited starters - there is a standard buffet spread. It has veg and non-veg - have been there a few times and we got the same menu on the buffet each time (dal, rice, okra etc for veggies and crab curry, chicken masala and lamb masala for non veggies - this was apart from the salads and curd, papad etc).

Service is OK and leaves some room for improvement. So if you are with a special group and want to get the best attention - you got to think a bit. There was nothing rude - just that they are not very polished.

Style - 2.5 stars

Will I go there again? - Yes

Meal for 2 (unlimited starters) - ~ Rs 1200

Limelight - Coffee Shop at Royal Orchid Hotel

My wife would probably laugh when she reads - "Another Royal Orchid article.... :)" But hey - we are members and must do justice to the place since its decent and across the road. So an evening haunt for us - the Limelight coffee shop at the Royal Orchid Hotel on Old Airport Road.

Its actually a matter of choice but my favorite is sitting out in the lawn in the wooden sit-outs that they have built. Absolutely fabulous in candle-light - specially in the evenings. Although I have done breakfast, lunch and dinner there - I recommend this place for a hot cup of tea and indian kebabs (however funny you find that combination to be). Their veg kebabs are mouth watering and the mint chutney that goes with it is mild and just right.

The buffet spread for breakfast is pretty neat - just right if you dont know what you want to have. South Indian, Continental and a bit of North Indian spreads. Lunch is predominantly Continental and Indian (with a southern flavour) these days. Dinner is the same. So not an exceptional place for a lunch/dinner but the ambience is just right for high tea.

Service is good and the staff is pretty courteous.

Style - 3 stars

Will I go there again? - Yes

Tea/Coffee for two with kebabs - Rs 750

Kolkata - Bengali Restaurant in Koramangala

This one was slightly difficult to find but nevertheless we made it because it belonged to our neighbours and we had to try it - specially given our love for Bengali food. . This one is just behind the Lifestyle mall on the Inner Ring Road. Landed there to find a very nicely done up ethnic decor. Service was very nice - not the usual rush around like the other commercial places. We noted the details in the tables, the menu, the uniforms and even the napkins. Everything had a touch of Kolkata - true to the name of the restaurant. We decided on fish, dal, aloo bhaja and rice. Kosha Mangsho is a speciality. We also ordered mango chutney separately. Everything was exceptional. If you want authentic Bengali food - go there. There is also a newly introduced Chinese cuisine - looks very tempting and am waiting to try it.
The food was very nice. Served hot - enough for the two of us (not that we both are great eaters). The spices were just right and the service was very warm. The combination suggested by the waiter also made sense for us and we thought it was a good balanced meal we had that evening - an unusual Bengali-style date in Bangalore with my beautiful wife :)

Style - 3 stars

Will I go there again? - Yes
Our bill for the food - Rs 400

Pinxx at Royal Orchid Hotel in Manipal Centre

This coffee shop is in the Royal Orchid Hotel and is a great place for coffee or even a breakfast, lunch or dinner. What our family loves about this place is decor, good food (the changing variety in the buffet) and choice. In particular - I would say that lunch buffet is a good one to try out. I dont rate the service amongst the best but the Royal Orchid chain has never been able to train their staff to the levels that others in their league do . I must say though - its still great value for money. Go there for a quick lunch during the week or a relaxed dinner! Decor is contemporary but appears a bit cramped up to me at times. I found the tables too small - specially when there is 4 of us on the table.
Its located right off MG Road so the location is extremely central. Definitely worth a try. Valent parking is a bonus given that this is on MG Road.

Style - 2 stars

Will I go there again? - Yes
Buffet lunch for two - Around Rs 650

Coffee Shop at Zuri...

Its a pretty new hotel - hardly about 6 months old (is what the traditional moustached guard told us). Service is nice and the atmosphere pretty good. Really liked the mix of traditional and contemporary decor. All we had was tea for the lady and coffee for the man (of course sugar for my little prince Rohin!) but it was nice. I really like my coffee in the right proportion - neither too bitter nor too sweet - neither too much milk nor too less. And that is what I was served. Jaya felt that the tea was OK (she would rather have had a service tea than the readymade one that she ). The cookies served along with the tea were delicious - their bakery has to be good! Service was as expected. I wouldnt say it stood apart but then it wasnt something to complain about either. We landed at around 4pm so didnt expect too many people around anyway. Its a bit away from the city - in Whitefield but then I guess the hotel has been built to cater that area itself. We also asked if we could be seated outside by the pool side but they wouldnt serve tea/coffee there (would serve drinks there though).

Style - 3 stars

Will I go there again? - Maybe
Our bill for 1 tea + 1 coffee - Rs 270