BENGALURU: Brewpubs, regional Indian food, veganism, craft beer, artisanal bread, fermented food, chefs table, pan-Asian, cloud kitchens – these were some of the buzz words which dominated our food and beverage landscape most of 2019. Much like fashion and entertainment, the food trends change with passing time and as we bid goodbye to the year gone by, we take a look at the gastronomic excitement which dominated our dining experiences in namma Bengaluru.
Hands down, this was the year of going back to the roots with cuisines incorporating locally-sourced, indigenous ingredients. Chefs dug out forgotten family recipes and reinvented them in taste and presentation while retaining the simplicity of the dish. Cobaja on Brigade Road, Kappa Chakka Kandhari in Koramangala, Carnatic on Church Street, Oota Bangalore in Whitefield, The Permit Room near Garuda Mall and the Tasting Room at Bengaluru Oota Company in Cambridge Layout were some of the restaurants which gave us an insight into the diversity of the regional flavours of India.
The year also saw a huge resurgence of vegetarian-only restaurants which focused on healthy eating through the use of indigenous produce while also catering to keto, gluten-free, and vegan diets. Think micro-greens, quinoa, tofu, chia, avarekkai, kefir, avocado, kombucha, ragi, jackfruit, cold-pressed juices, artisanal coffee beans and coconut milk – all mostly organic and presented with a contemporary twist. Some of the restaurants which led the way were Santé Spa Cuisine in Indiranagar, Go Native in HSR, Lavelle Road and Jayanagar, Enerjuvate Studio & Cafe in Koramangala, Green Theory on Residency Road, Street Storyss in Indira Nagar, Pure & Sure Organic Cafe in Jayanagar and JustBe Resto Cafe in Sadashivnagar.
Namma Bengaluru further sealed its status as the beer capital of the country with the launch of several new microbreweries – at last count, the total number had reached over 70 and counting. Brewpubs sporting multi-level spaces, al fresco dining and seating for a few hundred people have become a destination for that corporate get-together or a catch-up with family and friends. Overnight, JP Nagar turned out to be the new beer destination with places such as Brahma Brews, The Pump House and URU Brewpark establishing themselves in the area. And, in other locations, we saw 46 Ounces Brewgarden launch in Electronic City, Aurum Brew Works on Sarjapur Road and Arena - Artisanal Brewkitchen in Indira Nagar.
Pan-Asian and Chinese food made a huge impression, with several new restaurants such as BoTai at the JW Marriott Hotel, Sriracha Robata & Contemporary Pan Asian Dining in Indira Nagar, YouMee in Whitefield & Malleshwaram, Cantan on Lavelle Road and Singapore Street in Indira Nagar.
Rum saw a resurgence, including the launch of Rumbah at The Ritz-Carlton, a dedicated bar celebrating the spirit. Speciality cocktails took centre stage at Raahi on Museum Road, House of Troy in Koramangala, Nevermind in Indira Nagar and The Reservoire in Koramangala, while four 40-day old barrel-aged cocktails were an instant hit at the newly opened Punkah House in Indira Nagar. The upcoming year looks very exciting for the culinary world and we are waiting to raise a toast to the slew of new restaurant launches and food concepts in the months
to come.
(The writer is a Bengaluru based hospitality professional, food lover and travel enthusiast)