BENGALURU: It’s interesting to note the ample number of combinations one can prepare with the King of Fruits. Mango being the special fruit of summer, it is also a hot favourite among chefs to experiment with and bring out experimental dishes, both in case of food and beverage.At Whitefield Arms, which is nestled inside VR Bengaluru mall in Whitefield, the mango-special menu is a pleasing one to try out after work. Their sitting arrangement in the open area gives off a colonial-era feeling, but amps up the ambiance with contemporary, hip-hop music. It won’t feel bad even if you don’t have company, just sit and chill with the wide variety that they are offering for a limited time.
With big slices of ripe mango in their mocktails, we got pretty excited to try them all out, or at least, how much ever we could.We started off with the Mango Colada, which had mango and pineapple juices, with hints of coconut milk and soda. Obviously, the mango flavour conquered the overall taste, making it soothing to the throat.
In the meantime, we ordered Vietnamese Prawn and Mango salad, which had freshly cooked prawns, rice noodles accompanied by loads of lettuce and not-so-thin slices of mango. The prawn, mango and rice noodle, if eaten together, brings out a unique taste – non-spicy, meaty and sweet – making it the perfect Asian start to dinner.
We took Fizzy Mango Berry, another mocktail which set the mood for an enjoyable summer night. While the sky sent off sparks of lightning without thunder and Nick Jonas’ Sucker started playing on the stereo, the waiter brought over Thai Mango Chicken curry and Alleppey Fish Raw Mango curry. Quite a contrast, right? But we wanted to see the difference as both were curries cooked with two types of mangoes.
We were a little disappointed as the Thai dish was supposed to come in with sticky rice along with chopped mangoes on top, but instead, we were served plain rice that went well with both the curries. The chicken was soft, well-cooked and served with dices of ripe mango that accentuated the flavour of the creamy, medium-spicy curry.
We loved the Kerala-style fish curry for its smooth texture, and the soft meat melted in our mouth as we craved for more. Dipped in curry, the cubes of raw mango gave a sharp twist to the experience whenever we bit into them. By now, the rain gods blessed us with a sudden heavy shower and we were rushed inside. While watching the World Cup match, we waited for dessert and a few minutes later came Mango Basundi. It was served in a cocktail glass and one spoon of it made us go “yumm...”. It was real mango puree, mixed with dry fruits and cottage cheese, and since it was cold, it tasted even better. We happily finished it off just when Australia won the match against West Indies.The mango menu is on till July 13 and cost for two is `1,700 (approx).