History and soup to bowl you over

History
History

BENGALURU: Apart from being the quintessential modern British Pub, The Whitefield Arms celebrates the history of Whitefield through its menu and every Bengalureans’s love for beer, with cocktails topped with the brewed beverage.

In 1896, a young British army officer Winston Churchill arrived in Bengaluru and fell in love with the weather, flowers and butterflies the city had to offer. In fact, the historic Bangalore Club proudly claims this butterfly obsessed officer still owes the club `13 from an unpaid bill during one of his visits. The young Lieutenant was a frequent visitor of the Waverly Inn at Whitefield, where he is believed to have stayed on occasion. Rumour has it that during his visits, Churchill courted Rose Hamilton, the daughter of James Hamilton, who was the then owner of the Inn. The Waverly Inn still stands today, though it is now a private residence.
Whitefield Arms incorporates this history with colonial themed wooden furniture and outdoor seating that makes for a quiet date night place.

The microbrewery fuses Indian with British culinary skills in a menu that serves soups, burgers, salad, dessert and cocktails.

The famed Madras pepper borth cooked presented in an Anglicised version is basically dal with an Angrezi tadka served as Mulligatawny soup that keeps it mild and easy on the throat.
Their Cheddar Onion Soup is officially the best soup I have had ever, and I have had quite a few good ones. But this rich carmelised onion soup served with a gratinated cheese crouton absolutely won me over. To anyone visiting the place, forget the drinks, this soup is all you need to warm and please you up on a gloomy day. With the starters, while I enjoyed the crispy fried onion, the TWA Chips, Cheese and Gravy, which is basically fries topped with dal makhani, cheese, chopped jalapenos, green chillis and onions isn’t exactly the kind of fusion cuisine I’d vote for.

To the pea lover, the chef does bake a mean Filo Parcel with peas and corn that is served with tomato fenugreek sauce and stir fried vegetables. The filo is buttery and flakes in melting into your mouth, with peas and corn to compliment the creamy crunch. The tomato fenugreek sauce is also used as a base for Pan Seared Vegetable and Yogurt Cakes. The dish is a combination of stuffed grilled galettes with hung curd served with a tomato fenugreek sauce, stir fried vegetables and truffle mushroom rice.

Loved the mushroom rice, but the acidity of the yogurt cake and the tomato fenugreek sauce wasn’t a pleasing combination, probably a basic potato substance would have lifted this dish. The mini burger is cuteness overload with the size and the miniature stuffing, the taste? Well, still dreaming about the onion soup here.
But then, desserts happened. And oh my, all my dreams of an Eclairs fantasy came true. The Sticky Toffee Pudding is a rich cake soaked with a thick sticky toffee sauce topped with vanilla ice cream.

The Lemon Meringue Pie is a classic citrus dessert done right, with a creamy toasted meringue.
Among cocktails, along with a rather cheery bartender, the Lavelle, Air Mail, Mountbatten and Colonial. Each cocktail has a story to tell, with few in the memory of World War II heroes.
My favourite? The Air Mail, this sparkling wine based cocktail wisely mixes Old Monk with honey and lime to make a soothy drink.

Two things I’d definitely recommend with Whitefield Arms is the Sticky Toffee Pudding and the Cheddar Onion Soup and the Sticky Toffee Pudding. Oh, and also the outside sitting area that resembles the restaurants you come across on a walk through the streets of Paris.
(Approximate cost for two people `1,500. Place: Whitefield Arms)

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com