BENGALURU: If your idea of hanging out with friends and family means clicking Instagram-worthy pictures and going on a food trail without having to travel at all, Bonum Cibum at HSR is the place to be. The owners of this restaurant, Fahim Rafiq and his wife Soumaiya, who had stayed in Dubai for some time, wanted to serve authentic Mediterranean food to people here, hence they opened the place a year ago and have now launched a new menu for the new year.
I kicked off the meal with hot Roasted Mushroom soup garnished with some cheese to add a little sweetness to the bowl of comfort. Getting a sweet watermelon juice to drink, I ordered the Cold Mezze platter, a classic Middle Eastern delicacy, which, in itself, can be a wholesome meal. As three kind of Pita breads – Zatar spices, Mozzarella, and Harissa sauce – sat pretty on the slider with six varieties of dips like hummus, baba ganoush,muhammara, tabouleh, and mutabball, I couldn’t help but feel the smoothness but fulfilling flavours of each of them.
Bonum Cibum (Latin words meaning ‘good food’) prepares everything fresh after you place the order, so expect a slight delay in their services. It’s better to tell them your options right at the beginning. And if the staff is taking time, stroll around the place and you’re bound to be stunned by the beautiful decor inspired by balconies and small houses of Greece, Italy and more.
The Mixed Grilled platter has an ample variety of fish, chicken, lamb and beef kebabs, accompanied by two kinds of rice to savour. One of them is mixed with minced chicken, so the texture of the rice is rich and flavourful, as compared to the plain one. My favourite was the Cheese Fatayer, which are small bread pastries with feta cheese filling. Seasoned with a few other ingredients, these are great bites to pop in and let the smooth cheese melt in your mouth.
The Roasted Eggplant and Halloumi parcel takes the cake away. Soft eggplant slices rolled up with halloumi cheese is scrumptious and will leave you wanting for more. Finally, sipping on a refreshing Rooh Afza, and devouring the famous Baklava and Kunafa for desserts, I bid goodbye, hoping to come back soon.
Cost for two: `1,200 (approx)