Earlier going out meant spending it on the three roads of MG, Commercial and Brigade. But that was a long ago, when traffic was not as bad and when everything interesting seemed to happen only here. Now, the only reason we step out of safe radius of South Bangalore seems to be when we want to try out a new restaurant. It has become our way of discovering Bangalore! We were recently invited to a food tasting session at the new Twenty 21 at Ascendas Mall in Whitefield. Now in the 11 years that we have been here, this must be my 4th visit to Whitefield and that's why decided to head out a bit early to check out the mall as well.
When we got there I realized this was the mall that also hosted Habanero, so I guess that will serve as a landmark for all those in Whitefield. The restaurant is on the ground floor and tucked away behind the Levis clothing store. Follow the line of Breadworks, Swensons and then look opposite these - you will spot the entrance to Twenty 21 and Shittake side by side. We did take a peek inside Shittake and found the ambiance quite nice and not overtly Oriental, but we here headed to the next door Twenty 21 for our meal.
The name Twenty 21, we were told is to signify the diminishing lines between 20th century and 21st century food. The rigidity of a European cuisine is now a bit relaxed allowing for fusion to make its way in without taking away what is essentially European. Once settled in Sudhakar had a mocktail which had a fizz base along with mint, khus syrup and lemon. Light and refreshing this one was. From here on will go into a picto-review. Please do remember that what we had were tasting portions and so what you see is not the actual quantity you will be served. If we did have actual portions of this meal, the staff would have had to add us to their decor for the night.
Mocktail with mint, khus syrup, lemon and fizz
A rather full bread basket served with thick mayo and olive oils on the side
This variety of dinner rolls, bread sticks and sliced bread had Junior snacking till the end of the meal. It also made a great accompaniment to most of the dishes we were served that night.
Green Apple, Roasted Beetroot and Goat Cheese Salad
We started with this salad that worked as an appetizer as well as a palate cleanser for the meal to come. Everything was freshly done with the finely sliced green apple bringing in tartness, the roasted beet some sweetness and the goat cheese a creamy texture and tanginess. Put together with the crunch of lettuce and a drizzle of tamarind glaze, this was a neat little salad to pack in.
Cream of Broccoli Soup with Toasted Almond Shavings
The soup visually looked like a pea soup and considering it is Junior's favorite went down without argument with her. The toasted almond shavings gave a nice crackle to a few spoonfuls of soup. Despite being a 'cream of', the usual heaviness was not there with this one. It scored high on my card for taste and for the fact that junior loved it.
Baked Mediterranean Vegetables with Light Cheese Sauce
This is one the vegetarians will definitely appreciate - broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, all baked together with tomato and cheese sauce. The crispy garlic bread on the side made for a good mop for all the molten tomato and cheese. The dish also had in some olives which could have done with being chopped up instead of being whole, but flavor wise they did add a zing to the cheesy taste of the dish. A meal in itself with the salad on the side.
Pan Fried Red Snapper with Leek Fondue, Basil Mash and Sauce Nantua
Now who doesn't like a good fillet of fish - this was red snapper served with interesting accompaniments. The basil mash of course brought in a nice tasting starch, but it was the leek fondue and drizzle of nantua sauce that I particularly like. Nantua, I found out later is a classic French sauce which uses bechamel and crayfish among other ingredients. The leek fondue is made simply by cooking down leeks in olive oil. Put together with the snapper, each of these accompaniments gave the fillet a range of tastes to go with.
Grilled Lamb Chops with Ratatouille Vegetables and Jus
The name says it all - I know the best way to have your meat is for it to be done medium rare, but I personally am yet to grow to that level. I would have preferred mine to be done well. The bed of mash and the vegetarian ratatouille were nice together. Would have preferred for the olives to have been left out as its tanginess seemed a bit overpowering with the meat. But am guessing these are aspects you can tweak with the chef.
Orange Parfait Glaze with Tropical Fruit Cocktail
A nice, not overtly sweet dessert. The little black seeds you see dotting the top are from passion fruit. The orange glaze was light and the texture not glutinous like in some places we have seen.
Twenty 21 comes across as nice place for a meal with the family or with your partner. The decor is minimalistic and the lighting subdued. In the course of our meal we saw a gregarious family with 3 children in tow and a young couple completely at ease in the place. The resto is working on their wine license which should be on soon. An average meal for two sans alcohol is around Rs 1000 and the food selection, though not extensive enough to have you thinking for a long time, is just right. The restaurant doesn't have an exclusive loo and you will have to make use of the general mall one on the outside of the restaurant. Average cleanliness here.
Address: Ascendas Park Mall, ITPB, Whitefield, Bangalore
Phone: 30412940 ext 372
Cuisine: European
Wallet factor: Rs 1000 for 2 without alcohol
Wallet factor: Rs 1000 for 2 without alcohol
Parking: Mall parking
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