Bangalore restaurant reviews
Koramangala
SmokeHouse Deli and its delicious new menu
Sunday, March 08, 2015Me! In words
Smokehouse Deli or SHD if that's how you know it is all about doing it King-size - so when they launch a new menu, you know that an invitation to sample the fare is going to be a bring-your-Joey-Jughead-size-pants-to-the-table affair. While the ambiance and many of the classics remain the same, this new menu is more about going local (which seems to be the trend these days), staying fresh, being innovative and bringing in an element of health, while not going too over-the-top. A lot to achieve but which is ably done. Its always good to bring in something new and that's precisely what the menu hopes to offer its regular and new customers.
This cheese platter made everyone on the table happy, so much so that when an attempt was made to clear it away for the food, the collective sadness was so palpable, the staff left it where it was!
We were a large table that day of 11, two children included both of whom had quite a treat in store. SHD is quite child-friendly and has even created quite a fancy menu for them - An activity and sticker book, from which they can choose to customize their meal and place an order. One of the staff is always willing to come forward and help with this! My Anoushka was quite the happy little girl with her Farfalle Pasta with Tomato sauce and Bacon. And I did sneak in a bite to check it out - would have been happy with a bowl myself!
The sticker make-your-own-meal section
Anoushka's lunch (BTW, she took all these photos herself)
To say that there was an overwhelming number of dishes to try that day would be an understatement, so I am going to stick with what seriously stood out for me the most. Among the appetizers it was definitely the two you see here -
The BBQ Beef strips on skewers made for some awkward photographing, but completely made up for it in being grilled deliciously. The BBQ sauce hit that perfect sweet note in
complimenting the meat.
complimenting the meat.
This I savoured in between sips of the Orange and Pineapple Margharita - no shying away from the alcohol and citrus always makes for a lovely cocktail base.
Prawn fritters in Mustard Aioli - Give me an unending supply and you will keep me eternally happy. Am guessing that should sum it up for you. Crisp outside, soft and juicy inside and a mustard twang that brings it all harmoniously together.
The Pomegranate and Thyme Martini has some strong flavours going for it, but pairs well with almost everything on the menu. The men at the bar know what they are doing for sure.
When the soups were first brought out almost unanimously we all decided that a sip would be all that we would wanted. Five minutes later, you had a raucous table fighting over bowls. The High Street Chicken and Noodle soup was hearty and very soul-satisfying. A distinct bacon-like taste we were told came from some smart cooking and definitely not from the all-time favorite porcine delight. The Minestrone soup with the surprise element of Barley (in the picture above) was hands down the most delicious.
The SHD Market Vegetable Salad with a dressing of toasted cous cous and cider along with a pear and mango chilli emulsion + flax seeds. So that is a lot to go into a salad, but I can see it making for a delicious summery lunch. The chips on top being the only exception to the dish - they turned soggy and chewy and could perhaps be omitted from it all completely.
Among the Fresh fruit infused cocktails, this was the Orange, Cantaloupe Melon and Vodka that was a happy marriage of ingredients. I am happy I got to honeymoon with this great combination.
For me, burger eating is like a messy adventure. Rings and watch always come off and don't be surprised to see me licking my wrists in perfect bliss. The Pulled Roast Chicken Burger with Bearnaise sauce and a double hit of melted cheddar provided me with the perfect situation for this burger eating.
The Chicken Schnitzel with Caper Sauce on a bed of sauteed vegetables will make for a very satisfying lunch, even on a working day - The mozzarella layering will give you that richness (read treat) you are looking for in the middle of those crazy deadlines.
The Grilled Steak with Creamed Mushrooms, Baby Potatoes and Pepper Sauce gave us a lot to rave about - from the nicely done beef roundels to the devilishly good potatoes and a nicely peppered sauce. Like my friend loves to say "It was hot, gooey and nice. What's not to like?"
Slow Cooked Pork Belly with Kimchi Apples - Need I say more? A nicely caramelized crackling and a perfect offering of thanks to the porcine gods. The kimchi apples give it that tartness that makes this into a dish that will have you saying grace after meals!
This Capellini Chilli Garlic with Mussels and Prawns and all things good from the sea in a delicate sauce was supremely delightful on first bite. After reading Swapna's post I now know why I never saw the plate again ;-)/
I am always worried about Risottos getting boring in between but this one Old smoked bacon and mint risotto will do anything but that. The rice had its bite, the flavours are deeply infused and you may consider lifting the plate and licking it clean if no one is looking, I know I did. Alternately some bread from those little baskets on the table will help.
I personally loved the Warm Apple Cake with a Vanilla Cardamom Sauce in the dessert section. The sugar twirls had a few of us guessing for a while on what it was really made of. I made good of this dessert without the ice cream on the side.
The Baked Yogurt with Orange bits was nice but compared to the rest of what was served was not really standing out
SmokeHouse Deli never fails to impress on every visit. Consistency has been an issue on a few visits and I believe that has been all taken care of now. A great new menu of food and drink to look forward to and I will be there soon for sure.
Address: No 1209, Ward No. 72, HAL 2nd Stage, 100ft Road, Indiranagar.
Phone: 25200899
Cuisine: Continental, European
Wallet factor: Rs 2500 for two (with alcohol)
Wallet factor: Rs 2500 for two (with alcohol)
Accepts Cards: Yes
Parking: Valet Parking
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