It’s not exactly a cakewalk to find a place that does both Indian and Continental equally well. So we were pleasantly surprised by the offerings over at the newly launched Rooster’s - Soul Kitchen, by Out Of Office Hospitality Services Pvt Ltd, just off the busy 12th Main in Indiranagar. Heading there on a particularly hot Saturday afternoon, we were welcomed with a cool glass of litchi juice — not the greatest of starts, as it came out of a juice box, but it served as an antidote to the heat.
The space is large and airy, but manages to stay cosy, thanks to warm yellow walls adorned with framed paintings of old Bangalore. The central portion of the restaurant sits under a glass roof which is surrounded by whitewashed terracotta tiles. The menu boasts a mix of traditional South Indian dishes, with a special focus on Syrian Christian cuisine, and Italian favourites.
Taking our place under the ‘terracotta section,’ we were first served the Erachi Varathadu, a quintessential Kerala dish. This one is given a personal touch, with the recipe being borrowed from the family of Satish Thomas, one of the owners of the restaurant. The beef was soft and succulent though fully cooked. Diced coconut and curry leaves fried until crisp added some crunch. Vegetarians can opt for the Curry Leaf Paneer — a complete knockout as far as we are concerned. Soft, pillowy paneer is tossed in a paste made with ground cashew nut and curry leaves for an appetiser that is delicious and memorable.
Cheesy interlude
From the Continental section, we strongly recommend the Snap Trap Herbi, another unique dish that features savoury pancakes served in a rather interesting manner. Two pancakes are layered
with sauteed mushrooms and spinach on a bed of tomato concasse and topped with a generous dollop of cheese sauce.
Diving back into Indian waters, we next sampled the Ulli Theeyal with Muttai Appam. Both dishes again are staples in Kerala households. While the appam (with a bull’s eye egg in the middle) sticks to the usual recipe, the theeyal (a curry made with whole shallots, coconut, tamarind and spices) is slightly low on tamarind, but is delicious nonetheless.
Desserts include options such as Butter chocolate mousse, Apple pie and Tosca cake. But we weren’t up to indulging our sweet tooth, having partook of enough already. The restaurant stands true to its tagline, ‘soul kitchen’ and we will definitely be going back for more.
Rs1,000++ for two. At 80 Feet Road, Indira Nagar. Details: 49653239