Rohit Barker’s new venture, 612 East, boasts an extensive menu and retro interiors

Rohit Barker can now also add the feather of being a restaurateur to the many hats he has donned as an RJ, DJ, VJ and more. “Bengaluru is where my career began and I always wanted to start something of my own here. I’ve lived all my life in Indira Nagar, so it was a natural choice to open something on 12th main,” he says. The result of this dream is 612 East, a stylish new restaurant, bar and performance venue by the man himself. We visited to have a sneak peek. 

The retro-themed, three-storied venue is impressive for its spacious interiors and plush seating. We sat in the open air area and browsed the sizable menu. Their signature drinks are quirky and innovative. We opted for the Mystic Candy, a rum-based drink served with cotton candy, and the Pop Rocks, a tequila concoction topped with crackling pop rocks. 

Biting in
The food menu is divided into sections like Tandoor’D, Stoneag’D, Fri’d, Grille’D and more. The 
Lava stone-grilled Caesar wedge salad was unique for the stone grilled chicken and the delicious dressing. The tandoori coriander and mint-marinated chicken thigh with saffron yoghurt was a hit because of its sauce. For the vegetarians, we recommend the crispy Fried mac and cheese balls, Vietnamese grilled vegetable skewers, and the Choux pastry mushroom and spinach tartlets. 

Pizza lovers can enjoy their Duelling pizza section. Choose from half and half toppings ranging from Grilled pulled pork,  Hickory smoked mozzarella, Oak wood smoked salmon and more. For something lighter, try the Pizza pops, small bite-sized pizzas with various topping options. 

For mains, we had the Grilled vegetable yoghurt cakes. The crumbly galouti kebab-style cakes were creamy and served on a bed of veggies and fenugreek sauce along with mushroom rice. We also tried the Turmeric grilled red snapper, which was served with rice, a delectable saffron lemon butter sauce, and parsley potatoes. 

Our dessert, the Smoked cheesecake is unique for the woody flavour — the mascarpone cheese is smoked in-house and we could not stop digging into it. The versatile establishment is suited for a leisurely weekend lunch as well as a happening Saturday night do. 

Rs.1,200++. At 12th main, Indira Nagar. Details: 49653446

anagha@newindianexpress.com
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