To say that Koraman-gala’s road situation is less than ideal is putting it lightly, but that hasn’t stopped a crop of new cafes from opening their doors in the neighborhood. Market Table, on a messy, over-crowded, and chaotic stretch of 5th Block is the newest health cafe in South Bengaluru. A busy weekday saw us making our way to the restaurant for a quick lunch.
The industrial look continues to find favour with restaurateurs. The interiors have muted grey walls, Edison bulbs and a lot of wooden fixtures, designed to replicate crates, that are ubiquitous in a wet market. The idea is to bring in the concept of a ‘farmers market’, we are told, through the use of the crates. This ties in with the fact that their vegetables are sourced directly from a handpicked group of farmers to create a menu that has a mix of salads, small bites, breakfast, smoothies and desserts.
Take a bite
An assortment of appetisers were presented to us first to whet our appetite. We thoroughly enjoyed the Wheat Chia Rolls — mini wheat rolls stuffed with chopped jalapenos, chicken (ask for the vegetarian or seafood version, if you wish), sweet corn and cheese. The rolls, slightly crisp, are grilled and served with salsa, made in house, just like all the other sauces they serve as accompaniments.
The Casava Chips with Salsa Huancaina, a Peruvian sauce made with cheese, were also a hit at the table. Tapioca is cut into the shape of French fries, boiled and then grilled. This was fresh and grilled
to a perfect golden brown hue.
All this was paired with a glass of Golden Vitality — a chilled drink made with turmeric, ginger, fresh orange juice, tender coconut water, carrot pulp, cayenne pepper and lemon juice. The concoction is a veritable elixir for health freaks, we can also see it being a favourite with those who subscribe to the ‘5 o’clock somewhere’ philosophy.
For mains we tucked into the TRX Market Table Force — a cold salad of sweet corn, lettuce broccoli, roasted carrots, roasted sweet potatoes, balsamic reduction and tsatziki. This was topped with Cajun chicken, which was perfectly spiced and succulent. If you’re interested in something warm, ask for the Grilled Asian Spiced salad, which brings together lettuce, noodles, spring onions, orange chunks and Chinese greens in a Thai dressing. All their salads can also be had as wraps so there’s something to keep everyone happy. For dessert, we sampled the Frozen Yogurt Bark — hung curd served with a fruit compote. This turned out to be a huge disappointment. The hung curd was frozen solid with icicles ruining the texture and the taste of the entire dessert.
However, overall, the competitive prices and a menu that promises scrumptious food despite sticking to healthy eating principles, makes this place a winner.
Rs400 for two. At 5th Block, Koramangala