Wiping away the small droplets of rainwater sprinkled across our faces, we quickly ran for shelter and walked into a minimalistic and warm ambience surrounded by neutral interiors adorned with folklore crane wall art or tsuru as it is known in Japanese. On the right was an array of cosy cubicles that looked familiar to tatami-style seating, except these booths sported comfortable sofas and cushions. Naturally, we snuggled into one of them and grabbed the menu and our phones at the same time. Well, what is the joy of witnessing another nail-biting cricket world cup match without some scrumptious snacks.
It was hilarious how wickets of the South African team fell faster than we gulped down our Asparagus & Tofu Roll (which tasted better than we expected thanks to rice crisps as garnishing) and Sake Nigiri made with Norwegian salmon. After a successful outing in Indiranagar, Taiki, home to authentic Asian flavours, with a focus on Japanese and Korean, opens its doors to its second outlet in JP Nagar. Upon recommendation, we ordered the Passion Fruit & Mango Tea and paired it with Cream Cheese Ravioli (dumplings), both of which were quite impressive.
The chilly weather outside and the moments of tension on the screen were balanced with a serving of the sweet and spicy Lotus Chip Mess accompanied by Smokey Guava (a mocktail concocted with tabasco, pomegranate and activated charcoal). Taking the heat up by a notch, we opted for Tteok-Bokki for the main course. The K-drama fame delicacy boasting chewy Korean rice cakes tossed with Eomuk and Gochujang was equal parts fiery and sweet.
As the Indian Cricket Team secured itself a place in the semifinals, we called for sweets. In the absence of Bingsu, we ordered the next best dessert on the menu — Sticky Rice & Mango. And much to our dismay, the dish plated alongside condensed milk did not meet the benchmark set by the previous courses. That said, do head here for great oriental bites.
Meal for two: INR 1,800 onwards. At JP Nagar.
srushti@newindianexpress.com
@Sru_Kulkarni