Sometimes a brand name can get bigger than what it stands for and with a whole bunch of celebrity-owned restaurants making their way into Bengaluru from Mumbai — we’re often worried that the hype will outdo what they actually have to offer. Bastian Garden City, the latest in this list, however, impresses and leaves you wowed, quite easily!
Marvelling at the OTT interiors and how well they’ve paid tribute to our garden city, we found ourselves a table right by the bar — just so we could ensure the mixologist was always within eye-contact. This review, after all, while mostly about the food, was also going to be about the amazing drinks that this establishment has come to be known for.
We started our evening with a Crab Roll and this was the perfect way to ease ourselves into the exotic menu that the chef had planned for us. Focusing on fresh seafood is something that the restaurant takes seriously as the chain has come to be known for this specific quality in Mumbai. Upon much recommendation we then tried the Salmon Jalapeno and it only proved this obsession with freshness further. The raw salmon tasted divine in the citrusy and spicy sauce that it was served with and we’d suggest you take anyone who’s keen on experimenting with raw seafood to Bastian for their first experience — they might just end up being fans for life.
Now, emboldened, we also experimented with the Hot Rock and gorged on a few slivers of thinly sliced tenderloin cooked just right, while also experimenting with the vegetarian option. The drama in the serving of this dish, hot rock et al, is half the fun and if you’re inclined for a good show, do order this for sure. Shifting to something much safer, we then ordered some Chicken Baos and Tofu Baos and we’re genuinely surprised by how well the flavours were balanced in both variants.
It was now time for some good ol’ carbs and we decided to give their Gnocchi a test. It, after all, is a test of a chef’s skills. We also followed that up with some Singapore Chicken Curry served with some Jasmine Rice and both the dishes were on point. All this, of course, paired with delicious cocktails, chosen randomly by the mixologist, that seemed to complement each course perfectly.
It was now time for dessert and we chose to try the seasonal mango specialties. We opted for the Mango Tres Leches and the Mango Duet and we’re glad to say, both did absolute justice to our mango dessert cravings. Bastian also has a very interesting Mango Sticky Rice — that we were fans of from the very first bite — that doubled up as the perfect end to our meal.
Meal for two: INR 4,400 onwards. At St Mark’s Road.
Email: romal@newindianexpress.com
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