We’ve always wanted an al-fresco experience at The Oberoi, Bengaluru — one closer to the fountains and right by their compact gardens; so much so, it’s not a surprise for guests, like us, to choose to be seated oudoors on their exquisite well-landscaped lawns and order our favourites from the three nearby on-property restaurants — Lapis, Wabi Sabi and Rim Naam. It was only a matter of time before the property indulged these wishes and created a new space that catered to these constant requests and that’s how The Polo Club was born.
While the restaurant is a versatile space with indoor seating and an elegant verandah offering lush views of the hotel gardens, with an open air patio for al fresco dining — the menu is limited mostly to exciting small plates, cocktails and mocktails. We decided to go nibble and sip on some of these offerings last week and here’s what we thought of it.
With 25+ small plates on offer, we decided to take our pick and asked for four plates to begin with — the Pecorino and Thyme Danish, the Truffle Stuffed Brie, the Korean Corn Dog and the Grilled Lamb Merguez Sausage. We paired this with their signature cocktail, the Horseback — gin, martini fiero, kaffir lime and tonic water.
The pecorino and thyme danish was an absolute winner with the asparagus done just right. The accents from the cacio e pepe only elevated this humble looking ‘puff’ into gourmet perfection. The truffled stuffed brie was as cheesy and crunchy as one expected and the cubes of brie in an almond and quinoa crust paired deliciously with the sweet-spicy hints from the apricot and pepper jam. The corn dog was sinfully satisfying too and we chose the pork sausage, which was a festival of flavours.
Sipping on the Horseback in between bites was a match made in heaven and the fresh notes of the drink complemented and balanced out a lot of the richness on our plates. The merguez sausage was one of the most delicious lamb wieners we’ve had in a long time and the onion jam, roast gravy and grain mustard mash was pure gastronomic indulgence. So much so, we began to pair almost everything else with this mash and onion jam. We could not get enough of it.
We needed a break now and so asked for our next cocktail, the Chukka. The coconut fat washed rum paired with vanilla and bitters gave us a spicy mid-meal aperitif that helped build back our appetite. With new gusto, we chose to order three light dishes — Open Doughnuts, the Hamachi Tiradito and the Golden Mock Meat Jiaozi. Switching palates to pure Asian fare, the doughnuts were savoury and the local gongura lamb topping melded beautifully with the truffle hollandaise. The tiradito blew our minds and while the hamachi’s fishiness took some getting used to, once drowned in the accompanying ponzu sauce — all was well. The sliced black truffles also added in a flavour punch that was much-needed.
Our last dish for the evening was the jiaozi and while it was delicious, we feel our chefs across Bengaluru need to really pay more attention to mock meat and how its flavours can be enhanced. We wrapped up our meal with our last cocktail, the Polo Pitch — tequila gold, campari and pineapple — and this was the perfect sweet ending to a well put-together meal! With such overall deliciousness, who needs dessert!
Meal for two: INR 3,500 onwards. 11 am to 11:30 pm. At Oberoi, MG Road.
Email: romal@newindianexpress.com
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