Head to this brunch in Bengaluru today for a unique take on Indian flavours!

The idea of travelling all the way to Nandi Hills, or at least the vicinity, always seems pretty daunting - what with how terrible traffic is in the city these days. The only reason why we decided to risk the journey was because chef Prabir Banerjee from Chaiwala, Hong Kong was in town and we were invited to a special pop-up curated by him - The Royal Homecoming.

We drove the 90 minute ride dreaming up what could be in store for us and when we finally did land up at Aaleeshan and sat down to indulge in this seven-course meal, the effort seemed well worth it. Housed within JW Marriott Bengaluru Prestige Golfshire and Spa, the restaurant is absolutely beautiful and save the ill-matched music, is one of the poshest dining destinations in the city. It was a fitting venue for the gastronomic treasures we were about to unearth.

The first appetiser was an English pea and cauliflower chaat, with a tuna variant for the non-vegetarians. We were absolutely in love with both - high on pickling flavours and umami notes bursting all over our palates. Keeping the theme, the next appetiser was the Kolkata style beet chop, with a Malabar scallop variant for the meat-eaters. The chop was perfectly cooked, but didn’t really scream innovation, while the scallop with ginger, mango and coconut, delivered and how!

Our hopes were now up and the last appetiser, Mexi thali paneer bhurji with a Mutton sukka variant for non-vegetarians, lived up to it in every bite. It was now time for the mains and the Dakshini prawns blew our minds, while the Lasooni singda palak was a bit too garlicky for our tastes. That said, singda (water chestnut) is an obsession and for good reason too! We then moved on to the second mains, the Lamb Chop masala for the meat lovers and the Paneer milefuli for the leaf-eaters. While the lamb chops were a hit with most guests, it was the gravy of the paneer that stole our hearts. Subtle, sweet, yet creamy - we lapped it all up, scooping it into roti-fulls of deliciousness. 

The culinary journey came to its glorious penultimate with the last mains, Jackfruit kofta for the vegetarians and Fish curry for the non-vegetarians. Like the chef had chosen to leave the best for the last, both the dishes were outstanding! The kofta was flavourful and tender, while the fish was cooked perfectly in a light curry that deserved an award for its subtlety. 

We were now ready for dessert and the Mango sago coconut payasam was the perfect end. We would have preferred a thinner payasam, but the chef’s take on it was a delicious homage. As we wrapped up our meal with a cup of Assam tea, we were only left disappointed that the pop-up was just for three days. 

Only for brunch today. Price on request. At Aaleeshan, JW Marriott Bengaluru Prestige Golfshire Resort & Spa, Nandi Hills Road.

Email: romal@newindianexpress.com
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