04 October,2016 08:36 AM IST | | Shraddha Uchil
A new travel-inspired bar and kitchen takes you on a culinary voyage across the seven seas
Hot Spiced Cinnamon Rum. Pics/Datta Kumbhar
Before stepping into Reise, a new "travel-inspired" all-day bar and kitchen by Oriental Residency, you expect to find a tackily done-up restaurant featuring kitschy bits and bobs from around the globe. However, you will be surprised by what greets the eye. The space, which gets its name from the German word for travel or journey, is tasteful and understated, with chic elements like leather-covered binoculars, metal ship replicas and framed travel photographs lining a single wall.
Owner Akshat Shetty, an avid traveller himself, informs us that soon, they will be asking patrons to provide their own travel photographs or souvenirs if they like, which will add a personal touch to the space.
A wall featuring travel inspirations
Since Reise is, at its core, still a bar, the menu features more bar grub than heavy mains. The dishes, all developed by food consultant Roshan Ashok Seth, have been divided by region: Asia, Europe, Middle East/ Africa, America, and India. The bar menu has the usual suspects, as well as a selection of eight cocktails that hail from different parts of the world.
A journey to remember
The standout dish is an unexpected one: the Arbi Andhra Chilly ('190), which features taro root stir fried in a green Andhra masala. It wins our vote for two reasons - firstly because the taro is cooked to perfection, crispy on the outside (thanks to a rice-flour dusting) and mushy on the inside; secondly, the heat in the dish makes it the perfect companion to a glass of beer.
Videshi Khichdi
The second dish that makes us swoon is the Videshi Khichdi ('250), which would normally have found its way into the category of sacrilegious fusion foods to avoid. This version, though, manages to strike just the right balance between the oh-so-comforting dal khichdi and the rich, creamy Italian risotto.
Also worth mentioning is the Desi Scotch Eggs with Mint Chutney ('250), which substitutes the egg yolk with a gooey, flavoured-cheese filling. Among the other great dishes we try is the Kane Rava Fry ('200), a Mangalorean-style fish fry that is a tribute to Shetty's roots.
We also try two of the cocktails, the Hot Spiced Cinnamon Rum ('275), a warm rum-and-orange juice drink spiced with cinnamon and star anise, and the Mudslide ('400), a chilled medley of chocolate- and coffee-based flavours that leaves nothing to be desired.
Almost there
From the Middle East/African section of the menu, we try the African Chicken Balls ('190). These meatballs, in their home region, are traditionally made with beef and coated in a tomato-based sauce. However, at Reise, the chefs have chosen to steer clear of controversy and go with meatballs made with subtly spiced white meat. The dish lacks the gravy element, but to compensate (although not adequately), we are served parsley chutney and a tamarind dip.
The Asian section features four types of dimsum: Crystal Veg Dim Sum ('210), Spinach and Parmesan Cheese Dim Sum ('250), Prawns Dim Sum ('260) and Smoked Chicken Dim Sum ('230). While the four picks manage to hit all the right spots in terms of flavours and textures, our only grouse was the casing on all of them, which we felt could have been more delicate.
Overall, the food and alcohol provide great value for money. So, if you live or work in the area, Reise is a nice spot to step into for lunch or post-work drinks.
