Hideaway by the blue

By The Blue in Koramangala is a godsend for those who dig Indian food in a contemporary al fresco poolside dining area

Koramangala itself boasts of just crossing the 400 mark eateries, big and small, but this one called By the Blue located in a quaint lane in a homestead is for those moments when you want complete privacy. True to its name, By the Blue is just that - fine dining with a welcoming pool on one side and a large open bar on the other. I soaked in both the blue and some sun on a balmy Bangalore afternoon and began flipping the menu, which was, (well, no brownies for guessing this one), blue.



Don't expect anything raucous happening here. The restaurant on weekdays is frequented by business diners over quick lunch meetings and evenings by families and couples who stop by for straightforward and plain yet satisfactory food from all over India, with emphasis on the North Indian fare.

For our starters, we asked for a Mahi Sarson Tikka (Rs 395), which was a Bekti fish marinated with pounded mustard seeds, hung curd and smoked in mustard oil and broiled in the tandoor, thus lending it that tender and flavourful bite. We also tried the Doodhiya Reshmi Murgh Tikka (Rs 375), which was large sized chicken bites marinated in cream and cheese. Again tender and melt-in-the-mouth-bites made them a winner to be devoured in a jiffy.

For the vegetarian mains, we noticed the usual suspects of aloo, paneer, baingan, babycorn and the likes and decided to try out something different. We called in the Goan Fish Curry (Rs 495), which was tender fillets of Basa fish cooked in typical Goan style, which sang on our palate. We only wished the whiff of coconut oil wasn't too overpowering.

The menu has Badaam ki kulfi listed, but on the day we stopped by they had Rosepetal Kulfi, which was actually flecked with red rose petals giving it a fresh and aromatic flavour.
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The service is prompt, yet not too intrusive to the point of being irritable. We're definitely going back by the blue. Maybe next time to experiment with another mood of the eatery on one of its Sunday brunch avatars with live music and bonhomie.

At By The Blue, 12th Main, 3rd Block, Koramangala.
Call 4512 1212
Meal for two Rs 1,600.