The ruh-t to good food

This new food destination on the Outer Ring Road might be quite a drive away, but the good food and pleasing ambience makes it worth all the effort

Once upon a time there lived a desert princess named Elahu00e9 who was the epitome of charm and beauty. It was said that the princess charmed men with her looks and hooked them with her culinary skills, as her exuberance was never ending.



She was endowed with the gift of creating culinary magic, which made her a goddess. Kapila Saigal will tell you, the princess's soul still dwells here. So when the woman behind the established Chandni Chowk and Heera Panna unveiled her latest food destination Ruh, on Sarjapur Road with the desert princess as her hallmark, we sure didn't want to miss checking it out.

The Ambience: There's certain mysticism to the place. My first impression was long lasting. The entrance led to sheer white open-air tents and sand, which gave it a very desert-like feel. Stepping indoors and gazing at one's own reflections in the myriad mirrors in all sizes donning the walls gave it an ethereal touch. There are plenty of choices to dine at -- from four tents in different colours (black, silver, red and blue) with colour-coordinated chandeliers, right across the entrance to swinging black leather seats on a large dining table and a VIP seating lounge amidst a scintillating water body. A bed (yes, a bed), also featured, that seemed perfect for you love birds, besides the usual ornate tables, outlandish chairs, Moroccan lanterns and diwan style seatings. What seemed even better was that one could puff on their hookahs anywhere they wanted to.

The Food: The cuisine was a mix of Med-Arabic, Spanish and Indian. But our impression of 'Jack of all trades, master of none' was outdone with each dish turning out to be quite exotic. Begin with a salad to get your taste buds rolling. Choose from an apple and walnut salad or a smoked chicken salad. Torn between the trio menu?

You could give the chicken in orange and tequila sauce or the cru00eape, which has more than the required helping of creamy sauce on the Spanish menu a miss and move to the Arabic menu. We recommend the mezze platter (Rs 395) with hummus, baba ghanoush, tabouleh, mukhalil, sambousik, kibbeh lamhe and pita basket.

Also a must try is the chicken shawarma (Rs 175), lamb tagine (Rs 350), stuffed vine leaves and veg moussaka.
Pickled broccoli and cucumber with the boharat spices give the chicken shawarma a tangy flavour and I highly recommend it to those with a taste for authentic spices. The Al-Hareera soup (Rs 125), cooked in Moroccan style with tender lamb and vermicelli goes great with the grub and was another favourite. My New Year resolution to stay off sweets vanished into thin air, the moment I spotted a blueberry cheesecake (Rs 225) on the dessert menu and I'm not sorry I gave in. The Indian menu has some of Kapila's signature dishes like lahori sabzi seekh kebabs (Rs 145), butter chicken and dum biriyani (Rs 225). So, if you're one of her old-timers, we recommend you gorge on newer pastures this time. But if you prefer to play safe, then the Indian comfort food it is.u00a0

Drinks: Quite exhaustive with electrifying cocktails and mocktails like Cane from Cuba, Rude Cosmo, Soul on Fire, Berry Patch, Pomegranate Passion and Nutty Delight. Only a fool could resist these instant pick-me-up cocktails -- some with fiery ingredients that make them an instant hit and others just fabulous for an evening meal. Thank god however that there's no waiting in long queues at the bar here, all you need to do is sip on them at leisure in your enclosed tent and let the bliss of good food and drink take over.

At Ruh, 912 & 913, 4 floor, Terrance, Ganapa Towers, Outer Ring Road, Bellandur.
Call 98451 75777/ 42022727.
Meal for two Rs 1,200.