The world on your plate

Cornucopia offers food from Europe, the Middle East and the Far East

Cornucopia artfully blends the ingredients, the flavours and the preparation styles of food from places near and far. Chef Anand, who worked with the Oberoi Group after which he set up Cornucopia in Chennai in 2002, runs the kitchen at Cornucopia's Bangalore branch in Richmond Town.u00a0

The fried prawns made a delightful starter. The zesty mix of soya, wine, ginger and chilly in which the prawns are dipped and fried left a tangy taste. Try the starter of diced chicken and spring onion with soya and sesame, served on sticks, with a peanut butter dip. The vegetarians in our group declared the stuffed and crumb fried mushrooms, served with onion-cheese-mustard dip, superlative. If soups are your style, try the seafood broth.

It's very reviving.

Fillet magic

Fish fiends have reason to rejoice. There's enough choice on the menu to make you drool in eager anticipation. The Grilled Fillet of Sole Balzac was a melt-in-the-mouth fillet of sole, grilled in olive oil and topped with garlic, jalapeno and lemon sauce. The Poached Kingfish Evita had two sumptuous fish fillets cooked in wine with mushroom and thyme. Baked, grilled, barbequed, poached, fried or roasted, the fish here tastes divine. I saw a mile-long list of chicken, cheese and pasta options but refused to be distracted from my dish of fish.

Sweet finish

The good thing about fish is that it leaves you with room for dessert unlike a chicken casserole or a steak that leaves you feeling like a beached whale! Cornucopia pays hearty tributes to chocolate. Their Mud Pie comes in a chocolate cookie shell with vanilla ice cream and is topped with chocolate ganache. They also have some cool mocktails, perfect for the Bangalore summers, but they don't serve alcohol.u00a0u00a0

Where: Cornucopia is at The Bat and Ball Studio, No. 3, Laurel Lane, Richmond Town
Ph: 4173 8503
Wallet factor: Meal for two Rs 1,000

Kashmiri wazwan

Zaman, the Indian fine dining restaurant at Hotel Ista, is hosting Chinaar, a Kashmiri food festival, till March 8 (dinner only).

Tabakh Maaz, tender chops of lamb infused with asafoetida and fennel and shallow fried in ghee; Gaad Pakoras or boneless chunks of Himalayan trout marinated with dried ginger and deep fried; Rogan Josh, juicy curried mutton cooked in yoghurt and blended with spices; Ghustaba, pounded meatballs cooked in a yoghurt sauce; and Koftas are on offer. Sheermal is the standard accompaniment, but remember that the Kashmiris don't regard rotis or vegetables as main course. Wash down your meal with Kehwa, green tea flavoured with almond slivers and green cardamom. An assortment of Kashmiri desserts includes the classic Phirni, a chilled creamy rice pudding garnished with raisins and nuts.

Call 2555 8888 for reservations