After storming the food and dining scene in Mumbai and Delhi since its inception in September 2010, Restaurant Week debuts in Bangalore giving foodies a chance to indulge in fine dining at a fraction of the price
After storming the food and dining scene in Mumbai and Delhi since its inception in September 2010, Restaurant Week debuts in Bangalore giving foodies a chance to indulge in fine dining at a fraction of the price
What are three food obsessed pals likely to do when they get together? Discuss food, of course.
And during one of these discussions in 2010, Mumbai-based freelance food writer Mangal Dalal, who has also recently earned the chef's toque from Le Cordon Bleu, Paris got together with friends Chef Nachiket Shetye who runs Pan Asian restaurant East in Mumbai and Azeem Zainuldhai, a finance professional.
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Spanish churros with spiced warm chocolate is part of the prix
fixe menu at Caperberry during Restaurant Week
Enter Desi Restaurant Week Events, a company formed by the trio that has brought the popular Restaurant Week format down to Mumbai and Delhi since 2010 which now debuts in Bangalore.
The format is borrowed from Restaurant Week New York that started in 1992, a seven-day event where participating restaurants offer prix fixe menus at a fraction of the usual price. Commonly known as prefix, a prix fixe meal can comprise different courses already set by a restaurant at a fixed price.
At the Restaurant Week Bangalore, seven restaurants: Szechwan Court and Le Jardin (The Oberoi), Zen (The Leela Palace), Bene (Sheraton), The Pink Poppadom (Ista), Olive Beach, and Caperberry are taking part.
"Essentially, we haveu00a0 borrowed the concept from the Restaurant Week, New York. This is a chance for diners to tuck into good food at reduced prices.
Not only can they try out food at these restaurants but they might even want to go back to the restaurant after this experience," says Mangal Dalal in a telephone interview from Mumbai.
While seven restaurants will be participating in Bangalore, the demand for Restaurant Week in Mumbai and Delhi has seen the list go up to 15 this time.
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The Week will start off simultaneously in all the three cities. "The minimum number of participating restaurant has to be seven because the idea is for a patron to try out one restaurant each day of the week," says Mangal. All you need to do is to log on to the website and register and you will be sent a confirmation email.
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The restaurants will offer a 3 course prix fixe menu with a vegetarian and a non vegetarian option at a price of Rs 1,000 plus taxes and R 2,000 plus taxes if you would like to pair your meal with an imported wine.
Tasting each and every menu is very much a part ofu00a0 putting together the Restaurant Week. Chef Nachiket has personally tried, tested and worked out the menus in conjunction with all the restaurants that are part of the Week.
While the other cities are having a Chefs' Table Week, Bangalore might just have to wait till the next Restaurant Week to get anu00a0 opportunity to sample a tasting menu prepared by chefs along with a Kitchen Party where they can see how a restaurant kitchen functions.
According to Mangal, the response has been tremendous with Restaurant Weeks in Mumbai and Delhi coming back for a third and second edition repeat the success story in Bangalore too. "We try to connect people who care about food. We want you to eat some good food and go back if you like it," he says.u00a0u00a0
On from September 19 to 25, lunch and dinner
Log on to www.restaurantweekindia.com to register For Rs 1,000 per head plus taxes for a three course Prix Fixe meal and R 2,000 plus taxes if paired with an imported wine
Restaurant Week: A sneak peak
Caperberry
Dessert
Traditional Spanish churros with spiced warm chocolate
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Olive Bar & Kitchen
Mains
Ravioli of parmesan & ricotta
Zen, Leela Palace
Starters
Crispy prawn tempura roll with tuna & eel
Pink Poppadam
Trio of Startersu00a0
Lamb Galouti; Scarmoza Chicken; Prawn Cafreal
Szechwan Court, The Oberoi
Starters
Crisp fried lotus stem with home style chilli sauce
Le Jardin, The Oberoi
Mains
Laal Maas
Bene, Sheraton Hotel
Starters
Carpaccio Di Tonno
Blue fin tuna carpaccio, slices of green apple, roasted red capsicum caviar and greens.