Grilla
Food: Good
Service: Very helpful
Ambiance: Relaxing

In Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation, author Michael Pollan writes about the process of grilling food being akin to a mystical experience. He  goes on to trace its roots to pre-historic times when the early man discovered the joys of grilled meat and thereby, communal cooking. This appeal, he said, drove people even today to host barbeques and savour such food.

Now, we aren’t sure if Grilla’s owners were inspired by Pollan, but this new eatery at Viviana Mall certainly celebrates all things grilled. It’s fun to watch your food being prepared in the comfort of diner-like booths.

We dropped by late on a weekday night and had the place practically to ourselves. We began with a Gourmet Bowl where you get to pick your ingredients. So, we opted for a Chicken Gourmet Bowl (R349) with noodles and Khow Suey sauce. The medium spicy dish was yum; we wished the portions were more though.