What: Toscano’s new menu
Where: U.B. City, Level II, Concord Block, 24, Vittal Mallya Road, Bengaluru. Phone: 080 4173 8800
Ambience: The 145 cover restaurant has an alfresco and covered dining space and is located in the upper level of UB City. The space has a nice fun vibe and the decor is interspersed with hand written boards on the wall. One of the walls has a selection of wine bottles on display that can be bought too!
What we ate and drank: Since we were sampling a new menu, we decided to go Chef Goutham Balasubramanian’s recommendations and we were not a bit disappointed. For starters we sampled the Herb crust olive and risotto Arrancinni with mixed greens and pickled vegetables with crumb fried risotto dumplings that was crunchy and soft at the same time. Also the Quinoa, orzo, verdure grigliate e feta with white Quinoa, barley, spiced roasted vegetables with feta cheese and stewed apricots is a healthy combination of quinoa, cocucous, barley and millets that is delectable and will appeal to all health watchers as well. The Buratta-e–Pugliese is another fantastic salad made with roasted bell peppers, grilled artichokes, whole toasted almonds, asparagus and aged balsamic and soft creamy Buratta cheese seasoned with virgin olive oil. The Insalata-di-formaggio–di- capra is another winner with a combination of goat cheese, mixed greens, grapes, salted beet, cherry tomatoes, pecan nuts, extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I also recommend you try the carrot and onion with balsamic drizzle which has a wonderfully thick body that comes from the carrots and at time red pumpkin added to the soup. After a rather long first course, we had an intermediate course, a crunchy mixed fruit sorbet that acted as the perfect palate cleanser. Ready for the main course we tried the absolutely wonderful homemade Hair Angel Pasta Aglio-olio style with grilled vegetables, olives, chilly, garlic, sundried tomatoes, parsley and olive oil that is light and refreshing. Chef Goutham explains that this pasta is made in house, dried and then used. We also sampled the delightful spinach and ricotta gnocchi in parsley cream sauce with rocket leaves with parmesan shavings that will leave you asking for more. Do try the homemade spinach, ricotta sundried tomato ravioli tossed with saffron cream sauce that is filling as well. For desserts try the seasonal berry and Almond Clafoutis served with Fruit coulis and ice cream, a baked French dessert traditional with cherries and berries that is nutty and fruity at the same time. The American vanilla cheese cake –with red fruit collies and the Red Velvet cake with cream cheese frosting, saffron crème anglaise and vanilla ice cream are other great choices to appease your sweet tooth. “This menu comes after much thought and research as we are in out 10th year now and we hope our patrons enjoy the food as much as we enjoyed putting it together,” says Chef Goutham. Well I can certainly vouch that this is a meal that is wonderfully curated and will leave you feeling happy. Well that is the power of what well made food can do and this is what you will feel too!
What we’d eat again: With a menu like this there are many dishes that are worth eating again but my vote goes to the outstanding carrot soup for its wholesome flavours.
Price Points: Rs. 1500 for two exclusive of taxes and charges.
Here is a recipe of Classic vanilla cheese cake by Chef Goutham Balasubramanian
Ingredients
For cheese cake mix
375 g cream cheese
100 g caster sugar
60 g egg yolk
135 ml fresh cream
20 g egg white
15 g caster sugar
1 pod Vanilla bean
For cake base
150 g Biscuit crumbs
40 g butter
15 g caster sugar
Method
Whip cream cheese add caster sugar then add fresh cream add egg yolk to custard consistency.
Add vanilla essence add egg white and pour in the moulds.
Bake in pre heated oven at 150 c in a double boiler for 60 min.
Rest the cake for 2 hrs and refrigerate.
This story appeared in Femina dated Nov 23, 2017 here:
