What: The Whitefield Arms, The Waverly Hotels and Residence
Where: VR Bengaluru, 11B, SY no 40/9, Devasandra Industrial area, second stage, KR Puram, ITPL Road, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560048. Phone: 9591220066. Timings: Sun-Mon: 12:00 noon to 01:00 a.m.
Ambience: The 150 cover restaurant has an interesting mix of indoor, alfresco and outdoor seating. Done up like a British pub, I recommend you opt for the distressed finished wooden bench and table seating on the outside that makes you feel like you are eating in the midst of garden with flowering shrubs.
What we ate and drank: We decided to explore some vegetarian options as recommended by Executive Chef, Bharathan V. Starting with the stunning Mulligatawny soup served with steamed rice and a lemon wedge is a perfect appetizer and the wholesome flavours make this a delectable choice. For more healthy starters, the Haymarket stacked salad, a mix of salad greens, beans and cheese strips, topped with micro beans and tossed in a mustard based sauce is great for weight watchers. The crunchy onion rings were up next and had the right amount of crispiness. My vote however goes to the Zucchini Parmesan Crisps that were wafer thin and covered with a layer of parmesan, deep fried and succulent. The Corn Meal Chilies another specialty made from the long green chilies (which is usually converted into bajjis) stuffed with corn and cheese and the combination makes this one a complete winner. The crispy vegetable burger is huge and is served with salad, sauce and fries and can be shared by two people quite easily. The patty and vegetables inside make for a dish that is filling. For the main course, we tried the Vilayathi Subzi, continental style vegetable gravy served with saffron rice. The delicate flavours of the rice balance the curry prepared in continental style with an Indian twist using bell peppers, zucchini and an assortment of veggies. The Vegetable Shepherd’s Pie is another great choice for the main course and has a lovely cheesy texture. We ended the meal with a couple of eggless desserts. The London Trifle a delightful mix of fruits on custard reminds you of your childhood days. Likewise the Poached Pear Crumble Sundae made with chocolate ice cream, whipped cream and chopped pear on the top interspersed with the flavour of cinnamon, is a great choice to end this perfect meal. While you are here also try their signature mocktails – they look as great as they taste.
What we’d eat again: Definitely the Corn Meal Chilies and Zucchini Parmesan Crisps
Price Points: Rs. 1500 without taxes
Here is a recipe of New England English Vegetable Curry with Saffron Rice by Executive Chef, Bharathan V
Ingredients:
50g French beans
50g Carrot
50g Green peas
50g Cauliflower, cut into small florets
50g Broccoli
50g Mushroom
150g tomatoes, pureed
2 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp fresh cream
1 tsp fried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
80 ml oil for cooking
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
1tsp chilli powder
50g coriander (dhania) powder
30g garam masala
125 g basmati rice
Salt, to taste
20g coriander for garnish
Method:
Boil all the vegetables in salted water till they become soft. Drain and keep aside, while preserving the water.
Heat the oil in a kadhai, add the asafoetida and onion paste and sauté till the onions turn light pink in colour. Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for another 30 seconds. Add the tomato puree and all the spices and salt, mix well and sauté till the mixture leaves the oil from the sides.
Add the tomato puree and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the boiled vegetables, mix well and cook for 5 minutes. Add the kasuri methi and a pinch of garam masala and mix well and cover and cook on a slow flame for 5 minutes, stirring in between to avoid burning. Remove from the flame, add the cream and mix well. Serve hot with saffron rice.
This story appeared in Femina dated Mar 31 2018 here:
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