Enjoy tableside chaat and North Indian delicacies by the pool at this new Bengaluru restaurant

Poolside eating is simply a luxury that is cleanable for Bengaluru’s upwind and the latest poolside edifice successful municipality is By The Blue successful Koramangala’s Grand Mercure hotel. Led by Vilas Dhankute the enforcement chef, the aptly titled edifice serves refined Indian dishes. The edifice is an oasis of greenish and calm successful the bosom of the locality. So I driblet by connected a weekday for a quiescent lunch.

I instrumentality a spot overlooking the pool. The bluish of the h2o and the gentle hum of the fountain is relaxing. I americium brought a saffron-infused vodka cocktail, that has almonds and caller cream. The drink, called saffron and soul, sets the code for what is the travel for the remainder of the repast — 1 of indulgent and affluent flavours.

The starters are lavish, but comforting. The jhinga dum nisha is made with jumbo prawns that are marinated successful cheese, hung curd, and pomegranate. The tandoor cooked crockery is served with a pomegranate emulsion making it saccharine and tart. The anjeer kebab is made with fig and hung curd. The cutlets are pan-seared and spiced with curry leafage dust.

The clay cooked gandharaj chilli mahi tikka is besides a speciality here. The food fillet is marinated with greenish chilli, cumin, and kaffir lime. The lime’s aroma shines through. The bharwan khumbh (stuffed mushrooms) are served with truffle oil, though the truffle notes are mislaid wrong the dense Indian spices.

Before we commencement connected the main course, we are successful for a surprise. The unit wheels successful a eating cart, with each the accoutrements for chaats and we are treated to a unrecorded mentation astatine our table. The brushed aloo tikkis are dolloped with a gravy made of chana and spices, we are asked for our spice preferences, and the chutneys are added accordingly. Then, it is topped with herbs and crunchies. The customised attack to the crockery makes it fun.

For mains, I spell for a tried and tested winning combination. Dal makhni, kadhai paneer and a ail naan. The dal is silky and creamy and I support going backmost for more. The paneer is caller and the piquant kadhai masala is 1 of my favourite ways to person paneer. Other signatures see Punjabi kukkad, a chickenhearted crockery cooked with onions, tomatoes and home-style spices, and the Kashmiri dum aloo.

I wrapper up my repast with a creamy, crystal acold kulfi. The paper astatine By The Blue is simply a solemnisation of Indian flavours, the picturesque mounting is simply a plus.

₹2,500 for two. Open for meal only, 7 p.m. onwards. At Grand Mercure Bangalore, Koramangala. For much details, telephone 9008300446